Tokyo students devoted...

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By Christi Han

Located in the modern streets of Shibuya, Tokyo, Aoyama Gakuin University is most often referred to as an "elite" school-a private school where only rich kids can afford to go, regardless of their interest in learning. One thing for sure, fashion seems to be an important factor in university life for these students.

On my first day at school, I could not help but notice everyone's flashy appearance. They all seem as though they had popped out of JJ or Momo magazine, popular fashion magazines in Japan. Most girls have their hair dyed in brown and set in perfect curls. Mini skirt, knee-high socks, and long boots are almost like a uniform. The tiny handbags they carry to school only have enough room for a wallet, a cell phone and a lipstick. Even the boys do not fall behind in the latest fashion - plucking their eyebrows, waxing their hair, and wearing long boots. To them, it seems as though school is more of a fashion show than a place of learning.

Then there's me, dressed in my usual comfy jeans and runners with a side backpack large enough to stuff a few textbooks. I feel completely out of place, almost as though I have the word "foreigner" stamped all over my face. It is not half as bad for me as it is for some of my fellow Caucasian-Canadian friends, who obviously stand out in the crowd with their lighter hair and skin tones. Physically, I look similar to the Japanese students, but I feel just as disoriented about my identity.

I wonder what I will look like a year down the road. Will I change into an "ojyousama," a term used to describe elite ladies with highly refined manners - consistent with the image of Aoyama Gakuin students? Or will I learn to become comfortable with being different?

*Christi Han is a 1.5-generation, Korean-Canadian, university student who is on a one-year exchange program. She was an active community leader before the start of her Tokyo adventure, volunteering as the stage manager at the 2006 Korean Heritage Day Festival and a dedicated member of CheonDoong. This is the first in a series of journal entries from Tokyo, Japan.

Send column submissions for C3 News & Views to Angela MacKenzie at aymackenzie@gmail.com. For more information about C3 Society, visit www.c3society.com.

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