Japan Blog #1: Introduction

[Lazerdraggg]

Like if you are watching in 2011

[Trigg3rIHappy]

So you finished high school but did a high school exchange program in japan???

[barret1able]

Heey I have a question if you finished school in Australia does that mean that your repeating school in japan ?

[darkwingi]

Hey dude.what's the songu use in this video

[incredibledeon]

your lucky im only 13 and my school dont do exchange programs

[SilverWolfblaze]

I've heard the Japanese can be quite racist though.. If you go there, don't know Japanese, can't use chopsticks and basically don't know much about Japan, then you're a gaijin (a foreigner). But if you can use chopsticks, speak fluent Japanese, know how to use elevators, then you're a henna gaijin (strange foreigner) and you basically freak them out..... But I don't know hands on; it's just what I've read. I'd still love to go mind, when I finish school ^w^

[36riku]

wow hes little in this vid

[AkitaTom]

@36riku I know right!? :P

[sumojunior1992]

dude how was you funded money wise for 10 months answer me please

[kaglerthewiccan]

funny cause i can read and write but cant listen

[ChouBunny]

im 17 and a Jr. in Highschool. i have good grades my lowest as a B. i really want to go to Japan as an exchanged student. what are the things i NEED to do in order to go? and how much does it cost in American $?

[namikazelover]

i know you probably answered this already but um which exchange program did you use? im getting into the JET program...

[guitarherosmaka]

its cool to see u so young and how much uve progressed.

[kimmyworth]

how old are u in this video?

[AkitaTom]

I was so goddamn awkward!! I literally cringed when watching this video > <

[amesadame]

I love all of your videos! I think Japan is an amazing place, and I hope to go there after high school. From what program if any did you take part in to become a transfer student?

[himewKITTY]

i sure your the most realistic person i have watched on youtube to do with going to japan

[niteskystargazer]

okay I watched all of your numbered blogs and I look back on this and the thought that comes to mind is... (so much changes in 10 months) I don't know what happened with them but your great bro. I am joining the Air Force next week and am going to be stationed in Japan so thank you for all the insight :) take it easy bro.

[animeguy587]

thank you so much

because of you i found out about student exchanges and i signed up and got accepted im just saying thank you becasue if it wherent for you i would carry on my boring ass life

[S0ANIMAT3D]

omg im 14 too right now and i want go japan cuz im addicted with anime ~_~ were the same ;D

[homgpoopwtf]

@S0ANIMAT3D you won't get in they don't want people to go because of anime

[S0ANIMAT3D]

im not going there anime lol im going there cuz i want to go school ;]

[homgpoopwtf]

@S0ANIMAT3D I'm sure your addicted to anime lol ...

[S0ANIMAT3D]

im pretty sure i am too ;] but i want to go there for school becuz i just want to experience their school festival :D

[dbzkid161]

Because of watching anime! lol, i think all of us would love to go. I for sure want to, but as always, im broke =[

[S0ANIMAT3D]

lol im broke tooo im planning work soon im 14 :p add me ;D

[hananokami]

come one...someone must knoww!!!!!

[hananokami]

what song is the first one?  I can tell it is by GReeeeN, just wondering the title....(i loooove greeeen!)

[hananokami]

ANYbody know the title?!?!?!?

[xzeldax3]

@hananokami 道

[goldyelocks]

Nihon ni ikimasuyo!! woohoo!! I'm going for a year exchange next year and I am so excited O.O freaking out a little tho lol...

[Pikachunojutsu]

lucky I'm going in 2 years *sad face*

[NagoyaIchirou]

lol me too in 2 years

[deathnoterave]

aw u guys are so lucky my parents would never let me go. That's why I wanna wait till I graduate from university and once I get enough money maybe move there. lol i know, its gunna take a lot of money. I love Japan so much I love the videos. I watch a lot of blogs on japan. gotta say these are my favorite.

[shildrine]

Hey Akitatom, Ive been subscribed to you when you were on your 4th video. I still watch your videos and came back to the one video where it all started to remember how little i actually knew about japan before i started watching you. I'd just like to say thanks for making them and let you know how much i enjoyed them. Keep em up and i hope to see you come back to Japan soon. :)

[Tigger09T]

ummmm yeah im 14 and going next year to japan they said i have to at least learn japanese for 6 months or more so i cant wait lolz

[braceface9999]

that is so cool, I am going to japan for spring break next year :3 -super psyched!- btw I love the song at 4:00 ^^ One of my favorites from Ken Hirai

[ChaosKittenFilms]

:C you and him are so lucky, I really wish to go

[animeguy587]

lucky basterd i wanna go :(

[latinlover62]

if u already graduated high school...how can u do teh exchange program to a japanese high school if ur done can u do that...

[roxybabe818]

you can do a gap year, the year after you graduate. (also known as year 13). But have you ever looked into colleges and universities in Japan?

[dombower]

no way you were brave! going to an all japanese highschool with out all the 2 years training! i lived there for a year in 2006 working in osaka, osaka is great.

ill have a look at the rest of your videos and see how you have got along.

well done

[Ultraoutlaw98]

Your videos are great

[nickcervantes]

Did you get shit for not being Japanese in Japan?

[JeremiDesuyo]

That's such a common misconception. In Japan, foreigners are actually quite shown a lot of interest over.

[DraggingMorons]

I made up my mind! I will finish my High school in here ( Canada which is ends at.... hmm.... im grade 9 right now..3 years later... and i will be 17 at that time.. and change it to asian type of age counting... i will be.. 18...

[animeguy587]

lol im finishing high school and going on a 3 week vacation

[thyuiooo]

why havent they deported you yet youve been there over a year i know u said that u could stay as long as you want but there must be a limit?

[Maeikatk]

I herd the limit was 6 months but since its an exchange program, the rules might be different.

[winxsixtie]

in beldium we fimished to aged 18

[xXfainarufantajiXx]

so you finished High school in Australia, then went to high school again in Japan?

[Toxickisses657]

in australia we finish high school year 12 aged 17 in japan they finish high school aged 18

[molewizard]

How old were you when you started the program?

[SuiginTouSensei]

I wish I could have the chance yo go to japan... T_T... I envy you!! in a good way XD

[immortalsae]

how old are you when you go to japan as an exchange student?

[mugenkira]

haha -6 XD

[tenkuunokage]

I've wanted to go since 12..... Because of:

1-culture

2-language

3-weird writing [or so i thought, but prefer it over romanji]

4-anime

5-manga

6-music

7-girls hehehe

but I'm more into culture than other things....

[Dreadfultime]

dont ya thing that culture involves everything except girls?

[tenkuunokage]

i dont understand but If your asking if i want the girls....i prefer Hmong girls, then Korean and finally Japanese. Experience wise hehe -_0

[ohwellwhateverneverm]

ooh lol thought you were trying to sound all sexist then i got it

XD

but yea i'm pretty sure it would

[1SharinganLeft]

God thats the same as me you have some preety good reasons i have to admit.

how old are you now?

[tenkuunokage]

20 and going either this December for two weeks or next December for a month. [2010]. I can manage basiuc conv. now and ask for directions, and mingle my japanese now. Still learning. Too bad tuition kills me atm.

[gamerpuppeteer]

it takes average ppl 4 years to learn japanese so im hoping to go before i graduate high school for at least 3-4 months to experience alot of their culture and moving their for 3 years with some friends. I heard its hard to find a job there and pay all the bills and stuff.

[XxNathanJamesxX]

U look just like my freand Manny Gomez and uhh i like ur vid i hope theyr all just as cool ^ - ^

[bznarroz]

could you please tell me what exchange program you used?

[ITsHardstyle]

did u go to japan to study 2 years of japanese, or did u do that in australia?

hm..

nice vid btw:)

[crizyna]

omg my interest for Japan started at 14 too..and started with the anime.wow :)

[rangerbob7]

i am only 12/13 years old and love japan so much but cant find and exchange programs that let me go u have to be like 15 it sucks. i did go on a japan tour at my last school but i wasn't really allowed. love you vids

[Kirthal]

you probably wouldn't want to go until you're 15 anyways. highschool is the best time to go. I know you don't feel that young, but when you look back on age 12 you'll be glad you waited a few years.

also, I don't know if you speak japanese. but you should study the "japanese for busy people" books 1,2,and 3 before you go.

(that is what I studied at my university)

I lived in japan for 2 and 1/2 years. you'll love it, I plan on going back.

[skateforsolstice]

wow youve changed since your last video, ive bin whatching your videos for a long time and theres a big difference since your first to last video. =0 =)

[ironsaviorguy99]

ive had an intrest in japan since i was 2 lol

[vnano]

i had before i was even born. lol

[SamKun123]

Dude, your awsome I love your video's.

[LarissaBridgette]

He said he had just finished highschool in Australia. So probably around your age, if anything. I wouldn't worry about it.

[01FunnyxGirl]

if he finished high school in Australia, he can still be in high school in japan? LOL confused

[Mishy182]

Maybe he left school in year 10 instead of staying all the way until year 12... o__o lol xD

[michaelpm15]

how old were you when you first started? im a senior with one semester left and i wann aknow if its not too late

[patio87]

LONG pause after 'school girls', lol.

[ensortion]

Go the boys from Oz :) I plan to become a part of the JET teaching programme over there once I finish Uni.....in 2 and a half years :( lol

[AkitaTom]

LOL WHAT AN IDIOT!

[kp295swiss]

hahaha nice theory lol i wish i got to do wat u did

[StrawRabbi]

what exchange program are you using? and how much? sorry i've been really hoping to go to japan for a long while(meaning years). I want to know much does it cost? (i plan to save money without too much help)

i think i started wanting to go there because of anime too but now i just want to visit the country.

[Kaytishu]

Hi! You realise how lucky you are, right?! I'm desperate to go to Japan when I finish Sixth form at the end of this year...but I've looked at trips and just 3 months costs over £5000; pretty much all my university fund. Did you get yours for cheaper? (I'll bet you did, unless you're a millionaire...:) ) What programme did you do, and how much did you actually pay - if you don't mind me asking? Thanks! x

[mugenkira]

DUDE holy crap ur like an aussie version of me i got into anime when i was 10 and im 14 now i hope to go to japan when im 15-16 lucky for me i started learning the language early and once im finished with this year ill be able to leave to japan btw what exchange program did you use?

[highlightkey]

Its so cool to go back and watch your videos again~ you have change in a good way so much!!^-^

[chellyman]

Good Intro. I just started watching your videos and they look good so far. you have good character..

[yugiohpokemon101]

your so lucky im 15 and i live in the middle east but i really wanna go to japan plz reply i want to go there for the same reason you wanna go for anime and school i only know little of their language but i have after school tooters that teach me japanes

sianara my friend

your so sugoi if u know what i mean

im male not female

[trupnai640]

you should look up the various programs out there. i went to japan as an exhcange student when i was 15! i was the youngest in my group and i stayed for a semester because i live in america and i couldn't miss my junior year cause its the most important year for us here.now i'm a senior and i miss japan so much. i'm planning on going to japan again after i graduate for a year this time...as it'll be my last oppurtunity to go there for a high school exchange!

DON'T MISS OUT ON THE OPPURTUNITY!

[kumikoangeloflight]

Oh oh, what program do you suggest. Do we get to choose the location in which we wish to reside? O.O My mom is actually all ears when I say I want to go to Japan.

[mugenkira]

yes plz answer the question what program did you use???

[curlygurl2011]

Where is the place you went? Is it close to Tsuruoka?

[xAznSwordz]

Oh and also do you know any safe and good Exchange student sites from Canada ? I only know Afs but , I'm not really fond of doing fundraisers

[l33tchris]

Sorry, I only know dangerous exchange systems; they smuggle you in with a basket.

But seriously, I'm planning on doing it through my school club which I'm an officer in. The club is called Interact/Rotary. Supposedly the rotary exists in more than 100 countries, so I'm sure it's in Canada; try looking into it.

[xAznSwordz]

Hey uhh , You said we had to learn japanese for 2 years right ? or do we just have to know the basics lol and also , Where can you learn japanese o.o

[ioWndADoG221]

bla bla bla

[yoskiergal]

You know me way too well. Yes, I have been looking at youtube videos for life in Japan. Especially of High school! I'm planning on going in my 11th grade year of high school (well, march of 11th grade or april or when ever, and coming back middle of senior year) Anyway, thank you very very much!

[pchy91]

why do u have a jap last name?? r u mixed??

[cherries1312]

no, thats the place where hes going^^ lol, he's going to akita... we dunno his last name though^^

[Bardock20013]

Go to Japan and say "Jap". Instant face palm.

[pchy91]

what?

[tabithascobra]

'jap' isn't nice slang. it's like calling a white person a hick.

[xoxoxfranxoxox]

And like calling a black person a "nigger", or an Italian person a "wop".

The mostpart of my school's population is Italian, and today the whole school found the words "Fuck Wops" all over the school in spray paint. That's despicable.

[iKonnichiwa]

its a wog. not a wop. Fkn wog.

[xoxoxfranxoxox]

No, it's wop.

Wop is a term referring to Italian Imigrants. It means "Without Official Papers" since that's what was stamped onto their papers when they entered the country. I should now, I am Italian.

[Jmadiso1]

lol. type "define:wop" into google. nice try though.

[Yukipama]

my best ability is writing and reading. I will learn japanese words More_  after i know all hiragana and katakana and atleast 100 kanji, then i will learn more words :D.

[Ino117]

japan is so cool, some places are nasty but the rest are ok, ehy don't you just learn japanese then go to japan it's not that expensive.

[EmuhleeMurderr]

i love u man

ty for this blog

[KamikazeSound]

too bad im too old to do the exchange program :S

[Yukipama]

If your too old then just pay the like 2,500 dollars and stay ther for like 2 months and return :D

[xuzumakixrasenganx]

Only 2 years?!

Wow that means if I keep studying I could probably go for a year once I'm out of school like you... *o*

But I'm guessing it's really expensive... :/

[dbzgirlartist5]

They still place you in a Japanese high school even though you finished high school already? I didn't know that! Does it depend on the program though?

[backflipkingds]

How cool! I am learning Japanese right now so I can study abroad in Japan. I plan on doing it my senior year. I started liking Japan since I was about 12 (throught Anime) and wanted to go since then. Now all I have to do is learn Japanese, have a 2.75 GPA or more, and the money. Can't wait to finish watching your videos.

[Ino117]

Well being able to read,write and talk japanese is cool but what you'll see in japan will not be pretty, trust me im a black japanese and it's really hard in japan, getting friends will be hard cause your different it was really hard for me when i was young thats why i moved back to where i came from(Africa, kenya my mums a african). But if you talk proper japanese you have no problem but stay away from host clubs and love hotels and maybe maid cafe's cause the girls there hate serving some men.

[erijo91]

Nice am going to be exchange student in japan in 24 or 25 august xP just got my host family

[kumikoangeloflight]

Oh oh, where will you be staying? O.O

[pogd2]

I want to go to Japan what program did ya go with? most of the programs that I looked into won't let ya go for long if ya are 18...also how did ya fit in college?

[spaderist]

I dont know about the college part but Two Worlds United is a lot cheaper then alot of the other programs and allow the students to be as young as 14 and as old as 26. You can even go for a whole entire school year!!!!

[Ino117]

what's wrong with you, japan is fun but has some nasty place's, im a black japanese but if your a girl and your over sixteen and pretty don't go next to maid cafe's their horrible a place were girls in mini skirts serve men all day and the men are nerds. If your a boy 15 and over stay away from host clubs once you get a contract to work there it's like being a male prostitute, but since your still young nothing bad will happen to you. Oh and im a girl who lived in Tokyo for 3 years.

[eeeecccc2]

4 all people in america that wanna go 2 japan u should go 2 hawaii its shorter plus they are working on a subway that goes from hawaii 2 the main ilsand of japan! :D

[tokyoxterror]

You're living my dream man, have fun!

[JohnMathers69]

Lucky for you Japan is not that far from Australlia, but for me its 15 hours away by plane!!!!! Nice vid man. Looks like fun times and I wish I could do it.

[AkitaTom]

8 hours, + 2 hour to tokyo + 4 hours to Akita = 14, close enough! :P

[JohnMathers69]

Good point but too would have to do the 2hrs to Tokyo and the 4 hrs to Akita if I wanted to go there. But yeah I get your point, im just saying it would be a long trip for me.

[AkitaTom]

Yeah, i feel sorry for the Americans that have to make the journey, but its well worth it!

[ice1lord]

hey, i recently started to wach your blogs, and hopefully ill finish them all today, i am a bit ill so it will be a bit harder!! i am 13 turning 14 sixth of june and i wonderd what are the requierments for the program, i have wached manny other blogs and people there stay for about 2 years 0.0. Try waching the kansaiPJ blogs they are quite good if you are interested in averege life in japan!

BEST REGARDS -- Nikko

ps my user name maybe sounds a little nerdy but i created this acount LONG ago

[Ino117]

your 13 well im 12 turning 13 and i read, write and talk japanese since im a black japanese, you'll have lot's of fun in japan just stay away from love hotels, host clubs and maybe maid cafe's if your a girl cause it's a cafe for nerds (boys only served by girls in mini maid clothes, the girls serve the boys like kings). Hope you don't get a job there if your a girl.

[ice1lord]

im actully 14 grat me :P, turned 14 the 20 of june, thanks for the tip:D. do you possebly know a good exchange program because i have been searching for ever!! i found rotary but there are too manny club activitets and i dont like that much.. :) thanks again

[EtoEto07]

I've just subscribed to your vids! It's fascinating to watch your progress XD The reason is, I'm slightly interested in becoming an exchange student, because I currently take french and spanish in a-levels (im from the uk) but would love to expand that to other languages, and instead of taking another european language, im thinking of japanese.. because, yes.. i started off with the anime and manga thing. I don't necessarily want to be a linguist, but I've always dreamt of spreadin my wings

[AkitaTom]

i definetly reccomend it! This is the best experience i've had in my life in so many ways, you would not regret it!

[EtoEto07]

im definitely considering it! Are you basically retaking the last year of education, but in Japan? Because if I were to do an exchange, I'd have problems in maths/english/science etc, because I completed those courses over a year ago.

[AkitaTom]

Actually i'm repeating the 2nd last year. And yes the classes are ... pointless haha, but its still worth going because of the language, even if you don't understand what they're saying, being surrounded by a language 24/7 really does help you pick it up

[EtoEto07]

thanks! ill keep that in mind.

[Icequeen2007]

i am so jealous because i love anime, and i love their music, and i love everything about japan, i am so jealous, cuz i hated my schools education, and always wanted to go their. your so lucky

[AkitaTom]

i hated mine to, i barely went... but i got good marks so i was allowed to go on exchange P

[NachosOfTacoBell]

O= im so jelous! And lol thats funny Ive been watching anime since i was like 5(Sailor Moon) then I got really into it when I was 12. And now im 14 and ubber jelous of you! Cuz I really wanna go to japan! Have fun!

[kidofalbion]

"He'll probably end up entering the country through some illegal means" LOL. I enjoyed this video a lot, I'm going to watch the rest of your videos now.

[AkitaTom]

Haha thanks alot.

[cyanidexdoll]

XD

TOM TOM!!!!

[AkitaTom]

the one and only :P