Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Hisashiburi

It's been a long time. Sorry for the infrequency, but there really isn't much time to be alone with your own thoughts here. It seems like there's always so much to do on my plate as I still get settled in. Classes have started, and I have to cram in my responsibilities and exploring the city in with that. I finally got a bicycle to explore the city on, but I'll have to show everyone in my next post. It's been a bit rainy so it just hasn't been the right setting for awesome bike pictures. Now the weather has finally changed and it's cooled off... I hope it's not just a cool front, and I am still unable to ask that properly to Japanese people.

Okay, from where I left off last time. I've been going out more with my tutor and she's been helping me immensely. I admit the only time I think to take pictures is when I've just received some awesome masterpiece of food. Shiho and I went to this little cafe in a mall that sells parfaits. Let me tell you that was another one of my silly Japanese food fantasies... they're just so gorgeous here! They blow TCBY dinky parfaits out of the water.

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A tiramisu parfait.

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yay! Shiho.

Actually, I do lot of cooking. Every few days a couple of us will cook for a bunch of us in the dorm. I've been getting bento supplies to make, but I've only made one for my roommate so far. Hopefully when I get a little more adjusted I can make them for myself. Groceries are pretty expensive here though, and I find myself eating out a lot.

We went out as a big group for one of the tutor's birthdays out to a Japanese style bar which was really cool. A lot of things seem like straight out of movies to me. I keep thinking about how when my sister or parents come to visit me, they're going to love going here and there.

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TJ, myself, my roommate, and one of her friends went to the popular yakitori place. Basically you cook your own food, and we ate a lot and drank a lot and we were merry. My roommate and her friend wanted to keep shopping afterwards and asked me and TJ if we were okay getting back by ourselves. We both emphatically said we'd be totally fine, but as soon as they were out of our sight we turned to each other and panicked. "We are so screwed" practically came out of our mouths at the same time. Despite our slightly inebriated states, we actually got back and figured out the subway no problem. That somehow seemed like a huge triumph for us. There've been a lot of shenanigans like this, and a lot of laughs. Everyone is pretty funny, but I guess a lot of it is "you've had to been there" moments.

Here goes a difficult story. Tony. Tony is hilarious. He came from MTSU, and he is this short, buff, asian guy who makes expressions like a five year old.

Japan wackiness: there are these crazy erasers that have a face on them and have a strong mint smell.

Everyday in class, Tony holds the eraser up to his nose and answers questions, or takes his test... probably for maybe 40 minutes out of an hour and a half class. I don't know if I can explain the hilarity in turning back to see him always holding that erasers to his face and never taking it down even when answering questions.

There are many of these moments.

I love everyone here. :)

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Yon Joo and Hanna, two Korean exchange students.

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Ebi derishusness.

The other day we went to Atsuta Shrine, and that's the first time I had really been to anything like that. We went as a big group so I didn't get as much out of it as I had hoped. Despite that, it was very peaceful and beautiful. I said a prayer, made an offering, and picked up some charms. It was really awesome to see the priests and priestesses walking around. I'm going to go again soon and hopefully it'll be a little more serene. The only really disappointing thing was that the legendary sword was not available for viewing. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kusanagi ) I guess I should've done more research. Dang. Still, it was really cool.

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Yasuko and Dustin.

I leave you with this thought: Everyday they play "Auld Lang Syne" somewhere, and I can hear it in my apartment.

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4 comments:

DD-Pad said...

Hey--you don't know me, but I've kind of half followed your blog after you linked it to someone in one of the livejournal communites (either expatsjapan or lifeinjapan... I don't remember!)

Anyway--all that stuffs looks so good and it all seems pretty close to what my trip has been like so far! I came here (here being Tokyo) about two weeks ago to study abroad too, and I feel so swamped but happy at the same time (usually anyway!).

I'm glad you got some more pictures up, where are you living?

steffi said...

I'm in Hibino, Nagoya. :) Everyone in the states said Nagoya is boring, but the city I'm from is also boring. I feel pretty at home.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you're having fun out there, and you're making me DAMN hungry with the parfaits, UGH.

It feels so weird without having your laughter and goofiness around. Especially at the Japanese Festival this year. (Which BTW, I looked so fucking badass in my male kimono. >D)

Good luck with your classes, alright? 応援してるぞ!

Megan said...

I am jealous. Like whoah. The food is amazing, your tutor is as cute as a button, good lord. If only I could come visit you and experience Japan.

Keep up the posts, I'm loving them!