So, basically, I just have a series of unrelated notes to make about my life lately and life in Japan.   Not that much has actually happened, besides school starting.  Which is back to life as normal, no more traveling around Osaka.

At school today, one of the major stresses was relieved.  The 5 minute speech I had to prepare for Saturday’s trip to a High School was cancelled with the trip.  Apparently Shiomi-sensei did not submit the application and thus I cannot participate.  This frees Saturday so I can PACK for Singapore, and PACK a box that I need to ship home.  So that also relieved stress from having no time to do anything with.  This is like a God-send, honestly.  I was really stressed out about all the stuff I had to do today.

 I also decided that I’m not going to be sining a Japanese song at Rotary.  I have a Japanese song book of very traditional children’s songs.  That Japanese itself is fairly easy, but actually putting it into lyrics makes it a lot harder.  And honestly, I don’t feel comfortable singing in front of Rotary.  Kawachinagano Rotary is a very nice group of people, but they are very… formal.  If it was a group of adults who were more loose, I’d feel more ok with it, but in front of many old men in business suits, I just can’t do it.  There’s a difference between doing English karaoke with your close friends and … singing in Japanese in front of Rotary.  Plus I have to do a speech anyways in addition to that anyways.

Going along with the Rotary subject, and speeches, sometimes I wonder if they ask too much of students.  I mean, the other foriegn exchange students don’t have to do that.  But they don’t get to go to Tokyo by a plane, or go to Kyoto or those kinds of things either.  In some ways, I guess you have to pay the time to work on things like speeches and such to be able to do those things.  You have to wonder though, who’s having more fun?  Going more places, but having extra stress?  Or hanging out with friends and paying your way to someplace you want to go, with your group’s permission?  Sometimes, I do have to wonder.  I feel a lot of stress coming from Rotary to be a *ultra-good-student*.  Even though they don’t do 24 hour moderation, they just press the rules so much that you feel like one toe out of line and … It definitely is something to think about before becoming a foriegn exchange student though, seeking out a program that fits you.  I chose Rotary because it was well represented in my town, and $3000 less than a program that was shorter and didn’t have as many advantages.  Not saying Rotary Youth Exchange is bad at all, but just musing over thoughts, and I have recieved a surprising number of emails from hopeful exchange students for Japan, so food for thought.

Right now, I’m feeling pretty good because the speech and Saturday plans were cut, and I gave up the song.  (And the song is what prompted thoughts on Rotary.  I was goaded into saying ‘ok’ to sing a song in front of Rotary…but I am just not that brave, and need to work on my Japanese more.)  So one speech and having a full day to pack makes my life SO much easier, and I can feel better about going to Singapore.  Then Sunday I’ll be going to Umeda with Yudai, since I won’t see my best friend for a week.

Last thought is on expectations Japanese students face.  Today in gym we started the long running…which is horrible.  Today I did 20 minutes of straight running, which equates to once around the track and 5 times around the perimeter of the school, which is BIG.  I believe it’s over two miles.  No walking either.  Afterwards, my legs felt better though.  I hadn’t run in awhile.  But we increase the distance over the next two weeks, to make it 3 miles of straight running.  Which we do twice a week.  Seriously, I think CFHS needs this program.  What is a better way to fight the growing problem of American obesity?  I mean, did you ever think students would long for the days of ‘The Mile’?  Make it three and REALLY work them.  Then tomorrow is testing.  Last test to make sure the student can get into the next grade.  In Japan, it’s really not just a give-in, you have to work for it.  Again, I think America could learn from this (half sarcasm).  I have a Japanese test, and possibly take the English tests.  The Japanese test is really not that well thought out though.  Last one was on KANJI.  Do I study kanji in my Japanese class at school? No.  Do I study it in my Japanese class out of school? No.  So why do I have a test on it?  Honestly, it’s not based on anything I actually learn in either class…and in the end it doesn’t affect anything anyways.  I’m lost.  I wouldn’t even mind taking a test…just, please make one that corresponds to what I learn!!

 Basically, if I were an actual Japanese student, I would hate Japanese school.  A lot of customs that are kept because of ‘tradition’ and a teacher yells at the students at every whole-school gathering in the gym.  It’s the kind of thing that would make my political interests flair and I’d have to do something to make the school more student-friendly, and more suited for easier learning.  But, luckily I’m here as an exchange student and I can’t understand most of the stuff, and do not participate in the impossibly high standards Japanese teachers set.  It does, however, show me that America is definitely relaxed, no matter how hard students complain about a certain teacher’s tests.

 Ok, lied, one last thing.  Lately, I have been noticing a LOT of people staring at me, and I don’t know why.  Today at McDonald’s I looked up and a 20-something year old woman was holding her sister/daughter’s head around to look at me.  A second after I look up, she turns her sister/daughter’s head back to the front and hurries to a table and sits down.  Then yesterday at another McDonald’s (healthy eating in Japan? pfft.) a group of young boys kept taking turns glancing at me.  And tonight on the bus, I was the only person who had no one sit next to them.  I was just alone in a two person seat, and there were no more seats left.  Sometimes…you just feel really really different here.

 UPDATE: I just wanted to add that at the moment I’m in a really good mood because of less stress and other factors.  So even though this blog sounded sort of complain-ish (I guess) it doesn’t reflect my mood at the moment.  Just musing and stuff.