Usually during this stage, couples do not think of themselves as dating, but have a mutual understanding of interest in one another. Finally, they eventually begin to date and call each other boyfriend or girlfriend. In America, the second stage is almost nonexistent; you're either dating or you're not! In Japan, the first two stages often take many months (or even years!) to finally blossom into a real relationship. I had no idea!
Another type of relationship I had to open my views to was that of friendships. In America, it's been easy for me to make friends, yet coming to Japan I found myself facing not only a language barrier but also a total lack of cultural awareness on how to make friends. During the first few weeks in Japan, I had only international friends, but over time I learned of the different ways to begin building relationships with Japanese students.
Often, Japanese students who study English will hold events such as food or karaoke parties and invite international students to join. That way both parties can practice speaking with one another as well as meeting new friends. Kansai Gaidai encourages these types of events so that international students can learn of Japanese culture and connect with others. Another way I learned to meet Japanese students was by joining clubs, or saakuru (literally translated as "circle") through my school. Saakuru are like school clubs but with less intense schedules, so students can manage both studies and club activities. I joined dance saakuru with some Japanese girls from my unit. They teach me new vocabulary while we practice together. They told me many students join saakuru because they want to make friends with similar interests.
