Various n00b advice needed for Japan visit this summer.

[jamesp]

I'm going to be visiting Japan for four weeks this this summer, from late july - late august. Two weeks working, two travelling. I'll be a vounteer ESL teacher with all my travel and accomodation paid for by some organisation or other for the working weeks. Anyways, heres my questions:

1. Will it be summer in japan at that time of year?
2. When working in a school/college, would I need to wear a business suit? I tend to dress casually when teaching in the UK.
3. I'd prefer to use my credit card for all purchases over about the eqivalent of ｣10, will most places accept creditcards? Hotels, train stations, general stores, etc.
4. I'll be staying with a JP family for the first two weeks, I've read that its good form to present people with gifts, what type of gift would be suitable and appreciated?

Thanks in advance.

[budd]

1. yes and humid
3. i hthink american express is... they ask for it when i reserve hotels sometimes
4. wrapped

[jamesp]

1. I'll pack a load of light clothes.
3. I'd be using an egg.com visa.
4. Heh. Would unusual tea be a good idea?

Thanks for the quick response budd.

[budd]

1. on second thought i was thinking about tokyo. "Rainy season generally starts in mid-June and lasts about five weeks. During that time, light rain will fall almost constantly, which can put a damper on day trips, but mild temperatures between 60 degrees and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees to 25 degrees Celsius) make it bearable. From late July through August temperature often reaches above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius) and unpleasantly high humidity."
other places might (probably) be different
3. i ain't never heard of it. contact the cardholder and ask them be my advice
4. meh... sometimes japanese taste is a little different than american taste -- hold on
ttp://www.skyteam.com/skyteam
well, nm, didn't see nothing really in the city guide
maybe some cool books with very little english in them... ie for the daddy a pictorial history of baseball? something like that maybe
and np!