<p>Sorry Silver Jade! I'm just so busy with schoolwork you know...sheesh kapish. These teachers are really trying to murder me. Ok..about the me time and host parent time, I didn't want my host parents to think I felt uncomfortable there, so I did all my stuff downstairs in the living room...like read, listen to music, use the computer, and stuff. So I could chat with them if I wanted and stuff. So I basically mushed "me-time" and host parent time together. My sister, though, was able to have a lot of seperate me time in her room cause her parents had their own children to worry about. If that's your case too, I think you're okay with that too. But your job in Japan is to get into sync with what your family is like. Be sensitive and get the feel for if your parents seem to want to interact with you more or are loose with you being anywhere. My host mom was also uptight about my curfew. I always came home not late. My latest time was 8. Some of my friend's parents let them stay out way late and were free about it. But my mom was pretty strict. So get the vibe, and use your common sense to determine how much time you should give to each.
As for your question about visiting a friend, I think it's personally ok. But i'm not that sure. You should ask your regional rep. Call her/him about it. But I wanted to visit a friend also and contacted her by email. I asked if she could meet up with me sometime. It somehow didn't work out. But she's a responsible adult so it was kind of different. I know that you need written permission to actually go out of your host parent's care because I went to visit my grandma who lives in Miyazaki for about two days. You might need written permission. IF you aren't sure, make sure you have your parents write a note saying it's ok for you to go be with this person.
I'm 17 already!! But happy early birthday! In Japanese culture....from what I know of, there isn't anything really traditional. So, you're free to make it as crazy as you want. I suggest you ask your host parents if you could invite your school buddies to the party. My host mom usually let her host kids have a "good bye party" before they left Japan, but I wasn't able to do it because of timing. I'm sure it'd be sooo much fun if you invited your new friends and had a cool "Japanese b-day" there. I'm so excited for you!!
Ok...about food, yeah...Japanese people love fish. Therefore, I love fish too. I eat sashimi and sushi (raw fish included) and it's not a big deal for me since I grew up with it. It's probably a definate thing that you'll be seeing food that you've never seen in your life in Japan. It was really easy for me since I grew up eating these things. My host parents and friends were so surprised when I told them all the stuff I like to eat. They were like, "Even some of us don't eat what you eat!" But anyways, the idea is, the food will be very different, but it's DELICIOUS. It's probably the best food anywhere. Just be openminded about it, and enjoy. You're bound to find a food you love and insist on finding when you come back the US. </p>
<p>OH MY GOODNESS! YOU KNOW WHAT NATTO IS?? That's amazing!! Did you know, that's my all time favorite Japanese food! It's soo good for you, and I just think it's delicious. May be it's just me, but I love it. Trust me. Some japanese people don't even eat natto sometimes because they say it"stinks" and it's so "sticky." I love it though. I told my host parents this, and they started buying it everyday for me so I could have them during meals. I even had it for lunch today when I got back from school! My dad apparently hated it as a kid (his Japanese) and he lived in Japan half of his life. I think it's so yummy, but you might not think so. But try it!!!!!</p>
<p>My daughter started studying Japanese this year (I saw a Japanese for Teens class offered at a local community college and signed her up against her will). She ended up loving the class and is now very interested in Japan and Japanese. She is currently enrolled in her 3rd session of the class and plans to continue studying Japanese throughout high school. I just showed her the YFU website, and she was very excited about the possibility of going to Japan. She wouldn't go for a couple of years (she's almost 14). Do you have any advice on what she could do now to prepare?</p>
<p>yepunsarang -- Arigatou gozaimasu! That's a great idea to kind of combine "me time" and "host family time." That may just end up being what I do. Especially since I will be doing quite a bit of reading (Harry Potter!!), but I don't want to completely seclude myself. And I definitely will do something extra special for my birthday. Thanks for the suggestion of a party. I've kind of resigned myself to the fact that I will probably have to eat some sort of seafood at some point while I'm there. And, I'll take your advice and go ahead and try natto. It's kind of funny though, I've heard so many horror stories about it being disgusting. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. A couple more questions (sorry, I just keep coming up with them ^_^): Is there any sort of general dress code? I mean, I know, nothing completely over-the-top, but will I feel out of place in, say, jeans and a t-shirt? And on a different note, is anime as popular as it's made out to be? I'd be kind of curious to see just how much our perception of Japan differs from the reality (which is part of why I'm going).</p>
<p>eg1 -- Well, if she's already studying Japanese, then she's way ahead of most people who go with YFU. I would suggest just keep on doing what she's doing and if she does well in school also, she may very well be able to get a scholarship. YFU has tons of scholarships available, especially ones specifically for Japan, so she should definitely at least try for one of those. They actually have more scholarship spots than regular spots for the Japan program, just because so many companies sponsor a scholarship. Oh, and when the time comes, send in your application early. It can be really nervewracking to be placed on the waiting list and not find out until April if you can go.</p>
<p>Hi Silver Jade...I'm glad you're so open minded!! By the end of this summer, i'll see someone who loves eating tons of fish and eats natto like a Japanese! Haha. There isn't a sort of dress code in Japan...just don't wear super revealing clothing and don't be provocative. Japanese people tend to be really conservative. For example, if you visit a traditional Japanese shrine/temple, do not wear a "mini skirt" as my host mom told me. Duh...I can't believe she thought I was the type of girl who wears mini skirts. Never! But anways, she even had to put a scarf on my knees when I sat down at the temple to show my modesty. At temple at home, I do that too...so it wasn't such a shock. But just be clean cut and not too revealing. For school, you might have to wear a uniform. For private high schools, you don't have to wear a uniform, but for public high schools, you have to wear a uniform. It's strange how it's backwards than in America. But, it's cool. i went to a private school so I didn't have the experience of wearing a uniform!! But may be you will. They're so cute. Jeans and a tshirt should be fine, but trust me...the season you'll be going in will be traditional "rainy season" and it'll be damp and humid. Make sure you bring lots of shorts, skirts, short sleeves, both formal and everyday wear, sandals, boots or something (to keep the water out of your shoes), and a really sturdy umbrella. I'm sure your parents will have an umbrella to share but if you have your own, it feels better. You'll be using it a lot by the way. You might start complaining how much it's raining. But it's hot so I doubt you'll have the time to wear jeans. Yeah, anime or manga is popular in Japan. After all, it all started in japan. You see people (old and young) reading manga magazines in the trains all the time. It's not a big thing or a fad. It's part of culture. Kids all grew up watching manga shows...even me! But not sailor moon or anything like that but real Japanese manga...ones that American people don't know about. May be one about a little girl and her family growing up together. Simple things like that...but manga has always been a part of Japanese culture anyways. Mangas are super dooper cheap here compared to American bookstores, so bring some money if you like buying them. My friends were going crazy over them...i'm not so obsessed (surprisingly considering i'm Japamese). Hey, do you know whats so weird? When I was in Japan 2005, Harry Potter 6 came out I think. So I was going nuts about not getting the book it came out. atleast it was something to look foward to when coming home!!</p>
<p>eg1, I know as a parent you might feel a little reluctant to let your daughter go to Japan so quickly, but I went when I was 15. I suggest your daughter go at age 14 or 15 as well because when you're a rising Junior or Senior, you might be more busy. Especially when you're a rising Senior. So keep that in mind. May be when she's 15...that was a good time for me. It really boosted my self confidence. You don't really need to prepare for anything right now. Just keep your daughter on her studies, and enthusiastic about visiting Japan!!</p>
<p>Yes, the thought of having her so far away is nerve-wracking. 14 seems so young, but 15...maybe. We'll see, as I do realize the summer between Jr. and Sr. year is likely to be very busy. How did your parents cope with you being in a different country? Did they visit you?</p>
<p>eg1, nope, my parents didn't visit me, but my mom was asking whether she should visit me during the summer. That is completely unecessary, because your child will be perfectly fine with her hostparents. It's actually better that as a parent, you do not call too often to check up. Because it kind of disrupts the natural "getting used to" period for your daughter into a new culture. You want her to immerse herself totally within that culture. Plus, you're going to make it seem as if you don't trust the host parents very much. That's not such a good thing, as they are taking in your daughter for free! You should be most gracious. I suggest you call your daughter once in a while, but never every day or every other day. May be once a week (on Sunday or something) to check up on her. YFU doesn't want students to carry cellphones because it disrupts the immersing of the student in the culture. I hope you understand this, and I was perfectly fine and my parents too. So i'm sure your daughter will have the time of her life without anything bad in her way. My mother was first very nervous and my grandmother was even more. But she came to terms that i'm growing up, and i'm going to be permanently away from her and my dad in a few years. It would just be a way for her to prepare for that situation...plus, she felt by sending me away for 2 months, it would only do good for me. When I returned, I became a more mature, kinder, and sensitive person (that's what my mom says). Yes, my mom missed me sooo much, but she coped with it graciously. You need to learn to let go sometimes...even at age 15. Because in three years, your daughter might be away, and will be very independent!</p>
<p>eg1 -- Well, you're already a step in the right direction in that you brought up the idea to her, not the other way around. It took me a good few years to get my parents used to the idea that at some point in my life I would probably end up going to Japan. It took about a year and a half to plant the idea of going while I was still in high school and then to finally convince them that I could handle it. I just kind of started talking about it like "oh, it would be cool if I could do this" then that led to "oh look, I found a couple programs that look good, what do you think?" which led to more discussion and randomly bringing up "well, if I end up going to Japan next summer..." which then very slowly (and sneakily) progressed to "when I go to Japan..." ^_^ I've been away from home for at least six weeks every summer for the past six years so that part's nothing new. I would agree, don't call her too much, as it can negatively affect the experience. And earlier is probably better than later. I'm kind of wishing that I did it last summer so I could use this summer to work on my portfolio. But who knows, maybe I'll be able to do some work there. I'm sure it will be a fantastic experience either way. Best of luck to you and your daughter if she decides to go!</p>
<p>Well, it's less than a month away! I figured I would bump this thread because I'm getting increasingly nervous and excited about it with every new bit of information I get. I'm signed up for my general orientation in two weeks, and then less than two weeks after that I fly to California for my three day orientation. Then it's off to Tokyo and then my host family. Still haven't gotten that info yet. I've been improving my language skills (I hope) and doing everything I can to learn about the culture and everything but I still feel like I'm going to make a fool of myself and seem like a total baka gaijin. Can anyone help asuage my fears???</p>
<p>My son also will be leaving for Japan in a little over 2 weeks. He called his host family after receiving his placement info., and has now spoken with them several times. I've never seen him quite as happy and excited as he was when he got off the phone! If you can speak enough Japanese to pull it off (or know if your host family knows any English), you might find it very reassuring to speak with your host family so you "know" them a bit before you go.</p>
<p>Map -- Thanks for the advice. The only problem is I don't have any information yet. I think that might actually be a large part of my uncertainty. I will make sure to contact them before I leave, that is providing I get that information soon. Good luck to your son!</p>
<p>I have a YFU student right now. She is from Korea and she stayed here fro the year. She had a great time, and she is leaving the 20th. Seems like it would be very fun!</p>
<p>So I'm 15 and I really want to go either the summer or year to Japan, but I have a lot of questions and wonder if I could really do it (It's my dream to one day move to japan after I learn the language, but going there so soon?!) Next year I start going to a school that teaches Japanese (The school is a magnet it was designed for teaching Japanese and Chinese) </p>
<p>-Do the host fams speak english?
-Do the schools speak english?
-Would it be hard for me to go there not knowing any Japanese?
-How hard is it to make friends?
-Would it be better for me only to go for the summer, because I only know english?
-How would I be able to pass school if i only know English?
-Are the school hours or days different?
-Any thing I should know?</p>