第二男子寮の生活 (Life in 2MD)

       April 22, 2013. 6 months and 25 days Since I arrived in Japan. Looking back, I recount memories, both happy and sad, as I spend my remaining days in this memorable country I'm staying now.

10 months away from your country was too long, I realised. In fact, 7 months is already too long. I miss tons of things back home in the Philippines: family, friends, the scorching heat, the abundant beaches, the cheap food, everything. Last spring break, I was dying of going home. But now, as I get closer to going home, I can't help but be sad at the same time on how I will miss Japan.

Recently, spring term in ICU just started. This term i'm taking Japanese 3, Korean 1, and International Marketing. Though it's only 3 subjects, they take a lot of my time studying and attending classes. But i'm not talking about that (maybe on the next blog). I want to talk about one of the few and the greatest thing i'll miss about Japan: the dormitory i'm staying in, 大二男子寮 (2nd Men's Dormitory)

Let me recall the reason I chose this dorm. On my previous blog posts, I wrote (probably. i'm too lazy to reread LOL) that I wanted to go into this dorm because it was the dorm that got my interest. I really wanted to experience a real Japanese life. Not the ordinary traveller/foreigner experience. Well guess what, I definitely got it.

During the application process for the dorm residence, I recall friends asking me if I could handle it, or if I could live to this kind of atmosphere. "Crazy", as what the letter said, and so as from the students from ICU itself. But I thought that this dorm would open me to the real Japan, to the best Japanese experience ever. So I applied for 2MD.

The dorm's acceptance letter

I was happy receiving the acceptance letter from the dorm, with the rules and all, and that I should be at the dorm on the 31st of August. 

I arrived in Japan on August 29, stayed with my uncle at Kawaguchi in Saitama. When the 31st came, we woke up early, and my uncle drove me to ICU. We got lost on the way, since ICU was a bit hidden, it was hard for the car's GPS to locate the entrance of ICU. But when we arrived, we were too early. We arrived around 8am, and the dorm opened at around 10:30am (if I recall right). So we waited around the parking lot while I'm adjusting to the chirps and heat of Japan's summer. When the time finally came, we drove to the dorm (and got lost too because we didn't know that vehicles weren't allowed inside the school. So when we stopped at the dorm, brought my luggages out, and suddenly people from the dorm started to help us and orient me. I remember the first time I set foot on the dorm, a camera went to my face, and I was told to introduce myself. I had zero nihongo skills, so I spoke in english. My uncle and aunt left, and I was led to my room to unpack. 

Resting under the summer heat on Aoyama

When I finished unpacking, I went to the social room. I remembered giving out dried mangoes to my new dorm mates. :D Though it was hard communicating, but I guess language barriers didn't stop me from enjoying this time of my life. I remembered Joko , Isami, and Paul toured me around the school, and taught me the difference of Bakayama and Aoyama. It was a long day for me, So I decided to rest and wait for the night. When I woke up, we went out for dinner, and went out drinking. I got to know my fellow newcomers. We were four, 3 One year regulars (including me) and one September entry student. It was a really great start. I thought that was it. But boy was I ever so wrong.

So on the next day we went on to school orientations, residence cards, and dorm orientations. And we were oriented with our initiation process. And that's when they told us about THE Jingi (emphasis on the capitalisation). For those who don't know, the Jingi is one of the dorm's unique culture and initiation process, where we have to do a stand-up comedy-ish to the women's dorms. We keep on doing jokes until the head of the dorm tells us to stop (because we told a really good joke). And we do a certain stance and stay like that until everyone is done doing their jokes. We were shown and taught on how it worked. I memorised the lines and the position. But it really got me worried. So worried. I was the only one who didn't knew japanese. And I had zero knowledge on Japanese humour. So it disturbed me almost every night, thinking on what jokes to do. But after 4 days (3 for the women's dorms, and one for 2MD), we finally finished the jingo. It was a real relief. Though difficult, it was fun. And it was one way of socialising with the other newcomers. We got to know each other well, and some women recall us by the jokes we did like "hey you were the one with that joke" or something like that. 

Just when I thought it was done, we had another initiation to wear a costume to school for a week and dance on the last day in front of the whole school. It was a bit embarrassing, but it was really fun. People loved our performance. That night, as we were about to rest, we had our final initiation. It was finally the time of the dorm to welcome us as official members. We laughed, drank and all. A great (and tiring) 2 weeks of initiation. 

Wearing our gun dam-themed costumes to School

April newcomers! :D

Time passed, studying, exploring Japan, and other stuff. During my stay, my fellow 2 OYRs left the dorm for personal reasons. It was really sad, being the only OYR left at the dorm. But the dorm did not stop their craziness. It was still fun, and somehow it made me feel I really belonged. I was experiencing the real Japanese life. 

And now spring came. A new batch of newcomers came. They had more initiations than what we did. I wanted to join from the start, but sadly I wasn't able to because I was on Saitama until the last day of spring break. I was able to join at their Jingis and the dance at the school. Seeing them do their initiation, I can't help but see myself 7 months before, doing the things they did. It was so nostalgic. So happy. And I can't help but laugh at the memories and on how I did before. Especially that I know a bit of Japanese now, I can't help but feel stupid saying those lines and all and not understanding a word, just now. 

       Here are some pics of the dorm:

The first dorm meeting upon our arrival

This is how our jingi works

....and then we stay like this until everyone is done with their jokes

April newcomers after their last initiation :D

This was after our dance at Bakayama

Our signature pose after the dorm play

We won the most interesting play!

Club 2MD From our ball party last December

Alumnis doing the jingi pose on our Mochitsuki and 2MD alumni homecoming

Nabe party with Roomie his girlfriend and friends. :D

And now as i'm writing this blog post, I can't help but have mixed emotions right now. I already booked my flight for home, which will be in 2 months time. I'm excited to go home, to see my country and serve my fellow people again. But then I'm also sad. Sad that i'll be leaving Japan. Most especially the dormitory. I learned a lot of things from staying in this dorm, some things that other dorms could not teach me, and that was how to live a full Japanese experience. But this sadness also serves as my motivation. When I get back, i'm gonna try to graduate on time, and maybe apply for another program at ICU. And hopefully I can stay at this dormitory again. 

I won't be saying my goodbyes yet. I still got 2 months. 2 months to try and enjoy my dorm life and japan life to its extent. But as early now, I just want to say, 

第二男子寮、いご、よろしゅー、おーたーのーもーしーまーすー！　本当にありがとうございます！とても楽しかった！