Japanese School Vs. American School

Hey there! Long time no see!
I really should keep up with this blog, but you know, exchange life, quite the busy one!
In between not understanding what anyone is saying and experiencing something new almost every second.

So, I've been in school for about 4 days now. Immediately there are things that I noticed are different from school back home. So, today I will be comparing my current Japanese school to American school.
Since most of my friends who read this are from the US, I'll just post Japanese things that are different and you can fill in the differences.
Now before I start, I don't mean to berate American school, I'm simply comparing the two, and what might be better or worse in each.
I'll start at the beginning of the day and progress from there.

• Bowing. At the beginning of every class, and end, we stand up and bow to the teacher. Not done in America. The bowing shows respect and acknowledgment of the teacher.
• In Japan, everyone wears a school uniform. Mandatory. I don't know what happens if you don't wear it. It probably doesn't even cross the mind of the students to not wear the uniform to school. Plus, they're cute uniforms. I like them. Some people may not and claim it stops individuality. Individuality is not very popular in Japan.
• Make up/ piercings/ hair dyes. None of these allowed in Japanese school. No make up, they'll make you remove it right in front of them. Can't have painted nails either. It's okay if you have pierced ears. You just can't wear the earrings to school. Dyed hair is not allowed. Pretty much means to say, school is not a fashion show, you are there to learn, and make friends by yourself. Without the aid of glamour.
• Classroom anatomy. American classrooms usually have a few whiteboards, and those attached desk-chair things, and if you're lucky, windows. Japanese classrooms, chalkboards, separate desks and chairs, you can put things in the desk. hooks on the side of the desk to hang your bag and lunch, openable windows, elevated podium for the teacher, and sliding doors. If you ask me, I love the sliding doors, now I don't have to fear being hit by a door when walking through the hallway.
• Shoes. I have four pairs of shoes I use in school. Walking outside shoes, classroom shoes, Gym shoes, and Track shoes. Can't wear outdoor shoes into the school. As soon as you get in there is a locker room entrance to change your shoes in. And lockers to keep them in.
• Teachers move from class to class. Not the students. So there is no rush and crowd in the hallways to get to your next class. You stay in your homeroom class all day.
• Time between classes. You get 10 minutes between each class. For what? You don't even have to change class. So, nothing in particular. It's break time. Usually kids get up, talk, get things from their locker right outside the class. It's nice. Relaxing.
• Lunchtime. There is no cafeteria. Everyone eats in their homeroom, or goes to another classroom. Desks get moved around and pushed together. Everyone takes out their bento. (Lunch brought from home.) If you don't have obento, you can get something from the many vending machines on the floor. (Remember Japanese vending machines don't just sell sodas and junk food. They sell much more.) Everyone can do as they please during lunch, which is 45 minutes. Can be on your cellphone, or play a video game or mp3 player. Whatever you want. The teacher is not in the classroom. And it isn't extremely loud with all the people talking. They know how to use inside voices. And somehow after lunch is over all the desks are back in perfect rows and there is no garbage anywhere.
• Sleeping in class. It's allowed. In Japan, you're not supposed to interrupt the teacher in the middle of a lecture unless they call on you. You are not allowed to talk to other kids either. So basically, since sleeping doesn't interfere with the lesson, you can do it. It's up to you to take care of whatever lesson you slept through. No excuses.
• At the end of every day for ten minutes, students clean their classrooms. The the hallways and stairways too. There is sweeping, eraser-cleaning, organizing shelves, etc. I think this is a great idea. It teaches responsibility and cleanliness. This way kids don't make a mess during the day, because they'd just have to clean it up anyway. (Me imagining MSD after lunch is over... ew.) This should really be done in American schools.

That's about it for now,  of course I haven't been here that long and these are the most obvious differences, I'm sure there are many more I haven't noticed yet.
Yep.
Until next time.