And then what happeend today?
I had schooool. First Current English (interesting, we're researching the Olympics and stuff), then Gym (volleyball! UBER FUN! :DDD I love volleyball seriously), then English Grammar (boooooring), Japanese history (exhaaaaaausting, something about the different rankings of Buddha statues or something and then the teacher started going on about some woman he met in Kyoto...), LUNCH (best class of the day, played volleyball with a bunch of people in the gym), then two hours of FREE PERIODS because the Spanish teacher wasn't here today. So that was a really fun afternoon. Then I saw Laurent, and we threw a frisbee around at the Hamamatsu Castle Park. So that was really fun.
And then I ran into some kendo friends, that was fun and interesting.
Then I came home. And ate.
And listend to a CD a friend at school (Sai-kun) lent me... but actually did that before eating.
And Then I also started packing for when my family comes and we go sightseeing together...
Tomorrow I have Rotaryy meeting ugghhhh boring and then I'm going hanging out downtown with two former classmates, Taka and Ikean after school :).
Oh yay but I have calligraphy class with Saka-chan, yay... and Rotary means i don't have to go to Japanese history class, which is seriously the bane of my existence, because I feel like I should pay attention cuz it's like a cultural experienec blah blah, but it's so difficult and I just sit there staring at the clock ahah.
I get to ride a bullet train on Friday, so excited, I've been on like 23432 bullet trains but I can never get tired of it haha.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
久しぶり
Note-- I was actually supposed to publish this yesterday, but I had a problem with the computer, so I'm publishing it now. So it's all a day old haha.
Okay, I haven't done this in literally a month. So what's been going on? Basically everything.
Last week was the Hamamatsu Festival; that was really amazing. In the morning, I went to go see the kites; and at night I joined the parades and stuff downtown and then later on in my neighborhood.
I'm at school now, waiting for Shaki, then we're gonna go downtown to meet Laurent (who's back in Japan, btw), and then later Fuyu and Sakiko Maria, and we're gonna have dinner together, or play frisbee at the castle, or I don'T know what.
Today we had earthquake information session at school.
During English class, we had to do these exercises summarizing long paragraphs and I felt so depressed because my English sounded so stupid and there are so many things I forget how to say and/or do.
We had Jpaanese history class today; the only thing I got out of that was about some guy who had four images of the Buddha on his head and then he zapped away arrows with them. Oh, Japan...
Last weekend, my host family and I went to seriously the nicest hotel in the world's Italian restaurant. Haha it was so much fun! I met the chef, from Italy, and he speak Italian, Japanese, Spanish, French, and English, all fluently. I was so jealous. Even though he could speak English, for some reason I was inspired to speak to him in French, and so we were speaking in French for a while, and he had a really Italian accent haha.
So school is really fun, actually really really fun. Classes are so boring, like anywhere else, but it's just fun begin here with everyone. It's so relaxed compared to my American school; I'm so glad I got placed at this school, it's famous for being the least strict school in basically the country.
My school's festival is coming up soon (Jun 7, 8), and so we made a video as part of our class exhibition about stress, we made it yesterday, and it was really fun!
Ugh I'm serious I don't speak anything at all right now... I'm going to have to attend like ESL classes in the usa, I'm serious. Or at least brush on New Jersey mannerisms and things like that, cuz theyve all gone down the drain haha.
And my mother, brother, and sister are coming to Japan this Friday, for three weeks. That should be interesting...
O I'm really hungry. I really want to eat ramen. I'm really bored. Why is Shaki's school so far from mine?
Blha blah blah blah blah.
Okay, I haven't done this in literally a month. So what's been going on? Basically everything.
Last week was the Hamamatsu Festival; that was really amazing. In the morning, I went to go see the kites; and at night I joined the parades and stuff downtown and then later on in my neighborhood.
I'm at school now, waiting for Shaki, then we're gonna go downtown to meet Laurent (who's back in Japan, btw), and then later Fuyu and Sakiko Maria, and we're gonna have dinner together, or play frisbee at the castle, or I don'T know what.
Today we had earthquake information session at school.
During English class, we had to do these exercises summarizing long paragraphs and I felt so depressed because my English sounded so stupid and there are so many things I forget how to say and/or do.
We had Jpaanese history class today; the only thing I got out of that was about some guy who had four images of the Buddha on his head and then he zapped away arrows with them. Oh, Japan...
Last weekend, my host family and I went to seriously the nicest hotel in the world's Italian restaurant. Haha it was so much fun! I met the chef, from Italy, and he speak Italian, Japanese, Spanish, French, and English, all fluently. I was so jealous. Even though he could speak English, for some reason I was inspired to speak to him in French, and so we were speaking in French for a while, and he had a really Italian accent haha.
So school is really fun, actually really really fun. Classes are so boring, like anywhere else, but it's just fun begin here with everyone. It's so relaxed compared to my American school; I'm so glad I got placed at this school, it's famous for being the least strict school in basically the country.
My school's festival is coming up soon (Jun 7, 8), and so we made a video as part of our class exhibition about stress, we made it yesterday, and it was really fun!
Ugh I'm serious I don't speak anything at all right now... I'm going to have to attend like ESL classes in the usa, I'm serious. Or at least brush on New Jersey mannerisms and things like that, cuz theyve all gone down the drain haha.
And my mother, brother, and sister are coming to Japan this Friday, for three weeks. That should be interesting...
O I'm really hungry. I really want to eat ramen. I'm really bored. Why is Shaki's school so far from mine?
Blha blah blah blah blah.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
School chanto started up again
So school started up again this week. I am a third grader. (top, senior class). So exciting!
Today we actually started classes. During the first literature class, the teacher was just rambling on and on and talking about what my school was like for like 9 hours when he went there. Then he put me on the spot (I HATE when teachers do this to me...) and he starts asking my classmates questions about me at the very end of class. So he asks someone "Does that kid over there speak Japanese?" And she's like "Yeah, he understands alot." Then he starts asking them questions about where I'm from, etc. Haha the way he asked what my name was, "Dewa, nani kun?" OK. Nevermind, y'all didn't find that funny. I start answering the questions; he starts getting really embaressed because he felt bad that he wasn't asking me directly, I think. Then he comes up to me and he's like "Did you understand everything I just said in the last hour?" And I was like "Um, yeah. Like 99%" (Which is the truth) And then like flipped with excitement. Hahha the teachers at my school are like in love with me.
Then I started calligraphy class! But we didn't actually do calligraphy. Just listened to the teacher babble for two hours. He's absolutely hilarious. He looks just like a yakuza (Japanese mafioso). So someone was like "Sensee! Have you ever been taken into care by the police?" (haha that sounds so awkward in English; I don't speak English no more) and he's like "Yes. Sometimes. Yes." His hair is a bit purple and he's so cool haha. He's on the All Country Japanese Classics Board (wow that sounds so weird in English. But it's really an amazing thing.) I can't wait to start calligraphy. I have lots of friends in that class so I'm pretty excited. Especially 'cuz the teacher is super chill.
Other classes I'll be taking this semester are: Spanish, Foreign Culture (this class is so amazing. We watch Southpark and Monty Python etc.), Current English, etc etc I don't remember what else.
Um what else... nothing really amazing. I had a Rotary function tonight. Super boring. Tomorrow night Rotary is taking me out to teppanyaki. Don't even ask me how to say that in English. Um. Um. Um. It's when the cook grills steak right in front of your eyes. Soooo good.
Goooooooooooo song:
Oh. And I just wanted to say something about the Olympic Torch. I totally agree that Tibet should be free, blah blah blah. I totally agree with the protestors' message. However, I think it's disgustly disrespectful to the athlethes who have worked soooooo hard to be in the Olympics. And the Olympics are supposed to foster shinzen (good will) and heiwa (peace). So I think taking advantage of the Olympics like that to spread your message grossly ugh nvm I can't speak English. But I think they should def. protest all they want; they really should. Just don't drag the Olympics into it. That's my two cents.
Today we actually started classes. During the first literature class, the teacher was just rambling on and on and talking about what my school was like for like 9 hours when he went there. Then he put me on the spot (I HATE when teachers do this to me...) and he starts asking my classmates questions about me at the very end of class. So he asks someone "Does that kid over there speak Japanese?" And she's like "Yeah, he understands alot." Then he starts asking them questions about where I'm from, etc. Haha the way he asked what my name was, "Dewa, nani kun?" OK. Nevermind, y'all didn't find that funny. I start answering the questions; he starts getting really embaressed because he felt bad that he wasn't asking me directly, I think. Then he comes up to me and he's like "Did you understand everything I just said in the last hour?" And I was like "Um, yeah. Like 99%" (Which is the truth) And then like flipped with excitement. Hahha the teachers at my school are like in love with me.
Then I started calligraphy class! But we didn't actually do calligraphy. Just listened to the teacher babble for two hours. He's absolutely hilarious. He looks just like a yakuza (Japanese mafioso). So someone was like "Sensee! Have you ever been taken into care by the police?" (haha that sounds so awkward in English; I don't speak English no more) and he's like "Yes. Sometimes. Yes." His hair is a bit purple and he's so cool haha. He's on the All Country Japanese Classics Board (wow that sounds so weird in English. But it's really an amazing thing.) I can't wait to start calligraphy. I have lots of friends in that class so I'm pretty excited. Especially 'cuz the teacher is super chill.
Other classes I'll be taking this semester are: Spanish, Foreign Culture (this class is so amazing. We watch Southpark and Monty Python etc.), Current English, etc etc I don't remember what else.
Um what else... nothing really amazing. I had a Rotary function tonight. Super boring. Tomorrow night Rotary is taking me out to teppanyaki. Don't even ask me how to say that in English. Um. Um. Um. It's when the cook grills steak right in front of your eyes. Soooo good.
Goooooooooooo song:
Oh. And I just wanted to say something about the Olympic Torch. I totally agree that Tibet should be free, blah blah blah. I totally agree with the protestors' message. However, I think it's disgustly disrespectful to the athlethes who have worked soooooo hard to be in the Olympics. And the Olympics are supposed to foster shinzen (good will) and heiwa (peace). So I think taking advantage of the Olympics like that to spread your message grossly ugh nvm I can't speak English. But I think they should def. protest all they want; they really should. Just don't drag the Olympics into it. That's my two cents.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Back at the Hiranos
So I'm back at the Hiranos, my first host family. On Saturday, the Horiuchis took me to see the cherry blossoms at Hamamatsu Castle. That was really, really pretty. T
I went to the Hiranos house and they got me into the happi, which is the traditional festival outfit. The Hamamatsu Festival is in less than one month!
Sunday Melina came to visit Hamamatsu. So we had a Canadian-American-Japanese friendship day. Fun times.
Today I went out to a ramen shop with some classmates after school.
It was good.
I went to the Hiranos house and they got me into the happi, which is the traditional festival outfit. The Hamamatsu Festival is in less than one month!
Sunday Melina came to visit Hamamatsu. So we had a Canadian-American-Japanese friendship day. Fun times.
Today I went out to a ramen shop with some classmates after school.
It was good.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Snowboarding toka
I seriously need to work on updating this thing. So last week was the snowboard trip; that was really fun. It was my first time snowboarding and I fell 50,000 times and I hurt so much but it was still really, really fun!
We came back on Monday. Tuesday I hung out with Fuyu. Yesterday I did nothing. Today I had Rotary. Tomorrow I'm hanging out with Shaki and Fuyu, but I have a half day at school. Then Saturday is nothing, yet. Then Sunday I'm going to Yokohama with my first host family to help my host sister move into her college apartment!
Oh, and the cherry blossoms are starting to bloom! Yay!
We came back on Monday. Tuesday I hung out with Fuyu. Yesterday I did nothing. Today I had Rotary. Tomorrow I'm hanging out with Shaki and Fuyu, but I have a half day at school. Then Saturday is nothing, yet. Then Sunday I'm going to Yokohama with my first host family to help my host sister move into her college apartment!
Oh, and the cherry blossoms are starting to bloom! Yay!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Last Day of School!
Wednesday was the last day of school! So we had our school-closing ceremony and then I went downtown to hang out with Fuyu and Shaki. We ate Freshness Burger, of course.
When the new year starts in April, I will become a third-year student. It's kind of interesting, because I started as a first-year student. Then my first-year class went to New Zealand for a month, so I got transfered to a second-year class. Then I was able to choose whether I stay with that class, so I chose to stay with them. So now I will become a third year student. So basically I've gone through all three years of Japanese high school in 11 months. Pretty amazing.
So in about two hours, I'm leaving for Rotary Ski/Snowboard trip. We're going with an international Catholic school in Tokyo. On Easter weekend. Sacriligious much. I can't spell.
When the new year starts in April, I will become a third-year student. It's kind of interesting, because I started as a first-year student. Then my first-year class went to New Zealand for a month, so I got transfered to a second-year class. Then I was able to choose whether I stay with that class, so I chose to stay with them. So now I will become a third year student. So basically I've gone through all three years of Japanese high school in 11 months. Pretty amazing.
So in about two hours, I'm leaving for Rotary Ski/Snowboard trip. We're going with an international Catholic school in Tokyo. On Easter weekend. Sacriligious much. I can't spell.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Air
The weather is getting gradually warmer, and with it I feel change in the air. Ah hahahah that sounds so corny and I've always wanted to say it. But it's true. Honestly, cold weather is the most odious thing in the world. Now it's getting warmer and I feel a lot better, both inside and outside. I'm trying to put all the horrible stuff that happened recently behind. And trying to move forward, and it's working rather well, if I do say so myself.
Today I came home, after a half day, and I did something that I haven't done in a long time. I did nothing. Of course, I have lots of free time, when I read a book, or watch TV, or go on the computer. But today I just opened the window, put on some music, and lay down on my futon. Something I used to do all the time back home, but kinda got outta of the practice of doing here (well not my futon in the USA, my bed.) Then I fell asleep for about thirty minutes to Vivaldi and Brazilian bossa nova. It felt really good.
Ok, tomorrow is no school!
Today I came home, after a half day, and I did something that I haven't done in a long time. I did nothing. Of course, I have lots of free time, when I read a book, or watch TV, or go on the computer. But today I just opened the window, put on some music, and lay down on my futon. Something I used to do all the time back home, but kinda got outta of the practice of doing here (well not my futon in the USA, my bed.) Then I fell asleep for about thirty minutes to Vivaldi and Brazilian bossa nova. It felt really good.
Ok, tomorrow is no school!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Today
So my original homeroom today came back from New Zealand; it was really good to see some of them; I ate ice cream with some of them after school. In music class today we watched Irish step dancing; that was fun.
My whole class was like "You're so amazing. New Zealand for one month was so hard and you're so amazing to have been doing this for six months" And I was like "Ok."
Ok im done.
My whole class was like "You're so amazing. New Zealand for one month was so hard and you're so amazing to have been doing this for six months" And I was like "Ok."
Ok im done.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
"Happy Ending" Mika
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.
Wake up in the morning, stumble on my life
Can't get no love without sacrifice
If anything should happen, I guess I wish you well
A little bit of heaven, but a little bit of hell
This is the hardest story that I've ever told
No hope, or love, or glory
Happy endings gone forever more
I feel as if I feel as if I'm wasted
And I'm wastin' everyday
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.
2 o'clock in the morning, something's on my mind
Can't get no rest; keep walkin' around
If I pretend that nothin' ever went wrong, I can get to my sleep
I can think that we just carried on
This is the hardest story that I've ever told
No hope, or love, or glory
Happy endings gone forever more
I feel as if I feel as if I'm wasted
And I'm wastin' everyday
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.
A Little bit of love, little bit of love
Little bit of love, little bit of love [repeat]
I feel as if I'm wasted
And I'm wastin' everyday
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
To live the rest of our life,
But not together.
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.
Wake up in the morning, stumble on my life
Can't get no love without sacrifice
If anything should happen, I guess I wish you well
A little bit of heaven, but a little bit of hell
This is the hardest story that I've ever told
No hope, or love, or glory
Happy endings gone forever more
I feel as if I feel as if I'm wasted
And I'm wastin' everyday
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.
2 o'clock in the morning, something's on my mind
Can't get no rest; keep walkin' around
If I pretend that nothin' ever went wrong, I can get to my sleep
I can think that we just carried on
This is the hardest story that I've ever told
No hope, or love, or glory
Happy endings gone forever more
I feel as if I feel as if I'm wasted
And I'm wastin' everyday
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.
A Little bit of love, little bit of love
Little bit of love, little bit of love [repeat]
I feel as if I'm wasted
And I'm wastin' everyday
This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
To live the rest of our life,
But not together.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Saikin
So I am in a different homeroom now because my real homeroom is away in New Zealand on a month-long exchange trip. Anyway, I love my new homeroom so much! They're more my age and they're so cool. Today we had music class and two of the girls, Hitomi and Lisa, sang "I could have danced all night" from "My Fair Lady." It so happens that there's a small enclave of girls at the school who are obsessed with Broadway musicals. I mentioned "Rent" to Lisa and she started singing "Seasons of Love" and then we started singing "Out Tonight" together at the top of our lungs... Ahhhh musicals! I sang "Singing in the Rain" as my presentation for music class. I didn't really practice much because I didn't really know we were doing presentations today because I was absent last week.
Then afterwards I went to kendo, and it was really fun and I just sat there for like an hour talking to everyone. Then I went to see Laurent at archery club, and I tried archery for a bit, and I wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, then we went home together on the train.
This weekend is my kendo exam... ahh I'm gonna fail it so badly. Then after that is the festival of Laurent's town so that's going to be really, really fun.
Um I can't think of anything else. Ok done.
Then afterwards I went to kendo, and it was really fun and I just sat there for like an hour talking to everyone. Then I went to see Laurent at archery club, and I tried archery for a bit, and I wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, then we went home together on the train.
This weekend is my kendo exam... ahh I'm gonna fail it so badly. Then after that is the festival of Laurent's town so that's going to be really, really fun.
Um I can't think of anything else. Ok done.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Le Sick
I'm still sick... last night my host parents took me to a Valentine's Day dinner concert. The singer was some famous Japanese jazz singer. It was really good and she sang such good old standards as "Your Song" and "My Funny Valentine." It was really interesting to see a Japanese woman trying to scat... it just seemed so restrained and polite.
So this morning I still felt sick so I'm home from school again... I'm reading "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller and it's really really good.
So this morning I still felt sick so I'm home from school again... I'm reading "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller and it's really really good.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
I'm COMING hoooome!
Well, not now, but on July 12. It's official and I have a ticket and everything. It's in less than 5 months, which is scary. Time has flown by so fast and everything has been so amazing and it's only gonna get better... ahhhh. Anyway, here's my flight info:
12 JUL 08 - SATURDAY
AIR UNITED AIRLINES FLT:804 ECONOMY
LV TOKYO NARITA 400P EQP: BOEING 777
DEPART: TERMINAL 1 12HR 30MIN
AR WASHINGTON DULLES 330P NON-STOP
REF: M9F94O
RAMTEKE/JONATHA SEAT-33A
AIR UNITED AIRLINES FLT:7358 ECONOMY
OPERATED BY /UNITED EXPRESS/MESA AIRLINES
LV WASHINGTON DULLES 505P EQP: CANADAIR REG JET
01HR 40MIN
AR NEWARK 645P NON-STOP
REF: M9F94O
RAMTEKE/JONATHA SEAT-2A
They're making me fly through DC, which is hateful. I would rather fly through San Francisco, which was the original plan.
Anyway, because my homeroom is away in New Zealand for a month-long exchange trip, I have moved into 20 homeroom. It's really fun and the people are really friendly. So I'm having a good time. Yesterday, in literature class, I understood about 80% of what was going on. But I think because it was a new teacher and he was trying to teach in simple Japanese, but I don't care. I'm so proud of myself. I started to get a cold yesterday afternoon but I went to kendo anyway and now my cold is worse and I'm home from school today and I slept like 13 hours and it was amazing.
So on Tuesday we were doing these English presentations during Communications class, and I mixed up my "r" and my "l" when I was talking... In Japanese, the closest sound to "r" is this strange sound that I can't do, but it's sort of like a d, l, and r, all mixed together. So, understandably, the Japanese get their r's and l's mixed up. And now I'm starting to do it too... I said "Papel" instead of "paper." Ah, well...
This weekend is my practice exam for kendo.. we'll see how that goes.
12 JUL 08 - SATURDAY
AIR UNITED AIRLINES FLT:804 ECONOMY
LV TOKYO NARITA 400P EQP: BOEING 777
DEPART: TERMINAL 1 12HR 30MIN
AR WASHINGTON DULLES 330P NON-STOP
REF: M9F94O
RAMTEKE/JONATHA SEAT-33A
AIR UNITED AIRLINES FLT:7358 ECONOMY
OPERATED BY /UNITED EXPRESS/MESA AIRLINES
LV WASHINGTON DULLES 505P EQP: CANADAIR REG JET
01HR 40MIN
AR NEWARK 645P NON-STOP
REF: M9F94O
RAMTEKE/JONATHA SEAT-2A
They're making me fly through DC, which is hateful. I would rather fly through San Francisco, which was the original plan.
Anyway, because my homeroom is away in New Zealand for a month-long exchange trip, I have moved into 20 homeroom. It's really fun and the people are really friendly. So I'm having a good time. Yesterday, in literature class, I understood about 80% of what was going on. But I think because it was a new teacher and he was trying to teach in simple Japanese, but I don't care. I'm so proud of myself. I started to get a cold yesterday afternoon but I went to kendo anyway and now my cold is worse and I'm home from school today and I slept like 13 hours and it was amazing.
So on Tuesday we were doing these English presentations during Communications class, and I mixed up my "r" and my "l" when I was talking... In Japanese, the closest sound to "r" is this strange sound that I can't do, but it's sort of like a d, l, and r, all mixed together. So, understandably, the Japanese get their r's and l's mixed up. And now I'm starting to do it too... I said "Papel" instead of "paper." Ah, well...
This weekend is my practice exam for kendo.. we'll see how that goes.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Kendo Taikai!
Today we had a kendo tournament at school. So we all had to get to school at 7 am, do set up, and then it started at 8:30. It was really fun. I really realized how lucky I am to be at Hamamatsu Kitako (Hamamatsu North High school.) All the other school teams who were there were so hardcore with really complex stretch routines and whatnot; while our team usually just talks and laughs during warm-up. Then imagine a gym full of Japanese high school students; and every single one of them looking at me, staring at me, laughing at me, judging me. I heard so many people talking and whispering about me as I passed them; it was enough to make me pack up my bags and go straight back to the USA. But the kendo team at Kitakou is completely different. They have always treated me with great friendship and openess. There's a reason it's the best public high school in the prefecture. I am so grateful for my teammates at Kitakou and the memories I have made with them; even though sometiems I really don't feel like staying another two hours after school doing kendo sometimes, or I feel discouraged because I don't understand what the teacher is saying, or because I'm so bad at it, it really has been a really enjoyable experience.
Back to the actual tournament, I dualed twice. I lost both times; but what do you expect playing people who have been doing this virtually every day for their whole lives. However, I'm still proud of myself because I did my best. I expected to lose after about 30 seconds, but I was able to play a normal match of about 2 minutes. Yay!
After the tournament, I spent a little time just hanging out, and then met Laurent and Addison downtown. Then I came back home and my host dad and I went out to yakiniku (Korean BBQ) with a Rotarian (Nakano-san) and his family (three small sons who would ask me how to say basically everything in English). It was really fun. Usually yakiniku is beef, but this was pork. I prefer beef yakiniku, but this time I did get to try pig hearts. It was actually pretty good. A few days ago, I had been telling Nakano-san that I did not want to eat eel, the speciality of Hamamatsu, so he joked that this time was pig hearts, next time is eel. Haha, we'll see about that.
Back to the actual tournament, I dualed twice. I lost both times; but what do you expect playing people who have been doing this virtually every day for their whole lives. However, I'm still proud of myself because I did my best. I expected to lose after about 30 seconds, but I was able to play a normal match of about 2 minutes. Yay!
After the tournament, I spent a little time just hanging out, and then met Laurent and Addison downtown. Then I came back home and my host dad and I went out to yakiniku (Korean BBQ) with a Rotarian (Nakano-san) and his family (three small sons who would ask me how to say basically everything in English). It was really fun. Usually yakiniku is beef, but this was pork. I prefer beef yakiniku, but this time I did get to try pig hearts. It was actually pretty good. A few days ago, I had been telling Nakano-san that I did not want to eat eel, the speciality of Hamamatsu, so he joked that this time was pig hearts, next time is eel. Haha, we'll see about that.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Katana master wa!
Um, so yesterday I went to school and then afterwards I helped these two students with their English speech contests and then had to bend over backwards to get some sort of fake transcript from school for college, but turns out that I actually don't need one; oh, well.
This morning, my homeroom left for their month-long trip to New Zealand. I'm gonna miss them so much; I'll be going into another homeroom for that period.
Then I had kendo. We did katana. That means that you just wear the under-kimono and wave a wooden sword around. It's like a dance! The routine I learned today was:
Katana in right hand, bow slightly, switch katana to left hand, crouch on the floor, rise, go back five steps, go forward three steps, strike men, go back two, strike kote, go back two, strike dou, go back two, strike tsuki, then go back two, then lower the katana, go back five, go forward three, strike kote/men, then go back three, then go back five, then go forward three, then strike katana/men, then go back two, then crouch, then put the katana on your left hip, then rise, put the katana in your right hand, then go back five steps, then bow, and you're done! Anyway, it was really fun because everyone was trying to teach me. After that, I went downtown to catch the train and ran into Laurent, Addison, and Sakiko, so we hung out for a while and then I took the train home.
Monday I have to get up at like 5:30 am for a kendo meet. Not really looking forward to getting up that early............................. yadda....... But the kendo meet should be fun. Ok. done.
This morning, my homeroom left for their month-long trip to New Zealand. I'm gonna miss them so much; I'll be going into another homeroom for that period.
Then I had kendo. We did katana. That means that you just wear the under-kimono and wave a wooden sword around. It's like a dance! The routine I learned today was:
Katana in right hand, bow slightly, switch katana to left hand, crouch on the floor, rise, go back five steps, go forward three steps, strike men, go back two, strike kote, go back two, strike dou, go back two, strike tsuki, then go back two, then lower the katana, go back five, go forward three, strike kote/men, then go back three, then go back five, then go forward three, then strike katana/men, then go back two, then crouch, then put the katana on your left hip, then rise, put the katana in your right hand, then go back five steps, then bow, and you're done! Anyway, it was really fun because everyone was trying to teach me. After that, I went downtown to catch the train and ran into Laurent, Addison, and Sakiko, so we hung out for a while and then I took the train home.
Monday I have to get up at like 5:30 am for a kendo meet. Not really looking forward to getting up that early............................. yadda....... But the kendo meet should be fun. Ok. done.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
New Host Family
So I'm in a new host family! It's really good and I like it a lot. I take the train t school every day now and I see a lot of people so its's fun. The Horiuchis, my new host family, live in a huge old house. There's a Japanese garden.
Today I got my hair cut and all the orange hair was cut out. Then I bought samosas at the Indian restaurant, ate 3, and gave 2 to my host parents. my host dad was out tonight by host mom really liked it.
Ok Im too tired to write anymore. Tomorrow Im going to the ribbon-cut ceremony of some hospital. Rotary business... as usual. IIght take care of yallselves
Today I got my hair cut and all the orange hair was cut out. Then I bought samosas at the Indian restaurant, ate 3, and gave 2 to my host parents. my host dad was out tonight by host mom really liked it.
Ok Im too tired to write anymore. Tomorrow Im going to the ribbon-cut ceremony of some hospital. Rotary business... as usual. IIght take care of yallselves
Sunday, February 3, 2008
This Past Weekend...
... was difficult. Yesterday morning, my host mom told me that I was changing host families today. Short notice much? I had no idea and had only one day to prepare and pack my life into two suitcases, one kendo equipment bag, a violin case, and a paper shopping bag. I'm going to the Horiuchis. Mr. Horiuchi is a Rotarian and was one of the people who met me at the airport when I first arrived back in August. I'll be taking the bus to school, or maybe even the train. I'll be 15 minutes from Lalaka, my Rotary counselor who's really cool.
This morning, we all saw Josefa off at the train station. She is going back home to Chile today. I went with Fuyu, Addison, Laurent, Shaki, Kei, Sakiko Maria, and some other random people showed up that I don't know. It was so difficult. We went onto the platform to see her off (she took a bullet train to Tokyo, from there she will go to the airport and then home) and it was so sad. The doors of the bullet train closed and it pulled away from the station and we were running after it and then the loudspeaker said "Please don't run." And then me, Fuyu, Addison, Laurent, and Shaki (I don't know where everyone else went) were just standing there in a daze watching the train go off into the distance and we all just started crying. We just sat down right on the platform and didn't say anything for like 15 mins because we were so upset. I had been planning on going to church right after, but it was too late and I was really in no mood to do anything. Then we got ourselves back on our feet and had like 40 million group hugs. Shaki had to leave because her host family is annoying, but the rest of us had Indian food for lunch. I had to leave early because I'm changing host families in 45 minutes. But one good thing, I've been collecting coins for the past 6 months and I deposited them all in my postal savings account and it was like 3500 yen! Which is like $35 so I'm really excited cuz I GOT MONEY IN THE BANK (shawty, whatchu think about that, find me in the big cadillac...)
Btw, the new greatest song ever is Chris Brown's With You. Which is different from the just quoted "Buy you a drank" which was the world's greatest song like last summer.
But I miss Josefa so much already, like she did so much for me. She was always so hilarious, so unique, but she knew when to be serious and how to listen when somebody wanted to be listened to. I'll never forget singing La Bamba for the little high school students with her, or going to the Kimochi place, or eating ramen and gyooza on Christmas Eve, or telling high school students to "Ganbare," or the first time we met at her school, or her always singing "Lo que paso paso" at the top or her lungs, or her laugh, or going to McD's with her, or her orange scarf, or like everything. Bon Voyage and Sayonara, Jose-chan! Until we meet again!!!!!!
This morning, we all saw Josefa off at the train station. She is going back home to Chile today. I went with Fuyu, Addison, Laurent, Shaki, Kei, Sakiko Maria, and some other random people showed up that I don't know. It was so difficult. We went onto the platform to see her off (she took a bullet train to Tokyo, from there she will go to the airport and then home) and it was so sad. The doors of the bullet train closed and it pulled away from the station and we were running after it and then the loudspeaker said "Please don't run." And then me, Fuyu, Addison, Laurent, and Shaki (I don't know where everyone else went) were just standing there in a daze watching the train go off into the distance and we all just started crying. We just sat down right on the platform and didn't say anything for like 15 mins because we were so upset. I had been planning on going to church right after, but it was too late and I was really in no mood to do anything. Then we got ourselves back on our feet and had like 40 million group hugs. Shaki had to leave because her host family is annoying, but the rest of us had Indian food for lunch. I had to leave early because I'm changing host families in 45 minutes. But one good thing, I've been collecting coins for the past 6 months and I deposited them all in my postal savings account and it was like 3500 yen! Which is like $35 so I'm really excited cuz I GOT MONEY IN THE BANK (shawty, whatchu think about that, find me in the big cadillac...)
Btw, the new greatest song ever is Chris Brown's With You. Which is different from the just quoted "Buy you a drank" which was the world's greatest song like last summer.
But I miss Josefa so much already, like she did so much for me. She was always so hilarious, so unique, but she knew when to be serious and how to listen when somebody wanted to be listened to. I'll never forget singing La Bamba for the little high school students with her, or going to the Kimochi place, or eating ramen and gyooza on Christmas Eve, or telling high school students to "Ganbare," or the first time we met at her school, or her always singing "Lo que paso paso" at the top or her lungs, or her laugh, or going to McD's with her, or her orange scarf, or like everything. Bon Voyage and Sayonara, Jose-chan! Until we meet again!!!!!!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Hisashiburi!
I haven't updated this thing in a while... ok, let's start off with last week. One day after kendo, I was talking to Megu, Satomi, and Aki and didn't notice that the locker room got locked up with my stuff in it. So I asked for it to be opened again, but nobody knew the combination. So we were trying different things for about 30 minuets and then finally someone brought a wrench and broke it open. I thought that was really nice; I have been making a lot of friends in kendo. It's alot different from before, when I would just stand there and stare blankly ahead of me; now I stay after club for 30 or 45 minutes just to talk to people.
The next day I gave a presentation about the United States election system to the third-year Current English class. They said it was easy to understand, so that's good I guess. It's hard enough explaining things like the Electoral College to people whose native language is English.
Josefa, from Chile, is leaving this Sunday. I'm so sad. I got special permission to not go to kendo so I can hang out with her before she goes back. Ok, that's all for now, folks.
The next day I gave a presentation about the United States election system to the third-year Current English class. They said it was easy to understand, so that's good I guess. It's hard enough explaining things like the Electoral College to people whose native language is English.
Josefa, from Chile, is leaving this Sunday. I'm so sad. I got special permission to not go to kendo so I can hang out with her before she goes back. Ok, that's all for now, folks.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Today
This weekend I went to Gotemba (a town right at the base of Mt. Fuji) for a Rotary Orientation. I haven't been in this particular town since September, so it was strange to be at the same place almost exactly 5 months later and think about all that has happened in that time. Anyway, the orientation was much fun.
Um I'm really tired and can't think of anything much else to say. Ah, well. Take care!
Um I'm really tired and can't think of anything much else to say. Ah, well. Take care!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Exhaursted
I'm so exhaursted. Today we had to run 11 km (6.8 mi) for kendo club. At first I seriously considered skipping, but then I thought "Ive never run 11 km before." So I did it. I made it in just over an hour. Which is slow, but who cares. It was actually kinda fun and not as hard as I thought it would be.
We ran around this park kinda far from school and through obligatory green tea fields and whatnot.
On the second lap, I was running with Sakimoto and Ikuzaki and we kinda got lost but it was fine in the end. Then we went back to school and I rode my bike downtown with Satomi, but she was going home and I was going to meet Laurent and Addison. Then we met Josefa, and then we randomly met Chisako and Saemi. So it was fun.
I came home and we saw this show on TV about the top 10 souvenirs that foreign tourists buy in Tokyo... and I was watching it and everything was like "So what?" I've realized now how accustomed I am to living in Japan. Things that foreigners ooh and ahh over are nothing special to me; they're things I see or use nearly every day. The no. 1 souvernir was ninja shoes. And I was watching TV and thinking... "what..." Because those shoes, for me, aren't ninja shoes. They're the shoes that every construction worker and laborer in Japan wears. I see them all the time when I pass construction on the way to school, etc. etc. Those shoes just happen to be passed down from the traditional ninja shoes. There were other souvenirs they showed that have a real purpose in Japan, but the foreigners just buy them because they think they look cool. (For example, headbands. Students wear headbands while taking exams or doing sports events, and I've worn them before and it's nothing special to me now.) I suspect it's the same for amulets and whatnot. This morning, Kei was making an amulet for her university exam and I'm so used to constantly being surrounded by them that it was like "Oh, ok... it looks really nice..." and that's all.
Yosh I gotta go... I'm so exhaursted and I have to get up early tomorrow, because I have some Rotary thing. It's in Gotemba, a town near Mt. Fuji. (Again, any foreigner would be amazed at the prospect of being anywhere near the fabled mountain, but I'm in the area constantly and can see it from school on a clear day. Yes, I love Mt. Fuji because I think it's beautiful, and I am looking forward to seeing it again, but it's like "Oh. Mt. Fuji. Been there, done that, climbed it, bought the traditional walking stick." I'm more looking forward the amazing funness that Rotary Exchange weekends always turn about to be!)
We ran around this park kinda far from school and through obligatory green tea fields and whatnot.
On the second lap, I was running with Sakimoto and Ikuzaki and we kinda got lost but it was fine in the end. Then we went back to school and I rode my bike downtown with Satomi, but she was going home and I was going to meet Laurent and Addison. Then we met Josefa, and then we randomly met Chisako and Saemi. So it was fun.
I came home and we saw this show on TV about the top 10 souvenirs that foreign tourists buy in Tokyo... and I was watching it and everything was like "So what?" I've realized now how accustomed I am to living in Japan. Things that foreigners ooh and ahh over are nothing special to me; they're things I see or use nearly every day. The no. 1 souvernir was ninja shoes. And I was watching TV and thinking... "what..." Because those shoes, for me, aren't ninja shoes. They're the shoes that every construction worker and laborer in Japan wears. I see them all the time when I pass construction on the way to school, etc. etc. Those shoes just happen to be passed down from the traditional ninja shoes. There were other souvenirs they showed that have a real purpose in Japan, but the foreigners just buy them because they think they look cool. (For example, headbands. Students wear headbands while taking exams or doing sports events, and I've worn them before and it's nothing special to me now.) I suspect it's the same for amulets and whatnot. This morning, Kei was making an amulet for her university exam and I'm so used to constantly being surrounded by them that it was like "Oh, ok... it looks really nice..." and that's all.
Yosh I gotta go... I'm so exhaursted and I have to get up early tomorrow, because I have some Rotary thing. It's in Gotemba, a town near Mt. Fuji. (Again, any foreigner would be amazed at the prospect of being anywhere near the fabled mountain, but I'm in the area constantly and can see it from school on a clear day. Yes, I love Mt. Fuji because I think it's beautiful, and I am looking forward to seeing it again, but it's like "Oh. Mt. Fuji. Been there, done that, climbed it, bought the traditional walking stick." I'm more looking forward the amazing funness that Rotary Exchange weekends always turn about to be!)
Monday, January 14, 2008
Sayonara Party and Kyoto
On Saturday was the AFS Sayonara Party. Max (France; he goes to my school) and Josefa (Chile) are with AFS, so I went to the event. I was supposed to meet Kei, Miwa, Laurent, and Addison at Hamamatsu train station. I saw Kei, but she had to go the bathroom and ended up missing the train. So I'm on the train by myself and finally saw Miwa so that was good. Kei, Laurent, and Addison got on the next train, and everything was fine. We met Max's host mom at Iwata train station, and she drove us to the event. Shaki (Austria) and Saki (she went to UK last year) were there, so it was really good to see them. Josefa did the most adorable Japanese dance ever. Then we all headed back to Hamamatsu to have dinner at Mein Schloss, which is a German restaurant. We had a really good time. I'm going to miss Josefa and Max so much!!!
Then early Sunday morning (yesterday), I went off to Kyoto to see some friends: Dylan (from Pennsylvania, we went to the same orientations last year), Annalisa (I sat next to her on the plane), and Maria (from Puebla, Mexico-- this was the first time meeting her. It was amazingly insanely fun. Kyoto Train Station is humongous; I still can't get over it. So I met Dylan and Annalisa there (Maria was busy) and we just wandered around Kyoto, took purikura, and sang karaoke. For dinner, we had Mexican and it was actually really, really good. We walked around Gion, the geisha district, afterwards but it was kind of a disappointment. There's like four old buildings and everything else is just normal. Then I slept over Dylan's house and the next morning we met Annalisa and Maria at the train station. We went to Inari Shrine, which is really famous. It's featured in the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha" and it's the place with all the hundreds red torii gates. It's ridonculously pretty. Then we went back to downtown Kyoto and sang our hearts out at karaoke. These past two days, I got introduced to the song "La Camisa Negra" by Juanese. I seriously think I am a better person because I know this song. But yeah. It was so much fun with Annalisa, Dylan, and Maria!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ASXzq1O9rrc&feature=related
Then early Sunday morning (yesterday), I went off to Kyoto to see some friends: Dylan (from Pennsylvania, we went to the same orientations last year), Annalisa (I sat next to her on the plane), and Maria (from Puebla, Mexico-- this was the first time meeting her. It was amazingly insanely fun. Kyoto Train Station is humongous; I still can't get over it. So I met Dylan and Annalisa there (Maria was busy) and we just wandered around Kyoto, took purikura, and sang karaoke. For dinner, we had Mexican and it was actually really, really good. We walked around Gion, the geisha district, afterwards but it was kind of a disappointment. There's like four old buildings and everything else is just normal. Then I slept over Dylan's house and the next morning we met Annalisa and Maria at the train station. We went to Inari Shrine, which is really famous. It's featured in the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha" and it's the place with all the hundreds red torii gates. It's ridonculously pretty. Then we went back to downtown Kyoto and sang our hearts out at karaoke. These past two days, I got introduced to the song "La Camisa Negra" by Juanese. I seriously think I am a better person because I know this song. But yeah. It was so much fun with Annalisa, Dylan, and Maria!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ASXzq1O9rrc&feature=related
Friday, January 11, 2008
Geisha-san and Kado and whatnot
So last night was the Rotary beginning of the year party.
There were three geishas that performed. They were all in their 70s and just looked like normal women. As geishas rise in rank, they put on less and less makeup and whatnot. Anyway, they played the samisen and "sang" and danced. Then after they went and performed the greatest of all geisha arts, the art of conversation. One sat between me and Wang-san, and told us how she came to Hamamatsu from Hokkaido when she was 16 because she didn't have money, so that's why she became a geisha. (She never was even trained in Kyoto, I don' think.) Everyone has this image of geishas being very delicate, graceful people, but she was one of the most racous people I've ever met. But, of course, it was only one and she wasn't even a true Kyoto geisha. She kept telling me that I should wolf down my rice because it tastes better like that.
Today I went to school! In Home Economics class, we watched this video about Japanese table manners. Of course, they're all very traditional manners and none of us knew about most of them. Ah, well.
Um. Then after school I went to kado club, which is Japanese flower arrangement. Natsumi and I made ours together. We worked so hard and then the teacher took it apart because it wasn't perfect or whatever. But it was a good time. Natsumi took pictures and she's gonna e-mail them to me and I'll try to post them here. Then Natsumi and I took the bus downtown and she had to go home, but I met Sakiko and later on, Shaki, from Austria. We kinda just wandered around for a while. Then I went home.
Tomorrow, is Max's and Josefa's going-away party! Ahhh! I'm gonna miss them so much. Oh, well, I'll just have to go to France and Chile to see them. It's kinda funny, the exchange student lifestyle. You end up going to Japan, meet people from all around the world, and then try to figure out how you can get to their country to see them again, plus, of course, you have to come back to Japan to see all the friends you've made there. So Laurent wants to study abroad in the USA, I want to study abroad in France or Chile, blah blah blah. It's so difficult, our cosmopolitan lifestyle!
Then Sunday I'm off to KYOTO!!!!!!! To see Dylan and Annalisa. They are two Rotary exchange students; I met Dylan during my outbound year at orientations and I sat next to Annalisa on the plane. I'm really excited because it's like, hisashiburi! (Long time, no see).
Then next weekend is some Rotary orientation at Mount Fuji. Haha, I'm always around Mount Fuji but I don't mind. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! It's so, like, perfect and symmetrical and it's so hard to believe I was at the top back in September. That was when I knew hardly any Japanese, I had barely any Japanese friends, I knew nothing about anything... I cant believe how far I've come, how many obstacles I've overcome, how amazingly FUN and ADVENTUROUS these past (almost) 5 months have been. And it's amazing to think just what will come next: my kendo exam, skiing in Naeba, possibly seeing the spring geisha dances in Kyoto, spring break in Tokyo with Shiori, the cherry blossom festival, the absolutely WILD Hamamatsu City Festival. And all those things will happen in just the next three months. And who can say what will happen in between those events? :D
Well, anyway, take care of y'all selves.
There were three geishas that performed. They were all in their 70s and just looked like normal women. As geishas rise in rank, they put on less and less makeup and whatnot. Anyway, they played the samisen and "sang" and danced. Then after they went and performed the greatest of all geisha arts, the art of conversation. One sat between me and Wang-san, and told us how she came to Hamamatsu from Hokkaido when she was 16 because she didn't have money, so that's why she became a geisha. (She never was even trained in Kyoto, I don' think.) Everyone has this image of geishas being very delicate, graceful people, but she was one of the most racous people I've ever met. But, of course, it was only one and she wasn't even a true Kyoto geisha. She kept telling me that I should wolf down my rice because it tastes better like that.
Today I went to school! In Home Economics class, we watched this video about Japanese table manners. Of course, they're all very traditional manners and none of us knew about most of them. Ah, well.
Um. Then after school I went to kado club, which is Japanese flower arrangement. Natsumi and I made ours together. We worked so hard and then the teacher took it apart because it wasn't perfect or whatever. But it was a good time. Natsumi took pictures and she's gonna e-mail them to me and I'll try to post them here. Then Natsumi and I took the bus downtown and she had to go home, but I met Sakiko and later on, Shaki, from Austria. We kinda just wandered around for a while. Then I went home.
Tomorrow, is Max's and Josefa's going-away party! Ahhh! I'm gonna miss them so much. Oh, well, I'll just have to go to France and Chile to see them. It's kinda funny, the exchange student lifestyle. You end up going to Japan, meet people from all around the world, and then try to figure out how you can get to their country to see them again, plus, of course, you have to come back to Japan to see all the friends you've made there. So Laurent wants to study abroad in the USA, I want to study abroad in France or Chile, blah blah blah. It's so difficult, our cosmopolitan lifestyle!
Then Sunday I'm off to KYOTO!!!!!!! To see Dylan and Annalisa. They are two Rotary exchange students; I met Dylan during my outbound year at orientations and I sat next to Annalisa on the plane. I'm really excited because it's like, hisashiburi! (Long time, no see).
Then next weekend is some Rotary orientation at Mount Fuji. Haha, I'm always around Mount Fuji but I don't mind. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! It's so, like, perfect and symmetrical and it's so hard to believe I was at the top back in September. That was when I knew hardly any Japanese, I had barely any Japanese friends, I knew nothing about anything... I cant believe how far I've come, how many obstacles I've overcome, how amazingly FUN and ADVENTUROUS these past (almost) 5 months have been. And it's amazing to think just what will come next: my kendo exam, skiing in Naeba, possibly seeing the spring geisha dances in Kyoto, spring break in Tokyo with Shiori, the cherry blossom festival, the absolutely WILD Hamamatsu City Festival. And all those things will happen in just the next three months. And who can say what will happen in between those events? :D
Well, anyway, take care of y'all selves.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Meh
Ok so New Years was really good. I was at the Hiranos and Okaasan's friends came over New Years Eve. We watched the temple bells ring on TV at midnight and then in the next afternoon we went to the shrine to pray for the new year. Then we went to Okaasan's sister's house for dinner. After that, at home I watched the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Concert. That was really nice.
I went back to school today... it was only a half day though. After that I went downtown with Miwa and Kei and then met up with Sakiko and Laurent and Addison and Shaki. Shaki is the newest gaijin in our group... shes from Austria and she's totally amazing.
Ok take care.
Meh...........
I went back to school today... it was only a half day though. After that I went downtown with Miwa and Kei and then met up with Sakiko and Laurent and Addison and Shaki. Shaki is the newest gaijin in our group... shes from Austria and she's totally amazing.
Ok take care.
Meh...........
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