Job Discussion Forums

Appletreesrtall · Joined: 09 Oct 2007 Posts: 56

So I've been in Japan for about 2 weeks in Morioka, Iwate. It definitely is a nice place, but I think I'm just suffering from lack of a social life!!! Unfortunately my work place is soo small (maybe 3 other people besides my self), so its hard to socialize with them. Except for the other ALT teacher (who is a party animal, a little different from my personality honestly), the Japanese ladies are housewives.

I've done the walking around town. Oodori is definitely a fun place. And the shops in the train station are nice to look at (but I'm 6 ft tall, not gettin into much Japanese clothes). Been to the park, and Sakanacho, but I guess I feel like something is missing cause I'm not enjoying it.

Yes, I -definitely- have homesickness. I miss my family and boyfriend dearly. I have the line of communication open with them through Skype, so it really isn't as bad as it could be. But I think I just miss being around people, laughing, and having a good time.

Who is in Morioka?!?!! I would love to meet some new people and get out. I don't even enjoy the food soo much here, cause I consider eating a group thing, where you share the events of your day with others, but I'm just sitting and scarfing up my food as fast as I can so I don't stay in a place too long (being stared at while eating also isn't fun).

Sorry if this sounds whiney/pitiful, but this is the only place I know that I could think of trying to find people to meet in town. Shoot, if you're in a neighboring town I wouldn't mind jumpin on a train. I don't want to end up where I'm so bored and lonley that I'm constantly bringing work home, or just aimlessly wandering Youtube -every day- to get something to do.

If you got here, thanks for reading Very Happy

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Terribly homesick after only 2 weeks? Keep those lines of communication open back home, but realize that their lives will go on without you, and they may not answer emails so quickly after a time.

Fortunately, spring is here, so you can get a bike and get out to explore. I recommend it, as well as keeping a journal or making a blog (and reading what others have written). I make a 3-5 page newsletter every month to send to friends & family.

Appletreesrtall · Joined: 09 Oct 2007 Posts: 56

Thanks for the words Glenski Smile

I am homesick, but I don't think thats why I'm down. I just think I miss interacting with people outside of the work place. I wanna go out and do hanami WITH people, not just watch other people do it. And I guess I'm too shy to just go up to someone and start introducing myself.

I know making friends will take time, but I'm also just worried because I don't have much of a chance doing that at the work place, even though I am there for such a long time (I'm eventually going to be working 6 days a week. I volunteered for this because I wanted the money).

I guess I'm writing this in hopes that someone will read it and be like "Yeah, lets meet up", or "Have u been to this part of town? Let me show ya around." I'm being really optimistic ^_^() I do have friends -in- Japan, but they're in Tokyo and Hamamatsu. I'll be meeting my Hama friends for Golden Week, so at least I have that to look forward to.

mimimimi · Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 53

I once lived in a place with very few foreigners, let alone English-speaking foreigners. I joined the free Japanese classes that my local city hall was offering and I made quite a few friends, both Japanese and non-Japanese. Perhaps you can try this?

Appletreesrtall · Joined: 09 Oct 2007 Posts: 56

Thereandbackagain · Joined: 03 Nov 2007 Posts: 20 Location: Osaka, Japan

You might want to try www.bigdaikon.com
Many JETs use BigDaikon as a way of staying in touch.
You may be able to meet up with the JET(s) in your area.

Appletreesrtall · Joined: 09 Oct 2007 Posts: 56

Suwon23 · Joined: 06 Nov 2008 Posts: 50

Appletrees, you're surrounded by Japanese people. Strike up a conversation. Don't worry about finding foreigners. Making friends from another culture is one of the best parts of living overseas!

If you're shy, just remember: you are a crazy, unpredictable gaijin who is essentially anonymous, thousands of miles from anyone you want to impress.

G Cthulhu · Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 7:52 pm Post subject:

wintersweet · Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 11:58 pm Post subject:

Have you tried asking the housewives what their hobbies are? If any of them do something even remotely interesting to you (knitting, Japanese cooking, who knows!), maybe you could ask them to show you how to do it sometime. Smile

I realize that getting yourself invited over can be difficult sometimes, but ... it's worth a shot! Heck, I know a 6-foot-tall American woman who took up kimono-wearing as a hobby...

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

The first few weeks can suck if you live somewhere quiet and don't have any co-workers. I was in the same position - living in a fairly small town, the only teacher at a hole-in-wall-eikawa. Even worse was that the gaijin pub listed in my Lonely Planet had moved since my edition was published. I'll never forget trying to make friends with some Russian hostesses handing out tissues by the station, because they were the first foreigners I'd seen!

Joining a Japanese class is good, also is looking on Yahoo for your prefectural JET list. JETs (at least the ones I know) tend to be a clicky group but you'll at least know if there are any parties to go to, get some email addresses, etc. If you don't have time to join a class, simply finding the international center if there is one and hanging out there will give you a chance to bump into other foreigners. Also, look for any chain coffee shops, like Starbucks, etc, take a book along, sit and wait. I met some of my best friends that way.

If you're feeling lonely take the time to explore your area and don't despair. It took me six weeks to meet another foreigner in my city. I used to drink some conveny beers for courage and then go to random bars, but where I live most of them are empty. I met some cool people but if you're a woman you run the risk of just getting hit on by slimy, drunk salarymen, not everyone's idea of a good time!

Anyway, good luck with it! Patience is the key....

Appletreesrtall · Joined: 09 Oct 2007 Posts: 56

Thanks for all the words of advice everyone, I really appreciate it! Just reading what everyone has said has given me some courage to go out there and DO SOMETHING. As for right now I have the weekend off Very Happy

I'm gonna try to hit a bar and just go with it. AANNND that Starbucks idea sounds awesome, I will def. try that out Very Happy

Also, International Center, here I come!

If anyone else has any other suggestions, I'm still all ears. Hopefully this will be helpful to anyone else out there who's feelin' shy n lonely.

P.S.- 6 ft tall girl doing kimonos... wow, sounds like me. Was able to do it once, DEFINITELY wanna do it again.

Question???- I definitely wanna try Kyudo while I'm here. I was really into archery in college. I know its not the same thing, but since I'm at an eikaiwa, how would I go about trying to see if there are any clubs I can get into? Is it bad if I'm an eikaiwa teacher, but want to join a public school's club??? Thanks in advance!

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Don't know about joining a school's club, but again, International Centre. They should be able to hook you up with stuff like that. I do ninja - that's where I found the teacher from.

mc · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 90 Location: Aichi, Japan

Another idea is to get on Facebook and join the Japan network, then search for others in your area. There might even be a group dedicated to Morioka (e.g. Morioka Expats or something similar), which would be a good way for you to meet nearby people.

BobbyBan · Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 201

I could be wrong but hasn't everyone missed out on mentioning your most easily accessible and possibly most useful resourse - YOUR STUDENTS!

I guess you're still in the "getting-to-know-you" stages with them and they'll be keen to find out more about you, so you should try to find out more about them and their town.

Just ask them, where can I do kyudo? What are the most popular places around here? etc...

If you want you can make a lesson round it. Bring in some photographs of your town and get Ss to make questions about the place. Then give some recommendations about what they should do if they visit. Ask them what their hobbies are and then switch roles with you asking about their town and them recommending things for you to do.

By the way, I was also in the same situation as cornishmuppet when I first came to Japan. I lived in a pretty small town and didn't meet another "foreigner" until I had been there for a few weeks. It can be a bit weird not having people around that can easily talk your language but it is a situation you can really make the most of. Even if only by necessity you have good reasons now to study Japanese and to break out of your comfort zone and do some exploring.