In Japan people get on the train in an orderly manner even if it is overcrowded. If it were in the USA, there can be a fight. I was surprised to find that I can withdraw money, pay a bill, or buy a concert ticket at a convenience store. In USA, drinking on the street is prohibited, but it is possible in Japan.  I felt it ghostlike when I saw dried bonito flakes moving on hot Okonomi yaki as if they were living.  I tried squat toilet several times, but I couldn’t get used to it. I was surprised when I used shower toilet for the first time.  But now I can’t live without it.  Once I made a mistake saying “chikubi”, nipple, instead of “ekubo“, dimple, which made others laugh. 

 

 

I like animation since I was a child.  Now animation is like a god for me.  When I was a junior high student, my grades were bad and I was scalded by my teacher. My family concerned about it.  In such days, I saw a movie “Spirited away” by Hayao Miyazaki.  I was encouraged by Chihiro and became aggressive.   Animation is something like a magic for me.  When I was a high school student, I liked “cosplay” and I participated at many events.   When I was in Chihiro’s costume, I could see the world from Chihiro’s point of view.  My shyness faded away and became more confident.  As a result I could have more friends.  Thanks to animation and cosplay, I live in a different world from before.  I am very happy to have met animation.   

I became a blue sky lover perhaps when I was 11.  One day, I had a feeling of closeness to the sky, different from the one in far away.   I was impressed by beauty of the blue sky.   I think it is very happy that a man can see beautiful blue sky.   Since then, I have been a blue sky lover.  When I came to Japan in 2011, I became a lover of Japanese blue sky immediately.   I think everyone should put color to one’s life as beautiful as the blue sky regardless of nationality.  We have to appreciate to God and live our given life valuably.

 

  

New Year’s Day in Iran is March 21.  Before New Year, we clean the house and put seven foods such as apples and rice on the table as New Year decoration.   This decoration has meaning of love and health.  New Year continues for two weeks.   During New Year, we meet with relatives, enjoy meals under the tree in the park like Japanese cherry blossom viewing, and present money like Japanese “Otoshidama”.  New Year meal includes sea food from Caspian Sea and is very delicious.    Though I am in Japan now, I decorate seven foods on the table and enjoy sea food on March 21.  

 

 

 [Germany]  P.R.   (staying in Japan for 3 years 2 months)

In China, more people have egocentric mind than before now.   Family ties are getting weaker.  In my case, I was raised by my uncle since my father passed away early.  Long ago, it was common for parents and relatives to live together.  Now most of families consist of young parents and their only child.  The relationship between neighbors became tenuous.  People don’t say even hello to each other.  I want the ties between people to get stronger. 

 

 

When I came to Japan 2 years ago, I couldn’t read Japanese.   Whenever I buy a food ticket at the restaurant, I always pushed the button at top left side of the vending machine.  One day only one boiled egg came out.  The first Japanese word I remembered was “Daijoubu”, no problem.  One day I was asked at MacDonald “For here or to go?”   I answered “Daijoubu”.  We don’t have lady’s only train car in Thailand.  I had a trouble that I couldn’t understand why someone noticed me that I couldn’t get on the car.  I thought I should have studied Japanese more before coming to Japan.  

 

 

[Indonesia]　 Silvia Paramita    (staying in japan for 15 years 5 months)