173 words
Dear Diary, May 1
This is my third week as an exchange student in Japan. So far, classes are fun and I'm making a lot of friends.
The other day, my Japanese teacher asked me what surprised me the most about living in Japan. What surprised me the most is the shoe culture. I don't mean fashion. I mean the fact that people take their shoes off when entering a house or using the bathroom.
At first, I was very frustrated. It took a long time to tie and untie my shoes. Even at school, I have to wear slippers to class! One time, I used the bathroom in a restaurant. Of course, I used the bathroom slippers. However, I forgot to change back into my shoes after! I wore the bathroom slippers outside! I was so embarrassed.
I've become used to this part of Japanese culture, and now I think it is very clean and polite. When I move back to America, I plan to take my shoes off in my house.