Apartment in Japan: Things that foreign students must know
Looking for an apartment in Japan can be complicated for foreign students because of the difference in renting system, the language limitation, and the way how Japanese view the foreigner itself. In case of Okayama University, if you're coming alone and this is your first time to Japan, you can ask your professor to enroll you into Okayama University student dormitory. The monthly rent is cheap, it gives you a community consists of 100% foreigners to start with, and more importantly it gives you time to prepare yourself before actually involved with the Japanese community. Unfortunately, when I wrote this article, there is still no room for family in that student dormitory.Soon or later, the day when you must look for a common apartment is ...
[Read More]The cost for capturing the light
"Camera is an expensive hobby," said my father to me. I remember it was in 1996, and a film-roll was worth of ten meals in Indonesia. Of course that excludes the additional cost to develop the film. The moment when I got the film, I know that there are only 36 shots before another set of meal-tickets need to be sacrificed for taking the next photo. I wondered if the words of my father will be a long lasting.Here I am now, the age of digital. A wide of selection is on the table, range from the expensive full-frame DSLR, APS-C/H, micro four-third, prosumer, point-and-shoot, to the cheapy 'camera' attached inside the hole of a mobile phone which I hardly consider as a real camera. For certain, I don't need to exchange my meal-ticket ...
[Read More]Is Okayama University Mediocre?
I was told by several foreign students that Okayama University is low-rank with mediocre publication, while many other universities in Japan have better publication. Some are even referring to a certain ranking system, which I didn't ask what kind of criteria was used to rank. Interestingly, they were student of Okayama University, not an outsider. Really, I could simply pretend nothing happened because I doubt any of them has a real competence to spit such judgement out.But let's get straight with the title. At an instant sight the answer may be yes, but the fact is it doesn't even half true.There are seven imperial Universities in Japan and they have long history which of course have made glorious reputation. Unfortunately Okayama is not ...
[Read More]Nihongo ojyouzu desu ne
Most foreigner who came to Japan with little knowledge or skill in Japanese language will certainly have experience of being praised by Japanese with this sentence.When the Japanese people start to point this phrase to you, it actually indicates that your Japanese is very bad. I said "indicates" and that doesn't mean the Japanese saying such thing on ill purpose. Really the Japanese doesn't want to let you down and probably want to motivate you also. This is a part of their habit called oseji (flattering), in which almost all Japanese are expert (read my article about oseji in this page).I think the Japanese are actually not lying either because maybe they have not finished the words. While "Nihongo ojyouzu desu ne ..." is the first part of ...
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