Honesty and Trust

This is a very important to[pic for me. I have noticed that Japan is a very honest and trustworthy society. Everyone is honest and trusts each other. At Miyojima, they had little souvenirs at different shrines and exhibits. You had to pay for the souvenirs and put the money in a box by each souvenir. The thing is, that there wasn't anybody watching the souvenirs or cameras or anything, so it could be easily stolen. But everyone paid for the gift that they wanted. It was nice to see that trust in each other. When I go to school I see small elementary school kids in Kindergarten or 1st grade walking to school or riding public transportation by themselves. No one has to worry about them getting kidnapped or abducted. Another interesting thing I found was that when people parked their bikes, they didn't lock them up. Nobody would come to steal your bike, and these were expensive bikes with motors and electronic stuff on them. I didn't see any locks or chains or anything. I liked the trust each person had within the community. One more small thing  I noticed was the umbrella stands outside of school or stores. People would place their umbrellas there and then go shopping or go into school. Again, it would get stolen or taken. Also there aren't as many cameras as you see in America. Anyways, that was my rant on trustworthiness and honesty. I wish that someday, other countries can lean from such a wonderful example and role model.

Things I have noticed

Some things that I have noticed about Japan are very different from the states. Japanese people are very skillful and careful drivers. A couple days ago on a very narrow road only big enough to fit 2 cars I was on the bus. On the other side of the road was another bus. The road was on a curve so it would be difficult for both buses to pass each other. But they did! I was scared that they would crash. They passed within inches of each other. I haven't seen or heard about 1 crash. Nest Japanese fashion. Japanese clothes are sooo cute! Everyone has on dresses, skirts or business suits. I barely see jeans. Even the older women still dress cute. Japanese girls rally like arm gloves/sleeve things and high heels. Almost  every girl I have seen has on high heels. Also in Japan you must have multiple umbrellas and Parasols to match your outfit. EVERYONE has an umbrella and they are the ones with the curvy handles. Next, School. In school everyday you have different classes, each class is 50 minutes  and the number of classes vary day to day but it is somewhere around 6-7. there is school on Saturday but only for 3 classes. The classrooms have no electronics. No smartboards, computers, or projectors. Just a chalkboard, but the chalkboard is cool because it can go up or down. Between classes are a 10 minute break to do whatever you need to do. I like that. The teachers teach their lecture for 50 minutes and the students write . There is no time for questions or time between each problem. The teachers just talk, no questions asked. Also, students don't pack up their things until the bell rings. And of course you change shoes for school. They have shoes for everything. Your shoes you wear to school, inside shoes, PE shoes and indoor PE shoes.

3rd Day of School!!

I saw my Korean friend agian and she wants to eat lunch with me. I had P.E first with a different class. Again I was one of the fastest runners and I am good at pitching. I had Science and they were talking about DNA in Japanese so I didn't understand, so I just wrote in my journal. In Home economics I didn't understand....they were talking about milk......so I just studied Japanese and did my English homework. After Home Economics which was extremely long, I ate lunch with y Korean friend. ( I keep forgetting here name). I had another delicious bento prepared by Mama. Nest I went to Art.....Art. I can not draw to save my life. We were doi g something were you have to make a design usually a flower and cut some of it out and put it on a piece3 of black paper so that the black shows through the cut out pieces. It looks pretty cool....but I can not do it. I spent the first 50 minutes panicking because I didn't know what to do or draw and the next 50 minutes  trying to draw a flower. I CAN'T DRAW! :( Well I tried and now I just have cut it with a razor....without chopping off one of my fingers. It took a lot of work. Then to study hall in the library.

2nd Day of School!

I went to school and it was fun. First I had study hall and I just did my English homework. Then I had History, which I thought I could understand but I really didn't. Then I went to music class which was actually chorus. They were soo good! We watched a movie about a boys choir. Now we are going to sing Stand by Me and Beautiful Girls. Also it was funny in music class, they didn't think I could understand or speak Japanese. They were talking about how big my eyes were right behind me, and I just sat there. Then the teacher didn't speak English well and tried to speak to me. Then I told her I understand and Japanese is ok (in Japanese) and everyone was really surprised. Then I had lunch. Also everyone comes up to me very cautiously as if they were afraid to talk to me. After lunch I went to Japanese class with the Korean exchange student. She is really cool! She is one of my best friends at school. She wants to go shopping and do Purikura together. Also go to Tokyo. We must see Tokyo. The Japanese teacher was cool too! She gave us little rice crackers and a pretty fan. She said she wants to go to America to eat all of the varieties of Ice cream. Then I went home and ate a lot of good snacks. At dinner I was trying to teach my family English. Vitamins and McDonalds are hard to say. In Japanese, McDonalds is "Makudonarudo".I also tried to explain the difference between "Lice" and "Rice".

First Day of School!!

Today I went to school for the first time.I rode the bus for 20 minutes and then walked for a couple of minutes. Mama packed me a delicious adn cute Bento!! I was really nervous going to school. My first class was English. As I was walking down the hall girls came out of the classrooms to stare. I introduced myself and was treated like a celebrity by the girls. We went to church for about 15 minutes too. I had no clue what they were saying but I followed along. After English I went to English Conversation. It was boring but it was fun listening to how they spoke English. When I spoke they were amazed at the pronunciation. Then I went to the library for study hall. I was the only one there......I found a book about like in America. It was so stereotypical lol. After study hall we had P.E. We changed clothes in the classroom, so that was different. It was sooooo hot outside, I was about to pass out, but I didn't. We had to run across the field as a warm up and I was the fastest one, afterwards they were talking about how fast I was. Then we played softball games. I noticed that P.E is different than in America. Everyone actually tries and the teams are nice to each other. Everyone knows what to do and the teacher barely has to step in. It was nice because everyone was trying their best. I was actually good at Softball. They even put me as Pitcher which I was surprisingly good at. After class we changed and had lunch. I ate my cute bento and we all sat together and I answered questions that they had  about America. Everyone called me "Kawaii" which means cute. I was surprised and they all liked my eyes. Someone asked me how I did my hair, and I told her it was natural. She was surprised XD. Then I went to the Advanced English writing class. Everyone's English was so good! The class was split into 6 groups of 2 or 3 and each group had to guess 7 things about me as a warm up and I had to say how many they got right. Most of them thought I looked like a Jessica, I played Tennis and I came from Australia. I think all of them guessed that my favorite sport was Tennis, but I don't like Tennis. That was fun. Then I went to math and didn't understand ANYTHING. I thought I had something and then lost it. They go by everything so quickly. She wrote the problem on the board gave no time. Then I rode home on the public bus. The bus card is called a Buspii lol. Then I came home and ate desserts because it is really hot.For dinner we had curry rice!!! SOOOO GOOD.  No video for this one because no phones in school.

Vlog #6- First Day in Japan!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWh6hUtiwrE

3rd Day!!

Finally today! Today after breakfast, my family asked me if I wanted to see Miyojima. I had no clue what that was but I am glad I said yes. It was amazing!!! There was so much history and culture it was so different from anything that I have seen. I practiced some Japanese words too. We ate Momiji Manju which is a small cake with anko inside (bean paste). It was delicious! We did so much! I bout an umbrella that has a pattern on it when rain hits it. There were deer everywhere! One tried to eat my dress lol. Miyojima was so cool! We also took pictures by the famous Tori!! After Miyojima we went to a little clothes shop that was amazing! Everything there was under $20 and everything was cute! I bought a couple of things lol. After that we went for dinner  at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. I ate Natto for the first time and I didn't like it ( it tasted like feet and throw up).  I tried a lot of suchi and it was good. I am going to get sooo fat! lol Tomorrow I start school!! So excited! I even get to wear their cute uniform! XD