Why I Came to Japan
My interest in Japan emerged when a Japanese exchange student attended my small Missouri high school. Her name was Yuki, and she found it difficult to assimilate to life in Missouri. I received the opportunity to help Yuki adjust to her new home, and simultaneously, learned of her experiences in Japan. Yuki joined the track and field team and became an active member of our student body. She grew to like Missouri so much that she is attending university there. I felt that Yuki had given so much to me culturally that I should try to do the same thing for people in Japan, so I applied to the JET Program in hopes that I could not only introduce my culture to students but also to those around me such as teachers and neighbors.
A Picture of Yuki with her date at Prom
Differences between the Attire of Japanese and American Students
I think the most obvious difference between Japanese and American schools is the attire of the students. I attended a public high school, and almost all public high schools in America do not have a uniform. Students can wear almost anything from pajama pants to flip-flops. Girls are allowed to wear as much makeup as they want, and everyone is allowed to dye their hair any color. Coming to Japan, I found the opposite to be true. Attire seems to be focused more on uniformity. I feel that there are obvious benefits to this such as professionalism. Although you lose the individualism promoted through American school attire, the Japanese system prevents students from being alienated due to the design and cost of clothes.
Typical Outfits that Some Students Wear to School
Gardening
I have started gardening at my apartment because my yard looked like a forest of weeds. I was afraid to walk through it. I met so many people while I was gardening. One neighbor walks his dog everyday, and I got to pet him. The dog is so cute. He is a long-haired Dauchshund, and he seriously has the softest hair ever. There is a little girl, who lives beside me too, and she has started to visit me. I gave her a flag and some candy, and she seemed really happy. My next door neighbor has a really nice garden. He came over and loaned me some gloves and a sickle-type object. I'm glad that all of my neighbors are so friendly. It has made me feel a lot more at home. Gardens here look so different than in the United States and Europe. At my house back home, there is a massive lawn with grass, and the flowers are all balanced. In Japan, there are a lot more small trees, rocks, and potted plants. I'll have to start paying attention to the gardens here and see if I can learn some different ways to garden.
A Picture of the Pond at my House in Missouri
Flowers in Front of my Hall in Scotland
Next time, I think I will write about the differences between Japanese and American spectatorship at school sporting events. I also want to go around Gotemba and the school and take lots of pictures, so I will be able to compare Japan and America better with picture examples.
