Too many songs in my head, especially ones I don't know the words to

Happy late Valentine's Day! I am guessing that the height of your Valentine's Day was appreciating the commercials especially targeting you at the height of your emotions on the love-filled day. I, on the other hand, had no time for commercial trifling--I was making a mountain of chocolate to give my friends. If my camera would work with this computer, I could show you my literal mountain of future heart disease, and then the pile I received in return. I originally intended to make 80 brownie squares (you know, 50 for the people in my homeroom, 30 for my friends from other classes--no mean feat) but accidentally, due to an unforeseen highly unavoidable error, I made 169 (and then some) squares that were brownie-turned-cookie squares. Still highly delicious, I assure you. And there were exactly 169 and then some--I know because I counted every single one; the "and then some" were the ones that failed quality square inspection, and upon a closer look, really resembled triangles, rhombuses, or Alaska. Passing over non-square-like shapes, though, I was overloaded with the ancient tradition of Valentines Day (Japanese version), which is virtually the same as everywhere else, save that a person is bound to give sweets to virtually every person they know. If they don't there is a conveniently placed day exactly a month later, called "White Day," to return the favor if you got sweets but didn't give any. Like I was saying, I was loaded down sweets, and my whole class was complaining to each other about stomach aches all day. I myself didn't over-consume, but realized that the sweets would go bad within a series of days, so responsibly took care of them within a series of hours. (Very satisfying, I assure you.)

[Don't worry, I made sure I ran off the after-effects of choco-disposal over the weekend. =P ]

Apart from that, my week wasn't so very eventful. I have final exams next week (not good...), and then in 2 weeks, my family comes to Japan! I'm looking forward to that...

If I think of anymore news, I will post it pronto. However, this week really wasn't too interesting objectively, save for, of course, Valentine's Day =D

My love for my electric blanket exceeds all the vegetable oil the world

I've got to say, I am a bit mixed on my blog. I mean, I like to write it, and since there are a little less than 1000 hits on it, I have to say it's reasonably well-read...but the inability to upload my pictures is a bit discouraging. This might be fixed in about 3 weeks, or less, if I figure out how to make my camera work with a Mac before then...Also, sorry this post is late because *Drum Roll Please* my mom sent me an electric blanket! Oh, sweet relief from the cold of my host family's spacious but concrete house! It is really really cold...or was, I should say. How this relates to my blog--I have gotten into the healthy-yet-inconvenient-for-blog-readers habit of going to bed at 8:30 pm, as to get the most use out of my very very delicious blanket.

Okay, now I am trying to remember what happened last week. This electric blanket is definitely dangerous--memory loss, among other things.

*thinking*

Well, not to much exciting happened that I can remember.

I got the results back from my Japanese level test at the Tokyo University (if you don't remember this, it's because I took it ages ago.) I passed quite nicely, so no worries there. That was the level 4 test, and in 2 weeks, along with my math and chemistry finals, I will take the level 3 test.

My speech that I was writing was accepted for the foreigner's speech contest. I don't know how selective the judges are, so I can't say if the acceptance is anything to brag about but...for lack of interesting material from this last week, I present to you my translated speech! (To be memorized and presented in Japanese on March 8th.)

====

"日本に来て感じた事" (literally: stuff I thought when I came to japan)

Written and translated by yours truly

(I will skip the first part, because it's an introduction of myself, and translated, it sounds a little more than cheesy.)

Before I came to Japan, I heard a lot of different things. For instance, I heard things like "Japan is really safe," and "All Japanese are really helpful." However, I also heard things like "There are a lot of strict customs to follow, so be careful," and "Japanese people don't show any emotion and don't express themselves." Because of this, I was worried upon coming and did a lot of research about Japanese customs. Before coming, I was worried about things like the right order to enter the bath and unkind host families.

After starting my life as an exchange student, I was still worrying. I wanted to do everything right. Even though my host family was really nice, and I could take a bath whenever I wanted, I wasn't comfortable. My teachers, friends, and host family noticed that I seemed frequently nervous {I insert: embarrassingly} I really liked school and I enjoyed my everyday life, but because I was still thinking about the things I heard before I came, I was worried about making a mistake. For example, in the beginning, because my Japanese wasn't so good, the teachers seemed really scary to me.

Time went by, and I became more comfortable. When I relaxed, I learned more about Japanese culture.

In America, yo u are expected to take care of your needs yourself, while in Japan, cooperation is considered better.

My host mother told me that in Japan, there are old traditions that Japanese people follow. Because I am a foreigner, I didn't understand these in the beginning. However, once I learn them, I too am expected to respect and follow them.

I went on a school trip with the high school second graders where everyone was expected to bath together. I didn't really know the people in the grade and I was a little nervous about it. I thought it was going to be awkward, when I first tried it, it really was fun and the second graders were really nice. Now, I really like the public baths.

I think that foreigners can't ever 100% understand Japanese society or culture. However, because I have spent 6 months {by the time I give the speech} here in Japan, I have learned so many things and gotten a much better understanding of the Japanese lifestyle. I am really glad I have been able to come.

===

Sorry i f the wording sounds weird--translating it was harder than I thought. But that is the g ist of it. Interestingly enough, my Japanese teacher is convinced I will win the contest because there will be "housewives and salarymen" at the contest, and as I will be the youngest, I will win on my feisty pluck. =P

Since I can't remember any outstanding events in regards to my last week, I will skip to my weekend. (This memory loss is depressing.)

On Sunday (Saturday, too, was pretty free) I met Julia Blood, which was really nice for me. She

is still studying in Japan, though, as a college student, she has a long break right now, and she is going to go home for a week soon. (Lucky...) It was really fun to just meet up with her, eat, and talk (a lot.)

On Monday, it was (according to my planner) National Founding Day, so it was free. The de finite highlight of the day was getting ready for hinamatsuri, which is a special day for girls. Most families in Japan all set up a collection of dolls, which I wish I could show you with my extraordinary pictures, but unfortunately can't, once again fueling my remorse on the subject of Macs....but excuse my mini--rant. I'm just a PC person, that's all.

February 14th, as many of you might know, is Valentine's Day (wink wink). This is definitely a very big holiday in Japan. Technically, it is a girl-to-buy gift giving holiday (and then there is another day in March where boys return the gift, called White Day), but as a) there are no boys at my girls' school, and b) we all just can't resist the urge to hand out sweets, I am making a huge batch of brownies tomorrow. Be prepared.

I am excited because my family will be coming to see me! We have actual dates, and they will come for about 2 weeks and a half in March!

Tomorrow, if I can write 5 selected kanji in my Shodo calligraphy class, I can allegedly achieve my Shodo license. I am going to dominate. I hope. I really want a license...a Shodo license.

Hanging around town without meerkats

Today was the second snow day of the winter, which according to the olden calendar of Japan, ends today. As the spring is "here," in name, if not actually weather-wise, my host family and I threw soybeans outside in all of the major rooms to traditionally throw out the bad and bring out the good. Then, we each ate a number of soybeans corresponding to each person's age. So, happy spring to you--wish it wasn't freezing!

So, I finally did the much-awaited Vatican speech, which was pretty pathetic, as I eventually ended up creating 1 questionably accurate map of Italy and Rome, 1 frantically drawn Swiss Guard uniform in chalk on a black board, and 1 stand-up speech in a mix of casual Japanese and English. My standup speech was probably the worst of the three, as I took a gander at explaining, comparing and contrasting the different branches of Christianity in America--not pretty. ("Mina de wa onagi belief ga aru kedo, tatoeba mina de wa chigau celebrations toka ga aruyo.") In fact, there is a comedian in Japan who is famous for throwing random English expressions into his sentences--my speech was pretty similar to one of his acts. But seriously, how am I honestly expected to be able to explain about Mormons and polygamy in Japanese? Oh, please...

But before that...I went to watch Japan versus Chile in soccer! I was soooo excited--it was in the National Stadium (the same one, if you remember, in which I ran a 1k in nefarious costume with Natsu) and there were so many people. Poor Chile--there isn't a large Chilean majority naturally residing in Japan, and I don't think that most fans, even the most devoted, chose to travel to Japan to watch the match--so, Chile's cheering section was hard-pressed to a) find people and b) compete with the thousands making up the crowd cheering for Japan, not to mention Japan's specially designated cheering sections, which didn't let down for singing Nihon fight songs. Thus, I was in short, pretty pumped for the game. This euphoria was quickly taken out by the biting freezing cold. I was literally the coldest I think I have ever ever been. And it wasn't just me--everyone was turning into human ice lollies. To top it all off, after almost 2 hours, neither team had scored. It was still very very fun, though, and I would love to go again sometime--especially if it was just a teensy weensy bit not-so-COLD! =D

On Wednesday, I got sick once again...

...

I made sure I got well soon, because on Friday, I had priorities....

On Friday, I went to Disney Sea with 3 of my friends! We were there from opening to closing (10 hours!) and because it was Friday (we had the day off from school) it wasn't crowded at all. We went on all the rides, met Mickey, Minnie, Cruella De Vil and friends...the scariest ride we sent on was one we had all been on multiple times before, but mid-Indiana Jones the ride broke down, and we, chained to our seats, were all poised for the fall... the suspense built, until we were just confused as to what was wrong. The best part--it was the scariest ride ever AND then the staff let us go again without waiting! Yay! We spent a very long time at Disney Sea, and although everyone's feet were dying by the end, it was most definitely worth it.

On Saturday, my host family and I

celebrated Keito's birthday. I made chili, and that plus a bunch of other dishes constituted a very large proper birthday dinner, I think. Keito's grandparents came. and she played sax and I played violin for them...Today, I went ice-skating with Keito and her friends from elementary school. Very fun!

Tomorrow is my cooking class that I am teaching in English. The menu was initially labeled Mexican, but I think, as "chili tacos" aren't exactly traditional standard, the menu should be renamed "Tex-Mex for Cross-Cultural Cooking Experimenters." I am hoping it goes well...very risky business, toying around with cooking...I fear so many things going wrong...=P

Speaking of things going wrong, my general English, especially my self-set high standard for spelling, has gone down the drain, so to speak. On my list of words I can no longer spell:

-remniscent

-disasterous

Alas.

Very very very very very very cold. But nice...like ice.

Coming to you from an icebox far far away...

Several new exciting things have occured, and some more equally exciting things are coming up soon. Let's see....

Last time I checked, I was out of school with a flu for 2 days, postponing my moving for the next week. Now, I am much better and living with a new host family! (My Sweeny Todd plans were cancelled unfortunately, but no big deal.)

I moved this last weekend into the Iino family's home. I was mortified that the amount of stuff I brought to Japan pretty much doubled, in that I came with 2 large rolling duffel bags, a normal sized suit case, and my violin, and moved with those things, plus three small moving boxes. I blame this partially on my ski wear that my dad brought, but I seriously am wondering how I came with just the three bags in September...Anyway, I already like my new host family. I definitely am getting along with them very well already, and my life with this host family goes well! The house I am living in is also very very nice. It is very large, and I have my own room. The one downside is that it is the coldest month in Japan right now (more on this important subject later) and the walls are concrete, so it is very cold if the heater is not on...but I am optimistic, and January is almost over.

In regards to extreme cold, this week was probably the coldest of Japan's winter this year, which is torture when you are riding a bike with a skirt (when I saw you, I imply me. And trust me, it's freezing.) Two days ago, it was snowing all day, and the brave of heart and stout of spirit had snowball fights and made snowmen. Also, two days ago, I finally had the much-mentioned never quite-forgotten dance test...it wasn't as bad as I thought, but it was still really different for me, since generally schools in America don't include dance as homework. Also, regardless of the fact that everyone is shrieking and turning blue with cold, we still have to go outside during Friday's PE to run--which I would enjoy much more if the weather didn't have the same feeling as dry ice. Also this week, I am about to finish "general Japanese grammar" (aka graduate my series of 2 books I have been working out of since September) and move on to bigger, grander things, like...well, I don't know yet, but still!

Right now, in both math and chemistry, the teachers are teaching things that require a large amount of Chinese characters I don't know to explain, so I am very lost. I am working on catching up, but it's a tad tricky when you (I) don't have a clue how to decipher your (my) notes. And--Natsu, who is in my group for my "Ethics and Christianity" class, became conveniently sick on the day we were supposed to do our project on the Vatican that we knew about 2 months ago, but have yet to start working on it. So, we have to get it all finished and ready for Monday, which means I have to draw the Vatican flag and write a speech about Christianity in America. Fun fun. In regards to my other speech, I have a very very general idea of what it's about, but I my homework is to actually write it in full, make it 5 minutes' worth of essay, and then submit and memorize it.

I am super-excited because tomorrow, I am going with my host family to watch Japan versus Chili in soccer. It is guaranteed to be freezing teeth-chattering cold, but it is going to be so fun! I told my school friends, and they were all jealous that I am going--I am looking forward to it so much!

Oh dear, I forgot a very important detail...this is so awesome! Okay, get this--my new host sister, Keito, plays alto-sax! We tried to play together yesterday, aka violin and sax, and it didn't work because the violin tunes to A and sax tunes to Eb (whoever made that up...) but it is sooo cool! I am seriously looking forward to all the crazy possibilities a violin-sax mix has in the future! heh heh heh.

One last thing. Do you remember how my last host family owned and used a set of matching Peter Rabbit plates and cups? Well, as it turns out, it is some sort of secret host-family-sect--because my new host family has them too. I feel like there's some sort of metaphor for life's struggles in those Peter Rabbit plates--they just show up everywhere.

This blog hit counter I added is seriously intense.

I come to you with part 2 of my winter break (and a ways afterwards) here around and about Tokyo. Where did I leave off? Ah, yes, just before the biggest holiday in Japan. New Year's.

New Year's started a few days before the actual New Year, when my host mother started cracking the whip (so to speak) on Natsu and me because there was a lot of things to be done. We had to (for example) purchase a special New Year's wreath that had seaweed hanging off of it--to be hung on the door for an especially pungent way to remember the new year; we had to make osechi, aka the special New Year's meal eaten traditionally (surprisingly) on New Years; we had to cut konyaku, a rubbery substance allegedly made from fish into traditional braid shapes; my host family had to write and post about 5000000000000 bazillion nengajo (New Year's Cards) each to every person they had ever met (I cheated and elected to use what's called in the US the "Defensive X-mas Card Method," by which I mean I only sent nengajo to people who first sent one to me, and to people who REALLY REALLY deserved them--aka Kobayashi-sensei, Sakurai-sensei, and my violin teacher, for example...) Also we did about a million hundred other things to get ready, but I won't do a New Year's prep play by play. On New Year's, my host family and I went over to their grandparents' house and met them and their relatives and ate osechi and drank and played WiiFit (a very traditional tradition, I assure you) for 9 hours--for 2 days. Very itense. So intense, in fact, that while my dad leaving didn't send me over the edge for days on end, I will admit that I became a wee tad, a mite homesick...well, a little more than that. The 2 day family reunion got to be a little too much for me because, well--it wasn't my family. After a bout of the Homesick Willies, a term I invented just now (heh heh heh), I recovered quite quickly because I met Josh and his family in Tokyo!

Just to refresh your memory, Josh is the other person from my school in Austin who is in Japan (but in Osaka.) His parents and brother stayed in Tokyo for a few days, and I was really glad I was able to meet them. We went so many different places all over Tokyo:

We started in Shibuya, which is where we met, and we went into the International Safe Haven for Foreign Guests (more commonly known as Starbucks) and took a picture of the world's largest pedestrian crossing. From there we walked into Yoyogi Koen, which is famous for being the place where many "teen fashion victims" (research this yourself, please) collaborate on Sundays. We were not there on a Sunday, but we were treated to a series of skateboarders that were frankly awful, mainly because they were naive of this fact. After making a large winding circle around this park, we landed ourselves in Harajuku's SnoopyTown, which is a large assortment of Peanuts paraphernalia. It was here that Josh and I both discovered an astonishing fact--both of our host families own a set of Peter Rabbit plates and cups. As written on the edge of the plates, I quote: "Peter was not very well during the evening. His mother put him to bed, and made some camomile tea; 'One tablespoonful to be taken at bed-time.'" (Copyright Frederick Warne & Co. Beatrix Otter Designs TM PETER RABBIT TM) It was so unlikely that both of our families would have anything like that, so we decided that it must be some sort of unwritten code or something...After
this (or perhaps before) we went to Meiji Jingou, which is a huge shrine...we happened to be there during the busiest time of the year, so we waited in line with maybe thousands of other people to walk through the shrine--something we found out we did right after the fact (aka, "Oh, wait--that was the shrine.") After this, we decided to go to Akihabara and find something that really defines Japanese culture and general tackiness--a "Maid Cafe." This is basically what it sounds like--young girls dressed up in maid attire serve and feed the paying customers there. These come in all levels of lewdness and general tackiness and attract only a certain sort of person in Japan, but our motto when we went was "Just act oblivious and ignorant, and it will be okay." Which it was. Mind you, we did have a mighty interesting time looking for a reasonably decent maid cafe--it was evening, we were in this sketchy alleyway, and there were a lot of places advertising maid cafes, but involving the slightly vague word, "reflexology," which Josh and Nick's parents immediately and wisely eliminated for further inspection. Like I was saying, we did eventually find a fully clothed maid cafe, where we found that it was not very different from a normal restaurant, besides the whole maid detail and some really crazy music box music they kept sinisterly tinkling throughout the restaurant. I summarize this maid experience with this slang word in Japanese: mou-e (I'm not sure how to spell this, because it's spoken slang)...this roughly translates to "too cute."
After our run-in with the maids (who wouldn't let us take pictures, by the way), we went to Roppongi, which is the richest district of Tokyo, I think...there, we went to this building that is very famous for being very artsy--um...kind of hard to explain...sorry...for example, there was this display of lights that was designed to look like water flowing, and there was a modern art-style playground. We walked around this for a bit, then set out for a different destination--the pet store. We walked around inside, "awwwww"-ed at random adorable and severely expensive baby animals, got sneezed on by a green monkey, and contracted some new sort of AIDS from it. Just kidding.
All in all, very very fun, and a really nice break for me to talk in English with people I knew and (gasp!) be a tourist.

I'm trying to remember what happened between then and now...um, well, I got sick for about 5 days with flu, so my moving was postponed, which postponed my party with my friends to see "Sweeny Todd" and canceled my violin performance with Natsu in the school talent show (no loss--too much pressure! =D ) though I am very very bummed about the movie...Also, I still have to figure out what to cook for the Mexican food class I am teaching, since I am now the arbitrary authority on Mexican cooking...
Oh! Also, I am going to be competing in a foreigner's speech contest! Big whoop, right? I am actually really looking forward to it, though it's in March, if I can ever think of anything to make a speech about. I will (hopefully one of these days) write a 5 minute speech in Japanese, and memorize it, and WIN! I hope...=) But I mention this not just for your information, but also because I need some ideas about what to write about (and memorize about.) Basically, it's supposed to be about a memory or experience you have had in Japan or an change you have felt from your home country...Any suggestions are more than gladly appreciated.

Anyway, life here is pretty normal and everyday. Like I said, I am going to try again to move this weekend, and besides that, the only thing new here is not very interesting...aka I forgot my shoes for PE and I borrowed a friends--however, I am "'Murken [American] sized," also referred to as "Texas-sized" when it comes to my feet (what can I say? Laugh now, but I will one day be taller than you) leaving me decapitated with a severely stubbed toe. Meh. And you?

Oh yes, as mentioned always in the recent past, next week is the dance test--wish me luck! PS I have 100% reached the halfway point in my Japan experience--aka, I have been here 4 and one half months...so, I guess I've made it this far. Right?

Seasonal smurfs and as always, karaoke.

Hisashiburi, ne! If you were in Japan and happened to speak Japanese, you would understand that I am implying the spunky English phrase, "Long time, no see." This is especially appropriate, not only for the spunk implied, but also since I have indeed not posted for almost 3 weeks. That all ends...now.

Anyway, let me see where I left off--egads, it does truly appear that I stopped after finals. Remind me never to not write for 3 weeks again...

Okay.

After finals, there was one week left before we reached the long-awaited, much-anticipated winter break. That weekend, my host family and I went to Hayama and Yokohama, which are very close to the sea. We stayed in a ryokan (trivia time! a ryokan is a] an outdoor wigwam-type structure; b] a traditional Japanese inn; or c] a refurbished cave. If you don't know, you should have read my earlier posts. {hint: the answer is b.}) In the inn, we randomly met my gym teacher, who just happened to be vacationing at the same time in the same town in the same ryokan, and get this--entering the same onsen (public bath.) It was ironic. (Trust me.) During our weekend trip, we went to the top of this very high picturesque scenic mountain (at which time my camera inconveniently ran out of battery), played intense-yet-contained ping-pong, went to the ocean, and went to a few temples, at which we washed our change for good luck and got a look at the inside and outside of a very large Buddha. Oh! Also, we went to "The Venetian Glass Factory" in Japan. This was interesting, not only because everything was made out of glass and the gift shop was several thousand yen out of my budget, but also because one of the staff there told me I looked half-Japanese, this conversation spurring me later to ask my host family if I looked half-Japanese on various random occasions. For instance, my host family would ask me about the next day's plans, and I would answer, and out of the blue say, "Do I look half Japanese? Really?" (except this question was in Japanese.) And always, my host family would way no. Finally, a couple hundred times later, when my host mother asked me something, and I asked the question again...

"Are you hungry?"
"Do I look half Japanese?"
"Yes, you look half."
"Really?"
"No, I'm lying. Are you hungry?"

Alas, I do not look half-Japanese. Alas. =D


My dad came that weekend, so after I got back from the weekend trip, I met my dad for the first time since I left, so 3 and a half months. To put it plain and simply--it was really great to see my dad.

There were 3 days of school left that week before we got to break, so Dad came to school on Monday for half of the day--meaning he saw my Japanese class for 2 hours and came to Chemistry. I have to give him credit for not going crazy that day, since it was obviously not too interesting because it was all in Japanese, but at least it was only a half day. I show-and-tell-ed my dad to my homeroom class--it was as chaotic as my first day. All my classmates were screaming "cho-kakkoi!" aka "super-cool." My dad IS super-cool, thank you very much. =)

After a few day in Tokyo, during which we did the school visit and went out to dinner with my host family, my dad, Natsu, and I went to Nagano and Hakuba to ski, but also to see nihon saru = super-duper-uber cute Japanese snow monkeys! I told my host family about our plans to see snow monkeys, and they all didn't believe that there were any where we were going. I don't think Natsu believed me up until we actually saw them. ("But they're real! I promise! The monkeys are real! I've SEEN them! I PROMISE!") The monkeys were in a special monkey park, and had their own little monkey onsen, and us eager tourists could come right up to them. I took about a BAZILLION and a half pictures of them, because they were cute. They were so cute that it didn't matter that there was monkey poop everywhere--that's how cute they were. Awwwwwwww.

After the monkeys, we went skiing the next few days. Dad and his executive power decided that we were all going to have a half-day of skiing lessons so that we didn't kill anyone on the slopes by accident (which I don't and didn't think was such a bad idea--the lessons part, that is--accidental death by bunny skier is bad.) We somehow ended up getting lessons from a New Zealander named Dan who also spoke Japanese pretty well (Englishese? Japanenglish? Reasonably accurate Japanese with random English thrown in as needed), so everyone understood. Dan definitely defined the term "saucy chap" because he was really funny, unfortunately unsually at Dad's expense--however, he (Dad) had a good sense of humour about it, so no harm done I guess...but for example, Dan was more than liable to say something to the effect, "Looks like Papa Smurf has taken yet another fall." Nevertheless, Dan was really cool, and I guess we weren't that bad--he taught us, among other things, how to ski backwards and do a 360 degree spin. Kakkoi!
After skiing, Natsu went back home, but Dad and I, instead of going to Kyoto, like we planned, we factored in a) Dad was a little sick, b) the train expense, c) we didn't really want to go to Kyoto and decided to take a different plan of action...we canceled our Kyoto hotel in time to not have any fatal expenses charged, and went back to Tokyo to do a lot of Christmas shopping for my family, and just generally relax instead of pull a high-paced rushing-from-temple-to-temple touristy route. We found a cheaper hotel around the middle of Tokyo (which in and of itself was interesting--it was "Japanese sized," according to one review, which meant for us "hearty 'Murkens," (that term did NOT come from the review), everything was a wee bit small--aka I tripped everywhere--out of the toilet, trying to change, trying to get to the bed--our luggage covered 98% of the floor space. This is where we spent Christmas...my dad videotaped our mini-celebration and gift-opening, we watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas" via YouTube and we Skyped our relatives. It was merry, and very alternative, considering that every year before know we have always been with our whole family and our grandmother comes and we eat a special Christmas meal and we have a real fake tree...but I'm glad we still had it, in that little Frodo Baggins hotel...

All good things come to an end, and as such Dad had to leave. That was pretty sad. However, I had no time to start a weep-a-thon! There was karaoke to sing! The next day, my two friends and I went to Shibuya, which is remniscent of New York, though probably safer. We did karaoke for 2 hours (speaking of marathons...), walked around the 109, which is a very trendy and ginourmous mall, and took purikura. Fun indeed.

The next holiday that is literally around the corner, and arguably a bigger deal (at least in Japan) is New Year's Day. My host family is getting ready for a special 2 day celebration with extended family and special meals--also, I am working on sending out nengajo, which are the Japanese equivalent of Christmas cards. Very big deal. In Japan, the Imperial Mail (I think) promises to deliver your cards on January first if you post it in the mail at least a week ahead of time. They often hire college students for these seasonal pressing requirements. Behold, my nengajo.

This post or the next will be the last time I write from my current host family's computer--I switch families on the 13th of January. That will be a truly sad time indeed. I have really--not only gotten along with--but truly had a great time and felt really cared for here. I really enjoy my host family and I am going to miss them a lot because we have had boundless good memories, and they have taught me SO much. They will be a really hard act to follow, so to speak, but I will be as open as possible to my next family!

Season's Greetings. Have you ever said that in conversation to someone? Heh heh. It always sounds a bit odd to me. But, I greet you now as seasonally as I can! Later, gator.

PS <-- this is my nengajo. created and copyrighted by me. no stealing! =P
PPS MWEH! I always arrange my pictures so that they are neat and orderly, but then I switch the font/size/do some other wacky stuff, and my hours of strenuous (trust me) effor go up in smoke....yahhhhhhhhh. Enough complaining, Audrey.