What's it like to be a High School Student Living in Japan

What's it like to be a High School Student Living in Japan?
I'm hoping to go to Japan by a scholarship, and there are pretty much a lot of questions I wanna ask. I'll be living with a host family, so it's probably best if someone who has lived or gone to Japan before can answer some of my questions: 1. I'd like to give my host family something when I get there. What's something not too expensive I could get for them, something most Japanese people like? 2. Do Japanese know a little English? I heard that sometimes they can understand it better if you write it down, is that true? 3. Are Japanese students typically nice? I'm a bit shy so I don't really know what to say to them... Would students know any English? 4. At school, would there be someone who can speak English that can help me with my work and all that? 5. I don't really understand the three alphabets and all that... I know Katakana is for names of people and places, stuff like that, but what about Hiragana and Kanji? Is that for 'normal' writing? 6. What is life in Japan basically like? I know it's a stupid question to ask, but do the students act like what you see on TV, where a new student comes and they're all crowding around them? What is school typically like there? If you've ever been an exchange student or lived in Japan, do you think you could answer these questions? And if you can, could you give me REAL answers, not yes no crap. Thank you!! ^_^
Japan - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
1. I'd like to give my host family something when I get there. What's something not too expensive I could get for them, something most Japanese people like? an expensive pen. 2. Do Japanese know a little English? I heard that sometimes they can understand it better if you write it down, is that true? Actually Japanese people are fairly terrible at speaking english. But they do learn it in school so they arent utterly hopeless. 3. Are Japanese students typically nice? I'm a bit shy so I don't really know what to say to them... Would students know any English? hmmm from my impression, students are the same no matter where you go. you get the bitchy ones and the nice ones :) 4. At school, would there be someone who can speak English that can help me with my work and all that? i agree with the previous comment. You cant just rely on someone helping you when you dont know japanese at all. what would be the point even being in japan... 5. I don't really understand the three alphabets and all that... I know Katakana is for names of people and places, stuff like that, but what about Hiragana and Kanji? Is that for 'normal' writing? katakana is the alphabet used for foreign words and names. NOT japanese names which OFCOURSE arent foreign. Hiragana is used for .. grammar etc. and kanji , which is not an alphabet AT ALL is used for everything else. each kanji character has a meaning unlike hiragana and katakana. and combinations of kanji make up even more different meanings. its hard stuff 6. What is life in Japan basically like? I know it's a stupid question to ask, but do the students act like what you see on TV, where a new student comes and they're all crowding around them? What is school typically like there? busy, competitive, tiresome.
2 :
Well, I've never been to Japan as an exchange student, but I did attend the same classes that prepped students for entering the program. I was always too old to go. For some reason, exchange programs always asked for students born between August and December. I was born in January. 1. A: Bring something from the local area, preferably food, to give as a gift. For example, if you lived in Turkey, you would bring Baklava or something. 2. A: It is a requirement for students to take English classes. However, the tests that are given are in writing and only cover fundamentals. Some Japanese can say few English words, but rarely are there people who can speak fluently. You'd probably run into a fluent speaker in the school, like the English teacher. 3. A: The Japanese culture stresses respect and courtesy. However, there is always a bad crowd you should stay away from. You will make friends. Since this is an exchange program, you will be introduced to students and most likely assigned one or two who will stay with you while you tour the school. Again, there are few people who speak fluent English. 4. A: Yes, there will be someone who can speak English or at least help. Exchange programs won't allow limited-Japanese language students to go off on their own. 5. A: In order to read Japanese, you must be able to read at least Hiragana. That is part of the basic structure of Japanese. Kanji are Chinese characters used in the Japanese sentence structure, they represent certain words that can also be written in Hiragana. Katakana are characters used to spell English or other language words. Having no experience in Hiragana or Kanji might hinder your ability to communicate. 6. A: I've never been to Japan, but my classmates tell me it's very beautiful and most everyone is nice. They did explain to me that the students were nice and did come up to ask many questions. They made many friends and did promise to come visit them when they return. Remember, when you leave Japan, write back to them (host family and new friends) using email and also send a real letter showing thanks to your host family. Write the letters in Japanese. P.S. It's generally expected that Americans won't completely understand Japanese culture and they expect some slip ups. For example, you may forget to put on "bathroom slippers" when you enter the toilet room. Don't worry, if it's not a huge issue, like breaking a family heirloom, it won't be a problem. The Japanese are also very observant, they'll watch everything you and other's do. Let's say, for example, one night, you eat a lot, then the next night, you don't eat as much as the night before. They'll bring it up and ask if there's anything wrong. 頑張って (ganbatte) Good Luck in Japanese P.S.S. Study Hard. Before you go to Japan, at least learn some phrases. Your host family in Japan will be impressed that you at least put some effort into learning their language. It is going to be awkward sitting quietly at a table when your host family wants to ask you questions and you want to ask them as well. Here are some basic phrases. おはようございます。ohiogozaimasu. Good morning. こにちは。konichiwa. Good afternoon. こんばんは。konbanwa. Good evening. あなたのなまえはなんですか。anata no namaewa nandesuka? What is your Name? わたしのなまえはケンです。watashi no namaewa Ken desu. My name is Ken. わたしはアメリカのしゅっしんです。watashi wa amerika shusshindesu. I am from America. わたしはこうこうのがくせいです。watashi wa koukou no gakusei desu. I am a High School student. おげんきですか。ogenki desuka? Are you fine (alright)? だいじょうぶですか。daijoubu desuka? Are you alright? げんきです。genkidesu. I am fine. げんきでわありません。genkidewaarimasen. I am not fine. がっこうをどこですか。gakkou o doko desuka? Where is the school? わたしはにほんごをはなしません。watashi wa nihongo o hanashimasen. I don't speak Japanese. わたしはにほんごをすこしはなします。でも、えいごをはなします。watashi wa nihongo o sukoshi hanashimasu. demo, eigo o hanashimasu. I can speak a little Japanese, but let's speak in English. あなたはえいごをはなしますか。anata wa eigo o hanashimasuka? Can you speak Japanese? わたしはおなかがすいています。watashi wa onaka ga suiteimasu. I'm hungry. わたしはおなかがすいていません。watashi wa onaka ga suiteimasen. I'm not hungry. The characters I used here are hiragana. Memorize the hiragana chart, that's the critical component. You'll get by pretty smoothly if you can do just that and memorize some more phrases. 頑張って
3 :
Being a student in Japan is a lot of fun. Godzilla attacks the school every day.
4 :

well, i'm off to japan on a high school exchange soon too and had exactly the same questions - I did quite a bit of research about them too. especially the first and third because i'm kinda in the same boat. anyhoo, here are my thoughts and findings: 1. get something local. from wherever your from. they'd love that. nothing superficial like flowers or chocolates :/ really... everyone gets them. put some thought into it and they'd love it. like a post card or something that represents where your from. 2. most japanese know english, alot of schools teach it. so most people know a little. and like EVERY language, for example french, i'm pretty awesome at writing and reading french (if i do say so myself) but when it comes to listening to others... i'm crap o.o so i suppose they'd be the same. :) 3. Japanese people are generally polite anyway. so even if they don't like you i'm sure they'd be easy enough to talk to. (not to worry you there o.o) and students should know some english at least so if you use that until your more accustom to them then your pretty set ^^ 4. at school there should be english teachers who (if they are good) should know what your talking about, so if you need help just talk to them. :) 5. Well, if you know kana your okay, alot of kanji is written in kana under it. you'll pick majority of it up when your over there anyway. if it is used all the time over there it's easier to remember :) so don't worry too much about writing or speaking fluently or anything. 6. tehe. Well, you will be a new student so obviously people will be talking about you, for a while at least, like moving to any school. I'm not too sure on this question - I assume it'd be like most countrys. I think you'd have to ask youe host families when you arrived what THEIR rules were. like where i'm from in England, alot of families have TOTALLY different rules like curfew but otherwise life should be like it is for you now. :) (curfew? never had to write that word before o.o; so... probably spelt wrong tehe.) well, i hope that hepls ^^ and good luck :D

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