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Japanese Story

I received a package in the mail yesterday sent from Fukuoka, Japan. It’s an eerie coincidence that I just happened to mention my experience there as an exchange student in a post just a few days ago. I was there from December last year till January of this year and spent my time living with a Japanese family. At the end of my experience I had to write a report, not knowing at the time (perhaps lost through translation as were many things) for what purpose this report would be or where it might end up. After hastily writing the report the night before my return home, I never read it again and had almost forgotten entirely about it.

When I think about how I treated the package now it seems almost insane. I carried it carefully up the stairs and sliced through the envelope cleanly with a silver letter opener. The whole process was like the delicate dissection of a precious artifact preserved from a world that seems as distant now as if it were confined to the pages of a storybook. As embarrassing as it sounds, I even pressed my nose up against the opening and sniffed the air that had been carried inside from a place I miss. 

‘Youth Exchange Report’ read the cover and it is the 2007-08 printed edition of the Lions Youth Exchange in which I took part in. The reports of exchange students from Japan and staying in Japan line the pages one after the other along with mine that I found taking up an embarrassing amount of room.

However, when I read my words, it put me back in touch with that place I spent time in and with the narrative that became my Japanese story. So here are the reflections of an exchange student that I thought may be something mildly interesting to post:

In the past six weeks I have had so many wonderful experiences that it seems difficult to describe them all in this report.

Fukuoka Chikuzen Lions Club has without a doubt done everything possible to make every day of my stay special and memorable.

I have been extremely lucky to have Mr Koichi Kikuchi as my host father for he has been so generous towards me. Everyday he had something planned and gave so much of his time and money to show me his wonderful country and culture. More so, his passion and knowledge of Japanese culture and history really made sight seeing with him special even thought the poor state of my Japanese made it difficult to understand. 

kikuchi’s friends who are also Lions (Fuji, Sato, Hirata, Wakisaka) also have been very generous with their time and patience towards me. 

Together we went to Kyoto, Kumamoto and Nagasaki where I saw so many amazing things. It is one thing to come to Fukuoka on exchange but to also be taken to these other amazing places really revealed to me the generosity and efforts of kikuchi and his friends.

My host family has also been extremely welcoming and generous towards me. I’m really going to miss the simple things like eating dinner together or making conversation in the living room as it is these times spent together with my host family that really signify to me what exchange is all about.

My host mother, Yuko Kikuchi always cooked wonderful meals for me, but most of all I am going to miss her smile when she laughs. There were often times when I had no idea what she was saying, but it would always end in smiles as a reaction to my vacant expression. Her warm nature mirrors the women in my family back home in Australia, and that has meant so much to me during my stay.

Kikuchi’s son, Yuji has also been most accepting and patient having me live in what is also the home of him and his family. I really admired how hard he works six days a week and at the end of the day, still saves energy to be a great father to his children, seven year old Naoki, and three year old Airi.

Yuji’s wife, Mutsumi has also meant a great deal to me during my stay. She shares many of the qualities of my mum in Australia when I see her dedication to her children. However, she really has a wonderful heart and an attentive and giving nature. Often at times when I felt like I was impossible to understand, Mutsumi’s patience and sensitivity always seemed to overcome the language barrier in our conversations.

Kikuchi’s grandchildren, Naoki and Airi have been an important and extremely special experience. In Australia I’ve always had an older brother and an older sister, so I was extremely excited to have the opposite in Japan.

I remember my first night at Kikuchi’s home, at first Naoki was shy but almost immediately he warmed to me and made me feel like part of the family by wanting to play games with me and talk non-stop.

Airi has taken more time to get closer to me, but now she often plays with me wanting me to lift her up and spin her around or practice writing hiragana with me. So I feel sad to be leaving at this time.

Throughout my stay, my Japanese has really been put to the test with about four speeches. Of course I found these slightly stressful as even in English I hate to talk in front of a crowd, however at the end of it all I’m extremely grateful to have had the opportunity as I really feel that it has given me the chance to grow in so many ways. Not only did it exercise my Japanese, but also my nervous character and I feel stronger than before because of it.

There have been so many things I have wanted to say, so many questions I could never ask. However, this is a common experience of anyone struggling with a second language. I wish I could have understood everything, however the times when I could understand were only made more vibrant and special.

I’ll never forget seeing a Maiko walk the narrow alleyways of Gion district in Kyoto, or getting up at 5:30am to go to a temple and pray for the sun to rise. The shrines, temples, New Year’s celebrations, shopping, everything was a new and colourful experience and it is all because of the generosity of Kikuchi and Lions Fukuoka.

Although there were times when things felt tough and inflexible, this is normal for anyone who goes to a foreign country and culture on their own. I have to admit that I have struggled with the restrictions of the Fukuoka Lions YE program, and I feel greatly sorry to have caused grief and concern to those of Fukuoka Lions who had given me so much. I guess it is my independent nature that made it tough for me.

However, although I met conflict when it was the last thing I wanted, I really appreciate the attentiveness of Lions Fukuoka towards me. Even thought I had to succumb to the restrictions, Lions did everything possible to make me feel relaxed and I greatly appreciate and recognize their generous consideration towards me.

Returning to Australia, I’m filled with a mix of emotions. Of course I’m excited to see my Australian family once more, but extremely sad to be saying goodbye to my home and family here in Fukuoka.

However, at the end of this wonderful experience, I ask everyone not to think of this as the end, for it is really the end of just the beginning. Although I return home to Sydney, the relationships built have only just begun and I’m sure we’ll meet again in the future. Through my studies of Japanese, I’ve really grown a passion for this culture and people which has only grown stronger through this experience. I’m Australian but I’ve found something Japanese within myself, my family name is ‘Long’ but a part of me has become ‘Kikuchi’.

Most of all I will miss Koichi and Yuko Kikuchi and I really hope in the future when I return, they will still think of me as their Australian son, for in my mind and heart they’ll always remain as my Japanese parents.