The last post in this blog... :)
Well, I'm back. The plane was delayed due to storms, but I finally made it home in one piece. (a few days ago, actually. I had no internet for a while.)
Well, "that stuff" I said I would talk about later:
To say it concisely, my host family was pretty bad. It seemed to me (and some others) that my host mom had some emotional problems-- I had to switch with four days left(lolwhat). My school experience was also pretty ... bad. My class, as one teacher put it, was a "dysfunctional class" filled with students who were completely uninterested in everything-- teachers complained about my class and how they would not respond or do anything. It took two weeks to get through the front side of an English worksheet while other classes finished it in a day and watched The Simpsons instead. Also, I was the only student not placed in an art course (or any sort of course at all) and had generally very uninteresting classes and teachers without any motivation or enthusiasm.
If you really want more information, ask me in person. :) Sorry if I'm sounding all depressing or something; just trying to relay some general facts.
Despite all of that, my experience was truly great and was a once in a lifetime opportunity-- I can't be thankful enough to all the people who helped make it what it was.
This blog will stay up here as an archive of sorts. Feel free to browse around.
さようなら。
Eli
4 comments - click to comment:
Niki-- well first of all, it's SeibuN. ;P Anyways, most students act pretty good... not saying all their grades are the same though. :) NOTHING at the school is organized though... it's ridiculous, really. For example, the homeroom teacher of my friend was told she was coming to his class 5 minutes before she arrived... and then got her file the next afternoon. And we then had to give an entrance (and leaving) speech with literally 5 minutes notice... yeah.
Piercings or makeup isn't allowed, but if you only attend for a short time (which I assume you're not as you'll be in japan for another 5 months or so, right?) so it probably would be best to abide by the school rules as well as you can. The English teachers don't speak English... well mine didn't anyways. Bushaa-sensei is AMAZING (fluent English speaker, actually Canadian) and he's really funny-- treats his job as a joke basically, or that's how it came off to me. :P shh. All the teachers are really understanding, especially if your class actively peyarticipates in things. You probably won't learn all that much from school though, unless you bring some Japanese to study by yourself or something.
What year will you be in Seibun? just curious. if you're in second or third year (or if you're lucky and in first) ask to be placed in an art course... it will be so much fun. :) I wasn't, but two other YFU friends that went to the same school did and they got AMAZING art as presents from their friends, etc. have a fun time, and enjoy the rest of your stay in Japan!!
Yeah, I'll be going to school from the beginning of the second semester till winter holidays. :D As I'll be returning to Finland on the 10th of January.
Ahahahahaaa, yeah I have had those short time notices too. ::D Well I still managed to do 'em all without being prepared so no problem. ;)
Yeah, I guess I should just kindly take my piercings away. :D Ahahahahahaa, that kind of English teachers are the best in Japanese schools. XDD
I don't know which year I will be attending but I turned 17 this year so I hope I will be placed to the second with the students of the same age. Well I had a rather bad experience with the 1st year students in my previous school and I didn't really want to be in the whole class... I got my hanging friends from the 2nd year students and that too started to happen really late... And now nobody has time, 'cause they have to study for the school and do clubs. :P But I think I will be placed to the 2nd year. 8)) P.S. In my previous school 1st year students studied 2nd year students' things, and 2nd year students studied normal high school's 3rd year students' things etc. D888 Ooooh, the art class course sounds really nice. 8D I gotta ask that when I get there.
Thanks, you really helped me by answering my questions!! :D
Eli... I would love 2 talk 2 you. My daughter just left for a YFU exchange. Would like some tips.
Thanks,
Heidi
Nicole2Japan@gmail.com
Hi Heidi!
If your daughter is a member of the YFU Summer 2011 Japan Summer Exchange group on Facebook, perhaps I've talked with her before. :D Feel free to email me-- if you go to my Blogger profile (click on my name up there under "Eli said..."), you can see my Google Talk username, which is the same as my email @gmail.com.
Eli
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