Hey! So emmathers commented on the previous post and asked me 5 questions about Japan!
But before that...I made a Facebook page for Scholar Berry! Click here to see and like the page! Add me on Facebook too! Write "Scholarberry" when requesting to be my friend!
1) Were there hair requirements when it came to the uniform?
* Yes, there were rules for hair while wearing uniforms! I actually went to a middle school for a week (my host sister was in the same middle school) and I found out that you can't let your hair down. It was weird. I'm a person that loves accessories, so it was hard enough to actually let go the earrings--the teachers frowned upon me when they see my ears are pierced, but then they remembered I was an exchange student and then they understood, lol. But the hair was completely okay. I had to tie my hair into a ponytail or part it into two. I can braid it, too. Basically, make it into one or two clumps. :) And we can't have our eyes covered. In my high school, it was more normal. But they don't allow perms--although the girls would pretend it's their natural hair (they would straighten it).
The boys have it more strict; they have to keep it short and it can't go past their ears nor touch the back of the collar.
2) How many uniforms did you keep and were they eerily alike?
*I have 3 sets of uniforms. My primary one was the blazer uniform.
This uniform on the left was the winter uniform of what I wore at my high school. Obviously, it's a blazer uniform. The skirt is tiny checkered dark gray and white. During the summer, I don't wear the blazer, ribbon or the sweater (there's a sweater for later on when it gets colder). We have to wear matching gray vests (it's ugly, really) and short sleeves. In winter, we're allowed to even wear stockings/tights, but only black. I always wear the knee-high navy socks because it's actually warmer than the stockings. In summer, you can wear a shorter white socks or the same navy socks.
The other uniform is a sailor uniform, for when I went to the middle school. It's black and red. It's exactly like this picture except that my skirt was longer. The girls likes to fold up their skirts because it makes them look taller. I don't need to be taller because I AM taller than them.
The third uniform is the guy's uniform. It's called Gakuran and it's the military one you see in animes. I was only saying that it would be nice to bring it to show to the Japanese Club at my school and next thing I know they were offering me to take theirs. :)
I also received some Gakuran buttons. In Japan, when graduating, it means that they have a crush on you. The first button is very important--it's basically the girl you're asking out. The guy whose Gakuran I received lost all 5. So he must have been very popular...But I got some from my classmates, and even got 2 extra ones (one per person) :D
3) Did you keep the uniforms?
*Yes! I have them in my closet!
4) Upon returning to MN...did you wear the uniform to school? What was your peer's reaction?
*I wore the sailor uniform once and people were staring. Some people I didn't know even talked to me because of it. It was weird--because for the time I was in my sister's middle school...it was normal. :)
5) What were the similarities and differences between the Japanese vs. American students?
*This is a good question. Before anyone reads further..I should explain that I love US as much as I love Japan. I'm not discriminating anyone, this is what I felt.
They both wants their skin to be "something." Only the Japanese girls wants to be whiter while the American girls wants to be tanner. The boys doesn't care--they just play sports as they like. The teenagers can't live without texting through classes. The guys are perverts. The girls obsess over TV shows/idols.
In Japan, the students come to study (mostly). In US, the students come to socialize. During classes, teachers would blurt rhetorical questions in Japan and they don't expect answers. In US, when the teacher asks and receives no answer, the teacher will repeat the whole lesson to make sure everyone understands--even though people just didn't answer him/her. In Japan, you're expected to stay quiet during class and they do.In US, you're expected to be quiet and listen, but 90% doesn't, really.
In Japan, nobody will say "bless you" when you sneeze. In US, when somebody sneeze during ACT, almost everyone will say "bless you." Japanese people are like ants--they work very hard to receive the good grades and go to cram schools. In US, students wing tests all the time and complain about having to read a good book. In Japan, the boys teases the girls they like. In US, they flirt and try to make her jealous. In Japan, boys who has cute stuff isn't gay, he's just normal. In US, if guys have a pink key chain that's soft, he's gay.
In Japan, it's OK for guys to have long wallets that says Louis Vuitton (it's real--no pirated stuff is in Japan) while most people would assume you're gay if you walk carrying an LV wallet on your butt in US. In Japan, while changing to the PE uniforms, it's normal for girls to grab each others' boobs to see who has the biggest cup (being a foreigner, you usually would win...) while if you do that in America...you're labeled a lesbian through.
