Half days, half days! A whole week of half days! It’s time for midterms here. Everyone has the day off to study. And like we do in America, I’m sure they’re up in their rooms studying away with the curtains drawn and the books opened. Because it’s such a perfect fall day, you wouldn’t want to be blinded by the bright sun while studying! No! My classmates were telling me most of them only study for whatever exams they have the night before. Seems to be a global trend. I’m supposed to take the English exams this time around, I might pass if I can read the questions. Anyway, I’m home in time for all the soap operas and talk shows. I think I’m turning middle aged Japanese housewife, I find the Korean dramas more exciting. Oh! I went and saw Corpse Bride with two of my host sisters this weekend. It was cute in a Tim Burton way. Both my sister’s said they liked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory better. I sometimes wonder how the English jokes translate. Like in Charlie they pass a room with a cow being whipped (whipped cream) and I was the only one laughing in the theater. What did the subtitles say, ‘animal abuse is still a serious problem in America (or wherever Charlie lives).’ You think maybe it could translate somehow… maybe. Oh that reminds me of something else! When I was on the bus one morning I overheard one of my classmates talking to a friend about their trip to Australia. She was saying that they had ‘gone to a barbeque and were eating with other people, foreigners you know.’ That last part just kept bothering me. Usually, when you go to another country, you don’t refer to the people there as foreigners, right? Because you’re the foreigner. Even if you’ve come back they’d still be the Italians or Americans or Australians, right? So I’ve come to the conclusion that the true translation of ‘gaijin’, must not just be foreigner but must also be ‘not from Japan’. It made me think about how much culture has to do with language. Even if it isn’t a very good example it got me thinking. It also reminds me of a classmate of mine who is always swearing in English. Whenever she learns a new word it’s like she’s determined to get a reaction out of me, being the only person who really gets the true meaning of what she’s saying. It has gotten a bit annoying for me and now a bunch of the other girls seem to find it very amusing, making songs and swearing at each other. It makes them giggle, seriously, like a-hee-hee-hee giggle. Anyway, that was all thought provoking I’m sure. On the way home today I saw something really rare! A person wearing a helmet while riding their bike. I guess since so many people ride their bikes here helmets must seem inconvenient. Like, for some reason, wearing your seatbelt. This is the first family I’ve had that has actually asked me to wear my seat belt instead of laughing when I put it on. Which is comforting because most Japanese drivers are crazy and the one-lane two-lane roads don’t help. Well that’s all for now! Buckle up everyone!