Long time no see!

Sorry this took so long to get up! It seems like life took me by storm the past couple weeks. What I am doing is a college education and a vacation all at once.

Since I last wrote, I've begun my Japanese classes! I've had about a week and 2 days of it. I got into 300 level, and it seems like the work there is the level of difficulty that I need.

I've also been running around experiencing Japan! Kazuno has taken me shopping and bought me an adorable skirt, and okaasan took me hiking and bike riding. I've also been cooking with okaasan (logging all the recipes, of course :D), and running around with friends experiencing the area. Me and my friends Taylor, Whitney, and Melody met a girl in the film-making club, Maki, at "coffee hour", which is where exchange students can meet Japanese students. We went to one of those meetings and ran around Nagoya with Maki, Anna (Maki's friend from another school), and Takumi (another film-club student).



Then, this weekend we went to Kanazawa, all the way on the North side of Honshu. It was a busy couple days, and a lot of time in the bus. It's a town both on the outskirts of the Japanese Alps and close to the coast of the Sea of Japan. We wandered through the fish market, made gold leaf boxes, relaxed in the outdoor hot springs, went to a famous garden in the area, and drank matcha tea in a historical district. I got to try black sesame and tofu ice-cream. It all was wonderful. I wish I got to see more of the mountains, though. But me and my friend Chris are going to start hiking on the weekends around Nagoya, so all is well.



Otherwise, I have my final test today to keep me in 300 (which better happen, because 200 is just going over everything I've already learned...) And I got me inkan, hooray! It says Kasurin, or "singing festival bell" :)




Jaa Mata!

Lotsa Japanese....

Where to start?

Well, took the placement test, though I took the 200-level test. I thought 200-level was actually 200-level, while it turns out that it, in fact, is 100-level. Sooo I felt really stupid afterwards since we had the choice of what test to take, but apparently they'll test and re-test us during the first week of class. Lucky us. At least it means we should be in the right level!

Either way, my okaasan and Kazuno (my ane, or older sister) are great teachers, so I at least have adjusted to hearing and speaking Japanese, though I haven't even gotten to the point of understanding everyday things. This is soon to come, I hope!

Otherwise, the past couple days of orientation before the weekend was just meeting people and going over stuff in our welcome packet. So basically zone-out time, except for when we ordered our inkan for making a bank account. Kazuno helped me come up with name kanji for it, so I shall be--from now on--formally known as 歌須鈴 (Kasurin, pronounced like Kathryn), which basically means singing festival bell. Hooray! Basically, an inkan is the small stone block that has your name carved on the bottom, so you can stamp official documents with it. It's the red mark you see on a lot of asian paintings.

Also, I don't know how I forgot to mention this, but my okaasan got a brand new Panasonic electric bicycle just so we could both ride our bikes places together! It's a pretty sweet ride, cherry red with a little bell in front. It's especially sweet since I was thinking of even buying a bike while I am here! So, after orientation Thursday and Friday I rode my bike around, and went running in the morning Friday. I'd say by now I'm a little acquainted with the area, especially since okaasan, Kazuno, Kazuno's baby Yuno, and I rode the Chikatetsu (subway) around all weekend to go shopping in Sakae and to go to the Thai festival. I'm not used to cities this old, and it seems like there's a little surprise around every corner. Especially memorable was when I ran across a huge graveyard going up a hill and climbed it just in time for seeing sunset over part of Nagoya. I didn't have my camera, sorry :(



being a dork on my bike


My host family is super nice and helpful, and we've definitely been eating well. Obaasan and Obasan (Grandma and aunt) came to visit and brought cake, and ever since we've had it every day between breakfast and lunch! Okaasan made lotus root one day with a sweet sauce that was sooo good--super crunchy. Plus Saturday I made pancakes and eggs over easy with dried cherry cookies for dessert for okaasan, Kazuno, and Kazuno's husband Akashi and they loved it. I think pancakes are universally delicious. Yay for pancakes!

Otherwise, I have discovered nashi, a Japanese pear that's crunchy and big like an apple. It's the greatest thing ever.





Jaa mata!