JUlia

Hello! Thank you for taking the time today. May I ask for a self-introduction?
 

Hello, my name is Julia.

I'm an exchange student from Poland, currently studying economics at Keio University in Japan.

Through a system called Workaway, where I take care of children in a Japanese family in exchange for meals and accommodation, I have been living here since September 2021, saving on living expenses.

That's amazing! So, you're like a babysitter?

Yes, basically. I don't get paid, but I take care of the children for five hours a day, five days a week, and live in one room of the apartment owned by the family.

I see! So, why did you decide to come to a university in Japan in the first place?

I've always been interested in Japanese anime and manga. I also played games.

What's your favorite anime?

It's Pokémon. Since coming to Japan, I've been obsessed with buying Pokémon Pan and collecting stickers:)

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That's nice!:D I'm sure you've faced various challenges since coming to Japan.

So, when you arrived in Japan, what were the initial obstacles you encountered?
 

It may sound obvious, but I was really confused by the drastic decrease in opportunities to see the alphabet in the streets. In Europe, at least the characters are the same, and you can somewhat guess the meaning of words by looking at them.
I think I couldn't survive without Google Maps.

Public transportation is also so messed up, isn't it?

Yes, it is. But now I've become quite accustomed to getting around. It's also a safe city, so if it's within an hour's distance, I often walk.

Were there any other challenges you faced?

One of the challenges was that there was hardly any support or assistance from my university in Poland, so I had to gather most of the necessary information on my own.

The same applied to scholarships. When I found out that there were available scholarships, the application period had already ended. Frankly, even the Japanese university provided only a few basic PDF documents for all international students and there was no substantial support whatsoever.

 

Also, as an international student, I had to pay about 1,500 yen per month for health insurance in Japan. I struggled with communication in English when making payments at convenience stores or calling the city hall. While medical expenses are covered by that insurance, I always have the constant worry of what would happen in a real emergency if I couldn't communicate in English at the hospital.

I see. Thank you very much. If you encounter any difficulties, please feel free to rely on the members of Nokoshimono Project!
Now, I would like to ask about your life in Japan. What kind of meals do you usually have?

As a vegetarian, I mostly cook for myself. It's quite challenging in Japan since I don't come across many vegetarian food options or sections.
Additionally, fruits in Japan are considerably more expensive compared to Europe. In Poland, strawberries are sold at about one-fourth of the price for the same quality. Other berries also feel much pricier compared to those in Europe.
Regarding vegetables, I think they are fresh and reasonably priced.
There are hardly any options in the school cafeteria, so I usually bring my own bento box(lunch box) from home or buy onigiri (rice balls) from the school when I don't have much time.

 

Indeed. Japanese cuisine doesn't have many dishes that don't include meat or fish.

Yeah definitely. I don't eat soba or udon since they use Dashi made with bonito. Instead, I eat a lot of onigiri. My favorites are umeboshi (pickled plum), kappa maki (cucumber roll), and inarizushi (sushi rice wrapped in fried tofu).

Japanese rice is different from rice abroad; it has more moisture and a chewy texture, which I really enjoy. It's also great that you can buy it almost anywhere.
I also make curry and yakisoba (fried noodles).

Are there any other products you particularly like using in Japan, besides food ingredients?

In terms of makeup tools, I really like Canmake's Cream blush. It's very affordable and suits my skin well! I also enjoy using high-quality makeup tools like hand creams and eyebrow products from brands like Shiseido and KOSE, which are often expensive abroad but more affordable here! As someone with sensitive skin, I appreciate that there are many skin-friendly products available.

On the other hand, are there any things you couldn't find in Japan and had trouble with?

I had trouble finding a variety of underwear styles. In Poland, many people wear Brazilian-cut panties or thongs, and I find them comfortable, so I prefer using such types of underwear. However, I didn't come across many options in Japan.

 

I was also surprised by the limited availability and price difference of menstrual products. In Poland, they are cheaper, and it was also inconvenient that there were fewer dedicated bins for disposing of menstrual products in restrooms.

 

Additionally, tap water in Japan tastes quite chlorinated to me. In Europe, everyone has water bottles with filters, but in Japan, it seems like people either drink tap water as it is or buy bottled water every time. There's a possibility that I won't be able to find filters for my own water bottle in Japan, so it might be a good idea to bring some.

I see! Thank you.
Finally, if you have any plans for souvenirs to bring back to Poland, please let me know!

As I mentioned earlier about cosmetics, I plan to buy KOSE and Senka products to bring back! In addition to that, I'm considering Japanese-exclusive snacks like Pocky, KitKat, and senbei (rice crackers), green tea, "kawaii" items, second-hand Nintendo DS, and clothes from Uniqlo.

It's a lineup that reflects your experience of living in Japan, so it's quite interesting lol
Please consider getting them as gifts for your family and friends!
Thank you very much for today!