Soba Making

This past Saturday we participated in a soba making activity. Turns out it was an activity for foreigners. At first I thought it was like the tea ceremony one where it was just us, but when we got to the place there were a bunch of other foreigners (the most I've seen at once in Tsuru, actually). We got split into groups according to where we were from. Of course us Tsuru exchange students were one group (There was also 2 Chinese exchange students who was with us).

The first thing we did was watch the professionals do it. Making soba is a pretty complicated process, but amazing none-the-less. Just making the dough was complex. They would constantly stir the powder mix and some water with their hands. They would do it in a certain pace until the flour turned into bigger clumps and eventually they would clump them together into one big clump of dough. Then they would knead it and knead until the right consistency. They kept kneading it until it made a sort of pyramid shape then they would transfer it onto a flat wooden surface which they used to flatten the dough. Next they pounded onto the dough of which it turns into an almost perfect circle (years of practice!). Then they would proceed to flatten it more by using the palm of their hands. Then they would take out the rollers and use it to flatten the dough even more. They use a cat-like movement while rolling where they curl their fingers inward so it looks like a cat was using the roller. After it was rolled at a certain consistency they took out a longer roller and would wrap the dough around it and they would lightly roll the dough while it was wrapped around. After a few rolls they would unroll it and go to a different side and proceed the same process. Eventually, the round dough turned into a square dough (this part amazed me because I've never seen a round piece of dough turn square before!). After making a good square they fold it I think 3 times? I forgot but somewhere around there. Then they took out the special knife they use to cut noodles. They use a specially designed wooden board to help keep the cuts straight and the lengths consistent. The way they cut it was once they cut down they would lightly tilt the knife against the board so it would move a little and they would cut from there. And that's how the soba noodles were made!

After watching the demonstration we got a chance to try and make it! Of course, we didn't make our own individual soba noodles. Instead we took turns doing the steps. It's a lot harder than it looks!! They make it look easy because they've been doing it for years. I think the hardest part was rolling it into a square. Cutting it was pretty hard, too. It was fun, though! I know how to make soba noodles! But I'm sure they would turn out bad XD haha After making our noodles we got to eat them! (of course, they were cooked first :P). I also tried tororo for the first time. Personally, I didn't like it very much. It was because of the slimy texture...

That's it for the soba making! It was really cool watching how soba noodles were made. It was an awesome experience and awesome to see other foreigners lol

Fuji Q Highland!

(I forgot my camera so I don't have any pictures, but I will provide pictures I've found online)

Last weekend me and two others went to Fuji Q Highland! For those who don't know what it is it's an amusement park located in Fujiyoshida in Yamanashi Prefecture. It's actually close to where we are so we thought, "what the heck let's go!" and so we went! Fuji Q is one of the things that Yamanashi is known for (aside from Mt. Fuji). Compared to Six Flags (Magic Mountain) it's smaller. I've never ridden any of the bigger rollercoasters at Six Flags so I can't really compare the rides. Though, I can say, the rides that we rode were loads of fun!

Eejanaika Track

The first ride we took is known as ええじゃないか (Eejanaika). Which translates to "Isn't this great?" The name fits the ride perfectly! A lot of people compare it to X2. I've never ridden X2 so I have no say. I've heard that they're made by the same company (so don't say that it copied X2). Anyway, the line was long. We waited about 1 hour and 40 minutes. It was a long wait. What was interesting was that there were several tvs as you progressed through the line that showed a bunch of Fuji Q commercials featuring power ranger-like characters doing shenanigans around the park. Very amusing and just plain ridiculous lol The whole time we were in line I was freaking out a little because going to Fuji Q was actually a spontaneous decision for me. I didn't really plan on going, but I somehow ended up going. I was afraid of getting on the ride because, like I said, I've never ridden any big rides so this was like a huge step for me. I didn't know how the ride would be like at all. Well, when it was finally our turn the anxiety kinda went down a little, but I was still nervous. After putting our stuff in lockers and taking off our shoes we got onto the ride. When everyone were seated and secured the floor beneath us went down. At that point I knew there was no return. Btw, you go backwards on this ride.  Also, as you slowly make your way out workers wave and cheer for you (which I find quite amusing). We slowly ascended then soon the sits turn so that instead of looking at the sky you're looking at the ground and that's where the drop is. That part was super scary for me because as we dropped no air would go into my lungs. Basically, I couldn't breathe! That scared me so much, but after the drop I was able to breathe again, but the ride didn't calm down at all! Not only was the track crazy, but you're also moving around like crazy because the seats rotate the whole entire time! The whole time I was on that ride I screamed and laughed. I think I either laughed because I was laughing off the fear or I was laughing because it was totally not what I expected (I honestly didn't know what to expect lol). The photo taken with me on the ride shows me laughing lol (Writing about this makes me want to ride it again XD)

After we got off Eejanaika we took a small snack break then we headed out to our next ride. The next one we rode was Fujiyama. It's on the other side of the park so we walked there. The line was shorter for this one and we waited for about 40 minutes. While waiting I felt more ready since I just rode Eejanaika which was already crazy for me. After the ride I realized you can never be ready... at least for me lol The ride freaked me out while I was on it. Not as crazy as Eejanaika, but it was rougher. There were a lot of turns and hills. No rotations or anything, but the hills were tough cause everytime we ascend then descend at a steep slope that's when I have a hard time breathing. It was also the only ride where I kept thinking "is it over yet?" lol it was kinda long. It was completely not what I expected, though! I don't know why but I expected this ride to one of the smoother and calmer rides (I think it was cause the track on the brochure made it look that way) and was it the complete opposite lol it was still fun, though!

Right after we got off Fujiyama we went straight to the next ride. We were going to ride Takabisha, but saw that it was another 1 hour and 40 minute wait so we decided to check out the next ride, Dodonpa, first. The wait was about an hour long. Dodonpa is a very interesting ride. First of all, when you're in line outside you can hear the Dodonpa theme song where the only words you hear are "dodonpa" in very sensual voices. We couldn't help laughing every time we heard it lol It did get annoying after awhile especially when you're in line for more than an hour... So, let me tell you more about Dodonpa. Dodonpa has a speed of 172km/hr (about 106m/hr). It's not the fastest rollercoaster but I believe it has the fastest acceleration. It goes 172km/hr in 1.8secs!!! Let that wrap around your head. When I first heard about that I literally freaked out! I mean I've never been in such speed in such a freaking short time! Thoughts rolled through my head of how my body would take it  and stuff. Seriously, 172km/hr in 1.8secs?! Is that even safe?!?! Well, apparently since people ride it and still live lol It really isn't that bad really. When we finally got on the scariest part was the beginning. We were slowly rolled into a tunnel and the first thing I see to my left are lights. Not just ordinary lights, but those lights they have at races or something. Then all of a sudden you hear "Launch Time! 3...2...1... *beep* *beep* GO!!!!" and WHOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHH you go. That first pitch felt like the first drop of the other rides I rode in which I couldn't breathe (seriously, every rollercoaster there was a point where I couldn't breathe which was probably the only scary part for me). The ride was able to maintain it's speed of 172km/hr. The ride also only took 60 seconds to complete despite the track going from one end of the park to the other. It was short, but man was it fun! I'd definitely ride it again! Actually, I wish I can go and ride it again right now XD lol

After getting of Dodonpa my two friends decided they wanted to check out the Haunted House before the park closes (For some reason businesses in Japan close way too early. Fuji Q closed at 6pm that day and we got there are 12pm and waiting in line took away a lot of time). I didn't want to go into the Haunted House so I decided to check out a gift shop. 10 minutes later I get a call from them saying that the Haunted House had closed at a few hours before because there were too many people. They were deeply disappointed by that. They plan on going again just to go into the Haunted House xP

It was about 4:30pm at the time and we decided not to ride Takabisha since the wait was too long and we wanted to get our money's worth from the Free Pass that we got. So, the next place we went to was the Gundam attraction called Gundam Crisis. I was super excited about this one because I love Gundam and that attraction was one of the reasons why I wanted to go to Fuji Q. Honestly, I had no idea what the attraction is. I just saw that it was Gundam so I had to go lol We waited in line which was small actually. The attraction opened at 5pm. This wasn't a rollercoaster or anything. It's like a sort of game-type attraction. Basically, we were given these PDAs and they let us loose into these rooms where we had to find these small red screens where we had to scan with our PDA. We had to find data for rebuilding a gundam. We had to find leg, arm, body, head, etc data. People were just scrambling around trying to find the data we needed. I only managed to find the arm and leg data before we had to proceed to the next room. In the next room, there was the body of a gundam and there were computer screens surrounding it and in here you had to find the screen in which you can install the data you have in your PDA. You had to find the right one in order for it to install. There were also some that would delete your data. I had one of my data deleted. There were also red screens where you can get more data if you found the right one. If all the data were installed then we succeeded. I only managed to install two, but as a collaboration we managed to win. We ran into the Shelter Room where we watched what is supposed to happen because we fixed the Gundam. This attraction was actually really fun and really hectic! I'd play again since this time I actually know what I'm doing lol I didn't really know what I was doing when I was playing. I just followed people XD

The next place we decided to check out was Evangelion World. I'm not a fan of Evangelion, but one of my friends is so we went there next. We weren't sure what it was going to be and it turns out it was like a museum that had a bunch of Evangelion figures, drawings, a bunch of random stuff, and life size figures of the mechs (are they called mechs?) from the anime. It was pretty impressive. If you're a fan of Evangelion I think you'd really like this place (my friend sure did). Near the beginning there's a room where there's a chair and a desk that's lit up on the top. You can do the infamous pose (sorry I'm not exactly sure what they call it, but it's pretty popular). The pose that the main character's dad is known for. My friend did that and the picture she took was hilarous lol Like the real thing! but creeper lol. As we proceeded there were several places where you can take some good pictures. I found this one spot where there's a small bench and there's a cut out of a character (which I assume is one of those perverted characters) who has one leg on the bench and one arm resting on his leg and he's leaning over and looking as if someone was sitting there. So, I had the idea to go sit down on the bench and react to his pose in a "you're scaring me" kind of way. I had my friend take a picture and send it to me. My other friends seem to really like that picture lol and I do to. Every time I look at it I become highly amused. Now I know how anime girls feel like XD lol Not too far from where that was there was a life-size figure of the main Evangelion mech, which I believe is called Unit-01? It's not the entire body, but just the head and shoulders. There was a clip playing on the side. I think it plays parts from the anime/movie because the statue reacts to the clip like when they talk about how there seems to be something wrong with Unit-01 and smoke appears from the mouth and the eyes go crazy. I thought it was really impressive. My favorite part of the attraction (aside from taking a picture with the creeper cutout lol).

By the time we got out of the attraction we only had 15 minutes left before the park closes. Right next to Evangelion World was a ride called Pizza-la. Since we  had time to spare we decided to go ride it. There were only a few people in line so we didn't wait long. Actually, not even half the seats were filled when we were on it lol The ride is basically like those viking-ship rides that swing back and forth except this one has the sits rotating in a circle as you're swinging. I guess they call it pizza-la because it's circular like a pizza? Actually, I have no idea why they call it. I like to call it the Pizza ride lol also one of the Fuji Q commercials has one of those power ranger members trying to ride this one while holding a box of pizza. Get it? Riding Pizza-la with pizza? Well, I thought it was funny :P

So that ends our Fuji Q Highland Trip. Some things I forgot to mention: It was really cold that day despite it being blue skies. Riding the rides was even colder. I remember getting off each ride and have my throat feel cold and scratchy, but totally worth it. Also, every time you finish the ride and reach the end people clap and cheer for you. It actually feels good having people cheer for your lol So yeah, Fuji Q was awesome. More awesome than I expected! It makes me want to go ride the ones at Six Flags (what are the height restrictions anyway?). I'd definitely go back again :D It was so much fun! And I want to get a chance to ride all the rides! I highly recommend going there!

Also, some tips for those who want to go in the future:
1. It closes early and considering that lines will be long I suggest going at an early time. Arriving after 12 is probably too late. Especially when you purchase a Free Pass.
2. How the rides work here is you have to pay to ride each ride. That's why I suggest purchasing the Free Pass. It's the most expensive, but it allows you to ride any ride without having to purchase the tickets. You can totally get your money's worth. We sure did.
3. Bring a jacket! or something warm because it does get cold. I'm not sure if that's the same case during the summer, but probably not?
4. If you want to get your money's worth on the Free Pass I suggest riding the expensive rides first. The expensive rides are probably the funnest, too, so that shouldn't be a problem. Though, the lines are longer.

Fuji Q Highland may not be as big as Six Flags, but it sure is fun! I'm glad I went :D

Tea Ceremony and another day with the Host Family

Tea Ceremony
A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to participate in a tea ceremony. Something I've always wanted to do. It was an awesome and painful experience lol We had to sit in seiza for more than an our. If you don't know what seiza is it's a style of sitting where you basically sit on your legs. They sit like this because back then people often wore kimonos and similar attire and sitting in that position was the best way to sit.


Tea ceremonies are pretty complex. There are different steps that you have to take and there are a lot of minute details such as how you hold your cup, what you do before drinking, saying thank you and telling the person next to you that you are going to drink, etc. When we sitting there listening to the instructor, who was speaking only in Japanese btw, a lot of the information escaped my head since I can't retain information in Japanese very well. We were given instructions on paper, but they were in Japanese, too. So, I had to follow the people before me (thank goodness I wasn't first). A few mistakes here and there, but overall we were able to do it correctly and, aside from the pain from sitting down in seiza, it was a great experience! The tea was really delicious, too! The funny thing about this whole activity is people's reactions to sitting down in seiza. You can see the pain in people's faces lol when we were allowed to take a break from sitting down that way (the instructor knew that we would be in pain) a lot of people just sighed with relief. It was pretty funny lol I did the same thing.

The Tea ceremony activity was great. I'm really glad it was part of the program. I somewhat still remember the procedure, but I'll probably still make a mistake. Hope to have this opportunity again!

A Day with the Host Family
This past Saturday I spent most of the day with my host family. First we went to my host sister's basketball practice game. They didn't win, but it looks like they had a lot of fun! It was fun watching them. Reminds me of my sisters because they also play basketball. After the game we went to a restaurant close by where I had ramen and Chinese fried rice. It was delicious! We talked a lot while we were there, too. My two little host sisters wouldn't talk to me at first probably because they were shy, but they were able to talk to me with confidence later on.

After lunch we went to the public library in another town not too far from Tsuru. The library is a bit different from the ones in America. For one they have carts. I've never seen a cart in any library I've been, too. I thought that was pretty amusing. Well, I guess that was the only difference I saw lol it was nice being in a library, though. I was amused mainly by the children books mainly because I can understand them lol

After the library we headed back to their apartment where we proceeded to eat a bunch of snacks. I'm not kidding lol we just sat at the table and ate a bunch of cookies, chocolate, and senbei. Oh, before heading back from the library we did stop by a shop and bought these Japanese pudding snacks. Super delicious! My host mom bought 2 for me and I still have 1 in my fridge which I will eat later :D There are mochi versions of this snack, but I personally like the pudding ones better ^.^ After eating the snacks we watched tv for a bit and I talked with my host dad a lot. He seems to be really interested in America. When we were at the library he would show me books about America and ask me if they were accurate. Most of them were.

Before I left my host mom gave me some curry that she had made and persimmons ^.^ So much like a mom. I love her. I love my host family! I also told them I was going to Fuji Q Highland the next day so my host dad printed out a coupon for me and my host mom gave me a jacket that would keep me warm since they said it gets really cold their. There are so sweet <3 After that they drove me home.

1 Month Left

I have about one month left in Japan. Time really did fly by fast. I'm really sad that my time in Japan is coming to a close. I had so much fun and had so many great experiences while studying abroad here. Of course, there were also some downs and struggles. I'm excited to see my family and friends in the US again, but I will really miss the new friends I made here. I'm really glad I chose to study abroad despite the cost. It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance for me so I didn't want to pass up the opportunity. Plus, I got to spend time in a country who's culture I love so much. Looking back, I'm really glad I chose the Tsuru program. Even though it was short and it's in an inaka (rural area) it was still one of the best experiences of my life. I mean, I've done so much like climb Mt. Fuji, participate in a parade, participate in a tea ceremony, go to Kyoto, etc. I will never forget this experience and in the 1 month that I have left I hope to create more. When I go back to the US I'll continue to remember the fond memories I've had here. I just hope I don't suffer through withdrawals when I'm back in the US. I hope I don't end up crying on the whole plane ride back.

(In the next post I will write about my trip to Tokyo and Yokohama this past weekend)

Halloween Party!

Last Friday we had a Halloween Party! And it was fun! Now, it's probably not a party you are thinking of (or is it?). There was no dancing, drinking, or some other stuff  you see at parties. Instead, it was more like a little get together thing where we spent most of the time playing games and chatting with each other at the tables we sat at. I'll explain more in detail...

The party was held at the school cafeteria (probably why there was no alcohol, though, some people did pre-game before). All the female exchange students had bought kigurumis (animal onesies) and wore those as our costumes. They are the best thing ever, btw =3 I still wear mine around my apartment XD One of the guy students dressed up as a nanpa man (lol) and another dressed as a ninja. The one other guy didn't dress at all. The tutors also dressed up! There was a basketball ref, a vampire, a witch (I think? haha), one of the guys dressed as mario, oh and a couple of the tutors also had kigurumis! There was a tiger, kappa, stitch (my tutor was stitch x3), and chip! (from chip and dale). So adorable x3 Actually, we weren't the only ones wearing kigurumis. Some of the Japanese students who came also had kigurumis! (Quite popular lol). There was a Halloween Stitch (just a black-colored stitch with some halloween features), pikachu, a Japanese mascot that I totally forgot the name of. Half the people who were there were wearing kigurumis XD lol but of course there were other interesting costumes as well! Some people painted their faces. There was a zombie santa XD hahaha

When the party started we all had to sit down on the tables which were split up to have 6 people at each table. We exchange students had to split up so we could talk with the others more. I ended up at a table with 3 people I already knew lol but it was nice talking to the Japanese students who sat at our table =D I love meeting people! They were super nice ^_^ 4/6 of us had kigurumis XD lol

After chatting with the people at our table the first event started. The first thing we did was play a marshmallow game. Basically, how it works is there are marshmallows that are tied so that they are hung. You split into teams according to our tables. The object of the game is to eat the marshmallows without using your hands. I didn't volunteer to participate because the marshmallows were tied a bit too high for me so I wouldn't be able to reach them XD Actually, I  helped tie the marshmallows and I even tied it way above my reach. I even tried jumping and I couldn't reach them lol oh the sad life of being short XD but it's ok. I took pictures which was fun :)

After the marshmallow game we sat back at our respective tables and continued to chat while the next game was set up. So, the next game I'm not really sure what it's called, but it's basically where two people wrap toilet paper around one person. The objective of the game is to be the first ones to completely cover your partner in toilet paper. Naturally, I volunteered back I'm small hahaha One of my friends said we were cheating because I was the one being wrapped XD she's way taller than me hahaha but the referees didn't say anything. I don't think we ended up winning anyways. Actually, I don't think I ever found out who one lol Being the one getting wrapped was easy. I just stood very still while my partners wrapped me. It seemed they had trouble at first because the toilet paper we used were bought at the 100円 shop (~$1) so they pretty flimsy and weak, but they managed to make it work! They also had to wrap my head so I couldn't see throughout most of it. There was a little opening that I was able to see through and all I could see were people watching. I don't think they noticed that I could see them lol After it was done everyone who was wrapped ended up getting bombarded by photos lol I guess it was pretty amusing haha

The last game we played was pinata! This was actually the first time for most of the Japanese students. This is also the first time they've heard of it! I was surprised. They were surprised when I told them it's quite a popular game in America. It looked like they  had a lot of fun watching since most of the people who participated were exchange students and the tutors lol The pinata was made by two exchange students, btw. They did a really good job! Maybe a little too well lol After everyone who volunteered hit it candy still didn't fall out lol so one of the ones who made it just ripped it open and let all the candy fall. Most of the Japanese students didn't capture the idea that you're supposed to run and grab as much candy as you could lol They actually took a little while to get to where all the candy was and in the end there was still candy left over on the ground XD So, naturally, I grabbed as much of the leftover as I could lol They looked like they still had fun, though! Wait to they actually see kids play it and how crazy they get when the candy falls hahahaha

Before we ended the party the exchange students and tutors had a surprise for the other students. Thriller Dance! I didn't participate because I suck at dancing :P Instead, I played as DJ (ok so I just pushed the play button on the ipod) and photographer. The idea of doing the dance only came a couple of days before the party and I'm sure they didn't practice all at once. But it was still fun to watch! Especially when more than half the people dancing were wearing kigurumis lol

First Day of Elementary School Internship

I'm going to skip a few things and go straight into what happened last friday (Oct. 26) since it was such a great day I wanted to write about it before I forget anything. First I will write about the internship! (The next one will be about the Halloween Party).

The Internship
First, let me explain what the internship is. The internship is part of the program, but only 6 people were allowed to participate out of the 14 of us. The reason? Because only 6 people can fit in the car that takes us to the school XP Yeah, pretty lame reason, but what can you do? lol anyway the internship is basically where you help elementary school teachers teach English to the class. We got split into different class levels. One person for 1st grade, 1 for 2nd, 2 for 3rd and 2 for 4th (are you following along?). I was put into a 2nd grade class. To be honest, I thought they'd be a lot more calmer, but was I wrong! I've forgotten what it was like to be in 2nd grade lol or maybe these kids are just loud and full of energetic.

When we arrived at the school we talked with (I think) the principal for a couple of minutes before we were taken to a room where kids were sitting lined up on the ground. We had to introduce ourselves to the kids then we split off into our respective classrooms. When I entered the room and the kids flocked inside they all can't help but notice my height. They kept saying how short I was and kept asking me why lol I honestly didn't mind it cause I pretty much expected them to say stuff like that. Haha, they sure are full of energy! It's kinda scary XD The teacher put me at a desk at the very front of the classroom facing the class. I had to write my name on a nametag and the kids who could see kept awing and ooing while I wrote my name in English hahaha

The first thing of course was me introducing myself. I had to do it in Japanese then in English. While I was speaking English some of the kids kept saying "Eh? I don't understand!" (In Japanese of course). You would think it's rather rude, but I didn't care cause they're kids :P meh, I honestly feel like most of the kids didn't care about learning English. So young, haha. After introducing myself we pretty much spent the rest of the time singing along to two songs. One was a song about saying Hello and saying how are you. Then we did a number song (that only went up to 7 haha). The teacher took out these color magnets and she placed a few on the numbers. If a number had a red magnet the kids had to clap their hands instead of say the number. If it had blue they had to jump. It was quite tiring actually XD lol after that we did Head and Shoulders. A lot of the kids got confused on the "eyes and ears and mouth and nose" party lol They kept watching me during that part XD

After that was the end. Literally haha. After dancing we returned to our seat the teacher said that it was time for me to go. One of the kids wanted to keep talking to me. She seems to be the most energetic (without an obnoxious attitude like the boys had :P). Overall, the internship was really fun! I dunno if I can really handle these type of kids though XP They're too energetic and most of the time they don't listen. Kids will be kids I guess :P

A Day with the Host Family

Sorry for being slow with updates (>.<) I'm currently in regular school classes now and you would think that's the cause of my slow updates, but truthfully I've just been lazy XD Since regular classes started I've actually have more free time =P Also, unlike during the summer/ILP not much has happened so it's kinda hard to update unless you guys want to know how I spend my days in my room infront of the computer lol but I won't. Anyway, enough of my ramblings. I will be posting more about what has happened since Kyoto (will probably won't be in order and I won't give specific days of when they happened cause I probably forgot lol)

Spending a day with the Host Family
On the Saturday after we got back from Kyoto I went to a basketball Parent/Child Showdown (Oyako Taiketsu) event with my host family. One of the sisters participates in basketball so that's why I went to one of these. By the way, if you don't know what this is it's basically an event (I believe they do this for every sport, not just basketball) where they event parents (or relatives, etc) to play against the kids. It's really fun! I fail at basketball, though XD but it's ok because most of the other people playing against the kids weren't that great either lol

Before we actually played basketball we played a game that's like dodgeball but with a little twist. We split into two teams just like dodgeball and the object of the game is to throw the ball and hit someone so that they'd be out, just like dodgeball. However, the twist is a few members stand outside of the play court on the opposing side. The people in the court can throw the ball towards one of their teammates outside and they can hit the opposing team. They however aren't allowed to move. They can only stay in one spot. Also, when you get hit by the ball you don't just go out and stand and wait to get back in, you actually become part of those people! Which makes the game harder btw since not only are you watching the front, but you also have to watch your back and your sides since your enemy is surrounding you! I really like this twist, though :) makes it a lot more fun and challenging!

After the taiketsu we went to an udon restaurant that's apparently famous around Tsuru (at least that's what I got out of what they said... I'm still working on my listening :P). We sat outside since the inside was already full. I also met one of my host family's neighbors who happened to be there, too. While we waited for our food I played around with my two host sisters. The restaurant was next to a rice field and the two sisters ran off and came back with some rice plants in their hands. For 15 minutes we picked out the rice grains from them lol The udon we got was so delicious! It was also my first time having cold udon since I usually eat it warm.

After lunch we went the host family's apartment.  I ended up staying there until 8 pm. I spent a lot of time playing with the kids :) We went outside and played with their scooters and bikes. I also played a little bit of basketball with my host sister in the parking lot. She kept saying how good I was, but all I did was kept the ball from her lol It was a workout though XD It was fun, though :D We also played around in their room where the old sister mainly showed me all her stuff in her desks. Kids are so cute :3 Oh yeah, apparently these two little girls aren't afraid of bugs like most girls I know XP They even have a kuwaga and kabuta as pets! (They're types of Japanese beetles). At one point we saw a dead bug that's been smashed into the wall and the youngest one plucked a wing off XD lol she wasn't grossed out at all! I was a little hahaha We also played with their 3DS where the eldest sister kept trying to get a picture of me, but I kept hiding my face haha but I finally gave in and just kept making weird faces which entertained her XP

So, I played with the kids for a few hours. It was tiring lol but fun none-the-less! Me, the sisters, and the mom (the dad was at work) went to the grocery store to get something to eat for dinner. When we went there the eldest sister took me to the snack aisle and told me to pick a snack. I kept saying how a certain snack was expensive so I didn't want to get it, but she kept telling me not worry haha I think she got annoyed because I kept saying that, but truthfully I kept saying it to troll her lol My host mom got okonomiyaki stuff which meant we were having okonomiyaki for dinner :3 It was sooooo delicious!

After dinner I went back to my apartment since it was getting late. They all came to see me off :3 which made me happy ^_^ That day definitely was one of my favorites. I had so much fun!

Mini Tokyo Trip (1)

Piano Recital
On Saturday we went to Tokyo to watch a piano recital. The pianist is from Tsuru which is probably why we went to attend her performance. The recital was nice. I never went to a 2-hour recital before. It was an interesting experience. I got to talk to one of the tutors more during the intermission. I learned that he likes anime. To be honest, he was the first tutor I talked with that actually likes anime lol It was fun chatting with him. My inner-otaku came out lol (I'm not a scary otaku....).  Another nice thing about this is the bus ride and the ticket to the recital were free! =D When we got to the place there was actually a small matsuri (festival) going on. Since we arrived an hour early we hung out around there. I bought myself takoyaki =3

On My Way to the Hotel
After the concert a few people went back home while the rest of us stayed in Tokyo. I decided to stay because I got a free ride to Tokyo so might as well take advantage of that ;D So, after the concert I headed to my hotel. My hotel was in another part of Tokyo so I had to take the train there. I went with one other EAPer, but we split up at one station. When I arrived at the station I was supposed to get off at I ended up exiting through the wrong way... I really hate it when instructions don't tell you what exits to take...

I ended up going the complete opposite way. Seriously, Tokyo. Always giving me trouble (>.<) I eventually found my way to a Koban (a small police station) and asked the policeman for help. That's probably one of the moments where my Japanese speaking skills were the most helpful. It's times like that that I'm glad I can speak Japanese enough to ask for help lol They told me that I was really far from the Hotel I was trying to get to. For awhile one of them was telling me directions, but I fixed my eyes on the clock on the back wall and realized that I have only 30 minutes to get to the Hotel before they close. I eventually asked them if they could call a cab for me. I really didn't want to because taxis are super expensive here. But I had no choice. So, I ended up taking the taxi to the hotel. I spent about $15 even though it was a less than 10 minute ride...

My Hotel
I finally got to my hotel. The people working there (ok well I only saw one) don't speak much English so my Japanese speaking skills were challenged again. This hotel is different from what I've seen. Basically, you get your own room, but you share bathrooms. The nice part is the shower/bath rooms are split between guys and girls, but the restrooms are shared. The restroom near my room had two stalls and even had urinals... I kept thinking how awkward it would be if I walked in while I guy was doing his business... Thank goodness everytime I walked into the bathroom no one else was there lol

The rooms were really small. It was maybe 8x5ft. It was Japanese style so I slept on a futon that was folded up on the ground. I got to my hotel around 11pm so I chilled for about an hour. I mainly just watched tv for abit. The AC in the room was kinda old so it didn't work very well which sucked because it was pretty hot...
I woke up pretty early. I woke up before my alarm went off. I turned on the tv because it was Sunday and every Sunday morning a show I like to watch airs. So, I watched that then I watched some random anime. I left around 10am. While I went downstairs to give my key to the owner I saw a couple of white guys. Being in Tokyo seeing other foreigners doesn't surprise me as much. While in Tsuru whenever I see another foreigner I treat them like they're celebrities lol

I made my way to the train station. I asked the hotel owner where it was before I left so I wouldn't get lost lol It was about a 15 minute walk there. From the station I made my way to Ikebukuro.

Ikebukuro (including zaitenzushi!!!!)
I met up with one of the EAPers who also stayed behind in Tokyo. We checked out Ikebukuro for a bit. First we went to a building called Bic Camera which is mainly electronics. I checked out some Gundam models, video games, movies, and cds. I didn't buy anything because everything was expensive. I kept saying how I can buy some of the stuff on Book Off for much cheaper XP Next we went to find a clothes shop. I kinda forgot the name of one of the shops. We also went to Uniqlo which is a big clothes shop in Japan.

Next we went back to the station where we came from and waited for my friend. This friend is studying abroad in Japan and is also from UCSB. We met up with him and his girlfriend. We went up to the top of the building where the station was to eat ZAITENZUSHI!!!!! (conveyor belt sushi). When we reached the top there was a bunch of dining places. The whole store was a dining area. We got in line for the sushi which was an hour wait. It was pretty funny because we kept "upgrading." What I mean by that is at first we  stood up in line, then we got to sit on stools, then on wooden chairs, then on cushioned chairs lol We kept joking how it kept upgrading and it actually did XD


After an hour we finally got to eat sushi. It was my first time being at this type of sushi place before so I was excited. There was an ipad at the table which is what you used to order sushi. There were also sushi moving on a conveyor belt, but those aren't fresh so it's better to order. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a problem with our ipad. Our food didn't come as quickly as it should have. It was ok, though, because in the end we were satisfied. One of the best sushi experience of my life!!! I had 7 plates of sushi for less than ￥1000. That's super cheap! That's about the same price as buying one special roll at Goleta Sushi House. I wish Tsuru had a place like this, but unfortunately they don't.

TO BE CONTINUED
(I shall continue this, but right now I need to study for my test tomorrow lol)

Past few weeks

Sorry for lack of updates these past few weeks! I kept forgetting to update XD Probably because nothing major has happened since my last entry. From here I'll write about what has happened since the last update. I'll subhead them to make it easier for you guys (^.^)b (not in order. I'll write whatever comes to mind XP)

Italian Food, Bowling and Purikura
*Purikura = pictures taken at a photo booth where you can edit the pictures to look cutesy or however you want it

Last week a couple of us hung out with one of the tutors who's vacationing in India right now. The EAPer who has her as a tutor wanted to spend time with her before she left for her trip. First, we went to a place to serves Italian Food (omg, another place that has non-Japanese food!). It was pretty expensive and the portions were small (in my opinion), but it was still really delicious! I had an Ebi Pasta (Shrimp). I'd eat there again :) Just not a lot XD Afterwards we went to the only bowling alley (that I know of) in Tsuru. When we walked through the entrance the first thing we see were arcade games. And of course we play those before we go bowling lol. There was a Taiko game (Taiko is a type of Japanese drum). It was really fun to play! It was kinda hard, too lol They also had a guitar and drum game like RockBand. I got really excited because I got to pick Japanese songs that I like X) I didn't play the guitar game, though. The drum one was difficult, too... After about half an hour playing we all decided to go in one of the picture booths. It was really hard to take a picture because there was a lot of us. It took so many tries and I don't think there's a single one that shows all of our faces clearly lol well we tried! (I don't have the images on my computer so I can't show it, sorry ^^;).
Afterwards we finally bowled. We played two games. We split up. Our team ended up doing really bad lol. All the better players ended up on the other team. It was still fun, though. Our team was so bad we wouuld clap whenever one of us got at least one pin lol After we finished we went to pay and they actually give you copies of how you played. I of course through mine away to hide the embarassment lol

Hanging out at Tsuru Host Mother's house

There is a person we like to call our Tsuru Host Mother. She's not really a host mother (since most of us have our own host families), but she's one of the coordinators of the program. She's like a mom to us because she's always helping us whenever we need it. She's so adorable (^.^). We generally call her Fumi-san when we're around her. On the same night we went Bowling we went to her house to have dinner. I found out that she actually owns a Juku (cram school) specifically for English. The tutor we hung out with apparently helps there :) Anyway, her house is super nice. It's like the type of place I'd like to live in. It's a combination of Japanese and Western. She also has two really cute dogs. I couldn't stop playing with them x3 They reminded me of my dog so much. One of them was a puppy, too! I kept playing tug-a-war with her x3 We also met two of Fumi-san's sons. We introduced ourselves by saying our names and what school we go to in America. They responded by saying our Japanese was really good and that they were surprised. I've gotten used to that kind of reaction now lol Even if you say the most simple things people (especially in places like Tsuru where hardly anyone speaks English) quickly assume you're an expert XP
For dinner we had sushi (which we made ourselves), pasta (again lol), various types of tempura, yakiniku, and several snacks. Of course, there was alcohol. It's funny because Fumi-san likes drinking alcohol lol I drink one of the "girly" drinks. By "girly" I prefer to drinks that have like 3% alcohol and taste sweet (they're usually fruity flavored) so you can't taste the alcohol. I actually really like those drinks. I wish I could buy them as easily in America XP We chatted a lot during dinner. Fumi-san asked us about what we wanted to do in our future. She made all of us answer xP We then asked her what she wanted to do. She laughed and said her future is small (meaning she's old already), but she gave us her answer anyway (my hearing isn't good so I didn't understand everything she said). Throughout the night we just chatted. At the last hour Fumi-san made us speak only in Japanese. She said that you had to pay 100円 (~$1) for every English you use. That scared us lol. I was talking with one of the EAPer and for a long while we spoke to each other in Japanese until we started speaking English again because it was easier lol We were on the other side of Fumi-san so we would speak using soft voices. A couple of times she would say that she heard English and we would just say "We don't know what you're talking about" lol After an hour we all headed back (because we would miss the last train if we didn't lol and it's like an hour walk from the apartments).

Calligraphy Take 2

Yesterday we had another calligraphy mini class. Before hand we had to think of a word that has two Kanji characters. During this calligraphy class we worked on writing the kanji we chose. I chose 希望 which means hope. The reason why I chose that Kanji was because a lot of difficult things has happened before coming to Japan and while I was in Japan, but I kept my hopes up and things always got better :) I should've taken a picture of the one I decided to turn in but I forgot x( Next week we have a speech where our host family's are invited and I think our Calligraphy will be posted on the walls... (kinda embarrassing...)

An Interesting Birthday Party

On Monday this week one of the EAPer's had their birthday. First we went to the Indian place. Dinner of course was a lot more expensive than lunch. Luckily, I was able to share a dinner with one of the EAPers which saved me a lot of money. Also, I'm never getting spicy again x( I love spicy but the spice of the curry was way too hot >.< I'll stick with normal lol After Indian food we went to the Birthday EAPer's apartment room. We fit like 17 people in the tiny apartment XP Of course the party involved alcohol. Before coming I stopped by the supermarket and bought myself a can of those "girly" 3% alcohol. Besides me and a few others everyone else were drinking heavy stuff like sake, whiskey, beer, and tequila. We mainly just chatted during the first hour. Eventually, we decided to give the birthday girl her cake and sing happy birthday to her. We turned down the light until it was really dim. Before we sing we hear the doorbell. Everyone just screamed "Douzo!" (come in!). One of the tutors opens the door and everyone just yells out her name "HARUNA!!! It was a really funny moment lol (There's a video I was tagged in on facebook if you're curious to konw what it was like).
I saw sake bombs for the first time during the party. Apparently, it's not really known in Japan because the three Japanese people who were there said it was their first time seeing it. It was quite amusing haha After about an hour or so later people started to get drunk. It was my first time being around so many drunk people. Luckily, I wasn't the only sober one. At first, I thought it was going to be really bad (based on the SB stereotypes), but it really wasn't. People did get a little crazy and ditzy, but no harm was done. There were people dancing crazily. I stayed in the corner and watched everyone (not like a creeper, mind you). Me and my friend went up to the loft where we felt safer. From there we continued to watch everyone lol Eventually, we left since we still had homework and a quiz we had to study for (it was Monday afterall lol). I later found out that they partied until 2am or something. The next morning during class some people were hungover from that night. The next day our teacher said the average on our quizzes went down. Everyone just laughed XP

A Trip to Book Off

During one of the Saturdays me and 3 others went to another town to go to a bookstore called Book Off. Book Off is essentially a used bookstore. They also sell new stuff and they also sell games, cds, and dvds. Book Off is so freakin' amazing! Especially, for a manga love like me x3 They sell used manga for 105円 which is essentially more than the Book Off in the US. I was happy because I don't live near a Book Off back in the US. Being in that store felt great. Unfortunately, I only bought one book because I went in not knowing what to get XP It's ok though because I can also order stuff online =3 one of the perks of being in Japan. I don't think they have an online option in America (which I wish they had...). I'll probably order online more often than going to the actually store because it's pretty expensive to go there by train and back whereas through online I can get free shipping if I spend more than 1500円 (~$17). The trouble with this though is bringing the stuff back... Books do tend to way a bit... I'll make it work somehow lol


Well, that's it for now. I can't remember what else happened these past few weeks besides class and other non-important stuff. This weekend I'm off to Tokyo to watch a piano concert and hang out with a friend then next week I'm off to Kyoto for a couple days! Look forward for to those updates :3 

Two Days of Matsuri Participation!

(No photos because I was busy participating so I didn't get a chance to take pictures )= Might take some photos that other people took XD)

So these past two days there was a Matsuri in Tsuru-shi. The name of the matsuri has escaped my head x( sorry! I'll probably remember later.

Yesterday, we (exchange students) participated in an even where people pull a Dashi (Japanese traditional float). It takes a lot of man power to move those things.They're huge and heavy! Plus there are people on it playing traditional instruments. It was us (minus the boys) and several of the locals who pulled one of the dashi. The boys helped move another one. We pulled the Dashi using a large rope attached to the front. Several guys surrounded the Dashi. The ones in the back helped push while the ones on the side help to make it doesn't crash on the side of the road or into one of the buildings. Even though the wheels were fixed the Dashi still tended to drift to the side. Usually when that happens the guys on the side will try to push while we pullers had to go the opposite side (if the Dash was going left we would go right) and pull to help it from crashing. It's a lot harder than it sounds! We got the easy part. The guys who had to push had the hardest part. It was tough pulling, though. On ours the pullers were mainly girls. The people on the Dashi played music while we pulled which was pretty awesome. I actually like listening to stuff like that.

About half way through pulling I had to go pee really bad. You know that horrible feeling when you have to pee, but you can't really? Like when you're on a long drive and the nearest restroom is miles away? Yeah, that's how I felt. It started to get worst. Eventually, we took a little break and me and a friend asked one of the people in charge where the bathroom is. It's not easy finding public bathrooms here. We ended up borrowing someone's bathroom. It was a shop, though, not someone's private home so that was a little better. We of course thank them for letting us use it. When we came back out our Dashi had already left. The guys saw us and called us slackers lol We had to make our way down the road to our Dashi. It was another couple minutes of pulling until we reached the road where all four Dashi faced each other. We were there for about 45 minutes. Each Dashi had it's instrument players play music for about 10-15 minutes each. My feet were in pain at this point. There wasn't many places to sit =/ You notice certain things that a place lacks when you really need them but can't find them XD

After the performances we had to pull the Dashi again. Our Dashi took a couple of minutes before we reached another place. It was just us this time and we stopped next to a shop. In the shop they had set up food for us. Made me so happy x3 All of us EAPers sat together. The food that was laid out included fried squid, fried chicken, fried shrimp, sushi, onigiri, potatoe/meet soup, miso soup, yakitori, bbq fish, and some others. THERE WAS A LOT OF DELICIOUS FOOD. I love it when I eat meals like this x3 makes me so happy! I absolutely love Japanese food ^_^

While we were eating one of the guys in charge went around the tables and had people introduce themselves through a speaker phone. All of us at the table weren't happy about that lol But we eventually introduced ourselves. We just said our names and how we were Exchange Students from California.

Later we were told to go outside to participate in dancing. It's nothing fancy more like a fun thing to do. We followed a lady who danced to various songs. We were doing Bon Odori dances. There are various types. I had the hardest time at the beginning because it's hard for me to mimic someone right on the spot. Eventually, I was able to get the moves right. Not 100% but close. It was really fun! I think a lot of the locals were amused at watching us foreigners dance haha After wards several of the others decided to go to Gibson while the rest of us headed home.

The next day we left our apartments early and headed to where we had to get ready for the parade. All of us exchange students participated in the parade which at first seemed like a neat idea. I mean, when are you going to get a chance again to participate in an event that's not your country? I thought it would be fun until we arrived at the place where we had to get ready. What turned me completely off was the fact that I had to wear makeup... Let's just clarify that I absolutely hate wearing makeup. I've never worn makeup, at least not full on. I've put on lipstick before when I was young but that's it. I didn't put anything else on. It was too late, though, I couldn't back down from the parade.

After putting on the makeup we got our outfits put on. I'm not exactly sure what the outfit I wore is called. It's not a Kimono and not a Yukata. Kind of in between maybe? Oh yeah, I was a Chamber Maid. All the chamber maids were exchange students. The outfit we had to wear was blue on top and red on the bottom. We also had to wear a large, black, and circular hat. When the ladies put the outfit on me it felt really awkward. The obi that was tied around my waist was really tight and at an awkward spot.

After we finished getting ready we headed downstairs. I forgot to mention that it was raining outside. We were told how lucky we were because it's usually scorching hot. It's probably due to the tsunami that it was raining today.  We lined up (we were towards the end) and started walking. The rain stopped after 30 minutes, though.We had to smile, but it was kind a hard because my feet started to ache and I couldn't take my mind off the pain. I got a bit angry ever time we stopped which we did a lot. Japanese people really do like to take pictures. The group in front of us were princesses and their outfits were really intricate. A lot of people wanted to take a picture with the head princess. She wasn't always the reason why we stopped. People probably wanted to take pictures of the people way ahead of us. Every time we stopped people on the side would crowd near the head princess and take a picture of her. I don't think people really cared about us honestly. They were probably just amused at the fact that foreigners were dressed as chamber maids =P I didn't really care though. All I could think about is getting home or at least sit down because my feet were seriously in pain.

About an hour or so we took a break. After the short break we walked again. We stopped after 15minutes and rested at the city museum. After that we headed to our final destination, the elementary school. It started raining again except this time it was harder. We were lucky we had those hats, but they didn't protect us completely. My sleeves were drenched in rain water. We were given towels, but honestly they weren't of much help.

We eventually reached the school. We had to stand in line for about 15 minutes while we waited for some guy to make his speech. I hate to say this, but I didn't really care what he said (I only understand bits anyway). All I cared about was sitting down because the pain in my feet were getting worst. When he finally stopped talking we were free to go. Well, we all headed to the gym where we changed back into our regular clothes.

After changing we headed to the yateis (food stands) close to the school. I thought we were going to eat at a restaurant but I guess they changed their minds. I was a bit disappointed because I really wanted to just sit down and eat, but walking around the food stands was AMAZING. So many good food!!!! Super expensive, though =( I ended up buying a Yaki squid, yakitori, and a choco banana crepe. In total that cost me about 1250円 That is super expensive ($15  maybe?) and I'm still hungry.... But it was definitely worth the experience!

After walking a few us decided to head back. It took me longer because my feet started to get to the point where it was starting to go numb. I probably won't go in detail  about that xP

Being able to participate in the Matsuri was awesome! That's why I love that I chose this program. We get to participate and do so many things where we're involved in the community. Although, the result of the participation also included having painful feet pain, I still had a good time. I hope we do more stuff like this =)

Tsuru river, more adventures, and the changing weather

Last Friday us EAPers and a couple of the tutors went to a River to hang out.

The river below the bridge

• The river was soooo far..... Took about 45 minutes to walk there.
• The scenery on the way there was really awesome, though. Got to see a variation of houses. Some modern and some traditional. 
• The grasses are sooo green. I almost want to eat them lol
• We passed by another river, but this one was bigger. We walked across a bridge over it. There was also a small waterfall in the distance. It was really beautiful
• It was another maybe 15-20 minutes until we finally reached the river we were to hang out at.
• There were a few people fishing at the river. Their fishing poles were long hah
• There were also these scarecrow like things on the river. Not exactly what they're there for lol
• A couple people swam into the river while others stayed dry or only put their legs in the water.
• I helped take pictures so I only walked in as far as my legs can reach which wasn't far hahahaha
• Those who swam went towards the back of the river where there was a really high wall. There were steps and so they used that to jump off and dive into the river.  I think I took some really good pictures of that lol
• Later we played Suikawari!!! I've always wanted to play that game :D
• Suikawari: It's a game where you put a watermelon on the ground. Someone will be blindfolded and given a big enough stick that can break the watermelon. The person must spin around the stick (I think 10 times?) then by being guided by everyone else must find their way to the watermelon and try to break it. It took 3 people to break the watermelon. It was fun! Oh, I didn't play. I was taking pictures haha
• By the way, I took photos using someone else's camera so I can't really show them. Sorry!
• We also found this really interesting bug that was chilling on one of the bigger rocks. No one knew what it was. A lot of the girls were very squeamish about it which was pretty natural. I wanted to hold it, but I didn't know what it was so I didn't touch it :P
• The walk back felt longer since we were all tired and the fact that there were more uphills haha. I ended up taking more pictures (with my own camera) on the way back. I really love Tsuru. It may not be a big city, but it's very peaceful and calm.
• I later found out that the bug was a Lobster Moth Caterpillar. Very interesting specimen.

 The following days I didn't really do anything too spectacular. I'll write about it anyway :P

• Saturday we were all going bowling, but not everyone went. I didn't go either since it was pretty expensive (though cheap in a sense. 1800円 for 5 games, but then I didn't want to play that many games) plus they left really late and it was a long walk to the bowling alley.
• Instead me and 2 others went to 7 11 to buy something to drink. There I found a shounen magazine and decided to buy it because it had a Fairy Tail poster (I love Fairy Tail!! ^^ ) and it was only 270円. Who wouldn't buy it? XD hahaha
• We returned to the apartment and chilled in one of our rooms. We ended up watching Glee on tv. It was very interesting hahaha. It was dubbed but they kept the singing voices and only subtitled it. I might end up watching it every week lol
• On Sunday I ended up waking up really early to watch Saint Seiya Omega on TV lol It was on at 6:30am in the morning. I watched Super Sentai and Kamen Rider after  ^_^ Yes, I'm a Tokusatsu fan :D and proud of it! Though, I admit I'm not very into the recent ones. I still watch them when I can, though.
• I went out shopping twice that day. The first time I went with one other person to Seria which is kind of like a $1 store (not sure if I mentioned that already lol). This time we got time to actually look around without feeling rush. There's a bunch of really nice things in that store. You don't know how many times I said "omg that's sooo cute" XD hahaha, but seriously there were a lot of cute things in there! I bought a Stitch pencil pouch from there XD
• Later we went out again with 2 others to go to Okajima which is another supermarket. We went to buy groceries. I bought some things for curry and onigiri :3 
• The rest of the day I ended up watching GTO (1998) on my computer. It's been awhile since I've watched Japanese dramas, but on TV I saw the remake of GTO and I liked it. I've caught up with the current series so I decided to watch the older one. The older one is really nice. Highly recommended!
• Monday was class again. After class we had an orientation for Mt. Fuji. That's right! We're climbing Mt. Fuji this Saturday!!! :D Super excited! But at the same time I don't want to go because it's going to be so tiring ><
• The rest of the day I watched another drama. This time I watched a drama called Summer Snow. Such a great drama.  Has various themes dealing with the 5 main characters. I highly recommended this one, too! The pace is great and it's not a mushy mushy, typical romantic drama. It's rather old though (I think 2000?) but honestly, in my opinion, Japanese dramas were better back then. 
• Afterwards I went to Ogino with another EAPer. On one of the Coin Toy Machines I saw Fairy Tail and, being the Fairy Tail fan that I am, decided to get one. It was 200円 but so worth it! I got a Natsu keychain :3 I have no where to put it right now, though :(

The weather has changed recently. It's been raining these past few days. It was actually a surprise for me because I thought it would be hot for the remainder of the summer. Actually, although it's raining it's still pretty humid. It's kind of a gross combination, but still better than humidity + heat. I bought an umbrella so no problems :) 

Well, that's it for now. Thanks for reading! \(^o^)/

Fireworks, Class, and Little Adventures

Sorry for boring titles. I'm bad at being creative >> Anyway, on to the blogging!! yay!.....

Hanabi Taikai!

• On Saturday we went to Ogino (a supermarket here in Tsuru) to buy our Yukatas :3 They were real cheap! And they come with everything. I've never bought a Yukata before so this is the first time. I really love my Yukata ^^ I might get another one before I leave XD haha
• Eri, one of the tutors, came by the next day to help us put on the Yukatas. It's a complicated process. Also, it has to be fitted tightly so it doesn't fall apart. It was kinda hard to breathe lol
• Also, the Yukatas generally come in the same size (except there's separate sizes for children), but there's away so it can fit you. I'm the shortest of all the EAPers and I'm sure we all got the same size. My fitted just fine thanks to the expertize of Eri-chan ^o^
• On Sunday (two days ago) we went to a Hanabi Taikai! It's basically a fireworks festival :3
• We took the train there which actually took longer than I thought. Me and another EAPer were lucky cause we got to sit down on the way there.
• Once we reach one town the train became so packed! I was scared that the others would get off and we wouldn't know XD
• It turns out that majority of people who got on the train were also heading to the hanabi taikai so no problem there!
• It was a bit of a walk to the place from the train station. It really wasn't that bad.
• When we got there we decided how to split up  because going in a big group would be too much trouble. 
• My group ended up with people who've never been there before lol so we got a little lost. It didn't help that most of us were hungry, too XD lol
• One of the tutors kindly went out on his own to find food for us. やさしいね。It was mainly chicken, yakitori, and dango! おいしかった！
• We then headed out to find a place to watch the fireworks. We found most of the others so we watched it with them.
• The fireworks were really pretty. The show was really long, too. Longer than any I've seen in America. Just when you think it was over they'd fire more lol I did get tired after awhile, though, but overall it was fun ^o^
• The walk back to the station felt longer because I was super tired. Did I mention that I stood up the entire time? My knees felt stiff and my feet starting hurting, but I sucked it up XP
• Of course the train ride would be packed since most people were going back at the same time. Once again I was afraid I'd lose the others. It's not fun getting lost x.x
• I ended up standing up in the train this time. The whole entire time I stood up. It was painful, but it was ok. 
• I got to talk with a few of the tutors on the train. I mainly talked to Dai-chan who's actually an exchange student from Korea. He kept wanting me to translate what he says into English haha He wanted to practice his English. I also learned what type of music he likes and who his favorite author is. He's a fun guy.
• When we finally got off the train we headed back to our apartments. After taking a shower I went to bed XP The next day is when our classes start.

Start of ILP (Intensive Language Program)

• Monday is the start of our language classes. Last Friday we took a placement test which would determine our level.
• I think I was placed into the more advanced class since the sensei told us in our class things will be faster compared to the other one.
• Classes follow a certain schedule that's usually Kanji -> intermediate japanese -> Conversation/Composition.
• I think I'm the least capable in my class x.X I can read and write Japanese fairly well, but when it comes to listening and talking I fail so hard. Whenever the sensei asks me a question I often don't know how to answer because I can't understand everything he says. He talks pretty fast so my mind can't process the words as fast...
• I wish my hearing would be better D:
• The next day (today actually) we had another teacher. She talked slower than the other which I liked. She's quieter, but  I liked that she talked slower XD lol
• Today we have homework. Just Kanji nothing, too hard. 
• From now on I'm gonna be nervous about going to class because of my poor listening and speaking skills :( -sigh- also have a speech thing we have to do soon.... ugh, why is it required? D: Can I just watch the others do it ><

Other Adventures

• Me and another EAPer went to a supermarket that she claims to be cheaper than the one we've been going to. I can't really say if it is yet. It is a bit far, though ><
• We went there to buy a thank you gift for one of the tutors who's always done really nice things (he paid for us for karaoke, bought food and drinks at the hanabi taikai, and also drove us to Softbank). We bought him a Japanese snack thing and Oolong tea. I also bought myself a bento there since the cafeteria is closed for the remainder of the summer :(
• Later that day one of the tutors (the one I mentioned in the point before this) took me and two other EAPers to Softbank. Softbank is a phone company in Japan.
• The nearest Softbank was actually pretty far. I got to see more of Tsuru, though. I honestly didn't think it was a big city until now.
• It actually took a really long time to do the application. There was 3 of us, but it took more than an hour to do all three. But in the end we were able to get our phones after so many failed attempts of applying online! :D I won't feel like a lost puppy now XD lol
• The phone is so complicated! It took me so many tries to figure things out XD Good thing there's an English option on it! It just sucks that I can't type in Japanese while my phone is in English (unless there's an option to do it and I just don't know how to activate it o.o)

Tsuru Cont'd (excuse lame title)

I was going to blog after going to the Hanabi Taikai, but decided to do one right now so I don't end up making a long post again. Also, I'm too lazy to sub-title these XP sorry for the laziness!

• We got a tour of the school by a few of the tutors. The school's really nice. It's pretty small, which is understandable. 
• I've noticed that I've lost my sense of direction since I came to Japan. I'm still lost on where most things are at the school and in the city alone.
• I got to see a dojo that was in their gym. Pretty  legit! Wish I took a picture, but I completely forgot ><
• After the tour we went back to city hall. Another long and painful walk... we went their to pick up our cards.
• The next day we didn't really do anything. I can't even remember what I did that day... probably sitting in my apartment watching the only few channels that we get. You find some really interesting things, though :P
• Oh wait, I remember what I did that day (which was a Thursday, btw). During the day I did pretty much do nothing. Later that night I had dinner at one of the EAP student's apartment and had Japanese Zuchinni and Onions. とってもおいしかった！I got to know two of the EAP students more and they're really awesome people :)
• After dinner we headed next door where a bunch of the other EAP students were having a study group for the placement test tomorrow.
• The next morning we all headed back to the school to take our placement test. To be honest, it was easier than I had anticipated. The only part that was really difficult was the 2nd part of the grammar. Even the interview part was super easy. I was actually hoping it'd be harder so they'd know how terrible my speaking really is ><
• We were supposed to meet up with a few of the tutors at the lounge about our cellphones, but a few of us couldn't make it because the interview part was individual so it took awhile. So, I wasn't able to apply for a cellphone yet.
• Later that night we went out to karaoke with one of the tutors! I've never gone out to karaoke not even in America so it was a fun first experience.

• Everyone was so lively and energetic! Ryouta, the tutor who went with us, was super energetic whenever it was his turn to sing. It really was fun watching everyone :D (and no I didn't sing. My singing would damage people's ears ><)
• Oh yeah, I ended up buying a drink called Oolong Hai. I chose it cause it was Oolong. I later found out it was an alcoholic drink lol I actually figured that after tasting it. It was good!!!

• The next day, Saturday, we went to Ogino to pick out our Yukatas. They're so pretty! And cheap! The one I got is black with pink flower designs. I think it's cute =3 which is probably weird for some people I know because they know I'm not a very girly person >< lol
• The Yukata was about ￥2,800. Super cheap in my opinion. Some tutors are stopping by today (Sunday) to help us put it on. A lot of EAP students are worried since they tried them and they were long. I'm not worried even though I'm the shortest of the bunch :P I've actually tried on my friend's yukata before and she's like twice my size.
• After buying the Yukatas some of us went to Seria. I bought laundry detergent since I needed to do my laundry. (I reallly hope what I bought was detergent. It looks like it...)
• It took me about half an hour to figure out how to use the washing machine. A few days earlier two tutors came by to teach me how to use it, but I've forgotten >< I've eventually figured out how to use it.
• Since there's no drier I had to dry my clothes outside. That's when I learned that I didn't buy enough clothes hangers. So, I had to interchange them. Whenever one was dry I'd switch with a wet one. It was tough, because by the time I was done washing there wasn't much sun in the direction that my back balcony was facing. 
• I need to remember to buy more hangers so I don't end up with the same problem. I'm drying some of my clothes again right now since there's more sun our. 
• Yesterday night (that's Friday, hope you're not getting lost haha) I went to Mos Burger with a few of the EAP students. It's a fast food restaurant like McDonalds. Japan's known for small portions and man were those burgers small! But they were quality delicious! I had a fish sandwich which was pretty plain, but it was sooo good. Better than the ones I used to get at Wendy's. Their fries were good to. I think next time I go there I'm gonna try their Korean BBQ sandwich :3
• After Mos Burger a couple of us went to a cake shop. The stuff they have is really cute and delicious looking :3 I bought something called スターダスト which I assume is Star Dust. I bought it because it was only￥105. It was really delicious!

スターダスト

• Oh, I forgot to mention that I got help from one of the EAP students with ordering a cellphone online. Unfortunately there were a few technical difficulties so I have to try again. Hopefully, the next time I try it'll work and I won't have to worry about being phoneless for the rest of the time I'm here (it's super painful not having a phone or some sort of communication device on hand. Trust me, I've experienced that already....)

Well, that's it for now. Right now, I'm just waiting for the tutors to come by to help us put on the Yukatas and then we're heading out the the Hanabi Taikai!

Tsuru So Far

I think I will just bullet point my experiences since it's easier to read and follow. I don't want to bore you guys :P I will add details when need be and if you ask.

WARNING: LONG POST

Tsuru Arrival

• After the orientation at ICU in Mitaka, Tokyo the Tsuru people headed towards Tsuru by bus. The bus was small haha, but the air conditioning was amazing *o*
• I thought the ride would be long, but it only took a little over an hour.
• The view that we saw on the bus were pretty awesome. So not used to being on the opposite side, though haha
• The fences or whatever they're called on the roads on the freeways are much higher than in America. I feel a lot more safer lol
• There's a lot of checkpoints. I think we went through 3 before reaching Tsuru.
• The tutors greeted us as we came. They popped those streamer things and said their usual greetings. They're a hyper bunch of group :)
• Afterwards we sat in a room and did the usual introductions. We got to meet our individual tutors.
• My tutor's name is Shinsei and he's a fun guy. It's a bit hard to communicate because he knows very little English and my Japanese listening/speaking  is pretty bad. I hope I don't annoy him because I often don't understand what he is saying so I ask him a lot to explain again >< He's a nice guy, though!
• They did took us to our apartment. It's about a 10 minute walk (felt longer in this heat...)

The Apartment

• We arrived at the apartment complex where we were to stay at. It's cute looking. The entrances face the mountains which is a beautiful view.
• The place was actually bigger than I expected. 
• When you enter you see a hallway with 4 different doors. One closest to the door is a closet (I think), Then there's two doors facing each other. The right leads to the bathroom (no toilet) the other leads to where you do laundry. Then there's a door where the toilet is.
• As you proceed you see the kitchen area. Complete with a ref.
• Across from the kitchen is a slide door where if you open it you can see the area where I sleep at the top. Below is a storage space where a bunch of stuff that I can use is stored (stuff like rice-cooker, toaster oven, vacuum, tables, bookshelves, tv, stereo, and other cleaning supplies).
• As you proceed you walk into the living space. A small space that's actually a fair size for me. The back is where the door to balcony is. The balcony is where you hang your clothes to dry.
• There's a small area where I sleep. I have to climb up a small ladder (not very comfortable for my feet...) to get up there. It's a good thing that it has it's own light switch and outlet. 
• After checking out the place me and Shinsei got out the stuff in the storage and started to fix up the place. 
• We later found out that the place also came with dishes, pots, and other essentials that thankfully I don't have to buy.
• Afterwards we tried figuring out the internet. Several other tutors came in asking if we knew how, but we didn't. In the end, no one got internet that day.

Dinner

• After everyone got acquainted with their apartments we headed out to eat dinner. We went to a restaurant across from the school. 
• I was so amazed and happy when we walk in. It's one of those restaurants where when you walk in you take off your shoes before proceeding to the tables. 
• Their low-tables so we sit on the floor.
•  We took awhile deciding what to eat. Mainly because the menu was in Japanese so we had to have the tutors help us with that.
• I got Tempura. Didn't really know what type of tempura since it only said tempura.
• When we got our food it smelt soooo good.
• My tempura had various vegetables and seafood (shrimp, different fish). おいしかったよ！ It was delicious! So goooood! So much better than what I get in America. Like seriously, the variety they give is so much  better. In America, at least at the places that I've been to, the dish only has vegetables and two shrimps and it costs $9.
• My dish was about $8-9 but was so much better. Like I said, it had more variety. It also came with miso soup, tofu, rice, and salad. It was definitely better than I expected!!!!

Supermarket and After

•   After dinner we went to OGINO, a supermarket. We went there only to buy food for breakfast and dinner. I also bought toiletries since I felt gross sweating in the heat so I wanted to take a shower.
• Had great help with Shinsei. At times it was difficult to communicate, but we managed it.
• After that we returned to the apartments and parted ways with our tutors.
• I pretty muched rearranged the living area a little and took out stuff from my luggage. There's really no place for me to put my clothes (there's  a closet, but it requires which I don't have).
• I watched a little tv (no cable, just basic channels), took a shower, then went to sleep.

The Next Day

• Few of the tutors came to pick us up in the morning to take us to where we needed to be at the school for a small orientation of do's and don'ts in Tsuru.
• After the orientation we ate lunch at the cafeteria. OMG IT'S AMAZING. UCSB DINING COMMONS GOT NOTHING ON IT!!!!!
• Like anywhere else you buy your food buy going to a vending machine where you put in your money pick what you want and you're given a ticket. You give the ticket to the cafeteria people who in turn give you want you want.
• I got curry and it was delicious! It was 350 yen which is around $4-5. Not bad. Definitely better than dining common food.
• After lunch we went to register our alien cards. The walk was like 30 minutes long. Trust me, it was painful. The heat just beated down on you as you walked.
• When we got there we waited for each person to register (there's 14 of us so it took awhile).
• After that we headed to the hyaku-en store. Japan's equivalent to the $1 store. I bought a few essentials. Also bought myself a small towel since I sweat a lot. Oh, and I bought a box of wet tissues. Have I mentioned how amazing they are for this weather, yet????
• Some of us went to OGINO again after. I bought a lot of drinks. Every time one of the tutors walk by me they were surprised by it haha たくさのみものだな？
• After that we returned to our apartments. Me and two of the tutors, Shinsei and Haruna, tried to figure out the internet. Apparently, I was the only one having trouble. I felt really bad because they both had to homework, had to study, or had to do something. Eventually Shinsei left and it was just me and Haruna.
• We found out that the ID they gave us was wrong so we ended up waiting for quite awhile to get word back.
• During that time I talked with Haruna in Japanese. You don't realize how sucky your Japanese is until you're forced to say it >< My Japanese is so broken and I find myself stuck most of the time. She was cool with it, too. She tried speaking to me in English, too so I helped her with that.
• We eventually were able to get the internet working! やった！！！！
• Haruna left and I was left only, but with internet! And that's how I came to blog about it XP

Since this post is getting too long I'll make another one about my reflection of Tsuru and abroad.