日本語
English
नेपाली
What made you decide to participate in the Otonari-san program?
I learned about this program from a foreign friend.
Before participating, I had few Japanese friends and was very shy even when I had opportunities to communicate with Japanese people, so I rarely spoke to them. There were Japanese colleagues at my workplace, but we seldom talked outside of work. I wanted to first get used to spending time with Japanese people, so I decided to join Otonari-san.
How did you interact with Otonari-san over the six months?
At first, we exchanged messages online and then made plans to meet. We went for walks together and she took me to local shops and places she often visits. When we met for the second time, she invited me to her home, where we talked about various things with her family and spent time playing board games together.
Since then, I started spending time at her house with her family. I was very happy to observe and actually experience how Japanese people spend time at home, and I believe it was a great experience. At least once a month, we enjoyed preparing meals together, chatting after dinner, and playing board games, spending about five hours together each time.
What made me especially happy was making takoyaki together. It was my first time making takoyaki from scratch using ingredients I don't usually use, and I was really delighted to make and eat it together.
Otonari-san is a very friendly person, and I looked forward to meeting her every time. Perhaps because she is a mother, the atmosphere was such that I could talk about anything, and I felt very comfortable. Also, conversations with her children were enjoyable. The children warmly welcomed me, and we had lively discussions about school and studying, which gave me a slightly different experience than talking with adults.
I told Otonari-san that I definitely want to continue our interaction even after the program ends, but recently I have been busy and haven't been able to connect much. However, I definitely want to maintain my relationship with Otonari-san going forward.
What changes have you experienced in your daily life and within yourself through your interaction with Otonari-san?
I got used to talking with Japanese people, so I became able to proactively start conversations with other Japanese as well. Thanks to Otonari-san, I feel like my shyness disappeared. Since Otonari-san doesn’t speak much English, I had many opportunities to speak in Japanese, and by having various conversations with Otonari-san’s family, I was able to overcome my shyness, for which I am very grateful.
Regarding my relationship with Otonari-san, the more time we spent together, the closer we became, and it made me feel as if I had family in Japan, for which I am very grateful. I also became accustomed to speaking Japanese and was able to learn what a Japanese home is like, how daily life is, and how weekends are spent. Additionally, watching Otonari-san teach her children manners, I learned etiquette such as how to hold chopsticks.
Please give advice to foreigners who want to participate in the Otonari-san program in the future.
I think it's important to be clear about what you hope to gain from this program.
I was interested in how Japanese people live in their homes, so I communicated this to the OFP coordinator and was able to get what I wanted. Therefore, I believe it is important for participants to have a clear purpose and to effectively communicate their needs to the coordinator.
I am very grateful to have been able to participate in this program. I hope that many foreigners like me living in Japan will have the opportunity to join this wonderfully helpful program to become familiar with the Japanese language and culture.