Kimatsushiken!! FINALS!!!

Well this week went by really fast. Monday, Japanese classes, and I don't think anything particularly happened. Met with my discussion partner for relationships class. Tuesday was Japanese and Relationships class. Volunteer work has been moved to next week. Wednesday, Japanese classes and Communication class where nothing is going on anymore. Thursday Japanese classes and Relationships. Friday was the final day of class... Japanese and Communication. Friday was my Spoken Japanese Oral Final. I prepared fairly well I think... and it went well I think. The time limit was 6-7 minutes and I was done in no more than 5... when I looked at the grading though time wasn't something apart of it so hopefully it's all good. Also, I met up with my speaking partner. We hit up Karaoke, purikura, and took random pics around the station. Today I went to Umeda to do Xmas shopping and picked up 4 gifts.

This week is finals. I have Reading/Writing Japanese Monday, Spoken Japanese Tuesday, and my final paper for Relationships due Thursday. Friday I'm heading out via night bus with a friend to Tokyo where we will tour around to places and hit up... TOKYO DISNEY LAND :D I'm so excited. AND! AND!!!!! According to the weather website I use, there is a SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW!!!! :D!!!! That would be so awesome!

Here are some pictures from this week:



Here is the "hen" (strange) photo taken with my Spoken Japanese class and sensei. I am trying to mock my Reading/Writing Japanese sensei's angry face when she was a child LOL



Me and Joel and my Reading/Writing Japanese sensei!



KGU's hidden garden



My Speaking Partner and I :D

I wish I could move out of SH2....

I really do love all the friends I've made in the seminar house, I'm glad I chose this house, but I hate the disrespectful people who have no business being here. We JUST HAD A MEETING WHERE AT LEAST 5 PEOPLE SPOKE UP ABOUT CLEANING AFTER YOURSELF IN THE KITCHEN... and I heard that people went out drinking and left the kitchen a mess tonight. I hope Karma really does come and bite these people in a$$ one day. It's people like them I do not want to see make it in the JET Program. It's people like them who should not be here in the first place. If it was not already paid for, I'd be out of here.

OK, enough venting.

One more week down. I should write how difficult it is to apply for the JET Program while abroad. Not so easy. But I am almost done. I think the hardest part is the Statement of Purpose. I want this so bad, I want everything to be perfect. Thanks to all the awesome people who have read it, sometimes more than once haha.

Amazingly, I went into town the other day with Kanako and we went to reserve my dad's hotel and go to karaoke, then I asked her if she knew how to make gyudon. I bought the meat, but I did not know what else to do. She showed me in the supermarket a box, that contained a bag, that you boil in water, and WALAA you made gyudon. I was skeptic... but I made it last night. And it was GREAT! I'm bringing some home <3 I took leftovers in my plastic container today for lunch, but forgot something to eat it with, so I asked the people in the konbini for some chopsticks and they said I had to buy a bento or something to get them......... so I just bought McDs and ate my leftovers for dinner.

Yes, Yes, Yes :) No, No, No :(

Today was my rough schedule... I have a class at 10 am and a class at 2:30... LONG BREAK! So after Spoken Jap I took my make up quizzes and then ate lunch in the CIE lounge with Ash. I stayed around there doing my makeup/catch up work for Spoken Jap while hanging around with random people. At 2:30 was my Communication class where we played an awesome game... I would love to tell you all about it but I don't want to spoil the game for anyone. But basically I volunteered to try to communicate with people who did not speak my language and had a totally different culture than mine. I was to find out as much as I could about them. I was 1 of 5 and we all basically failed but I was sight chasing one guy around who would not communicate with me HAHA. I was so determined to get him to talk to me. I soon found out why he wouldn't. It was really interesting, I'm really starting to like this class. By the way the title of this blog goes with this little experiment.

After class I came back to the dorm to start dinner: mashed potatoes, yakitori, veggies, and Ash was making wings. I was making it for Kanako, my speaking partner. I found out why I struggle so much with peeling potatoes... I can't do it with my right hand... I have to do with my left. When I tried doing it with my right, I dropped the potato in the garbage. WOOPS. That's ok we had plenty of potatoes. So I cooked, luckily Ash got out of class early and got her wings done and we were done just in time for me to meet Kanako at the bus stop and get her to the dorm.

We ate in the lounge, one person commented that she wishes she were my speaking partner... Hiroki came in and I let him have some food... Eddy came in and told him that the food wasn't for him LOL. But Katie came in and ate some too. Ash and Katie and I heard some extra helped washed the dishes (I washed some while waiting for Kanako) and I washed the tables downstairs. Kanako and I and Ash hung out in the room for awhile. When I went downstairs to clean the table I asked Aki if she wanted to go to Hirakata with us to do Purikura and she couldn't but she wanted me to ask Hiroki so I asked him if he wanted to go and he did so about 10 minutes and fast costume change later we headed to Hirakata.

We did our Purikura, saw Kanako off, and went to Tsutaya to rent a horror movie. We didn't watch it tonight because someone wants to watch it and they aren't here right now. It was a good day :) Silver week has started which means NO SCHOOL FOR 5 DAYS! But I have plenty of work to do.

I have to learn to make Curry for Hiroki's bday. I'm cooking him dinner and he wants Curry... well I like curry :D Aki is going to teach me <3 yay!

Karaoke, Pookies, and Purikura!

So today after the house meeting the plan was for my speaking partner to come here to the dorm and I was thinking we could all go visit the shopping road together. Well plans changed because my roomie and I wanted to go to Karaoke today too. I asked Aki if there was a place nearby and she said not here but near Hirakata Station. I asked Kanako if she wanted to go, and she did, so instead we met her at the station. We ate McDs first then asked where a place was. Stupid enough, later, I found the directions and ad for the same place on the tissues I had in my purse. Well, at least we know for next time. The place was so crowded we actually had to wait 35 minutes. But we did karaoke for 1 hour, Ash's first time. It was great. I sung one of my new Crystal Kay songs :D They have a lot of Bonnie Pink songs at that place. We should do all night karaoke there, I can rock the house <3

Afterward, Kanako had to leave and it was just Ash and I. We decided to explorer because she wanted to look for a magazine and I wanted to just look around for deals. So we hit up Tsutaya and Book Off.



Book Off... under the train tracks.



Tsutaya is that way (you can see the sign)


Afterwards, I found my FAVORITE store in Osaka... KIDDY LAND!



This is like Pookie Paradise <3



I'm going to buy this bento as soon as I learn how to cook well enough for me to start taking bento school. Of course it won't be everyday, but enough where I don't have to eat school food. Too much McDs around here tempting me.




Me and my pookie bear... they have Peanuts stuff too! And Hello Kitty! And Cinnamoroll! That place is just awesome <3


So after my pookie overload, we take the bus back to the dorms. We were going to ask about the game center/purikura place in Makino (we asked in Tsutaya if there was a place near but she told us near Makino). On the way to Makino is the shopping streets I wanted to go so I thought, HEY LET'S GO! Unfortunately, it's Sunday and almost 6, so they are all closing...



Here is the bus stops at the station.

So after resting a bit at the dorm and me grabbing my map to make sure I go the right way, we head out once again... TO MAKINO! The shopping street is closed but when it is open I bet's awesome. I'll take pics next time we go back. Just nothing much to take pics of when it's all closed. Heading to Makino we learn that the supermarket over here is much closer than the other one... but it's not open 24 hours. We learn that on the way back. We walk, keep walking, and I see some fun looking buildings... CAN ONLY BE... pachinko -_- Stupid Pachinko (like gambling places). I swear for every one Pachinko place I see here, I can find 3 game centers in Tokyo. Osakans must love Pachinko.

And after crossing some railroad tracks I see more fun buildings! Yes, one is pachinko (this is pachinko 3 or 4 on this 20-25 minute walk). BUT! It is also bowling, karaoke, purikura, and game center :D I WIN! So we do purikura. We go into this fun booth with like monkey bars to hang on too... I choose 3 backgrounds and we take 3 pics... the first one is kinda obvious, the camera and screen is right in front of us so we line up... the second... I can hear a pic is about to be taken... but there is nothing on the screen... then I realize afterward that there are 3 camera, and this one was below the other and we were suppose to sit down... so we got a pic of our legs. The third was on the other wall so we move. Then we get 3 more backgrounds and I get to hang on the monkey bars :D That pic is my favorite. We hang around in the game center after decorating and printing them... i try the UFO Catcher (like claw machines back at home but this requires skill I do not have >.<) 3 times... losing 600 yen... before Ash pulls me away and we leave. Here is the place at night.



We walk back wanting to stop at the supermarket but it was closed.

So, without food, I decide when I get back, around 9 pm I was gonna eat me some ABCs and 123s. Seems like everyone is eat... Yuji and Aki are in there along with other dorm people. I felt like I've never seen half of them... ANYWAYS, I heat up my food and sit at my computer (and actually I was typing this blog). After finishing, I was separating the pieces of my container and Yuji asked what I was eating. I told him it was like spaghetti but it was shaped like ABCs and 123s (HENCE THE NAME!). He didn't quite understand so I went back up to my room and brought down the other one I have plus the ravioli one and show it to him. He says it looks good so I told him next time i eat it I'll share it with him.

He told me he was cooking rice. And it smells good. So I go and smell his rice LOL. It does. He grabs his chop sticks and tastes it. Then give me a taste. Tastes good. I told him I want him to teach me how to make Yuji Gohan ^.^ So he is going to teach me how to cook rice with a rice cooker :D I move his container of rice while he is washing his dishes (I enjoy watching a man do dishes LOL... or maybe I just enjoy watching him do dishes, I dunno). So he was surprised to see his rice gone but quickly found it. I go to the fridge and get a cookie, I offer him one... he asks why they are cold and while I keep them in the fridge... I don't really have a package for them and I don't want to leave them out in the open and also I don't want the humidity to get to them from the room, but they taste good cool from the fridge. He then begins to steal my rice crispy treats... Yuji likes my American food I guess? I give him a few.

He then goes to his fridge and mixes a drink for me that tastes like Sprite. So we share that for awhile before discussing our cleaning duties. Starting next week, me and another group led by Aki clean the kitchen everyday at 9pm. Then afterward we move to HAVE FUN, SENTO (like Sauna/Onsen), STUDY, and SLEEP! So I only have study everyday for a week once a month it seems... and I get to sleep for a week too?? Haha I just laughed at it. I'll take a pic of it one day.

So that was my day~ full of fun and laughs. Best day ever here thus far <3

Wees and Woes

Long Read but it spans over the past few days...

MUMBLING GAIJIN = ME
(Saturday)

So I woke up at about 8:00 I think from a text message and my phone going off. Soda Jerk and Genki emailed me. I played online, Skyped, and eventually decided to get ready and pack. I left 15 minutes early… good thing. I mean I’m sitting at Tokyo Station now 50 minutes early but if I had waited 15 more minutes than it would be 15 minutes more hotter outside. I took the walk from Erin’s place to Kasai Station by myself with all my luggage because Brad is jerk. I didn’t ask him to help me but he didn’t offer either. Jerk~

I really wanted a taxi… I guess it’s ok now that I’m here, I saved myself about 700 yen walking. It’s about a 15 minute walk normally… took me I think about 25-30 minutes. It’s funny though because the walk seemed to go by faster than usual. So I rode the Tozai train to Otemachi Station. Everyone who came across me in Otemachi thinks I’m a crazy mumbler. This is me walking to my Marunochi Transfer: “I hate this station, I hate this station, I hate this station WHERE’S THE ESCALATOR? I hate this station, I hate this station”.

I thought I was smart finding an elevator… me and my ideas. I had no clue what floor… I just assumed it was B2 because I think that was my only choice anyhow LOL. Not sure though. And I seemed to take a route I believe was different from yesterday but then again I don’t remember too much that had stairs… and no escalator. I eventually, one time, got some help taking my suitcase up some stairs… from an older lady. I thanked her graciously. I hate Otemachi Station more today than I did yesterday… only because I have a lot of luggage though.

So I take the Marunochi line to Tokyo station… one stop. Get to Tokyo station and go to the JR area. This is me in Tokyo Station : “I hate JR, I hate JR, I hate JR SUMIMASEN! I hate JR, I hate JR”. JR really is a pain though. The station was crowded, had to lug my luggage up a tiny staircase (after going up I found a ramp… stupid JR, I’m blaming JR for that). Yeah so people passing me are like “crazy gaijin talking to herself” but that’s ok.

I’m waiting for my train now in an AC’d area. The train before mine is sitting on the track. I’m sitting in front of car 11, I’m car 14. There’s suppose to be free wifi in here… but it’s all password protected. Can’t get on.

You know I really have amazed myself with how well I’ve done thus far traveling… airplanes, metros, JR, shinkansen… I’ve done pretty well finding my way. I dunno why I thought it was so hard last year but 1) my Japanese was not as good, and 2) I had people to lead me so I really didn’t have to try. I guess it’s survivor mode. You know I have a horrible sense of direction (that’s why I hate big stations like Otemachi) and can’t follow directions well. But I think I’ve done a really good job traveling alone.

Arrive in Kyoto in 3 hours.


SHINKANSEN WEEEEE!
(Still Saturday)

I mean there isn’t much to say. We only made a few stops. I managed to get on the right train, ride in the right car, and in the correct seat. My Japanese skills are awesome LOL. Or I’m just lucky. I wish I could have more types of luck besides Japanese skill. I sat my stuff down in the seat next to me hoping no one was going to sit there… accidently, I forgot about my bento that I bought. I am sure it was somewhat warm before… but after 2.5 hours on the train shinkansen, it got cold. I took a video on the train. My camera died. So I took it with my cell phone. 2.5 hours later I arrived at Kyoto Station, easily found my way to the exit with a guy holding a KANSAI GAIDAI sign and I guess being American and blonde he automatically assumed I was looking for him. I sat on a wall with some others for about 30 minutes.

My first impression of this area was not a good one… I went to the bathroom and low and behold there is NO TOILET PAPER! Something I have NEVER EVER experience in Japan. I mean, no paper towels, no big deal, BUT NO TOILET PAPER! Good thing I grab those tissues people hand out. So I was ok. But that’s when I was like “Ok, I’m ready to go back to Tokyo.” After sitting and waiting we get on a bus and drive 1 hour to Seminar House (from now will be abbreviated SH) 4 where the two people get off and we unload. It’s about a 5 minute walk to the other 3 dorms.

Everyone signs in at SH 2… which is my dorm. I think there is walkways that connect them all to SH 2 but I’m not 100% sure on that. So I get in, and slowly unpack. This day is a blur. I can’t remember what happened first. Genki, a Japanese student at the Uni, emailed me and we decided to meet up. So I asked someone downstairs how to get to the Uni. It’s really far and not really complicated… but me and my bad sense of direction in an unfamiliar area, I only walked 3 minutes before deciding I can’t do this without a map… I forgot my map…

So I try to tell Genki where I’m at and he finds the library that I stared at the whole time wondering if that’s the building that I turn at and I meet him there. He’s super nice. We walked to the Uni, he showed me around a bit and then we hopped on a bus to Hirakata City. Pet Peeve about this place… there is NOTHING near the dorms to do. In fact to go shopping just at a konbini or supermarket it’s a 30 minute walk. Yeah, I miss Tokyo. I can take the bus… but that’s 220 yen no matter how far I go. Really sucks. I may have to get a bike and some elbow pads/knee pads/helmet/bubble wrap.

Anyways… yeah… Genki and I go to Hirakata and we were going to go to his favorite little restaurant but there is some sort of party and we can’t get in so we go to Starbucks. I try to avoid Starbucks in the US because 1) expensive, 2) the dairy in my fave drink makes me sick… yeah I know that never really stops me… and 3) I don’t want to get addicted. In Japan they don’t have my favorite drink (Double Chocolate chip Frap for those who don’t know). So I tell Genki I don’t want anything, he offers to buy, but I tell him it’s ok… he still bring me back a Java Frap. Not that bad actually but too much of a coffee taste. If I really need to pull an all nighter I’ll grab one. We go to the rental store and look around. We came back to the dorm and hung out for a bit… don’t worry guys, no boys aloud on my floor (except for the RA, who is usually accompanied by the female RA, and Otoosan). Actually guests can only enter the lounge. So we sat around and then he left because he had plans. I hung around, my temporary roomie came, stuff happened, I realized before going out with Genki that I left my camera charger at Jun’s house in Yokohama.
We went to sleep, and she woke up really early… when I woke up, we were talking about how Japan is the land of the early rising sun which woke her up… I looked at the window to see if I could hang up a curtain…and saw the shade that I can pull down. Which we did the next night.


KYOTO TRIP
(Sunday)

The next morning (the same one that I ended off with) my roomie and I hung around until 10:30 or so before going off. First stop was the clothing store (for fun) then supermarket, then a konbini, then 99 yen store, then a konbini again. At this time we I have a bag with my new shirt and socks (that say HOT AND SPECIAL BOYS lol) and we have a bag full of food and a giant water bottle. We walk to the school, walk around, past the tennis courts where some guys are playing and I holler at them and they holler at me at get hit by balls because he wasn’t paying attention haha… we go to the East Gate which is closed and walk back and sit down and watch the tennis guys. Before leaving I yell at them in Japanese “Good luck” and the guy yells back “THANK YOU” in English lol. The number of students who can speak English here disgusts me. I really regret not staying at Sophia for the Fall but it woulda really messed up my graduation.

We get back and I’m SO tired, it’s so hot and so much walking… I was suppose to meet my Speak Partner, Kanako, at the school at 3… and it’s already 1. I really really didn’t want to walk back to the school so I email her and ask if she can meet me elsewhere… like the clothes store in front of the bus stop. She kindly does. We go to Kyoto together and meet her sister. It’s like 340 yen I think one way to Kyoto… I think Osaka is more expensive than Tokyo. It’s going to be a long semester of whining from me.

We meet her younger sister, and we walk around in Kyoto, looking at store, shopping around… I didn’t buy anything. Afterward we went to Karaoke for an hour. Then headed back. Kanako took me to the bus stop and explained the bus system to me. The difference between buses and trains is that the trains usually provide English info, buses, not really, even in Tokyo, which is why I avoid them. I basically know how to check the time and to get on bus 12 or 13 and to push the button after we pull away from the stop before mine. I remember the kanjis for the one before mine.


L.L. ORIENTATION
(Monday)

L.L. = Language Lab which most likely I will use heavily because of my level. Easy enough. Seems like fun. We can listen and record our voices, and save it and bring it home to do and submit homework through the LL. After that I went down to the office to deal with my insurance and turn in papers and get my other suitcase. I was in a pretty bad mood today, PMS, tired, moody… blah. I came back to the dorm via bus (because of the suitcase, not my mood) and unpacked before sleeping for a couple hours. I then began studying for Japanese while eating my secret snack stash (no dining in the rooms). Around 5:15ish my roomie got back and I invited her to go Hirakata with me for dinner but she declined… that’s fine though. I waited awhile in case the other roomie, the one I will actually be with all semester, showed up, but she didn’t so I went on alone.

I took the bus, carefully, making sure I get on the right one. I did fine. This whole trip I was texting people. The bus go to Hirakata and honestly thought I was lost. My Japanese isn’t that bad, I know the next stop was Hirakata (OH, by the way, when the bus stops at Kansai Gaidai, it says in English that the next stop is that… that’s the only English you hear LOL). I walk around and find BOOK OFF and McDs and Kentucky. Ok that works. I go to Book Off. I love Book Off. I try to find a CD or DVD (something cheap because I don’t have much money on me) to cheer me up. I look around. This store just happens to be under the railway station which I didn’t realize… but when I hear d the “RRRRR” I was thinking “OMG EARTHQUAKE”… hehe false alarm. I spend about 30 minutes looking before settling on Yuna Ito’s Endless Story Single… 105 yen. CHEAP :D

I go to McDs after that. For some reason I couldn’t get any water. That’s ok. I studied. I texted Erin when I came across Genki (this is the name of my textbook, also the name of my Japanese friend, also is how you ask someone “how are you” and you reply “fine” with the same word “Genki?” “Un, genkidayo”)… when I came across Genki acknowledging how mean Mary is to poor Takeshi-san. “Takeshi is often laughed at by Mary”… Takeshi is also felt up by an old man on the train… and rips his pants and Mary laughs at him… poor Takeshi. And he’s probably still waiting for Mary to come back to Japan after she graduates… ANYWAYS…

I came back and my roomie is a little under the weather and wearing a mask. I’m not too worried. It’s about that time for me to start feeling like crap, too. Around 8-9ish, my other roomie comes. Ash from England. Ash her nickname. The other is Jessica btw. She is homestay and is leaving this weekend. We talk… blah blah nothing much really happens.

I’ve turned into bit of a nightowl. I should sleep. Now. Gnight.


TEST OF DOOOOOOM
(Tuesday)

Another crappy feeling day. Yay for being a girl.

Today was my Japanese placement test. Before, I stopped and had my computer registered for LAN and WIFI access. For some reason I can only access some sites with IE... GRR. If this doesn't correct itself tomorrow (they kept claiming I could not access stuff til after tonight so I don't know) I guess I'll be using IE and Firefox. No need to toture myself too much with IE... it's only a few webpages I hardly access. One include my UWF email though.

Anyways, lucky people who haven't studied Japanese got to fill out one form and leave. The unlucky ones who got to take the test... well... I'm sure some of us felt pain in our booties. The Listening and Comprehensino was a pain. My listening is fine... when I'm face to face with someone. But I find those CDs or tracks or whatever are more difficult because I don't even know what the situation is before listening. I'm just listening. Kinda hard to explain... it's just easier to listen AND comprehend when I know what the situation is. After that was the writing test to test our knowledge of writing hiragana, katakana, and some sentence translations. That test made me feel smart. The last part was grammar. I zoomed past part A and B... C gave me trouble, I read through D and decided to not try it. The optional part was the kanji test for the Reading and Writing Japanese class which I will take. I got about half way on both parts before hitting hard kanjis.

I'm anxious to see my placement.

After that I walked around campus before feeling moody and returned to the dorm. I continued to be moody and eventually took a nap before heading off with Jess to help her get medicine at the medicine store and going to get her laptop registered. I checked my mailbox and found my paper saying I have a large box waiting for my pickup. I get it... YAY FOOD! and we get dinner and take the bus back.

My eyes lit up when I saw all that food. I can't wait to make Mac and Cheese :) YAY! I met up with Danielle and talked to her... she cheered me up. Hard to be cheery when I'm moody. I was thinking all day today if it was too late to transfer to Sophia for the Fall. Hopefully things work out here soon. It's just my mood I'm sure. Sucks for KGU's first impression to be bad because I'm moody.

This weeks blond moment... because I was sure I was going to hang my clothes to dry to save money, I decided on softner... thinking it is soap too when I wash clothes... yeah wrong. Blond. My pants get really rough when I wash them and hang dry them... so I had to do laundry today... and I decided I'd dry them in the dryer so I know they are dry for tomorrow... 40 minutes and they are worse than the hotel's dryer. I don't think they dried at all. They are hanging on the balcony now.

No pics right now but I'll make a big huge crash your internet picture entry soon enough.

Busy day tomorrow. I should sleep.

Speaking Partner!

Nothing big happened in school today... got both my 2nd Japanese test and midterm for history back today. Passed both :D I coulda swore my paper was due today but it is due tomorrow and I have another one due Thursday -_- I wish we could like drop one of those grades...... I can't wait for this class to be OVER! Japanese can keep going.... but history BLAH!

After class I met Tara in the library, we were going to look over our history papers together. Nothing much to say. But while checking my email to get my paper, I noticed Kansai Gaidai had emailed my Speaking Partner information :D Basically, it's some who I can practice Japanese with and show me around and I can help with English and what not. My partner is Kanako. About my age. Super cute. I emailed her (in Japanese ^.^) and she emailed back with a pic and I sent her one back. Seems like we have a lot in common.

I kinda have a to-do list of things I wanna do before leaving. I wanna go to Ueno Zoo and the aquarium and planetarium and still wanna see Harry Potter. I wanna go to Tokyo Disney and Tokyo Sea too. ANYWAYS! Short entry.