Random Ramblings

Here are some random facts/observations/generalizations about Japan-

1) Japan is the second least sexually active nation in the world. On average (taking into account every citizen) the Japanese "get down" only 36 times a year. Compared to the highest country, France at 131...this is a ridiculously low number. I've decided it's because of the paper walls or...
2) Birth control wasn't introduced in Japan until 2000. Before that the preferred means of birth control was (hold onto your socks fellow Catholics) abortion. Girls still use the temperature/rhythm method because birth control is hard to find...but this clearly is not the most reliable method of making sure you don't get knocked up, so abortion is the most common means of making sure that the average child per couple remains 1.4.
3) Christianity is a fad here...and if you want to be really "fabulous darling" you join the crowd and rock the bling bling crucifix. No one actually practices Christianity (it's something like 0.12% of the population actually identifies as Christian) but many young people really like the way the cross looks so they wear them as jewelry. All the posh stores sell a multitude of crosses in every variation and stone arrangement imaginable...but if you ask someone why they wear it...or what it means...they don't know and they just think it's "pretty." Hmmm...guess they didn't get the memo that it is an ancient torture device.
4) No one votes. Young people don't care about politics...most don't know what their leaders are doing in the world and most could care less what policies are actually being implemented. I tried to ask why...without seeming rude or pushy and the best answer I was able to discern was that young people are most concerned with getting a good job and getting a good salary...that politics become less important. The drive to get a job is huge...and it's hard to get a good paying job in Japan so the competition is fierce. My home stay sister Emi is a student at the Tokyo campus of Meiji Gakuin studying economics. She hates it. Doesn't like economics at all but it was the only major she could fit into...but what she really wants to do is be a flight attendant. Of course becoming a flight attendant in Japan is a lot different that in the US. I think the last time I flew Southwest my flight attendant had four teeth and whether or not she graduated high school was slightly questionable...but here you must be a college graduate and attend a 6 month-1 year training school....and you have to be pretty.
5) Blood type is really important. You have to put it down on applications to schools, jobs, etc. Everyone knows their blood type. Many people believe that blood type has something to do with personality and so it is very important to only match compatible blood types together in a job setting. People with the blood type B (me) are good leaders and very independent. Ha.
5) I was at an "international tea party" the other day and in an effort in initiate conversation I told a Japanese girl that I really liked her shirt. To which she replied, "Oh....I really like your face."
6) My favorite questions about America thus far have been:
-Is Arnold as clean in person as he looks on TV?
-Are Arnold and Clint Eastwood friends?
-Is there a difference between Japanese and American cows?
-Are there twins in America?