It has been almost two months since my sabbatical ended. I think I have finally gotten used to life in Japan again. I thought it would only be a year, but you do get used to America in a year, and conversely, there was a sense of not being used to Japan… In America, people don’t wear masks outdoors, but I was surprised to see that Japanese people are really, seriously wearing them! They really are wearing them. I suppose it’s a habit regarding masks. For Japanese people, or perhaps Asian people in general, the culture of wearing masks for colds or preventative reasons is well-established, so it probably doesn’t feel strange to them. I wonder about the vaccines, though?
During my sabbatical, at first, it was still the COVID-19 pandemic in America, so I didn’t have many opportunities to meet everyone at the LED Lab. However, as restrictions were gradually lifted, I was able to have regular meetings with Dr. Stephanie Teasley, who hosted me, and I was able to spend my days in a very fulfilling research environment. It was a high-intensity research meeting that reminded me of my master’s and doctoral student days. The rigorous guidance kept me on my toes (though I haven’t lost any weight…). It was truly fun.
I have been advancing various research projects in America, and I am very grateful to have received a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) for International Collaborative Research, which is moving forward steadily. My joint research with Dr. Stephanie will continue in the future. I want to do my absolute best. I will be visiting Michigan frequently.
Now, I was hosted by The University of Michigan (UM) Ann Arbor campus this time. For those who are planning to take a sabbatical in the future and have some connection to UM, or are considering it as a candidate, I would like to write down what I felt. This is also for my own records. To conclude, I recommend it. First, I will write about what you should do as a researcher before applying for a sabbatical, the atmosphere of the city, the university, the living environment, food, education, and driver’s licenses, which are surprisingly important and vary by state.
What you should do as a researcher before applying for a sabbatical: When conducting research abroad
To conduct research under a professor who is actively working abroad, you must have already written your masterpiece as a paper in English. It means having research papers in English that serve as your business card. Moreover, it is difficult unless they are SCI or SSCI. There is certainly a question of whether it is okay to be dependent on SCI/SSCI, but as of 2022, there is no doubt that it is one of the parameters that show one’s ability as a researcher globally. The professors there also want to work with researchers who have proven research capabilities so they can feel at ease. Influenced by my mentor, Dr. Kanji Akahori, I have made it a principle to challenge myself with overseas journals since I was a doctoral student. This is because I purely wanted people around the world to read what I was doing and hoped to have a place to discuss with people who think the same way. Thanks to that, I have been accepted into a fair number of SCI and SSCI journals.
This is a fairly long-term endeavor. If you are a researcher who wants to conduct research abroad in the 3-4 year range, you should aim to have papers in overseas journals, especially SCI/SSCI journals. That will serve as your business card as a researcher abroad.
#Because of this, I basically tell my students that their papers should be
#aimed at overseas journals! Of course, there are exceptions.
#Even for those with a master’s degree, the experience of disseminating
#what they have done in an impactful way, and the thinking acquired in that process, is useful in companies and other places.
Oh, and of course, you need research funds. As I will write below, the cost of living is quite high, so you must bring a reasonable amount of research funds.
About Ann Arbor
For those who want to go to America for a sabbatical or similar, if you have a connection to the University of Michigan, I highly recommend Ann Arbor. At first, I was worried because I heard it was a state with high crime rates, but Ann Arbor was exceptionally safe. It is a city rich in nature and very nice. It is compact, has no tall buildings, and is a city where shopping areas and nature are in harmony. There are many parks. From small parks for daily use to Metro parks, State parks, and County parks, you can enjoy various events. If you like touching nature, walking, or playing, I think you can easily get your money’s worth if you pay for a parking pass for the year. We often participated in Metro park farms and events, so we paid for the parking pass for the year. It is also a good city for raising children. Winter is very cold (rivers and lakes freeze. The Upper Peninsula in winter is quite cold. Even in Ann Arbor, it is -10 degrees in winter), but even excluding that, it is a very good city. Kelly town, you can enjoy going to farmers’ markets in the city and suburbs on Saturdays and Sundays, and the children’s museum is also good. My children loved it, and we bought an annual pass for $150. You can get your money’s worth if you go a few times, and if it is a museum that is a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers in America, you can enter at a discount or for free (such as the Chicago Children’s Museum or the Carnegie Science Center). The University of Michigan Museum of Natural History has free admission, but you get a discount at the museum shop if you have this membership card.
In the summer, temperatures rise to nearly 30 degrees, and many people go kayaking. We couldn’t own such large things, so we played with large inflatable rings. Just floating down from the upper reaches of the river is relaxing. There are various events in the summer. There are various festivals such as the Summer festival and Art festival. You can also go to Chicago by train. It takes about 4 hours, I guess. It’s not much different from driving, is it? There is an Amtrak station.
One thing to be aware of is that there are many power outages. Power outages happen somewhere in Michigan every day. Furthermore, even if there is a power outage, they don’t fix it immediately. So, the only thing you can do is go to the DTE site, notify them that a power outage has occurred, and set it up so you can receive the situation by text. In winter, some people book a hotel and rush there immediately. I think that is one way. The second is that there is a lot of road construction. It settles down a bit in winter, but from spring to summer, there is road construction everywhere, and around the time before the entrance ceremony, there are many road closures in the city center where the Central campus is located. Dr. Stephanie also said that there are two seasons in Michigan: winter and road construction season (laughs). But it is that frequent, and the roads are very bad. There are really a lot of bumpy places.
University of Michigan
As for the research level, I think you know without me saying it, but the University of Michigan is one of the Public Ivies, and it is in the 20s in the Times Higher Education ranking. There are many world-renowned researchers, which is stimulating. If you have a connection, I think it is good to talk to the professor you have a connection with and proceed with joint research. You can also read quite a lot of papers. Japan is in a difficult situation due to budget reasons, but American research universities are different. The research environment is quite good. I think the University of Tokyo is the only place in Japan where you can read so many journals and handbooks. There is also a graduate library, and you can concentrate quite well. Since I was on the Central campus, it was in the city, and I could drink meals and coffee nearby. Also, if you have a student ID (a Visitor card in my case), it seems you can ride the University of Michigan bus as well as the city bus called “The Ride” for free within Ann Arbor. There is also a gym on the North campus. Was it $35 a month? There are also various sculptures, so if you like that kind of thing, I think it’s fun just to walk around. It’s quite cold in winter, though.
The University of Michigan itself is used to accepting visiting researchers from overseas, so if the professor who accepts you says OK, it will be handed over to the Administration office, and you will take your own English test remotely at the International center, and the procedures will proceed mechanically. Let’s proceed with the procedures at least one year before traveling. In my case, there were few people traveling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so the visa acquisition interview at the American consulate proceeded quickly, but I think it has changed now. It might take quite a long time.
Living environment
In terms of life, I think you won’t be able to live without a car in any state in America, so you will end up owning a car, but in the case of Michigan, a car is essential. You can go to Chicago in 4 and a half hours, and conversely, you can go to Niagara Falls in a little over 4 hours, and you can go to New York City by car if you take 10 hours. However, regarding the choice of residence, the University of Michigan has dormitories, but visiting scholars cannot use them. They are for students. Maybe you can use them if there are vacancies, but since there was no guidance from the International center, I think you cannot use them. Ann Arbor is a very safe city, but there seems to be some petty crime in the city center. Also, there are many bars, so it might be noisy. Many students live there, too. It might be better to be a little away from the city center.
Food situation such as Japanese food
I think there are few Japanese people. Since there is a Toyota research institute, I see Japanese people from time to time, but they are not major among Asian groups. However, when it comes to the Japanese food situation in Ann Arbor, there are Japanese restaurants. But as for the taste, it’s American Japanese. There are Godaiko, Yotsuba, etc., but it can be said that it is Japanese cuisine that has become a taste preferred by Americans. It is important to understand that it is that kind of thing, and it is better not to expect too much. It is probably to the extent of going when you are tired of American-style food. We went to a Korean restaurant called “The Seoul” near the Central campus. It is quite delicious. I love bibim-naengmyeon, so I often ordered it.
If you cook by yourself, ingredients are sold in ordinary supermarkets such as Kroger, Busch’s, and Target. Miso and soy sauce too. California rice is sold. Busch’s is a Michigan local supermarket, I guess. Michigan wine is also sold. It is said that it is not widely distributed even in America. Michigan is also famous for beer, so there are many breweries. If you want a little more Asian ingredients, there is a shop called Tsai in the direction of Saline. We went there often. My children liked nameko mushrooms and roasted seaweed, so we went there often. It is about 15 minutes by car from Ann Arbor city center. Since it is close to Target and Meijer, it might be good to do shopping all at once. There is also Best buy around there, and it is convenient. Although it is away from the center.
Also, there is a Korean-style bakery called Yoon’s bakery, and the bread here is delicious. It is Japanese bread. There are also Korean-seasoned ones, but the texture is exactly the same as in Japan. There are also red bean bread and curry bread. The cakes are also exactly the same as Japanese ones. The area where the bakery is located has a Kroger, a Fedex, and is also a shopping area, so it is convenient.
There is a city called Novi where many Japanese people live, about 40 minutes away from Ann Arbor, so if you go there, there is a Japanese supermarket called One World. But since it is a shop for Japanese ingredients bought in America, it is quite expensive. When we first came to America, it was about 115 yen to the dollar, but towards the second half, it was about 130 to 140 yen to the dollar, which was quite tough. It is important to be prepared for that. But they sell blue-backed fish. Myoga is about 7 dollars for 3. Usually, it is not sold in American supermarkets. If it is ordinary Japanese food, it is sold in ordinary American supermarkets. Rice, miso, soy sauce, some Japanese seasonings, etc. If you want something very authentic, I think it is better to go to Novi. Novi has a different atmosphere from Ann Arbor, and it is interesting. There are many Japanese people, too. There might not be many in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor has the impression that there are many Korean people.
Regarding cars, there is a used car dealer called Gulliver, which is famous in Japan, in Farmington near Novi. Since Japanese staff are in charge, I think it is safe. Since people who have lived in America for a long time are in charge of the shop, I think you can feel at ease. You can also be introduced to places where Japanese people are agents for car insurance. In our case, we used the place that Gulliver uses for car check-ups as it is. It is a place where Rapid check-up is the main thing, but the person who looks like a leader talks frankly, and he properly talks about only what is necessary and deals with it. I hear that there are many businesses that add unnecessary things and take money, but this place was not like that. I recommend it. It feels like going to Novi as needed. As for the road condition, the road condition in Michigan is quite bad. It is not about traffic jams, but exactly the “condition” of the road. There are holes, it is bumpy, and it is tough. Wild animals also come out often. Of course, it freezes in winter. However, perhaps because it is such a land, snowplows run early the next morning, and you can drive normally on major roads. But a road service contract is essential. I was recommended that when I signed the car insurance contract, so I asked them. Japanese is understood, but it seems that the company only does interpretation, and it doesn’t seem to be a professional in road service. That point requires caution. Once, a tire went flat, and I found out about that in the response. Since it is America, the response is slow, and on holidays or late at night, even if they say “we will respond,” there are many cases where they suddenly say they will not respond. This is a big difference from Japan. Caution is required.
Education/Medical
If you have children, it might take time to find a Child care center. Like in Japan, you need to do “ho-katsu” (activities to find a nursery school). There are not many vacancies. I initially hoped for the University of Michigan’s Child care center, but it was no good. I was told it was a waiting list, but there were over 100 people waiting. Well, it’s impossible (laughs). Moreover, it costs about $2000 per child… It might be better to have a cheaper one even if it is about 4 miles away from where you live. Even if it is called a Child care center, each has its own characteristics, so it is better to go to the website and check. Even if you apply for a tour on the website, they basically don’t respond, so it is better to call.
The Kinder of the Public school my child went to was also putting effort into PBL and programming learning. It is a very advanced form of learning, and I was worried about English ability, but I was quite surprised that they acquired it. However, I think it is a characteristic of America, but since the authority of teachers is strong, common quality assurance is, I think, handled by Directors in some schools, but they might not be very conscious of other parts. Luckily, my child’s teacher was good. This is not limited to Michigan or Ann Arbor, but as a challenge for the whole of America, I think the individual differences regarding teachers’ educational skills are large. Also, good teachers often move to their next career. This is very different from Japan.
That said, elementary schools in Ann Arbor are said to be of a very high standard even from the whole of America. Also, Ann Arbor is basically a school district system. It seems that you can commute across school districts if there are vacancies and clear reasons. It is better to do the enrollment procedure before summer vacation begins. During summer vacation, teachers are not at school at all, including the university. It is a complete vacation. Since summer vacation starts in June, I think it is best to make an appointment with the school and complete the procedure before that. It is necessary to have a health checkup in Japan and have the results in English. Vaccinations too. Vaccinations are quite important. If you are lacking, you must receive them at a hospital. Also, there were many children around me who had received the COVID-19 vaccine. The school itself recommends it, and I also receive emails from the board of education asking, “Will you get the COVID-19 vaccine?” In addition, even if you get COVID-19, if you are asymptomatic, you can return to school after 5 days of home quarantine, and if you have symptoms, after 10 days of home quarantine, if you are negative with a Home kit. However, there seemed to be a rule that you have to wear a mask everywhere for another 10 days from there. This has become a routine.
I don’t know the situation in Japan, but emails come from schools and boards of education quite frequently every week. In addition to the situation of COVID-19 infections, there are introductions of events, recruitment of volunteers, recruitment of donations, etc. (Donations are of course not mandatory, but I think many people do it even if it is a small amount.) Educational events are quite interesting. There was a talk from a PBL Designer about what kind of education is being done at school. There was a presentation about what the goals are and what to do, which was interesting. Since there is no such position in public schools in Japan, it is interesting. Important notices are also in Japanese, but I feel that there are few Japanese people, so I think it is better not to think that there is much support.
Since the topic of COVID has come up, relatedly, regarding medical care, as rumors suggest, medical expenses in the United States are high. In the case of the University of Michigan, you are required to enroll in health insurance that also covers dental care to some extent. If you do not need that insurance, you must meet the University of Michigan’s insurance standards and apply for a waiver, but there was no insurance in Japan that met those standards. I believe the University of Michigan’s insurance was $150 per person/month, and I heard that it is good coverage for the price. However, I wonder about dental care; it is written that it is covered to some extent, but I think you still end up paying quite a bit. It probably depends on the dental work. It seems that dental care provided by residents or those just starting out is cheap. You absolutely must go to the dentist before traveling and have any cavities completely treated.
There is a pediatric department at the University of Michigan hospital where Japanese is spoken, but you cannot get an appointment in the first place. In my case, I was told there was a two-month wait (as of September 2021) (the phone support was also quite cold…). That was impossible, so I chose a general hospital on the outskirts of Ann Arbor. However, the doctor in charge was a good doctor who was easy to talk to, but since they had just arrived in Michigan, they were not yet in the insurance network, so it was expensive at first. Just as the rumors say, it costs $120 to $150 just to have your nose or ears checked.
Driver’s License
A car is necessary to live in the United States. Regarding a Michigan driver’s license, if you have a license in Japan, the 30-day driving practice requirement is waived, but you must take a written test and a practical test. You have to book and take a written—or rather, computer—test. After passing, you make an appointment by phone or online with a company that conducts skill tests to take the practical test. In Ann Arbor, I couldn’t find a company that would conduct the test for me, so I went to Livonia. It might be best to avoid the time when new students are enrolling. There are some places that will never answer the phone, so you should just give up on those.
Shipping Luggage
This is not related to Michigan, but there is also the option of using the post office to send luggage such as clothes. I don’t think it’s necessary if you are going alone, but if you are going with your family, sending necessary items in advance—such as children’s clothes or things for the initial living environment—is one option. However, while the Japanese post office side is fine, the American side can be a bit difficult. We sent about 8 or 9 packages, and 3 of them went missing. One of them contained my coat because Michigan is cold… (crying). A package with picture books and Japanese books also went missing. Even when tracking them, you can tell they arrived in the U.S., but you can’t tell what happens after that, and when you call, they just insist that it’s taking time due to customs procedures. It’s terrible. Even if you call the Japanese post office, they won’t help you. Since it is out of their hands once it leaves Japan, they won’t even contact the U.S. post office for you. They just tell you to inquire with the U.S. post office. I sent them by surface mail two months before traveling, but it was no good. I do not recommend surface mail. If you want to send packages in advance, although it is expensive, it is better to use a reliable company like Yamato Transport that handles it from start to finish. On the way back, although it cost money, I didn’t want to deal with any more lost items, so I used Yamato Transport.
Michigan is close to the Great Lakes and is rich in nature. In the north, the scenery changes with the four seasons. In winter, the lakes freeze. The eye-catching image is of Lake Superior, and when you go in winter, it is frozen like this and looks fantastic. There are also many animals.
So, if you have a connection to Michigan and have the chance to go, I think you should consider it as a strong candidate. I personally recommend it.
