Hello everyone!
I did a search and could not find any threads so far which addresses the topic of lifestyle adjustments to expect as a research/ postgrad student in Japan. I am not sure if this is the right place to post this thread (mods can delete/ move the thread if it is not >_<).
Currently it's the dreaded waiting-period for those who have applied for the MEXT scholarship and for those aiming to start school in April 2011 >_<. Hope that everyone's doing fine and that we would get our desired outcomes soon! In the meantime, was hoping that we could share some tips on how to prepare ourselves, should we get a chance to study in Japan.
Personally, from conversations with friends/ lecturers who have experience working in Japanese institutions or who have been to Japan, I have been provided with a rather one-sided view of life as a student in Japan =( Would like to share what I have learnt so far though:
1) I know that Japan is a very patriarchal society and that sometimes women in the workplace are required to pour tea for their superiors. From a conversation with a person in the research field, I heard that this is no exception in a laboratory. If you are a girl (even more so if you are the youngest in the lab), you have to come in earlier than everyone else to make tea/ clean the desks before the day starts. I have nothing against this and I understand that this is part of the Japanese work-ethic.
2) I am not sure if this occurs only in the workplace or in the laboratories as well… But I heard that it is good practice to come in before your boss and leave only after he leaves.
3) With regards to the Japanese work/ lab-ethic, was wondering if there would be time to go back home during the summer breaks/ holidays. Personally, I am prepared to stay in lab for long hours and even over the holidays (have been doing that in Singapore already >_<) but it would definitely be a bonus to be able to go back once in a while.
4) Now comes the more questionable part… I know of a researcher whose friend went to Japan on a scholarship to do her PhD (but that was about 10 years ago). Being a headstrong and vocal "gaijin girl", she was bullied very badly in the laboratory by her senpais (her supervisor was nice though). The worst thing was not that she lost a lot of weight but that she almost lost her virginity (her senpais threatened to deny her help for a major experiment if she did not sleep with them). Also, a friend who works in a Japanese company in Singapore told me that a Japanese boss who had come to Singapore for a business trip tried to get her to sleep with him for 'business' (this within the last 2 years). These situations may be unique but it did make me worry a bit of how foreign students are perceived in the Japanese schools/ labs.
5) With regards to 4), a quick internet search did not reveal much on past MEXT scholars' experiences in Japan. However, all the good reviews seem to be concentrated in embassy websites (where they would of course post the good stuff only) while there was only one bad review on www[dot]debito[dot]org (the comments to the review contained both good and bad experiences).
I do know that every case is unique and that life in a foreign country (not only Japan) would definitely not be a bed of roses. But I believe that it would not be impossible to adjust to as well if one has an open and teachable spirit. If you guys do not mind, I would find it extremely helpful if you could share your experiences/ questions regarding adjusting to student life in Japan (^_^)
Pardon my long post!:sorry:
I did a search and could not find any threads so far which addresses the topic of lifestyle adjustments to expect as a research/ postgrad student in Japan. I am not sure if this is the right place to post this thread (mods can delete/ move the thread if it is not >_<).
Currently it's the dreaded waiting-period for those who have applied for the MEXT scholarship and for those aiming to start school in April 2011 >_<. Hope that everyone's doing fine and that we would get our desired outcomes soon! In the meantime, was hoping that we could share some tips on how to prepare ourselves, should we get a chance to study in Japan.
Personally, from conversations with friends/ lecturers who have experience working in Japanese institutions or who have been to Japan, I have been provided with a rather one-sided view of life as a student in Japan =( Would like to share what I have learnt so far though:
1) I know that Japan is a very patriarchal society and that sometimes women in the workplace are required to pour tea for their superiors. From a conversation with a person in the research field, I heard that this is no exception in a laboratory. If you are a girl (even more so if you are the youngest in the lab), you have to come in earlier than everyone else to make tea/ clean the desks before the day starts. I have nothing against this and I understand that this is part of the Japanese work-ethic.
2) I am not sure if this occurs only in the workplace or in the laboratories as well… But I heard that it is good practice to come in before your boss and leave only after he leaves.
3) With regards to the Japanese work/ lab-ethic, was wondering if there would be time to go back home during the summer breaks/ holidays. Personally, I am prepared to stay in lab for long hours and even over the holidays (have been doing that in Singapore already >_<) but it would definitely be a bonus to be able to go back once in a while.
4) Now comes the more questionable part… I know of a researcher whose friend went to Japan on a scholarship to do her PhD (but that was about 10 years ago). Being a headstrong and vocal "gaijin girl", she was bullied very badly in the laboratory by her senpais (her supervisor was nice though). The worst thing was not that she lost a lot of weight but that she almost lost her virginity (her senpais threatened to deny her help for a major experiment if she did not sleep with them). Also, a friend who works in a Japanese company in Singapore told me that a Japanese boss who had come to Singapore for a business trip tried to get her to sleep with him for 'business' (this within the last 2 years). These situations may be unique but it did make me worry a bit of how foreign students are perceived in the Japanese schools/ labs.
5) With regards to 4), a quick internet search did not reveal much on past MEXT scholars' experiences in Japan. However, all the good reviews seem to be concentrated in embassy websites (where they would of course post the good stuff only) while there was only one bad review on www[dot]debito[dot]org (the comments to the review contained both good and bad experiences).
I do know that every case is unique and that life in a foreign country (not only Japan) would definitely not be a bed of roses. But I believe that it would not be impossible to adjust to as well if one has an open and teachable spirit. If you guys do not mind, I would find it extremely helpful if you could share your experiences/ questions regarding adjusting to student life in Japan (^_^)
Pardon my long post!:sorry: