Updates, and advice to future NUE students

Updates
Last week was the first week of our classes with the other international students. To be fair I only have one class together with the advanced students (some of whom have studied Japanese between 4-6 years-in class).

Farmer's stand near Kintetsu station selling Fall foods like chesnuts.

It wasn't as impossible as I thought it was going to be. 

I was so intimidated at first but the class is great, the professor (whom I am well acquainted with as I have her for 2 other classes) and the other students are so helpful and encouraging.

 I realized there is no way I am going to understand everything (like I would like to) but I do get a good basic understanding, then any new words I hear I write down and either look up, ask other students, or ask the professor afterwards.

So it is really doable and I just try my best.

Farmed Foods

I have finally found a farmers stand, though the big Farmer's market/flea market actually is only on the last Sunday of the month, and this month I will be on a 2 day fishing trip in Toushi Island at the same time, so I am thinking of just giving some money to a friend and asking them to pick up some seasonal foods for me since I can't go.

This weekend I went to the farm stand near Kintetsu station and got seasonal mushrooms, chestnuts, daikon radish tops, some kind of greens, dried mushrooms, and the Kabocha squash that I made into a delicious soup.

Stained Glass place in Nara Machi

I was so happy to finally have found farmed foods, but am very disappointed that they still come in plastic packaging. I think it may be nearly impossible to find foods not in plastic packaging unless you grow it yourself. 

Stained Glass place in Nara Machi

It makes sense as much of the culture revolves around physical and metaphorical wrapping of items as seen in gift giving and the like. I think, however, that I had an image that the farm stands would be different somehow, more Bazaar-like. I will see when I go to the actual farmer's market in November if it is still open.

Stained Glass place in Nara Machi

The Ultimate Engrish Hoodie

I bought a nice hoodie that is super comfortable but a little warm for the temperature right now, but I refuse to buy a coat and didn't bring one so I have my warm hoodie for winter. 

People here say it gets cold in winter but honestly I don't believe it will get as cold as I am used to in Michigan so I am pretty sure my thick hoodie is going to be just fine for me, especially since I leave December 29th. 

The funny thing though is that I hardly ever see clothing especially shirts that don't have some kind of English writing on them. I personally seriously dislike clothing with writing on it, but its even more distracting here because most of the time the English writing doesn't even make sense.

It's often funny sayings that are basically a jumble of English words, but my hoodie's just too funny to pass up on. It's trying to be all hardcore punk rock, but it is too weirdly funny.

"SHIT OUT Evil spirit Glistens" and "I AM HARD AS STEEL Life is full of surprises time proven IT'   S ENEMY" are just too crazy.

Advice for future Nara University of Education Students (NUES)

Often, I run into other students who for whatever reason either lose patience or are downright rude to the professors here when their Japanese is corrected especially.

Manners are also important at restaraunts.

I have heard of students sighing loudly, rolling their eyes, and interrupting our professors here.

I am so embarrassed when these students act like that and seriously want to call them out. They are representative not only of foreigners, but Americans as well and it's frustrating and embarrassing.

 Quite frankly it upsets me and I think I will say something to at least one of the students since perhaps they don't know they are being rude in this way.

However showing up late frequently, too, is a rudeness that I am sure the offending people are aware of and it reflects poorly on them.

Detroit Tigers were on at the Tempura Pub.

Please, if you are going to come to Nara, take constructive criticism and corrections from your professors with dignity, and learn from your mistakes.

Don't get frustrated outwardly when they correct your Japanese sentence structure, it's just immature.

Don't show up late for your classes, it makes you look bad and it's rude.
 Come prepared with your required readings and homework finished.

It is really frustrating in a classroom with only a few people when only one or two people remember their homework and  you have to review your answers in class. 

Everyone makes mistakes and forgets occasionally but please don't make it a habit.
 Timeliness, patience and dedication are habits that are valued in Japan and America, but here in our small classrooms it is made especially obvious so please try to do your best to not become lazy or frustrated.


Aside from manners at school, manners are important in public places such as on the street, at pubs and restaurants and the like. 

After I went to a local pub with delicious and inexpensive food and drink, and other internationals are making a fool of themselves and standing on the seats, kissing over tables, and all other manner of craziness, I decided I would not go out in public with them ever again.

While I typically prefer to go exploring places alone, sometimes I like to go places with others. But after that horrible experience I especially want to not go anywhere in public with internationals who can't behave.

So please, be aware of where you are, your noise level, and manners if not for yourself, then for the sake of others who wish to enjoy their experience abroad.