They also invited us to social events like parties and club activities. Most of us joined the different clubs they represented. Joining a club is a great way to make friends while doing something that you’re interested in. Waseda University has a wide variety of clubs, such as basketball, boxing, hula, ukulele, language exchange, culture clubs and so on. They even have a sign language club! I learned American Sign Language in high school, so I was interested in joining that club to learn more about Japanese Sign Language.
Another thing that really helped me with the transition was finding a church. I’m a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, and for my first two weeks in Japan, I didn’t have a church to go. That was difficult for me. I really missed singing hymns with other people and talking about the Bible. When I finally found a church, it was like a home away from home.
Each and every one of us belongs to multiple communities. Your school is one community, your neighborhood another, the different clubs you’re in, your friend groups, and even your family unit is a small community in itself. When moving to a different place, it’s important to make new connections and try new things. However, it’s also important to keep in touch with your old communities because they are still a part of your life. I’m very close to my family, so I knew that I would be struggling with homesickness. My mom was with me for my first two weeks in Japan. She helped me move into my new apartment and gave me some really good advice about living on my own. My family has a group chat, so even though we’re far from each other, we can still keep in touch.
