Bathing etiquette and advice for foreigners

With the arrival of Kevin next week, there has been a lot of opportunity to exploit the "foreigners in Japan" topic. Besides the obvious questions we might like to ask him about his country and his experiences (look out for the pod-casts later on), it is also a good time to extend a hand of friendship, anticipate any problems he might have in his first few months here and offer some valuable advice regarding cultural taboos, and customs.

To this end my adult class this morning devised a list of pertinent points regarding a visit to the onsen (hot spring public baths). It goes something like this:

* Before entering the hot bath you should wash your private parts and armpits.
* Don't wear a swimsuit in the bath.
* Don't put your towel in the bath (but on your head is ok!)
* Don't wash your underwear in the bath! (taken from a real sign)
* Don't swim, splash or dive in the bath.
* If you suffer from high blood pressure, you should not enter the bathtub for a long time.
* You should dry your body with a towel before going into the changing area so you don't wet the floor.
* Sweep the area after using the hair-dryer.

The BFG

The BFG contains not only a lot of jokes, ironies but also love. In this story, BFG & Roald Dahl encourage all children to keep following their dreams at any time,
I think.
Is it "Right or Left"?

Yoko Niwamoto

New York

I read a book about New York. This is a list of 10 things
that I want to do
in New York.
1. I want see the Statue of the Liberty. Because it is
the symbol of New York. I went there once with my family,
but I want go there again.
2. I want go to Museum of Modern Art. There are many
useful things there, it will be very interesting to see
new design.
3. I want go to Central Park. I think it is wonderful to
have such a big park in the big city. It was Sunday when I
went there before, many people enjoyed in the park
running, laying, walking, relaxing. It will be nice to
have sandwich laying on the grass.
4. I want see lights on the christmas tree in front of
the Rockefeller Center. I saw it many times on TV. It must
be beautiful.
5. Tiffany. I want to go there and buy some jewelries(if
it is reasonable).
6. I want go to Metropolitan Museum of Art. I went there
before but I did not have enough time to see, so next time
I hope I will have more time to see.
7. Broadway. I would like to see musical. There are many
good shows there.
8. I want to enjoy to see the baseball game of New York
Yankees.It will be fun to go to stadium and see a game
having some drinks and snacks.
9. Wall Street. It is not so much fun to go there, but I
just want see how it is like where so much money comes
and goes.
10. I want to go shopping to Department store like Macy's
to buy clothes and souveniors.

Yasumi