Moving to a new place has never been an easy task for anyone, especially when the destination is a whole new country. Hence, after almost two months of getting used to life in Nagasaki, I would like to share a short insight regarding things one should do/prepare before going to Nagasaki. Of course, this article is my personal perspective and everyone has their own necessities and preferences, so please take it with a grain of salt.
Okay, let the fun begin.
1. Sneakers - A good pair of walking/running sneakers
As I mentioned in the previous article, since my arrival in Japan, my daily walking count has sky-rocketed in comparison to when I was in Vietnam. However, I will not complain about the walking distance, cause it does not cause me much trouble, excepting the hill-climbing part. And it is safe to say that Nagasaki is the city of steep hills, so please take this information seriously before you come.
Buy a very good pair of sneakers and your feet and knees will thank you later.
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Optional: A pair of water-proof shoes. you can bring them along or buy them in Japan later. Will absolutely need them for the rainy season.
2. Japanese language pre-acquisition
The university does provide free Japanese class for international students and it would be definitely useful IF you at least learnt the Hiragana and Katakana before your arrival. Why do I say that? Well, from my observation, the lessons seem to be quite fast for those does not know any basic Japanese in advance. Both teachers and students have a hard time communicating with each other due to the language barrier.
Followings are some good materials to kick start your Japanese learning:
3. Mini folding umbrella
I found that the weather in Nagasaki can change very quickly. Today, it may be warm and sunny; tomorrow, it can become cold and rainy. It sucks to get wet, I suppose, especially when the temperature is getting lower. Hence, it is a good idea to always carry an umbrella in your backpack.
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| Tiny but mighty even in a sunny or rainy day |
Optional: A good rain coat.
4. Some instant foods, spices and seasonings from your hometown
This is very straight forward and does not need any comment. Not everyone can get used to Japanese food right away. Even if you can, navigating through the sea of Japanese spices and seasonings is a challenging task as (a) there are too many of them, (b) almost all the labels are in Japanese and (c) it is very likely that you can barely speak or read any Japanese. My friend, who is very good at cooking, had mistakenly put vinegar into the meat instead of oil when we made Vietnamese food at another friend's house, cause of the labels are all written in Japanese. So beware!
Closing thought
Although moving oversea might seem to be challenging at first, it will gradually get better and there will be a lot of fun once you get used to the neighborhood and make new friends. Hope you do enjoy the article. Cheer.
