Hi, my name is Romaine Christopher Martin, and I’m a foreign exchange student at Kansai Gaidai University.
I was born and raised in Virginia, USA, and I got to school at University of Florida, majoring in computer engineering. I suppose the question that you have to ask is, what is an engineering major doing taking a year off to study Japanese language and culture? Well, for the most part, it was the usual clichéd lures of Japan: anime, samurai, ninjas, videogames, and of course, cute Japanese girls. Besides that, I really just wanted to do something different, and also because Japanese classes have always been my most enjoyable classes at school. So, here I am!
It’s surprising, but sometimes I am still shocked that I am actually in Japan. This feeling was especially strong during my first few days here. I remember walking around, stunned that I was actually seeing signs written in kanji, rice paddies(fields), and tanuki (a raccoon-like animal) statues everywhere. Some things that I immediately noticed were that the actual number of ninja and samurai is significantly lower than I had hoped, Japanese television is perhaps the most hilarious invention of mankind, karaoke is fun even if you can’t hold a tune to save your life (I can’t), and best of all, Japanese people (especially other Kansai Gaidai students) are just about the nicest people in the world.
That last fact is what has made my weeks here so much fun, just by strolling across campus or taking a trip to the club building, one can meet tons of genuinely friendly students ready to help with anything you need, and eager to test out their English skills. Actually, pretty much everyone I’ve met since I got off the plane at Kansai International Airport, including my fellow Study Abroad students, has been great, and I’ve already made some great friendships that I’m sure will last beyond our time here. I suppose living in a foreign country halfway around the world together is pretty much the ultimate bonding experience! Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog, and come back soon to check for updates!
◎写真(1)Catching a bite to eat in Osaka with Bunch of my Study Abroad friends
◎写真(2)One of the Tanuki statues that can be found all over Hirakata City
◎写真(3)A street scene in Osaka