By Aaron Bonner | Contributing Writer
Ryotaro Fushitani is an international student from Japan. He is a junior and seeks to learn more about America’s past while adjusting to a wildly different culture.
Q. Why did you come to America and choose UA?
A. It is because I studied about American culture and history such the African-American Civil Rights Movement at Kansai Gaidai University, where I attended classes in Japan. I became interested in America and wanted to talk with people who live in a society called “a salad bowl,” which means a society in which different cultures mix and experience various things I have never done. In addition, I chose UA since UA is one of the universities, which are closely related to the African-American Civil Rights Movement, and I wanted to touch its history directly.
Q. What do you like or not like about campus?
A. There are various kinds of facilities, such as recreation centers, restaurants and sports gyms, and near UA’s campus, there are many stores and restaurants such as glossary stores and Japanese food restaurants. Therefore, this campus is very helpful for me to live in. There is nothing I do not like about campus.
Q. What’s most different from your home country?
A. Many people are so friendly, and most of the employees in restaurants or cafés in the U.S. ask customers their name and call their name when they give them their order, while in Japan, clerks don’t call us by name, but they give us a number and call us by the number.
Q. Was it hard to adjust (if so, what was hard to adjust/ what was easy?)
A. It was very difficult to adjust American transportation facilities, which are never on time because in Japan, most of transportation facilities are always punctual, and I don’t like unpunctuality. However, now I became accustomed to the American style.
Q. What’s the weirdest thing Americans do?
A. I was surprised at that many American men and women often wear very short pants. In Japan, it is usual that women wear very short pants, but it is rare that men wear very short pants.
Q. How do you feel about football?
A. UA football games seem so famous and popular in this university that I’m looking forward to watching them and cheering on football players in Bryant-Denny Stadium soon.
