Saturday, May 26, 2007
Long time, no talk...
I just realised that it has been nearly a month since I wrote anything so I apologise to anyone who has been religiously following my blog and has been disappointed at the lack of activity. 失礼しました (that means `Please excuse me for my rudeness`).
Gosh, where to start. I should probably write something about my holiday in Osaka (even though that was four weeks ago....oops). Well, I went on holiday to Osaka four weeks ago during the Japanese Holiday of Golden Week (see previous posts for details). We stayed with my host father`s family at his palatial mansion of a house
(the photo isn`t in black and white because I was trying to be dramatic, I just forgot to put the camera back to auto). My host father`s father decided to `help` me by putting a complete English ban on the house and threatening me with violence if I so much as uttered an English word in his presence. Although it didn`t seem like it then, it was probably the best thing that has happened so far on my exchange. By being forced to use Japanese all the time, I stopped worrying about making mistakes so now, I can quite freely converse in Japanese.
This photo----> is of a restauraunt chain, the sign says `Bikkuri Donki` which means Surprised Donkey. I thought this was quite amusing.
On Wednesday, Maki and Te-chan took me to Kyoto. This was probably
the highlight of the week because it was so interesting. We visited Kiyomizu-dera which is a really famous Buddhist Temple. Incidentally, the powers-that-be are constructing a list of the `New Seven Wonders of the World` and Kiyomizu is a finalist. The amazing thing about Kiyomizu is that it is nearly 2000 years old, it is on the side of a mountain and it was built without using n
ails, just thousands of bits of wood cut to interlock together. This next photo ---> is of Maki and I in front of a famous statue in Kyoto (not sure what the statue is famous for). 
And this photo is of me in the famous Geisha district where Memoirs of a Geisha is set <-----
<----This photo is of my group on Bandai Bridge, the icon of Niigata City (it was very windy!).
Well folks, that`s about it for this edition of A Day (or 20) in the Life of William.
Gosh, where to start. I should probably write something about my holiday in Osaka (even though that was four weeks ago....oops). Well, I went on holiday to Osaka four weeks ago during the Japanese Holiday of Golden Week (see previous posts for details). We stayed with my host father`s family at his palatial mansion of a house
(the photo isn`t in black and white because I was trying to be dramatic, I just forgot to put the camera back to auto). My host father`s father decided to `help` me by putting a complete English ban on the house and threatening me with violence if I so much as uttered an English word in his presence. Although it didn`t seem like it then, it was probably the best thing that has happened so far on my exchange. By being forced to use Japanese all the time, I stopped worrying about making mistakes so now, I can quite freely converse in Japanese.While in Osaka, I did about every touristy thing there is to do. On the first day, I visited the huge statue of Buddha in 
Nara (the photo isn`t great but it`s about as good as I could do). We were unlucky because we arrived at the same time as three tour parties of obnoxious American tourists.
Nara (the photo isn`t great but it`s about as good as I could do). We were unlucky because we arrived at the same time as three tour parties of obnoxious American tourists.On the Tuesday of GW, my host mother`s sister, Maki, and her boyfriend, Te-chan, took me shopping in downtown Osaka, the most amazing thing about that day was that I didn`t buy ANYTHING (seriously, someone alert the media!). We went to a district called Namba which is full of Pachinko and slot parlours but had some interesting shops.
The photo below is of me with Te-chan in front of the famous `Glico Man` billboard (don`t ask me why it`s famous!).
The photo below is of me with Te-chan in front of the famous `Glico Man` billboard (don`t ask me why it`s famous!).
This photo----> is of a restauraunt chain, the sign says `Bikkuri Donki` which means Surprised Donkey. I thought this was quite amusing.
On Wednesday, Maki and Te-chan took me to Kyoto. This was probably
the highlight of the week because it was so interesting. We visited Kiyomizu-dera which is a really famous Buddhist Temple. Incidentally, the powers-that-be are constructing a list of the `New Seven Wonders of the World` and Kiyomizu is a finalist. The amazing thing about Kiyomizu is that it is nearly 2000 years old, it is on the side of a mountain and it was built without using n
ails, just thousands of bits of wood cut to interlock together. This next photo ---> is of Maki and I in front of a famous statue in Kyoto (not sure what the statue is famous for). 
And this photo is of me in the famous Geisha district where Memoirs of a Geisha is set <-----On Friday, I went with my host father`s brother, Kiyoto, to Umeda, a popular shopping district in Osaka. Again, I didn`t buy a
nything (shock horror, gasp, faint!). After that, we went to Kobe to visit Chinatown--> which was ridiculously crowded but interesting none-the-less. 
nything (shock horror, gasp, faint!). After that, we went to Kobe to visit Chinatown--> which was ridiculously crowded but interesting none-the-less. 
Saturday was my last full day in Osaka and th
at night, we went and had tempura with m
y host mother`s family. <---- This photo is of a cute little fish which you eat whole (it apparently has no bones.
at night, we went and had tempura with m
y host mother`s family. <---- This photo is of a cute little fish which you eat whole (it apparently has no bones.Sunday was the last day of GW and was spent driving back to Niigata (8 hours!).
After Golden Week, life very rapidly returned to normal with school taking over again. It was quite a shock, after a week of holiday, returning to 12 hours a day of school!
A week after returning from Osaka, AFS Niigata held the local orientation for all exchange students in the prefecture. This consisted of two days (two days of my life which I will never get back!) of lectures about AFS rules and the `AFS Mission`. Gosh, that was interesting!?!?! It was good though because I got to catch up with my
friends from the other Niigata chapters. Part of the orientation was learning a traditional dance called the Niigata So-odori, this was very interesting, particularly for someone as unco-ordinated as me!-->We also got to go on a field trip to vist the various sights of Niigata City and to experience a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony.
friends from the other Niigata chapters. Part of the orientation was learning a traditional dance called the Niigata So-odori, this was very interesting, particularly for someone as unco-ordinated as me!-->We also got to go on a field trip to vist the various sights of Niigata City and to experience a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony.
<----This photo is of my group on Bandai Bridge, the icon of Niigata City (it was very windy!).After the orientation on Sunday, a group of us went to karaoke which is 
always fun!----> This photo is of Robert, although it looks like he is writhing in agony, he is infact singing I Will Survive.
always fun!----> This photo is of Robert, although it looks like he is writhing in agony, he is infact singing I Will Survive.
<--- This is Melody (how appropriate!) who I believe is also singing I Will Survive, though not with quite as much passion.
Well folks, that`s about it for this edition of A Day (or 20) in the Life of William.
Until next time,
じゃね
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Things I have learnt on my exchange...
1) Japan is the land of effeminate men! Every guy in my class at school carries a mirror around and regularly checks their hair, they also have a small forest of stuffed toys attached to their cellphones. Some even wear makeup.
2) People are very touchy-feely here! Guys slap eachother`s arses all the time! One of my friends also regularly just decides to sit on my lap at school and NO ONE THINKS IT`S WEIRD! The odd thing is that they NEVER hug!
3)When you enter shops in Japan, every assistant in the shop yells `Irashaimase` at the top of their voice! I swear it is a competition to see who can yell it first and loudest.
4)The idea that Japanese school is really intense is a total myth! School is so laid back, people sleep in class all day and the teachers never care! I have had one piece of homework in my entire month of school and during class everyone sits and texts, checks their hair, does their makeup (that is, of course, if they are awake!)
5) Everyone in Japan owns a cellphone and they are all on plans. Prepaid is rare and incredibly hard to find!
6) People don`t text much, but call all the time!
7) Everyone goes to sleep on the trains and miraculously wakes up at the right station!
8)In Japanese there are many polite words such as Sumimasen (excuse me), Yoroshiku Onegaiitashimasu (Please think kindly of me) and Arigatoo Gozaimashita (Thank you very much). People seem to just dispense these at random! For example, at a party I went to someone wanted the person next to them to pour a drink for them, they asked for the drink and then said `Yoroshiku Onegaiitashimasu sumimasen Arigatoo Gozaimashita!
9) Osaka is the best city in the world!
10) If you go to Kyoto, wear shoes that you can easily slip off and on! At every attraction you have to remove your shoes!
11) Popular Tourist Spots (eg Kyoto) are always full of obnoxious American tourists.
12) Japanese food is the best in the world!
13) There are `Love Hotels` EVERYWHERE (rooms rented by the hour)
I will keep adding to this as I think of things...
2) People are very touchy-feely here! Guys slap eachother`s arses all the time! One of my friends also regularly just decides to sit on my lap at school and NO ONE THINKS IT`S WEIRD! The odd thing is that they NEVER hug!
3)When you enter shops in Japan, every assistant in the shop yells `Irashaimase` at the top of their voice! I swear it is a competition to see who can yell it first and loudest.
4)The idea that Japanese school is really intense is a total myth! School is so laid back, people sleep in class all day and the teachers never care! I have had one piece of homework in my entire month of school and during class everyone sits and texts, checks their hair, does their makeup (that is, of course, if they are awake!)
5) Everyone in Japan owns a cellphone and they are all on plans. Prepaid is rare and incredibly hard to find!
6) People don`t text much, but call all the time!
7) Everyone goes to sleep on the trains and miraculously wakes up at the right station!
8)In Japanese there are many polite words such as Sumimasen (excuse me), Yoroshiku Onegaiitashimasu (Please think kindly of me) and Arigatoo Gozaimashita (Thank you very much). People seem to just dispense these at random! For example, at a party I went to someone wanted the person next to them to pour a drink for them, they asked for the drink and then said `Yoroshiku Onegaiitashimasu sumimasen Arigatoo Gozaimashita!
9) Osaka is the best city in the world!
10) If you go to Kyoto, wear shoes that you can easily slip off and on! At every attraction you have to remove your shoes!
11) Popular Tourist Spots (eg Kyoto) are always full of obnoxious American tourists.
12) Japanese food is the best in the world!
13) There are `Love Hotels` EVERYWHERE (rooms rented by the hour)
I will keep adding to this as I think of things...
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