the cove

So last week we were talking about the cove and some of the problems people have had in japan because of it. Mainly last week we talked about a movie theather that was being protested by the right wings and such. I think this has been the most interesting conversation we have had so far in class. I personally think that it is important for the guy to be able to show what movies he wants. Its important for freedom of speech and so foreth. It is also important that the right wingers are allowed to protest, they have the same rights. I didnt like how they came to his mom's house and asked her about her son and telling her how wrong it is for him to be showing the movie...cause that was just creapy. Its very important for people to do both of these things choose how and what they will express.

Hitoyoshi

So the trip to hitoyoshi was interesting I guess. The bus trip was ok for the most part, I didnt really enjoy stopping and getting off to stand in the rain....though i did think that the information was interesting. Afterwords we went to the craftpark which was fine though i didnt accually get to make anything because at first we couldnt find anyone to help us then when we did, we didnt have much time. then we got lost which was not so much fun. When we finally got to the gym, we needed up waiting there for a while...then we decided what food we will get. after that some people went to Onsen, I stayed at the gym and played vollyball which was fun. We ended up having to wait until 9ish for food which sucked really bad cause i was so hungry. After food we started drinking, this was a little awkward because some of the japanese separated themselves from us, closed the door and everything...this made me think they didnt like forgieners or somthing. we ended up going in there anyways and playing some drinking games with them, but still i wonder. I got way too drunk which is sad but it happened. the next day some of us went rafting which was amazing, so much fun. After that we went home on the train...which i slept the whole way lol.

So its been two weeks since i posted something....he he, sorry about that.
last week we talked about dolphins....awww....or should i say yummy???
So since seeing that video some of the people have made they're views quite clear...
So basicly here are my own, I think that if they want to eat dolphin then that is thier own volition, in americal we eat all sorts of animals from deer, sheep, snake, chicken, aligator im sure some japanese people whould find some of the things we eat in america...a little bit gross, disturbing and well wrong...now just to call the film crews. in my mind there really is no justifying why we can eat one animal but not another...so if these people are willing to give up on eating meat...but then again there is the whole human rights then...

i dont however, like how they kill the dolphins. Stabbing something and then letting it bleed to death or drown, whichever happens first, is inhuman to me.

Mercury: So there is alot of talk about how the japanese people shouldnt be eating dolphin because there is lots of mercury....weither or not they are leathal doses of mercery being consumed is unknow.... I think that the japanese people have every right to eat as much mercury...(kill them, make them suffer or whatever happens when your body has too much merc. in it)...is a choice only they can make.

Knowldege: The lack of knowledge in the families that are buying, or consuming the dolphins is wrong. The packages at the store's should be what they say they are ex: if the package says i am buying whale...then it better be whale in that package. Also if they are giving the meat to the schools then the parents should know what thier kids are eating, and thus be able to opt for different meal plans if thy desire for thier kids not to have above the recommended intake of mercery. Also considering this has to do with mercery...japan has a little experiance with that...they goverment really should be testing this meat and make sure that it is ok...they wouldnt want another minamata problem...

Wow so last weeks video was pretty cool, i enjoyed it and it helped me understand more about japanese and japanese people and different phrases we use in both languages. Even after watching the video though, there are some parts about japanese, even what the covered in the vid. that confuse me....i will get it someday...i hope

Under the weather...were else would i be space?

So I'm happy the other day I went to the hospital by myself and did fine, I only had to look up 3 words! Of course it was the wrong kind so i have to go tomorrow...but i am feeling confident about it. So lately we have been talking about communication... last we tried to avoid the problems that happen because of the language barrier but would cause problems with communicating such as jokes...i don't understand Japanese ones that well.... :( we also talked about gestures and the like. Um i would like to talk more about the language barrier though, most communication is done in idioms, metaphor and the like, i am interested in hearing about Japanese idioms and expressions, as everyone has studied the other language i think this would be a good opportunity, because idioms and such can cause confusion, an example of an English one would be: "im feeling under the weather"..., or "so hungry i could eat a horse"... also i would like to discuss funeral practices in japan, I haven't heard much about them, besides it being a traditional Buddhist ceremony...i don't really know what goes on...if we could discuss this in the future that would be sweet.

Women...

So this week, we discussed gender issues in seminar III...which i love. For some reason, this area of soical sience really intrigues me. I cant believe what i saw on the video we watched...it was just baffaling. As an american I think that here in america, even though we have racist, sexist, and homophobis....that we generally treat everyone the same. There are a few things such as gays and women in the military, and gay marital rights that arnt so equal...but all of those things are changing in america at a fairly steady state. I think that gay people will hve full rights as straight people in the next 3 or 4 years. I would like to go and check out more on the treatment of women in America and how much it has changed since the 90's video...thats so recent...its just appalling. I do have a good interest in this issue, but i think it is time we move on...I think that this is a really good issue and we probly could talk about it alittle more, but i honestly dont want to spend all my time on this issue. i think that i learned alot last week from the Japanes girls I talked to and personal observations about gender roles in Japan...and how the are inforced and how even a slight change is frowned apoun...read an interesting artical about how the vegie boys are destroying japan's economy and not helping the birthrate...

So I think what i personally would like to talk about next in seminar is weight issues in japan. So im not skinny, not fat...used to be alittle chubby...but lost a few pounds. Most people in america would say im at a good weight...but japan not so much, everyone here is so skinny its intense...i feel like wow im really out of place(the fact that i dont look like anyone, besides) while in america i had heard about metobo...or people that were over a certain messurment not getting certain health benefits or something like that....cant realy remember...i do remember about how the person who wrote the artical was baffled by how small the measurement that made someone metobo was so low. I also want to talk about eating disorders...i have talked...very little...to people about anerexia, and would like to know more about it and how it affects japanese people, do they talk about it? it seems like alot of my friends are always going on interesting diets...so i would like to talk about weight issues in japan...plz

Japanese front...so i spent a entire weekend with only japanese people...brain explostion time...this made me kinda sad...cause well i still suck really really bad. i maybe only understood about half of it...what is wrong with me...i did feel better a little bit this week when i went and hung out with the same people, and understood about 90% but it was alot easier conversation i think...i really need to study more...i wasted today and didnt do anything...so now i feel like crap...its ok just one day...but im trying to get into the habit of studying effectively and more then once or twice a week....so skipping a day is not a good thing...doesnt help me....ugh i think i shall write more in japanese...but im worried i wont beable to find people that will help correct my written work...hmmm...

Well have a good week yall!

I want to watch tv..but...DO NOT WANT TO WATCH IT!!!.....HELP!!!

So as for Semniar III class trip...
I really don't know where I would like to travel to. Both placeses seem interesting to me, I would like to go and see the ocean but the dam issuse also seems really intriging. I will have to put more thought into this...also I should try and remember the name of the places we might travel too...this would feel less vauge that way.

Talking about the herbivore guys was interesting, next week I have to give a presitaion about gender issues, I think I will disscuss this. I find it, kinda annoying when people try and dictact other's actions or lifestyle and try and define them with terms that dont nessary fit. Like how in the english article about the herbivores calling them girly...as if they were somehow less manly because they like to shop. I think people have thier interests and thats that.

So the real reason im writing this blog..hehe...thought i would never arrive to this point did ya...
So I am of course learning japanese, but i suck really bad...my friend told me that he doesnt understand me at all...which really makes me sad cause i have been working so hard on learning it and trying to speak it. when looking up ways to learn japanese...or a language in general i read that it is really good to watch tv or read books stuff like that...two problems...i cant read kanji and even though i am studying it...i cant really just pick up any book and read it. my second problem is...i stopped watching tv 3 or 4 years ago.
I dont like anime...it seems so childish to me...like hardcore. I would like to watch dramas...but i dont know what channel to look for them on and i just havnt looked on-line for any...im not interet suavy like some people... I dont understand the comedy shows though either...to much is going on and it all seems so crazy...I honestly would like to have some english subtiles so that i could use the shows to learn new vocab...without being to confused...i dont want the last few months of me being in japan to be wasted...i really do want to learn as much japanese as possible...someone Plz help!!!

So this past week we talked about relationships in Japan. We mainly discussed sex friends and how they are pretty common. My friends told me that it is more common to have a sex friend then to have one night stands...that they rairly occured in Japan, where sex buddys are little common. As I am queer, I have been to gay bars here and have gay friends. Most of the guys I have met in bars and such also have sex friends, but also have boyfriends. A few have also have talked me about random hook ups and the like. I think in the gay community that it is very easy for the guys to have one night stands and such. This really intrigues me because of how they have sex friends, and boyfriends at the same time...and a few are married. In america i would never say that the tipical american is faithful to thier spouse or that they dont have sex friends...americans just seem more secretive about it. I dont know very many gay guys in america but they dont seem as whorish...maybe its because i dont know very many or the fact that i live in a small town. Does the typical japanese couple have may affairs or is that rare? If a spouse catches the other cheating do they get divorced right away or do they put on a show for other people like the gay married men? Also another thing I was wondering about is older people getting into relationships and what not...it seems in america that people play around while they are younger and then get into a serious relationship in their late 20's or early 30's and beyond...what about in Japan is this the same? I have heard that if you are not married at a certain age you are like a lost dog....

New Semester!!!

So this week we are starting a new semester at KGU! I have 2 new classes and Im pretty excited about them. One is a Japanese culture class, I really want to learn more about religion and more of the artsy stuff, which this class covers so Im feeling pretty good about it. The other is Spanish. The teacher is really nice and he made sure me and Carly (she is taking spanish as well!) understood...but we only learned Buenos dias. (needs accent mark)...so I dont think i will learn anything in this class...but i can practice my japanese so all is well.
Again I am taking seminar 3...woot! Today we broke off into little groups and discussed our interests. I met 3 awesome guys shupei, hitoshi, and shoma<=dont know if these are spelled right! They all like soccer and our around my age. So two of them were 19 and one was 20. Hitoshi, shoma, and i talked about girls and the people we like, saddly the person i likedddd is in america and they just got into a relationship, so i didnt say much about them. They told me about the girls they liked and how sad it was because the girls didnt return thier affection... then we talked alittle about drugs. My friend in america recently started taking drugs...in america there is a bad stigma with drugs but if you smoke weed or do shrooms its not condidered that bad where in Japan, many people dont do drugs because its illigeal (this doesnt seem to stop americans). I would really like to discuss this matter more, does the government do anything to stop people besides make it illigeal, are there campains to deter people from starting what...I will for sure put some more about this on here later!
Once again sorry for spelling/grammar problems.

Peace out,
Bill

City: sb

I personally have always been interested in mythology and legends and stuff like...so i know somethings about roman and greek mythology and was wondering about japanese myths and stuff...hopfully we can discuss this in class. i read a few such as the one about the sun hiding behind a rock and what the other gods throwing a party to lure her out. So i was hoping to discuss about how these myphs shape peoples belives, superstions, and the general impact on japanese culture.