First host family

First, I changed host family and school one time. So, I talk about my first host family and school. My first host family members are 4 people, host father: He tried to be a police man, host mother: Restaurant stuff, host sister: she is 6 years old, host brother: when I met first time, he was 4 months. I watched movie on TV with family, and did UNO after the dinner.

First host school (Arsenal Technical High School)

And I will talk about my first school. I went to the first school, there are 3,000 people in the school. But my local coordinator told me the school was not good a little. She told me the school is not helpful for exchange student. Also, I knew that, when I came the school and five days later, there were fight about a hundred students in school yard and came police too. That was my scary experience for me. That is one of the reasons to change host school. And I want to talk about the reason why I changed host family. One reason, the host parents were busy to work and I couldn’t communicate with host parents well like I want to go somewhere. So, I missed school event homecoming. Second reason, I got stress about host sister and we were not good relationship. That’s why I have gotten host change.

Life style, when I was in this family

Host changing

When I talk about host changing with local coordinator, I needed courage to tell honestly, and it was hard to tell clearly what I think.

Last family

After the changing, my new host family there were two people and one dog in the family. Host father: He is a pastor, and doing council for children who getting trouble or challenge, host mother: She work restaurant for homeless people, one dog: Junnie. We often watch a movie to movie theater, and go to super market, museum, and mini trip. And also, my host father is pastor. So, I went to a church every Sunday.

Life style, when I was in this family

Christmas

We spent a lot of event with all of event. In Christmas, my host parents of ground family gather the home, and eat dinner, take communication, wear the Christmas clothing and take picture, decorate Christmas tree, exchange present. I was really enjoyed the Christmas Day.

New Year

In New Year, we take communication, watch New Year’s TV program, celebrate the day, count down for New Year. I had a fun too.

Last school(Greenfield Central High School)

I went to Greenfield Central High School in Indianapolis. This school is public high school. There are 1,600 people in this school. This school has 4 period in a day, and they have Gold day and Blue day. These two days relieve daily weekday. There is no school in weekend. They set lunch 3 section in a day, and the school time is always 8:30 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. There was a study booth and I could study for some classes after school. I didn’t have to do that, but I wanted to study for the class. All of teachers were really kind. So, when I talk to teacher about class and homework, they always helped me. The total number of students in one class is about 40 people. School hour is 85 minutes / 4period.

In Gold day, I took Drawing: I draw under water picture, print making, self-portrait, Brass Band: I took concert band (Christmas, spring), pep band, English: Reading some books and explain them with writing, Chemistry: taking a note, solving some questions, lab. In Blue day, I took Enrichment Block (自習): almost doing assignment, Algebra: solving some questions, taking the class, Government: learning about American government, solving questions, International food class: cooking some countries meals, Searching about the country. In my school that I went mainly uses MacBook for each student in class, homework and test. I sometimes used Google document for homework and turned in to the teachers or got some prints. Especially, I liked Music and International food class is the best. I play the saxophone in Japan. So, I wanted to take band class and I liked the class. I could join Christmas Concert and Spring Concert, and pep band in basketball game, football game for cheer our school teams.

My favorite class

Through the music class, I made some friends and made a good friend ship, could play cool and fun music. I really enjoyed the class though, when I took the class first time, no one help me. So, I needed big challenge. In International food class, there are some exchange students, and we make a group and cooked various countries meals. I thought I can’t experience like food class in Japanese high school so much, and wanted to take some cooking skills for me. So, I liked this class and enjoyed it.

School event

About school Event, in my school, it has some event that is Pajamas day, Homecoming, Prom, Christmas costume day, International day, Musical. I especially liked musical “High school Musical” in Greenfield Central High School version. It looks like full-scale musical play. I was surprised and excited about it.

Positive/ Negative aspects of school life: (Positive) Someone who are interested in Japan talk to me. (Negative) Obviously, few students don’t accept, talk, ignore me because of different things that I had black hair, short, and language. Sometimes it makes me hurt so much. But I have not never been negative. I tell about my challenge in first five months. Honestly, I could not take conversation with English not much. But It changed after the host change, might be I rethink consciousness in my mind. Why I could do that. I think I joined the band class, and make some friends, I talked a lot with them. Then, I made friends through some classes. And another thing that is English class. In English class, I read few books, and listen the audio about the story, and write some summaries. That’s why I could little improve about it.

Food

About food, I think each family is different situation though, my last family were healthy. The reasons why, host mom love vegetable so much. We always ate dinner plus vegetable. But one thing I was surprised about vegetable. Maybe I just didn’t know, host mom likes to eat raw onion, raw carrot, raw broccoli, raw green pepper and paprika, raw mushroom with lettuce in a bowl.
I have not liked thing is oat meal that I hate to eat. Also, we often go to eat outside. I went to Burger king, Arby’s, Steak’n Shake, Cuvers, Jim Dandy and Bob Evans. And, school lunch makes me big I think. They have almost carbohydrate (炭水化物) in cafeteria menu.

Similarity/ difference of school

I want to tell similarity/ difference of school. (Similarity) In my school, they don’t touch phone during class. (But finish the class and have little time, they use phone: difference), they were almost quiet in class, they have cafeteria. (Difference) class time zone and divide, no uniform, ok make up, ok changing hair style, always use computer.

What do they like Japanese souvenir

What are they interested in Japanese souvenir? I brought 風呂敷, 書道, 扇子, フリクションボールペン and 折り紙. Especially, my friends were surprised and likedフリクションボールペン so much. Any others, I wrote a name with 漢字 to friends and family.

Personal growth

About personal growth, I think I was serious person like Japanese. But I became more optimistic about anything. Sometimes I’m still nervous though, I always try to do my best.

What do you need, before you go to studying abroad?

I thought you needed before go to studying abroad, you need to take writing and English exercise properly, and read and memorize the Target book. In these things, through the studying abroad, I could experience various things and rethink and recheck about myself.