Japan Update!

Japan Update!

So this week has certainly been a busy week for me! Last Saturday and Sunday, I stayed with another host family (just for the weekend) and enjoyed the Kanuma Harvest Festival that was going on. It was definitely a lot of fun! Saturday, the other two AFSers in my area and I met our host families for the weekends and went to the festival later that evening. On Sunday, my host family took me to a Japanese amusement park before meeting up again with the other AFSers and their families to enjoy the second day of the festival. Also on Sunday, the other AFSers and I got to be in the parade and helped pull one of the large floats! It was very hard work, but absolutely thrilling. The next day, Monday (we didn't have school because of the national holiday), we left our host families and headed to a bit outside of Utsunomiya to help harvest rice. That was also a lot of fun! It wasn't as hard as I had imagined, but it definitely wasn't easy! On Wednesday, we had a massive typhoon which delayed my school until after 1pm. Everything was alright though, and it wasn't all that bad. Thursday (my school didn't have school Thursday and Friday), my host mother and other host sister took me to the Nikko Festival held at the Toshogu shrine. It was completely different from the one held in Kanuma! But at both, I enjoyed myself. It's been a busy week so far, and next week will be even busier! 

Next Week?

This upcoming week, the other two AFSers and I are switching schools and going to the Kanagawa prefecture for one week. We all leave tomorrow morning to take the train together, and we won't be returning until next Sunday. I'm looking very forward to seeing how this school differs from the one I go to now. I know it will be a lot of fun, especially going to the same school as the other exchange students!

Pictures!

Toshogu Shrine

 Tochigi Ken Boys' School Festival

 Highway Truck Stop 

 Fukushima Art Museum

 Shaved Ice

 Ice Cream Shop Poster

 River

 Ice Bucks Hockey Game

Moving Day

Moving Day

Today was moving day for me. I spent the first half of my morning with my first host family, which was very nice. My host sister and I went to a festival in Utsunomiya, then went shopping in central Utsunomiya. I had a lot of fun and took a ton of pictures! And even bought two new shirts. Afterwards, we headed back home where I had a last cup of tea with my host mother and sister. Then, it was off to my new host family's house. 

My new host family is very large and very kind. I have a host sister, brother-in-law, nephew, mother, and father, and they're all very wonderful. They don't speak much English (only a few words here and there), but that's quite alright. Their house is a bit far away from my school, so I will have to take a bike, a train, and then walk to school everyday from now on. I don't think it will be all that bad, even in the winter. Oh, and before I forget, I live on a Lilly farm. It's very wide and spacious and absolutely beautiful. 

It's definitely a change from my first host family, but nothing I can't get use to! 

New Host Sister!

New Host Sister!

I finally got to meet my other host sister. My host parents, host sister (the one who lives at home), and I went do to Tokyo on Saturday to watch my other host sister graduate from college. It was very lovely meeting her and watching her graduate. It was also very interesting to see a Japanese graduation ceremony. It was mainly the same as an American graduation ceremony, only a lot smaller and more bowing. After the ceremony, my host family, except for my new host sister, and I went to this nearby Indian festival. It was definitely a lot of fun. I even bought a new dress there. I didn't get to explore Tokyo all that much, but it surely was a gorgeous sight to see, and I definitely want to go back! I can't believe that I've been here an entire month already; it only feels like a few days! 

One Month Now

One Month Now!

I've been in Japan for about a month now, and I still can't believe I'm living this dream. I've been having a great time here and am so excited I got to come. In the past week, on Friday, my host parents and I went to a see a local concert. It was very fun, and I even got a CD from it. It was just two locals playing, but I still had fun. Saturday I got to go to my first street festival. It was very small, but it was definitely a blast. I've been enjoying my time spent in Japan and all the fun things I've done so far. I'm very excited to see what next week (and the week after that and after that) has in store for me. 

More Japan!

More Japan!

Oh goodness, Japan has just been absolutely fabulous; I`m enjoying ever moment here. Thursday, my school had their annual Sports Day (a day where all the students participate in sports during the school day), and I still can`t understand why American schools don`t have one. It was absolutely fantastic. All during the school day, I got to play sports and hang out with my friends. It was supremely terrific. On Saturday, my host mother and sister and I went shopping, and I bought my first new outfit in Japan. Afterwards, we met up with my host father and went to an ice hockey game. It was the Tochigi Icebucks against a Korean team. Unforunately, our team didn't win, but I had fun nonetheless. And today, AFS (my exchange program) had a party to welcome me to Japan. It was also very exciting. I gave a presentation about America and got to meet the other AFS exchange students that are doing the year-long program. Afterwards, my host mother and I went to this very large mall near Utsunomiya, and I got two very pretty dresses there. Afterwards, we came home for a little bit before leaving for the grocery store. There, we bought all the necessary items to make my real father's very delicious chili. And now, I get to make it for them (with the help of my Okasan (host mother)). It has definitely been a terrific week in Japan. And I know there will be plenty more for me to see and do during my stay!

JAPAN!!

Japan!

Oh goodness, what a crazy two weeks it has been. I arrived safely into the Narita airport on the 23rd of August and have been living it up ever since. The day after arrival, I had a very long, one day orientation explaining about the program and Japan as a whole. The day after THAT, I met my host family. My host sister and host mother picked me up at the train station and took me to their lovely home. On the way, we stopped at this amazing Japanese resturant where (for my first real meal in Japan) I got my favorite Japanese food: tempura. After meeting my family, I started school the very next day. And man, was that an adjustment.

Not only was it my first time EVER wearing a uniform, but it was my first time ever being a new student. I guess being foreign makes everything just a little bit better. Besides the craziness of not knowing the daily routine and everyone being overwhelmed by my blonde hair, it wasn't half bad. Everyone at my school (teachers and students) are extremely nice and helpful when I don't understand.

Besides the normal routine of school and host home, I've been to a lot of other places already! Last Saturday, I went to the Tochigi Boys' School Festival (in Shin-tochigi); last Sunday, my host mother took me to the Toshogu Shrine in Nikko city; and today, my host family took me to the Fukushima Museum of Art.

Minus all the new places, I've got to experience a lot, too. On Wednesday, I experienced my first ever earthquake. It was pretty different from Indiana (where the ground never shakes!), but at least no one got hurt. I've even made my first new friends within my first week of school.

With everything I've seen and experienced already in my first two weeks, I can tell you right now that I'm overly thrilled with my choice to study in Japan.