Pre Japan Orientation Blog

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS.

My name is Mike.

Yes, Mike. Simple really.

And in fact, the purposes for making this blog are rather simple.

I have enjoyed the wonders of cultural differences between Japan and America for a good 6 years, and now, it's time to take this completely different lifestyle head on. I will be studying abroad at Hokkaido University, arriving in Japan on September 24th, 2009. Using this blog, I will document the intricacies of daily life as a foreigner in the sprawling landmass known as Hokkaido.

I mean what in the world could be so different huh? Yeesh!

Naturally I will make sure to keep everything intellectually accessible to all audiences, not just those studying or familiar with Japanese. Such things would be unfair, right?

Honestly the idea of making a blog was questionable to me; there are tons of "gaijin in japan" blogs out there, a vast number of foreigners showing the same photos of Japanese Big Macs and sushi served on conveyor belts. It's somewhat hard to imagine my perspective would add much to the already deep pot of knowledge from the outsider perspective.

But perhaps this blog is more for my own desires; a diary or sorts to track things I find interesting, unique, vivid, wild, astounding, and just plain fun.

But in regards to the name of this blog, what does any of that mean right?

どうも、マイクで〜す！ Doumo, Maiku Desu! Is really just a corny way of me introducing myself in Japanese, much like saying "Heyyyy, I'm Mike!" . And this first blog is my introduction.

I hope you all will enjoy reading my rambles as much as I will enjoy writing them.

- Mike