Japan Blog 21 (Oct. 7, 2008)

Something happened today in Tokyo. I was watching the news and found this very funny. At the Imperial Palace this guy from Spain decided to walk around naked. You should have seen the video they captured on this guy. So then, he was being chased by the police and he ended up falling into the moat there. There was a paddle boat in it and then he started swimming after the boat trying to throw rocks at it. haha it was funny seeing those people try to row away. He then got himself out of the water and someone grabbed one of the sticks the police had that were hitting them. He then started chasing everyone with that and threatening a rock at them. Everyone was running away haha. He somehow fell back into the water again and eventually the police got him. So funny. I'll have to find the video on YouTube and give you guys the link. What an idiot haha. Founds it ^_^  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHjvoHgQSvA

 

So anyway, I went to Ushiku Daibutsu on Sunday. It's one of the biggest Buddah statues in the world. The height of this statue was the height of 3 Statue of Liberties put together. There was a stone showing that. I also got to go inside it and up it. But believe me, it wasn't that exciting. Sure, now I can at least say I've been there but there really was nothing special about it. The best part of it was maybe was seeing the koi fish go crazy for food (haha wait till you see that video I took) and the usagi (rabbit) park. Yes, there was actually a separate area where there were animals including a bunny petting/feeding area. There were also guinea pigs in a cage. Not that the animals weren't nice and all but what does that have to do with the Buddah?

-sigh- That Rotary thing is this weekend. I won't be here for 3 full days, kinda sucks since I really don't want to go either. Even more so since I found out 1) only squat toilets exist in this place and I'm SLEEPING there for two nights and 2) public bath. Well, I mean it's not mixed but I'm gunna have to wash with a bunch of people. That's just something I'm not prepared for. Of course there's nothing wrong with it but you're just self-conscious and stuff. American's don't do this stuff. So, um, it should be something. I guess it'll prepare me for an onsen. Some of my classmates were talking about it last week and I think they're inviting me whenever they decide to go. They were asking me about it. Plus they had to explain to me that towels AREN'T used in the onsen. I thought they were. Not anymore obviously. So yeah. Monday I'll have to blog how that went. Hah. No school Monday either. Japanese school students sure get a lot of days off. It's niceee ^_^

I got Ai her early birthday gift last week too. She loves Ayumi Hamasaki and just last month a DVD/CD box set of all her singles was released. At least that's done with now. Her birthday is next month anyway. I think the 24th? Somewhere in the 20s. Speaking of J-pop, anyone here listen to Koda Kumi? She came out with a new song, it's awesome. It's called Taboo. I don't listen to her but this song grabbed me and now I'm addicted. Listening to it now too actually.

Can't really report anything new about school or anything really. There were tests today and yesterday. Got out of school early... Oh yeah! Freaking Friday! So, we got out of school early at 12. I'm there walking to my bus stop and bus 19 goes right past me. I was ready to run to the bus stop, I was only a few feet away from it, but it wouldn't have help because it didn't even stop. Why? Because if the bus driver sees no one at a stop it drives right past. Great. The only bus I totally trust that will take me home just left me. Now what? Well, I have been debating those last few days to one day just walk home. It's not like I'd get lost because I only have to walk down the same road and my house is eventually on a corner. And I needed the exercise anyway. Today just happened to be the perfect opportunity since I missed my bus (I could have waited for another but I didn't feel like waiting around and maybe end up taking the wrong bus). So, I walked. Never again. That was terrible! I didn't realize how freaking far away I really lived until then! It didn't seem that far on the bus. It took me around 30 mins to get home. Okaa-san was probably wondering where I was. Lunch was waiting for me when I came back haha. Oh gosh, but never again. In that heat with the new school uniforms, oh yeah, since October started we have to wear out winter uniform which is long sleeves. I think it's ugly. But in that heat it was like suicide. Plus crossing streets just trying to avoid getting hit, or from the stupid cars speeding by and your skirt wanting to fly up. Geeze. That was too far of a walk. Never. Never again.

I'll upload Buddah and Tokyo Tower photos tomorrow, I promise you all that. I don't even have the Buddah pictures on my computer yet. I have to stop with the lazyness. As for now, I'm going to sleep. Oyasumi!

Japan Blog 20 (Oct. 5, 2008)

I saved a fly today. It was flying around in my room and I opened the window and let it free. It made me happy ^_^ I saved it. Actually, that's the second time I saved a fly in my room. But I wish I could say the same for the spiders. Unfortunately, they freak me out to the extreme no matter how much I would like not to kill them. I'm actually afraid to kill them too. So, for example, yesterday there was a spider crawling on the floor. I tossed my garbage can over it. I haven't lifted it up since. I'm afraid it still might be alive 'cause the bottom of the garbage can isn't flat. But that's my story on bugs today.

So, yesterday and Monday and Tuesday my classmates are taking tests. The good thing about this is that we get out of school early, 12:00. Not that this next fact is all bad but it leaves me very bored. Next month I have to take the tests, at least two of them I was told. But me and Pat are sent to the library while these tests are taking place to "study". That's not something I like to do often. I figured since I haven't posted a video on YouTube in some time I'd bring my camera and record a bit even hoping for it to not be boring anymore. That didn't quite work out. I was still bored. Yeah, and I still haven't gotten to making that Tokyo Tower video yet. I'm sorry. Now my lazyness shows -sigh-. Gomen, gomen.

I suppose I have some news though. I did get my keitai (cell phone) today yay! But it's completely confusing to me. The only thing you could put in English is the menu. Once you click on an icon from the menu it's all in Japanese. Stupid kanji, go die. haha. But I just got used to texting, thank god. I've been texting Ayami (I only have her number so far. On Monday I'll get my other classmates) and really, texting is all I think I can manage on the phone haha. I have no idea how to possibly do anything else. Check out my sexy keitai ^_^




















Oh, and that last picture is of the AU squirrel (basically it's mascot) that came as a gift when I got the phone. Inside the log is where you put your keitai. It's a keitai holder. Kawaii, ne (cute, right)? It's a phone from AU. There's three huge companies here. AU, Softbank, and NTT Docomo. I like the Softbank commercials that I see here haha. Um, but yeah mine's AU. I tried to get a simple plan since I don't want to go crazy on a phone here for only a year so all I have is unlimited texting (Japanese students here seem to only really text all day even as I've seen Ai do so haha) and I get 62 minutes a month. I mean seriously, even if I wanted to call people here I can't hold a conversation in Japanese so minutes are really pointless for me. I'll only be calling my okaa-san if anything to say if I'd be late or wanted to go somewhere.

I can only text in Japan, it won't work outside the country. And I can't really call outside the country either. The fees aren't good if I call or receive international calls since it's not in my plan. It's basically just for use in Japan. Hey, at least I get to bring a souvenir back. And keitais here are soooo much more cuter than American ones. Okay, go ahead and tell me it looks pretty dull on the outside. Sure, but it's kinda cute too, but that's not what I'm talking about. I mean the inside like when you do send texts. There's like animations moving around and stuff, uh, I can't explain this well. When I return you'll just have to see yourself. But it's cooler, that's all I'm saying.

Oh, before I drop the keitai subject I do want to say something about a difference between these and America's. In America when you send a text message, you send it to the person's number. Here in Japan, in order to send text messages you have a separate email. Cell phones here have the cell phone number but you only use that to call people. When you send a text message you have to send it to a email but it goes to the phone. It's so weird and if you ask me I find that more difficult to have two separate things for a keitai.

Tomorrow I'm going to Ushiku Daibutsu. It's the largest Buddah statue IN THE WORLD. I'm excited ^_^ Lots of pictures to take, perhaps some video as well. Actually there will be video, how could I say perhaps. I have a feeling that the Buddah videos though will be on YouTube before the Tokyo Tower one. -sigh- Nan de, nan de (why, why).

So here's the link to my video in the Hitachi Daini library. Don't expect much. It's boring but I find it quite funny actually. haha. Other people probably won't though. Think of it this way though: if you watch it you'll 1) see the Thailand and German exchange students and 2) maybe learn some Thai and German.

That's really all haha. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-8m1MQXsk4

Japan Blog 19 (Sept. 29, 2008)

It's scary. Today I've never thought about it really, well, I've tried to avoid the thoughts. I get scared. But today I was told information I guess I really should have known. I just never asked because I assumed we were the same. Now knowing we aren't... I feel so behind. No, behind isn't the right word. I'm not sure how to explain this feeling. But it's filled with worry.

The day started off. Woke up at 10, Tonpi had school today, only me and Ai didn't, so she wasn't there. Ai and her friends were going out and I was invited. This was at 12:30. We first went to some resturant. It was one of those resturants where there's a grill in the middle of the table and when you order your food you have to cook it. It was fun. It was me, Ai, Saori, and Yuko. haha yeah, Yuko. She wasn't strange this time though thank god haha. She's actually really cool. We were enjoying ourselves. After that we went to the mall to meet up with another friend, Sayaka. Our first stop after that was to the arcade for some Purikura and then we were off to karaoke. Yes. Today was my first experence at (Japanese) karaoke. And it was fun actually.

Karaoke is kinda expensive here. I myself don't know how much it is but I was just listening to their conversations and it was mentioned once. It's not something you do often, lets just say that. I attempted at a few songs. The only songs I fully sang out though were the only two I know the words to. An Cafe's "Cherry Saku Yuuki" and Perfume's "Secret Secret". Another one which I pretty much knew all the words to (only because it was on the screen haha) was Greeeen's "Ai Uta". With the songs we all took parts singing. Like one person would have chours and such. I can read hiragana and katakana so it made things so much simpiler for me. Above each kanji was the hiragana for it so I was able to follow along to all of it. Then there was also EXILE's "Won't Be Long". There were some parts in that song that were English so they let me sing those parts to it haha. They were impressed but it's like one of those, "oh, everyone's crazy so we can scream and laugh and stuff about everything", haha, ya know? Still it was cool.

I'm getting a keitai (cell phone) people! Yes, a Japanese keitai. Soon. At karaoke everyone was asking if I had one again and wanting my number. I told them I was getting one soon and they were all happy but the one who seemed the happyist was Ai. It was weird like she jumped up all excited next to Sayaka. They were going to get my email address if I didn't tell them that, maybe I should have waited, but still. I don't know if it was just the mood like I explained above (the whole we're all crazy already thing) or if me and Ai kinda bonded a bit. It's hard to tell. I mean, out of all people here I want to bond with her the most, since we were the same, and I try not to be a bother to her but yet... I don't know. I try and maybe it's working? I hope so.

And then I found out we aren't the same. I'm not same as any of them. Saori and Yuko were asking me how long I was going to be here for. Apparently Ai didn't know either. I told them till the end of July and they were both excited. Since I won't be with the Fukaya's (the family I'm with now) in March (unfortually) they told me I have to come to their graduation. School ends in March here and then there's a break before the next year. But that word "graduation" is what stopped me. When they were saying this, they were talking about EVERYONE. I asked, "minna wa san nensei? [everyone is 3rd year students?]" Like it was supposed to be obvious they answered me with a yes. I turned to Ai and asked her if she was one too. She is. Since they are all the same age as me I assumed that they were ni nensei [2nd year students] too like me. These people are my senpai. But I don't think of it that way. It's different to me.

These people are graduating in just a few months. I mean, technally I'm supposed to be too but here I see myself as that ni nensei. I'm not that san nensei yet. I'll still be in school when they're not. I'll be that san nensei when they're gone. (I'm actually going to be a san nensei before I come back to America as well). They'll be gone living their life. They'll be on their own. But now when I think about it, I'm getting scared, about the future. I really shouldn't be but it's freaking me out for some reason, and now I'm starting to realize how much I'm missing my friends at school now too. Today I started to realize how you are supposed to spend your last year of school. And today, today is actually the first time I'm feeling sad here.

Every night it's always me and Ai the last one's sitting in the living room. We never usually talk, which is pretty ackward but she's always texting on her phone anyway so it's not like we need to have a conversation which is good. But I had to ask her. Ever since I found out she's a san nensei, that's all that's been on my mind. Just that knowledge. I asked her what she plans on doing after graduation. She said she's going to find a buiesness related job. I asked about going to college and she said she wants to but she doesn't have the money for it, it's too expensive. She plans on still living in Hitachi. And then I asked if she was a little scared about being alone. With a smile she responded, "chotto [a little]". I can't tell what she was thinking or feeling. I highly doubt it phased her one bit. But now it just makes me wonder. I wonder if she is scared a little just like me.

Japan Blog 18 (Sept. 28, 2008)

It's really something when you're looking out into the ocean. Maybe it's because you can picture yourself exactly where you are on a world map, right along the edge. Then you know that there's nothing for miles out there, the closest land straight ahead only Hawaii. It's so mesmorizing. I get lost in it. Just those thoughts. Maybe that's one reason why people like the ocean? I could seriously waste my hours staring out at it.

So anyway, I haven't posted a blog in awhile. I actually meant to twice within the week but I've just become way too lazy and decided on sleep instead. I'm glad to say I survived the week though. Wedenesday I had that Rotary speech to give, I rushed through that terribly I don't even think it lasted five minutes or three. But whatever. I'm sorry Rotary people but 1) you don't care to listen to me speak english and 2) I really don't want to be presenting or giving a speech to begin with. Gomen nasai [I'm sorry]. Then Friday I had my powerpoint on America to give to the entire school. That actually went better than I thought. I was nervous as hell but I managed to pull it off. I think it helped that I was allowed to move around on the stage with a pointer they gave me to point at the pictures. haha it had a shiny silver star on the end of it. Before I presented the others around me [they were giving speeches in english before I did mine] were asking what it was for. I don't knnow the word for "point" in Japanese. I seriously need to start studying.

But that went really well actually. I was told by the teachers it was really good and students when they saw me were saying "good job", yes in English. Funs. Hmm, but I really don't have much to say about that really. The week's been pretty boring. Can't say I've done anything exciting but it's still been fun. Like I've said plenty of times before I just enjoy being with the family. Yesterday me and Tonpi were playing Badmittion, went to Book Ace [a store nearby], and then we all had a BBQ. BBQs here aren't where you barbeque anything we just grill the food is all. But it's been freezing here the past couple of days. Even as I'm typing this I'm freezing.

The best things in life though are Milk Tea and riding your bike through town. Even if it's not really your bike haha. I'm seriously addicted to Milk Tea now. Ohmigosh there is a limited edition of carmell milk tea from this one company and its AMAZINGGG~~~ It's now my favorite. But it's pretty much become clear to everyone here that I'm in love with it. Whenever it's around I drink it. Before the BBQ we had to go to Yamaya to buy some drinks and we got a bottle of that, I bought the carmell edition earlier that day as well, and today we went to the mall and the groccery store there. Ai picked up a bottle of milk tea and I thought it was for her. She didn't say anything. When we got in the car she hands it to me. She bought me milk tea! Well, she didn't technally buy it, it was okaa-san's money, she just put it in the cart. But she didn't even ask me or nothing.

As for the bike riding, it's just enjoyable. If I really want to I can go for a bike ride at night or even a walk. But the bike is great. To be honest though, sometimes I think I'm gunna get run over by a car. I keep getting this image of me not being able to turn onto the sidewalk when crossing the street and I'll flip the bike and crash haha. I love how all the bikes here have baskets in the front. In America that's for like a little kid. It's really useful though. America's ways are just iritating me anymore. Not that there's much I'm getting irritated about. That's just one of the many few I can think of so far. Uh, but I'm in love with the style here! I just want to buy tons of clothes! They're super cute! I bought a jacket today ^_^ It was a little expensive but I think it'll look great on me. I asked Ai if it was expensive (I wasn't going to get it if it was) but she said it was only a little. I really need to figure out the conversion rate here.

I decided aganist bringing my camera to the cemetary. It would have deffinitly of been rude. I was given these burning stick-like things while I was there though and what you do is place them into this stone box thing and pray. I was allowed to pray at the family tomb. It was really something. Even though praying here is only bascally getting on your knees and placing your hands together like the buddist do and such for like three seconds then you're done. But still. Water was also poured along the tomb and on a tree stump that was by it. It's considered as cleaning it (I asked). But cemetaries are so much nicer here. And even though they look overcrowded they really aren't that squished together when you're inside it. At least the one I went to was like that. We weren't there for long. It was a quick thing, just paying our respects because of the day. It was nice. I can at least say I've experenced it now.

Yuki sent me a message on Facebook yesterday too (yeah, I have Facebook people. add me just because I want you to). Yuki was the exchange student from Japan who came to America last year. I've only met her twice. Once in January and a second time very very breifly in June (or was it July?). Anyway, that was it. I didn't get to know her very well even though I would have loved to. Now something just seems a bit strange. No, I'll be completely honest, I'm very suspicious. She said she wants to see me soon. Out of the blue she sends me this. We talked over email a few times like three months ago but that's it. She lives like two hours away I found out. But she wants me to come to her house. Out of the blue she says this. With lots of exclamation marks. I'm still going to try to visit, my otoo-san is already okay with me going (even though he has other plans on how i'm getting there). She was going to come and pick me up since I have no experience on a train here. I perfer it that way, the way otoo-san plans it involves Rotary and I don't even want to start on my future Rotary topic. Rotary is just a pain anymore. And to tell you the truth, otoo-san is a bit embarrasing with it. It's too much to possibly explain and I'll seriously go on about it. So yeah.

This was a blog about nothing really. But I don't care haha. I'll always post one at least once a week even if it's boring. Here was my one week one. And I still didn't make that Tokyo video. Since I have school off tomorrow and Tuesday I'll get onto doing that. I've noticed we have a lot of days off school here. That's pretty cool haha. Second semester starts Wednesday so they give us two days off school here (all high schools). What could be better? ^_^

Japan Blog 17 (Sept. 22, 2008) [Tokyo Tower!!]

Bonjour!

So, I was at Tokyo yesterday ^_^ Tokyo Tower to be exact. I didn't go anywhere else or really get a nice tour of Tokyo. I did however get lots of video and pictures of just being in the tower and the of view from there. Then there's video from being on the bus. I started making the video but it's seriously turning out as crap. I found like the perfect song (by Puffy AmiYumi) but then I was putting it all together and I'm seriously hating it. Why? It seems that unlike my other videos there's no talking in this one and it's making it very dullll. Actually there isn't at all except the background noises and they are reallyyy annoying and boring when included. Like on the tour bus you just hear the lady go on and it's annoying. Another reason why it's dull is because there's no action. It's really only of buildings moving pass. Well, I haven't published the video yet so I'll wait till you tell me. Should I keep the audio (well, in most of the videos) or should I just go with none? (For some reason I think I already know the answers I'll get). But yeah, This video is going to be crap, I apologize.

To begin off I'm going to talk about a toilet. Yes, a toilet, well the bathroom to be exact. So I was stuck in this place called Big Sight for a few hours. When you go to the bathroom in the bathrooms there there's this speaker in each stall and when you start to pee it'll start making noise of like a river against rocks flowing to block the sound from other people hearing you. It was sooo weird and cool. Then in order to flush it, no they couldn't give you a simple leaver to pull, there was this screen and it said that you had to cover it with your hand to make it flush. haha such a technological bathroom. If only the ones at school were this cool. By the way, I refuse to use a squat toilet, they scare me (and yes, I've used one already. I hated it). Luckily this place had a normal one. So, there's really nothing to say about that "Big" place. I got a picture of a sleeping man though. I had to. But all day it rained. As I'm sure most of you don't know there's a typhoon coming through Japan. It hasn't hit Hitachi yet (well, at least I don't think. Nothing serious happened yet and we're right along the ocean so you would think something would...). But it rained the entire day at Tokyo. Kinda ruined all my pictures and video, but I managed. What it really ruined though was when we went to the mall before the tower. I could have gotten some great pictures of Rainbow Bridge (it's supposedly famous but it was the first time I've heard of it) and some video but that was on the outside walking space of the mall and it was POURING. Boo, you suck rain.

I was hoping to do some shopping. NOOO!!! We didn't go shopping at all. We didn't even stop at a clothing store to browse. We weren't even at the mall long at all! I would say like 45 minutes, not even. There was this floor though that was set up as kinda like an old Japan. In that area otoo-san told me to sit at one of those caricature (spelled wrong?) places. Now, this wasn't like those insane creepy looking ones. The people actually drew you correctly and depending on what time you selected for them to draw you (the longer you chose the more money but they colored you in then with pastel crayons) and oh my gosh. Those pictures of the pastels looked like actual photographs. I skimmed through it slightly in a video, watch for it. But I got the lowest time, 5 minutes, and holy crap, the Japanese are amazing artists. Look at this!!

 

 Tell me that isn't amazing. I wish I could do that. So, that was really the only exciting thing about the mall. There was a section called Muscle Park though where it was filled with all these games to test you skill and strength. For example, there was a frisbee throwing contest. Then we headed back to Big Sight again. Not long there we waited and then we were off on the tour bus to Tokyo Tower! I wish I got a picture of him but I didn't. Tokyo Tower's mascot looks nothing like the tower at all. It's like a pink version of a Japanese white radish. Terrible haha. There was a Mc Donalds and a Chinese restaurant at the bottom and tons of gift shops. After the tour of the tower we all went to eat at the Chinese restaurant. The tower was amazing though (except the body odor from the many people in the squished elevator). It seriously gives you a great view of Tokyo if that's what you really wanna see. I can't really say much about it. I'm not sure how to explain. Just look at the pictures. Now, this is where I'm mad at the rain again. I couldn't really get good pictures of things farther away (such as Rainbow Bridge) because it was foggy, otherwise the photos are great. After that there was a Guinness World Records exhibition in the tower and we went through it. It was interesting and fun, I ran every time I saw the lady with the building eyes. That's is seriously creepy and wrong. With us there was this little boy. He seemed scared of me at first, always glancing at me then hiding but he eventually warmed up and he was so cute haha. Isn't he? ^_^

 

I won't have an album of those pictures just yet, I'm really busy at the moment only really able to post this. So it may be a few day for that, even longer for the video. For one thing I still didn't finish that powerpoint, which I need to finish by Wednesday night and tomorrow is equinox, it's a national holiday here (yay! No school!) and I'm visiting the family tomb in Mito City. I'm debating on video and picture on that yet. It may be rude.

But I got a tower souvenir and a glow-in-the-dark pig keychain ^_^ It was cute and I wanted it. We left the tower at night and it was even more amazing. It was all lit up and sooo cool. And that was my adventure in Tokyo. I hope I can go sometime in the future and get to REALLY experience it. Go see Harajuku and Shibuya. Hopefully soon. Ooh! And today until April 7, 2013 I'm an official resident of Hitachi! I just got my card today (I'll take a picture of it eventually). I can live here now if I want ^_^ until I have to renew it in 2013 but how cool is that? I can come back in even 2 years and be perfectly fine if I want to live here for awhile.

After that I was taken to this clothing store, not in the mall, and kinda forced to get sweatpants. Okaa-san was going to pay for them (I made sure she didn't of course) but I love how they just made the decision that I needed them haha. I find it quite funny, I'm not mad at all. I guess they don't like my pjs haha. I actually wanted to get a pair anyway. So basically today was the first clothes shopping I've done while here. I found this awesome shirt while here so I got that as well. I loveee it ^_^ but on the back it says "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise". The front has a skull on it with the words "Discontent is the first step in progress". What the hell is with that? It looks so freaking awesome though.

And I've noticed something veryyy odd. All the clothing here, and I do mean ALL, have English on them. None have Japanese on them. I don't understand this concept. Why?? Seriously. The Japanese people here can't understand English, they're lucky if they can even pronounce it correctly when attempting to read it. Even so they don't understand it. They don't. So, why don't they just convert their country to English if they are so obsessed with it? I'm not saying they should, it's just a question of curiosity. All the clothes are in English. What is seriously so great about English? haha. So, even if there's some retarded saying on the shirt as long as it looks cool I'll buy it because people here don't understand it anyway, and anyway... practically all the shirts have the strangest sayings. So, let me know about what I should do with the video. And here's a few pictures until I can get an album posted.

Japan Blog 16 (Sept. 20, 2008)

Can I explode? I thought I was going to Tokyo NEXT Sunday, I'm actually going tomorrow!! This is too exciting. I'll be on the bus at 8 in the morning on a 4 hour ride to Tokyo Tower. I was asking Tonpi if we'd be able to hit Shibuya and Harajuku and it unfortually seems like that won't be happening :( I can't wait though! ^_^ But it seems like Tokyo is like this huge fashion statement to my family. Not that I'm saying Tokyo isn't, of course it is, but I didn't think that you seriously had to find the right clothing in your closet to blend in. I figured clothing you would wear in this area would be the same there as well. Well, I'm certainly not going to be blending it with the style there. Tonpi and Ai were going through all my clothes today telling me what the heck to wear. They ended up giving me a purse [which I'm very not fond of. I seriously don't know what was wrong with the one I had] and a tanktop of Tonpi's to wear tomorrow. They then went to figure out what they would wear. -sigh- I'm going to look like the out of style foreigner tomorrow haha. I'm hitting the closest mall.

Today was a pretty boring day. I think today was the first day since I've been here I've spent a good amount of time on the computer. Today Ai started her part time job at Mos Burger [it's like a Mc Donald's but supposely healthier] leaving only me and Tonpi. I decided to go and do that freaking powerpoint for school that I have to present on Friday. Stupid English Day. Tonpi hanged around for awhile then left. I mean today was boring. Tomorrow is when things are going to get exciting. No doubt about that. I'll just have to look forward for it ^_^ and so will you. There wasn't much to say at all.

Oh, and remember the girl advertising the takoyaki in the Bunkasai video? Ramosu? Well, yesterday I found out that she lives 2 hours away from the school. That's just insane. Why would you go to a school 2 hours away? Wanna know her answer? Because she wanted to go to Hawaii. What a great excuse haha. Still, even for that reason I don't think I'd travel 2 hours away. I did mention my class is going to Hawaii in October, right? They're all going to be exchange students for 3 days there, each getting a host family. I makes me wonder how many people live so far away that go to this school with the same reasons. I know Kanako takes the train too but I'm not sure how far away she lives. And she's been to Austrailia for a month already as an exchange student. Two other students in my class were in New Zealand as exchange students too [there's a sister school of ours there].

And I seriously don't understand Halloween here. It was made clear to me by how many times I asked the question if Japan celebrates it that they don't. Yet, I'm seeing a million things out for Halloween. It's not even October yet! You go to the mall and you see cute little tofu pillows as Halloween animals or colored as a pumpkin, stuffed animal bats and ghosts, notebooks, at the groccery store theres candy, cupcake pies for Halloween, those koala chocolates you can buy at FYE in America with the koala dressed up in some costume, it all makes no sense. They don't celebrate it yet they make things for it. And all Ai and Tonpi do is shrug their shoulders with a "wakaranai" [I don't know] when I ask again and again why. I don't get it. At all.

I have a new favorite song. "Ami Suzuki - One" and the amazing Yasutaka Nakata-san produced it! Like I said before, he's too amazing.

Japan Blog 15 (Sept. 18, 2008)

Capsule = ♥

If you love electronic music and hate this group there's something wrong with you. Sorry, but Yasutaka Nakata-san and Toshiko Koshijima-san are just too amazing. Why am I bringing them up? Because I was watching TV here and a commerical came on and a Capsule song was playing. Ohmigosh. Capsule has a new song!! And it sounds greattt~~ So anyway, who knows when I'll post blogs anymore. There hasn't been anything interesting happening in my life lately and I'm sure you guys can really careless about my everyday life, I mean I certainly wouldn't want to keep reading them [not like I'm forcing you]. But I'll post every so often, especally if I go somewhere or if it was a very exciting day or something.

Taichiro suddenly appeared yesterday morning. I woke up, went to straighten my hair and he suddenly walked in the bathroom. Woah, when the hell did he come home? Well, he's here now but so is his girlfriend Ai, and two other friends of his. A girl and some guy. I was also introduced to them that morning. It was too early to deal with it haha. All I could manage was a hi. And he brought his Death Note mangas like he promised! I have all 12 sitting in my room right now. I can't understand them but there's just this awesome feeling knowing they're there haha. It's weird. He's not home like he was before though :( sadly enough. Always with his friends. Ah wells. His friends and girlfriend are nice too.

Yumi turned to me in class yesterday and asked if I was going to Badmittion Club today. Lets see, it's been what, over a week since I last came and they still think I'm in the club? haha Oh gosh. But... I miss it! I knew I'd regret it. Gosh, I sooo regret it. I think I'll start going again soon. I feel kinda guilty anyway. But, I had Tea Ceremony Club yesterday. What hell that was. I have never felt such pain in my legs before. By the time that club was over I couldn't even stand. My legs were as numb as numb could get. When I poked them it felt like it was all pure fat. I couldn't feel anything when I rubbed it against something. I regret trying it already. I don't even want to go back >_< but I need to be involved in SOMETHING. I kinda don't wanna just back down now. But Badmittion, I wanna go backkkk~~

Enough complaining, I'll tell you about club. There's actually a lot to do in it. Sure, all we did was have a snack and drank a cup of green tea but the motions that went with all that was just not comprehendable to me. The plates had to be turned a certain way then turned again when you finished eating, before you drank you had to turn the cup twice then turn it again before you placed it back down, and you had to enter the room with your right foot and leave with your left. But really, it's really just the whole numbness issue that's seriously turning me away. Sure, it may seem like a stupid reason especally when I'm learning a huge part of Japanese culture but that was extemely unbareable. Extremely. I just wanted it to end. I mean, if all you end up being focused on is your legs instead of what's going on there's really no point. The room was very pretty though. The entrance had fake stones like in a Japanese garden, there was the tatami floor mats, everything unique to the culture. I was excited at first. -sigh- But maybe I'll go back to Badmittion. I'll do it twice a week. Maybe. Hmm, now how to bring that up to my host mom... I keep changing my mind too much.

In two weeks I'm going to Tokyo Tower! I'm sure I'll be visiting other places in beloved Tokyo like hopefully Harajuku and Shibuya but I'm going to Tokyo! That's all that matters! I'll be taking tons tons tons of video there, may have to make it into two parts but that's okay, right? Of course.

Ai was amazed when she used my shaving cream. I didn't think shaving cream could be so um, amazing haha. She's really pretty I notice more. I can't believe she doesn't have a boyfriend. She showed me how to roll my skirt to make it shorter. It kinda feels weird it being shorter now but I like it better. It doesn't look like an old lady wearing a skirt now. Now, if only I could make my necktie thing smaller...

Just an addition here. Forget what I said about not liking lunch anymore. That is seriously the best meal of the day [when there's school]. Even though it may be the same things most of the time it is seriously the most delicious meal I've been eating here and yesterday's just bet them all. I have no idea what the hell it was: some kind of fried shrimp, potato strips wrapped in bacon, sweet potatos, some kind of meatball but it had an egg in the center, and white rice with tiny pieces of salmon on the top of it. Oh my god. It was seriously the best meal I've ever had.

Japan Blog 14 (Sept. 14, 2008) Bunkasai!!

Hello Bunkasai [School Festival]!!

That was fun ^_^ well, at least in the beginning. It got boring in the end and I couldn't wait to leave. But I'll start it off with the morning. So, it was Saturday. I wasn't sure if I was taking the bus to school or not [at normal time] or if I was getting a ride. Communication didn't go so well for some reason at breakfast. I became completely confused and in the end I came to the conclusion that otoo-san was giving me a ride. I was still in my pjs and then a rang came at the door. It was the girl who always picks me up every morning to take the bus. Crap. Tonpi gets me to tell me she's here and I'm freaking. I wasn't dressed! I rushed to put on my uniform [yeah, we had to wear our uniform to school then change in the classroom. It made no sense to me why] and dashed to the door. Wow, that sure was record time putting that uniform on. Result: I almost made her and me miss the bus. The bus came like a minute after we arrived. I go to school, get changed, down to the parking lot to our beloved [haha] Takoyaki stand. I unfortunately didn't get to see any performances :( the entire time, except one but it wasn't too special. It was the girl who sang in English. But I really wanted to get video of the two girls playing the shamisen (;_;) gomen nasai [I'm sorry].

I didn't have to work in the beginning so me, Ayami, Shiori, and this other girl [she helps me tons during school telling me what we're supposed to be doing, but I don't know her name :( but her nickname is Ramosu] went walking around. Ramosu was actually working but she just had to advertise, which you'll see in the video, about our stand. I had fun in the beginning. Just looking around and such. There wasn't as much as I expected and it definitely wasn't as elaborate as I hoped. What was I hoping to expect anyway? I unfortunately didn't get to go into the haunted house. There was two of them! But my friends don't like scary stuff, unfortunate for me. It was wayyy too hot. There was a coffee stand, a yakisoba stand, tapioca [is that spelled right?] stand, but I'm sorry but I need to complain about tapioca here. They say it's tapioca pudding. No. This "pudding" was a freaking DRINK with these balls in it. Those clear balls were the tapioca. So, when I read and ordered "ichigo miruku" [strawberry milk] on the menu for tapioca pudding I wasn't expecting strawberry milk being poured into a cup then these tapioca balls being dumped into it. That is NOT tapioca pudding, and it tasted terrible too! I mean, look at this picture! This is tapioca pudding to these crazy people!

 

Okay, so then the tapioca turned brown when put in the liquid. But seriously, does that even look good? I drank the milk but threw the tapioca in the gomi [garbage]. We also went into a classroom that called themselves Alice's Kitchen. I have no idea what I ordered. It was good if the jello wasn't in it. The Japanese sure have weird taste buds [then again I'm the weird one to them haha]. It had snow cone in it and fruits and the jelly. Sounds good, but it was just that jelly... ick. I played Water Archery and Step And Go, you can see the classrooms on the video. Water Archry was just you were given a squirt gun and you had to aim at a paper target. Fun I suppose haha. It was. Then Step And Go was a badminton game. You basically just had to knock down tubes with the birdy. There were three rounds and I did horrible on the second. Then it was off for work! Takoyaki making here I came. It was actually really easy. I got the hang of it after a while. I was making some pretty takoyaki ^_^ But it was soooo hottt~~ I was going to die from the heat if my hand wasn't burnt before then.

I noticed that students from other schools wore their uniform to this even though they didn't have school. I really don't understand it. When Ai and Saori [Yuko and the others didn't come haha] came to pick me up they were in theirs. When we were walking to the mall I asked them about it and they couldn't really explain. You just do it. Before the mall we went to a restaurant called Gusto. I wasn't really hungry but I got food anyway. I got a pizza. A mayonnaise and cheese pizza. Who the hell cooks mayonnaise in a pizza? I was a little worried even though Ai kept telling me "it good" with her English. It actually was reallyyyy good. One of the best pizzas I had. Things were awkward. Too quite and I didn't like it. Saori went to the bathroom and I HAD to do something so things wouldn't be like this. My pizza came with a bottle of Tombasco sauce. Do you know what it is? It's made in America, it's hot sauce, unbelievably hot hot sauce. I put a few drops into Saori's drink. Ai lost it laughing. She kinda blew it when Saori came back and saw her laughing. She then suspected something was done. She made me and Ai taste her drink before she did. We did and we had to hide our expressions after the taste got us. It was TERRIBLE. And I only added 3 drops in it. She then drank it and when she tasted it she immediately grabbed Ai's drink. haha it was funny and of course she didn't expect me. Who would, the foreigner?

At the mall we went straight to the arcade. Student from my school were even there, and I only knew that because they had their uniforms on. I'm even more confused now. Why the heck would you go wearing your uniform out when you have a pair of jeans and a T-shirt to wear? It puzzles me. But it's how it is here in Japan I guess. I felt out of place there since I still had my class shirt on. People knew where I was from and I wasn't wearing my uniform like I'm "supposed" to. I now realize why [well it seems like] Ai doesn't have much a variety in clothing. They wear their uniforms everywhere. Even today [Sunday] I saw girls wearing their uniforms and there were no festivals or school today, today's a holiday for god sakes. But we went into a Purikura and took some photos which I'm very happy to own ^_^ If I get enough throughout the year I'll buy a Purikura album like I see many people have. haha but those things are filled. You need to collect them from yearsss. We'll just have to see.

And my camera had a tragic experience at the festival. Before it even started Ayami dropped my camera in the parking lot. I almost died. I was scared it broke or my screen cracked :( I can't survive without it. There would go all my photos and videos to post. I lucked out though. It couldn't have damaged in a better place. It was at the bottom corner of the camera where the sliding thing for the battery isn't. I have a Casio Exilim EX-Z9. Now there's a nice dent there. But thank god that's all that happened. My whole day would have been ruined if I couldn't get and video OR pictures. At supper Yuko called Ai to and during that she asked to talk to me. Oh my god. It was so funny. Yuko, I'm sorry Yuko, you are the worst Japanese person I met at speaking English. I don't even think anyone could be worse than you. I have no idea what she was trying to tell me. I think she said she had a confession to tell me and that it was she loved me. If she said that in Japanese I would have understood perfectly. Geeze, she made it so difficult. If anyone knows Ashley Jennings she reminds me of her, a lot. But it was terribly funny. Japanese speaking English, funniest thing in the world.

The day ended with the three of us being complete idiots. Me, Ai, and Tonpi. I don't even know what happened. If you know me I tend to mumble to myself. We were in the, I call it the game room but it's really not that and I was actually talking to them, half in English and I was just mumbling. Ai started coping me as did Tonpi then. I was tireddd, sorta, so I couldn't really stop. They had a laughing fit. Then there was a sketchbook on the floor and we were doodling. Well, my doodles were kinda like scribbles and of nothing. They found that funny and then every time I drew something they would copy. It was a laughing fit all night. I was even laughing, mumbling for them to shut up and such. It was too funny and my description probably sounds really stupid haha.

Here's my video ^_^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D08sehvD52Y

Japan Blog 13 (Sept. 12, 2008)

Thursday, September 11.

I've realized how much I hate taking the bus in the morning. It's not that it's terrible it's just the two people I go with, I feel uncomfortable with them. We really don't want anything to do with each other, it's just ackward. If I was alone I'd have no problem with it. But anyway, another day spent prepairing for the festival ^_^ Today we just decorated, really. Blew up balloons, made signs, colored a big cardboard into a tako, food was brought in, etc. We're actually allowed to leave the school and go to the store if we have a bike. A bunch of classmates left and came back with tons of food. There were a lot of eggs. Today there was an earthquake too. It wasn't anything big though but it was amazing to actually feel one for the first time. We were sitting on our balcony [every classroom has a balcony and it wraps around the school] eating lunch and all of a sudden the building started shaking. At first I thought I was imagining things since it didn't seem like anyone else noticed but then it got a little harder. Sayako [not Ai's friend] started breaking down. Okay, after a few shakes I started to get worried, but I was still amazed at it. It was awesome but a little scary at the same time. But it was only a little tremble for like 2 minutes. Nothing to panic over and she was breaking down in tears. I wanted to laugh but somethig told me she was seriousy scared so I didn't. She wasn't joking either. Ayami kept telling her over and over it was okay and saying something [I couldn't understand] to reassure her. Once the shaking stopped she tried to hold back the rest of her tears, she had to be feeling a bit embarrased.

And then the rain came. It wasn't until after I heard it was canceled that I found out that the school was supposed to go on a parade I'm not sure where. Everyone was happy when the anouncement came on saying about the cancelation. Glad I knew about it, gosh. But I'm glad it was canceled, too. Like I really wanted to do that. But because it was canceled school was let out early at like 2:00. That screwed up my bus schedual. I'm sure a bus passed through to take me home between 2-3:38 but I didn't want to walk down to the bus stop find out a bus didn't come till like 30 mins later and have to wait there. So, I decided to wait in the classroom till my normal bus time [3:38]. A few classmates were still hagging around, doing some more decorating and a few were still painting their shirts. I noticed that two of them were also painting their school shoes. Now, I'm not sure if it's allowed or not but my classmates even have writing on their shoes and I've noticed it on other students as well, so I guess it's okay. But I decided to join them. My shoes could use some color anyway haha. They didn't think I'd do that, asking me if my okaa-san would get mad. Well, she's never going to see them since we leave the shoes at school, and besides I hardly doubt she would. I'm sure Ai does the same.

Koudai isn't here anymore. I don't even know how long he stayed. But like I said, I perfer Taichiro better. He sent his family a letter that we recieved today and in that letter was also a letter for me, in English. First his girlfriend said something to me about meeting her on the 16th and how she's excited to met me, then Taichiro asked if I was getting accustomed here yet. I'm really glad they took the time to write it in English. That's was nice of them, and I can't wait to see him again and meet his girlfriend [her name is Ai].

Friday, September 12

The bunkasai [school festival] started today. Well, it was only the performances that will be shown tomorrow since we have to work and might miss what we wanted to see. Once the band performed I regreted not having my camera. Big time. The beginning was super boring. Two classes told a story on a projection and then there were three classes that sang. I was sleeping through those. It wasn't my fault really. The gym floor isn't very comfortable. But once our band club performed I was amazed. Now, I haven't heard much of the Hazelon band other than at the football games but Hitachi Niko's band club, Hazelton I don't think can compair. They were incredible. After that there were these big balloons that were tossed all over the gym. We were throwing them around until we were told to pop them. Inside were paper hearts. In class like three days ago we were given these hearts to write a message on them but there were alos numbers on the backs. Each student had to pick up a heart and then there was a raffel. If they called your number you got a present. I didn't win haha.

Then the real fun began. There was a perforance by two girls playing the shamisen. That performace simply amazed me. The girl's voice who was singing was WOW. Look on YouTube for someone singing while playing the shamisen so you know what the heck I'm talking about. I'm only hoping I can catch them again tomorrow and get some video. Have you heard GO!GO!7188 song "Ukifune"? The girl sounded almost EXACTLY how the beginning of that song goes [well, her voice was more high pitched but her voice sounded like GO!GO!'s singer]. Incredible. Makes me want to learn how to play it haha.

Then there were two performances of people singing. The one though, she sang one song in English, and even though I'm sure she had no idea what the words meant, her English was amazing. Now a Japanese singing English? That's impressive since they have trouble pronouncing the words. There were also some dance performances, one where a group danced to a song by EXILE. I've discovered that EXILE is a veryyyy popular music group here in Japan. They aren't my type of music but I like some of their songs. Last there was a band. They were actually really good. I enjoyed them.

-sigh- I really wish I had my camera...

We went back up to our classroom to have lunch. This was my fault. Before I left for the bus I didn't grab my luch because I thought ALL of the festival would be going on, not just the performances. So I didn't have a lunch. Ayami noticed and then announced to the class I forgot my lunch. I tried to hush her by repeating "daijyobu" [I'm fine] over and over but Maki and this other girl already offered their food. I told them the same but they kept insisting and Maki started saying something but I wasn't paying attention. Another girl walks over to me and hands me a bread. I say daijyobu again but then she just puts it on the ground and walks away. Great. Then Airi walks over and gives me one of her sweet rice thingys and walks away. I had no other choice but to eat them so I did. I finish then Ayami points to my side. Maki and the other girl places their offerings next to me with me noticing. Damn them. I tried to offer them away to Ayami, Shiori, and one of their friends from another class who visits us [but never eats]. She took the bread from Maki and I was left with a cream bun. Ayami said I had to eat it. -sigh- I'm never forgeting my lunch again. I can't believe they just pilled me with food when they clearly saw others give it to me already.

We then set up our tent outside and begain to make takoyaki. That is a very difficult thing to do. I don't even know what I'm supposed to do there. I don't know the first thing about making takoyaki and I certainly can't take orders haha. I watched them make it today and kinda attempted as well. It's hard. But I'll manage. Tomorrow should be fun ^_^

I got off the bus today and was walking home when this boy in a car tried to talk to me from across the street screaming, "hi, how are you" in English. I responded back in english then he starting laughing saying, "English no". It was a red light when he did that then he and his friend drove away. It's really amusing me. Actually, all these little things are making my days anymore strangly enough. Even when I was in the gym these two girls suddenly noticed I was sitting behind them and they had to say hi to me and test out their english skills. haha I can't wait to see how many glances I get tomorrow. Should be very amusing, maybe I'll attract more customers too haha. And I found out that Ai and her friends are coming with me. Yuko is in that group. I'm a little scared of what she'll do next haha. Like I said, should be interesting.

Japan Blog 12 (Sept. 10, 2008)

Konbanwa Konbanwa!

The school festival is fast approaching... yay! Did I mention that my school only does this once every three years? I got super lucky haha. I'm not sure if my okaa-san trusts me in the house alone haha. It's only been like what, 3 days now that I've started coming home after school but I'm never in the house. After I get changed I'm always shipped to the company across the street. Always to have tea. Except yesterday they took me to the grandparents [they live next to the company that my otoo-san owns]. But I'm ever in the house really until Tonpi comes home and then when she decides to go back I'm allowed to as well. I don't know. It doesn't bother me it's just I would like to rest one day someday. School's unbelievably boring. And I signed up for more Japanese classes. Why did I do that? As if the classes on Tuesday aren't bad enough. I'm an idiot. But I gotta learn it. I wanna learn it. Maybe the new lessons [with a different teacher] will be much less dreadful.

Yesterday was quite um... interesting. Ai came back late from school. Her school is also having a festival but that's next week, I'll hopefully shoot video of that, and her class is making churos. I found that a little strange when I first heard that haha. Japanese making churos. Well anyway, three of her friends came over since [I think they were taking the train home] and their train wasn't arriving till later. The girl I met before even though I didn't remember her until she asked if I remembered her name. Of course I didn't remember her name. The day I met her was when I broke the internet cord and wasn't in a very "lets meet new people" mood. Her name is Saori though. But her one friend, Yuko... I um, I don't know the right words to explain her. When they first saw me they told me I was beautiful, which was kinda creepy haha. But anyway, onto Yuko, the weirdest people I must say I have EVER met. They told me to sit on the couch, I did. They all took a picture with me [it's in my albums] and then Ai, Saori, and Sayaka went to sit on the floor leaving me and Yuko. I don't know if this was like a "oh, lets make the foreigner uncomfortable" or "lets poke fun of the foreigner" to all of them but I'm sure they meant no harm, I even found it quite funny. Actually I thought it all was. I couldn't stop laughing.

Yuko was staring at me. Now, I HATE being stared at. That is the most uncomfortable thing to me ever. She was even leaning in closer and closer. I was confused. Then she pointed to her eye and TRIED to speak in English that I have a lot of eyelashes under my eye and that she has none. Every one of them was laughing except Yuko who was almost totally serious. And her English is the worst I've heard so far. She knows words exist but her pronunciation is really bad. Really really bad. And she would only try to speak in English even when I answered back in Japanese. Saori and Sayaka were trying to help her with her English but I still had to repeat them only for her to try pronouncing again. Which then ended up on her showing us her tongue. She explained that because her tongue is so long she can't pronounce English right. Then she made me show her my tongue. We were all laughing, I'm in shock that I'm being put through this. She started telling me she was fat and was like pulling the fat from her arm [you know how you can pull it], I pulled mine for some reason, then she went pulling it, I was like being raped haha. No, not really, but it was awkward.

The biggest shock though was when they wanted to compare heights. I didn't actually stand next to them when they came. And they are all the same age, by the way. Yuko is incredibly short. She's like a younger sister to me! This was actually the first time I've felt like a giant while here. I mean, yeah, people are shorter here but the people I've seen and stood next to were only like a few inches shorter. Not like this. Here's a picture.

 

 Isn't that... weird? I don't know. 17 too. We stood up and I ran away laughing. I'm not lying either. I wasn't even standing next to her for 3 seconds before I had to walk away. I just burst out laughing. I wasn't expecting such a difference! I couldn't stop laughing. Even when apologizing for laughing I just continued. I couldn't help it. The night went on, took a few more pictures, laughed at Yuko's terrible English, and then they had to leave. My descriptions of how that night went aren't really enough to explain how funny it was. I had a lot of fun. Yuko also gave me a present. It's now hanging off my school bag.

 

The second son of the family also came yesterday. I'm not sure how long he's staying for though. His name is Koudai [spelled along those lines]. So far I prefer Taichiro better. Koudai isn't really around us much so far and he hasn't talked to me or asked me questions like Taichiro did. He's like the shy type but he's either that or he can really careless I'm there haha. Taichiro needs to come back. He was cool. He said he'd bring me his Death Note manga too. That should be interesting at attempting to read haha.

Today was school, except with no classes because of preparing for the festival. The entire day all we did was paint shirts. Yes, we spent 6 hours painting shirts. I regret the size I ordered. Something told me to freaking get a small but noooo I had to raise my hand for the medium. The shirt is big on me. I'm gunna feel fat on Saturday now when I have to wear it. On the front we had to paint the words "We [paint heart] 2-7". 2-7 is my class. It stands for 2nd Year Class 7. On the back we hand to paint a tako [octopus] in the bottom right corner the on the left sleeve we had to paint our class number. Then once we had those we were able to decorate them however we liked. I'll take a picture of mine for my next blog. It's nice to not have classes though haha. It'll be the same tomorrow but I have no idea what we're going to do... maybe cook?

I was leaving school when I was stopped by one of the English teachers. I was told that this month there's an English Day. I was like, 'oh, cool'. It became not cool soon after. I was asked to make a presentation about America to the whole school. Just like when I introduced myself in the gym. Now I had to take about America for 5 minutes. And it's ONLY, ONLY me. Because America speaks English and the only other freaking exchanges students here are Thai and German! Why?! I was already told that before I leave back to America I'd have to give a speech to the school in Japanese, so how many assemblies are they going to put ME though? So far it's going to be 3. Urgh. Stupid that's what it is. I have a Rotary speech to give AND a school presentation to give in this month. One is the 24th, the other the 27th. I'm tired, hate speeches, hate making power points, hate talking to large groups of people, hate being LOOKED at by a large group of people, oh my the fun I shall have.

After all that I went to the bank, took Tonpi to the doctor [her ear is bothering her], when home, attempted at studying, ate, then went to BullDog. That's that character shop I mentioned before. I actually bought some stuff this time haha. I got a Kapibara bus card holder and a Hello Kitty glasses case. Then I won small a Kapibara stuffed animal like thing. I officially loveeeee Kapibara ^_^ He was actually the stuffed animal I wasted 600 yen trying to win at the arcade haha. He's just sooo cute! Reminds me of a guinea pig ^_^

Japan Blog 11 (Sept. 8, 2008)

I apologize about my font, minna! Won't happen again.

I went to the zoo yesterday!! ^_^

And I've been spelling Tompi's name wrong all this time. It wasn't until I saw Ai write it on the Purikura that I noticed. Do you know what Purikura is? I must have mentioned this before. I'll get to it later. So anyway, it's not Tompi it's Tonpi. Makes sense anyway actually because "m" alone doesn't exist in the Japanese language but "n" does. I had to fix all my pictures now. But I went to the zoo! See, not going to Badminton pays off. It was awesome~~! I loved it and shot lots of video! I didn't put all the video onto the YouTube video though. And I must say, my video making skills have definitely improved ^_^ Watch it, I'm sure you'll see the improvement from the other three.

But there really isn't much to say about the zoo. I mean, a zoo's a zoo, right? And I'm sure you don't want to hear me talk about the zoo. Besides, they say a picture says 1,000 words, just imagine how many that is in a video. Watch the video and you'll see some of the neat stuff we did. I'll mention a few things though. It was very small. Nothing like the Philadelphia Zoo. I can't say it was even half it's size, but that didn't matter. I had tons of fun and that's what counts haha. They had squirrels in a cage. I was a bit surprised at that. Squirrels on display at a zoo... how very interesting. A classmate came up to me today and said that she saw me there. Wow, so much for me paying attention. haha But I think if I noticed anyway it would have been a bit awkward since I don't talk to her at all. After Kamine Zoo we went to the mall. Sweet! I can finally go shopping! No. We only went in the arcade. Not that that wasn't fun. I wasted 600 yen trying to win a stuffed animal in a stupid claw machine [grawr I almost had it too >_

And oh my god, Purikura. They are those booths where you take your picture with your friends and they are made into stickers. There's a million of them here. There was like 10 at the arcade. These machines are huge! HUGE! And once you're done taking your how many pictures, you walk out of the huge booth and go to this computer screen where you can write on the pictures, edit the pictures, add a hell of a lot of details, I can't even begin to explain what you could do with them. America DOES NOT have anything like these. Those booths in the malls there, pfft! They can't even begin to compare. About 6 of those together makes up the size of one here.

Satchiko and some other friend of Ai's came over then and we all watched Ai play Super Mario 64. That was basically my day yesterday. Ooh, but I found out that Ai reallyyy likes techno like me! She knows who Cascada is and a few other English techno that I don't feel like trying to remember who they are. So then on our way to the zoo she put in this techno CD she has in the car. I loved it. It's Japanese and it's techno, what could possibly be better? haha. So, when you watch my video the two songs on there are from her CD. I ripped the CD to my computer and now it's all I listen to haha. It's called Hime Trance 2.

As for today, I woke up cold. Freaking cold. I go to eat breakfast okaa-san says, "atsui desho?" [hot isn't it?]. Nooo. I'm colddd~~. I warmed up eventually. And so I decided to give up Badminton Club. -sigh- I know I'm going to seriously regret it too. It was my exercise! But I know if I continue to be in it I would have to go Monday-Thursday like you're supposed to and not pick and choose. And if I picked and choose I would most likely not be able to participate in the tournaments. That would not be cool. So, I'm leaving it and think of this anyway. I'm in Japan to learn more about the culture, right? Well then why the hell am I doing badminton? I love badminton to death, believe me I'd die to be on a team, but I like to play for fun that doesn't involve practicing every freaking day and wasting HOURS on it. So, I've decided to join the Tea Ceremony Club. It's every Wednesday but they don't have it this week 'cause of the school festival. That's cultured enough, right? Tea ceremony, big part of the culture here. We'll see how that goes and I know it won't waste hours. It has to only last like 2 at the most, right? Badminton was like 3 1/2 I think, I always just left early.

I think I got a real friend now. Her name is Ayami. I started sitting with her and her friend Shiori at lunch instead of the other group of girls. When I was over with the other girls such as Kanako, like I said I barely talked. I talk all of lunch now basically. We have the hardest trouble comprehending each other but that's what makes it so funny and enjoyable. haha I'm starting to think once I get this language down it's not gunna be as fun anymore. Today she was saying how she wants an American baby [I have no idea how we got into this subject] and trying to saying something about international marriage and then somehow she confused what I said with saying that this year I wanted to get married and Shiori just looked at me weird while Ayami said "hayai" [early]. After like 5 more minutes of trying to re-explain what I was trying to say [which was wanting to live here in Japan and not marrying this year] we finally got each other and Shiori was laughing too. My Japanese with her English is quite a terrible combination haha.

And I took the bus myself today. Okaa-san thought I was staying for Badminton Club [I decided to quit while I was in school] so she was pretty shocked when I came home. I guess she was going to take the bus with me one more time after all before I went on my own. But I managed just fine I guess haha. It was a bit scary though, no doubt. I was afraid I might have went on the wrong bus, there's a bus that picks up that I was told to absolutely not to take. I wasn't sure where I was supposed to stop though [I'm not sure where the closest bus stop is and I didn't want to pass my house up] so I clicked the stop button kinda early so I had to walk a bit. That's not bad though since I lost my exercise now :( I could use the walking. It was just funny to surprise her. "Uso" [no way/you're kidding] was the first thing I heard from her mouth. Tonpi was even surprised when she saw me home and when she found out about the bus. Another "uso" was heard. Wow. I see the lack of confidence they had in me haha. Just kidding. I did act like I was pretty clueless [not that I wasn't] anyway when they were with me and it is Japanese, a freakishly hard language. But I guess I paid good attention.

I spent like 30 minutes at the hon-ya [bookstore] with Tonpi just looking at a "Where's Waldo" book at like 8:30 at night. Stupid Waldo. So hard to find.

To end off this blog [which is kinda long] I went to check my email and I got some random email address. I noticed that it was a @softbank address. Softbank is a keitai [cell phone] company here. I found out it was Ayami. When I gave out my Rotary cards to people I must have given her one and she saw my email address on it. Well, I was laughing when I saw it. I couldn't believe she sent me a email.

Nice to meet you:-)
My name is Ayami Ogawa.I'm very very glad because I made good friends with you:-)


Are you used to life in Japan?

haha I'm still shocked. Sure made my day. But anyway here's the link to my video. Enjoys ^_^  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQDaDEZZdW8

Japan Blog 10 (Sept. 7, 2008)

Ohayo! [Good morning!]

I much rather prefer writing my blogs in the morning. I'm too tired before bed and kinda just rush through them. -sigh- School's ruining that for me haha. Well, I'm not allowed to sleep in. I literally tried yesterday. They woke me up before 10. Sooo not cool. I finally had a small breakfast though! A slice of toast that had two strips of ham and cheese melted to it and a yogurt. That's much more better for my stomach. I was suppose to go to Badminton Club but Kanako [she's in the club] told me Friday not to 'cause it was a tournament. Hey, that was fine with me. I really didn't want to waste my day there anyway. I mean 12 to 4:30? That's a perfect day wasted. Sure, Badminton is fun and stuff but there's other things I could be doing, especially with the family, that's better than that. And I'm glad I didn't go.

To start things off after breakfast I was taken away to see a performance. I brought my camera to take some video but unfortunately I have none :( It was really neat too. There were a bunch of little kids playing the koto. It's a old instrument here in Japan and it has 13 strings and is omega long. I was going to take video but I was only there for like 5 minutes then we left. I didn't realize how short we were staying or else I would have started filming in the beginning. Then we were off and visited a junior high school next. Today happened to be their sports' festival. My school will be having one too but it won't be till sometime next year. [By the way, it was only okaa-san, me, and Tompi through all this] All I saw while I was there were these boys running and somewhere in the running there was like a slip-n-slide thing there. We were there only for like 3 minutes. Not enough time to capture video or pictures. Otoo-san then picked us up [we were walking] and we were then off to Mito City to look at trees. We didn't look at trees, I guess okaa-san just didn't know how to describe it. It was actually like a place were builders would go to by things for their homes. There were vendors advertising their glues, doors, tiles, and such. But this was like a one day thing. It was too hot too. The last song I heard before we left was Perfume's "Love The World". It's fun singing along to the songs you actually know.

Coffee here is pretty amazing and as far as I know it's only drank cold. I got this coffee, not sure what the heck it says, but its name is Blendy. I guess you can say it's a cold cappuccino. I want another right now haha. Our our way home we stopped at that crepe shop again. We visit there so often 'cause okaa-san's friend works there. I tried vanilla ice cream. I think America's is better. There more vanilla flavoring in it. Here, not so much. While there we went to the fish market again. Poor poor fish. There were these snails/slugs [they had shells with them] that were still alive and were squirting water. I wanted to rescue them :( That would have been funny though, the foreigner gabbing the tray of snails and suddenly running of to throw them back in the ocean. It is sometimes cool to be the foreigner here. The best part is is making heads turn when they're in their cars even when driving. That's funny. But sometimes in public places, it can get awkward. Especially the older people. They will stare at you. Even we you look back they'll stare. Then some other people see that you're looking back they'll stop but then look back once you look away. It just makes you self-conscious about how your hair may look or clothes even though that's not the case. You're just tall and different.

I did my shukudai [homework] when I came home. It's really the only homework I can do and that I'm expected to do. Japanese for my lessons every Tuesday. It was easy but writing katakana over and over again is stupid. Tompi was doing her's with me [I finally figured out her real name, it's Tomomi] and she had to write kanji. I actually want to learn kanji sooo badly but it can't be a priority on my list. I need to learn more vocab and work on my speaking. I unfortunately won't be with this family forever :( For supper we didn't have meat. It was like fried pumpkin. It is my new favorite food. Soo amazing~~!! Did you know orange pumpkins don't exist here? Pumpkins here are like green and has bubbles all over it. Well, I don't mean bubbles bubbles, it's just like there's pimples covering it. There we go, better description. Oh, and about the screens, I was over exaggeration. They do exist here it's just if the windows are barred [basically every window is] then they don't have them. After supper we went to a exercise park. Does America even have those? It was a public park where it had a sidewalk that circle the park for like 1 km and on some of the sides it had a training thing for like doing pull ups and crunches and such. I didn't get to walk the full 1 km, not even half. In the beginning when we entered the training thing and Tompi pulled me aside to do these stuff while the rest of the family walked. I am the weakest person. I couldn't do the pull ups or anything. The only think I could have done were sit ups but I was too tall to do them, the seat/laying pad was too small. Then she made me dash from tree to tree against her. I can not runnnn. I did badminton because it doesn't involve much physical exercise! I cheated. I didn't run the full dash, stopping midway then to the other tree. It was fun.

When we were done she decided to to catch up with the family. She ran. I sat waiting for them to circle back around. When they came into view her and Ai were racing to me. I forget who won. Then we were off to Kasumi, it's the grocery store here. Otoo-san drove there while the three off us walked. Walking during the night is the best. I love it. On our way we saw a dead cat on the road :( Kowai sou [poor thing]. And I'm not sure if there's peanut butter here. Like, on our way while waking I tried to ask them that but they didn't understand what I was asking. They didn't understand what peanut butter was [They understood my Japanese]. So then I tried to explained it, that's where me not knowing Japanese kicks in and we're all there trying to get each other to comprehend what we were saying. Ai's there with her cellphone trying to get the English words for me [Japanese cellphones have a Jap-Eng dictionary in them] but even when they understood that you spread it on bread they didn't know what I was talking about. It was the funniest thing. We were all laughing and stuff. The most fun parts with the family is when we are trying to understand each other. It gets so confusing but we never give up until it gets too funny. At Kasumi though I think I found the peanut butter. It looked like it and it even had a picture of it being spread on bread but the color was lighter than America's. I told them I'll just get it shipped here so they can try it. Then we watched Men In Black. It's amazing how many American films are dubbed and showed on TV here. The Terminal [movie with Tom Hanks staring] was playing last night as well. The TV gives you the option of Japanese, English, or both at the same time. We tried to do both before with The Scorpion King but the Japanese overpowers. I watch it in Japanese with them only trying to remember how the movie went haha.

And so was my exciting adventure yesterday. -sigh- I'm seriously not gunna go to Badminton Club often. It's a waste of my time spent here, especially away from the family where it's more FUN. I'll only go like 3 times a week. My school only lets you join one club too. Every student is allowed only one club. I also found out that my school only does it's school festival once every three years. This happens to be its third year, I got super lucky being able to experience this. It's this Friday and Saturday, Wednesday and Thursday we set up. I'll be having video for these days, hopefully while we set up as well. But definitely during the festival I will. And I finally got pictures of Yuzu! Kawaii [cute]!!

Japan Blog 9 (Sept. 5, 2008)

Two more days passed on this island. And the mosquitoes here are ridiculous. I swear I have like 20 bits all over me. I even have two on one finger right under each other! It's because there are no screens in the windows here and the front door is always open. There's no way to keep them out. But still I would think screens would exist here, but they don't. You what other thing doesn't exist here? Shaving cream. Shaving cream for girls that is. They make it for the guys. When okaa-san, Tompi, and Ai saw my bottle they had no idea what it was then were surprised when they found out. Urgh, these damn mosquitoes -scratching scratching-.

So yesterday I found out that those two same classes of English I had on Wednesday I had again yesterday except only with different teachers. Where the American was supposed to teach instead it was a lady from India teaching. Now that's pretty impressive, knowing English, Japanese, and Indian. Then the second class though was different. In this class all the students did were read English books. They were like preschool level but still, making them read books in English? If I had to do that in Spanish class I'd go insane. They were then required after each story to write a summery about it. Wows. Later that day though I went to see the Mayor. Meeting the mayor. Yay. Well, to begin off I was expecting one of my host parents to come and get me from school. Not that mysterious guy in the black suit. If you have no idea who I'm talking about look at the picture of me at the airport. I'm by some Rotary member in a black suit. He kinda creeps me out. I'm sure he's nice and all [well he is actually] but he just scares me. I'm not sure why either. I hope he's not going to be one of my future host families. I don't even want to switch :( I like it here.

So, I arrived at city hall. It was scary at first because when I entered the room all I saw were four men with cameras and one with a video camera. I was freaking out, this couldn't have all been for me?! Thank god it wasn't. I sat there while the Mayor [his name is Chiaki Kashimura] and a bunch of other important looking people discussed about these "cards". I have no freaking idea what these cards are.You just play with them. After that was finished I shook the Mayor's hand, took some pictures with him, then he gave me a present. This stuffed animal.



What is this? I um, I don't know. All I know is that it's the mascot of Hitachi. It has the face of a hippo, a rat's tail, and angel wings. That's about all I know of it. So, I was given that. Then I came home but on the way I was told that on the 24th of this month I have to go to a Rotary meeting to give a 10 min speech introducing myself. WHAT?! Didn't I do that last time? And 10 minutes??? I was asking Pat if she had to do anything like I've been doing. No! She hasn't even been to a meeting yet! Why meeeee???? Then before I went to sleep Ai and Tompi decided to curl my hair. They were amazed how soft my hair felt. I didn't understand. It doesn't feel soft to me but sureee. We went to the grocery store and me and Ai saw this Ice Cream Soda. I told Tompi, "nomu" [drink it]. I didn't actually think she'd get it when okaa-san told us to get a drink but she did. I got a milk tea. I've been drinking those lately and the best I've had so far was Lipton's. But anyway that Ice Cream Soda tasted terrible [I tried it]! Poor Tompi, haha. She drank it anyway.

And so it is today. I had gym today people. haha Oh my god. I walked into the gym and there was some recording of a girl speaking going through the speakers saying the warm-up exercises like you would watch on TV. It even had a cute little tune in the background. I wanted to burst out laughing. I could not possibly explain how funny I found this to be. There was another class in the gym with mine and these warm-up exercises were just weird. I was trying to follow along with the other students [except when the speakers instructed to run I stood in place. Sorry, I don't run] but the movements were just weird. I literally felt like I was on one of those exercise TV programs. After those five minutes of confusion we got to pick what sport we wanted to do. I did badminton. Next time if we get to choose again I'm soo picking table tennis. How funny would that be? So, I played that, went back to class, was completely tired for the rest of the day. I attempted at copying notes in class again, nodded away into sleep, ate lunch, tried to do classwork, nodded back into sleep. I think students here sleep in class a lot more than they did at Hazelton from what I've noticed. This one girl, Kanako, I see her sleeping like all the time. She was totally out at last period. But yeah, they're always sleeping. I can join them haha.

I know how to take the bus home now... I think. I'm pretty sure I'm on my own now after today. If you don't hear from me again after Tuesday or something then you know I'm wandering the streets of Hitachi lost. I was asked to help otoo-san and okaa-san to make more of those cards. Okay, these cards are about Hitachi, somehow. It's called Karuta. I don't know how to play it. Here's a picture of the cover and the cards piled inside.

 

 So, what I had to do was stack the cards in a certain order, then I had to weigh them. If their weight wasn't between 105-107 grams then I had to do that stack all over again. After that I had to put them into the boxes. We made quite a bunch within an hour. And I can finally say that I tried REAL ramen. After we were done there my host parents took me to a ramen shop. Real ramen is the bestt~~ The bowl was the size of my face, no lie. If I picked that bowl up to my face it would have pretty much fit inside. My ramen came with veggies and meat. The veggies were like beansprouts though. I've been eating a lot of foods here I normally wouldn't eat back in America. But the meat was cold. It was after that I realized you're supposed to mix it all together 'cause then the meat gets warm from the water/soup. Then the meat taste freaking awesome! That ramen was good. Better than good. Oishii [delicious]!! It was too big though and I couldn't finish it :( I seriously don't know how Japanese can eat so much. Otoo-san literally gulped down that bowl.

That was my past two days. Figured I'd wait since there wasn't much to write about on Thursday. And guess what? I tried another squid food! Is anyone counting? I think I should start. My new goal is to see how many things exactly are made from squid. Today I tried [well I call it this] squid jerky. It was beef jerky except it was squid. That was actually really good. And did you know seaweed here is eaten as a snack? I tried it from a friend at lunch today. It was seasoned with something but it was still seaweed. It was gross. I tried two other things that were seaweed that I can remember besides that. The one was alright. The other was slippery and gross.

Japan Blog 8 (Sept. 3, 2008)

Today was weird.

I didn't think I'd have much to say about today either. But once second period started I knew what I would be writing about today. It was the same old morning. Didn't eat much breakfast today and I think I've given up on straightening my hair anymore. I'll just wear it in a ponytail anymore for school. The humidity here is riducluas! And I don't are how many times I have to say that, 'cause it is. My hair just sticks to me when it's down and it curls. Not to mention my bangs don't want to listen to me anymore. They curl in the strangest way but it's only when I have my hair down. I don't understand! So anyway, same old morning, take the bus, oh! On the bus today I met another exchange student. She was on her way to school but she goes to a different school than me and she didn't have a uniform. So unfair. She told me though that her school is the very best for Japanese students but Niko [that's what people call my school I'm not exactly sure why] she said is better for exchange students. She's from Australia. And I forgot her name... if she told me it... Well, I'll see her every morning now anyway so it doesn't matter right now haha. Got to school, had my first class which was Japanese History. Today I tried to copy notes. Oh my god, that was difficult. Everything was kanji, and I mean EVERYTHING. I kept looking back up at the board like three times just making sure I wrote one kanji correctly. If it was hiragana or katakana I wouldn't have this problem. And so came second period. I'm still shocked this happened.

My class started taking their uniforms off and changing into their gym clothes. I was confused at first. I knew we didn't have gym today. We only have that Tuesdays and Fridays. Then this girl [I should really find out her name 'cause she's been talking to me more lately] came up to me and tried to explain in english what we were doing. What I got out of it was cleaning the grass. "That's nice", I'm thinking. We're picking up garbage to help the planet, Let's do it! No. I was off. She did say grass but she didn't mean pick up garbage when she was doing the picking up motions. The entire school was outside at the softball/soccer field, PULLING WEEDS. We were all pulling weeds. What the heck is with that? What "school" makes their students pull freaking weeds? I'm not even making up my disbelief in this situation. I stood there in my class's section staring at them all. Even the teachers were pulling weeds! We were each given a sickle and were expected to do this. I wouldn't even do this at home, why would I do it at school. But I "tried". I gave up before the hour was over. Maybe like after 20 minutes into it I gave up. I was not going to pull weeds, I'm sorry. There was a group of girls in my class who gave up before me anyway. So yeah. Today I was pulling weeds at school.

The rest of the school day flew by but when fifth period came, now I look forward to Wednesdays every week. It's a double period of a class called something like Inter Culture. It's actually two different classes [5th and 6th periods] but they both revolve around english. The first class was my favorite. It was all in english. The teacher spoke not one word of japanese, no lie. My poor classmates haha. But it was basically a 3rd grader course on english. Today they were learning about what are regular and irregular verbs. When they didn't know what they were the sensei asked me. I didn't even know. Then I was asked what a constanent [I think that's spelled wrong but it's the oposite of a vowel] was and I didn't know what it was at the time either. I was even asked to go to the board and write a word to make it into a regular verb and such. The American girl doesn't know english. How bad. haha but it was funny and the sensei was funny as well. And I guess I'll be learning something from this class now. He's actually from America, too. He said he was from North Carolina and he diffinitly has that accent. But still a class that's all spoken in english, you can't go wrong.

The next english based class was with a Japanese teacher. In that class the students took english tests, not tests like in America where in Spanish class for example, you took tests on what you learned in that class. These were tests on a varity of subjects it was just in english. They also learn english in that class but today most of the students forgot their books so they did the test taking instead. That class was spoken in bothe english and japanese though, too. And then school was over. Today we didn't have to clean the classroom, not sure why. And I went to Badmittion Club. I was going to skip out on today for club and go tomorrow but I was told yesterday I couldn't go on Thursday. Why? Tomorrow sometime after school [also Badmittion Club ends around 7 pm, actually all the sport clubs end then] I'm going to meet the Mayor. Why? I wanna know too! Otoo-san just tells me I'm going to see the Mayor. How wonderful. I'm seriously being broadcasted everywhere. How come Pat doesn't have to go through this? She's through Rotary toooo~~ Oh, and the German girl's name is Nora. Just thought I add that.

And tonight I had so far the most difficult thing I had to eat. Soba. It was good but the noddles were big and long and hard to slurp into your mouth. See, everyone at the table was slurping away using their chopsticks to eat these noodles. I can't slurp. Gosh I tried. The noodle wouldn't slide into my mouth and when it did I was just getting myself wet from the soup juice off of it. I was making a mess. So I resorted to putting a noodle one at a time on this big spoon [okaa-san gave us spoons to use] and eat it that way. Took me forever but I got it done. I also found out that the red shoes in my school are sempai. The yellow are the younger students.  But I'm still shocked about the weed pulling >_< That was just... so bizarre.