Whao! Update?!
Yes indeed, an update. Why? Because I have a paper due on thursday...a whole five pages. First paper of the semester, I'll have one more before I'm done. This is why I'm sad that I'm only here for one semester, I can just go out and socialize and it's considered study because it's all in another language and another country.
Just to let people know, I'll be back in the states on December 22nd. I don't know where I'm living yet next semester, but they have promised to tell us by Wednesday. I've made some effort to send out postcards (ie: I bought a pile and they're mostly sitting on my desk). So if you don't get one I can at the very least give it to you myself come January =).
I think I hear my host mother and brother in the other room in another heated debate. My host mother's arguments never cease to give me a headache. We were recently talking about the issues of really cold Japanese homes. No central heating or insulation. The reason being it doesn't get THAT cold in this area and central heating would be absurdly expensive here because of oil prices...what stunned me was at the conclusion of this talk I was told that I should get used to it because it's a part of Japanese culture.
Huh? Economy, geography, weather sure, but since when was it a part of Japanese culture to be cold and refrain from using central heating. I was recently told that it was also a part of Japanese culture to open the windows every morning regardless of temp (it's been around 40-55 degrees outside).
But I shouldn't complain, they've been a good host family. Offering to do things with me if I want to and not forcing me into anything which does happen sometimes with host families. Some people's families cease talking with them, for reasons often unknown because Japanese typically won't say/explain issues like that in a very direct manner. This being the land of compromise and peace, silence is better than complaining usually. Heh, that's why this family catches me off guard sometimes, I think my host mother has been around foreigners enough to get used to being direct. She'll flat out tell me I'm wrong sometimes, and a lot of it is pride in things Japanese, so I try to steer clear of them, as I don't dare debate too much in Japanese as I'm sure to screw up and sound really rude.
Ok, to bed with me, haven't done a stitch of homework all day....because there isn't any for tomorrow, muahaha.
Just to let people know, I'll be back in the states on December 22nd. I don't know where I'm living yet next semester, but they have promised to tell us by Wednesday. I've made some effort to send out postcards (ie: I bought a pile and they're mostly sitting on my desk). So if you don't get one I can at the very least give it to you myself come January =).
I think I hear my host mother and brother in the other room in another heated debate. My host mother's arguments never cease to give me a headache. We were recently talking about the issues of really cold Japanese homes. No central heating or insulation. The reason being it doesn't get THAT cold in this area and central heating would be absurdly expensive here because of oil prices...what stunned me was at the conclusion of this talk I was told that I should get used to it because it's a part of Japanese culture.
Huh? Economy, geography, weather sure, but since when was it a part of Japanese culture to be cold and refrain from using central heating. I was recently told that it was also a part of Japanese culture to open the windows every morning regardless of temp (it's been around 40-55 degrees outside).
But I shouldn't complain, they've been a good host family. Offering to do things with me if I want to and not forcing me into anything which does happen sometimes with host families. Some people's families cease talking with them, for reasons often unknown because Japanese typically won't say/explain issues like that in a very direct manner. This being the land of compromise and peace, silence is better than complaining usually. Heh, that's why this family catches me off guard sometimes, I think my host mother has been around foreigners enough to get used to being direct. She'll flat out tell me I'm wrong sometimes, and a lot of it is pride in things Japanese, so I try to steer clear of them, as I don't dare debate too much in Japanese as I'm sure to screw up and sound really rude.
Ok, to bed with me, haven't done a stitch of homework all day....because there isn't any for tomorrow, muahaha.