The Day of Firsts

Arisa is very nice, and as expected her english is impeciable. She says my Japanese is good too, but I know she's just being polite, I still appreciate it though. She helps me when I'm studdering and tells me words. It was very cute, she tried to use the word 'suck,' she was like, "That is very much suck." I laughed and said "Yes that does suck" trying to show a proper usage for slang. Speaking of which, I taught her the slang 'plushie.' She makes stuffed animals apparentally, and didn't know that term. I felt good knowing that I could help her in little ways. We spoke mostly in English than Japanese, but I'll be more disiplined in the future. I had to speak english many times and it made me more comftorable in a possibly awkard situation. She lives one and a half hours from the campus by train, which is crazy. I almost felt bad for making her come out there.

I then went to some orientation things. Here at Kansai all homework for Japanese classes is through a program that your teacher records and you can record yourself talking and submit it digitally. It's very swanky, and very "only in Japan."

Following this Alan, myself, and a new girl we met up with, Haley, went on the quest for food. We went to the store I picked up towels at earlier because it had slippers for in the house, a small victory. I also tried my second vending machiene drink. It dispensed a cup, put ice in it, then dispensed the drink. When it was done you opened the door and took out the cup. It was an orange-flavored drink, like watered down orange juce, but it was good none-the-less.

Then we found this great mom and pop type restraunt near the dorm. It served okonomiyaki, which Haley and myself were excited about. They also have yakisoba noodles, and that's their entire menu. The older-lady running the store was really nice. And for 6.30 yen I got a bowl of miso soup, and chicken okonomiyaki. It was good, and very different from what I've had in the states. I took pictures, whenever my laptop FINALLY gets hooked up to the internet I'll begin to post them all here. If someone wants to see them though let me know and I can mail what I have from my cell phone e-mail.

After dinner the lady gave us all 50 yen off cupons. They were hand-made and very cute. Haley and I were already planning on heading back there for Yakisoba, so that will definately be used. I've decided that going out with groups at first is helping me because I'm more confident to use my Japanese when there are others around that can back me up if I fall flat. It's making me feel better when I'm on my own. Haley's Japanese is really good, almost to the point that she was translating the Japanese game show on the TV in the restraunt. Some kind of dating game? It was really weird, but what else do you expect from Japanese television?

I've noticed the cups in Japan are very tiny. In fact, most things are much smaller than what we have in America. But with how much water I drink a cup that has only about four gulps is upsetting, though like anywhere water is free. The woman at the store just left a pitcher on the table, it was a good call.

Going home we stopped in a conveniance store. I got this ice cream called "Pino" (Devan/Jeff - I thought of Ergo Proxy, Pino!!). It's like the Japanese version of klondike bars, though three-bite sized. The ice cream has a different consistancy than America, but is still very good.

I've noticed I'm not eating as much. Maybe it's nerves, or all the distractions, but I haven't eaten very much, and have walked all day. Come on loosing weight!

The weather has been wonderful too. A little too hot, but nothing like Florida, and there's normally a nice breeze.

Tomorrow I take my Japanese placement test, for deciding which Class I belong in. I'm going to refresh my Japanese tonight, but I'm not nervous. I don't need to have any particular level to graduate, and apparentally sensei at Rollins signed off that even a level 1 class here is the equlivant to a level 3 class there because it's so much more intensive. So no matter what I figure the class will be good and I'll learn a lot, and get some kind of credit for it.

I'm also going to sign up to register my laptop with the school too tomorrow, so hopefully I can skype soon.

Apparentally Alan found this karaoke bar about 30 minutes walk from the dorm. 1000 yen for 1 hour and all you can drink included (which doesn't really do anything for me, but you can see the appeal). He said it was nice and had songs in English and Japanese, there's talk about doing that tonight again, but we're not sure. We have to be back in the dorms by 11pm or we're locked out, so it can't be a late night no matter what we do.

I'm all kinds of exhausted, but I know I need to stay up and not nap, to make sure I get on a somewhat normal sleep schedule. I'll find something to do tonight, even if it's walking to the end of the road in the opposite direction this time... Still need to find sunglasses.

But for now, I think I'm going to crash in the room for a bit and relax. Not sleep, but rest my legs a little bit. Watch some crazy game shows maybe.... Thank you all for e-mailing my phone, I really like keeping in touch like that.