Woooow, so a little after a year of leaving Japan I am back again for a (way too short) two week vacation. I figured bring this blog back alive for the two weeks to log what i've been up to was appropriate. So here goes!
Tuesday 7/26 - Wednesday 7/27
I only slept just over 3 hours before getting up to go to the airport. I had to get there excessively early, and then there were no lines anywhere in the whole international terminal. It was really weird, complete 180 from the southwest terminal. I ate a quick breakfast then went to my gate and went to sleep. The plane ride was uneventful. I slept, ate, slept summore. Then I couldn't sleep, so I watched three movies (Battle LA, Paul, Limitless), all surprisingly good. Once I landed in Japan I was on my own for the first time to get myself to Tokyo. For a good hour after I got on the train I was worried that I was on the wrong one, even though I knew I was on the right one, lol. At the Ikebukuro station I met Asuka. Asuka was the first friend I made in Japan, and we have stayed close all this time. She brought me to her home where I was reunited with her mother and little brother. After a nice dinner and a quick shower, it was off to sleep for me. I had been sleeping a lot... but when you are on a plane for 11 hours and a train for another 2, and when you left one place on a Tuesday morning and arrive in another on a Wednesday afternoon, you tend to be pretty jet-lagged.
Thursday 7/28
Asuka and her mother had to work, so it was me and little brother Daichi for the day! Daichi studies English, but is really shy, so we only conversed in Japanese. Apparently I haven't forgotten as much as I thought I had. The studying before I came here def helped. Daichi and I had gyudon (grilled beef over rice) for lunch Its simple, but a staple, and a fav of mine that I have really missed. Then we went and saw the latest Miyazaki movie. Considering his last one hasn't even come to America yet, I was really excited to see it! I loved it, it was super cute, and I was able to understand what was going on with minimal difficulty. Between lunch and the movie, Daichi and I had a lot of time to kill, so we wandered around a small book shop. Small talk is awkward with a shy boy who only speaks a language you are studying. And did I mention he is a 16 year old High School student whose mom made him take me to the movie? Haha, poor kid!
After the movie, I left Daichi and went to shinjuku to meet up with Haga and the rest of the Kioi circle (Sophia's GSA) that I was a part of last year. It was great to get to see everyone again! There English was better, and my Japanese is apparently better, so communicating was a LOT easier. We ate dinner at Sweets Paradise, an all you can eat pasta and dessert bar. Delicious! Then we went out for drinks. I missed those guys, it was great fun!
Friday 7/29
Asuka and I went to Sophia because she had a paper to turn in. I was really nice to see my old school once again. I was nostalgia-ing all over the place! We also had lunch at my favorite Indian place, Mumbia. I used to go there almost weekly. It tasted even better than I remembered. We pretty much ate ourselves silly, haha. After that we headed to Harajuku for a little window shopping. After that we went to Meiji temple. I had always seen the entrance for it, but had never gone. It was beautiful! They planted a forest in the middle of the city, and the further you go in, the harder it is to remember that you are even in a city at all. After harajuku we headed over to Tokyo Tower. We went all the way to the top and the view was amazing! Pictures will come later (after I get back to LA). We then headed to Shin Okubo which is Korea Town. I wanted to find a poster of the boy band MBLAQ, but everywhere was sold out of them! I tried like.... 7 places. Wth? Eventually Yumi (asuka's mom) and Daichi joined us and we all had Korean BBQ for dinner. Once we get back home, I meet Hiroki, asuka's dad who had just returned from a business trip in southern Japan.
Saturday 7/30
We all wake up super early and load into the family van. Then we go and pick up grandma and grandpa, then the Sunouchi family (plus one) are off to Mt. Fuji!Us kids pretty much slept the entire way there. When we were close, we stopped for lunch at a popular local resteraunt and had some sort of hot pot dish... it was delicious, whatever it was. No longer in Tokyo, my presence everywhere garnered a lot of attention. Gotta get used to that again... After lunch we drove up onto the mountain and went as high as cars are allowed to go. There was a pretty shrine that was supposed to have an amazing view, but since the weekend was annoyingly rainy, it was too cloudy to see very far. We were, however, high enough to be above the rain cloud line. So as we looked down the mountain we could only see so far before it all turned a light gray. I commented that it looked like the edge of the world, and Yumi agreed. Asuka and I then began our hike up the mountain. Unfortunately an incoming storm made us turn back after a while, so that we could return to the car before getting rained on. We then all went to the hotel. It wasnt that late, but it was raining super heard so we stayed in for the evening. We played a little ping pong, tried out the bath house, and played cards as a family while watching TV. Dinner was also in there somewhere...
Sunday 7/31
Yesterday we woke up early for a nice breakfast, then packed our bags and headed out. We went to the Kawaguchi Musical Garden. It was at the base of the mountain, and gorgeous! The garden/museum thing featured a lot of self playing music boxes ranging from one that was the size of the entire room to one that was 500 years old, to one that had actual violins hooked up to it, to the small normal ones in the gift shop. It was surprisingly fun. And Hiro-kun is such a goof-ball, he can make any situation pretty funny. Apparently the city at the base of Mt. Fuji where we were is famous for peaches, so we stopped at a peach stand by the side of the road and had some. They were HUGE and pretty darn good. After that we all slept as we made the long drive back to Tokyo. We had Okonomiyaki for lunch and then Yumi and I bought a few desserts for the family. Back at grandma and grandpa's place we ate more peaches with dessert and coffee/tea. Then it was back home finally.
That brings us to today where for the 5th day in a row I am awake around 7am. I swear as soon as I am on a normal sleep schedule, I am going to have to leave! The plan for today is to go visit my old home in Nishi Kwaguchi, and possibly some Karaoke with Diachi.
Ja, matta ne!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Monday, July 5, 2010
Picture Time!!! - Part 8
My friends and I had a beach trip in Odaiba. The beach was filthy, but we had a lot of fun. We ate delicious Mexican food! And saw the Japanese statue of liberty!
Here we are on the Tower of Terror at Tokyo Disney Sea. Note that Yong has his face buried in my shoulder while he screams. Good times! Disneyland in Japan is amazing!
I threw a surprise party for my friend Yong's 20th b-day. We went to Red Lobster for a fantastic 9 course meal!!! Look at how full and happy we are, lol.
My besties and I!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Success!!!
So many good things have happened since I last updated... where to begin...
The week before last week's Wednesday Yong and I met with an activist and scholar here in Tokyo who introduced us to all of his friends. Can you say connections?! That was kind of an amazing night, we left there so informed and so elated! Then we ate burger king which is sinfully good here, and my favorite guilty pleasure in Japan...
The week before last week's Thursday was cRAZY. I'm walking to the train station around 8am with Yong and we see Anna heading in the opposite direction. Turns out the Keihin-Tohoku line (the one I take to school and the only one at my local station) was stopped completely because someone jumped onto the tracks about three stations away. If you remember from one of my previous entires, this is actually a pretty common tragedy in Japan. And its really annoying. I was waiting at the train station for about an hour and 15min before I finally got on an actual train. By that time, school had already started, and I have an hour commute. I have to give mad props to the Japanese people, however. They stood there patiently waiting. Everyone was going to be late for school and work, and yet the stood there, in perfectly formed lines, without any sort of guidance. In america there would have been rioting, complaining, yelling, pushing, and fighting to say the least. I ended up making it to like, the last 30min of my first period, which is full of people who live in the same dorm as me... so it was mostly empty. Most people didn't even bother to go to school that day.
Then last week's Friday me and all my friends hit up the mall for sushi and a mini shopping spree. I got all the accessories I need for my concert for like... $17. That was super fun! Then we went to a cafe that we are pretty sure had never had foreigners in it before... The waiter stared at us like we had antennae sticking out of our ears. It was a bit awkward, but pleasant once we finally got settled...
Just this last weekend a few of my friends and I hit up the beach in Odaiba. I think the best part was that we got to eat at an all you can eat Mexican food place. I have missed Mexican food SO MUCH since I have been here. It was amazing. And delicious. We ate ourselves silly and then passed out on the beach. We also played a lot of cards and Frisbee to pass the time. Beach going in Japan is a lot different though... most people were fully clothed and barely went near the water... Ah well.
That night Yong and I met up with some other friends at a club for nomi-hodai (all you can drink). I made a lot of new friends that night... there was a crazy chain of friends of friends of friends who brought friends. Haha. Good times though! It kinda funny how I can meet someone from a different country and our mutual language is Japanese. Though everyone knows at least a little English... America fails at languages.
This week my friends and I checked out a new place for lunch. Once again I ended up eating myself stupid. So much delicious food. Japan loves to have tabe-hodai (all you can eat) specials during lunch. ALL restaurants do it. Its a beautiful thing for a college student on a budget, haha.
On Tuesday I had a job interview with the Tokyo Global Society. The woman who interviewed me loved me! So not only did I get a job where I get to work with kids and teach them English. But I think I will also be making a lot of really beneficial connections here. Networking is fun!
This weekend I have choir activities alllllll day on Saturday (11:30am - 8pm ish). The concert is coming quick! I am excited, but a little sad because once its over, there are no more practices. But I already have plans with some to go and hang out, so thats good!
Well... thats all for now. More pictures later!
Ja! Matta!
The week before last week's Wednesday Yong and I met with an activist and scholar here in Tokyo who introduced us to all of his friends. Can you say connections?! That was kind of an amazing night, we left there so informed and so elated! Then we ate burger king which is sinfully good here, and my favorite guilty pleasure in Japan...
The week before last week's Thursday was cRAZY. I'm walking to the train station around 8am with Yong and we see Anna heading in the opposite direction. Turns out the Keihin-Tohoku line (the one I take to school and the only one at my local station) was stopped completely because someone jumped onto the tracks about three stations away. If you remember from one of my previous entires, this is actually a pretty common tragedy in Japan. And its really annoying. I was waiting at the train station for about an hour and 15min before I finally got on an actual train. By that time, school had already started, and I have an hour commute. I have to give mad props to the Japanese people, however. They stood there patiently waiting. Everyone was going to be late for school and work, and yet the stood there, in perfectly formed lines, without any sort of guidance. In america there would have been rioting, complaining, yelling, pushing, and fighting to say the least. I ended up making it to like, the last 30min of my first period, which is full of people who live in the same dorm as me... so it was mostly empty. Most people didn't even bother to go to school that day.
Then last week's Friday me and all my friends hit up the mall for sushi and a mini shopping spree. I got all the accessories I need for my concert for like... $17. That was super fun! Then we went to a cafe that we are pretty sure had never had foreigners in it before... The waiter stared at us like we had antennae sticking out of our ears. It was a bit awkward, but pleasant once we finally got settled...
Just this last weekend a few of my friends and I hit up the beach in Odaiba. I think the best part was that we got to eat at an all you can eat Mexican food place. I have missed Mexican food SO MUCH since I have been here. It was amazing. And delicious. We ate ourselves silly and then passed out on the beach. We also played a lot of cards and Frisbee to pass the time. Beach going in Japan is a lot different though... most people were fully clothed and barely went near the water... Ah well.
That night Yong and I met up with some other friends at a club for nomi-hodai (all you can drink). I made a lot of new friends that night... there was a crazy chain of friends of friends of friends who brought friends. Haha. Good times though! It kinda funny how I can meet someone from a different country and our mutual language is Japanese. Though everyone knows at least a little English... America fails at languages.
This week my friends and I checked out a new place for lunch. Once again I ended up eating myself stupid. So much delicious food. Japan loves to have tabe-hodai (all you can eat) specials during lunch. ALL restaurants do it. Its a beautiful thing for a college student on a budget, haha.
On Tuesday I had a job interview with the Tokyo Global Society. The woman who interviewed me loved me! So not only did I get a job where I get to work with kids and teach them English. But I think I will also be making a lot of really beneficial connections here. Networking is fun!
This weekend I have choir activities alllllll day on Saturday (11:30am - 8pm ish). The concert is coming quick! I am excited, but a little sad because once its over, there are no more practices. But I already have plans with some to go and hang out, so thats good!
Well... thats all for now. More pictures later!
Ja! Matta!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Picture Time!!! - Part 7
Don't forget to check out the update below first, so you know what these pictures are from!
Dinner with the SAfro FAmily altos! A night all in Japanese.
Me singing a small preview concert with just over half of the choir... I'm easy to find, huh?
Me with Shawn and Alexis when they visited me in Japan!
The Tuesday night bar-hopping gang! We were all paired up too!
Building epicness at the toy store...
Izumi Sensei!!! As cute as ever!
I should probably update this thing...
Oh! Sorry, it's been a while, huh?
Honestly, I don't have too much to say... school is school, choir is choir, and weekends are fun. Since I last updated I have sang three solos in choir practice... two of which we awesome and one of which was fail. But I've started to make more friends in the club. I went out to eat with all the Alto's one night and spent the entire evening conversing almost solely in Japanese. It was hard, but its good to know that I can do it!
What else.... Oh! I got to meet up with my Japanese teacher from high school, Izumi Sensei. The woman who taught me the foundation of my Japanese and first took me to Japan exactly four years ago. We went for Thai food (yum!) and coffee. Despite the slight rain, it was a pleasant time out... I hope I get to see her again before I leave...
I was also visited by two friends of mine who just graduated from LMU. I spend the day shopping in Harajuku with them, and then we went bar hopping (on a Tuesday night (>_<) ) in Shinjuku. It was really fun! I think they really enjoyed themselves, which is nice. Its fun to have people visit!
In the social circle that I am in, me and my friend Yong have been interviewing some of the Japanese members about the differences between our cultures. Last weeks interview of the club president and his friend was a riot and a half! We barely understood each other, but we were laughing so hard we cried. That was super fun!
I think that that is about it... Oh! I sang in a preview concert with the Safro Family choir (that's the name of the choir that I am in) last Thursday. That was super fun! Its gotten me really excited for the big concert in July (only a month away!!!). I am also planning on going to karaoke with a bunch of safro people sometime soon... that should be all kinds of entertaining!
Okay.. that's all for now. I am going to go study for midterms. Class is so easy here, but midterms are going to be impossible!!! I can only image how badly I'll die for finals...
Ja! Matta ne!
Honestly, I don't have too much to say... school is school, choir is choir, and weekends are fun. Since I last updated I have sang three solos in choir practice... two of which we awesome and one of which was fail. But I've started to make more friends in the club. I went out to eat with all the Alto's one night and spent the entire evening conversing almost solely in Japanese. It was hard, but its good to know that I can do it!
What else.... Oh! I got to meet up with my Japanese teacher from high school, Izumi Sensei. The woman who taught me the foundation of my Japanese and first took me to Japan exactly four years ago. We went for Thai food (yum!) and coffee. Despite the slight rain, it was a pleasant time out... I hope I get to see her again before I leave...
I was also visited by two friends of mine who just graduated from LMU. I spend the day shopping in Harajuku with them, and then we went bar hopping (on a Tuesday night (>_<) ) in Shinjuku. It was really fun! I think they really enjoyed themselves, which is nice. Its fun to have people visit!
In the social circle that I am in, me and my friend Yong have been interviewing some of the Japanese members about the differences between our cultures. Last weeks interview of the club president and his friend was a riot and a half! We barely understood each other, but we were laughing so hard we cried. That was super fun!
I think that that is about it... Oh! I sang in a preview concert with the Safro Family choir (that's the name of the choir that I am in) last Thursday. That was super fun! Its gotten me really excited for the big concert in July (only a month away!!!). I am also planning on going to karaoke with a bunch of safro people sometime soon... that should be all kinds of entertaining!
Okay.. that's all for now. I am going to go study for midterms. Class is so easy here, but midterms are going to be impossible!!! I can only image how badly I'll die for finals...
Ja! Matta ne!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Picture Time!!! - Part 6
Kyoto Pictures!!!
In Nara, there is a park where Deer will come up to you for food. You can pet them, and they bow to you. Its really fun, unless a lot of them are hungry, then you gotta watch your back!
Todaiji temple, in Nara. Big, and beautiful. My favorite...
The Buddah in Todaiji temple. This picture does not demonstrate how huge that thing really is. Remember his ear is bigger than you...
Its said that if you can make it through the hole in this pillar (the same size as the pupil of the Buddah's eye), you will be prosperous in life. I didn't fit (stupid boobs), so I ended up buying a good luck charm to offset the bad luck...
Me at the silver pavilion, ginkakuji
The Wabisabi of ginkakuji
Ninja cafe! I couldn't get a picture with the real ninja... they were too fast, it came out blurry.
Outside the door to our youth hostel.
kinkakuji, the golden pavilion!
Asuka and I in the mountains.
I found about a million tanuki in kyoto. They are good luck charms! And adorably creepy.
Kiyomizudea temple!
Being in kyoto makes you feel like you've been transported to the past...
Well, that's it for now! Vblog to come... eventually about what I have been up to lately. Thanks for reading... I'm off to go do homework.. maybe... probably... hopefully...
ja! matta!
Friday, May 14, 2010
So last weekend I went to Kyoto...
Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan. Its where the old imperial palace is, and its full of shrines and temples that are thousands of years old. Its probably the most historically/culturally rich place in Japan and I saw it all in two days...
Asuka and her friend Noel planned the whole thing. Yulia, Kerry and I just came along. We took the night bus from Shinjuku station at about midnight and slept the whole trip there. It was just under seven hours. When we got there we changed in the train station bathroom (super classy, I know) and then ate a quick breakfast at McDonalds.
Then the real fun began. I met up with my friend Leah from High School back in KC and we all went to Nara to visit todaiji temple. Todaiji temple is located at the back of this long park that is full of deer. Tame deer that will bow to you in order to get food. They are adorable! And aggressive... haha. Todaiji temple in its self is breathtaking. It has a gigantic Buddha who's ear is 50% bigger than I am. His EAR.
We went to a few other places in Nara and even ate lunch there. Then we headed back to Kyoto station and took a bus to ginkakuji (the silver pavilion). The was what the Japanese call wabisabi, which means simple beauty. After that we met up with my friend Travis from LMU and some of his friends and went out to eat at a ninja cafe. It was tabehodai (all you can eat) and half of it was sweets. Oh... and it was ninja themed! Kinda awesome. Very delicious. After that we headed to our hostel for the night.
The hostel was nice. Very traditionally Japanese. We meet some nice buisness men on a vacation there. One of them had been a missionary in Uganda and told me that he felt very close to me and wanted to be friends because.... well, I'm black. Awkward.... but he meant well, haha.
The next morning we were up bright and early and headed for kinkakuji (the golden pavilion) which is REALLY gold, and really shiny... Its pretty, but I much more prefer the wabisabi of the silver pavilion. Kyoto is very close to rural Japan. So we took a train ride to arashiyama, which is this beautiful countryside mountain town. We took a scenic train ride through the mountains. It was breathtaking. My pictures do not do it justice. Then we walked down the mountain through a bamboo forest. Gorgeous. We stopped at a really nice temple too, on the way down.
After all that excitement in arashiyama, we ate lunch and then returned to Kyoto. There we went to kiyomizudera. The most beautifully scenic temple in Kyoto. After we wandered around that for a while, we went and got dinner. Then it was almost time to go home, but not before going to an onsen! Onsen is a traditional public bathhouse. We found a nice one near by kyomizudera (which is also where our hostel was). It was very relaxing. My favorite bath was dark green because it was full of tea. There was one that was slightly electrocuted... but we agreed that apparently only old women can get in that one...
Then we took the night bus back and arrived in Tokyo on Monday morning at like... 6:30. Kerry and I did homework in a KFC for over an hour while waiting for school to open. Then I went to a full day of school and choir practice and didn't get home again until 9:30ish on Monday night. I was tired and sore all this week, but it was so worth it!
Pictures and an update about my week to come later...
matta, ne!
Asuka and her friend Noel planned the whole thing. Yulia, Kerry and I just came along. We took the night bus from Shinjuku station at about midnight and slept the whole trip there. It was just under seven hours. When we got there we changed in the train station bathroom (super classy, I know) and then ate a quick breakfast at McDonalds.
Then the real fun began. I met up with my friend Leah from High School back in KC and we all went to Nara to visit todaiji temple. Todaiji temple is located at the back of this long park that is full of deer. Tame deer that will bow to you in order to get food. They are adorable! And aggressive... haha. Todaiji temple in its self is breathtaking. It has a gigantic Buddha who's ear is 50% bigger than I am. His EAR.
We went to a few other places in Nara and even ate lunch there. Then we headed back to Kyoto station and took a bus to ginkakuji (the silver pavilion). The was what the Japanese call wabisabi, which means simple beauty. After that we met up with my friend Travis from LMU and some of his friends and went out to eat at a ninja cafe. It was tabehodai (all you can eat) and half of it was sweets. Oh... and it was ninja themed! Kinda awesome. Very delicious. After that we headed to our hostel for the night.
The hostel was nice. Very traditionally Japanese. We meet some nice buisness men on a vacation there. One of them had been a missionary in Uganda and told me that he felt very close to me and wanted to be friends because.... well, I'm black. Awkward.... but he meant well, haha.
The next morning we were up bright and early and headed for kinkakuji (the golden pavilion) which is REALLY gold, and really shiny... Its pretty, but I much more prefer the wabisabi of the silver pavilion. Kyoto is very close to rural Japan. So we took a train ride to arashiyama, which is this beautiful countryside mountain town. We took a scenic train ride through the mountains. It was breathtaking. My pictures do not do it justice. Then we walked down the mountain through a bamboo forest. Gorgeous. We stopped at a really nice temple too, on the way down.
After all that excitement in arashiyama, we ate lunch and then returned to Kyoto. There we went to kiyomizudera. The most beautifully scenic temple in Kyoto. After we wandered around that for a while, we went and got dinner. Then it was almost time to go home, but not before going to an onsen! Onsen is a traditional public bathhouse. We found a nice one near by kyomizudera (which is also where our hostel was). It was very relaxing. My favorite bath was dark green because it was full of tea. There was one that was slightly electrocuted... but we agreed that apparently only old women can get in that one...
Then we took the night bus back and arrived in Tokyo on Monday morning at like... 6:30. Kerry and I did homework in a KFC for over an hour while waiting for school to open. Then I went to a full day of school and choir practice and didn't get home again until 9:30ish on Monday night. I was tired and sore all this week, but it was so worth it!
Pictures and an update about my week to come later...
matta, ne!
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