Homework for the Overactive Brain

Today's Quote--"Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday to me..."

Wednesday, September 17, 2003

 

Today's Quote--"I want a perfect body, I want a perfect soul."--Radiohead, "Creep"
Sounds about right, don't you think?
Right, so E wanted me to dish out the details of life here in Japan. I'm gonna try...no guaruntees though!

Homestay

So far, my host mother (henceforth to be known as Okaasan), and I have had a great time together. She's a sweet lady who's happy to finally have another girl in the house (after 2 sons, why not?). We've done a lot, gone to a concert and plan on going to a few more, spent time just talking, and eating together. She speaks English fairly well, but we try and stick to Japanese, so I can test out my mediocre skills. I think we get along pretty great, but that is only after 5 days of living together...I'm sure there'll be something eventually. As for my host fater....I have yet to meet him. Yep, 5 days in the same house, haven't met the man. Haven't even seen a picture...I'm beginning to doubt his existence. He's just a figment of our collective imaginations...or something. As for the 2 sons I mentioned, the younger one lives near Tokyo and works as a chef. The older one (25) lives here in Sapporo and works for JR (the big railroad company that owns a whole lot more than the railroads). Met him twice. Yoshi is his name and he is pretty cute....but not too big on the whole maturity thing. I think Okaasan will be happy to marry him off to the first woman who thinks she can change him. OY! But he is pretty darn cute...;)

My room is nice, but very tiny...and crowded. I of course brought too much stuff and will likely be sending some of it home in the very near future. I've got a desk and lamp...and a carpet over the tatami mats. I sleep on a futon, which I of course have to put away and take out every day. It's not actually too bad...though my hips miss my waterbed and my ears miss soft pillows...instead of the seed ones they have here. Of course, not all of the students are staying in Japanese style rooms like me, so don't think that's the only way. The house is small and crowded by American standards, but a fairly good size by Japanese. The bedrooms are on the 2nd floor, the kitchen, living room and toliet on the first, and the shower, bath, garage, sink, and washing machine in the basement. Lots of stairs (but that happens a lot in Japan!), but my legs are getting their workouts!

Food is good, but then I'm lucky and like Japanese food a lot. We eat breakfast and dinner together (Okaasan and I), Lunch I usually get here at school. She likes bread, I got cereal. It works. Dinner so far has been Japanese style, but normally very tasty. I try to spend as much time downstairs as possible, since I'll probably be studying a lot later. Okaasan likes to read the newspaper or work on the computer, rather than watch tv, so I usually find something quiet to occupy myself too. So far, I've enjoyed it!

School

Well, since the first day of school was only yesterday...can't say a whole lot there...other than Japanese College life is a whole lot more relaxed than American. They work so hard to get into college that once they're here, to continue would burn everyone out. The students here are nice and friendly, but still shy Japanese, so I haven't made many friends yet. Our Japanese classes are supposedly very difficult, but we'll see when they start tomorrow. However our elective courses are going to be very easy. They're taught in English to some of the English major students here, so the material isn't too difficult, and neither are assignments. Which is fine if the Japanese classes are hard...more time to study Kanji...joy of joys. I'm trying to decide which class to take. This week we weren't registered so we (int.l students) could go to any of the classes and try them out. I've got four I'm considering...though I think I've decided Japanese Culture is out....mainly because it's early in the morning (on the one day I don't have an early Japanese class), the materials are all things I've kinda looked at before (performing arts), and it won't be an intensive class on the subject (which I would prefer)...so I'm down to American Culture (which is fun, 'cause I know it all and can be the beautiful assistant in class...talk about no homework there!), Japanese Contemparary History (which we have no idea what it'll be about, but will probably involve a lot of chatter about nothing), or Shinto and Christian traditions (which looks really fun, with more shrines and a wee bit o christianity, and Jason teaching his favorite subject). Of course, I can go to any of these classes whenever I want, and I can sign up for all of them too ( a great feature of Japanese college...you have no limit on how many classes you can take, and if you want to drop a class, all you have to do is not show up for the final and it will never appear on your record!). But I also want to join a club (yeah, that's another puzzling thing...Japanese archery? Koto? Wind Ensemble? Calligraphy? Tea Ceremony? OY!). And I'm sure there will be a lot of studying once Japanese class starts.

The Hokusei campus is very pretty, and small, and easy to navigate (with buildings named A, B, C, or 1, 2, yeah...pretty easy). I have to travel by subway to get here, but the sation by my house is very very very close...only about a 2 or 3 min walk, and the station by Hokusei is only about a 5 or 6 min walk. I have to change lines in Odori, the major subway hub, and there are always tons of people there...it's kinda funny in the morning, lots of men in suits, high/jr high students in uniforms, and the odd college student are the only people to be seen. I think I'm going to take a picture one of these days, just because I find it so interesting (ah, yes, the psychology major at work once more...;) ). It takes me about 20 or 30 min to get to school every day, and to get home. The subway is really crowded in the morning, but not too bad at night or in the evening.

As for my fellow international students...welll...Americans are very interesting...in general, they tend to think that the American way is the right one (as all people tend to think their way is the right way), and some have a hard time trying to break out of that. So there have been some interesting interactions since people want to do things one way, but that way doesn't work here. I'm sure I'm guilty of some of the same things....but...I know why I'm here...sometimes, I wonder why some of the others are here. Anyway, Jason Barrows...the BCA director here, is just a blast and we've had some real good laughs and good times. And most of the students are just as fun to be around. It's nice to be able to come back to English/America land and spend some time reminicsing. I'm beginning to appreciate all the difficulties International students have...one of the reasons I came here.

All right, I better be off...this is a rather long post. Tired and should go home soon now. Miss home, but I can deal. Hugs to all!

GL 12:25 AM