Expectations and Living Like a Local (Intercultural Competency)

• How do you want to get involved on campus and/or in the community?
• I don't know what recreational activities are on campus or if I’ll be able to participate in them, but I do want to attend some club activities. Also regularly attending the Japanese plaza on campus will allow me to know people outside my classes and possibly learn about different events. As for the community, I should visit local businesses and get to know my neighbors who live in different dorms. I’m not sure how actually to go about it, but perhaps I could ask my Japanese roommate for tips.
• What does “living like a local” mean to you and why is it important while you study abroad?
• “Living like a local” means not just knowing how to interact with your surroundings like the locals, but also being comfortable doing so. It’s one thing to know all the rules, but something different entirely to apply them. For example, I know that in Japan slurping noodles is good dining etiquette, however because it is the reverse in my home culture, I will not feel comfortable doing so and it may take a while to feel comfortable. To “live like a local” is one of the most significant aspects of studying abroad. It includes immersing yourself in a culture so deeply that you’ve learned and can apply many social rules that are hidden “under the iceberg”. Which is one of the goals of studying abroad - to study a culture above and under the iceberg.
• In what ways do you plan on fully immersing yourself into the various aspects of your host culture (to live like a local), both on campus and in the community?
• I plan to use what I know and learn from trial and error. People watching is another strategy I can use - watching how locals interact. I'm a social introvert so too many interactions are tiresome, but I must refrain from spending too much time in my room and try to stay outside of our dorm. Again, I could ask my roommate tips if she’s not tired of her foreign roommates.
• What are some of the specific opportunities that you can find through your host institution? In your host community?
• An opportunity that I have mentioned before is going to the Japanese plaza on campus. There, only Japanese is allowed to be spoken which will increase my causal Japanese-speaking skills. The dorm I’ll be staying in has a community lounge for all residents and visitors. I don’t know what is included in the lounge, but studying or hanging out there often could help me meet new people.
• How are you going to make local friends?
• I’m not sure specifically, but I imagine that I’d do it the same way I did when I first came to college. Introduce myself to others, go to campus and community events and introduce myself to others there. Hopefully, I’ll find people who can tolerate my bad Japanese, can be patient with me, and share some interests.
• What do you imagine your day to day life looking like?
• A morning freak-out of all I have to do; getting dressed and ready (I may have to fight my roommates for the bathroom); leaving early because my dorm isn’t on campus; intense Japanese practice which will probably stress me out; After class go to the Japanese Plaza or watch Youtube to relieve stress; Finding lunch (maybe on campus or at a nearby eatery); Doing my homework with the help of friends; Begging my Japanese friends to take me somewhere cool or for tips; Crying for my mother; then taking a shower; prepare for the next day while listening to music (Of course this is subject to change with uncontrollable variables of illness, culture shock, extreme stress, etc.)
• What do you hope to gain most from your approach to getting involved and living like a local?
• I hope to gain life-long friends and connections for possible future professions.
• What is one thing you will do to ease your transition into a new culture, and deal with the adjustments you will face?
• I will bring items from home that make me feel comfortable like a stuffed animal and some posters for my room. Decorating my room to create a comfortable and familiar space, for me, is ideal for immediate stress relief.