Bluelady

Biometric? Haven't heard about that! What if I get a face lift?

Alu_Rathbone

Cool! Thanks... I'm worried about the public transportation, I'm hoping it's not as hectic as the videos I've seen from public transportation vids from Tokyo. I decided on Nanzan due to having classes in both host and English. Plus, I'll learn the language a bit faster... There are things that I'm concerned about with living with a host family, laundry being one of them. I'm allergic to all powder detergents, but the liquid ones are alright, depending on brand. (I have a slight allergy to Gain, Purex and anything generic) so how will I know what soap to use there... Then again, these are things that I can put in my application for being put with a host family, they try to match students with a family that is most like them. I know it's a silly worry...

tlrnhi

I've never been to Nagoya, so I can't tell you what the public transportation is like. I'm sure you can contact the school and maybe they can put you in touch with someone who can give you that info..maybe like a penpal?
They do have those sorts of soaps there, but not sure what you would use being allergic to those brands. I'll be there's someone that can answer that question for you also!
It's not a silly worry...it's something you'll need to get figured out.

Alu_Rathbone

Thats my thinking, on the soap that is. I know I can get Tide from an import site, but it's SUPER expensive, for the size we get at home for about $12 (it's a huge bottle) it's almost 43.00 there (3,000 something yen). I'm wondering if they will give me a pen pal or at least a former student who was in the program... I am also going to make sure I have enough for Transportation and travel so that I can go to Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo.

Will it be difficult to catch on to the foreign language? Even if I do have little to no back ground?

noveltyjunkie

Actually, that is a valid concern, although with finger printing etc it is not really an issue I suppose.

These is a very basic piece on biometric face mapping here. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/h...l/nn2page1.stm I think it is a bit more complex than this though!

Alu_Rathbone

I know they have these... but I'm not sure those are available as of yet and they are.... it's probably pretty costly.

lauriejo

The passport my son got to go to Japan last year has the computer chip, and it was the same price. He had a great time, but was only there for two weeks. I was a basket case before he left, but we both survived LOL. He actually had four years of Japanese in high school and was travelling in a student group with his teacher.

KarenR

When I was reading you information. Either passports went way up in price from when I got ours or you may need to check the information again. Our courthouse does passports paperwork, photo's etc. It was nice getting it all done at once. I don't think our entire family costed that much. But it has been a few years.

dakotamaid

We got ours 2 year ago and they did send in our birth certificates. I had them take a photo copy of it and the passport application together before they sent them off. Got back the BC and the passport the same week. Took about 6 weeks at that time.

lauriejo

I think we paid closer to $150, but he didn't get the card just the book.