Lots of stuff to update...

Monday, April 16, 2007

I got three postcards today and they SERIOUSLY could not have come on any better day!

1. Last night was intense for several reasons.
2. I've felt sick since last night...and today isn't any better.
3. I'm overwhelmed with school work.
4. Friend drama. Gross.

And to top it all off...

5. Today in class some guy did his presentation about suicide in Japan. Very depressing...but to make it worse, he showed a clip from the Japanese movie "Suicide Club" where about 10 school kids are shown excitedly jumping off the roof of their school to their deaths just because they thought it'd be fun. It was actually really graphic too. Yeah. That was terrible.

I think retelling that is making me feel sicker.

Anyways, then after that class, I went down to the mailboxes and checked my mail box and I had gotten a post card from Erika (my love!...sending me THREE postcards in one week!!), Kersten (from her NY missions trip), and Ann (of hello kitty sitting by a windmill...how perfect). I read each one like 5 times and just laughed at Ann getting grossed out by the thought of gyoza and pina coladas together...hahaha. A bit of home was just what I needed today.


Sunday, April 22, 2007 - "Whatever, man!"

School work has taken me over...and despite having all day today to work, I didn't get much done. Whoops. Umm...but I DID get to watch an episode of LOST and I discovered my new favorite quote.

"Let's look death in the face and say, 'Whatever, man!'" - Hurley

Hurley's my favorite. He's everyone's hope all the time. Yay!

Ok, time for bed for Claudia....that way I can get up tomorrow and work hard before another group meeting!! Ahh!

p.s. Thanks Abby for the music...love it.


Sunday, April 29, 2007

Jeez. I practically had to prepare myself to write this entry. I feel like I haven't written anything of any real interest in quite sometime...so I figured I owed it to whoever actually cares to actually write something more substanstial. Yeah, pretty much since spring break I haven't really said a lot about what I've been up to here. Honestly, it's not much. All I've really been doing is hanging around...I'm super stressed with school work (classes that don't even matter). But I've been able to do at least one or two fun Japanese-y things since spring break.

A couple of weekends ago, my friends and I went to the Miyako Odori which is the traditional sakura (cherry blossoms) dance. I absolutely LOVED it! It is most definitely one of the best things I've ever seen/done in Japan...EVER.

Hmm...that same weekend was when I went to that club, which I lovingly call "Club Drama" now. It was an alright time, but like I said...too much high school drama, crying, and sketchy guys. I said I'd never go back, BUT ugh. Last night (Friday night) our friend Drea, who couldn't go last time, decided that we'd have a huge group head out to the same club again. Super. I really really was not wanting to go...mainly because I was so dead tired yesterday for some reason. And I really did not have a good time until about 15 mins before the night was over (sooo around 4:45am).

Hmm...what else...what else...I'm pretty ready to go home still. I'm having fun...going to Kobe again tomorrow which I am SOO HAPPY about! I love that city so much.

I'm running low on funds...well really I'm not completely broke, but I don't want to spend every single yen I brought...I need SOMETHING for this summer. At least, before I start working 2 jobs all summer long. I need to pay off my laptop to my parents and start saving for...other...things...I guess. I just need money.

Hmm...like I said, I'm at a loss. My words aren't coming as easily lately. I guess a lot more is going on than I'd want to write about on this public journal. I haven't even written in my own journal for the past month pretty much either. And I hate that....sooo much. Tomorrow, in Kobe, my plan is to catch up on what I can, but it's still not the same. There's another regret to add to the list. (Not as big a deal as other things though)

Oh! I could write about my skit/role play! Well....for Japanese we had to write a skit (in Japanese of course) and perform it for class. My group's skit took place in Tokyo Disneyland (guess who thought of that!!). It was HILARIOUS! Well, at least it was hilarious for those people that actually understood it. Most people just tuned out. But ours was pretty easy to follow. Two people went to Tokyo Disney for a date because the girl really wanted a picture with Mickey...they got there and had to buy tickets (from me...sooo funny...you'd only understand the humor in this part if you knew how store clerks and people like that speak in this country....hahaha....i'm a master at the "irassyaimase" voice....oh man)....and on and on...they ended up standing in line for Pirates of the Caribbean for a really long time, and in that time I (playing a different annoying little girl) taught the girl a dance from High School Musical. Then I took them on It's a Small World...and sang the whole song, of course, in Japanese. Then...in the end they got away from me (they hated me for taking them on It's a Small World), and they found Mickey (me, again). Anyways, it was cute. And really funny. And it was even better considering I had a girl that's afraid to perform and a guy who is ultra shy and normally talks in a whisper practically in class. They both were awesome! We had to vote for best skit and best actor/actress. A couple of people said they voted for me...but another girl won for her role in her skit that they videotaped. It was funny. My teacher, though, wrote on my critique sheet that I was her favorite actress. Cool.

Then for one of my psych classes, we had to write a role play and have it include a bunch of different topics that we talked about in class throughout the semester. It was kinda difficult coming up with an idea for the setting and plot...to include all of the different topics it was gonna be kinda choppy and weird anyways. We ended up deciding on doing an Olympics themed role play. It turned out to be really really funny. We had a bunch of little scenes, but before hand we were supposed to introduce who our character is thoughout the whole thing and tell about what topic we would be displaying. We all played different people/countries throughout the skit, so I just decided to become a news reporter/commentator to introduce each scene. hahah....I just randomly decided on a Minnesota accent and it turned out really well. My teacher was rolling with laughter!! Plus all of our scenes were just great! Opening ceremonies, Tennis (Japan v Denmark), Women's weight lifting & Men's figure skating (with reactions from a multicultural audience...Japan, USA, and the newly formed country of the Pacific Ocean...haha), Triathlon (Japan & USA in particular), Breakdancing!, and then the closing ceremonies. It was fun...and considering we practiced only one time, it ended up really good. So yay.

Ok. That was a lot of words. Sorry for the boring entry. My life isn't as exciting as you'd think it'd be here in Japan. Hopefully I'll get some Kobe pics up soon from tomorrow.

Have a fabulous weekend. Happiness to all of you that are just about finished with the semester! Good luck on final exams and papers!!!


Monday, April 30, 2007

oh em gee.
i'm currently avoiding a paper.
i already wrote one today.
but i can't get motivated to finish this other one.
ughhhhhhhhhhh
i want to go to bed.
but it's only 10:21.
did i eat dinner?
no.
i had ice cream with leah though.
she made me.
i need to finish this paper.
oh!
in other news.
i'm going to tokyo again.
akiko is coming home for a few weeks.
and since i won't see her again until january,
i'm going to see her.
and
of course
we're going to go to
TOKYO DISNEY
again.
yay.
i told her we have to.
i can't wait to see her.
SOMEONE FROM HOME!
even though it'll be about 10 days before i go home.
i'll take what i can get.
maybe i'll actually see mercedes this time too.
hmmmmm
i'm so excited for next semester.
yay.
oooo
and orientation is gonna be awesome.
happy.
i went to kobe yesterday.
There was some kinda rowing competition going on...intense. It was kinda cool to see loads of people gathered there to watch though. They had men's and women's...but the women only rowed one way and then they pulled them back to the starting line....what?!? Haha.
Umm...yeah and there was this dancing festival thing going on at the pier. We never really figured out what it was...but Leah and I were doing the dance along with them while we were watching and then some old man told the dancers to pull us out on the dancing area...it was pretty funny. The dance was freaking easy, but they kept trying to teach us. Haha. Good times.
so that was fun.
i love kobe.
like i've said.
hm...
back to my paper?
maybe.
blahhh
i just need to finish it.
and then i can just relax the rest of this week.
i'm going to the beach with my home-visit family on friday.
and spending the night at their house on thursday night.
it should be fun.
i'm kinda eh about spending the night there first.
but i've done it before
with more awkward people
so it'll be fine.
i'm sure.
so
my roommate's been gone for the past few days.
i love it.
i love having the room to myself.
i really like my roommate,
but
it's just nice to have a room to yourself,
ya know?
yeah.
i can't believe tomorrow is may.
one month until i'm home.
from today.
may 30th...
ahh.
i just need to get this junk done first.
and then i can think about that.
soooo
yeah.
speaking of getting things done...
i'll change the subject.
i had a dance break by myself today
to pump myself up.
n'sync 'i want you back'.
it did the trick for my first paper.
i tried again after ice cream with leah.
it didn't work that time.
i've written 2 pages,
but
i've only answered 1 of 5 questions.
technically this paper is due tomorrow,
but
he said we could turn it in on wednesday
since he won't even look at them tomorrow night.
i still want to have it done.
that way i won't have to feel pressed for time
like i do right now.
haha
ok
the weather is amazing here right now.
70s
and not humid.
yet.
yay.
i'm cherishing the weather
while i still can.
ok
this has gotten long.
hope you liked reading.
i'm gonna go try to get motivated.

the end.


Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Let's all be friends. We're all connected anyways. Everyone and their mom is stressed. So let's have a stress party! Wee!

I'm hosting it...at my place...tonight. Be there. Come over anytime! The door's open!

Bring a dish to share.

There will be games.


Sunday, May 06, 2007 - Looong.

Ok, well I got a request for an update on my life...soooooooo here it is!!!!

A close and intimate look at Claudia's life currently...taken from her personal journal...with all the personal stuff taken out! Woo! (P.S. It's random...just like my thoughts normally)

May 2, 2007

So weird that it's May. And I'm mad that I let my journal go this long without updating. I have more on xanga and lj than in my journal...

I think I'm getting really tired of being here. I'd rather stay in my room or hang out around town by myself than do anything with the huge group anymore. Maybe I'm just tired of them. I know I still feel out of their loop - uninvited to things - except only by Leah. Blah.

Apparently Amy and Katie (Orientation directors) still need like 20 more OAs...so Abby and I took charge and started inviting loads of people and making an OA event. Haha. I hope more people join. I know Colin is gonna do it! So yay! I hope we get more people!

I can't wait to go home and see people and have it be ok to hang out by myself...in my room...or cook in my kitchen or hang out with my mom. Go shopping - in a car! Shopping with my non-existant money...

I'm sick of being looked at like a novelty here in Japan. Japanese people don't look and STARE at each other, but they STARE at us. ugh.

I made myself some gyoza last night to celebrate being done with a psych paper. Only 5 more papers before the end of the semester! Jeez...that's so many...blah.

I'm meeting Adam tonight. I dunno what we're gonna do, but I need him to sign a statement saying I can have my housing deposit put into his account here. But we'll hang out too. I duno what we're doing, but we're meeting at Kyobashi and then doing something. Probably dinner or something.

OMG! Akiko is coming home to Chiba for a couple weeks and I'm gonna go see her!! I'm gonna get up there - somehow - and SEE HER!!!! And go to Tokyo Disneyland again. Yay! I can't wait! Hopefully I can stay at her house, but if not, I'd stay at Sakura or something. I just can't wait to see her! Someone else that I know and that I know loves me!

Soo...Leah's really braggy...but tries to act like she's just throwing random facts out - like, "Yeah, I did this and then like immediately like 4 people wrote back and were saying how they're so impressed with this and that and that I'm so great and I was like, 'Thanks.'" Ha. But seriously - that's pretty much verbatim something she said to me yesterday. Sick of it.

Gotta go to class.

May 3, 2007

I'm on my way to Shizuka's house (home visit fam) for the night and then we're going to the beach tomorrow! I really hope it's warm like today. It's soo nice out! Yay!

I would have been with Leah and all the girls going to "Orange County" as I call it. It's the orange capitol of Japan with onsen (public baths) and other cool things. Unfortunately they didn't invite me until they had already made the reservations - and I had just confirmed with Shizuka. Oh well. I like being away from them right now. I'm sick of Leah and tired of the group. Time away will be good.

Woo! I'm lucky I got a seat on this train. It's from Tennoji to Shizuka's house...because it's golden week everyone is out doing things. So it's crazy busy! The park outside of the sem house was full of families - it looked so fun! Just to lay out there...I will once school's out. Soon soon!

I'm ready to go HOME! Can't wait!

So I'm really sick of all the people here staring at me. And they don't stop until I stare right back at them. And I do. I just did it on the train to this station. But SERIOUSLY PEOPLE!

Omg. I'm tired.

Last night was so fun! I went and hung out with Adam in Kyobashi. Neither of us had been. I bought him his dinner for his bday. We had okonomiyaki, beer, and chu-hi. It was sooo good! We just talked and hung out - then I wanted to do purikura with him...so we DID and they're SO FUNNY!

Wow. I got here fast today. My host mom won’t be picking me up for another 1/2 hr. Oops! I’ll write on the platform.
K, here I am. Totally a 1/2 hr early…I’m awesome. I didn’t get lost at all this time! Omg, it’s so nice out! I’m sitting here, eating pocky, writing and drinking water and it’s just great! Ahh…

I wonder what we’re gonna do tonight…I brought my laptop so I can show them pics and play them music and stuff.
Colin’s in Osaka. I have a feeling I’m not gonna get to see him though. L Unless on Saturday I get back from my Buddhism field trip early. I hope so! He’s gonna be an OA!! Because I asked him to!!!

So Sam’s being awesome and picking up Abby and my stuff from the basement of Pieters for us! She’s the best!

What else is there to talk about for 10 mins?…think think think…umm, ok, well I guess I’ve got nothing. I’ll have to pack up now and go meet Mrs. Shizuka’s mom. Ha…no clue what her name is. Sister = Eri, dog = Irina, mom and dad = ?? Ha! Oh well!

WISH ME LUCK!

Guess what…I was supposed to get here at 6:00 NOT 5:00 – so I’m stuck here for an extra hour to wait! Oops again! Haha…I just went exploring a bit and I think I’m gonna buy Mrs. Shizuka’s mom some flowers. They’re cheap and really pretty. So yay! Uh oh. I think taxi man thinks I need a ride – whoops. Haha…I keep messing up! At least most of the time it’s funny….

Oh journal. You’ve missed all my ups and downs here…When I reread I’m gonna wonder what I missed! Happy about miyako odori – the cheery blossom dance – probably one of the best, if not THE BEST, thing I’ve done in Japan. It was beautiful, I could understand some of it – it was just so cool! Plus it was gorgeous out!…

Umm…we went to PURE again. That night Alex broke up with reindeer before she even left the sem house. Ugh. Then she was trashed before she even came and then just fell all over the place and cried. I was so over it. So yeah…that was the whole night at PURE. I just didn’t want to be there. It was stupid. I’m not going back again. Wasted night. Seriously. Not my idea of a good time. I’ll do karaoke with people that like to sing and have fun = Nico, etc – but not crabby girls. So yeah. No more wasting $$.

On that note, I’m gonna go get flowers and wait! Bye!

May 4, 2007

That was SO much fun! Last night went well with just me, Eri, and Mrs. Mom for dinner. I got to cook w/ Mrs. Mom. We made this sukiyaki tasting stew, salmon (which I ate half of and would have tried for more if it wasn't more the bones :\) but they remembered that I don't like fish. So yeah. Then Mr. Dad came home and we hung out while he ate. Then I took my shower/bath. Sooo nice! I swear, I'm having an ofuro (japanese style bath) in my house when I'm older - for sure! It was so nice!

Then Shizuka finally got home from work at the movie theater. She said it was super busy b/c of Golden week and Spiderman coming out. Makes sense! Then they were asking me some questions about Indiana so I figured it was a good time to give them their gifts. The Indiana book was the family gift...then tea for Mrs. Mom, a tie for Mr. Dad, and skittles, an Indianapolis pen, and bracelets for Shizuka and Eri. They liked them. And Mrs. Mom really liked her tea! She was drinking it all day today at the beach!

So yeah, after gifts they said they liked my English pronounciation so they wanted me to read a book for them that Shizuka had gotten in England. There were words in it that I didn't even know though! And it was a children's book! Crazy! We stopped on the 4thish page though b/c this little mouse's name was Hunca Munca and I was like "WHAAAT?" So then that led to discussions about onomatopoeias in English and in Japanese. So fun!

Finally around 12:15ish we went to bed. I got my own room with the butsudan. I think they're either Nichiren or Sokka Gakkai b/c they have the scroll thing that Nichiren did in it...that's it. Seriously. It was completely plain. Interesting.

Anyways, so I got my own room w/ a nice futon and a terrible pillow, but it was ok. I got about 6 hours of sleep. We had to get up early and leave by 8:00. So around 7:00 I got up and got ready. I ate breakfast with them...yummy too. Toast, plain yogurt with little sweet jelly thingys in it...so good, salad, and milk tea.

After we packed the car we went and picked up Grandma and Uncle. He's such a kid! He reminded me of Uncle Jimmy! Seriously! So funny!

We drove for a while and then they discovered they kinda went the wrong way - to they switched drivers and drove another 2 hours. It was AMAZING though! Because we drove through/over/around the most BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS EVER! I should have taken pictures! But I was dumb and waited until we were going home and it was all cloudy. The mountains in the sun were just breathtaking!

So we finally got there and it definitely wasn't beach I'm used to. It was ALL rocks. Up the shore...and spikey rocks out to sea. Grandma and Mr. Dad spend the whole time (after our bento lunches) fishing for things...sea urchins, snail things, and fish.
I went in the water with gma...exploring and looking at the wildlife. Little fishys and hermit crabs and sea urchins. I felt bad because I was afraid I was gonna step on some fish or hermit crabs and not know! I probably did. :\ But it was nice out.

After a bit I went and staked a spot on this rock - I like to think of it as a little mermaid rock because that's what it was like. I laid down and napped for - I don't even know how long! it was so nice - until it got cloudy and col. But Shizuka and Mrs. Mom brought over blankets and a jackets for me. :)
K, I'm almost to Kyobashi!

~~~
So that's the end of my journal entry for now...but I'll finish here. So after we finally went home, we changed and cleaned up and then went out to dinner at a place called "Bikuri Donkii" or in English "Surprised Donkey." Hahaha...so funny. It was a hamburger place...but not on buns and stuff. It was more like salisbury steak made different ways. It was good. :) Then we took pictures with our ginormas size small drinks...

Yup. Then they dropped me off at the station and I headed home. Ahh.

(This next part is choppy, mom and dad b/c I had pics, but I'm too lazy to put them up on here now...)

The next day (yesterday) I went to Arashiyama on my Buddhism field trip. It was coooool. The temple we went to there is run by this American who became a Japanese citizen and then a Rinzai Zen priest. It was sweet. We did zazen for 25 mins...tough stuff...but it actually went a lot faster than when I did it for 15 mins on the high school trip.
It's closed to the public now...so we got a close and personal look at everything...it was cool!
It was all dusty and old...I liked it so much better than the rich looking temples that are all we see nowadays.
Ok, well then me and Nico and his girlfriend, Cody, and I went wakling around Arashiyama...it's SOO PRETTY!!
We ate lunch across the river and then walked around, climbed a mountain, and took pics. It was awesome.
So that was my long weekend. Good times.
Oh, new news. Akiko isn't coming to Japan anymore. She has to stay in America for visa stuff...boo. But that's ok, because instead of going to Alaska for YWAM, she's going to Western Sem at Hope!!!! So she'll be around all year next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm soooooooooooooo HAPPY!!!!!!!! :):):):) YAY! So that's sad that I don't REALLY have an excuse to go to Tokyo Disneyland anymore...but Akiko's gonna be in America next year!!!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!

Ok, I need to study for my Japanese test apparently...sooooooooooo I'm gonna get on that. I hope that was a good enough update for you, ANN!



Monday, May 07, 2007

I danced around at school today...out of super happiness! My pen pal RULES!

And then I went shopping after school...I got a sheet for real cheap so that my friends and I can go hang out in the park more. It was gorgeous out today! And it's gonna stay nice all week!!! Yay! Actually, that's probably a bad thing because I'm gonna get nothing done..........

So yeah, I went shopping...I bought more spring clothes, because it's HOT here and I have mostly only fall/winterish type things. Bad. But I'm excited about my new stuff...and that I actually found stuff that fits correctly in Japan! Haha...it's sooo difficult. Let alone the sizes, the body structures are just completely different. Plus, I'm sorry to say, some of their fashion ideas are absolute crap. But what do I know? I'm not all fashion-y like Ann...but some of the stuff they wear here just....doesn't....work.....

Ok, so I should be doing work...but I'm not.

My Japanese test went well, Abby. No worries. It was super easy actually...way better than I expected.

Umm...I need to find the Apple store here...because something is breaking on my computer. No good.

So I got a carton of peach tea at the store a while back...and I just opened it today. Did you know that peach tea can expire?? Apparently it expired 2 days ago...but it tastes fine to me! Yumm...it's actually really really good. Yay!

Omg, so it was really nice out today right? Sooo I bought all this fruit and veggies...and I was gonna go sit in the park and eat my little Japanese grapes (I totally paid 720 for them, Ann...because we both know they're AMAZING!), but I got too distracted when I was shopping. But I'm gonna totally do it tomorrow...unless I'm studying...which I really should do....ick. But yeah...then I made a rockin' salad for dinner...omg it was so good. There's nothing like a meal like that on a warm evening like tonight. Ahh...I just wish we had a deck or something we could go outside and eat at.

I just got super duper excited for the summer. Seriously. I don't know why. It's gonna be sooo busy...I'm gonna be exhausted. But it's just gonna be GREAT! :)

I need to stop thinking about summer though b/c I really really really really really really have stopped caring about school at this point...blah. Gross. And now that Akiko isn't coming to Tokyo, I have no motivation to get things done early....even though that would just be awesome to do. But who does that? Really? Haha. Especially not with this weather. It should rain more...no, I take that back. But maybe it should so I actually stay in and do things...boo.

I need to actually start some research for my paper that's due on Thursday....umm....yeah. That'd be good.

Lululu....ok, if I've gotten to the point that I'm writing noises, then I'd better stop this entry!

Bye, folks!


May 7 (again)

So I just did a fashion show for Abby...so now you all get to see my new clothes. Hehe!






Juicy News Happy Hour




Then I had a fashion war with Brian online....this was his shot...



But I'm pretty sure I won with this...


It says my school name and then one of the Japanese alphabets...on the back is the other alphabet. Freaking sweet...except I never wear it...the color is terrible on me. Ew.

But yeah...we had to show our study abroad pride. :) Japan rules...! Err...yeah.

Ok, that was some more not-doing-homework fun! Wee!

This is part of an email I sent to my friend...but you all can read it to be up to date about me. :)
~~~~~~~~~
Lately I've been feeling very ready to get back home to Indiana/Michigan, but just last night and today I've kind of had a life rejuvenation. I've been pretty sad about being away from all the greatness in Holland and stressed with worrying about the rest of my life. Registering for classes was stressful, because I had to start really thinking about if I actually want to go to grad school and if so, when and for what. I hate making big decisions because it always seems so set in stone...I just don't want to make the wrong decision and then waste time on something that I never really wanted in the first place. The main thing that set it off was that I'm taking Advanced Research for psych next semester and I absolutely hate research/reserach methods. Gross. I just like knowing and learning the stuff...not data collection and analysis. But it's a good class to take before going to grad school.

So I've been kinda down about all that stuff (plus tons of school work thats due in the next few weeks)...but last night a friend of mine sent me a song actually that I think was part of the reason why I'm feeling better. It's Opportunity by Pete Murray...if you get a chance, listen to it. It's really perfect to how I'm feeling here now too.

But I just realized today/last night that I actually have a lot of potential. (Mom will like to hear this I think.) This is probably the first time I've ever really let myself believe that. I'm a hard worker. When I get faced with a challenge I always get through the stress soon enough...and I normally do it better than I give myself credit for. I just decided that I need to stop thinking and worrying so much about the future and just live in the present. Stressing and worrying about a challenge does nothing to help the situation whatsoever. I just figured out that I can get through the dumb research class, do the grunt work that I need to to get to a point in my education and career where I can dictate what I want to do. I have options...and I'll make decisions (scary decisions even) and my life will go one way or another...but I'll make the most of it. I still have no clue what it is I want to do with my life, but I know that whatever happens happens and the only thing to do is keep living in the moment and moving forward...keep making choices, learning, making mistakes, making new choices, and on and on.

I'd been stuck regretting not going to Europe for my study abroad so that I could have a different experience for once and be closer to my Hope friends...but I'm taking this experience in Japan for what it's really worth. A semester abroad...I'm meeting new, cool people from all over the world, getting to eat loads of Japanese food, speaking more Japanese than I ever will again, and obviously getting a chance to learn more about myself. I know that I at least won't forget this revelation.

I'm excited to get home to see my family and my friends, but I'm also going to make this last month and a half worthwhile. I want to leave here without regrets. Of course there will still be things I regret...even in the future I may regret the fact that I didn't focus so much on my language study...or that I didn't hang out more with my great aunts, but in general, I'm going to make my last month and a half here worth the trip and the time!
~~~~~~~~

And that's that. Listen to that song. It'll probably be cheesy to you...but it fit. You know how a song can just fit so perfectly at that moment? That's what this song was for me.

~~p.s.~~
Here's some pics...





Here's the pic that is my icon now, Mom...so you can see it big version. I like it.

The rest!

K, so I decided that people probably don't enjoy reading my entire journal entries about my spring break...so to be nice here's just a quick overview with a few pics. :) Maybe I'll add more pics if I feel like it...otherwise check out facebook, you know.

Nikko!!!


Alex and I doing monkey faces before we left...they have monkeys in Nikko normally, but we actually didn't see any and you'll see why.


At the Tokugawa shrine...hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil. This is where those cute monkeys came from!!


Shoe-less jig! We had to take our shoes off to go into certain temples. It was kinda cold, but still fun. Plus this picture was forbidden...oops! Cool.


Leah calls this my "girl-power" pose. Haha. Just a group shot of me, Amanda, and frozen polar bear Alex.


It was so nice there...we really didn't mind that it was rainy because it just made it smell sooo good there. Getting out of the city was spectacular!


The waterfall at the top of the mountain! It was so cool to see half frozen. I've only seen it in the summertime. And yes. There was a bit of snow at the top of the mountain. Soo weird since it was like 65 in Tokyo that day!


So we did a jig about it!! Waterfall jig!


Then it actually started snowing!!!! Sooo pretty!! Alex was frozen though. We figured it was probably too cold for monkeys too...too bad, ne?


The lake on top of the mountain...I'm sure we would have enjoyed it even more if it wasn't SNOWING!

Then that night when we got back we went out for a few drinks...
I needed those drinks that night. It was Thursday...being with the same people constantly for an extended period of time was a little rough. I called my mom and had a nice chat/cry before going into the restaurant with the girls. I love my mom.

Then Friday was Kamakura and Yokohama!!


When we first got there!


Two Kannons from the 100 Kannon area. Very cool.


I just thought this was a gorgeous shot. So I shot it.


Lunch time!


We hiked over a mountain to get to the other side of Kamakura to see the Daibutsu (Big Buddha).


Heading back down the other side!


Jizo-friend. Hi.


Half way through the hike there was a little shrine. We stopped and washed our money in the "wash your money and it will come back 7-fold" thing. Fun! It hasn't worked yet...I really think they just hope you accidentally drop your basket into the stream thing. Haha...there was a lot of money down there...


Our rock album cover while we were walking to see Daibutsu-friend.


We finally got to see my friend Daibutsu. Hi! It was such a beautiful day too! I just sat and hung out with Buddha friend. Just sat and thought about nothing. He would be very proud. Haha...it was really nice.


Can you find me??


Alex and me.


The ultimate gaijin in Japan man!!! Complete with leather fringe on his satchel/man purse. He followed us around all day. He was intense. So awesome.


Then we headed to Yokohama...our first stop: Chinatown! The biggest Chinatown in Japan. I liked Kobe's Chinatown better for sure.


We went shopping for the best nikuman. Sooo good...but Kobe's are still better. I'm very partial to my favorite city.


Yokohama jig!


Sooo fun! Definitely rode that ferris wheel! I kinda wanted to ride the rollercoaster too, but we weren't willing to pay so much to do it.

Then we went on a a search for a nice bar or restaurant to just chill and have some drinks. We found NOTHING! Seriously! We did an entire city sweep!!!! We got so discouraged that we just headed back to our hotel and hung out there and drank our other chu-hai. It was ridiculous...but so funny to think about now!

Saturday!!!!!!

Mt. Fuji and HOME!

It was a 2 hour bus ride to get there, but we finally got to Mt. Fuji!! Unfortunately it was really cloudy and windy, but that didn't stop us!!!


Our first view of Fuji off the bus. Sooo cool!!!


Us walking toward the cable car...turned out we couldn't ride the cable car because it was too windy. Boo. Instead......


We did a ferry tour thingy! Boat jig!


It was windy and freezing but soo much fun! Here's Leah being the kanji for mountain, me being Fuji-san, and Amanda being a Japanese gangster.


I loved this little fish change purse, but by that point I was down to 400 yen to my name. That wasn't even enough for the rest of the trip...I ended up about 1500 yen in debt. Ick. Tokyo was too expensive to do for this second time, I've decided. I still think about that fish change purse though....:(

K, long story! Well, when my mom went to San Francisco last fall she went to this creme puff place everyday because she said they have the world's best creme puffs. She was seriouslly obsessed! She told me that they're actually a Japanese company based out of Osaka, and every day that we ever talked since I've been here she would never fail to ask if I'd had a creme puff yet. Now, I don't particularly like creme puffs, but I figured I should find one at some point to get her to stop asking at least! Well, when we were gonna meet up with Colin (hmm maybe you read this already...?) we went out the wrong exit of the station and as we were searching for where to go I did a double take when we walked by this place!!! I told my friends the whole story and we didn't have time then, but we knew we had to get back there before we left Tokyo. It was in Shibuya. Well, that night, the night we were actually leaving Tokyo, we decided it'd be a GREAT idea to do a full out blitzkreig (in Leah's words) where our mission was to get creme puffs as well as sushi, all with our luggage, in time to make it to Tokyo station for our night bus back to Kyoto. We had two hours total. We totally did it...and we conqured Shibuya (the busiest and most crowded part of Tokyo) on a Saturday night and only tripped about 100 people in the process!! It was great!


Me with my creme puff!!! Like I said, I'm not a big fan of creme puffs, but these were SO FREAKING GOOD that all of us went back for seconds!!!!!! Soooooooooooooo good! And, a nice update is that I actually found a Beard Papa's in Osaka!!! Soo good! Yay!


They actually fill the puffs right when you order!!! So fresh! :) Yay!


Amanda and Leah at the standing sushi restaurant. Soo fun! And the people were so nice!

Despite the fact that we made it to Tokyo station with time to spare, our bus ended up being 2 hours late!!! It didn't come until 1:30am-ish. Soo annoying.


Here's us hanging out waiting for our bus to come.


And here's Leah and I being dinosaurs. We were bored.

And that's the end of my spring break! That was much easier to read I hope!!! Yay!

**Don't forget to read the entries before this, mom and dad!! And you can check out more pictures from those links I put on the last entry.**

Spring break...here we go....

Alright well, I guess I'm overdue for an entry about spring break...so here it is! I can upload some pics soon....hopefully. Or else I'll just send you the site of my facebook albums...yeah, I'll do that...

To see the first two days go here: http://hope.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2019632&l=5873a&id=11400015
To see Disney go here: http://hope.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2019634&l=dce6b&id=11400015

March 17, 2007 - St. Patty's Day!
We're on our way to Tokyo on the night bus! We had a TON of mix up on the way here though! It all started once we got to Tambabashi station to change and go to Kyoto station. We got on a really nice looking train and it turned out we had to pay an extra 500 yen to ride - so funny. And annoying, but it was fun. Then at Kyoto station we walked around to find food for me and Alex - found a GREAT curry place - yum!
Then we went to go get our bus. They told us bus #3. We went over and they told us we weren't going to Tokyo Disney on that bus (that was where we had scheduled to be dropped off). So we had to go back and talk to the people and then they put us on a different bus to Disney. Then we weren't sitting in our assigned seats - so we got the whole back row. Pretty sweet. More leg room too! But they don't lay back as far. Oh well. All the lights are still no too. I don't get it. ?? And the bus is not what we expected. We thought it'd be individual comfy seats - but b/c we got the standard cheap one, it's just a charter bus. Boo. Oh well. Leah and I kampai'd (cheers'd) with our cocktail partners and now I'm getting sleepier.
WOAH! Temporary crisis!! I dropped my phone down in between the seats and I almost lost it forever!! But Alex helped me get it back. Yay! Now I think I'm gonna try to sleep some! Good Night!!

March 18, 2007 - St. Patty's in Japan (apparently)
What - a - day! OMG. So after a terribly uncomfortable and NOT restful ride to Tokyo on the night bus, we finally arrived! We were the last stop and we got dropped off at Tokyo Disney - not totally sure why still, but that's ok because WHAT A WAY TO WAKE UP AND ARRIVE IN TOKYO! Great Disney music was playing - AND we saw Mt. Fuji!! It was so cool!!! Soo soo cool!! Yay! Then we made our way to the station and to Kanda where our hotel is.
So we asked the dude at the station where the hotel is - he told us and we eventually found it to drop off our bags. We left then and headed toward Harajuku. This was at about 7:30am.
We got to Harajuku and took pics of the completely empty street! - It was so crazy! - and then went to a little cafe for breakfast of milk tea and sandwiches. I finally got that ham sandwich I'd been craving! Yum! Then we went walking around Shinjuku and stuff - everything was still closed - and we went over to Meiji shrine - my favorite shrine EVER! Yay! We saw 2 weddings going on! And there were a ton of people with their babies there to be blessed too! The weather was georgous for it all too! (Side random thought: I'm happier here I've noticed - maybe because things are more familiar, but I like it here better than Kansai - at least for now).
We hung out in the shrine for a while. So fun. And just a nice way to start out the day. Plus, there were a TON of foreigners around - like HARDCORE. Leah and I started saying "tag" whenever we saw one, but then it ended up that they were everywhere so we quit.
After Meiji we headed around the corner to Yoyogi Park. It was really big and so so nice! There were people just chilling in the park eating, playing music, playing games, walking, etc. We walked by this one group of people playing little flutes and we all got excited and started jigging (or "jug" as Leah likes to say). Then we walked further back in the park. There was a pretty fountain pond thing and ONE blooming Sakura tree. So pretty! Then Amanda saw these kids doing a bunch of juggling and stuff across the park and just decided to go over and join them. It was so awesome! Eventually the three of us headed over there too. It was so much fun! We learned how to do that cone juggling thing with the string like what Alex and I saw in Kobe! I got pretty good at it if I do say so myself! I ended up being able to throw it up int he air and catch it 6 times in a row!! So fun! And they said I was pretty good especially since I've never done it before! Yay! We probably hung around with them doing all that for an hour or so. Oh! And these guys were taking photos of us while we were playing with them. One photographer talked to us - in English - and said he was taking photos for a newspaper or something. Cool!
Then after we thanked them and said bye we went to go find the kabab place I went to with Adam before. I think the same Turkish dude was working there too. Soo freaking good! Yum! We met some folks there eating too from Hiroshima but foreigners. They said they came all the way there for the St. Patrick's Day parade that was going on today. It was just down the street! So we decided we'd check that out!
We went and shopped a bit and then got some crepes - of course! We took our crepes over to the parade then. It was so freaking crowded with foreigners!! So freaking AWESOME though!!!! Seriously! They had a full out PARADE! With marching bands and bagpipes and leprechauns! We all got Ireland flags and everything! We finally figured out that that's why there were such a huge number of foreigners around today.
We stood and took lots of pics and danced around and got really into it all. We were having so much fun and we were completely sober! We were seriously the only people there that were so into the parade! The funny thing is too that most of the people in the parade were Japanese! Ha! But all I heard spoken today was English. It was hard to remember that we were in Japan! At one point these guys were trying to get by us and were like "Excuse us" and Leah was like "Oh no problem..wait...I dont' understand English...where am I again?" I go, "Oh yeah, we're in Japan...wakarimasen..." Haha. They laughed but were kinda confused too...oh well.
But yeah, it was so fun! All the people actually in the parade were loving us because we were actually so into it all. We "jug" for so long even after it all ended!!
After all of that we headed back to the hotel and all of us were just DEAD! We got back to the hotel - got our room - we're in 901 - which is the only room on the TOP floor. So cool! It's pretty big too!
Once we all got up here, we all washed our faces, brushed our teeth, put on pjs and took a NAP! I was coughing like I had freaking whooping cough, but I got some sleep. I just feel bad for keeping Leah awake.
We had decided that we'd get up around 7:30 for dinner...luckily Leah heard the alarm because none of us did! We slowly got up, changed, and went to a nearby gyudon palce for a quick, cheap meal. It was really good actually. Back here we made plans for tomorrow - hitting up all around Tokyo - Ueno, getting kabuki tickets, Roppongi and maybe Asakuasa. And now bed! I love you journal! Good night!

March 19, 2007 - Dad's b-day!
Ok, gotta write fast because I'm waking up in like 5 1/2 hours! Ah! DISNEYLAND TOMORROW!! Yay! Happy!
Ok, we got up earlyish and got ready to go. We headed to Kabukiza (the Kabuki house) to find out about tickets. We decided to go back later and just get tickets for the 2 last acts. So yay. We went to lunch at Denny's in Ginza - so good as usual. Then we went to the imperial palace. We walked through a cool garden and then saw the palace and got our pics taken in front - missed my Nihon forever posse so bad there.
Then we headed toward Ueno because Leah really wanted to go to the zoo there and the art museum. When we first got to the area we went to a temple and some Canadians started talking to Amanda and asked if she wanted them to show her how to cleanse herself before entering the temple. Ha! We chatted with them a bit - kinda creepy. Then we walked through Ueno park. It was pretty and there was a clown/magician dude performing. The zoo and museums were closed but it was ok. I wasn't feeling very fun and excited to be out today for some reason. Not until after kabuki. Leah was getting frustrated easily and I was having to spend so much money - it was no good. But yeah.
So after they got pizza and beer in the park, we headed back to kabuki to get in line. We tag teamed to get food for the show and then got tickets. it was seriously the LAST row at the top but that's ok. It was still cool to see - as ever. The first act we saw we didn't ahve translation so it was a little rough, but the 2nd we got translation for. I had seen the 2nd act before during May term. So yeah.
After kabuki - my knee killed - we went to Roppongi for dinner time. We did the city view there too. It was at the top of this TALL building. 52nd floor! So freaking georgous at night! Yay! 1000 yen though. Luckily we had a student discount, but still. It was still freaking georgous.
I called mom after that to wish Dad a happy birthday - but he had gone to work! I forgot! But I got to chat with mom some AND while I was on the phone it was spitting SNOW in TOKYO!!!!! So crazy! We walked and I talked to mom. I told her about yesterday and today a bit. And how I like Tokyo because it's familiar but not because every single person here ONLY speaks English to us! So annoying! But yeah. Um...then we found a place to eat - yakiniku. It was really good, but more money again. Then we made it back here on almost the last train. Ok! Gotta sleep! Disney in t-minus 5 hours! Good night!

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Ok, that's all for now...my fingers aren't working right anymore...I'll write more tomorrow! Enjoy my awesome detailedness!!!


(Then the next time I wrote on my xanga....)

April 5th

omg. life is stressful right now.
boo.
help.
gotta go be more stressed.
more spring break coming soon.
love.
the end.

(Then the next time I updated about spring break...)

Ok, so this is long...so make sure you have some time....

More spring break madness for you! I'm telling you I'm reallly big on journaling...and now you get a taste of it if you couldn't already tell...have fun reading unimportant details mixed in with crazy happenings!


March 20, 2007

I was supposed to be the first up today, but I overslept a bit. It was ok though. We all got ready and headed to DISNEY! We got there around 8:45ish and it was already crowded! But we got started! The first thing we did was ride Pirates of the Carribean after we got fast passes for Thunder Mountain railroad. It was a fun way to start off our day. Then I bought some Minnie ear clips for my hair. So cute! I had them in all day!!

So next we went to It’s a Small World after me, Leah and Amanda got some chocolate popcorn that was AMAZING and incredibly cheap! 270yen! Crazy! Small World was so much fun! We were all so happy and doing jigs the whole time in line!

Then we headed over to Haunted Mansion. We decided that we just had to expect lines so whatever. And once we had all agreed on that we had so much fun in that line for 2 hours! We made up a song about waiting in line…soo funny! There was even a jig break in the middle of it! We finally got on the ride after some talk about 90’s pop boyband music. It was so fun! Plus on the ride I scared Leah and Alex by knocking on the back of their car…it was hilarious!!

After that…OH WAIT! Right when we had gotten in line for the Haunted Mansion, “Minnie’s Tiara of Dreams” parade started! It was so nice, but the best part about it all was that when Belle and Beast’s float came by we were all waving and Belle saw us, reacted to the fact that we were foreigners, put her hand on her heart, and waved back. Then she noticed Amanda’s birthday sticker (we told them it was her bday because it’s on Monday or something) and Belle mouthed “Happy Birthday” from probably 30 yards away!! It was so exciting! We all freaked out and were jumping and screaming all over the place.

Anyways, then Alex and I rode the tea cups because I wanted to so BAD! She was such a trooper but I seriously spun her to the point of illness. She had her hand on her head and was all slumped over, but I had fun! Yay!

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March 22, 2007

We’re on our way to Nikko! Yay! Sorry about the other night! I was dead tired after Disney! Ok! Where was I? Well, after tea cups we went back towards the front to find food for lunch. We had curry chicken sandwiches. Food is so cheap there!

Right when we were finishing up, another parade started! It was the one that made me cry last time I was there! It was so great! Plus we were right in front of the castle so I took some great pics on Leah’s camera. (P.S. I totally forgot my camera battery that day! What a day to forget it, huh?!) So yeah, after lunch (actually I think it was before) we went and used our fast passes on Thunder Mountain Railroad. It was really fun! And we were in the front car which is always fun! Hehe!

After that we headed over to Toontown – oh but before we left Westernland or whatever we got a pic with Goofy and I really liked him. He kept holding my hand and stuff! Then in Toontown we worked really hard to get pics of us jumping in the air! I had to teach Alex after lots of tries. They look awesome! So cartoony!

Then Leah and Amanda got in line for the Roger Rabbit ride and I wanted a pic with the Big Bad Wolf, who, I’ve decided, is now my boyfriend. You see after Alex took our pic he kept holding my hand and hugging me. Boyfriend. Leah and I decided that next time I nee to go in close and ask “Gaijin desu ka?” (“Are you a forgeigner?”) Haha! I can just see him doing like crazy nodding and stuff like his character would, but not saying anything! Haha!

Anyways, then I got in line for Roger Rabbit – I had to say bye to my bf. That line though took FOREVER! And that was the point where my feet really started hurting big time. But that ride was seriously SO MUCH FUN!! We took pics while we were on the ride – not supposed to but oh well! So fun! Hehe.

After all that we saw Donald and Daisy and Scrooge. But they headed off into city hall where we decided they were going to get married!

We headed to Tomorrowland after that and staked out a place to sit during the next parade! It was the same one from int h morning when Belle waved at Amanda for her birthday. It was so fun! We were really close this time too and we saw bitchy Sleeping Beauty and cracked out Snow White. Yay! It was so funny watching the princes dancing around too…so great! And the kids around were too cute!

After that we headed to the Buzz Lightyear Space Shooter ride. That wait was kinda long, but we got to have lots of jigs and sang songs and had good chats. Fun! Then the ride too was so so fun! We actually got to shoot phaser guns and got to shoot at stuff! Yay! I got to level 3 with my score! It actually kept score and stuff!

After that we went and rode the starjets ride. That one had a little bit of a wait, so while we waited I explained Nykerk to Amanda. Yay! That ride was so fun too – except Leah was freaking out and saying we were gonna die.

After that ride ended, it was perfect timing to use our fastpasses on Splash Mountain! We hurried over because right after that was the Mainstreet Electrical Parade! So we hurried over but the fast pass line was soo long! It took a really extra long time for a fastpass line! But the ride was really fun! We got completely splashed in our faces. So funny! It was really fun though and cute!

But when we left, the parade had already started! Amanda had to find her glove and we waiting. Then we figured the parade hadn’t gotten to Tomorrowland yet because it was last for the last parade. So we tried to go over to the left, because Tomorrowland was right next to Adventureland where we were, but they had blocked it off! So I went to the ride and I just started RUNNING! We all sprinted around 3/4 of the park to reach the front of the parade in Tomorrowland. We went all these back ways and weaved through so many Japanese people. So many paths were blocked off by people watching and park guards. I was leading our pack for the whole way. At one point too, a bunch of Japanese people joined us in running. Then we were probably only 2/3 there and Leah handed off her camera to me and she and Alex walked. Amanda and I ran the rest of the way! I’m so proud of myself for running that far and in such little time because we totally caught up to the front of the parade!! That will FOREVER be known as our epic run through Tokyo Disneyland! So awesome! During Amanda and my last leg I told her how this run was the beginning of my half marathon training. Haha! If we could have been able to go the opposite way from Splash Mountain it would have taken us like a minute to get there. Instead it was like a 5-7 minute run. So hilariously awesome!

The parade was freaking sweet too! Everything was made up of Christmas lights. Nemo was in it and PETE AND ELLIOT!!! SO AWESOME! I took pics with Leah’s camera and on my phone. I love Disney! Mary Poppins and Burt saw Amanda and I too and did a special pose for us and waved really big. The perks of being a gaijin at Tokyo Disney!

After the parade we grabbed dinner really quick because we thought we could make it to the front of the castle for the fireworks. But no. Alex even completely missed them! I got to see them at least. Yay! I took pics with my camera phone. We ate dinner together then. I had a Mickey Mouse shaped cheeseburger! So good too!

Then we headed back towards the front to do some shopping before we headed out. Alex wanted to go back to some candy store she’d seen before so I went with her and while she bought that I got some CURRY POPCORN! It was sooooooo good! It’s Leah’s worst nightmare though because she hates curry and popcorn. Ha1 It was incredible though! Then we hung out a bit longer in front of the castle and then danced our way back to the train station. It was such an amazing. It really really was!

Phew! So that’s Disney…

Then yesterday we wanted to sleep in – so we did. Then we got up and got ready to go to Shibuya to meet Colin and Masako for lunch at a great curry place. They had gone to a DaVinci exhibit in Ueno that morning then Colin was planning on eating with us. So yay! Masako-chan!!!!!! I love that girl so freaking much! I was so happy I got to see her! We got lost when we first got out of the station, but I called Colin and we worked it out and found him. And my lovely Masako! Then we went to this incredible Indian curry place for lunch! 2 types of curry and all-you-can-eat nan bread. So so good! And Colin was very entertaining of course! My friends love him now. After a very fun and delicious lunch Colin and Masako took us to Sunshine City which had a Gyoza Kingdom (or something), Ice Cream City, umm Cheessecake Fest, and other big areas of one thing. It was crazy! I would totally go back to the gyoza place if we had time. We had just eaten though so we just got this cool Turkish, stretchy ice cream. Delish!

Then we were all really tired. We went to the mall area and all just sat and chatted. We took a few pics but not many. After all that though we decided it’d be a good idea to head home. I had to say bye to Masako. She’s going to work at Disneyworld in Florida!! She leaves in June I think! How cool!! I wish I could hang out with her more. I love her.

So after we parted ways, us girls shopped a bit and I got myself a present…

BLUE POLKA DOT SHOES!! So awesome! I love them except they’re extremely uncomfortable! Oh well! They’re spirited and that’s all I really care about!

Then the four of us went back to the hotel and slept for a while until around 8:30. We got up and got ready to go meet up with Nico for his birthday celebration! We went to get gyudon again before we left. Yum. Then we just headed toward his hostel in Asakusa. We hadn’t heard for sure what we were doing except that he was headed back to his hostel. So we went there. From the station we had no clue where to go though so we got kinda lucky when Will and 2 of the Columbian girls showed up! We walked with them to the hostel to wait for Nico. He didn’t show up for a while and by the time we met up, took some pics, gave hugs and set out from the hostel, we needed to get back or else we were gonna miss the last train. So we had gotten all cute for nothing! It’s ok though because we all decided to go out another time back in Makino (home) or somewhere. Nico’s so great! He called us his little sisters and we had been saying how he’s like our older brother. So I called him big bro and now he calls all of us “sissy.” He really is like our older brother. Love him. I’d say Colin’s like my brother too. Both great guys.

But yeah, so we had to head back home before we even got out to the bar. But it was ok. We went to a combini and got some chi-hai and drank and chatted in our room until late. We looked at pics and laughed and shared stories about our childhoods and stuff. It was a really good bonding night.

Then this morning we got up and got ready and righ tnow we’re almost to Nikko. It’s such a nice day too! We’ve been so lucky with the weather here this week! Yay! So I’ll probably write about Nikko on the way home. Get excited! WML!!

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That's all for now. I'll finish it up soon! K bye.

It's been a while!

It's been a while since I posted on here! Here's some updates!

March 3

Last night was a fun night, for the most part. I went out with a group of friends for our friend, Megan's birthday. We went out to dinner at this little restaurant across the bridge from where I live. It's really close and we got SO MUCH FOOD for only 550yen (or like $5.50). It was beef and chicken on top of this weird spaghetti noodles, then some miso soup, and a PILE of rice...seriously for the amount of food we got, plus the fact that it was chicken AND beef...it probably should have cost at least double what it did. Sooooo freaking good too!!

Then after that we headed to some guy's house to just hang out a bit before going out for the night. He used to live in the seminar houses, but the Okaasan (=Mom in japanese, but more like the "house mom," you know?) was SUPER strict and psycho in his sem house...so he moved out and got his own place. It's pretty sweet...I wouldn't choose to live there, but if I had no other option, then sure. So yeah...we hung out there a while and had some drinks.

Then we all decided to go bowling by the station. It was soooo fun!! We started bowling around 1:30am and were done with two games in about 2 hours. It was well timed. Then, right next to the bowling lanes was a place where you can do karaoke. We were all kinda cranky because it was early in the morning and we'd been up all night, but we went anyways. It was kind of an ordeal trying to figure out how much it was going to cost exactly...but we worked it out and got our karaoke room. I think it would have been more fun for me if I was with more people that I was closer with and if it wasn't 4am when we were there. I think it was more about staying out all night than actually FULLY enjoying the karaoke by that point. You see, trains in Japan all stop around midnight...so no one could get home except those of us that live in the sem house. A bunch of the people I was with though live in homestays...so we had to stay out until at least 5:30ish, when the first train starts.

So after some semi-annoying, but still semi-fun karaoke, we all headed home. Lucy, Leah, and I walked back to the sem house just as the sun was rising. We decided to change into comfy clothes and go up to the roof to watch the sunrise. It wasn't that spectacular because it was so cloudy...but it was still fun to be up while it was become light out. Then we went to bed. Haha.

I slept until 2:30. It was awesome. And tonight, Drea, a homestay friend, is staying in the sem house because her host family is traveling somewhere this weekend. So we're going to have a slumber party in her bedroom! Yay! Also, Akiko and Ashley had sent me some brownie mix for Valentine's day, but since I don't have an oven here, I'm going to make them into brownie pancakes! Yess! Should be delicious!!

More to come later, folks!

March 12

Hey! I haven't written in a while...I'm doing much better than I was last week. Really.

Yesterday was Abby's birthday!! Happy birthday, my roomie!! At midnight here, it was still like 3:00pm on the 10th in Ireland, but I CALLED her anyways! According to me it was her birthday already, so yay! We talked for about 2 minutes because it costs me 15 yen per SECOND to call internationally...and her phone died. But it was so fun to hear her voice and just chat on her birthday!!!!!!!!!! Yay!

Hmm...anyways...Saturday I went to Kobe AGAIN! My favorite city of all time!!! I went with my friend Leah and her class. The fieldtrip part of it was stupid, but then we got to go around by ourselves at the end of the day. Here's some pics from the day...


When we first got there, there was a group of Japanese people giving out free hugs...how sweet!



This is me in Chinatown square...can you find me?? The pineapple may give me away....



Me and Leah...I look kinda goofy. She says I always look like I'm on crack in our pics...boo.



Now this was fabulous! We found a foreign food store and I got a diet Dr. Pepper! Leah got an A&W rootbeer. We were so happy...Then we went on the ferris wheel and ate Kobe beef!


This week is midterms...I'm not too worried, except for Japanese. All my other classes are such a joke...but Japanese is gonna be soo scary.....ick.

Oh well...I'll get through it. Plus I keep on forgetting that my classes really don't even count back at home...phew. How weird.

Well, I guess that's all for now. I'm all out of money at the moment (I need to go to the bank and change another travelers check) so I'm gonna skip lunch and just eat after I get home this afternoon. I've only got one class at 1:00 so I should be ok...but I might spend my last 111yen at the combini on something small to tide me over. We'll see!


March 13

Here's a sample of some late night seminar house 1 bonding...


Alex, me, and Leah...we're trying to teach Alex how to be goofy.


Check out that awesome hair...back to the 70s!


This is what we do instead of studying...notice the pen tangled in my hair...oh yeah.


Where did my head go?? And why does it look like there's a floating brain made up of Xavier's hair hovering over my nonexistant neck??

Photo booth is how I make friends. Yay!


Me and Drea at school.


This is me being a creepy stalker and taking pictures of people that walk behind me...hehehe...

Ok, well that's all for now. I was just bored and avoiding studying for my oral exam tomorrow.

Ooo tomorrow is White Day! I wonder if I'll get any chocolates from any boys....

Incase you don't know, White Day is connected with Valentine's Day here in the sense that on V-day girls give chocolates and stuff to boys...but boys don't do anything. Then one month later, March 14th, is when the boys give chocolate and stuff to the girls. Kinda weird...but it seems nice to spread the love again a month later. There should be a love day every month. Oh, and it's not just for couples and things...they give chocolates to friends and their bosses and stuff too. The bosses is what's funny. They have this idea of "obligation chocolate" called "choko" that is pretty much always assumed to be given to the boss. But all that is on Valentine's day anyways...so funny.

Ok...well I guess I need to buckle down and get some studying done...maybe after a short nap though...hmm....


March 15

I had my Japanese oral exam yesterday...it was......ok. I was doing great actually until she offered me fake cake and fake coffee with sugar in it...then I got thrown for a loop!!! Ahh! Later on I figured out what I should have said in that situation, but whatever. It's over. Then today I had my written exam. It was a synch (oo! I haven't used that word in a while!)...I know a couple of mistakes I made, but for the most part it was really easy. Yay! And now I'm DONE with all the real midtermy type things. Happy.

Now I think I'm gonna write some postcards...send those out...and hang around until my Buddhism class. We're watching a movie in that class right now about Zen that is in German with English subtitles but taking place in Japan. It's sweet. It really is a good film too.

The end. Postcard time!


March 16

What a fun night!

Watched Friends down in the lounge with the crew of Alex, Leah, Nico, Lauri, Daniel...and some other random kid. Good good times. Leah and I are working really hard to get Nico and Lauri to clap during the beginning credits. We're so close!

Haha...anyways...I'm still awake so I thought I'd write.

The end.