As I leap off the subway I look around, noticing I have arrived at Kobe city-center. Tall buildings, well-dressed citizens, and vending machines at every corner of my peripheral vision. Wow I am blown away. Instantly I'm impressed by the organization, architecture, and greenery that surrounds this metropolitan city. As the 25 degree Celsius sun peers above me, I take shelter in a nearby convenience store to stock up on rice balls (おにぎり) and (UCC) milk coffee. 

As I stroll along one of the major streets called Flower Rd, I begin my 10 minute walk toward my internship office building. I can't help but notice at almost every block there is a bright colored, and option abundant vending machine. 

According to locals, this nice sunny weather won't last long, but during this first week it welcomed me nicely. Sure, here and there I saw some showers but for the most part, it was nothing but sunshine. Luckily for me that meant the rest of my walk towards the office would be a breeze. Upon arriving to KIITO, a shared office space for creatives and organizations, I meet my boss, Kendra. He was kind enough to take a photo of me here as I told him I'd be writing in my CAPI blog from time to time. 

Kendra not only gave me a warm introduction to the office but also took me out for lunch on my first day! Together we took our lunch break walking just 5 minutes to a restaurant where working office-people dine out when they get hungry. This lunch set was filled with a variety of udon noodles, seasoned rice, assorted tempura, Japanese pickles and miso soup. I had quite the feast in front of me to say the least. The only challenge was staying awake the rest of the afternoon following the lunch! 

This first week was one of the best weeks of my life. Period. Filled with long hours of hard work, delicious food, and a completely new environment, I wouldn't have changed anything about it. Following the workday I found myself pursuing my hobbies. Now things were a lot different here as I didn't have access to my usual CARSA gym membership, or local Douglas mountain to hike so I had to get creative. To my surprise just a 15 minute walk from the office was a driving range where I could practice my golf swing, and a public fitness gym to get my workouts in. 

Though it may seem from the pictures it was a completely smooth first week, in reality there were tough times while moving to a completely new place. The challenging workdays, feelings of isolation, and language barriers have made settling in not an easy task. It's going to take a while to feel fully grounded in a completely new country like Japan. However, by overcoming these challenges I am confident I will learn new skills and things about myself that will carry forward for many years to come. I am extremely grateful for the efforts of the individuals who allowed me to participate in an internship like this, and I cannot wait to take you along on the journey. 

"Now there are a few room options you can choose from, Kai" said my employer as we continued one of the longest lasting email chains in my inbox. There were several western style rooms available that came with a single bed frame, dresser, standard desk, and chair just like in Victoria. However, Kendra recommended I take room 204 on the second floor called a tatami room, or washitsu (和室). I can't lie, I was hesitant at first. Did I really want to be sleeping on floor? (was my initial thought). There is no desk, couch, or even a bed frame! I couldn't understand why he would recommend this room.

It was at this moment, I reflected. I thought back to my cultural intelligence, adaptation, and acceptance lectures throughout my coursework/pre-departure training and said no, I'm not going to stay in comfort zone, I am going to believe in my employers recommendation and select the washitsu. 

Little to say I ended up having one of most peaceful sleeps in my life. The soft, natural light from the sun shimmered through the thin white paper blinds as a slowly grew awake. No need for a noisy alarm clock or violent vibration, I had woken to what felt like a time capsule in a traditional Japanese bedroom. Following my slumber my were my new new roommates ready to greet me.

In Kobe, there are several housing agencies that offer accommodation in the form of communal share houses. The one suggested by my employer was machiake which has about nine different share house locations. The website has English translations with photos, descriptions, and availabilities. In my current house we have a 50/50 split of international people from USA, France, Canada, and Japanese people. In total, the house can occupy up to 10 residents but currently only has 6 right now. Below is a photo of my share house called Mare which has two floors. 

The people who live in the share house can vary greatly, and my descriptions are based only on my experience. Given that, I couldn't have been more fortunate to land such great roomies. My first Friday in the share house my new friends took me out for Yakiniku (焼肉) or Japanese BBQ. This was just the experience I was looking for. 

I recommend any future intern coming to Japan to take these classes. They are hosted by the KICC, a community program aimed at helping new Japanese speakers. I take classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after work from 6:30 to 8:20, all completely free. Below I’ve included some photos of the classroom environment, learning modules, and the flyer I used to originally sign up. If you are interested in the specific class I took, you can send an email to nihongo@kicc.jp to reach the coordinator who signed me up. 

This class has become meaningful in so many different ways for me, though most of all, it’s helping me adapt to life in Japan. It’s helping me overcome the current challenges I am facing and I know it can help you to if you so choose to participate in it.

If you have any questions, or curious to follow along, I’ll leave my Instagram, and YouTube, for you to reach out.