A Very Asian Non-Asian

by Josie Losh

An aerial view of Saga University (picture obviously not mine). [INTERCOH]

In a little less than a month, I'll be studying abroad Pacific University's only science-based exchange university in Japan: Saga University （佐賀大学）located on Kyushu. I have been studying the Japanese language and culture for 6 years and I just recently made the decision to make Japanese my second major (my first being Biology).

I don't think I am even able to express my excitement in written word. To truly understand how excited I am to go to Japan, you might need to talk to me in person so you can see it written across my face in a gigantic smile and bright eyes. I have been waiting to study abroad since middle school. It seems hardly possible that I'm already a junior in college and the time is here.

My summer after junior year in high school, I was chosen as a student ambassador from Olympia, WA to visit Olympia's sister city in Japan, Kato. We traveled around Kato and also on day trips to Kyoto, Kobe, Hiroshima, Miyajima, and Awaji Island. It was a two week trip that absolutely solidified in my mind my love for Japan. It was absolutely the time of my life.

I stayed with a host family, the Ishiharas; made up of my younger host sister, Akari, her older brother, Atsuki, who was in college, and mom and dad. Akari was my first close friend from Japan. I immediately admired her use of English with me and her personality was totally judgement-free. With her laid-back personality and the rest of the family's extreme hospitality I always felt at ease. Somehow, my pre-conceived notions led me to expect a very strict, traditional Japanese family, which they were none of, and it was so relieving!

Our Japan/US flags for the Kato students when they visited Olympia.

Last school year, I met Risa Miyazaki, our exchange student from Saga University studying English at Pacific University. With our unbelievable similarity in interests, (the topmost being Korean cutlure and music) and likewise smiliar personlaities (easy laughers!) we became friends very quickly.

We had many fun adventures together last year in Forest Grove, at my home in Olympia when she stayed for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and part of summer break, and in Seattle-where we got more than a little lost. I was also constantly learning new vocabulary or slang from Risa and scribbling it down on pieces of paper. I even learned a little bit of the Saga dialect from her, although I think I've forgotten most of it. I better go review my notes!

My roommates, friends, and Japanese exchange students in November 2012 over for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings!

Risa's English improved SO much while she was in the US and I really, really admire her will to study. I hope that with the same willpower, I can learn just as much Japanese while I'm in Japan! Between Risa and I, our constant struggle is learning Japanese/English when our other huge interest is Korean!!

Although I'm not able to read or write Hangul (the Korean language) yet, and she can, I hope to learn sometime in the near future. One of our favorite pastimes is watching k-dramas together, and if we're not doing that, we're probably listening to k-pop together or totally fangirling over our favorite Koreans in a new SHINee or Infinite music video. We will definitely visit South Korea together this year.

All in all, I hope I can totally immerse myself in everything Japanese, learn loads of plant biology, (and dip my toes into Korean culture) whilst I am abroad for the next 11 months. My classes first semester will be:

- Japanese language
- Vegetables in Japan (my classmates are going to be my soulmates, I'm sure)
- Environmental Soil Physics
- Independent study with a horticulture professor

I aim to keep this blog updated weekly. I don't know how heavy my workload with be with homework and studying, but it seems realistic now, haha. Plus, I definitely want to share my pictures! Prepare to be inundated with pictures of EVERYTHING. Thanks so much for reading and じゃあね (jaa-ne)！

<3 Josie