Halloween Party

Firstly, Housekeeping. I got my paperwork for my intent to graduate and Senior Audits filled out and e-mailed as a PDF in yesterday (on time). Since I'm abroad they're being leniant about the signatures, I've been in contact with the people at the records office. I sent them to the Department heads for what I need and asked them to sign it and put it in the campus mail, so I should be good.

I filled out a form that did have information about caps and gowns, but I don't know if it was "the" form in the bookstore, I'll try to check.

Now onto the fun stuff...

The Halloween Party at Kansai has thus far been the most fun I've had in a long time on Halloween. I've taken literally like a hundred pictures and a lot of people (espically the Japanese) recognize my character. I'll post pictures later, right now I'm doing this from a computer in the CIE so I can't hook up my camera. But it's a lot of fun!

Keep your fingers crossed for me everyone, voting for the contest is going on right now!!

And life goes on

This week has been a bit boring to be honest, well boring comparatively to the exciting things that have been happening in previous weeks. I wouldn't say being in Japan is ever really "boring."

I've been in contact with Dr. Tillmann back home, trying to get my corses orginized. I feel bad sending so many e-mails, like I'm hastleing her, but we have no other way of communication. I feel a bit out of the loop with everything, Rollins isn't really good about informing Seniors who are abroad about paperwork either before they go or while they're gone. I'm just finding out about forms I need to fill out and am like "I would've loved to get that done early, if I'd known. It's not like I've graduated college before." But I know it'll work out. No one likes the extra paperwork but everyone I've dealt with, including Dr. Tillmann, thankfully seems to understand.

I got my midterms back, I got A-'s on both my reading and writing. My speaking teacher was a tough grader on the oral part, but I obviously did okay overall. I'm thinking I'll end up with all A's this Semester. The only one still "up in the air" is my Popular Media and Culture class... and that's becase we've literally had no grades yet. The midterm is next week though, so I'm going to really study for it.

I need to be going now, more later.

The Squid

Okay, nothing really happened today, so I'm gonna skip right to the heart of the matter.

I learned how to butcher a squid today.

I pulled the head and guts from the tubular tail body. Then stuck my fingers in and pulled out the stomach and cartlege. And then I peeled it's skin. Oh yeah, Claire the Squid butcher.

Edit:

1) The squid was already dead.
You know those little white styrofoam trays you get in the supermarket? With the meat on them that are wrapped in cellophane? They have whole (dead) squid here pre-packaged like that, just a squid, sitting on a tray in the market, like a steak.

2) Squid, it's what's for dinner.
As to the why of butchering the squid, it was for dinner. Yum.

Photo Contest - Help!

Okay! So, Rollins is having an international Photo Contest. I've painstakingly narrowed it down to a few, but I'm having trouble getting it down to two. So, I was wondering if everyone would help me and write a comment of which two you think I should submit.

Thanks all! The deadline is in a few days, so doing it before the 29th would be appreciated!

(P.S. There's another new blog post below all these pictures!)

1) The "Floating" Torii (Close-up)




2) The "Floating" Torii and Itsukushima Temple

3) Itsukushima Temple

4) The "Floating" Torii (far)

5) The Atomic Bomb Dome

Even just which two numbers you think I should submit is fine, thanks all!

New friends and free tickets

So this weekend was so much fun!

On Thrusday I began hanging out with this girl from my speaking class, Margo, and her friends. They're all a lot of fun, and really nice. They told me on Friday they were going to go to Osaka and Karaoke it up. I was like, heck yeah!

I met up with them on Friday and we left around 6 for Osaka. We got off at an abnormal stop, they said they were going to pick up a friend at a Hostel first. Apparentally Jarred met Tony in Tokyo, and since then they've been hanging out with him as he travels Japan, in Kyoto, Hiroshima, and now Osaka. I took "the more the merrier" mentality. Tony was really cool and a lot of fun. He mentioned at the beginning of the night about his friend who's Elphaba right now in the Universal performance of Wicked which of course I was a bit of a fangirl about.

We headed to downtown Osaka:


The downtown area of Osaka is so cool at night. It's all light up and right on a river, it's a lot of fun and enjoyable to just walk through and look at all the lights. We went to this 280 yen place, where everything was 280 yen, the food, and more importantly, the booze (well more importantly to them, I didn't drink.)

It was a chicken place, where you could prettymuch get any part of the chicken from normal things, to ground up chicken patties (which is what I got a lot of, they were yummy) to chicken hearts and cartlege on sticks.


I'm really glad I ran into these people and made friends with them at school, they're all very nice. From the left side of the picture around the table it's: Joanna, Margo, Me, Tony, Jerrad, and Caroline (she was just someone Tony met at the hostel from Hong Kong, nice, but I never saw her after this.)

So at the end of the night Tony mentioned again his friend at Universal, and he offered everyone free tickets that his friend had offered him. I asked if he was sure it was okay, since we'd just met and I didn't want to take someone else's ticket. But, everyone was busy with a gay pride day in Osaka, so I ended up with one of the free tickets.

In the morning Tony e-mailed my phone from the hostel and I rushed out the door. Unfortunately, due to my bus being late due to traffic and a mix up of meeting location I missed the chance to meet Elphaba. But, I still had a free ticket!

Jerrad also e-mailed me and said he was comming, initally he said he wasn't going to and was going to go to the event. But then he said he had a revelation of "when would be the next time I'll get free tickets to Universal" and decided to go. He said he wasn't feeling very gay and proud anyways :P

So we headed to Universal! There's a special train off the loop line in Osaka that runs there. It's astounding how similar Japan's universal is to ours, minus a few differences, for example, citywalk:

And of course, it wouldn't be Universal without a giant steaming globe:

The park was all set up for Halloween, but of course this is Japan, so everything was cute over scary.

After getting into the park we decided to get fast passes. There was a fast pass book that would get us on all the big long wait rides for 30.00US. Since none of us paid for tickets we decided it was worth it. Because of that we got to ride every single ride in the park.

One of our favorite areas was the Jurassic Park area. We were three of the five total westeners I saw in the Park that day. Something about being strange just by existing prompts you to be even stranger. So we thought it'd be fun to do a series of pictures where we all pretended to be dinosaurs. I make a cute velascoraptor don't I?

We also went on the Jurassic Park ride, and got super wet. All the Japanese people had been laughing at (well I like to think with) us all day and taking pictures. We posed by this sign, and then this woman walked up and asked if we could take a picture with her kid, it was very amusing, we were like um... why do these people want random photos of us?


Then at the end of the day something Wicked this way came.

Tony's friend was all in all very very good. She'd just gotten over being really sick, so I think her vocal stamina was weak, but she was very impressive. She said the Japanese aren't very emoative so she asked Tony if we could cheer a bit to let her know we were there. We cheered after every song and at the end we gave her a standing ovation (mind you the only three people who stood up). She saw us, since we were almost front row, and laughed. Since then I sent her a message on Facebook thanking her for the tickets and telling her how good she was. We've talked a little, and she said if I ever need discount USJ tickets to let her know, which is quite exciting.

After that we ate dinner, everyone else went out to the clubs but I went home, I was quite exhausted from two full days of fun.

On Sunday I finished my Halloween costume, and not to brag, but it's pretty cool. I'm very excited and nervous to debut it on Friday. Other than that I did nothing, I was pretty tired still from Friday and Saturday, so I just wanted to rest.

Today has also been good, but not much to be said. It's been a rainy cold day, I'm beginning to learn why people really have slippers and what a drafty house means.

I need to get a pumpkin soon to carve...

My super cute "Japanese" Outfit

So this was the outfit that I wore to school the other day, very Japanese, and very cute I think also. Even my Okaasan said my "costume" that day was cute... I know she meant outfit so I said thank you. Times like that you gotta remind yourself not to be offended!

Thursday

So, I took my Oral exam about an hour ago. It went well, I botched up one or two things but they were very minor. I was very pleased, when I left the room there were some other girls who I'm somewhere between friends and aquaintences with. They were really really nervous. I told them not to be, that the test was exactlly what she told us to study, but not the same quantity of course. That she picked thnigs at random from what she told us to study and that the only thing I was surprised about was that she recorded us (which most of them knew apparentally it's common for oral tests). Then sensei popped her head out of the door and asked us not to speak about the test.



I don't know if she was doing it to be safe or if she thought I was relaying information. I hope it's not the later. I'm not doing anything until I see if she comments to me about cheating or helping others cheat. Which I was of course NOT doing. She picks things at random, and I didn't tell them anything about what she chose for me. What I was saying was things they already knew, studying the study guides she gave us was what they needed to do to succeed, I just know hearing it can sometimes make it easier.



Either way, I don't think I'm really in trouble, I know how teachers can be extra cautious about those kinds of things so she was likely just being careful.



Today I'm not nearly as cute as yesterday, back in my American clothing of jeans and T-Shirts.



This weekend I decided I'm not going to go out to the mountian. Staying with the monks is something you have to apply to do and it can take awhile, so I'm going to do that and do it likely in November.



My Okaasan, Otosan and Toko are going out to Tokyo from the 30th through the 1st. But get this, they're locking the upstairs!!! They said to shower or use the kitchen I'll have to ask Kai, who I never see and gets home SO late and leaves really early. I don't know why they can't just leave me a key. I've used their kitchen enough for them to know I clean up after myself and won't burn the place down. I'm really frustrated about that, I'm not sure if I should say something to the CIE or not. It's only like 2/3 nights, but still, eating out is expensive, and of course I don't have any means to store or prepaire food downstairs. There's no hot plate, no kettle, nothing, I can't even make instant Ramen. And I'm not allowed to stay at the Seminar Houses... I'll likely crash there until the second I have to leave though through that weekend. Not to mention I feel like I shouldn't be cut off from the only shower. And my only means to get to all those things is a person who gets in between 8-9pm, which isn't too late to shower but it's too late to cook really. Plus, my Okaasan said that if Kai opens up the door I can cook, so if she's worried about me burnin down the place then why'd she not care? If we were in a real House I'd have access to everything anyways so why can't they just leave me a key? I'm sure they at least have two. 2-3 days on a weekend, espicaly Halloween weekend where I'll be at the Schools Halloween party one night anyways I'm just being chill as I can about it, if it was longer I'd definately say something, but I stil think it's kind of messed up not to just leave a key downstairs on the table by the door or something so I can just go upstairs, make dinner, eat it, shower, then lock the door behind me, head down stairs and put the key back on the table...... Oh well, maybe I'm being unreasnable?



I still haven't heard anything from Crummer, not even a "we've recieved your application!" I'm thinking of poking them, I understand if it takes awhile to process but you think I would've heard they've recieved it, because when I submitted the application it said I'd get an e-mail when it's been processed by asmissions.



Anyways, I think I may go to the Library, check out a book and then go to Florista (the cute cafe across the street from the school) and sit for awhile until my afternoon classes kick in. Today's my long studio day, woohoo!

Good Morning

Good morning eeryone. I decided to dress like a Japanese person today. I wore my jean tights, a cute ruffly tunic and heels. Yep, I wore heels to school, gasp, I know. I feel very awkard in it all, but it looks good on me. Japan is one of those countries where you don't need a reason to dress up. The girls often wear skirts and heels to school, guys nice jeans and collared shirts. It's like everyone always looks like they're ready to go out on a Friday night all the time.

My host family ate my cake last night. Once they dug in they all had like three pieces whch made me happy. If they were just being polite they wouldn't have gone back for seconds. They told me again I should open a cake shop. I'm not serious really, but owning a cute cake shop and bakery in Japan would be a lot of fun.

I have a Kanji quiz now, so I need to run to class, I'm not worried. Though I did get the lowest grade of the Semester on my last speaking test, a 92.8 so I'm going to study a bit extra.

Hiroshima & Miyajima

So here's things that got left out from last time about Hiroshima...

We walked around the peace park for a bit, most iconic of everything is the atomic bomb dome, one of the few still standing structures after the bombing. The building is literally one block from the Hypocenter, it survived the blast with some standing walls because it was literally underneath the giant ball of flame.

Walking around the peace park was a bit hard for me when I hit the Children's memorial. Everything just hits you all at once, one after the other, in a relentless emotional assult. I didn't cry, but I kind of felt that emotion in me. It's a really powerful place, I've been learning a lot that I didn't know before, good and bad, about all sides.... But I don't feel like getting into all that now, it's a discussion better to be left for in person.

The speaker was talking in the basement of the museum, so I walked around inside the museum for awhile, and before I get into that I just want to say, Japan is the best place when it comes to museums and things. If it's something imporant and cultural they charge very little to get in. Temples are normally the most expensive (at a whopping 3.50 US entry), and you know it goes to matience so you don't even feel that bad about it.

The Museum was just as hard as the grounds...

I stopped and stood and stared at this one thing behind glass in a case for a long while...

There was something about this statue, knowing it's history, that I just felt held so much emotion and symbolic representation at once, it took me a long time to take it in, like a catalyst for digesting everything that I'd felt so far.

Then I heard the talk, you all know how that was. This is a picture of the survivor who spoke (the man in white is the professor who arranged the trip).

Following that we found the other girl's hostel and then decided to do something significantly less depressing. We went to Hiroshima castle. (though honestly, even that's a bit depressing, because the original castle was of course destroyed in the blast...)

But we got some amazing pictures from the observation deck:

Inside the temple they had all this Samurai clothing and Kimonos you could try on. So the five of us decided to have a jolly time doing so. After about 10 minutes I glanced over and there was like this small cround of Japanese people looking very confused and amused watching us. I'm so used to people staring at me for just existing at this point that it just rolls right off. But normally in tourist areas it's a bit better. I think they thought it was funny how excited we were and how silly we looked when posing and everything. (That and maybe also becuase I'm in boy's clothing... I wanted to be the Samurai over the Kimono Lady....)

==== Miyajima ====

First, permit me to start by saying that this is in my top 4 most amazing/scenic places I've ever been, in the world, in my entire life. Screw the carribean, my dream home is on Miyajima island.

So the girls said be up by 9 and ready to go. I'm halfway there and they tell me that they're running an hour late. Well by that time the tide was going to be on it's way out. If you're going to Miyajima, check the tides! All the best shots are when the tide is in and I didn't want to miss that, so I told them I was going to go on ahead rather than just walking in circles for an hour, and meet up with them on the island.

From the center of Hiroshima it's an hour trolly ride and then a five minute ferry out to Miyajima island.

So at Miyajima there are deer, you meet them right when you get off the ferry. And the deer in Japan apparentally didn't get the same memo that the deer in America did. Japanese deer love people. They're not afraid or skiddish, they just walk around, walk right up to you, sniff you to see if you have any food. Little screaming kids can run up to them and they're just like "whatever." I made the mistake of sitting down and trying to read my map and like three deer walk over and begin slobering and poking their noses all over me. One deer head in my lap, one over my shoulder, and one begins to try to eat my map. The moral of the story? Don't sit and try to read a map, best done on the move!

So of course they also say "don't feed the deer" for fear of what tourists may give them. I don't think it's fear of taming them, that's WAAAY past. But this one woman thought "oh what a cute little deer!" And fed it.... Then another cute little deer came up.... then another.

Soon she's squealing, waliking very fast, walking backwards, and all you see is this:

I was highly amused....

But onto what you all really care about! The "floating" Torii:

The Torii is amazing, high tide it's astounding, and low tide you can walk right up to it and touch it. (hence why I said, check the tides)

Located near the Torii is of course a variety of Shinto temples...

But one was also built in the water, and at high tide looks like it's just sitting on top of the ocean:

These pictures really don't do this place justice, I walked around for hours just, taking it all in. It's a senic, serene, peaceful, happy, amazing, little island.

I also came across a very very beautiful Buddhist temple. Going to these Buddhist temples and living with a family who identifies as "Buddhist" has really given me some perspective and thoughts on the religion, I really like it.

I like this picture a lot, I think of "Buddah's Army" because if Buddah did have an army it'd be peaceful and serene and contemplative like statues. And it was a literal walkway with hundereds of tiny Buddahs.

At the temple I picked up some real Buddhist insense, it smelled so good walking into every temple I really wanted some. I'm not quite sure how to go about asking my Okaasan if it's okay or not to burn it in my room.

And then... my camera died! YAY! But thankfully I know I'm definately going back when everyone gets here, you all HAVE To see this place. So I'll get more pictures then.

When I was walking through Miyajima I also saw a traditional bride and groom in Kimonos riding through town, everyone began cheering when they passed. I also found a used/antique (fancy way of saying old) kimono shop with kimonos for 1050 yen! I could've got a Kimono, Obi, and Shoes for about 35.00 US! But the trip was already expensive enough so I refrained myself. I also didn't LOVE any of them, and it was in a touristy area, so I'm thinking that maybe in Kyoto they'll have some really beautiful used shops.

I came back fairly early but it's a long trip, so I got home around 7, starving. Thankfully my Okaasan kind of plans for me to be hungry when I get back from a trip (assuming I get back at a reasonable hour) so she always has some kind of food ready for me. I tell you, salmon and rice is the best ever. I appreciate fish so much since I've been here and all the meat really stinks. I'm on pretty much a fish/tofu/vegtable only diet right now. But I don't feel or look bad, so I don't think it's hurting me at all.

==== Monday ====

And all of that brings me to today, yay!

Not much to say, so I'll skip to the highlights...

Firstly, this Thursday and Friday are my speaking midterms and we signed up for time slots. If we take it on Thursday we don't have class on Friday and vice versa. Well, the only class I have on Friday is ceramics, which I can make up if need be. I'm not sure why I'd skip, but it's nice to think of a 3-day weekend as an option.

I was thinking of going to Koyasan, it'd be about 35.00 US round trip in transit. It's a mountian town to the south of Osaka where the Shingon sect of Buddhism was literally founded. The hotels there are all temples, you literally stay with the monks. They serve you dinner and breakfast (in monk food) and invite you to participate in morning prayers. The only thing is staying there is about 90.00 for the night, which after Hiroshima is a bit too rich for my blood. But, 35.00 US cost for round trip on the express train may be worth it for a long day trip.

When I got home I stopped by Top World (Japanese Publix) and got some things to make Carrot Cake.

I made the cake, and then no one tried it... I felt like apologizing, but I didn't know what for. I made the cake, I bought the ingrediants, and I put in the time, so I shouldn't be sorry for anything... I don't know, maybe I've baked too much?

If they haven't touched it by tomorrow night I'm taking it into school and sharing it with my friends.

And that's been my day. I really miss everyone, perhaps we should all set up skype times? (speaking of which, mom and dad sorry about skype today, the internet Gods did not like us at aaaallll)

But it's time for bed now, I love all the comments, thanks everyone!

Hiroshima: Day 1

I don't have long to post, the internet costs money here. It's not bad, 100 yen for 30 minutes, so I thought it'd be worth it to let everyone know I'm okay.

So, I'm really good.

The train ride was fine, I got to help teach another girl who didn't have tickets yet also how to navigate the Shinkansen. We got off at Hiroshima and I began to hang out with a group of girls, two of them good friends, the other two aqqantences. I was a bit annoyed, they were being slow, so I used the excuse that I had to find an ATM to escape. I walked my own path (ended up beating them too) to the Atomic Bomb Dome. It's a really powerful place, how could it not be?

But I'm going to skip right to the main event due to time.

The talk was, really, just, amazing. I'm going to try to retell this woman's story as best I can in 20 minutes:

She was 12 when the bomb dropped. Japan had begun taking children out of schools and "mobalizing" them to perform labor for the war. They were taught that the Americans may invade, and practiced with sticks to fight off the possible invasion of soldiers.

On August 6th she was out working 1.5KM from the hypocenter of the bomb. She said everyone within a 1KM radius died almost instantly. Her father was also saved because he was out selling sweet potatos in a market far from the Hypocenter, she said he later died of Cancer and radiation poisoning. She saw the planes fly in and asked her friend why they were there, they always bombed at night. Then she saw something falling from the sky shining, she said there were no clouds on that day, and she remembered every detail perfectly.

She dropped to the ground instinctually right before the bomb exploded. It was noise and chaos all at once. When she stood up she said everything was just gone, she didn't know what was happening. The skin on her arms and face had been badly burned and peeled immediately, clinging and dangling off her body. She called and called out to her friend but she couldn't find her, there wasn't any answer.

She began walking through the remains, the whole city was glowing red with fire and everyone was walking around in a daze. Eventually in pain she threw herself into a river looking for relief and found her friend. She said they started sobbing, she told her friend to stop, because she was trying very hard to find her family.

Her and her friend walked together, but eventually her friend collapsed and couldn't go any further. She said that if she walked faster, maybe when she did find help they could've gone and saved her friend, she still thinks of that.

She eventually found her mother, but her mother had died in a crushed and burning building, leaving just her and her father.

She said rebuilding after that was nearly impossible. Many Japanese shunned the survivors from normal society, fearing radiation poisioning. She said she couldn't find employment or a husband because of her scars and fear of infertility due to radiation, when all she wanted was children and a family like a normal person.

She said that the survivors bonded by their suffering, and formed their own mini-society, even still to this day in many ways.

She said that many survivors hate Americans, and America. But she said that she does not, and that the more she gives talk the more she sees the sincerity and compassion in Americans and tells others not to hate Americans. She said she does not blame our generation for decisions of the past.

There was a lot more to the talk, but it was really, once in a lifetime. I knew all these things, but to hear it first-hand, hear this woman's pain her trials, it's hard to explain... but I know I'm glad I came.

Tomorrow we're going to Miyajima to see the floating Torii and others, it's going to be an early morning but that's good, fit in the most I can. Today I did a lot too, I'll write about it later.

I love you all, my Hostel is nice, I'm safe, and all is well, I need to go now but I love you all and I'll write and post pictures tomorrow when I get home.

Off to Hiroshima

Well somehow I managed to get up. I'm off to Hiroshima, I'm not bringing my computer so everyone please e-mail my phone to stay in touch!

Love you all

The week till now

Well, the week has been, surprisingly busy.

On Tuesday me, Chihiro, Ken, Otosan, Okasan and Obaasan (grandmother) went out to a restraunt called "Saint Marc's." It was a bakery and restraunt, kind of reminded me of a very fancy Panera. Bread is really big here, I think it's because people don't have ovens in their houses, so baking isn't a task often performed by the average Japanese person. The meal was good. I got chicken - Yay Chicken! At first I was worried, because it looked really fatty, but then I realized it was the breast just served with the skin on top still. After I peeled that back it was delicious (though I don't think the waiters got that I was done, couldn't figure out why I'd left the "best part" on my plate... not to mention they didn't know the universal restraunt symbol for "I'm finished.") Between every course they came around with a new platter of breads, Macha Bread, Chocolate Bread, Poppy Bread, Onion Bread, Garlic Bread, French Bread, Asiago Bread, Crossiants, on and on. I think I ate like 12 rolls, and I ate the least! The portions of the meal were small, after that I knew why! Desert was really good though. I've learned that there are a lot of English words in Japan that have entierly different contexts in Japan. Like "Pie" is a piece of thin airy crispy waffer that's sweet. Not like, crust and filling, pie. My desert was "pie" sandwitched with cream to make a cake. It was served with some really amazing ice cream and even had a piece of white chocolate with "Happy Birthday (in Japanese)" written on it. It was a good dinner, and really interesting to see how western etiquitte has been fuzed with some Japanese elements.

On Wednesday I went to my normal slew of classes in the morning. Then HeeWon and Oglivie were hanging out so I chilled with them. They were going to get a late lunch/early dinner and I decided to tag along since well I had nothing else to do. I sat with them while they ate at a restraunt, I got an order of fries to not be rude to the restraunt, but not enough to ruin my dinner when I got home. I have a hard time paying for dinner, when I can get it for free if I wait an hour. Then we walked around the station and did Purikura, I think that's one of my favorite things about Japan. I rushed home, I was really nervous because my bus hit a lot of traffic but my Okaasan was very chill about it.

Thursday was a long day of classes... But when I got home it was just Okaasan and me for dinner. She eats very fast, so she always gets done before me. She normally doesn't leave the kitchen though when it's just us, because she cooks dinner or prepairs something for Otosan or one of the kids. So Thursday, I'm eating dinner, got about half a bowl of soup, a quarter thing of rice, and the last two hunks of meat that I've been slowly working on. And then I found out I was really turning Japanese (I really think so :D). Okaasan pulls out a cutting board on the counter in front of me. Her back was to me, but the kitchen is about 6ft wide, including counters and table space, so you're always in the middle of everything, and I was facing the counter top. Pulls out some fish. Gets her big knife. And then... THWAK - CRUNCH - RIP. She begins to chop off the heads, and pull out the guts of the fish while I'm just chilling, STILL EATING. I'm sipping my soup as I'm watching the blood and guts drain out of the fish after the head comes off. I'm gnawing on my slightly less fatty meat as I'm watching her fillet the fish. I managed to finish my dinner and keep it down. The next time she said I could try butchering fish myself, that's going to be an experience...

Friday (today) I got a lot of pieces back from my ceramics class, some are very good, but I have no idea how I'm going to get them home. One of the glazing turned out beautifully, I'm really happy about it. Then I went out to Mos Burger with a friend, and then ran errands with my Okaasan. She taught me how to cook Shrimp Shumai tonight, delicious!!

I also had the dillema of to go to Hiroshima or not. I had the luxury of waiting until the last minute because I didn't get group tickets with everyone. But here's the thing, it's actually cheaper NOT to get the group discount. On the Shinkansen there are reserved seats (which are exactlly as they sound) and non-reserved seats, which are essentally a free for all in the first three cars. When booking both seats you pay a service charge, but reserved seats are much much more expensive than non-reserved. So much so that even with the discount of a group ticket, it's still a little more expensive than just getting a non-reserved seat. (I did the research with a friend who got the reserved ticket.)

I decided, in the end, I'm going to go to Hiroshima, and stay the weekend. It's an almost painfully expensive trip for how long I can stay (I thought about skipping classes on Monday, but there also isn't much to do in Hiroshima...) but the thought of hearing the talk won me over. Every time I decided against it, I thought again "But I'm going to miss that talk." Not to sound dramatic, but I knew it'd be something that I wished I sucked it up and did for a long time after if I didn't go. There weren't many survivors of the bomb to begin with (given the scale and all that..) plus it happened a long time ago, so I can't imagine there's many left. And to have a chance to hear one talk, live, and in English, it strikes me a bit as, once-in-a-lifetime. Plus, I just had a birthday, so some of my birthday money will go to funding this trip as my birthday present.

I also found out that not only were other people staying the night, but some of them my friends! Unfortunately, because I jumped on the bandwagon late their Hostel was full. But they opted to stay in a more expensive hostel, like 60.00 US. So I found a significantly cheaper one (half the price) nearby. I figure by the time we wearily walk back to the Hostels it'll be late anyways, then we just have to meet up in the morning, and I think (looking at the maps) they're in walking distance.

I've been looking up stuff to do in Hiroshima, like I said, there isn't much, but at least two days worth, so I'm going to pack as much as I can in. I figure, people have spent 150.00 US to do something significantly less imporant than listen to an A-Bomb Survivor.

If I get there, and there seems like a lot to see, I may skip classes on Monday. Doing non-reserved shinkansen I can go back whenever. Plus, Hostels normally have open beds for just one person. And, at Kansai, you have a 10% attendance grade, but other than that they don't count attendance, it's just, miss more than 30% of the course and you fail. So having not missed a class yet, I can afford to skip if I want to...

I'm still hesitant if this trip is the right decision or not, but I think it is. I wouldn't be debating and rationalizing it so much if I didn't really want to go. Though I do have to get up at the near ass-crack of dawn 6:30am tomorrow... UGH....

Thank you guys for the previous comments, I appreciate it. And before I go, here's some random facts!



Random things I've learned about the Japanese:

1) They have the best Playlists Ever
Due to the mass amounts of public transportation everyone always has ear buds in, listening to their ipods and whatnot. But I have never EVER seen a Japanese person change the song, ever. In fact, I've never even seen their mp3 players. For all I know their headphone jack could just be snaked into their bags and pluged into nothing. And even if they're listening to the raido on their ipod or whatever, they never ever cange the channel, or even turn it off....

2) They don't yawn or sneeze
I've never seen a Japanese person yawn. Sleep on trains and busses, yes. But yawning and sneezing in public, nope, never seen one person. I know with the H1N1 people are likely freaking out about sneezing, but when you gotta sneeze you gotta sneeze! Yawning is nearly impossible to stop too...

3) They apologize even if it's your fault
I can't tell you all how many times my backpack has nearly taken off someone's head when I swing it on in the bus. I'm looking for my bus pass or digging through my bag (or chaning the song on my ipod :D ) and I bump into someone or get in a bicycle's way on the street.... and so on, but every time they also apologize, every person. I'm like, I know you're polite, but I was being a dumb foreginer...


Okay, love you all! I need to go to bed so I have some chance of getting up tomorrow!! I'm not bringing my laptop with me to Hiroshima, so I'll catch you all on the flip side!

Hiroshima

I have a lot to write about, and I'll catch up later, but I wanted to get this out there because I wanted everyone's opinion on this mental debate I'm having:

There's a large school trip going to Hiroshima tomorrow. I wasn't planning on going but then I heard that an A-Bomb survivor is going to be giving a talk on well, everything. So that kind of has convinced me a bit to go.

But, the Shinkansen tickets are a bit expensive, I think about 75.00$ a ticket one-way. And, I know I'm going to go there with my Parents, sister and Jeff when they come over too... But I keep thinking the talk is worth it.

Then my second debate is, if I'm spending the money and going all that way should I book a last-minute hostel and stay the night? Make it a day and a half or two days instead of only one day. The only thing with that is there isn't much to see in the way of sight-seeing in Hiroshima, given that a lot of the old buildings and whatnot were destroyed.

So, is it worth it for the day trip? And if I do go should I stay over night? Comment with feedback pleeeease?

Thanks all!!

Sunday and Birthday

Okay, so let's begin with Sunday...

After sitting inside all Saturday I felt the need to get out of the house and go somewhere. I sent out a mass text inviting anyone to come with me who wanted, that I was headed to Kuzuha mall, it's one stop on the limited express train toward Kyoto, and it's the nearest biggest mall. I wanted to go to uni qlo, the gap of Japan essentally. Because gap here is 40.00 for a scarf!

No one ended up coming, so I got on the bus and headed out... At hirakata station the bus stopped, but not in the place it normally does. At the same time I hear the beat of drums so I'm like, "Okay, what's going on?"

Randomly, I see this...

It's a random presession. I asked my Okaasan later, she had no idea. Since I didn't have anyone to worry about meeting I followed them around for awhile....

They carried these big towers and were singing and people were playing drums inside the towers and had people dancing on top. After following them for awhile I still couldn't figure out what's going on. And while I could ask in Japanese, I knew I wouldn't understand the answer!

So I headed off to Uni Qlo, I'm really getting comftorable using Japanese and getting around. It's odd, but for some words I'm almost using them more instinctually in Japanese now than in English.

At Uni Qlo I got a basic long sleeve shirt (because I don't have that many) two cute tops, one tunic style, jean leggings - how cool is that?, and a cool cheap hat - hats here are like a way of life, they're normally like 40.00! I got it all for like 70.00 US (because the exchange rate sucks right now), I thought for three shirts, a hat and nice leggings that was pretty good. They were having their weekly "It's Sunday!" sale, so I took advantage of it.

When I got home I went out shopping with my Okaasan for ingrediants. When I leave here her kitchen is going to be so stocked. She barely has any spices, she didn't even have baking soda, which for the record was fun to try to communicate in Japanese.

I trimed alll the fat I could off the beef for the beef stew. My Okaasan laughed at me, but I was cooking so no fatty beef for me that night! It turned out well, and my Okaasan liked it. I don't think she liked it as much though as the chicken because I didn't cook it in the oven. But I did cook bannana bread in the oven. Her and Otosan thought it was amazing, they said I could sell it! They immediately wrapped it up and we walked over to Ken and Chihiro's apartment so they could have some too. I told them it was really easy to make and that I'd make it anytime they'd like me to. It is pretty simple, and I like baking, not to mention if they buy the ingrediants I don't care!

I then sent out a mass text to people who hadn't gotten back to me about my birthday party and went to bed.


****^^^^>>>> Birthday!!! <<<<^^^^****

So I slept in and woke up around 10. I ate breakfast, leftover stew, but I've eaten worse! My Okasan presented me with presents from her and Otosan. I honestly wasn't expecting anything from them, maybe a card, so it was a shock. They got me a scroll case to put my artwork in, hello kitty stickers, and a limited edition hello kitty clutch bag. It's the 35th anneversary of Hello Kitty, and it's a limited edition bag you can only get in Japan. My Okasan she went to the store in Kyoto to get it, so I was really impressed...

Then I skyped with some people, you guys know who you are! Then headed off...

Sara and Solene texted me that they missed the bus and would be a bit late, I told them of course I'd wait. Good thing I did, they were the only ones that showed up. It turns out there's a wicked bug going around the Seminar houses. Dana, who was also invited, was found lieing on the kitchen floor sleeping. I guess she felt so disoriented and exhausted she just lied down where she was and instantly fell asleep, Sara said she looks really bad. So Dasha stayed home to take care of her. Ogilvie and Sophia had tests the next day so they were studing. One of the Egyptian girls got sick too, so the other stayed to take care of her. Jordan was still in Tokyo, and Heewon's flight back from Korea got delayed due to mechanical problems. The only person unaccounted for was Gita who never responded to me.

Since it was just three of us, we decided to go to Osaka Castle instead. None of us had been, and it wasn't a horde of people. This is Sara and Me:

And then the three girls:

We got some really great pictures of and from the top of the castle. It was a really cool experience. When we were going up to the castle there was a vendor with melon on sticks, we all felt like a snack. I decided to splurge and got a 200 yen slice of watermelon. I told them that this was better to me than birthday cake, so they all started to sing happy birthday (it was funny, all the Japanese people were like huh?), I "blew out" my melon slice, and then we all ate our melons on sticks. (something about that phrase sounds dirty...)

Then we went to round one and played some games and did Purikura. I told them all I wanted from them for my birthday was to do purikura, so they happily split the 400 yen cost and did it with me:

You go into a green screen photo booth and pick background and then make silly poses. Then you can add a bunch of stuff later and it prints out with a sticky back. I really like it, not only is it fun, but you make really cute memories.

Then we went out to dinner and I ordered my first of-age beer ever:

(P.S. OF COURSE I didn't drink it, since I'm not allowed as part of program. I ordered it, Solene Drank it, then I held up the empty glass I ordered.... ;D )

We walked around to a small cafe and got some actual cake, though no singing, that was over the melon. And then went home, it was about 8:00pm and they had tests tomorrow so they wanted to study, which I understood, I was just happy they came out at all. Solene gave me my birthday present, a tubberware container of Crepes! She knew I wanted to try her french cooking, so she got up this morning and made 17 crepes. She said she wanted to make 20 but they wouldn't fit. It's fill and go style!

Then when I got home we all played with baby Mita for awhile, then Chihiro presented me with a gift from her and Ken, it was Rilakkuma slippers (really famous random character, like Hello Kitty)! They're so cute and really warm. So now my woolrich slippers have become upstairs-downstairs slippers, and these are my inside slippers. My tootsies are warm all the time! I thanked them a lot, I was really shocked, I really wasn't expecting something from them.

So then I went to take my shower and Toko got home, and she also gave me a present! She gave me a messenger bag/purse and a little hello kitty hand towel. I was shocked yet again, and I thanked her a lot. I really wish I was better at expressing gratitude in Japanese, their thoughts menat a lot to me. Nothing was necessarily lavish, but these people went out of their way for me when they really didn't have to and I really didn't expect them to, I suppose in a way it made me feel more like a real part of the family.

These are the gifts I got:

I took my shower and then thanked them all again. I'm half thinking of writing thank you notes, but how do you give a thank you note to people you live with (or essentally live with in Ken and Chihiro's case) without being weird?

So, as I hope everyone can tell, it was overall a great birthday. I had a moment of being a little sad on the bus on the way home, just missing everyone back home. Nothing serious, but just a moment of missing spending important moments with the people I really love. But, coming home to such a reception from my host family cheered me up a lot, I'm okay.

Also, before I forget, thank you Betsy for the card and gift, I really appreciate it. It's sitting on my desk next to my other birthday card I got and is making me smile. So, thank you very very much also!!

Tomorrow I can't decide if I want to wear my new cloths or not, but I know I'm going to use Toko's bag!

I wish you all were here and could be sharing all this with me, it's really fantasitc. I love you all! Goodnight!

As they say in America: I'm freezing my nuts off

It is so cold here now at night. During the days it's nice weather, sunny, slight breeze, a light jacket at most is what you need. But at night it's dipping into the low fifties. Now, also keep in mind, that the windows/doors (minus the front door) to the apartment are never shut. And, the coup de etat, there's no heating! Yay! What I was facing when I got here but reverse. I MISS CENTRAL AC/HEAT. I'm not talking a lot here, but keeping it at least in the sixties people! It's getting to the point where I have to lay out my futon, and get under the covers to be comftorable past about 10:30pm, sitting at my desk is just way too chilly.

I really didn't do much today, I'm kind of tired of people flaking out. It's not like I'm asking them to commit a lot of time, or even make a commitment. Our "planning" involves: "Do you want to go shopping?" "Sure" "Okay let's go on Saturday." Then all you have to do is message if you change your mind, it's not a big deal. Tomorrow I'm going to the big mall and visting UniQlo, the Gap of Japan, if someone comes with me or not!

Speaking of tomorrow, I'm going to cook for my family again, I decided to make beef stew, since it's getting colder. And since I'm making it, there isn't going to be a lick of fat on that beef!

Most of today I spent making my costume, part of me feels guilty for wasting an entirely free day in Japan on something like making a costume... but the other part of me really enjoyed it, and found it happy-like and very relaxing. We went to the grandmothers house (like always) for dinner. It was breaded pork cutlets, kind of a classic dish in Japan the way they do it. There was some fat-free pieces, I wondered if my Okasan trimmed a few for me, I snatched them up. We also had clam soup, I've decided, I don't really like clams. Not for my normal reasons though. Something about them seems, odd to me, eating the whole body of something... But they're edible, and protein, so I ate them up. Another thing we had was apparentally another classic dish, but essentially corned beef and cabbage. It was a little different than how gramma makes it, but still good. I mean, there's only so many ways one can wrap meat in cabbage.

After dinner we all relaxed and watched some crazy Japanese TV. I normally don't get half of whats going on, but let me assure everyone, someone spraying milk from their nose is funny in any culture.

Mita the baby is beginning to crawl. It's amazing how much she's changed just in the short time I've known her, babies really do grow fast the first year. Though, I've also decided that baby's, are like puppies. They can't communicate other than basic universial symbols: crying-barking and laughing-tail wagging. They like brightly colored, shiny toys, that squeak. You talk to them like they're retarded and make silly faces. They both need attention and demand it from you in their ways. They don't seem to have much higher thought, and you treat them as slightly less than human. And most significantly, they both soil themselves and will make a mess of it should you not take care of it. Mita is adoreable, I love her, she's fun, and cute, but she's solidified in my mind that babies aren't "people" until a good couple months after they start talking. Before that they're essentally a puppy, we're only more fond of them than a pet because either 1) they are our seed, or should 1 not be the case, 2) we know they will eventually grow out of being the equlivant of an animal. My other discovery, is that I still don't really like the concept children. Mita is fun to play with, but when she starts crying she's handed to mom or dad, I do not have to deal with that. And at the end of the day, she goes away, and I get to play with her again in another small dose the next day. Rent-a-baby is definately the way to go.

One of the things I've been meaning to share with everyone but keep forgetting I was reminded again of tonight. Here in Japan, you can't get your licence until your 18. But I noticed on a lot of cars the same magnets, at first I thought it was maybe some kind of really popular brand symbol so I asked Toko what it was. Apparentally, for the first year you get your licence, you have to put this magnet of a symbol on the front and back of your car. That way everyone knows that you're a student driver. I think it's genius.

I'm pretty comftorable here now, to be honest. I still wish I could communicate better, and sometimes it's really hard for me still. I don't get upset, but it's more... I wish I could better express that there are higher thoughts ticking in my brain, and I wish I could express them. I do my best, and my family helps me, but I obviously can't have an emotionally, spiritually, mentally, or intellectually deep conversation with the speaking level of a six year old. But, I think my family understands, which is good. Toko said to me once that I was very smart, more than a lot of the other students they've had. I don't really know what I did to inspire that, but I'm glad they know that I only sound slow, but that I'm not really.

Overall though, I really love Japan. It's a clean country, everyone recycles and tries to waste as little as possible. There's minimal litter on the ground for big cities, even in Tokyo I saw very little grafitti, here in Hirakata I'm shocked if I see some. There's no drugs, it's not like America where pot is "illegal" people here will really be citizen police and be praised for it. There's really no crime, people leave their doors and windows open while they go out, women walk around alone late at night without trouble, I haven't heard of any serious crime other than a man flashing a group of international students. And if that's the worst I hear this whole semester, that is really not that bad in my book. So as long as you're not stupid here (I mean still be aware) it's hard for trouble to find you it seems. And people are nice to each other really. On the bus everyone readily offers to give up their seat when there aren't any for an older person who's standing. People have come up to me and offered to help when I look lost. Everyone apologizes for the smallest thing in a completely sincere way. I mean, yes, there are jerks in any society, and maybe I'm just lucky. But everyone I've met, and the interactions I've observed, everyone seems to treat each other very well.

Anyways, I could go on awhile, but I'm going to go to bed because I'm sleepy and my sheets have warmed up now. I hope all is well back home, and I hope the people I haven't spoken to in awhile I can speak to soon.

Night-time

So, everyone ended up studying tonight. The most exciting thing was Dasha went out to do Purikura with her Japanese friends, none of which I knew, so I didn't go. Instead I walked to the station, it was a lovely afternoon/early evening and the walk from Kansai Gaidai to the station is about 20-30 minutes, depending on which way (one way is uphill, one way is down ;D ). I putzed around the station for awhile and then bought fabric for my costume. I downloaded a dictionary onto my iTouch a long time ago, and I've discovered that when out shopping it gives me a bunch of surprisingly useful words like, "glue" that just isn't in your normal study vocabularly. Shopping is always a fun experience, espically to places like craft stores, because let's face it, out of all the places you think foreginers would go, craft stores is not one of them.

Then I headed home and worked on my costume for a bit. Even though it all has to be hand sewn I'm enjoying everything a lot. Like I said before, there's just something about creating a costume that I just really enjoy. There was a sale at the store too, so I got everything I needed for the costume for like 30.00 US, so I don't feel too guilty...

I helped my Okasaan with dinner, Otosan likes pasta and since it's his birthday that's what we had. She left me in charge of the meat sauce, she commented on how she felt lucky that she had a girl and one who liked to cook. The meat sauce was your basic sauce from a can, ground beef, some basic seasoning, garlic, onion, tomato, but they loved it and were so impressed. Honestly, I feel like I could open campbells soup from a can, put it in an oven, warm it up, and my family would be impressed. Somehow, I forget how it went, but we got to talking about homestay students. I asked her if I was okay, I figured I'd give her an oppertunity to tell me or politely suggest if I was doing something wrong. She said I was very good, and that she wishes I could stay for a whole year. I figured the added comment showed that she was being more geniune than just being polite.

I did the dishes after dinner, I love it when there's only two or three of us eating, the dishes are so easy! When there's like six or seven people it takes me forever to do them. I swear, I have a new appreciation for the dish washer.

It's getting cold here at night. During the day it's warm, but at night it's sweater weather. I've comitted a Floridian sin and worn socks with sandals... But it's only to go upstairs! My tootsies are all warm, and then I gotta put on shoes and go upstairs, and I don't wana take my socks off! I've been tempted to use my woolrich slippers as a "transportation" slipper, instead of just in my room, since they have hard bottoms... But it seems like a bit of a waste of a good slipper for one flight of stairs two or three times a day.

With the turning weather I've discovered the joy of the bath. As mentioned before, in Japan, you shower, and then when you're clean you soak in the tub like a spa and relax. I really didn't understand it until now, but, then again, it's been hot until now! The bath is like a welcome treat at the end of the day when it's cold. It's heated internally, and has a cover (much like a pool cover, though heavier) to keep the heat in. The bath is kept at a toasty 42 degrees C, that's 107F roughly, or at least that's what the monitor on the side says. But either way, it's very hot. If you sit in it too long you get a bit light headed, and you can see steam coming off the water. But the warmth sinks into you, I think it draws blood to the surface, or something, but it helps keep you warm I've noticed for a long time after you get out. I only sit for a minute or two, because I'm normally the first or second to shower, and always before Okasan and Otosan, so I don't want to take too long since at least Otosan has to get up in the morning and go to work. But, just sitting for a minute is a welcome joy on cold nights. And, what the tub lacks in length, it makes up for in depth. I can actually sit, entirely submerged, in the bathtub! Granted, my knees are bent, but I can slouch down and sit kind of a reclined indian style with my legs in front of me and be completely submerged, I know why people like it so much!

I was thinking of working more on my costume, but I'm feeling kind of sleepy. Even though I love costume making, it's a bit inherantly frustrating knowing that what's taking me an hour to do by hand can be done in a few minutes on the machiene.

But, gosh darnit, I'm gonna enter the Kansai Gaidai Halloween Costume Contest and win big! Plus, it obviously is something I can take back to the states with me and wear again, though knowing my love for making costumes it'll be hard to resist the temptation to not make a new one!

Tomorrow I'm going to go to the Ceramics studio again, I want Sensei to teach me how to make saucers, they are deciptivly difficult. Then I don't know what I'm going to do, I think I'm reaching a point where I'm just going to go places and I don't care if people come with me or not. It's more fun with more people of course, but there's things I want to see and do. Not to mention, I'm getting pretty familar with the Osaka/Kyoto area, so navigating around them isn't something I'm "worried" about. They've kind of become backyards, so to speak.

Speaking of Kyoto, my Okasan at dinner tonight said that next month we may go to Kyoto together. One of Otosan's friends is a tour guide, and they know I really want to see the leaves.

Well, I guess I don't really have that much else to say, I'm feeling quite tired, maybe I'll pack it in.

As I always say, and always mean it, I love and miss you all.

Well that was fun

Two cute Japanese girls walked up to me in the lounge and asked if I wanted to speak with them, of course I said yes. We talked for awhile and they said I was their first foregin friend and they were excited to speak to me. I told them the same and they were even more excited. My whole table (there's never enough seats in the lounge so you often sit at tables with people you don't know) began talking to each other and now we all have a karaoke date for next Sunday, I'm excited! The girls are Yumiko and Manami.

I don't know what I'm going to do for the rest of the day though. Part of me wants to go home and work on my Halloween costume. I think making costumes is one of my great joys in life to be honest. There's something about it I just really enjoy, I could sew/make one after the other for a long time.

Though the other part of me is saying, "it's Friday night, go out and do something!" So I have no idea what I'm going to be up to right now. I'm kind of just sitting in the lounge waiting for someone I know to walk in to ask what they're up to tonight. Though if all else fails I'll likely indulge in my weekly treat of a starbucks macha frappachino (it's amazing!) or go to the cute little bakery I frequent.

I'm bored... Hrmn... Must... Fix...

Weathered the Storm

Well I made it through the storm okay. It got really bad in the middle of the night, it sounded like someone was body slamming my window the wind was so bad. The morning wasn't as bad, but classes were still cancelled. I got about an extra 3 hours of sleep, but it really wasn't that good because then last night I couldn't sleep very well.

Yesterday was okay, nothing in particular stands out really. I played some cards with the family, which was fun, and spoke with my Okaasan for awhile. I'm beginning to speak more in Japanese than English at home. I still think I sound like a five year old retarded child, but they understand me!

I just had some cute Japanese girls walk up to me in the lounge asking to talk, so I'll be back later!

Typhoon Party

This week has been going well, I figured I should likely write before the Typhoon sets in. It shouldn't be that bad, but I don't know how delicate the things like internet and whatnot are here.

I think I may change the day of my birthday party to my actual birthday. A lot of people can't make it on Sunday, so I decided that changing it may be for the best. People had a lot of sincere reasons though, I just don't want it to get cancelled all together. Since I didn't have a party really last year, I was looking forward to one this year. Though, on Saturday there's plans to go sight-seeing in Kyoto, so I'm looking forward to that.

I paid my health insurance for the next three months today, so I'm covered. No matter what happens I only have to pay 30% or something like that, upfront. And I don't know if my other insurance will help out too, but I don't plan on getting sick! It's amazing though how serious Japan is about H1N1 Virus. There's this campaign, that everyone follows, that when you get home you wash your hands and gargle and spit. In every building on campus there's tables with hand sanitizers and signs asking you to sanitize your hands when you enter the building, which people also follow. Also, as many people have seen, when you get sick here you wear a face mask out of curtosy for everyone else. It's quite amazing how everything works out.

I also went to City Hall today to pick up my alien registration card. Now I won't be deported if a cop stops me! Yay! Not that it ever happens here, but it's still a good thing to have. It also means I can leave my pasport and drivers licence at home, because neither of those count for as much. It's shiny and very offical looking. It feels so odd to have, since I've never been an "alien" before. (though my sister may argue)

Its getting cold here, though I think it's just a side-effect of Mr. Typhoon. Either way it called for a jacket today. Though the forcast for the weekend after the Typhoon passes is warm again. I have been kind of enjoying the cold weather, it's been the nice kind that isn't too cold but you feel good walking around.

Arisa and I met again today, but only for a half hour, I think we're going to plan to meet every Wednesday at the same time. So that'll be good. Today we spoke mostly in English, next time we're going to go for mostly in Japanese. I helped her with some English homework. This may sound stupid, but I've never actually -thought- about a lot of aspects of English before, or the meanings of a lot of words, I just have always known when to use them, so this experience is really giving me a trial with my native language even! She's reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" for one of her English classes, I was so impressed. I told her that's a high school level book, at least that's when I remember reading it, and even then some kids have trouble with it. She seemed to get a bit of personal satisfaction out of that, she should really... We both apologized for being out of touch for so long and reaffirmed that now that we're more settled into the year we want to meet on a more regular basis.

Dinner tonight was Shabu Shabu, which is apparentally Japanese for fatty pork dipped in boiling water. I really need to start thinking of my protein intake. Some nights it's okay. But the problem is, not only is the meat fatty, but it's normally sliced very very thin. So trimming the fat off is near impossible, and it's all through-out. The meat is literally half fat and half meat like marbled in big chunks. I'm so sick of fatty chunky meat, it's just so gross, it looks gross, it feels gross, and it tastes gross. The other problem is that everyone in my family loves the fat, they think it's delicious, and they're not going to change for me. I've really tried to eat it, but it really triggers my gag reflex, something about the texture is just really disturbing to my mouth. Thankfully, every meal always has some kind of protein, Tofu, beans, fish or something I can get down for protein. I think my Okaasan has started looking out for me when it comes to this. Last time we ate at the grandmothers house (fatty buffet again) and tonight she put out a small plate of raw salmon sashimi. She knows I like salmon, and it gives me something to eat, and normally there's really only enough for one, maybe two people. So, I appreciate that. I think I'm okay, but I've decided it's just something I need to make sure I look out for in my diet.

At the end of this month my family is going to Tokyo for three days. I'm actually kind of looking forward to having a run of the kitchen. Though I hope my Okasan leaves some cash for me, since technically I'm not supposed to be buying meals those days. I think asking would be rude, but I don't want to spend money!

This Friday is my Otosan's birthday, I think my Okasan said we're going to go out to a restraunt and celebrate his birthday and mine together as a family. I kind of wonder where we'll go, house of fatty meats? (Not like I'm bitter about this or anything! :D )

The wind is getting so bad it's shaking my sliding door. I'm thinking of maybe skipping class tomorrow. Technically only if the winds classify as "violent" classes get cancelled, but if it's nasty as all heck but not "violent" we still have class. If I only have studio I can make up the studio hours in the future. I'm not sure though, I always talk big then wuss out. I did get invited to a facebook event for tomorrow. Started by another Floridian (leave it to the Floridian to start a group like this, you'll see why) the event was titled "Typhoon." And it said "Even if classes don't get cancelled, let's have a Typhoon party and skip anyways and drink!" Ah Florida culture...

The whole place is making weird noises, doors are rattling, rain is hitting windows, gusts are going through the house. It's going to be interesting to go to bed to... I don't like being here, I much prefer the very stable house I grew up in. (I even asked my Okasan today what the evacuation procedure was, just in case. I don't think it's that bad, but I don't really know what this building can take) This place doesn't seem unsafe or anything like that, and my family is chill, so I'm not "worried." But, it is still a different setting, and I don't know what's normal and what isn't.

But, speaking of bed, and whatnot it likely is time. I love and miss everyone very much! More soon!

Birthday Plans

So I passed out my hand-written cards this morning in the mailboxes. Two people can't come so far, since it's a long weekend some are traveling. But they said they want to do something with me to make it up.

I got my first writing exam back in class today also. I got a 94 on it! That's been about my average this year in all my classes.

I forgot to mention in my last post, but the package I got was perfect. Thank you everyone who participated (mom & dad!) for sending it to me. Getting it was really like Christmas. I have it stored in my closet hidden so I can nibble through it slowly. The white shirt is really cute and everything was just wonderful. It was simple things but it honestly felt like one of the best things I could've ever gotten at that moment.

Mita and her parents also really enjoyed her new cloths, this is her and my host sister Toko:

So yes, really I just wanted to say that it meant a lot to me, and I love you all very much for it. It's hard to describe the emotion from getting it.

I also this weekend took some pictures of the studio when I was practicing and no one else was there. So I wouldn't be a weirdo or using class time.

This is also some of the things I've been working on.

I'll likely post more later!

The "Normal"

I am apologizing yet again for another belated blog. Everything has just been so normal that I kept thinking to myself "I'll write tomorrow, I'll have more to say" and now it's the end of the week. I promise to do better next week and get back into my one per day/two days.

So yes, this week has been fairly normal with nothing special really going on.

Things are well with the family, I've been speaking with Otosan a lot more, which I like. He seems genuinely interested and his English is the worst out of everyone's, so it forces me to use more Japanese. He's also been helping me with my Kanji after dinner, which I appreciate.

Toko came home short and upset on Wednesday night. I was in a pretty cherry mood and she came in and asked if I was showering, I said yes, and she kind of sighed. I asked (as best I could as always) in Japanese if she was okay, and she shortly said 'no' before leaving the room. Then Okasan came downstairs to tell me I'd shower after her. I don't think it was anything I did, I don't see her enough for her to be ticked at me. But I've been kind of distant from her since then.

Okasan had lunch with a bunch of other host mothers. She came back with some fun stories of how sub-par the other students were, which made me feel good. I know the Japanese society is one of being polite and complementary, but I really do think Okasan likes me and appreciates what I do.

I never see Kai, so um, he's existing, somewhere, to my knowledge?

Classes are also going well.

My speaking class I'm still excelling in, I'm learning things I remembered not learning very well the first time. I'm thinking it all works out for the best that I couldn't switch my level.

In my writing class we start Kanji on Monday, SCARY! Though I'll still be good for about the first 20 Kanji, after that I'm expecting to WORK the rest of the semester in that class.

My anime class is still awesome. We learned about this theatre called the Takurazuka Review, it's old and very famous. It was built to be a "reverse kabuki." It's all females, and they put on a play (male parts are played by females) and then do the "review" which is like a vegas song and dance. I really want to go, and in the same town there's a museum to one of the essental founders of anime Tezuka (Astro Boy), so two birds with one stone.

In Ceramics I told Sensei that I wanted to throw bigger pieces, so he showed me how. Now I've bit off more than I can chew! I throw 2kg of clay at a time, and have failed epically at some point every time this week. He opened the studio on Saturday and I had to go. Not only can you "log time" for the future (I.E. if you come in 2 hours extra, and miss a 2 hour class, then it's like you never missed a class) but I figured not many people would show up so I'd get some instruction. Because I'm the ONLY intermediate in the whole school I don't get a lot of instruction, he's always helping the beginners. Even I'm helping the beginners half the time. So I don't get a lot of demonstration or direction, it's more of a show once and go. I realize being "intermediate" I may not get the exact same hand-holding, but this is really difficult and I needed more help.

What I didn't expect was that -NO ONE- would show up today (Saturday)! It was me, one of Sensei's friends who wasn't a student who was just working, and sensei. I got a lot of instruction, it came to a point where he just essentally said "you just have to learn what works for you" which I understand, but having that time helped a lot. I think coming in also made a good impression on him, because he was very kind (not that he was ever mean) and reassuring. He said that it's okay to fail, that his teacher said that you fail 20 times before getting something right when it comes to what I'm doing, so I shouldn't be discouraged. By that logic I still have about 10 more times of failure! I'm definately going to make going into the studio a Saturday thing, assuming I don't have any other plans, and even if I do he opens it up at 9am, so I can go in the morning.

Life with the friends are good as well.

I haven't made any close friends from my classes, but I'm getting there. There's a really nice guy who sits next to me in my pottery class and two Egyptian girls I've made friends with. I'm good enough friends with the Egyptians that I'm inviting them to my birthday party, pretty much all that's left is the exchanging of numbers. (And, they both live in Cairo Mater & Pater!)

I went over to the Seminar house on Friday. We didn't have a cooking party, but I wanted to make mac and cheese. The blue box doesn't make very much, and if I cook it at home I'd have to share it!! So it's going to be my once/twice a week treat when I go to the Seminar House. It was nice to hang out with the girls for a bit, then I went home.


On Saturday (today) as I said I went to the studio. Then I couldn't get a hold of anyone, so I went to starbucks at the station with a book and read for a little bit. As I'm sitting in the second floor of starbucks and I look out the window and see Sophia and Ogilvie! I quickly clean up my things and ran down to meet them. They were just walking around the stores.

I was so glad I went, I found black suede boots on sale for 3900 yen. They're so cute, and they have a button up side, so you can either wear them as knee-high or ankle boots. They're also my size and very comftorable, so I know I can walk in them, while still being trendy. I picked up them and a pair of cute stockings on sale also for less than 50.00$ US. I know it's a little bit of money, but it's the first time I've spent, and boots are so big here I felt so uncool not having some I could walk around in.

Tomorrow I wanted to go to Osaka, but the scholarship money for students hasn't kicked in yet, so everyone is broke. So I think we're going to karaoke and walk around malls again. I'm being very specific and tactful with my shopping. I've decided I still want/need the following things (in order of importance):

Black Skirt
Black Shorts (all I brought literally was jeans and jean shorts I realized, I know these are basic but the diversity would be nice)
1-2 more pairs of versitile yet interesting tights/leggings
1 awesome hat
1-2 pairs of Knee High socks
Jean leggins (because they're awesome?)

I'm slowly shopping for this list, after seeing the fashion here I've deemed these things the essentials which I failed to bring/couldn't have forseen. I'm not in any rush, but I have it in case I see something perfect.

After shopping I went home then went to the grammas house. We ate, I rarely like the food we eat there I've discovered. I don't know if it's more "traditional" or what... it's not the flavors really, just the way the meat is prepaired. The fish is served with bones in it, and I've got no experience with picking them out. Or with scales on it. Or the meat has fat and or skin, which they all love, and I've really been trying with. But as soon as I start chewing the fat in my mouth I get that hot nausious feeling that I'm sure everyone has had at some point. But there's always miso soup, with tons of tofu, my bowl of rice, and I normally can find something else to pick at, so I'm never starving, just not really full.

We watched some crazy Japanese TV tonight. It was a bunch of men, in spandex, some in bannana hammocks. They had a plastic tarp track with little hills in front of them. They then proceeded to pour buckets of some kind of lubricant all over themselves, and the same was poured on the track. They then tried to get to the other end, hystiraclly, and the one who did first got 100.00. Welcome to Japan.

Tonight I also hand-wrote birthday invitiations. I'm inviting 11 people to go to Round 1 in Osaka, a big gaming place with all kinds of arcade games, bowling, karaoke, sports games, and more. I'm excited to have a birthday party, and I'm looking for it. I can't believe it's already my birthday, how quickly the time is passing. The weeks seem to be passing by so quickly...

Today I also went to the 100 yen store and got 400 yen worth of halloween decorations. It spruced up my room a good bit and made everything seem more festive, it makes me happy when I come in. There's one more thing though I think I'm going to go back and get, because one area of the room seems baren, then I'll take a picture and put it here.

So yes, more soon, and I'm sorry again, I know how these blogs link me with everyone so I'll be better about updating them. They're also a good record of my time here, one that's worthwhile to keep.