Update

This week has been so jampacked and exhausting. I feel like I'm training for a marathon. Surely within 3 weeks I'll be able to massacre every person in America with my sheer muscle strength from walking so much. I'll be able to roundhouse kick everyone and jettison them into space. It's definitely been a tripple hitter, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Not in any sort of bad way though, I just feel really tired. I've been out exploring with others, shopping and having a lot of fun. We're out at least once a day, and even going to the grocery store is an adventure. One morning Lachelle and I went out for a walk to see the city, and we said, "Ohayo Gozaimasu!" (Good morning), to every person we went past. Most looked a little shocked then said it back. The city is really new and interesting. It's very different from how the US looks, but it's a lot of little subtleties that are hard to describe. For instance, it took me a minute to realize that houses were houses. There are literally no yards, just little gated areas with potted plants in the front. I guess in that sense, it's a very concrete place. Then again, I live right next to a huge park, river, and garden. It feels very serene here, despite all the hustle and bustle.



The park view from my window.

The entrance exam kicked my ass because they didn't ask me anything on what I'm good at. There wasn't a vocab section on the test at all, just grammar and kanji. I don't really want to dwell on it though because at least the people who I like will be in my class. And if it's easy, then maybe I can move up quicker and have time to do things that I want to do. No big deal, I guess.

One thing that seems different than previous groups that have been there is that ALL the exchange students get along. I love hanging out with the Koreans. It's hard because their Japanese is like perfect and all the Americans' suck in comparison, but... they're so nice and fun. Two nights ago we went over to Yamato's apartment to make okonomiyaki. It's like batter and cabbage and then whatever you want. Dad (I know you're reading), you fry it and like then cover it with those same fish flakes that were on your crazy dish that you ate. Plus okomiyaki sauce and sometimes mayo.



This is Lisa's photo. Here's the gang. I helped chopped and there were various comments about women being able to cook or some nonsense. Anyway it was fun. Hi-chan, one of the Koreans who isn't in that photo, helped translate my horoscope in a magazine in very slow easy japanese with lots of hand motions. Sometimes I feel stupid but that's okay.

Anyway, after the interview section of the test, we were all waiting around in a class room. I don't know how I managed to do it, but I slammed hardcore into a desk at like fullspeed. Now I have a giantic bruise on my leg. I fell to the ground and wallowed for a moment, looking like a Grade A dumbass.

So yesterday morning at Orientation I bought accident insurance. Haha. Not really, it's because I'm getting a bicycle soon. I still haven't had time to get one yet. The orientation has been so painfully boring. They give you a packet with the information in Japanese and English, THEN READ EVERY PAGE IN JAPANESE THEN IN ENGLISH. Wow. It took forever. And teachers walked around and made sure you were looking at the right page at the right time.

We went over the Seminar House rules, more of the same. Shibata sensei paused in the middle of one section to say that he was going to extra extra explain in English because it was so important (about how if you do things wrong, you get naughty points. and 4 points and you get sent home). Anyway, it got to the point where he was like "if you do this, DAME (bad/useless/don't do it)." And went on a shpiel about how a guy brought a girlfriend home, and his roommate couldn't communicate with him. So there was confusion. and it made him confused. and that created more confusion. It sort of became a running joke after the orientation. Eliza, (the asian-looking one at the bottom of the picture) was so irritated by the end of the day that she just sort of let loose with the DAMEs and cause confusions. Usually if a person says "dame" in japanese, they cross their arms in front of them like an X. Eliza took it a step further and did the finger across the neck, like you will die if you do this and said daaaaaammmeeeee very slowly and intensely. We had to do about 5 introductions over the course of three days, and it was kind of ridiculous.

Earlier in the day yesterday, we went to the big nice garden next to the school. It was very beautiful, but we were bitten by mosquitos like I never have been in my life. (That added to Eliza's bad mood as she got bit on the face.) I couldn't listen anymore, I was so miserable. Scratching and hopping. We must've looked really really stupid. I'll go back again when it's not mosquito season.





Finally there was the welcome party with another speech by everyone. The food was yummy, the company was good, and everyone mood was a little lifted. After that, we went bowling. I am so bad at bowling it's just stupid. I got a 34. Enough said.



Food.



The Horikawa at night.