On Wednesday, March 26th 2008, I will be departing from my home and embarking on a ten month journey to Japan.
Because of the sketchiness of the internet, I'm not going to give all the info on my flight that I could. Here's just the basic idea.
My flight leaves spot A at around 11 in the morning. I will be arriving at spot B around noon or so. Flight B will take me directly to Japan.
I will arrive in 日本 during the early evening of March 27th.
One of my goals in Japan is to film on my digital camera myself doing the Haruhi dance in different parts of Japan. I know I'm not the first to do this, but it will def. be an experience for me and a cool way to see as much of Japan as I can while I'm there.
If you want to the dance go to youtube and look up Haruhi dance. You can see what was shown on the bonus features of the anime DVD there, however it doesn't use the full 3 minute song. It only uses about a minute.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Rules/Guidelines of the Program
By signing a form, I have agreed to adhere to the following rules while I am in Japan.
"Below are the High School Exchange program rules for all students. Please read carefully and sign your name after you fully understand and agree to comply with these rules.
1. Student must abide by the laws of the Student's country and Japan.
2. Students must only use drugs prescribed by the doctor or the medicine you can purchase over the counterr. (This includes all hallucinogenic drugs.)
3. Students must refrain from purchasing and/or drinking alcoholic beverages at any circumstances. Smoking is not permitted, either.
4. Students are not allowed to purchase or shoot guns of any type.
5. Students are not permitted to drive any motor vehicles, to take drivers lessons, to obtain a driver's license, at any time during the program.
Any infraction of the above five rules will result in immediate dismissal from the program and termination of your visa.
6. Students must always be aware of their responsibility as exchange students and make a determined effort in their schools.
7. Students must attend school daily and complete all homework and assignments.
8. Students must maintain at least a "C" grade point average. Students must follow their host school rules.
9. Students should refrain from frequently contacting other exchange students during the program except during the camp or other intercultural activities. They should only contact each other by the letter, the phone, or the e-mail.
10. Students are not permitted to visit places as pornographic shops, adult theaters or drinking establishments.
11. Students are no permitted to participate in skydiving, hang gliding, parachute, bungee jumping or any other dangerous activities.
12. Students must show respect for their host families and act as a member of their host family.
13. Students must obey host family rules.
14. Students must voluntarily help with household choress at their host family.
15. Students are not permitted to talk about the family's private affairs to other people.
16. Students should refrain from making international phone calls to their parents or friends frequently.
17. Students cannot change their host families and their host schools at their will.
18. Students are not permitted to go on a trip by themselves. A trip with the host family or other adult person is allowed if permission from the program and the natural parents are obtained and the approval form is submitted to the program prior to the trip.
19. Students must show their respect for the Academic Program Coordinators and obey their instructions.
20. Dating is not permitted. Outing with a group of friends are permitted with the approved permission of the host family.
21. Students are not permitted to involved with radical religious sects or political groups.
22. Prior permission of the host family must be obtained before inviting the friends to the host family's home.
23. Natural families, friends, or relatives of the student are not permitted to visit host country or visit the student during the program.
24. No request for extension of stay will be granted under any circumstances.
25. Students are not permitted to have a part time job.
26. Students cannot have a tattoo or body/ear pierce during the program.
27. Students must turn in the approval form to JFIE when they decided to have any type of portable phone.
Any failure to abide by the above #6 ~ #27 guideline may result in dismissal from the program."
"Below are the High School Exchange program rules for all students. Please read carefully and sign your name after you fully understand and agree to comply with these rules.
1. Student must abide by the laws of the Student's country and Japan.
2. Students must only use drugs prescribed by the doctor or the medicine you can purchase over the counterr. (This includes all hallucinogenic drugs.)
3. Students must refrain from purchasing and/or drinking alcoholic beverages at any circumstances. Smoking is not permitted, either.
4. Students are not allowed to purchase or shoot guns of any type.
5. Students are not permitted to drive any motor vehicles, to take drivers lessons, to obtain a driver's license, at any time during the program.
Any infraction of the above five rules will result in immediate dismissal from the program and termination of your visa.
6. Students must always be aware of their responsibility as exchange students and make a determined effort in their schools.
7. Students must attend school daily and complete all homework and assignments.
8. Students must maintain at least a "C" grade point average. Students must follow their host school rules.
9. Students should refrain from frequently contacting other exchange students during the program except during the camp or other intercultural activities. They should only contact each other by the letter, the phone, or the e-mail.
10. Students are not permitted to visit places as pornographic shops, adult theaters or drinking establishments.
11. Students are no permitted to participate in skydiving, hang gliding, parachute, bungee jumping or any other dangerous activities.
12. Students must show respect for their host families and act as a member of their host family.
13. Students must obey host family rules.
14. Students must voluntarily help with household choress at their host family.
15. Students are not permitted to talk about the family's private affairs to other people.
16. Students should refrain from making international phone calls to their parents or friends frequently.
17. Students cannot change their host families and their host schools at their will.
18. Students are not permitted to go on a trip by themselves. A trip with the host family or other adult person is allowed if permission from the program and the natural parents are obtained and the approval form is submitted to the program prior to the trip.
19. Students must show their respect for the Academic Program Coordinators and obey their instructions.
20. Dating is not permitted. Outing with a group of friends are permitted with the approved permission of the host family.
21. Students are not permitted to involved with radical religious sects or political groups.
22. Prior permission of the host family must be obtained before inviting the friends to the host family's home.
23. Natural families, friends, or relatives of the student are not permitted to visit host country or visit the student during the program.
24. No request for extension of stay will be granted under any circumstances.
25. Students are not permitted to have a part time job.
26. Students cannot have a tattoo or body/ear pierce during the program.
27. Students must turn in the approval form to JFIE when they decided to have any type of portable phone.
Any failure to abide by the above #6 ~ #27 guideline may result in dismissal from the program."
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Applications
Earlier this year, the exchange program I'm a part of sent me an application that I filled out and mailed to them. Now, the Japanese partner wants me to fill out another application, which is kind of similar, but not. AJ, the person at Aspect who I'm working with, says that I don't have to fill out any repetitive information, but I need to get it all filled out and mailed by the 18th of this month. Kinda intense.
Along with that, I need to do a 20 minute phone conversation in Japanese, which I'm really nervous about. I'm good with random words and phrases. I know a good amount that can get me by for a bit until I know more Japanese. I know it's just a placement thing, but I'm still really scared. I guess I just don't want to embarrass (doesn't it look like there's too many "r"s and "s"s in that word?) myself in front of the Japanese partner, you know?
By the 10th I have to e-mail my 3rd pre-travel activity to Aspect. I know exactly which one I'm doing, Pre-Travel Activity #6, which means absolutely nothing if you don't know the book that Aspect mailed me. ^-^ I need to collect news stories, magazine articles, etc. about a current event topic that's important to me and fill out a reflection about it. I like that kinda stuff. :D So it should be fun.
I also need to call today about a visa. Visas are really important, and not necessary in Japan if you're travelling there for up to 90 days for pleasure or buisness. However, I will be there for 10 months (which I think is more than 90 days), so I do need one. A student one. And I'll need to learn how to extend it so when my parents visit me at the end of the program, we can spend 2 more weeks in 日本 and then go to Hong Kong for a few days.
All in all, I'm really excited about this whole process, but it's a lot of work that I need to bring myself to do. The work plus continue at a job to raise money, and keep going to school so I can graduate early. Joy. o.O
Along with that, I need to do a 20 minute phone conversation in Japanese, which I'm really nervous about. I'm good with random words and phrases. I know a good amount that can get me by for a bit until I know more Japanese. I know it's just a placement thing, but I'm still really scared. I guess I just don't want to embarrass (doesn't it look like there's too many "r"s and "s"s in that word?) myself in front of the Japanese partner, you know?
By the 10th I have to e-mail my 3rd pre-travel activity to Aspect. I know exactly which one I'm doing, Pre-Travel Activity #6, which means absolutely nothing if you don't know the book that Aspect mailed me. ^-^ I need to collect news stories, magazine articles, etc. about a current event topic that's important to me and fill out a reflection about it. I like that kinda stuff. :D So it should be fun.
I also need to call today about a visa. Visas are really important, and not necessary in Japan if you're travelling there for up to 90 days for pleasure or buisness. However, I will be there for 10 months (which I think is more than 90 days), so I do need one. A student one. And I'll need to learn how to extend it so when my parents visit me at the end of the program, we can spend 2 more weeks in 日本 and then go to Hong Kong for a few days.
All in all, I'm really excited about this whole process, but it's a lot of work that I need to bring myself to do. The work plus continue at a job to raise money, and keep going to school so I can graduate early. Joy. o.O
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