I can still clearly remember the first day I arrived in Japan. It was the end of March 2024, when the cherry blossoms were about to bloom—a symbol of growth and renewal. It’s a time when everything begins in Japan, including the entrance ceremonies for schools and companies. Kansai Airport was jam-packed with tourists and new students, mostly from China. I was quite shocked, as I never expected to see so many Chinese people in Japan! (no offensive) I ended up being stuck at customs for almost 2 hours due to the arrival procedures, which caused me to miss the direct bus from the airport to Nara, resulting in another 2-hour delay. When I finally arrived at Nara JR Station, I was greeted by rain and cold wind as I got off the bus. I had to drag almost 100 kg of luggage from the bus stop to the hotel, and I did the same thing again the next morning, moving from the hotel to a rental car. Yes, it was another rainy day, and I felt completely exhausted and discouraged.
In that difficult time, a savior came into my life: Mr. Ma, from Hebei Province, China. He shared his experience with applying to the school on his blog and responded to my inquiry emails with detailed information. He even visited Taiwan to meet me before I came to Japan. When I arrived, he helped me settle into my dormitory, including carrying a refrigerator up to the fifth floor—by stairs. I can’t thank him enough.
It has been half a year since I started my second life journey in Nara, Japan. Everything has gone quite well except for my experiments. (Oops) I want to give myself a high five with encouragement and say “Well done”!
In Taiwan, the six essential elements throughout life are 食 (Food), 衣 (Clothes), 住 (Housing), 行 (Transportation), 育 (Education), and 樂 (Entertainment).
Food: Due to cultural differences, I honestly miss Taiwanese food. In Japan, food options are categorized into things like 丼物 (rice bowls), ラーメン (ramen), 寿司 (sushi), うどん (udon), 焼き肉 (grilled meat), 鍋 (hot pot), おでん (stew), and so on. But where are the vegetables? Sometimes, Japanese cuisine feels less creative compared to Chinese food, which features a wider variety of seasonings and cooking methods. Fortunately, Indian curry and naan have become another choice for me. You won’t believe it until you see how many Indian restaurants there are in Japan, offering vibrant curries and naan sets at lower prices than in Taiwan. I once asked a Japanese lab member what she thought of Indian restaurants, and she replied, "Good, because they have curry." Yes, Japanese people love curry! I cook daily because I’m poor, and the school cafeteria doesn’t provide enough protein and vegetables, only more and more carbonhydrates. (Ramen + Fried Rice Set)
Clothes: No complaints here! I keep it simple with quick-dry polo shirts from Workman at low prices and quick-dry golf pants from TW Decathlon. However, I can’t stand the strong synthetic fragrances from other people’s clothes when I walk behind them. It happens all the time on the street. Thankfully, we don’t have that scent in the lab!
Housing: For less than 22,000 yen per month, I have a 1LDK (one-bedroom with a living, bathtub, dining, and kitchen area) and a parking space, all utilities included. I have zero complaints about this—especially when compared to insane real estate prices in Taiwan. Fuck DPP & KMT!
Transportation: I couldn’t afford the bus and train fares, so I bought a used hybrid compact car. HAHAHAHA. I’m willing to give everything I have to escape Taiwan’s traffic chaos!
Education: My first semester’s tuition was fully exempted thanks to Japanese citizens’ taxes. I’m hoping the second semester’s will be waived, too. At my school, which is part of the Super Global Universities Project (Type B) by MEXT (文部科学省), there are English-taught lectures in bioscience for international students. Since the bioscience department has fewer international students compared to information science, we benefit from a lower student-teacher ratio and higher-quality lectures. For example, there’s an intensive Japanese course with one teacher for six students, and it’s free of charge. 無料は最高だ！ (Free is the best!)
Entertainment: This is Nara, only deer and national parks. Oh, I forget the countless AEON malls!
Future: My goals are simple: secure an opportunity to study in Japan, get a visa, and live well. I’ll work hard on research and play even harder on weekends. I hope to land a good job, maybe even explore opportunities in another country, get another visa, and start a new chapter. Anything is possible.
