Sorry everyone for taking so long to update :P. We haven't done anything too exciting or unusual the past couple weeks, but we did have an elaborate fire drill the other day. The Fire Department came and everything! They taught us about basic fire safety and fire prevention, and since we're all foreigners they wanted to be sure we all knew the Japanese emergency phone number (119 - easy to remember since its just like ours only backwards!) They also taught us all how to use fire extinguishers and let us use ones full of water to practice. Then they showed us how to use the emergency escape pully system on the third floor of the apartment complex (Since there's only one staircase, they have a getaway rope and pully system for those on the third floor in case the fire's on the stairs. I guess the second floor people just have to jump! Its not too far though, they'll be fine.... ;P). Anywho, the Japanese are all very organized about this sort of thing. They even have a panel in the office that shows you which fire alarms have gone off so you can see where the fire is. The fire truck, as you can see, is the familiar red color we all know. The ambulances are about the same too, except they TALK. Lol. Yeah, they do. The other day when Braden and I were out riding our bikes, an ambulance approached the intersection we were about to cross with its lights blaring. In addition to the siren, there was a loud computerized voice coming from some loud speakers, and it was saying that the ambulance was going to turn right. It probably speaks whenever the driver uses the turning signal, I imagine. Anyway, I thought it was pretty cool. Lots of stuff in Japan talks. The buses, some of the signs at bus stops (they tell you when the bus is near, which is pretty cool), the elevators, escalators, even the buttons you press to use the crosswalk! Its all pretty advanced. And yet here I am in a Japanese computer lab using a Windows XP computer with an old browser and an even older ball mouse. What's wrong with this picture?! Lol.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Dec. 21st
Sorry everyone for taking so long to update :P. We haven't done anything too exciting or unusual the past couple weeks, but we did have an elaborate fire drill the other day. The Fire Department came and everything! They taught us about basic fire safety and fire prevention, and since we're all foreigners they wanted to be sure we all knew the Japanese emergency phone number (119 - easy to remember since its just like ours only backwards!) They also taught us all how to use fire extinguishers and let us use ones full of water to practice. Then they showed us how to use the emergency escape pully system on the third floor of the apartment complex (Since there's only one staircase, they have a getaway rope and pully system for those on the third floor in case the fire's on the stairs. I guess the second floor people just have to jump! Its not too far though, they'll be fine.... ;P). Anywho, the Japanese are all very organized about this sort of thing. They even have a panel in the office that shows you which fire alarms have gone off so you can see where the fire is. The fire truck, as you can see, is the familiar red color we all know. The ambulances are about the same too, except they TALK. Lol. Yeah, they do. The other day when Braden and I were out riding our bikes, an ambulance approached the intersection we were about to cross with its lights blaring. In addition to the siren, there was a loud computerized voice coming from some loud speakers, and it was saying that the ambulance was going to turn right. It probably speaks whenever the driver uses the turning signal, I imagine. Anyway, I thought it was pretty cool. Lots of stuff in Japan talks. The buses, some of the signs at bus stops (they tell you when the bus is near, which is pretty cool), the elevators, escalators, even the buttons you press to use the crosswalk! Its all pretty advanced. And yet here I am in a Japanese computer lab using a Windows XP computer with an old browser and an even older ball mouse. What's wrong with this picture?! Lol.
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I was just thinking today that I hadn't read anything from you in awhile. Merry Christmas!
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