While I have your attention

First of all: Sorry about the picture. That's what I get for being lazy and using a link instead of uploading pictures. The pictures change. There's some complicated computer explanation with remote servers and hotlinks and other words that I don't quite understand so, I'll say this: It was not on purpose an I'm sorry for those of you whose minds have been scarred.

And NOW, because you're waiting to hear about my school, I'll take advantage of the situation. This post contains all of the thoughts I've had or things I've noticed that don't have enough substance to actually turn into a blog post, but that I think are still interesting. There is no particular order or progression at all, it is merely what comes to my mind.

I do not know how the Japanese:
cut things with chopsticks
don't make a mess when eating noodles with sauce on them
put their lace-up shoes on so quickly
avoid being smelly and sweaty in a country where A/C is a surprise

Sensei is always talking about how the Japanese do nothing but study and school is really important, but I haven't talked to a kid yet who didn't fail at least one of their tests this semester.

On the same note, my International English class is not very good at speaking English.

There are some sounds that the Japanese just cannot make; the a sound in 'banana,' 'fan' is one of them.

I didn't know how all of the girls here are so skinny, because food is abundant and their P.E. classes are a joke.

I later found out why everyone is so skinny; I think I'm the only person in this country who isn't on a diet.

I think I've discovered why the girls here are so girly. If they weren't they would be confused as guys, because guys in Japan are so feminine. Sometimes on the bus or the subway I like to play a fun game called 'Guess the Gender.' In the past few days I have seen three people that had, and still have me completely stumped.

GUESS THE GENDER (answers are at the bottom)
It's a little hard to sneak pictures of people on subways and in public, so these are all just off of the interent, and they are the most androgynous of the androgyny.





ANSWER: They're all men. I admit the guy in the skirt is a bit much, but you get the picture.

There are drink vending machines all around Japan, but I haven't seen one that sells food the whole time I've been here.

The Japanese can handle 106 degree baths every day, but when it comes to weather and food they can't handle hot to save their lives.

Everyone is very serous about their job, even if it is just being a cashier or a janitor.

When Japanese people do construction work they put up screens or walls, and they clean up their mess when they are done. The same goes for city maintenance.

In America, we expect visiting foreigners to speak English. in Japan, they are surprised when visiting foreigners can speak Japanese.

Driving in Japan is almost indescribable. People break the rules, but there are rules for the rules to break, and everyone allows everyone else to break the rules. For example, even if the light is red, a couple of people can turn left if they are waiting in the left turn lane. Also, scooters and motorcycles and the like weave in and out of traffic like no one's business, and instead of cursing them like we do in America, it's completely accepted. If you want to get somewhere faster, you travel by scooter or some other motorized, two-wheeled vehicle.

Cars in Japan are amazing colors.
It's also difficult to take pictures of moving vehicles while you're moving, so once again all of these pictures are from the internet.










I have seen every single one of these colors, and more. They are not uncommon. My host family has a pink car, and I would wager that pink is one of the most common car colors in Japan.

That's all for now, but I'll add things as I think of them.