This week, I think culture shock hit its hardest. I was having a lot of stress trying to keep up with the school work while also having work every day. Also, I had to plan for the Kyoto trip at the end of the month. I was also worried about finishing my research for my thesis that is due next semester as well as graduating next semester without a set plan about what I will do after graduating. It was also worrying because I just wanted to enjoy the moment of being in Japan but I felt like I couldn't let myself just have a nice time with so much to do. I ended up getting sick and it lasted for about 4-5 days.It started as a sore throat and a pounding headache. After, I couldn't stop blowing my nose and coughing. I ended up staying home from school but luckily I didn't develop a bad fever but I spent the entire say with ice packs on my head and neck and drinking 2 orange juice cartons with soup.
It was interesting wearing a mask at school. Here it is completely normal to wear a mask but I had never experienced wearing one but no one seemed to really notice I had one on. I guess with the amount of people living in big cities, wearing a mask is a courteous thing to do and no one thinks of it as strange.
Later in the week, I got better and we went to "Mori Hall" near the school for the Chorus Festival. Basically, there is a chorus contest between each of the grades. The 7th, 8th, and 9th grades each sing a song specific to their grade and then sing a song of their choosing. Also, students are chosen from each class to conduct, to play the piano, and to give an introduction speech. I was really quite impressed with how good and focused all the students were when it came to singing and I wished my school had had something such as this in the U.S. The students sang from 11am to around 4pm! They students get very serious about it as they practiced for weeks, some classes practiced every day before and after school! Even before the contest, the classes did stretches and voice exercises together. I think this really helps students practice collaboration!
It was interesting wearing a mask at school. Here it is completely normal to wear a mask but I had never experienced wearing one but no one seemed to really notice I had one on. I guess with the amount of people living in big cities, wearing a mask is a courteous thing to do and no one thinks of it as strange.
Later in the week, I got better and we went to "Mori Hall" near the school for the Chorus Festival. Basically, there is a chorus contest between each of the grades. The 7th, 8th, and 9th grades each sing a song specific to their grade and then sing a song of their choosing. Also, students are chosen from each class to conduct, to play the piano, and to give an introduction speech. I was really quite impressed with how good and focused all the students were when it came to singing and I wished my school had had something such as this in the U.S. The students sang from 11am to around 4pm! They students get very serious about it as they practiced for weeks, some classes practiced every day before and after school! Even before the contest, the classes did stretches and voice exercises together. I think this really helps students practice collaboration!
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