SHould i go on as a exchange student to japan?

Question:

Ive a had many japanese students come to my highschool and when ever i look at them, they seem bored to death. I dont want to waste 2500$ going somewhere i wont enjoy. I barely know japanese but i want to go because i want to do something cool on my senior year in highschool.

Answer:

I had the opportunity to live in Japan for a year in l955. An incredible experience! I learned to speak and read enough (Hiragana) to travel all over Kyushu by myself! I read the history and loved to go to Hakata Bay, where in 1281, the Koreans were invading Japan with an invasion fleet of 1000 ships. Kuyshu was inhabited by monks, mostly, and had no defenses. They gathered together and prayed. And then a huge hurricane occurred and destroyed the invaders. The winds were called the Divine Winds (in Japanese, ------DARN! My memory is failing me! But I loved talking with the people--I did not talk re the A-Bomb, but my landlord talked regarding the "Bees" (which I figured out were our B-24's) that bombed them regularly. But I LOVED exploring Kyushu--a very beautiful part of Japan! Tokyo seemed very similar to NY City! HUGE busy city. So it's best you go to a less populated area! The people are very eager to talk with Americans and very helpful. (I think that what you thought was "cool"--or lack of friendliness, was just their way of not expressing emotions much. My Landlord told me they they (the Japanese) never knew what AMERICANS were thinking, because we were always SMILING! ") I think that it would be a wonderful experience, if you are open to cultural "differences". Be open to learning---you will profit greatly! (Let us know what you do!