Rotary Report #1 August 13 – September 13   I have been in Japan for a period of 1 month; and I have finally stopped observing everything around me and started living the life of a Japanese person, or as close to one as I can get! Life here is very interesting, it never ceases to amaze me. My host family is interesting themselves, we communicate often, talking about everything, but still with a great amount of trouble getting things across. I have also made some friends as well, with whom I talk with; still language posses the greatest problem, but it too is growing and flourishing along with my everyday experiences, and knowledge gained. With intensive Japanese language study I hope to be not only fluent but able to read most, basic texts. I have just started formal Japanese language training, using the books I brought. With these books, talking with my host family, friends, and new people I meet everyday, school activities, e-mail (in Japanese of course), and with my language training, I am sure to get the language soon enough.   I have been to many places so far, including shrines, temples, all kinds of restaurants, stores, mountains, rivers, people’s houses, famous places, cultural sites, festivals, the ocean, graves, a castle, schools, Sapporo, Onuma, Sunflower fields, Okinawa, etc. I hope to go to even more places, and meet new people all over Japan! The Rotary club here is very kind and very supportive, they have not only gotten to know me, and to ask me to speak at every meeting I’ve been, but they are advancing me my Rotary money to pay for the Okinawa trip, provided I follow the rules of the club, and hand in my monthly report.   I have made many observations so far, some pertinent ones involve: Japan’s civil laws about the cruelty of animals, the role of the women being subordinate to men, a few discrepancies with the educational capabilities of the Japanese youth, and the homogenous society, its problems and its fate, the Japanese system of practical learning, rather than all subject learning, and the Japanese approach to problem solving using a ‘overcoming odds with perseverance’ outlook, rather than the relief of the situation as the American culture would have you seem. I will probably talk more about these things when I get back, but for now I am no longer observing but living; I believe it is more appropriate for a Japanese person, or someone who has lived in Japan to give an account much more consistent with the culture, than someone who merely observes it.   Each region is different, each with its own culture, it own dialect, and its own specialties, but there is yet a homogenous theme wherever you go. It doesn’t stop there, there are different styles of talking, that would make everyone seem as though they speak a different Japanese, from the children, to the adults, from poor to the rich, from humble, to degrading, from tatemae & kao (I like to call programmed culture talk), to the honne (true feelings/intentions) of the people, the list goes on, that is why it is quite difficult to learn the proper Japanese. Okinawa itself is quite different from the rest of Japan; part of the Ryuukyuu archipelago, their culture, is one reminiscent of its Chinese and Japanese ruling past, it is a laidback, vibrant, warm variant of the Japanese culture, hey I could live there a hundred years!   My high school is supposed to be the second best high school in Hakodate, and the best among public schools. The kids are allowed a very relaxed environment more so then back at home, they are allowed to wear pretty much any style they want, they are allowed to dye their hair, they can carry cell phones, and bring razors/boxcutters to school, which shocked me at first (they use it for art or home ec, etc.). They are also pretty free to do whatever during the day, provided they understand the material and get good test scores. As far as clubs go, I have gotten into the Kyuudo (Japanese archery) club, and I am hopefully going to study Japanese after school; and during the weekends in Japanese class. I don’t really understand any of the classes, and I realize it will take a great amount of time; my first priority is learning the language and the culture, then arts and humanities 2nd, and all the while, trying to understand the classes; which is my long-term goal.   The Japanese people are very emotional people, as well as very kind. The Japanese after a while start to show 2 faces, like I mentioned before, the Honne and Tatemae, I get the advantage of the Honne with my Host family, many Rotary members, and with my friends only during e-mail! I get Tatemae from my friends at school, on occasion, strangers of course, and still some other people who should otherwise know me well. It is also a matter of humility; English in Japan, as explained by my host brother is meant to be cool in commerce, and give a great advantage in business, it is no wonder why two of my host families own businesses; therefore, the people are quite shy when they talk to me in English, either laughing uncontrollably, or hesitating, or are just unsure of their ability. And because the Japanese are attached to their country in a sense, and the Americans and English-speaking countries a very far space away, it is often you see the effects of this cultural separation, the English is so far off on their English explanations, their signs, their books, and it is equally evident that the people learn from this, therefore a great problem has arisen, the Japanese people can write English better than they can talk it, and they haven’t any set rules or confirmation for information given in English. Sadly, the only properly translated information is given when an English-speaker and Japanese translate it together; but is that such a bad thing after all? As far as Culture shock is concerned, I expected to get it but I don’t think I did. I believe this is from the intensive studying of the culture and its language which prepared me for what to expect. Life here has been amazing so far, and an eye-opening experience; confirming, reaffirming, and providing levels upon levels of more information I have learned of the culture not in the books I have read!   Therefore I am very happy, and continue to be, thanx again Rotary International!!! Expect another report the 13th, though that day is unlucky so maybe the 12th, or 14th??