Sunday, July 10, 2011

Goodbye (for now)

Seventeen days have quickly come and gone.  I’m back home in the U.S. now and I decided to write one more post to close out my blog.

This was the first time I’ve studied abroad and I enjoyed it even more than I thought I would.  Truthfully, I was hesitant about going to Japan by myself, especially post 3/11 and the nuclear scare.  But, I am so glad that I did.  I met an amazing group of students from around the world.  I not only learned a lot academically, but socially and culturally as well.  Discussing colloquialisms, what people eat, national customs, universities, etc. was fascinating.  There were also the inside-jokes about Mt. Fuji, love hotels, Parm, awkward palm trees, and cement factories that still make me smile just thinking about them.  I don’t think I can adequately explain how much I will miss everyone and learning and exploring with them.  Also, the Todai students that I got to meet made my experience even more special.  And in case any of them happen to read this, I would like to say thank you so much for everything you did for us!


So as a final count, after two and a half crazy, wonderful weeks, I have 5,024 photos (~20GB of memory)! But even without the photos, the memories I have of IARU GSP – Sustainable Urban Management 2011 will stay with me forever!


Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Day 8-15: Reflection+Fun+Study Visit+Class Ending (June 27 - July 4)

There’s been so much happening lately, I’ve been falling behind on blogging.  So this post will be a condensed recap of the last week and a reflection about my time in Tokyo.

One thing I don’t quite understand about popular Japanese culture is the playing of pachinko.  They look like arcades for adults!  And they’re everywhere (but not quite as common as vending machines, haha).  It is loud and flashy inside and I’ve been told that smoking is obligatory when playing, which brings me to my next point.

After being in Tokyo for two weeks, the only thing I can think of that I don’t really like about Tokyo is the fact that it is fine to smoke indoors.  Smoking also seems much more common here than in California.  It’s unpleasant eating in a restaurant and being surrounded by people puffing away.  Even when there are designated smoking/non-smoking areas, they are usually only separated by a partition that doesn’t reach the ceiling or has a wide-open doorway.

Even though weather reports have predicted rain and thunderstorms for almost everyday, I’ve been pretty lucky.  I’ve only been caught in the rain twice.  However, I might prefer rain to the intense sun and humidity that I’ve been experiencing.

During the last eight days, the things that stuck out in my mind were:

Day 8
The other GSP people and I visited the Ikebukuro Bosaikan Life Safety Training Center.  We learned about fire safety, attempted a fire extinguish and evacuation simulation, and most notably, experienced an earthquake simulation of the 1995 Kobe earthquake.  I’ve only felt very tiny, short earthquakes while living in the California Bay Area.  I can hardly imagine living in a place like Japan that experiences such long, intense earthquakes and so often.  I'm sure Berkeley can learn a thing or two about earthquake safety from Japan.

Day 9
All 8 GSPers visited the Tokyo Tower (which reminds me of the Eiffel Tower).  The view from the main observatory (150m up) and special observatory (250m up) is really pretty.  An incredible fact I learned about Tokyo Tower was that during the March 11 earthquake, the tip of the tower bent, which can still be seen today.

Day 10
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building/City Hall has an amazing view from the 45th floor and it’s free to visit.  The surrounding city looks so small and compact.  The view is especially nice at night with all of the building lights on and cars zooming by.

Day 11
Since I’ve been in Japan, I always take notice of the size and shape of cars.  Besides driving on the opposite side that I’m use to, their vans and trucks are tiny and boxy.  They are very cute and compact!  I got to see some of these vehicles at the Toyota Mega Web showroom and drive in a safety simulator.

In addition, Odaiba has a replica of the Statue of Liberty.  It took me by surprise being in Japan and see a massive, classic American symbol in the skyline.
 







Day 12
On the last day of class, we all had to give a presentation on a case study we were given about city flooding and its levee systems.  Listening to other groups’ ideas was eye opening.  It also made me think about how every action has positives/negatives and there are many aspects that need to be weighed before making any decision.  I’ve learned a lot in my Sustainable Urban Management course.  I can definitely say that I will leave Japan with a greater and broader understanding of sustainability, city management, architecture, and Japanese culture.

Day 13
I’ve been to the Disneyland in Anaheim, California, but I still went to Tokyo Disneyland, and I’m glad I did.  I believe the park in Tokyo is smaller, but most lines weren’t incredibly long and the weather was nice.  I felt like a kid again!

Day 14
It took me two weeks, but I finally ate sushi on my 14th day in Japan.  It was really delicious and beautifully presented.  We got to watch the person make it right in front of us.


Day 15
Today, the new students for the Japanese language and Nanoscience courses arrived.  We were all taken on a tour around Tokyo.  I can say with complete confidence that the food we ate for lunch was the best food I’ve had in Japan.  It was also quite entertaining to watch it being cooked right at our table. I believe it is called "monja."  At night, we attended a nice Welcome (and Farewell) Party for all IARU GSP students and faculty.

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Tomorrow is the last day for the GSP Sustainable course students.  I can’t believe that it is already ending.  I feel like I’ve been here forever and experienced so much, but at the same time, I’m surprised the program is ending so soon.  I would really like to spend at least another week in Japan.  The people I’ve met, both GSP and Todai students, have been extraordinary.  I feel incredibly lucky to have been given the chance to come to Japan and become friends with this amazing, diverse group of people.  It’s sad to think that we will soon be scattering across the globe, back to our home countries.  I will take many great memories and photos back with me to Berkeley!