O-HI-O, MRS. FRIEDLANDER'S CLASS!

HELLO, 5TH GRADERS AND MY SECOND GRADERS!
MRS. FRIEDLANDER'S CLASS HAD LOTS OF QUESTIONS FOR ME. HERE ARE THE ANSWERS:
1. IS PIZZA LIKE OURS? YES AND NO. THEIR PIZZA CRUST IS VERY THIN, VERY THIN AND DELICIOUS. THE TOPPINGS ARE THE SAME AS OURS, BUT THEY LOVE POTATOES AND YOU CAN GET YOUR PIZZA WITH FRENCH FRIES, WAFFLE FRIES, SKINNY FRIES, FAT FRIES, ANY TYPE OF FRIES. IT WAS GOOD!
2. HOW MANY ROOMS DID THE HOST FAMILY'S HOME HAVE? I THINK I WAS IN A RATHER LARGE HOUSE FOR A JAPANESE FAMILY. THERE WAS A GUEST ROOM, WHERE I SLEPT, KITCHEN AND FAMILY ROOM ALL IN ONE, A SEPARATE ROOM FOR THE SMALL TEMPLE I TOLD YOU ABOUT AND A BATHROOM. UPSTAIRS WERE 3 VERY SMALL BEDROOMS. EACH CHILD HAD THEIR OWN ROOM. EACH ROOM HAS A BALCONY, WHICH WAS COOL. NOBODY HAS CLOTHES DRYERS, SO ALL CLOTHES ARE HUNG OUTSIDE ON EACH PERSON'S BALCONY. I WOULD NOT LIKE THAT!! IN THE OKINAWAN SUN THE CLOTHES DRY VERY QUICKLY. MANY OF MY FRIENDS WERE HOSTED IN SMALL APARTMENTS. ALL THE APARTMENTS HAVE BALCONIES AND ALL THE CLOTHES ARE HANGING ON THE BALCONIES, ALL OVER OKINAWA.
3. WHAT ARE THE SCHOOL SUPPLIES LIKE? WELL, THE SAME AS OURS, I GUESS. TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I DID NOT SEE A LOT OF BINDERS, BUT SMALL NOTEBOOKS. THE TEXTBOOKS ARE VERY THIN, ALSO. BUT THE ELEMENTARY CHILDREN ALL HAD PENCIL CASES FILLED WITH PENCILS, ERASERS, ETC. EVERY SINGLE ELEMENTARY CHILD IN ALL OF JAPAN MUST BUY THE SAME SCHOOL BAG: HARD CASES, RED FOR GIRLS, BLACK FOR BOYS. EACH CASE IS $100 AND LASTS THE CHILD FROM FIRST GRADE TO SIXTH GRADE. CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT?? THE MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS ALL CARRIED NIKE DUFFLE BAGS, LOOKS LIKE SPORTS BAGS. THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS CARRIED WHATEVER THEY WANTED.
4. DO THEY CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN? WELL, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS ALL OVER JAPAN, SHOCKED!! APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY NEW THING IN JAPAN TO CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN. FROM WHAT PEOPLE TOLD ME, THEY JUST LIKE DECORATING, BUT DON'T REALLY DO THE TRICK OR TREATING THING AND PARTIES.
5. ARE THE KIDS THE SAME AS OUR KIDS? NOW, THIS IS A TRICKY QUESTION. I FOUND THE CHILDREN TO BE MUCH MORE RESPECTFUL THAN AMERICAN CHILDREN. (SORRY, ROOM 201) THEY HAVE TOTAL RESPECT FOR THE TEACHERS AND ADULTS. THE LITTLE CHILDREN WERE PRECIOUS AND EVERY BIT AS CUTE AS MY SECOND GRADERS. THEY LAUGHED, PLAYED, GOT SILLY, LOVED TO DANCE, LOVED TO BE TALKED TO, ETC. ETC. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS WERE THE SAME WAY. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS LOVED HANNAH MONTANA AND THE JONAS BROTHERS. THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WERE NOT AS OUTGOING. THE TEACHERS TOLD US THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS DOING THEIR WORK, BEING MOTIVATED, STAYING OFF CELL PHONES, ETC. I SUPPOSE JUST LIKE THE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!! SO, YES, THEY ARE LIKE YOU GUYS!!

I THINK THAT ANSWERS ALL YOUR QUESTIONS. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE OTHERS. I AM ATTACHING A FEW MORE PHOTOS ABOUT THE TOILETS. THEY HAVE TWO TYPES OF TOILETS IN JAPAN: JAPANESE STYLE AND WESTERN STYLE. JAPANESE STYLE IS A TOILET ON THE GROUND AND YOU HAVE TO SQUAT. WESTERN STYLE IS OUR STYLE. BOTH TYPES OF TOILETS ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. HOWEVER, SOME PLACES ONLY HAD THE JAPANESE STYLE. CAN YOU IMAGINE?? CHECK THESE OUT! I WILL ALSO ATTACH A FEW OTHER THINGS! MORE UPDATES TO COME LATER ON. I AM GOING TO TAKE ART CLASSES ALL MORNING! I HOPE I LEARN SOME COOL JAPANESE ART TO DO WITH ROOM 201. IF I DO, I'LL GIVE THE IDEAS TO MRS. FRIEDLANDER!! I WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOU GUYS ONE DAY. PERHAPS ONE DAY WHEN LOWER MERION HAS SCHOOL AND PHILA. DOESN'T, I'LL COME IN!! HAVE A GOOD DAY, EVERYONE!