more on japan

here are a few things about Japan that i did not know before arriving here:

1. japanese toilets are level with the ground, and you squat over them to go to the bathroom. it can be uncomfortable if you aren't used to it, haha, but many places offer one or two western stalls as well.

2. japanese bathing rooms are very unique. the toilet and the actual bath\shower are in separate rooms. to take a bath, you first take your clothes off and sit on a stool, where you use a shower head to completely wash your body and hair, and then rinse. if you are a girl with long hair, you are expected to put your hair back with a rubber band. then you get in a tub full of heated bath water to lay and relax. this same bath water is heated and used by each family member daily. this is not considered unsanitary as each person is washed and rinsed before entering the tub.

3. a common breakfast in japan is steamed rice, often with some kind of flavoring, misu soup, and some kind of fish such as tuna. my family however was considerate enough to ask me what i preferred for brakfast and shop accordingly, although i am happy to have rice, soup \, and fish, no matter how different it seems to me.

4. in japan, summer vacation is only one month, along with 2 weeks off in winter, and 2 more off in spring. and it is not uncommon for students in japan to spend their time from 7AM until as late as 10PM doing academic related activities, such as extre classes, tutoring, or studying.

5. in japan, it is considered strange to hug or kiss in public.

6. if you are on a bus or train in japan, no one talks, even if they are sitting with a friend or family member. so i often stand out when riding in a bus or train, as i talk a lot! haha.

7. in japan it is considered rude to eat or drink while while moving/walking. one should be sitting or standing still.

8. it is rude to chew gum while talking in japan.

9. in japan, girls should not show their shoulders or above their knees.

10. you do not wear shoes in any japanese house. in some houses there are slippers in the entryway for you to change into, and different slippers to put on when using the restroom. in other houses, like my host family's, just being barefoot is ok. :)

Oops

Guess I never updated my host family information, haha, so here we go. My host father's name is Kenji. My mother's name is Kyoko. They have three kids in their twenties named Yuichi, Akira, and Kei. They live in a smaller town near Kurume-shi. They are a great family and am thankful to be living with them. :)

hello from japan!

Hello everyone. :)

I arrived in Japan on Thursday, or on Wednesday in the U.S. I had a two-day orientation　in Nagoya, where I slept in a room with tatami mats on real futons, which are surprisingly nothing like what is considered a futon in the United States. I also experienced my first "public bath," which was awkward at first but everyone at the orientation actually grew to enjoy them. Japanese people aren't shy about their　bodies and they really enjoy taking baths haha. I learned a few common Japanese phrases such as:
Ohayougozaimasu = good morning
Kon-nichiwa = hello
Konbanwa = good night

I know a few more, but I can currently only spell them phonetically, and it's a little pathetic, haha.
One of the best things about the orientation was the diverse group of people who attended. There were 35 kids from all over the U.S., 13 kids from Italy, 4 kids from Bulgaria, 2 from Sweden, and one from Iceland. All the AFS Japan volunteers and staff were also wonderful. They were extrememly kind and helpful. My group leaders were Micky and Youskay. I have a picture with them and some other AFS students, but I don't know quite how to put them up yet, as I am using my host family's computer. But myfamily and all the AFS people are truly great. There is a girl from Italy named Noemi who is staying in the same part of Japan as me, and every weekday morning she rides her bike to my house and then we walk to the bus station together. We then take an hour long bus ride to the nearest big town Kurume-shi. We go to school at our teacher's house, with two other AFS USA students named Cameron and Danny. I am very excited about school, so I can learn more Japanese and speak to my family members. They have also been making fun of how horrible I am at using chopsticks. I thought I was doing pretty well, until host brother and father started laughing, and my host mother asked if I would like a fork and knife.

Japan is very different from the United States and although that some of it can be a little intimidating, I really like it. I am excited to adjust and get into the routine. Thank you so much to everyone who helped me get here. Mom, Dad, Ethan, Bradley, Melissa, I miss you all so much.　Love you very much and talk to you soon. :)

P.S. Sorry if I don't reply to emails very much; my host family has been so kind and I feel bad spending too much time using their computer. Thank you.

news:)

I leave for Japan on June 23rd. It's coming up so quickly!  I will be living in a city called Kurume-shi. I will be living with the Nagasawa family. They have three kids ages 18, 16, and 14. I am a little scared, but so incredibly excited. Thanks again to everyone who helped me get this far. :)