August 19-September 7
New Word/Phrase I Learned:
Peko peko desu = fun way to say I’m hungry
Something Surprising/Interesting:
Not many people wear sunglasses here. A lot of people actually use umbrellas as shade during sunny days.
Something I tried:
I tried soup curry (one of Hokkaido’s specialties). It was somehow both hearty and light at the same time. The flavours were amazing. I would highly recommend!
Highlights:
I got to be a tourist my first week and a bit in Sapporo! Some things I’d recommend checking out: Yurigahara Park (gardens of the world are beautiful), Mount Moiwa, Hokkaido University Botanical Gardens (if you’re curious about the local plants like me), Sapporo Clock Tower, Sapporo TV tower, City Hall (19th floor for an amazing view), Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine (AKA Hokkaido Shrine), Maruyama Park.
We also celebrated one of our birthdays yesterday! Happy birthday again, Kien! I’m very grateful to have my three Calgary friends 🙂
Challenge I Faced & How I Handled It:
My biggest challenge is definitely the language barrier. It can be especially intimidating in restaurants. Google translate is my best friend. Honestly, picking up the little phrases that you can respond with (thank you, I’m okay, hello, etc.) has been very helpful.
I will say the time difference does suck sometimes to talk to my friends back in Canada, but I make sure to plan videocalls ahead of time to keep up with people back home. Plus, I have our little group of four in Japan here I talk to every day and know I can reach out to and hang out with whenever!
Piece of advice:
If you wanted to join the TAB program and come to Hokkaido, I would recommend giving yourself a bit of time to adjust before starting the rest of the TAB program stuff. Give yourself a bit of time to be a tourist! Also, be prepared to be confused about how to turn on your hot water, use your toilet, wash your clothes, use the air conditioning, and more haha.
If you are just thinking of visiting Sapporo, it’s a cool place for sure! There’s lots to see. I would highly recommend reading up on the culture first though so you know a bit more about what to expect (i.e. quiet on trains and busses, how to politely say thank you, etiquette at restaurants, know what type of clothes are most acceptable, not walking while eating whenever possible, realize when you’d be expected to cover tattoos, etc.).
Something I’m looking forward to:
It’ll be interesting to see what the Japanese elementary schools are like this upcoming week. I am excited to do English class with the kids 🙂
Goal/Desire:
I really want to see the unofficial Hokkaido mascot: the snow fairy! It’s a tiny little white bird and I see merch for it everywhere. I desperately want to see one and add it to my Merlin app.