Technology

I don't know technology in Japanese so here, an English title! So, I am finally writing observations about Japan, not just about my life, so please enjoy!

I guess nowadays people associate Japan with technology in a really significant way. Many of the world's biggest companies are from Japan. But, based on my experience, Japanese people are WAY behind Australia in terms of technology. (Now, I do live in a country town, but really, it is very close to Japan's third biggest city and not so countryside that technology is inacessible, people just don't seem to take advantage of that access.)

Take for example my school. We went to the library today to research for an English speech. And when we went to the library, we actually used books. The teacher told us there was one computer (in a library?) and we could use it, but no one did. It was just natural for them to use books to research. Obviously when researching properly in Australia, I use books a lot. But if it is a little, insignificant English speech, just wikipedia that up man, no time necessary. (I'm not even going to mention what the teacher asked them to do to reference, "just copy the book's title down" :| I mean, these people are going to uni next year, shouldn't they, um, know how to reference? What the hell, Japan?)

In Japan (or my school at least), ALL assessment is tests. No assignments, essays, speeches anything. (Wait, I had a music assessment today and I played guitar, but that is different.) So the school has like no computers. There is an information room with computers enough for one class, but that is nor used for any subject except IT (sorry excuse for IT, if you ask me). Then some teachers have computers and maybe a few in the English room. That's it. Teachers write only on blackboards, no powerpoint, not even any whiteboards. In one room, there are CASETTE recorders. I don't think they use them anymore, but still. Casettes? I thought those died like ten years ago.

On top of that, it's not unusual to not have a computer at home. Most people have one, but if you don't no one thinks it is weird, and it doesn't impair your ability to do anything. And my host family's computer is quite old and slow and has been known to piss me off. A lot.

As for mobiles, a lot of people have iPhones, but flip phones are also still really prevalent. My phone is a flip phone.... Most teenagers have mobiles, but my friend's host sister doesn't. No mobile, no computer. It blows my mind.

My conclusion: so glad my host family has Wi-Fi and all my siblings have iPhones.

学校生活

I haven't posted for ages so I thought I would do a 'day-in-the-life' style thing and walk you through my day. Today probably wasn't that interesting but I am sure (I hope?) I will think of interesting things once I start writing!

I wake up at about seven and leave at about 7:50 every day. It takes about half an hour to bike ride to school, sometimes forty minutes. When I get to school I go to my classroom 1E (first graders- equivalent to tenth graders- English class). Some people speak decent English, a lot speak bad English, but most people make an effort to speak to me in English which is either adorable (most of the girls and maybe a few of the boys), or hilarious (most of the boys). My class has something like 8 boys and 25 girls. It only took me a few weeks to learn all their names which I am happy about.

Today first up I went to a Japanese lesson, which isn't really a lesson because the teacher is crazy, so basically I just chatted with my friend from Finland. After that I had English, which is so easy.

In the third lesson, I had one of the most fun lessons I've had for a while. We went to a third year English lesson with the crazy teacher. They are doing Romeo and Juliet at the moment (and Shakespeare is turning over in his grave because of the bastardisation of his work in the English textbook). We performed it in front of the class, including dramatic gestures, and then the rest of the students had to perform together. The highlight was definitely when two boys performed it together. One (rather feminine) was Juliet, and the other was Romeo. The performed with gestures, and a passionate hug at the end..... Romeo assured us, 'homo-janai' (janai meaning not), while the Juliet one remained silent. Hmmm.

Anyway, after that we had calligraphy, which is boring and pointless. WHY DOES IS MATTER HOW FAR AWAY THIS STROKE IS TO THAT ONE?

Lunch we eat in our classrooms. Everyday it is a bento with rice, meat and vegetables.

After lunch we had English, where we are preparing for going to a primary school and teaching English games and songs to kids. It's a pretty fun and cushy ride for me, being able to sing hokey pokey, bingo, if you're happy and you know it, and play simon says, duck duck goose etc.

Last we had home economics. Usually we cook but today was theory. I slept.

Everyday after lessons we have to clean, and my current job is going outside and sweeping up leaves. Yay.

Then we have homeroom again then bike ride home! Yay!

Okay, other random tidbits about school. In one second year English class we are making a movie, kind of 'Mean Girls' esque, with different cliques etc. I am in the jocks, because I like acting like a jock, and it was so fun to write our script ('Dude, she's so sexy. Shotgun.').

I am in English club. I've only been once because it is always cancelled and I've also forgotten it once. Whoops. That doesn't happen in Japan. It's fun and so easy though.

That is all I can think of now. Rest assured, I will post a proper post soon (which is what I have been promising for ages, but I will! I will!).