More Home Than My Own Home

by Dwi Marturiningrun (Indonesia)

I didn't expect to find Japan

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During my exchange program at Kyoto University, I visited several intersting places such as temples, shrines, castles, and some other natural attractions such as rivers and mountains. I also needed to explore its downtown and suburbs to buy my daily needs as well as to find the best spots to take beautiful photos. What surprised me the most was that local people were extremely friendly and helpful eventhough they couldn't really speak English well. Furthermore, it was not only local people who were very helpful but also tourists from some other countries. Whenever I was in Kyoto, Tokyo, Kansai, Kobe or Osaka, I always find friendly strangers who helped me find the directions and places I wanted to go, even offering me to take pictures. On the early days in Kyoto, I needed to buy a connector for a plug in to connect to the electricity since the one from Indonesia is different from the one suitable in Japan. I was so careless that I left my powerbank and went to the downtown from campus area by jogging. I was terrified with every detail about Kyoto and went through random ways as long as I could run and get me closer to the Bic Camera, the store where the connector is available. The jogging activity let me went through further way and my phone went off before I arrived at Bic Camera. I had not get used to the Kyotonese road yet and indeed get lost before getting what I need. I asked randon Japanese guy and he helped me find the Bic Camera, eventhough he was not familiar with the nearby store as well. He googled map the direction and accompanied me to find the right connector until I paid and tried the one that suits my Indonesian plug in. It is quite different with how local people in my home city, Yogyakarta, which is famous because of its hospitality, would treat a stranger like me if he/she had similar case. People in Yogyakarta will just tell any strangers with that typical probem the directions of the store and let them find their own. It happend again when I was going to go to Arashiyama Bamboo Groove and was about changing the bus in different bus stop. A group of sibling showed me the right bus stop that was quite far from where I asked them and left me just right before I went into the right bus. When I was in Shibuya, I stayed in a cafe net on the 7th floor of a building with only Kanji sign on it. Since I never learned Japanese before, I couldn't find the building after strolling around the spot whre google map guided me. Then I asked a Japanese woman, who couldn't speak English but understand what I asked her. She guided me until we find the right building though we need to cross the street and enter a gankway. In Osaka, I experienced more warmth from local people and some other foreigners. I met 7 different groups which 5 of them offered to take pictures for me. First, a Polish girl who read a book in the entrance park of Osaka Castle. The other groups from Filipina, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Japan offered me to pose in front of iconic signs such as Dotonbori and Glico man and indeed took great pictures of me. Before I went to Osaka, I met a Kyotonese Muslim woman who plans to have her hijab business. I gave her 2 of my favoirite hijabs so that she might have inspiration for her Japanese hijab style. She was the one who helped me packed my groceries in a local market. I never imagined I could make friend with local people that easy. It was amazing that I could also had a running buddy who was also my neighbour in Japanese sharing house where I lived. When I went to Himeji castle with my classmates, two Japanese woman offered us a free complete guide. Anytime we exolored some other cities and spots, it was always very easy because of the warmth, comfort and the "positive and save vibes" Japan gave us even during winter time.