By Skyy Genies

So today, my blog is going to be about how everything Japanese has become a part of my daily routine. I have been taking Japanese for around 8 months now, and just from that, I have noticed a drastic change in the way I carry myself and the way I speak. How, you ask? Well, since learning the Japanese language, I haven’t gone one day without speaking Japanese. Yes, we only take the class two days out of the week, but whether it’s intentional or not, some Japanese slips out every day.

Additionally, in the way I carry myself, after reading the chapters about social life and communication in Geek in Japan, I unconsciously changed my behavior. Especially after actually being around Japanese people on multiple occasions through the Japanese Plus Program, I have been more accepting and open-minded of things I am new to. Also, I find myself trying to avoid confrontation and saying things blatantly. Although these things aren’t that far off from how I originally acted, I think more in a way of “How would this look in Japan?” and “Would I do this in Japan”. These thoughts cross my mind constantly and they push me to further indulge myself with what I love, which is Japan! I love how much learning the Japanese language and simply participating in the Japanese Plus Program has influenced my everyday life. One time I even stood up and said “Kiritsu” (stand up) in my History class, everyone looked at me crazy and I realized what I was doing. Just that one school tradition that is practiced in Japan stuck with me and has become a part of my daily routine, cool right?

When I joined the program, I expected to learn things about the Japanese culture, but I never thought that I would start to notice those characteristics within myself after a while.