Thursday, April 26, 2007
I`m still alive
Hello everyone! I`m sorry that I haven`t written anything for a while, I`ve been very busy with school.
I`ve been in Japan for five weeks now, which is quite hard to believe; it hardly seems like I`ve been here five days. School is....interesting so far. Everyone is so incredibly nice and polite (to the extent where it becomes quite tiresome). All of my class are so incredibly interested in eveything to do with me, it`s really quite amusing. I have been asked everything from my shoe size (the sizes in Japan work on centimetres so it`s rather confusing) to my height to my cellphone number(haven`t got a cellphone yet but will, hopefully, next week). It`s quite funny really, if they`re not asking me questions, they just sit there staring at me. That`s another weird thing about Japan, people will stare at you and if you notice and look over at them, they keep on staring. In NZ, if you were staring at someone and they noticed you`d immediately look away, but not in Japan! Ok, I went off on a bit of a tangent there...Anyhoo, at school I don`t understand any of my classes but no one seems to care. I am able to converse quite freely with my classmates in Japanese now but teachers are another story, Japanese teachers (particularly male teachers) are really quite intimidating and whenever they talk to me, every Japanese word I have ever learnt drifts out of my head and I end up staring blankly at them, they must all think I`m mildly retarded!
I joined the school concert band as a tenor saxophonist for my club activity, the rehearsal schedule is pretty harsh; we rehearse Monday-Friday 4pm-6pm and Saturday 8.30am-3.30am. So my life is pretty much school, school, school and more school and, if I can squeeze it in, a bit of food and sleep. In spite of the gruelling schedule and incredible lack of sleep, I`m having the most awesome time!
Next week is a holiday in Japan, called Golden Week. It is actually a collection of four national holidays which are as follows (for those of you who are interested):-
April 29
Showa Day (Showa no hi):
April 29 is the birthday of former Emperor Showa, who died in the year 1989. Until 2006, Greenery Day (see May 4) used to be celebrated on this day.
May 3
Constitution Day (Kenpo kinenbi):
On this day in 1947, the new post war constitution was put into effect.
May 4
Greenery Day (Midori no hi):
Until 2006, Greenery Day used to be celebrated on April 29, the birthday of former Emperor Showa. The day is dedicated to the environment and nature, because the emperor loved plants and nature. Before being declared Greenery Day, May 4 used to be a national holiday due to a law, which declares a day, that falls between two national holidays, a national holiday.
May 5
Children's Day (Kodomo no hi):
The Boy's Festival (Tango no Sekku) is celebrated on this day. Families pray for the health and future success of their sons by hanging up carp streamers and displaying samurai dolls, both symbolizing strength, power and success in life. The Girl's Festival, by the way, is celebrated on March 3.
This is pretty much a week of holiday, where it is common for most families to go on vacation or to visit family in other parts of the country. I am going to Osaka with my family for this and I am so excited!! As well as going to Osaka, I also get to visit Kyoto and Nara while we are there! I`ve always wanted to visit Kyoto because of the amazing historical attractions (like Temples and Shrines etc). It will also be good to go to Nara because I will be able to catch up with some of my friends who were exchange students at my school in NZ.
Anyhoo, I think that`s about all I`ve got to report at the moment. I hope everyone is well! Will (hopefully!) write again soon, but don`t hold your breath!
TTFN,
Will
PS Here are some more photos =)
I`ve been in Japan for five weeks now, which is quite hard to believe; it hardly seems like I`ve been here five days. School is....interesting so far. Everyone is so incredibly nice and polite (to the extent where it becomes quite tiresome). All of my class are so incredibly interested in eveything to do with me, it`s really quite amusing. I have been asked everything from my shoe size (the sizes in Japan work on centimetres so it`s rather confusing) to my height to my cellphone number(haven`t got a cellphone yet but will, hopefully, next week). It`s quite funny really, if they`re not asking me questions, they just sit there staring at me. That`s another weird thing about Japan, people will stare at you and if you notice and look over at them, they keep on staring. In NZ, if you were staring at someone and they noticed you`d immediately look away, but not in Japan! Ok, I went off on a bit of a tangent there...Anyhoo, at school I don`t understand any of my classes but no one seems to care. I am able to converse quite freely with my classmates in Japanese now but teachers are another story, Japanese teachers (particularly male teachers) are really quite intimidating and whenever they talk to me, every Japanese word I have ever learnt drifts out of my head and I end up staring blankly at them, they must all think I`m mildly retarded!
I joined the school concert band as a tenor saxophonist for my club activity, the rehearsal schedule is pretty harsh; we rehearse Monday-Friday 4pm-6pm and Saturday 8.30am-3.30am. So my life is pretty much school, school, school and more school and, if I can squeeze it in, a bit of food and sleep. In spite of the gruelling schedule and incredible lack of sleep, I`m having the most awesome time!
Next week is a holiday in Japan, called Golden Week. It is actually a collection of four national holidays which are as follows (for those of you who are interested):-
April 29
Showa Day (Showa no hi):
April 29 is the birthday of former Emperor Showa, who died in the year 1989. Until 2006, Greenery Day (see May 4) used to be celebrated on this day.
May 3
Constitution Day (Kenpo kinenbi):
On this day in 1947, the new post war constitution was put into effect.
May 4
Greenery Day (Midori no hi):
Until 2006, Greenery Day used to be celebrated on April 29, the birthday of former Emperor Showa. The day is dedicated to the environment and nature, because the emperor loved plants and nature. Before being declared Greenery Day, May 4 used to be a national holiday due to a law, which declares a day, that falls between two national holidays, a national holiday.
May 5
Children's Day (Kodomo no hi):
The Boy's Festival (Tango no Sekku) is celebrated on this day. Families pray for the health and future success of their sons by hanging up carp streamers and displaying samurai dolls, both symbolizing strength, power and success in life. The Girl's Festival, by the way, is celebrated on March 3.
This is pretty much a week of holiday, where it is common for most families to go on vacation or to visit family in other parts of the country. I am going to Osaka with my family for this and I am so excited!! As well as going to Osaka, I also get to visit Kyoto and Nara while we are there! I`ve always wanted to visit Kyoto because of the amazing historical attractions (like Temples and Shrines etc). It will also be good to go to Nara because I will be able to catch up with some of my friends who were exchange students at my school in NZ.
Anyhoo, I think that`s about all I`ve got to report at the moment. I hope everyone is well! Will (hopefully!) write again soon, but don`t hold your breath!
TTFN,
Will
PS Here are some more photos =)
My house
Me, in my HOT! school uniform
My little sis
Me, with Hinako
At my Otoosan`s clinic, hanami party
Sakura 
Me with Monica and Robert (exchange students from USA) at the Hakusan Shrine Hanami Festival
Niigata City
Other Band People// posted by Will @ Thursday, April 26, 2007 
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