Not much really happened today, haha. I am beginning to realize though that I was wrong about a few things about Japan.
1. That I would lose weight while staying here. My family feeds me ice cream and brings home chocolate for me all the time, and there is a Mister Donut at thebus station. Dang it. I might actually gain weight!
2. Japanese people are very friendly. Although there isn't much talking on buses and trains as I mentioned earlier, I have had at least 3 or 4 experiences where people on my bus ride to school sitting behind or in front of me try to start a conversation. I apologetically tell them that my Japanese is very bad. I hate this, because I would like to be able to converse with some Japanese people. But learning the Japanese language in 6 weeks is beginning to feel impossible.
3. I stand out. Haha. I went to a festival the other day in Kurume, and Noemi and I were literally the only people who were not Japanese, and there were hundreds of people there! We get a lot of stares, but almost all are friendly and smiling. And little kids love us, it's adorable. They scoot closer to sit by us and my neighbors have two small children, ages 5 and 9, who come over a lot to ask if Audrey can come over to play Uno? And they've taught me some other games I've never played before. It's very cute.
4. Japan has insanely huge arcades. I went to one the other day that literally had 5 floors of nothing but arcade games.
5. Have you ever been in one of those booths where you sit with a friend or whoever and pose to have a small strip of pictures for your wallet? Well in Japan that is called purikuda, if I am spelling it right. But pirikuda is like extreme. You are in a large booth and pictures are taken of you, but you get to choose colorful backgrounds or funny scenes. And after your pictures are taken, you move over to another booth where you can personalize these already colorful photos. You can add Japanese characters or your own writing, or choose from a large selection of bows, hats, ponies, fish, ice cream cones, stars, hearts, peace signs and a million others. You can also type in your email address or cell phone number and the pictures will be sent to you! Then a couple copies of the pictures taken print out. I have done this twice so far, and they really are cool. I will probably do it quite a few more times, and I will have a wallet full of purikuda. Can't wait to show you all. :)
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
great
Yesterday was a great day. My next door neighbors took Noemi and I to what I think is a Hindu temple in Kurume. As I know very little about Hinduism, my description of it will be bad and I apologize haha, but I would be happy to show anyone who wants all the pictures I took of it when I get home. :) There were a few parts to it. One just looked like what I typically see when I see a temple. The other signifigant part I can best describe by comparing it to the Statue of Liberty. It was a truly huge statue of a person holding a baby, and I went inside and climbed all the stairs to the top. The view was wonderful.
Today I went to a big festival in Kurume. It was beautiful. There were vendors selling all kinds of food, and 10 or 15 groups that performed dances. Most wore kimonos or other colorful robes or Japanese clothing. The dancing was amazing. It ranged from slow and graceful with fans to quick and intense with wooden hand held things that I cannot think of the name of, but they make a fast clicking sound. Most of the dances seemed more traditional and relating to the Japanese culture, but one group of young girls was wearing sequin outfits resembling that of a cheerleader. They were so cute, and danced to the song "Girlfriend," which was hilarious. THe coolest thing was the variety in the groups. In one group there would be a 50 year old man, a 7 year old boy, and a 20 year old girl all doing the same dance. It was probably the most of Japanese culture I've seen so far. Everyone dancing looked so happy. It made me glad too, to realize that there were enjoyable activities to be involoved in other than intense academic ones, as Japanese youth take school extremely seriously. I was very homesick at first, to be honest. But i feel a little more comfortable here everyday. Miss you all. :)
Today I went to a big festival in Kurume. It was beautiful. There were vendors selling all kinds of food, and 10 or 15 groups that performed dances. Most wore kimonos or other colorful robes or Japanese clothing. The dancing was amazing. It ranged from slow and graceful with fans to quick and intense with wooden hand held things that I cannot think of the name of, but they make a fast clicking sound. Most of the dances seemed more traditional and relating to the Japanese culture, but one group of young girls was wearing sequin outfits resembling that of a cheerleader. They were so cute, and danced to the song "Girlfriend," which was hilarious. THe coolest thing was the variety in the groups. In one group there would be a 50 year old man, a 7 year old boy, and a 20 year old girl all doing the same dance. It was probably the most of Japanese culture I've seen so far. Everyone dancing looked so happy. It made me glad too, to realize that there were enjoyable activities to be involoved in other than intense academic ones, as Japanese youth take school extremely seriously. I was very homesick at first, to be honest. But i feel a little more comfortable here everyday. Miss you all. :)
Thursday, July 2, 2009
japaaan
today i went to a huge shooping center called youme town. the ironic thing was that the best store in the whole center was an indian store. haha. so far the only thing i have bought in japan is an indian bag and an elephant necklace. i feel like i should bring home a kimono or something, but they're actually soo expensive.
but last night i had actual japanese ramen noodles, not likethe ones in the package haha, and they were amazing. we sat on tatami mats at low tables and my family laughed when i insisted on using chopsticks (because i need to learn how, the fork is becoming my crutch, haha). and it was great.
anyway, i know this does not relate to japan or my trip here, so i apologize, but the following is a message for melissa raenae, since i recently missed her 16th birthday:
dear melissa,
i love you! i am very sorry that i missed your birthday. i tried to send you something on facebook, but it would not let me log in from an "unfamiliar location." i miss you honey, very much. happy 16th birthday best friend. don't forget, when i get home you get to drive me everywhere.
oh and you better not have a new best friend when i get home, got it? for real, there will be some broken bones. well not broken bones since i actually don't have the physical capacity to break anything bigger than a twig, but something bad will happen. :)
love you, aud:)
but last night i had actual japanese ramen noodles, not likethe ones in the package haha, and they were amazing. we sat on tatami mats at low tables and my family laughed when i insisted on using chopsticks (because i need to learn how, the fork is becoming my crutch, haha). and it was great.
anyway, i know this does not relate to japan or my trip here, so i apologize, but the following is a message for melissa raenae, since i recently missed her 16th birthday:
dear melissa,
i love you! i am very sorry that i missed your birthday. i tried to send you something on facebook, but it would not let me log in from an "unfamiliar location." i miss you honey, very much. happy 16th birthday best friend. don't forget, when i get home you get to drive me everywhere.
oh and you better not have a new best friend when i get home, got it? for real, there will be some broken bones. well not broken bones since i actually don't have the physical capacity to break anything bigger than a twig, but something bad will happen. :)
love you, aud:)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
more on japan
here are a few things about Japan that i did not know before arriving here:
1. japanese toilets are level with the ground, and you squat over them to go to the bathroom. it can be uncomfortable if you aren't used to it, haha, but many places offer one or two western stalls as well.
2. japanese bathing rooms are very unique. the toilet and the actual bath\shower are in separate rooms. to take a bath, you first take your clothes off and sit on a stool, where you use a shower head to completely wash your body and hair, and then rinse. if you are a girl with long hair, you are expected to put your hair back with a rubber band. then you get in a tub full of heated bath water to lay and relax. this same bath water is heated and used by each family member daily. this is not considered unsanitary as each person is washed and rinsed before entering the tub.
3. a common breakfast in japan is steamed rice, often with some kind of flavoring, misu soup, and some kind of fish such as tuna. my family however was considerate enough to ask me what i preferred for brakfast and shop accordingly, although i am happy to have rice, soup \, and fish, no matter how different it seems to me.
4. in japan, summer vacation is only one month, along with 2 weeks off in winter, and 2 more off in spring. and it is not uncommon for students in japan to spend their time from 7AM until as late as 10PM doing academic related activities, such as extre classes, tutoring, or studying.
5. in japan, it is considered strange to hug or kiss in public.
6. if you are on a bus or train in japan, no one talks, even if they are sitting with a friend or family member. so i often stand out when riding in a bus or train, as i talk a lot! haha.
7. in japan it is considered rude to eat or drink while while moving/walking. one should be sitting or standing still.
8. it is rude to chew gum while talking in japan.
9. in japan, girls should not show their shoulders or above their knees.
10. you do not wear shoes in any japanese house. in some houses there are slippers in the entryway for you to change into, and different slippers to put on when using the restroom. in other houses, like my host family's, just being barefoot is ok. :)
1. japanese toilets are level with the ground, and you squat over them to go to the bathroom. it can be uncomfortable if you aren't used to it, haha, but many places offer one or two western stalls as well.
2. japanese bathing rooms are very unique. the toilet and the actual bath\shower are in separate rooms. to take a bath, you first take your clothes off and sit on a stool, where you use a shower head to completely wash your body and hair, and then rinse. if you are a girl with long hair, you are expected to put your hair back with a rubber band. then you get in a tub full of heated bath water to lay and relax. this same bath water is heated and used by each family member daily. this is not considered unsanitary as each person is washed and rinsed before entering the tub.
3. a common breakfast in japan is steamed rice, often with some kind of flavoring, misu soup, and some kind of fish such as tuna. my family however was considerate enough to ask me what i preferred for brakfast and shop accordingly, although i am happy to have rice, soup \, and fish, no matter how different it seems to me.
4. in japan, summer vacation is only one month, along with 2 weeks off in winter, and 2 more off in spring. and it is not uncommon for students in japan to spend their time from 7AM until as late as 10PM doing academic related activities, such as extre classes, tutoring, or studying.
5. in japan, it is considered strange to hug or kiss in public.
6. if you are on a bus or train in japan, no one talks, even if they are sitting with a friend or family member. so i often stand out when riding in a bus or train, as i talk a lot! haha.
7. in japan it is considered rude to eat or drink while while moving/walking. one should be sitting or standing still.
8. it is rude to chew gum while talking in japan.
9. in japan, girls should not show their shoulders or above their knees.
10. you do not wear shoes in any japanese house. in some houses there are slippers in the entryway for you to change into, and different slippers to put on when using the restroom. in other houses, like my host family's, just being barefoot is ok. :)
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Oops
Guess I never updated my host family information, haha, so here we go. My host father's name is Kenji. My mother's name is Kyoko. They have three kids in their twenties named Yuichi, Akira, and Kei. They live in a smaller town near Kurume-shi. They are a great family and am thankful to be living with them. :)
hello from japan!
Hello everyone. :)
I arrived in Japan on Thursday, or on Wednesday in the U.S. I had a two-day orientation in Nagoya, where I slept in a room with tatami mats on real futons, which are surprisingly nothing like what is considered a futon in the United States. I also experienced my first "public bath," which was awkward at first but everyone at the orientation actually grew to enjoy them. Japanese people aren't shy about their bodies and they really enjoy taking baths haha. I learned a few common Japanese phrases such as:
Ohayougozaimasu = good morning
Kon-nichiwa = hello
Konbanwa = good night
I know a few more, but I can currently only spell them phonetically, and it's a little pathetic, haha.
One of the best things about the orientation was the diverse group of people who attended. There were 35 kids from all over the U.S., 13 kids from Italy, 4 kids from Bulgaria, 2 from Sweden, and one from Iceland. All the AFS Japan volunteers and staff were also wonderful. They were extrememly kind and helpful. My group leaders were Micky and Youskay. I have a picture with them and some other AFS students, but I don't know quite how to put them up yet, as I am using my host family's computer. But myfamily and all the AFS people are truly great. There is a girl from Italy named Noemi who is staying in the same part of Japan as me, and every weekday morning she rides her bike to my house and then we walk to the bus station together. We then take an hour long bus ride to the nearest big town Kurume-shi. We go to school at our teacher's house, with two other AFS USA students named Cameron and Danny. I am very excited about school, so I can learn more Japanese and speak to my family members. They have also been making fun of how horrible I am at using chopsticks. I thought I was doing pretty well, until host brother and father started laughing, and my host mother asked if I would like a fork and knife.
Japan is very different from the United States and although that some of it can be a little intimidating, I really like it. I am excited to adjust and get into the routine. Thank you so much to everyone who helped me get here. Mom, Dad, Ethan, Bradley, Melissa, I miss you all so much. Love you very much and talk to you soon. :)
P.S. Sorry if I don't reply to emails very much; my host family has been so kind and I feel bad spending too much time using their computer. Thank you.
I arrived in Japan on Thursday, or on Wednesday in the U.S. I had a two-day orientation in Nagoya, where I slept in a room with tatami mats on real futons, which are surprisingly nothing like what is considered a futon in the United States. I also experienced my first "public bath," which was awkward at first but everyone at the orientation actually grew to enjoy them. Japanese people aren't shy about their bodies and they really enjoy taking baths haha. I learned a few common Japanese phrases such as:
Ohayougozaimasu = good morning
Kon-nichiwa = hello
Konbanwa = good night
I know a few more, but I can currently only spell them phonetically, and it's a little pathetic, haha.
One of the best things about the orientation was the diverse group of people who attended. There were 35 kids from all over the U.S., 13 kids from Italy, 4 kids from Bulgaria, 2 from Sweden, and one from Iceland. All the AFS Japan volunteers and staff were also wonderful. They were extrememly kind and helpful. My group leaders were Micky and Youskay. I have a picture with them and some other AFS students, but I don't know quite how to put them up yet, as I am using my host family's computer. But myfamily and all the AFS people are truly great. There is a girl from Italy named Noemi who is staying in the same part of Japan as me, and every weekday morning she rides her bike to my house and then we walk to the bus station together. We then take an hour long bus ride to the nearest big town Kurume-shi. We go to school at our teacher's house, with two other AFS USA students named Cameron and Danny. I am very excited about school, so I can learn more Japanese and speak to my family members. They have also been making fun of how horrible I am at using chopsticks. I thought I was doing pretty well, until host brother and father started laughing, and my host mother asked if I would like a fork and knife.
Japan is very different from the United States and although that some of it can be a little intimidating, I really like it. I am excited to adjust and get into the routine. Thank you so much to everyone who helped me get here. Mom, Dad, Ethan, Bradley, Melissa, I miss you all so much. Love you very much and talk to you soon. :)
P.S. Sorry if I don't reply to emails very much; my host family has been so kind and I feel bad spending too much time using their computer. Thank you.
Monday, June 8, 2009
news:)
I leave for Japan on June 23rd. It's coming up so quickly! I will be living in a city called Kurume-shi. I will be living with the Nagasawa family. They have three kids ages 18, 16, and 14. I am a little scared, but so incredibly excited. Thanks again to everyone who helped me get this far. :)
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