Experience (Culture Shock) by Genshu

I talked about three stories which surprised me here.

Firstly, that is a football game at Ole Miss. One day, my fiends invited me to go to a football game. It was the first game at Ole Miss. I heard that in the US, football is most popular sports, and very excited. I have read comic books about football, and am interested in, so I said, “Of course, I want to go!” I bought a ticket and It cost 15$. Probably, it was the day before the football game. I was looking forward to a football game because it was the first time for me. On the way to home, I dropped in the Student Union, to meet my friends. I found lots of something blue and red at Circle, and temporary restrooms all over the place. I had completely no idea at that time why there were such things there, but my friends told me they were for a football game. However, I doubted why such things needed football games, because I was stranger here yet at that time. And also, my friends asked me “What are you going to wear tomorrow?” I answered “As usual”. She got surprised, and asked again “Aren't you going to dress up?” I confused more, and I did not understand what she said. I said, “Are you serious? Why am I going to dress up?” However, I would come to notice later that she intended to say.

On the day of the football game, I woke up at 9 am because I heard that I could eat lunch for free at Circle at around 12 pm. I took a shower, and went to the Union to buy notebooks. I was very surprised that everyone I met on the way to the Union wore something formal. Especially women wore blue or red dress! Though they wear very casual same clothes every day! I asked someone in spite of myself, and understood what happened. I went back to my room in a hurry, and change my clothes to something formal. I felt good because I brought formal clothes from Japan, prepared if something. After that, I went to the Circle. I got surprised again. There were so many people that I doubt myself. There were many tents and people who dressed up. Moreover, patrol car led some buses, sounding siren. At that time, people there went toward the buses. Some people took off the buses, and I found they were players. People there took pictures of players and cheered up. I took pictures not players but people who took pictures of players. I ate lunch and talked with friends at an international students tent. When it came to the game, I went to a stadium. There were too many people, ans some were drunk and some talked about a football heatedly. We could see a good musical performance and dance, so the game was very enthusiastic. However, I thought Ole Miss students and people were very crazy! Some people go to different city to watch Ole Miss games.

Secondly, differences of food between Japan and the US. When I got here for the first time, I ate dinner at the Johnson Commons. I was very surprised and excited to know that I could eat and drink as much as I liked, and find different food from Japan like pizza, tacos and so on. I ate much that day. I also went to the JC to eat lunch and dinner the following day and the day after that.

At first it was good, but I was getting tired of the taste. We could not eat same dishes every time, everyday and every season. In Japan, we can eat any food at commons in a university, for instance of course Japanese food, noodle, curry, pasta and etc. There are some daily special dishes. There are many first food restaurant in the Union, but they serve only pizza, hamburger or sandwich. And also, I was surprised at the color of yogurt here. That was so vivid as we could find it was not natural soon. In Japan, nobody buys something like that too bad for health. In Japan, it is difficult to decide what to eat that day because there are many food. On the other hand, here I have troubles in deciding what to eat because there are few choices of food.

Finally, this is the most surprising, there are many gays in the US. I have met about ten gay people for a month. First was a my roommate. When I got here, he did not arrive yet. He was not completely stranger for me. That is, I have mailed with him a few times until I was in Japan. He takes Japanese classes at the Ole Miss and his teacher asked me to share a room with him. I thought it was a good chance to study English, and accepted the offer.

One day, maybe when three days have passed since I got here, I joined an international party. At that time, I received a message from him that I got to a dorm now. I was looking forward to seeing him. After the party, I made a friend with a Japanese student. He is a graduate student at Ole Miss, and at the same time he is an assistance teacher of Japanese classes. We talked about a difficulty in study abroad for a while. The subject was changed to my roommate and I asked him whether he knew my roommate. His face clouded over the name, and he said to me, “That's too bad, but that is good experience for you.” At first, I did not have no idea about what he said, and asked him. I was shocked of the fact, and I lost for words. He was a gay. In Japan, we were not familiar to gay people, and I had some bias about them. On the way to a dorm, I ruffled many times because I felt something weird. I arrived at a dorm, and opened the door timidly. He was in the room. We said hello to and talked a little about each other. He was a good and very kind person. I felt a little anxious yet, but I could talk with him naturally because his good character. I met some his friends, but all of them talked with him naturally. As a result, I do not feel reluctant to contact with gay people, and got more interested in them.

One day, when about three days have passed since I met with him, he confessed he was gay. I was a little surprised because it was very sudden. However, I felt happy because he told me by his words. He asked me whether I could live with him even now and said that if I mind, I could change partners. I answered, “Of course, I don't mind. Why do I need to change partners?” He is kind and earnest, and he is rather good than other students. I met another gay people after that, but I never surprised. Japan is undeveloped in terms of culture like that, and many Japanese people have a strong bias to them, and some make fun of them. I had changed ideas about gay people since I came here. I thought it was good experience for me.