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!