Conversation Levels

So I still don't understand the culture, and I still find myself being direct as ever yes I'm proud to be an american. What I realize is that there's different type of conversation levels here.

Japan Conversation Level

I just met you
Topics=

• How are you?!
• Weather
• Hobbies

In relative, really really light!!

Aquaintences
Topics

• School
• Job
• Plans

Not too light, but causual and polite

Friends
Topics

• Dating
• Opinions
• Life
• Deep and speaking freely

Americans

I just met you

• Freestyle

Aquaintences

• Freestyle

Friends

• Freestyle

Where am'I getting out as Americans, we tend to talk freely about everything. Like sometimes, I'll meet someone the first time and we'll end up talking about marital problems, boyfriend problems everything. Not only that, but we're always having an opinion about everything because American culture is soo expressive. I tend to do this alot but it's hard for me to remember these levels because well I talk freely about everything. I just thought this aspect was really really interesting!!

First week of school!!

hisashiburi!! Long time no talk!! Well, anyways I've been relaxing with spring break and now it's back to school. Other than that, I feel more prepared for this semester because I know more about the school and what it entails. In others , I'm more prepared for whatever comes at me because well, I'm a little bit more experienced and mature. Plus I have a lot more to say yay!!! Other than that, I want to become more serious with calligraphy so I'm thinking about joining the calligraphy club here at school. Calligraphy isn't fun for me it's just peaceful esp. with enka music!! I definitely want to do calligraphy while listening to enka. Enka is japanese folkpop and I love it!! A lot of japanese people are suprised because they regard it as old peoples' music but I have a lot of respect for it. I like to oldies and besides I believe enka is so beautiful. I've also been cooking so I can be more independent and of course save money to go shopping. Who would of thought that I would end up becoming a shop alcoholic. Don't worry I know where I can find bargains;)!! Yay, but yeah today I made my bento ok not a bento but cooked meat and I bought the rice with it at school. I met this guy Masagi and I sat with him and the other new students. So he and the others were excited and then I opened it and they laughed. Well, because it was 5 pieces of little tiny cooked but marinated meat that I made. They were like where's the rice and stuff. I responded with a well I always buy rice and I don't know. So Masagi bought me lunch because after my meal I was still hungry booo. My classes are becoming more and more interesting the grammar that we're learning are more about having a deep conversation. Not like heey what' s up I like the sky. No we're learning how to connect everything together which I really appreciate. I'm starting to envy the guys here because see how can the ladies complain and maybe it's true that men here aren't romantic. I'm thinking to myself how can you not be romantic here. You have trees, and parks all these other places. Not only that but you have cherry blossoms which pop up in the spring. The best dates are usually the most creative and cheapest ones! I mean in Vegas you can't do that. "Hey honey, want to go to the desert oh be careful of the cactus!" *How romantic haha going to the desert in the 90 degree scorching heat! Well tommorow, I"ll be in Kyoto and I will show pictures ... if only Vegas had cherry blossoms ....

Hiroshima and Tottori

Hey sorry for not keeping you posted. I've been very lazy haha lately, but last week I went to Hiroshima and it was very moving. For anyone that comes to Japan, you must come to Hiroshima and go to the peace memorial. You will learn alot about this. Before the bombing, Hiroshima was a military city that specialized in training solidiers and exporting weapons during the war. Not only, that but till' this day Hiroshima is actually a metropolitan city with over 1 million people living there. I thought it was a rural town with just the museum. The city also has a trolley system. But other than that, I was very moved and words are hard for me to explain the moment and the feeling of what happened. So everyone should definitely hit up Hiroshima if you get a chance to come to Japan! Other than that, I saw my girl Tomoko in Tottori and I had so much fun. It was the countryside of Japan and I never realized how much I liked the countryside until I came to Tottori. It was so peaceful and everyone seemed so friendly! I was glad to experience the rural area because I've always wanted to go to the rural area of Japan. The houses are so big too they're like the ones you would see in a classic samurai movie. I can definitely say out of all the people I met in Japan I definitely had a connection with Tomoko. We click so well together and she's so americanized! I told her we have to keep in touch because it's hard finding cool people like that! I felt bad because there were times she couldn't understand me because of my accent so I was slighty embarassed but yah know yah girl is always trying! I also had the chance to see the sand dunes in Tottori which is known to be the desert in Japan so that was a huge plus! I liked going to see the dunes but I missed out on the camels hahah! I'm like what I didn't know there were camels until someone told me! I was like damn missed out on a good picture moment. Other than that, today I went to the movies and the movie theaters are so clean like I didn't step on any popcorn nor drinks at the theater it was really nice. I also got to pick out my seat before I entered the theater which was so cool and then after I left there was a guy that took our trash for us. I'm like nice! I love clean movie theaters and I saw the new Angelina Jolie movie Changeling where the kid was abuducted it was so sad. But Angelina was good, I was reading the japanese subtitles to it and wow the english slang has so much idioms and slang to it! I was like wow American english is complicated! Well anyways I need to go to bed, but before I leave get the new Utada Hikaru CD Heart Station she is a amazing and it is sooo good she has real talent produces and writes for everything. She's on the record label EMI and it seems like EMI is more talent based and Avex is more poppy and image feel like for example Jyongri amazing singer is on EMI but Amuro Namie is on Avex. Amuro is an ok singer but she's a poppy singer so it was interesting to see the difference of the artists from EMI and Avex. Well anyways peace!

Japanese and American Friendships the cultural difference!

The more I live here the more I want to stay. Of course, I don't want to work for a japanese company, but I'm really adjusting here though. I'm starting to get why people here are indirect! But other than that, at first when people come here they think and rightfully so that people here aren't friendly. Well, that is true not as friendly or open compared to americans but that's because here they value friendships more. Their definition of a friendship is more about action which is why they're shy and don't approach anyone because you have to prove and show that that you are a friend not by words. If you notice, I have a mixi and the average amount of friends on mixi aka japanese myspace is 50 friends. That's pretty good because those are the people that they usually talk to you. Unlike on myspace or facebook, where it's common to have 100's of friends! And I do mean hundreds of friends, also it's common for others to add you randomly on myspace or facebook but never say a word to you! I know how annoying!!! But yeah, in Japan friendship is mostly about what you do and when you say things no one believes you because everyone is so indirect here so they're not going to trust your words. But in America, I feel we're a fame driven society. Everyone wants to be famous or popular or it seems like it. Like look at all the reality shows, you have in America it's ridiculous the amount of things people will do just for that 5 mins. of fame! These people usually have sex and do stupid things just for that piece of fame. Also I feel that american frienships, are more of a verbal thing like hey what's up but when it comes to a situation where you are in trouble or you need something will they come for you no!! I'm not saying you can't have true friends in America, but friendships in Japan and in America are waay different. Because in America, everyone considers you to be their friends but when the tough gets going some of your "friends" back out! Where as in Japan, they're not as easily trusting until you prove yourself and your actions! So I admit, I prefer the japanese friendship way stick to yourself and call those your friends until actions proves it!

A Future Host Mom and Action Culture

In a country, where words don't mean a thing. Action does mean a lot here in Japan. Because with this culture being so indirect and not saying what's on their mind you really do have to trust your gut instinct and pay more attention to their action. I feel that in Japan friendship is defined more about actions and what you're willing to do instead of what you're willing to say. In America, it's nice to know that people are direct and say what's on their mind but words don't mean a thing if there's no action behind it! So overall, Japan is not about words it's about actions and American is more about words but not about action. But the irony of this culture is that even though this country Japan is a teamwork based society there's no trust hahah isn't that ironic. Team without no trust you can even ask a regular native Japanese person and they'll even tell you themselves that they don't trust each other. Other than that, I also plan on hosting a student in the future yes I would like to take in an international student into my home. I also vow to be the best host mom ever! I'm definitely going to spoil my host student and keep in touch with them afterwords. Shower them with practice of the language, travels and experiences. I want them to have the good experience of a good host family that I never had. So in other words, I want to give back! I'm definitely going to step up and look after them and definitely try to look after them too yah know. So your girl is going to do her best you know! Well that's about it chao!

Making Friends here

I have to admit it it's hard making friends here. I think even harder since this culture is too indirect say one thing and mean another. i've gotten use to it well sometimes I'm still bitter about it though. So when I first meet someone I look at their actions instead of what they say. but other than that it's hard to tell if someone likes you here or not because some people are too good at hiding their emotions. So I don't really trust people here nor approach them as in oppose to America. I'm starting to keep to myself and only befriend those that are into the the black,american and european culture. In other words, I befriend those that want to befriend me. The irony of it here is that even though there's so much indirectness there's also a lot of of japanese people that want to befriend foreigners like us. It's too the point where you can find 3-4 parties every month of a japanese/international exchange party! Not only that but there are language exchange communities where there are thousands and I do mean thousands of people that are members of it! So my advice to those that want to find friends befriend those that are into the western culture and that want to be your friend. Then things will happen. But I am very grateful and pleased that people want to befriend us here. It's not like in America where there's like "Befriend a Mexican" party every month hahah I know it's mean but you know what I mean though. So if you're here go to those international parties and join communities where there are literally thousands and look at the ads too! Because people aren't willing to come to you if you can't take advantage of their opportunities yourself!

My dorm on fire....

Hey yall' sup?! Long time no talk well anyways I was sleeping and then all of a sudden I hear the fire alarm go off so I woke up and ran all the way downstairs to see smoke. A fire well small had just occured it was raining outside and I was screaming out kaji kaji fire fire. Then the dorm manager came and put out the fire. What was the cause of the fire. Well some idiot decided to leave 2 cookies in the toaster oven and then go to sleep! Because of this they took away all the cooking electronics away which means we can't cook nor boil water on sundays. I'm like come on! So so long to toasting up my chicken for chicken sandwiches boo... other than that there are earthquakes but their mostly tiny ones like a rumble jumble and that's it. Like shake shake ok earthquake over. Well thats my update but I will get back to you on my life because school has been kickin my @$$ peace!