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[28 Nov 2007|08:54pm] |
There's a near constant wind from Lake Biwa in Hikone. Its pretty chilly. Last year wasn't nearly this cold, everyone thinks it's gonna snow a lot this year. Tension down... D: In Japan, tension being up is everyone's moods are up and its a good atmosphere. When tension is down is the opposite. When people write mails to each other they often use arrows to indicate their feelings haha. So ↓ and ↑ for example.
By the way I've only been back a week or so and I feel the English slipping already! One thing that happens frequently is I leave plurals off of words, or mess up grammar. Especially if a Japanese person is trying to talk to me in English. Its okay though, I don't have to worry about it much, haha. My friends are all planning their end of the year parties, Chrismas, New Year's and one that really just is an End of Year celebration. Like last year I'm gonna help Keiko and the ESS club out by being a judge for their speeches. ESS is English Speaking Society and every year University of Shiga Prefecture and Shiga University's clubs have a debate in only English. Wow. Last year was really interesting. I'm glad I get to be around again to help out.
I got all my information for Seian and I'm gonna fill it out, yay! I'm gonna prepare by drawing like crazy. :O
I still have a cold but everyone has one right now so its just going around. I'll get better soon I'm sure.
Hope you guys over there are having fun, there's really nothing too interesting happening yet. I guess it's all next month, the exciting stuff.
Take it easy! Ya'll come back now, ya hear?
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| Long time no see |
[20 Nov 2007|04:35am] |
Last update 57 weeks ago!? Wow. That is a long time.
Well I finally arrived in Japan again! I'm so glad. As per special grandpa request I will now try to write more for you guys when I get a chance. The internet cafe is so far out of the way now that the one by me closed (must be the fault of a new one that opened not too long ago, its super cool that's why...).
It rained all day Sunday so I stayed inside and slept all day. I caught a cold already, or did the cold catch me ho ho?, so I slept it away. I bought mikan (oranges) to eat and so that helps. Yesterday my friends from Shiga University invited me to a special party for the Korean exchange students so we all ate (free meal!! Its good to have friends, haha.) and chatted and it was fun. I was glad to see my friends again. Afterwards I went to meet Keiko, Aya and some other friends at YAB. It was so great to see them and catch up. Everyone's doing well so I was glad. Afterwards Keiko let me stay over at her place and she set up her kotatsu!! Ahhhh so comfy. A kotatsu is basically a small table with a heater attached, and you put the futon blanket over it and sit underneath. Its like magic in winter... you never want to crawl out from under it. Heh.
Today I have to go to Sky Joker for 'aisatsu' or greetings. Basically to say I've come back and see how everyone is and to ask if I can work there again. ;D In Japan, your friends, classmates, co-wokers, those relationships don't just end. You still are obligated to them. Even when you're really old, for example, to your 'senpai' or senior, you still have to show respect. Its different from what most Americans are used to because a lot of time if we quit a job or move away we don't always contact people who helped us in the past or that we were close to, whereas Japanese usually do. Whether its obligation or because they want to is kind of hard to decipher sometimes, though. It can be weird to understand.
Anyway, catch you again in a few days. Hope Turkey Day goes well and eat LOTS of pumpkin pie for me!!
Peace out homies,
Shaye V^^
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[16 Oct 2006|01:15pm] |
The weekend was fun! On Saturday durning the day Rin-chan (Lindsay) and I went to Nagahama for a "Hiking in English" thing. We basically were grouped with about five Japanese people who could or couldn't speak English well and walked around Nagahama looking at the sites. It was cool, I remembered a little from when Yui's parents took me to Nagahama. It's pretty close by bike, about fourty minutes. Rin-chan and I might go back there soon. We spent the day with them and although it was supposed to me mostly in English, we ended up speaking mostly Japanese. It was easier I suppose for them but I got some good practice. They were very nice. There was a vending machine with a "mystery drink" option. You put in 120 en and then choose mystery and you get a random drink from that amount of money's selection that is available. I of course had to try it. Luckily I got Aquarius, a kind of sport drink, and not some gross coffee drink thing. I so have to play the mystery option again! I got to play on a playground at the end of the hiking thing. There I saw Justin (3 level)'s girlfriend, Ritsuko. She was watching her niece, who is adorable! She is probably about 3 and Ritsuko taught her some English and she's so cute. We went down the slide together. I told Ritsuko I saw Justin waiting at Nagahama station for her (:O) and she said thanks. I told her to bring her niece sometime so we could play again. ^^
Oh Nicholas, I don't know if you're reading this too but there is a guy in my class named Brenton (sp?) who looks like 85% like you and it freaks me out! I call him 'cuz.' Haha. Really though, he looks so much like you it frightened me at first. ;P
Saturday evening a bunch of us went to Jack and Betty, which is a small bar place where they have concerts occasionally. It was free and some of the other students knew the guys who were playing. It was really fun because we got really rowdy, nothing broken just jumping around and having way too much fun. Japanese people typically are really resevered even at concerts, when a gaijin (foreigner) pulls them out of their chair and says DANCE! They just say, "aw what the heck" and go for it because a gaijin told them to. Haha. Yeah, it was crazy. There was a little bit of moshing, a little bit of crowd surfing. What is hilarious is the fact that the place is really small, hehe. I have some bruises but it was all in good fun and pretty cool. I kept taking the guitarist's hat and wearing it and it was being thrown around, hehe.
After that some of the musicians and JCMU students went to some place called the Sound Bar. I followed along but it was pretty boring there. I mainly talked to the drunk Japanese people outside. I only drank water, I'm not really into drinking alcohol. I've had a beer or so here but that's about it. Everyone else likes to party on the weekend. I actually think it's amusing in a sad sort of way, but to each their own. Regardless, the Japanese people were trying to speak to me in a weird English/Japanese combination and it was hilarious. I don't think they could even understand their Japanese.
I left about 1:30am, good old bicycle got me home safely at about 2. It's actually pretty easy to get around when you have a bike, if you don't you're out of luck though. D:
Sunday was spent doing homework and recovering from being so sore. My legs still hurt. But it was very fun. I think maybe next week those guys are going to come back, or at least I think they mentioned it. They're from Oosaka, which is a happening kind of town.
Class is getting tougher by the day, I study a lot and sleep a lot, heehee. This week I don't think there is anything too exciting going on. Except I have to find a Halloween costume and soon. D: The Halloween parties are on Friday and I've got nothing. The kids' party will be fun I hope, I'm in charge of face painting. I found the book store Yui's parents took me too, hehe. Book Off is the best place on Earth. ;D There is a game on the second floor called "The Typing of the Dead", it's really really fun!
Well I miss Michigan and home and everyone a lot. I'm sorry I haven't been able to chat more often. Usually when I have free time everyone is asleep. Mom I hate to ask but I'm running low on the monies. :O And now when I want to type something I think about it in Japanese first, it's hard to speak English. Hehe.
I'm going to go to the ATM and possibly the bookstore with Rin-chan (Lindsay). I'm gonna make like a tree and get the heck out of here.
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[11 Oct 2006|08:59am] |
Wow I'm surprised I haven't received a flood of emails asking me about what Japan is doing about North Korea. Heh, heh.
Anyway I'm doing well! Despite that testing, it's been surprisingly quiet. In fact we haven't even had a talk with any of the directors here about the N.K. testing so we're really not even worried about it. It's been totally out of my mind these last few days.
The weekend was a long one because there was a holiday on Monday (no clue as to which one.) Sunday I participated in a community sports festival! It was so much fun. I ran relay races and did so many different things. The prizes were useful too, Saran wrap, ziplock bags, garbage bags. It was really cool. Although my muscles are really sore now, but it feels good in a weird way.
Monday I was eating my lunch in a park and I put my arm back to rest and I felt a prick. I looked down and there was a green catarpillar, about three inches long and two inches wide. It had a blue stripe down it's back, too. I thought it's only a catarpillar and I should be fine but then all of the sudden I had intense searing pain and I looked down and it was beginning to bubble, it was gross! So I quickly rode back to JCMU and most of the people were out on a field trip but a few were around so I put some ointment on it but it didn't help at all since it was for non-poisonous. I decided to go to the drug store and just get some gauze and bandages and try to find some ointment. I ended up finding something with the kanji for bug and I put that on and wrapped up the area. The bubbles had already subsided by the time I made it back to JCMU but the area was still really red and very painful. Everyone asked me if I would go to the hospital but I really didn't think it was quite that serious. I said if it didn't get better within two to three days I would. The next morning I woke up and it felt much better. So everyone no need to worry, I am fine. ;D Although still sore from when I tripped at the sports festival and bruised my knee and scrapped my hands. A tomboy like me can handle that. ;P
Here's a picture I found on the internet about the catarpillar. I did indeed learn the barbs contain poison but obviously it isn't too serious.
It's called an "Aoi Raga" Blue Raga, the moth is quite disgusting looking. In a way it's kind of cute but I put a picture up so people know to watch out for it because it really does hurt.
Well, I got an 85 on my latest test! I am so happy! I'm off to study, class is pretty fun at the moment. I hope that lasts. ;D
See ya!
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[07 Oct 2006|09:20pm] |
Weekends here are so boring. You'd think that it'd be fun but there isn't anything to do usually unless you go somewhere. I end up wandering the halls aimlessly wishing it were Monday already. o. O
I do have stuff to do tomorrow, I'm volunteering in a sports festival, that will be fun. :D
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[03 Oct 2006|03:12pm] |
It rained yesterday and today is nice weather. So why am I having an unlucky day? Firstly I overslept today, on account that I was up too late doing my studying (seriously), and missed a quiz. Then when I had to dash to my second class at a nearby university I discovered my back tire on my bike is completely popped, the tube is shot! So luckily a classmate let me borrow a bike for a short while, but the guy who fixes the bikes was already here today and the latest he can be back is Thursday...
Tomorrow I have a class at the other university which is a 30 minute ride by bike so I guess I'll have to ask someone if I can hitch a ride on the back of their bike... o. O There's no way I could walk that far and I'm not even sure exactly where it is really... まったくもう・・・ I'm always unlucky. :(
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[30 Sep 2006|01:48pm] |
Everyone! I am so sorry I have not been online for it seems like forever... Studying has really taken up most of my free time and then there have been so many field trips and cultural activities already!
Lately since my two other classes started I've got virtually little free time. When I go online you guys are asleep. ;P I'm sorry if my phone rings when you call it, usually I'm not in my room unless I'm studying. Since I don't have a car I ride my bike and that takes longer if I have to go get food.
Some of the fun things I have done besides study are going to karaoke, the booth style is superior! :O They have so many American songs too. I went on a field trip to Hikone Castle again, it was so beautiful. The 400th anniversary is coming up next year. I went on a field trip for my economics class to a Sekisui House factory where they make parts for houses that can be built then in four days, and they are really strong. In the Kobe earthquake, not one house fell. Also! They have an earthquake simulator set up with a normal house and a Sekisui house. I of course went in the normal house. They did a small earthquake at first and then one the size of Kobe, and let me tell you when the house starts to shake it is so fun! You wouldn't think Earthquake Simulator when you think fun but oh it is, it is. Hahaha.
My Japanese economics class will be interesting, there are about ten Japanese students taking it too. The elective classes are all in English. My Japanese manifestations of religion course will official start next week but I already had homework. D: The amount of studying and homework can be daunting sometimes but I will make more of an effort to let you guys know where I am. It's always tempting for me to go procrastinate on the computer but that isn't what I came here for. I've made some Japanese friends and it's fun talking to them, I'd say my Japanese has already improved. Or at least I hope so.
Oh, also last week I, no, everyone had a horrible throad cold where I was stuffed up and sneezing and my throat was all scratchy. I'm fine now, but I was sleeping a lot. I mean 8 hours a night and 4 hour naps in the day. I guess it must have worked because I feel a lot better. If you've called me I apologize, I want to get a cell phone soon after I register being a foreigner in Hikone. Maybe that will be more convienent. Right now I am so hungry, for chicken cutlets and curoquettes hahaha, so delicious. Curoquettes (sp?) are like breaded mashed potatos with bits of stuff in them. Mmmmmm. I'm starving. o.O
Catch everyone later, once again I'm sorry for not being on. But I'm really okay, really I am! ;P I love you. See ya!
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[25 Sep 2006|12:56pm] |
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Hey everyone! I'm sorry I haven't updated. I've been really busy with school. I promise later on to make a proper update. I'm about to pop over to Hikone Castle. :D
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[19 Sep 2006|09:27pm] |
Let me recap the weekend, after the bonfire night.
On Sunday I was able to fanagle a seat on a charter bus to Oosaka for a kimono exhibition. Most of us planned to break off and go to Mandarake, a discount manga/anime/game shop.
The kimono exhibition was fun and nice but everything was way too expensive. They were really beautiful though.
We walked around and finally were able to find it. It was very hot, the shop was in Den-den town, or electronics town. It was a huge store, a anime fan's dream come true. And mostly everything was discounted. I found Tales of Phantasia, the Super Famicon one, score! We then walked through the underground city. No fooling, it's basically the underground portion of Oosaka and you can connect to the trains. There are shops everywhere as you walk along. And every Japanese person in the world is very well dressed, like they hopped into a suit of picked out clothes and walked away.
We found another Mandarake so we went in, apparently they wanted to buy a lot of manga. I was browsing and I looked up and there is a sheet of hand drawn manga from my favorite manga ever, Akuma de Sourou! It was 2 bucks, I had to buy it!
The most disgusting thing ever happened to us after we left the second Mandarake. We were walking onto a side street to go back to the main street and all of the sudden this old man came up from behind and just started throwing up. Like everwhere all over the ground and he tried to catch it in his hand (EWWWWW) and he was like flinging it off and he just kept walkin and throwing up more, like a trail of puke throughout the road... GROSS GROSS GROSS! And some of it splashed on Lindsay's leg, ewww! I tried my best not to ralph right there but we made it past somehow.
I ran out of money and the ATM wouldn't give me any since the banks were closed so my friends went and ate and I just at with them. They ate at Mos Burger. It smelled good. o> O They pitched in for my train fare home, nice friends. ^^
We just managed to catch the last train! The ride back seemed shorter that it actually was. There was this lady and this really cute little girl who got on, and I smiled at her and she grinned widely and she whispered something to her mom. She was adorable, she looked like about 7 or 8.
Monday was spent pretty much doing nothing. Except studying and homework naturally.
It turns out there is a Chinese language club at Shiga Prefectural University, Karen is emailing them back to see whether or not I can join! Yatta!
I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been not busy but didn't feel like writing. Now I must eat dindin and do homeyworks. Thanks for tuning in, good night and good luck.
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[14 Sep 2006|02:55pm] |
( Picture post part three )
Well more to come, many many more to come. o. O I really should work on that because I take so many pictures every day and I need to catch up.
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[11 Sep 2006|01:08pm] |
Today I don't feel so well but that's nothing to worry about. So don't worry everyone. More pictures!
( Picture post, part two )
My camera died because I forgot it was left on overnight so I have to charge it before I can upload any more. D: I'm sorry... but enjoy what I put up so far.
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[11 Sep 2006|12:17am] |
This is going to take quite a while but I'm going to try and put all the pictures I've taken so far and post them. That's over 300 I think. o. O They're pretty big so I am just going to link to them, if no one minds. I would change the sizes but I think larger pictures are cooler anyway. I will work on the videos, I am not sure if I will use YouTube or megaupload or something, but I will get to posting those too. I'm sorry if these take a while to load for dial-up users (get cable will ya?).
( So let's begin )
I have about 400 altogether so far and this was about 150. I can't post any more I'm too tired... tomorrow I will get the rest up and posted. I hope you like the pictures!
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[09 Sep 2006|09:20pm] |
Yesterday was really fun.
Well the latter part of the day. First of all yesterday was the official opening ceremony for JCMU. We had very special guests from around the city and their campus' of Shiga University and University of Shiga Prefecture. We had a practice drill. But before that we had our first test. I don't know how I did yet, I'm hoping well but then again who can say for sure. Anyway so after the practice drill we all went home and changed. I wore a black skirt with pleats, a button up oxford shirt, a navy blue jacket, black stockings and navy shoes. It's the closest I'll ever get to wearing a seifuku (high school uniform they have here). I always wanted one. D: I also wore make-up! :O Then we had our group picture taken.
The opening ceremony wasn't that long and we had to do a small introduction in Japanese which mainly consisted of our name, school, major, year and 'douzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu' which is the very polite way of saying 'thanks and I look forward to it'. After it was over we had some light refreshments and hung out in Apple hall. I was talking to one of the guys, his name is Bryan I believe, and he speaks Spanish and just came from Mexico. I told him there is a show I liked called Rebelde and he just about flipped out on me. He says "OH MY GOD I LOOOOOVE REBELDE!" And he is their number one fan. I sincerly believe him. He has the episodes on DVD so Monday I'm going to watch it with him. He was pretty shocked and glad he found someone to watch it with him, hahaha. He even bought the school uniform they wear while he was in Mexico.
While we were all mingling, one of the guests was talking to us. I believe he works in the govenment of Hikone somehow. He said he doesn't live far and we all should come over for dinner sometime. He was talking to this one kid named Zack who apparently lived in Japan previously when he was in high school so his Japanese is like awesome.
I had just enough time to run back home and grab my stuff. Next we were joining the Maibara high school for their last English class. It was fun. We got into groups and rotated every ten minutes or so. I was paired with a guy named Dieter and so we asked them a lot of questions in English and they asked us questions. It was fun. They're kind of young though, 16! I felt old, hah. But some of the girls like Arashi as much as I do! So we connected through that. :D After the class part was over we had more snacks and drinks. The girls went absolutely crazy over one of the guys named Chris. I hate to be all Jerry Seinfeld-esque here but what is the big deal with Chris? He's not handsome in my opinion. Ah well, who knows what Japanese girls are thinking. They ran around and snapped pictures of themselves standing next to him. Zack played guitar and the class can sing really well. O. o
It was fun talking to the girls about Arashi and stuff. The class then sang a song, actually two, to us. It was so cute. I got it all on video too. One was the song from Titanic (ew) and an upbeat version of Somewhere over the Rainbow. The girl playing piano was amazing. After that we mingled for a bit more, some girls were looking at my hair and they said "soft touch" and I turned around and said "マジ? And they gasped like I just stabbed someone with a daggar. They were like, "waaaaah your Japanese is so well!" Maji is slang for "really" or like utmost disbelief. I guess they were surprised when I told them I went to Hikone Higashi (only for two weeks but still!) and that my host sister goes to Kobe university (apparently another smart people only school) and then they were like tripled flabbergasted when I told them she was studying at Harvard! *_* They said I was lucky but I said she's the lucky one, not me. ;P
I gave them my email address so maybe I can hang out with them again, if they don't mind an old lady. Most of the kids left on the bus to go home but a few stayed around, there was a girl who played piano. She was so good. If you named a song she could probably think of it and play it. It was cool.
Later on that night I went with some of the guys to the book store and bought manga, hah... I love manga. We also stopped at Lawson (convience store) and the guy who is always working was there again! He reminds me of me when I was working at Family Fare, I thought I lived there. At the counter I said 「毎日毎日あなたはバイトします。」Or, "you're here like everyday working!" He said, 「ときどき・・・」 "Sometimes." I think he said that he doesn't work every single day. I hope not, haha. Then I went home and went to I think his name is Alex' room because he has Go!Go!7188 on his computer! He's going to make me CDs, that's our favorite band! I was surprised he liked them, and he was surprised that I liked them too. They're kind of obscure.
I read manga and fell asleep.
Today I went swimming, there wasn't much to do elsewise. I found pretty stones but I didn't take them with me, I left them on the shore and I think I'll get them tomorrow. The water is really nice if kind of filled with lakeweed, heh. But it's not too bad. Then I came back and promptly fell asleep. I guess I was really tired or something. I hardly ate today so I think I may go get something. It seems so late but it's really only about 8:30pm right now. I found some Duke Ellington online. I hope no one minds I have it on right now. Ahhhhhhhhhhh it makes no difference if it's sweet or hot. Right now it's sweet.
I think I'm off to get something to eat. Take it easy fellows.
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[07 Sep 2006|09:57pm] |
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I ate something for dinner that I hope was chicken. It looked like chicken, felt like chicken, it kind of tasted like chicken. I thought it was chicken, but now I'm not so sure. :O
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[06 Sep 2006|05:33pm] |
Hm. The current dicussion in the next room is "Johnny Depp versus a ninja." Yeah... I went to Japan to get away from these kinds of people and yet here they are. Oh well. It's all in good fun, probably.
Anyway. I just got back from Hikone castle. I rode my bike to the grounds and the moat on the outside. The coolest part was going back to Hikone Higashi! I found it. :D I took pictures, I didn't take that many when I was here four years ago so I thought I should make up for it now. I sat and watercolored the really famous bridge. It turned out crappy, in my opinion. Everytime I want to make something really nice it comes out like poop in a blender puréed to crap souflé.
Well I will keep painting because I like to.
Seeing all the high school students brought me back. I really wish I could have gotten a seifuku (school uniform). やっぱめがねをかけている男が好きなんだ。It would have been really cool to go to school there for longer than just two weeks. I really love the style of architecture there around the castle. I am definetely going back very soon to take more pictures. Then I rode my bike home in the rain. It actually felt good.
I think I'm going to go clean up and do my homework. I'm probably going to get a CD player because my room is just way too quiet. I need some kind of noise or activity. I wish I had a laptop but if wishes were fishes then I would probably scream in horror at the fish falling from the sky.
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[06 Sep 2006|01:03pm] |
Last night Yui's dad called me back and we talked for a little bit. I found out Yui is in D.C. and she's actually coming back on the 9th! Yaaay! I suppose she's going to call me then when she comes home. I don't know if she'll be going back to Kobe U or stay in Hikone for a while. Yui's parents are so nice, they told me if I have any troubles in Japan to let them know.
Today is slightly overcast, still kind of muggy. I guess I have the rest of the day free since my Weds class doesn't start for a while I think. I think I'm going to go make some beef and rice for lunch. Yesterday the pot-luck curry my friends made was sooo spicy! They're part Mexican so they weren't phased but my mouth was screaming in agony. "Why did you do this to me? WHYYYYYY?" I only ended up eating half a bowl. Other than that it was delicious.
I got another financial aid award, mom. Can you go sign on at GVSU and go to Financial Aid, for Fall/Winter. Then check "accept" for the T.I.P amount of 500 each semester. Afterwards, print it out and then mail it to GVSU's financial aid office so it can be disbursed. Yay. :D That helps a tiny bit.
On the whiteboard in the other building I saw a sheet that had information about a Cultural exchange between Japan and China concerning ink painting that will be held in Kyouto next week. I requested two tickets and my friend Lindsay (not sure how to spell it) said she'd come along with me. I can't wait! I think it's like an exhibition and possibly a class, too. It's really cool.
I saw a really neat pocket dictionary at Cainz for Chinese, I think I may pick one up as they're under about 20 bucks. I made French toast for breakfast. Just letting you know it was good. Needed a little syrup or honey, however.
Well I think I am going to head down to the lake to sketch and possibly paint. Later dudes.
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[05 Sep 2006|08:14pm] |
I found Yui's number. I called and talked with her grandma. You know what? I expected something like this to happen... SHE IS IN THE US RIGHT NOW! She's actually in New York. Guess where. HARVARD. NO KIDDING! She is so fricking smart! Anyway I could only really understand about a third of what obaachan said, and I guessed at another 3rd, so I don't know when she's coming back. I gave her my phone number and I hope that her mom or dad will call tonight or tomorrow, and then I'll ask them when she is coming back. How funny, I go to Japan and she goes to America. I knew something like this would happen, ha ha ha.
So tonight I went and bought cinnamon, some sugar, mustard, eggs and some kind of mix for sandwiches, and I finally found wheat bread! French toast tomorrow if I wake up early enough. And vodka and pants. I'm making pants pie. Cainz has just about everything you could ever want or need. The prices are good too. Their fruit section is a little sparse but it's probably the best I'm going to find anyway. Oh, I did another dumb thing. When we got back here I noticed I didn't have my debit cards in my pocket like normal. I thought maybe it fell out at the register when I was paying and so I decided to go back to see if I could find it. I was thinking to myself, "oh no, not a repeat of last time... Mom isn't here to find my cards for me." (Haha) I rode home down a side street and I retraced my steps and there it was. Laying in the middle of the road, a little run-over but perfectly fine. What a relief.
Oh, I also bought watercolors, a big pad of paper, a few brushes and a pallet. I'm hoping to go tomorrow and do some painting. I think I may go over by Hikone castle.
Classes began today. Hoo boo, this is going to be a lot of studying. In fact that is what I really should be doing as of this moment. So I think I am gonna go. I may buy a cell phone soon, the staff recommends it if you're here for more than one semester so I think it would be a good idea. Apparently you get the phone free and the monthly rates are pretty decent. Well, I have homework to do and a bath to take and more studying to do and sleep. Oh and dinner, I can't forget to eat dinner. Some of my classmates are making curry rice tonight. Yeah it kind of looks like diarrhea on rice but trust me, it tastes so much better. Maybe I'll eat there.
Okay I say good day.
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[05 Sep 2006|12:07am] |
Hey everybody! 元気？ (Feelin' good?) Today we had our placement tests, I placed in second level Japanese (which didn't surprise me, I expected it. Although I wish I were in 3rd level, it looks hard! I think this semester will be a lot of work but should be pretty much learning what I already did again.
I went grocery shopping at a place called Cainz (kai-n-zu) mall. It's basically like a Wal*Mart-y type of store with food, home stuff. Anything and everything. Their prices are really decent! And they have a really nice selection of food. That's where I go shopping from now on. I haven't spent too much money yet, which is good. Haha. I also went and did karaoke (we went last night too) and it was really fun! I'm sorry I haven't updated much on the goings-on but I was pretty tired the last few days and I was also studying. I'm still working on the picture situation. I hope I can resolve it soon because I want to see what they look like too.
My sensei's name is Nishikawa (I think) and she seems strict but nice. Tomorrow we begin classes. I also have a class at Shiga University (And the University of Shiga Prefecture). I hope I don't get overwhelmed this semester. Right now everyone is nice to one another, but there are "cliques" already. Especially with the break-down into level now. But everyone is nice so far. Tomorrow I am going to speak with (I forget her name) about an internship at BBC, Biwako Broadcasting Company. I am not sure what the internship will entail but I do know it is for three hours once a week.
I already finished my homework so I think I might hit the old dusty trail. I'll probably write more in detail about the last few days tomorrow.
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[03 Sep 2006|09:57am] |
I’ll try to remember just about everything and I’ll try to make it interesting… I’m sorry if I fail at that.
( Read more... )
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[02 Sep 2006|10:37pm] |
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I am really tired so the update will have to come tomorrow. We have a free day tomorrow so I will recap everything there.
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