こんげつ

As of today, September 22, 2012, (happy 20th Jacob!) I have left home for a whole month. This is crazy to me as it seems that I have been gone ten days tops. I am trying to hold on to every second that I have here. It's hard to think that I have completed about a fifth of my trip already. It's heartbreaking. But while you're reading this, I guess I should tell you about some of the things comparing to my hometown back in the States. This is edited from a message I sent to my friend Alli, who's doing a project in school about studying abroad.

• •  I am currently studying in 
    Fukuoka, Japan. I will be here 
    for six months.
    
    I have wanted to learn Japanese 
    for a while, and their culture has 
    interested me since I was a 
    child. My curiosity for the 
    Japanese culture was sparked 
    as I watched movies by the 
    anime producer, Hayao 
    Miyazaki.
    
    Well so far I have been with two 
    different host families. My first 
    family was small like mine in the 
    States, but my newest host 
    family has seven people under 
    the roof, and that's excluding 
    me! My first home was a small 
    apartment complex and now I 
    live in quite a large traditional 
    home. I live in a condo in US, so 
    this is very spacious.
    
    The weather here is actually 
    very similar to how it is in Rock 
    Hill. It is a lot larger than Rock 
    Hill is though. Many tall 
    buildings tower over the streets, 
    and people travel mostly using 
    public transportation or 
    bicycling.
    
    Class being in Japanese is one 
    of the many differences I've had 
    to adjust to in school life. 
    Students stay in one classroom 
    for a majority of their day, and 
    the teachers move from class to 
    class. I have to change out of 
    the shoes I wear to school when 
    I first walk in. I bought the 
    school's shoes, which are 
    essentially slippers. (You take 
    off your shoes when you enter 
    homes as well, it's a sign of 
    respect). There is also a very 
    modest school uniform, where 
    at home I don't have a uniform 
    at all. Lastly, students clean up 
    after school. There is no 
    janitorial service and it is all 
    done by kids who volunteer.
• • The food is, well, Japanese. 
    Rice, or "gohan", is eaten with 
    just about every meal. Moms 
    usually pack their kids' school 
    lunches, called "obento". 
    Contrary to popular belief, they 
    do use more than just 
    chopsticks. In fact, I've used a 
    fork, knife, and spoon while I've 
    been here, though I prefer 
    chopsticks. When at a 
    restaurant, there is usually a 
    little bell on the table that you 
    ring when you are ready to 
    order or want the check. People 
    often pick up their bowls of rice, 
    rather than leaving it on the 
    table. Slurping food is 
    customary here and isn't seen 
    as gross or too noisy.
• • There are many traditions that you have to mess up to really 
    learn about. For example, you 
    do not fix your hair or make up 
    in public. You don't blow your 
    nose in public, and if you do, 
    you throw the napkin away 
    immediately. DO NOT PUT IT IN 
    A BAG OR KEEP IT IN YOUR 
    HAND. You bow before and 
    probably after speaking to 
    someone you respect, and 
    strangers will not just strike up a 
    conversation with you. When 
    someone offers you a gift or 
    even a piece of paper, you 
    accept it with both hands. You 
    don't put your chopsticks 
    straight down into a rice bowl. 
    You often use informal speech 
    for things that are your own, but 
    never when speaking of 
    someone else, or of something 
    that isn't yours. You don't eat or 
    drink while walking. You don't 
    sit on the side of the street.
• • There are many holidays that 
    the Japanese have, such as a 
    day in February where they 
    throw beans at people dressed 
    as monsters. Though Christmas 
    is not a big holiday here, New 
    Year's Eve is the biggest 
    celebration all year.
  • 
    
• • Oh! At dinner, if you're satisfied with the meal, you leave about a 
    spoonful of food on the plate. Don't "clean your plate" like in the US, unless you want more.
    More than a spoonful or two = I didn't like it
    Spoonful or two = that was delicious, I don't want to waste much but I'm full
    Clean plate = give me more!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    That's a bit about japanese 
    culture for you! have a 
    wonderful day!

かぞく

A long time ago, God created something very beautiful. This thing is called family. Tonight, as I was riding in the car with my newest host family, "Let It Be" came on the radio. Though none of the people in my family (Father, Mother, one daughter, four sons, Grandma) speaks English fluently, it was magical hearing them hum, whistle and even sing parts of that song. There is something deeper than even the Beatles that seems to connect us all. I have only been with this crew for roughly 54 hours, but I can already feel a deep bond between us. I doubt that they feel the same way, but the loneliness of language barriers provides a-more-than-sufficient amount of time for one to ponder really anything. 

Through this change of host families I have realized that no matter where you are, or the number of people that are in a home, truly loving and caring people can come together and build each other up.

Host families are probably the most generous people that I have met to this point in my existence. Though you know you will only be together  for a short time, they are willing to go to the moon and back to ensure your happiness and safety. Though I have not spent the time, or have the genetic make-up to really be considered a part of this family, I am welcomed as though neither of those things have any significance to the right of passage of being a member of this house hold. I walked unknowingly into a group of people with open arms, and I'm so glad that I've been blessed to have not one, but two host families during this experience.

What a terribly beautiful thing.

YUUKI (Courage)

So it"s official that this blog which I have worked on for merely a few months now has more views than one which I had been using for years. *sigh*
That just seems to be how things go.

I am very happy here. Japan is awesome and though I am basically consistently busy trying to mix Japanese and English in sentences, studying Japanese, getting to know the people around me, or reading the Bible, I am trying to treasure every second.

My facebook stati from the past few days seems to display exactly what i want to say about where I am:

"its hard to get a picture with anyone without them throwing up the deuces #justgowithit" (in a picture)

"Japan is awesome

Does anyone remember the show American Dragon?
It`s theme song was stuck in my head today.

Also we read 1000 Paper Cranes in English today. It`s socrazy that the one Japanese story that is super significant to my life was read while I`m in Japan

My Japanese friends and せんせい can`t possibly grasp how much that story means to me. I miss Mrs. Harding

#restinpeace"

"`Though we are but a vapor, you and me, and tiny and frail, we are marked by majesty, and we have been created in the very image of the God who breathes out the stars and put the universe into place. You and I are fashioned and formed and ordained by the God of all creation. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, you and I. You are somebody incredibly special.`-louie giglio"

"Every day is a mission"

"Watching Glee.... i love Japan"

"I realized today that my time is fleeting and I need to cherish every second that I have here. Though I can`t always control the circumstance I`m in, I can control how I react to it. It`s funny how when you`re in a foreign place, little things like reading and understanding the words `apple juice` seem like the biggest accomplishment.

Accomplishment today: I went to church all by my self! Walking, train, and more walking. I was very proud of myself

Then I got to hang out with truly the coolest people in Japan at a local coffee shop.

And now I am wearing a kimono for the first time
(PS, skype is open if you want to see the whole kimono deal)

#adventures"

This is, and will be, in short, a life changing experience. I can't wait to see what's in store

しゅざい

Today is a hard day for any American. 9/11 is not something you forget. Though I was so young that I don`t remember exactly what I was doing, I remember how it impacted people.
Prayers to　all who still suffer to this day.

Good news #1
It was Tia`s birthday on the 9th, and my new friend ひかり (Hikari)`s birthday on the 10th! Hurrah!
I got to see both of them on their birthdays!

#2 I am getting less and less homesick. I think that time, church, friends, anad the school festival has helped me ease into Japan more and more

#3 I got interviewed today!!!! (that`s the title of todays blog- interview)
It was a longgggg process, about 5 hours!!! They came and filmed me drawing in art class, eating lunch with my friends (then they proceeded to buy me more food so they could film more of me eating). Afterwards I showed them around the school to my favorite places (art room, Japanese room, auditorium, library). Finally, we sat down and I was asked a series of questons in English, which were then translated into Japanese. I had to memorize the Japanese answer and then present it in front of light camera and mike. Hot, tiring, challenging. But lots of fun!

Made for a great day and one more new adventure to add to the list.

#4 I GET TO SKYPE MY FAMILY FOR FAMILY NIGHT TOMORROW MORNING!

Hurrah hurrah, happiness all around.

PS, the Bible is a great book.


This is what started off my last きにょうび (Friday) in chapel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2W4-0qUdHY&feature=related
I hope it makes you smile as much as it made me :)

がこ

So I officially have 142 days `til I am at home.
I have really bad floods of homesickness, but 142 days is not that much. I remember when it was 155, and the time from then to now has flown by.
I literally have 36 classes.
-６ monday
-７ tuesday
-６ wednesday
-６thursday
-７ friday
-4 saturday

Yes, thats right, Saturday.
But tomorrow we have the School Festival, so not real school.
Saturday school doesn`t happen all the time

Here`s my week for those who are curious:

Monday:
-Japanese private classes (JFL)
-(JFL)
-Classic Japanese (which I`m skipping for a study hall)
-Math
-Physics
-Japanese History (another study hall)

Tuesday:
-JFL
-JFL
-Art
-Art
-PE
-Bible
-Japanese History (study hall)/Health study

I LOVE TUESDAYS HERE

Wednesday:
-JFL
-JFL
-English
-World History (study hall)
-home ec
-home ec

Thursday:
-Classic Japanese (study hall)
-OC1 =super simple english grammar class
-Math
-Chemistry
-English/Physics
-Long Home Room

Friday:
-Math
-JFL
-JFL
-PE
-Classic Japanese (study hall)
-Chemistry
-Japanese
Saturday:
-English
-Physics
-Health Study
-Japanese History (study hall)

Sunday:
Church, starbucks, shopping, skype. :)

As far as school goes, it starts with homeroom at like 8:35, then a twenty minute chapel, then the classes listed above (each lasts 45 minutes with 10 minute breaks in between and lunch (obento or pan with ringo ju-su >packed lunch or breaｄ with apple juice<) after 4th period), and finally class worship to end the day. at 3, 4, or 12:40 depending on the day
Oh yes, then the students clean up. That`s right, no janitors.

This week has been different though because we`ve been preparing for the school festival, and getout class a lot.

If you`re like WHY ARE YOU SKIPPING SO MANY CLASSES? Well first because I`m awesome and get to skip history which is a miracle for me. For one thing, most people sleep in the classes I`m skipping, not to mention the teachers who teach those classes don`t speak any English and most of what they write on the board is in kanji. Kanji is the third and final alphabet that I have yet to learn. It`s essentially a couple thousand Chinese characters. So it would be better for me to study on my own.

All classes are in ALL Japanese.

I love math because I totally understand it ^_^

My art class is Design, so i get to doodle really detailed pictures for two hours straight =)

AH! Plus, I read りんご　じゅーす　today and understood
it`s the first thing that ive read in Japanese and knew what it meant.
I was proud

It`s apple juice by the way

The Bible is a great book.