Just realized a month has passed

I was thinking of a title for this post and looked down at the date on my computer...9/26/210...when did i get here again?? i left on the 18th...go to narita on the 20th...so, that's about a week and a month! Weird.
Anyways yesterday wasn't exactly the time of my life. I woke up early to go to Mikihiro's Sports Day which was interesting but very long! from 9:30am until 2pm I think. Sports festivals and culture festivals are held all through school I think. But for kindergartners, they just dance and play games where no one really wins. I also got a nice sunburn. We went out for dinner to coco curry...my least favorite part of Japan actually. You would think that I would love a place devoted to curry! but Their curry is just spiced gravy with frozen veggies and meat...
not to mention the waiter gave me the english version of the menu which (although nice) was incredibly frustrating. I can't even explain why I was near tears because he gave me an english menu. Maybe because I'm treated like a foreigner (I know I am one) and not a part of the family. Maybe because I'm treated like I'm 2 where people ask my parents questions like "and what does she want to drink?" I'm right here! ask me! It gives the whole feeling of isolation. In America, its basically learn english or starve. Not everyone knows another language. everyone gets the same menu, same treatment, same same same.

i didn't even need that stupid menu. I can look at the pictures and read the hiragana and some kanji JUST FINE thank you.

gahhhh

anyways. I was so tired from the sunburn and the long day and the people I think I went to bed without saying a word (I apologized for that this morning though)

Today, Mikihiro was in and out of tantrums for the majority of the day. The was Japanese parents deal with children is very different from how American parents deal with children. The most punishment I've seen Mikihiro have is being set outside and the doors locked. And he just sits out there crying until he goes through the front door back inside. No spanking, no (real) timeout, no taking away things nothing.
I can sometimes feel myself resisting giving him a spanking myself! hahah especially when he cryyelling "okaasan! okaasan! hayaku hayaku okaasan!!" or mom! mom! hurry up! hurry! mom! "hayaku" is really pretty rude too. Also when we were going out shopping and Mikihiro wanted to watch Howl's Moving Castle and lapsed into another tantrum Okaasan just left him home while the rest of up went shopping.
Some how I think the Japanese way of punishment is more like the American way of rewards. I can just imagine George saying "Throw me outside? fine! see ya!" and I wasn't allowed to stay home alone until I was...i forget...uh...older!!

But still, I don't want anyone to judge like "The Japanese are just too soft with their kids!". Its a different culture. Period.

Anyways, I'm making wild rice soup for dinner tonight! I have to substitute the flour for corn starch so I hope it turns out alright (Mikihiro is allergic to eggs and wheat)

*Picture: Pictures from the sports festival and my Chinese HW I finally got around to doing

Vacation!

This week is a three day week!!!!!
why you ask?
Because monday was "respect for the aged" day and tomorrow is the atumnal equinox! Go random days off!
So, Today was pretty much normal except during lunch. Me and three of my friends were going to the cafeteria when one of them said their shoulder hurts. Alright, infirmery?
nope. lets throw salt on it...

uh

ok?

really REALLY confused.

Aparently it's a part of Japanese culture. When a ghost/evil thing is bothering you or hurting you, you throw salt to purify it.

I actually semi knew this, but I didn't know it was put into practice by the teenage generation. That caught me off gaurd a little. Not to mention no one else really stared or questioned them when they came outside with a salt shaker.

After that my friend (the one throwing the salt) asked what my biggest surprise was in Japan. I figured it best not to answer that one...seeing as that WAS my biggest surprise so far. hahaha

And just so everyone knows, just in case my posts are looking a little down, I'm fine, really. It's not all sunshine and rainbows and unicorns offering rides into the sun set, but its a combo of frustration, tiredness, confusion, intrest and fun.
so far.

creepy creepy tanukis

SO!
I haven't really updated since Friday I think but here's what's been goin' on:
Sat: Orientation with 3 other AFSers
Sun: Biwa lake Museum
Mon: *Day off school* Went to look at Japanese yakimono (clay dishes and cups and stuff) and a Tanuki army.

Sat:
Was the orientation with the three other AFS people in Shiga-ken. It was pretty fun but it took ALL DAY! I left the house at 1:30 and got back at 10 or so. And we really just went over the rules again and talked about Japan life so far. Apparently I'm the one with the least amount of problems! (yay!!!) All they talked to me about was making sure I'm over my cold and stay off the Internet (they say once a week is best...but really...the average American AND Japanese teen spends a bit more time online than that) and I'm only really on for 30min to look at facebook and my blog. but alright, I can try less time. As far as the other students goes: one of them is changing families, another wants to change families (the family abuses their cat apparently and it makes him really uncomfortable..) and the other student loves her host family but can't eat or sleep well with the weather this hot, and shes using the AC too much (which is expensive) (shes from freezing canada)
Other than the issues I've decided to ask about swimming since soccer probably wont work out. It was fun just talking in Japanglish to students and the adults (most of them are English teachers) and one person who is from New Zealand and went to Belgium and is not living in Japan.

Sun: Went to Biwa Lake Museum. Pretty much a museum aquarium combo. It was pretty interesting (except I couldn't read anything, that's a bit of a problem). I think Trivium was playing a concert next door too...
It was really just your average aquarium though
Monday: Went to see yakimono and tanukis...I don't like tanukis (its a "dog-raccoon")
They're just plain creepy. And there was an entire ARMY of them. Apparently its a really famous sculpture in Japan. I don't know much more than that though. If you stare at them long enough they start to look like their breathing...
Not kidding.
We also went to...I guess a modern sculpture..park? of lunch. Walked around there for a while.
Also visited one of Japan's old capitals. There was nothing left except a small shrine though. It was only the capital for 3 years and then it burned to the ground because of an earthquake. Oh well?

Soccer

Really quick because I want to sleep!
Today Nishikawa sensei talked to the soccer coach about me joining and so far the only answer I've gotten was:
The content of the boy's practices may be a bit too dificult for you. It would be really had for a girl and its medium hard for them. You can join junior high though, maybe

not.
happy.

I can't even cover it up and be all "Well, in Japan the girls are expected to be cute and not athletic (as seen in gym) so its understandable that they would judge me just for being a girl and deem the practices too hard"

no.
Its not right. its not wrong. its just different.
and its also infuriating. they forgot to mention that part.

小学校エトセトラ

So! (yesterday) because I was too tired I didnt post anything but here's what happened.
The four exchange students at my school went to an elementary school as guests to...well...I dont really know why. To see what it was like? to visit french guy's sister? Either way, we went.
The very first thing we noticed was it was SUPER LOUD. Kids were running up and down the hallway, playing in the classrooms, etc. This was weird. Normally, one would think that the Japanese would keep and orderly, quiet, learning enviroment for the children. But it really was quiet the opposite! I don't remember my elementary school ever being this loud except for recess and lunch. We walked single file down the halls, quiet (as possible), and got drinks at the water fountain for 3 seconds (any more and people got all upset)
So we sat though 2 english lessons and had lunch together with the kids.
The english teacher was from England and he was...uh...interesting? He had (obviously) dyed blond hair. more banana yellow than blond actually... And he was, well, kind of crude? He would roll his eyes when the english tapes would go
"how are you?"
"I'm happy! how are you?"
Also, he had been living in Japan for 8 years...although I'm fairly sure I might know more Japanese than him. He talked to us as if he thought we could all go drinking or something, completly forgeting we're high school students, who have high school, and studying, and school...so he left to go smoke outside.

ANYWAYS

that was all of yesterday. I got home with a nice big headache.
Today was fairly normal. However at kyudo club it was announced that Marie (the exchange student from Belgium)'s wallet was stolen yesterday. So the whole time at club we sat around and collected information about who might have taken it or what could have happened and then gave it to the police man. I'm glad they all took it seriously, because...well its serious stuff! I have a feeling that back home people would say "I'm sorry to hear that" and thats the end of it. but we all sat around for a good hour. Half of that time was in a formal sitting position by the way. My knees are still hurting.

ONE THING I NOTICED ABOUT JAPAN THAT AMAZES ME!:
they BUY sandwiches. this may not sound like such a big deal but still.
Who buys sandwiches?! And not specialty sandwiches or subs. Plain. Sandwiches.
In America, if you're hungry you make a sandwich! You dont go buy one! Even the laziest American household has made a sandwhich at one point!
I'll have to take a picture to show everyone. Because I sound crazy right now BUT I'M NOT!

Pictures are Koten class (classical Japanese) (as if modern Japanese isn't hard enough), and 小学校 elementary school

Video time 2

Alright. I dont have much to say about today. It was a pretty normal day afterall. I'm questioning whether I should stick with Kyudo even though I'll be doing "Air Kyudo"...for 3 months. everyday...air kyudo...3 months... I'm only here for 6! So I think I might do soccer, even though its an all guys team. Or kendo...but I have a feeling that I would be doing air kendo for 3 months as well. Gah. The only club I'm really satisfied with is International Club. anyways, heres another video. Trip to the temple of long life.

Welcome Party

Today was the welcome party for the exchange students coming to Shiga-ken. This included a girl named Emilie from Canada and myself. We got to meet the two other year people-- Sari from Australia and Reed from America/Puerto Rico.
Overall today was much MUCH better than the past few days. There was good food, English speaking people and reminders that I'm not the first to go through this and no the last. I was also talking to Reed (the other American) about how we both seemed to forget about 9/11.

(everyone enjoyed my pear bread, but the refused to call it bread. its more like cake anyways...but you don't toast and butter cake!!!!!)

After that we went to a temple, and this wasn't the simple temple on the side of the road. This was the long car ride up a mountain and steep stairs temple. (pictures are provided for your enjoyment)

I think getting outside and seeing things puts me in a MUCH better mood than when I sit at home and listen to the screams of 3 and 1 year olds.

It's still really hot here and I'm really REALLY tired of it!
bring on fall!!! I would even welcome winter!

(Also, included is a picture of the guy who trecked all the way up the side of the mountain to enjoy the view...and then we showed up in the car and ruined it. It was picture worthy)

Nashi pan

sooo today it was back to being hot. yay. so happy. i didnt enjoy the cool weather at all...

I hope people know me well enough to realize that was sarcasm.

so of course, being so hot, today seemed like the perfect day to bake!!!!!

no not really, but i was baking today for the AFS welcome party tomorrow. I made pear bread..but its got a bit of Japanese in it because I used Japanese pears (nashi)
I think overall it turned out good too. I just wish the weather would go well with a slice of toasted buttered pear bread...but for now its working against me.

That was basiclly all I did today. Also went to the supergiant store (groceries, clothes, EVERYTHING) but its SO loud and SO crowded and walking around with Mikihiro who can be SO three-year-old-like can be...very tiring. I would compare it to walking around chuck e cheese's for an hour. Not exactly relaxing.

Anywho, thats all I have to report today. I finished Harry Potter 1 today too. (yes, I'm reading Harry Potter because 1) Its avalible 2) Its in english 3) its long 4) its not the other english book I saw that looked just plain boring.)

Pictures are dinner (spagetti I think with tuna and cucumber, gyoza (favorite), and something related to tofu), Mikihiro ejoying my hair tie, Pear bread, and the oven that baked it (It's a microwave and oven COMBO! and it heats up SUPER SUPER quick...probably because its so small)

Today--

wasn't too much fun. and I really don't know why. Today I felt just plain tired and maybe a little cranky. And overall uneasy. It's hard to explain. My classmates thought I was homesick but I think its a little deeper than that. The overall feeling of knowing you don't fit in, never know what's going on and are an outsider is not a good one. It separates you from what seems like the entire world. It's overwhelming.
I'm beginning to see why people say exchange students come back more mature. one reason I think is because when you come back (I can imagine) you're comfortable and confident. You know exactly what to do in each situation you come across. When you're in another place like Japan its constantly "how the heck do I eat this?" or "What am I supposed to say?" or "which side of the staircase do I walk on?"
You lose your identity as well. At home I'm the weird, funny, rather be outside, studying, non girly one. Here I have NO IDEA. It's a cross between I want to be "myself" and I don't know if people will like "myself" and I don't want to be alone for 6 months. It's a state of constant confusion and overall being unsure. Like right now, I'm unsure if I should be on the computer right now. Most of me knows its OK, but part of me thinks is it REALLY OK or is my host mom just being nice.
So that was today, all day, and in fact the last several weeks, and probably the next several months.
I guess I'll get used to it.

typhoon

today was typhoon day. I had little to no idea what a typhoon was untill today. But it rained the majority of the day today-- which would be no problem except I go to school via bike...and i have a rain jacket that goes down to my waist...not the egde of my skirt...and umbrellas dont really work with wind...or bikes...

So i got to school soaking today. All the people that took the bus or were dropped off by their parents laughed. I joined the few people that took a bike and dryed off via washcloth.

oh, and I forget my obento (lunch box). (okaasan brought it to school for me though (THANKS!))

That was the most eventfull thing today.
I also learned some kansai-ben! Kansai-ben is kind of like a southern accent...except they use completly different words while US south uses the same words...differently I guess

Ex:
omoshiroi (interesting -> omoroi
wakaranai (i dont know) -> wakarahen
arigatou (thank you) -> ookini

The best english example i can think of would be like hello-> howdy

Alright, that's all for today
included are pictures of kyudo club. I'm still working on "air kyudo" and "elastic band kyudo" (like the workout bands) maybe MAYBE I'll try really kyudo in the next six months...if I'm lucky. And the clouds covering the mountains/hills/lumps of dirt by my school

today...it rained?

yes. today it rained. THANK GOD. now its nice and suzushi as opposed to atsui. (nice and cool, not hot)
i wore my hair down today, and normally this would not be a big deal. but seeing as no one at school had seen me with my hair down it was like the first day alllllll over again. awwwww kawaii!! (cute) uh. thanks? its not that big of a deal. or so i thought?

Today was fairly normal. tomorrow i have a kanji test though on providence names in kyushu. sort of a random topic for kanji
(by the way kanji are chinese characters mixed in with japanese hiragana and katakana)

oh! so, basiclly i love the crossgaurds here. LOVE them! they're always so nice!!! they dont even say much besides "good morning" and i know they're super nice. they stand there all morning making sure tiny japanese kids on bikes dont get run over by crazy japanese adults in cars..or bikes i guess too.

and another thing i've been meaning to mention. Japanese kids are not as bell-twitchy as americans. yes. bell-twitchy. everyone knows waht im talking about if you've been to an american high school. that 2 minuets the teacher is starting to pack up after a loooooooonnggggg lecture about protists and their eating habits and you hsve all you're stuff packed ready to dash out the door the second the bell rings.
not in japan. some teachers for starters think that the bell means "wrap it up in the next 3 min" which i KNOW would drive american students crazy. also even after the teachers wraps up, students take time to actually finish what they were working on! not just scribble something down for later. EVEN THE FINAL BELL where in american EVERYONE is dying just to get out of the classroom at least, even if they have clubs or sports after. Japanese students HANG OUT IN THE CLASSROOM (whaaaaatt?!) yes. they HANG OUT. they arn't hard wired to jump at every single bell.
and i think this is why:
1) Americans change classrooms (most of the time)--> Japanese stay in homeroom (again, most of the time)
2) Americans have and ANNOYING BELL-->Japan has nice bells that calmly let you know its time to change subjects
3) Americans have 5 min between classes-->Japan has 10

This, i think, explains why bells in japan ACTUALLY MAKE ME ANXIOUS. I have to stop and ask myself why am i getting stressed out that no one is moving?! 17 years in america will do that to you, no matter how calm you think you are.

Also, something surprising. Bible class. (weird enough that i have a bible class in a japanese school) (its protestant by the way) (Christianity is 1% in japan) Bible class happens to be one of my favorite classes too! which is also weird...because i never liked psr....at all...and i never really cared for church, except at christmas time...
maybe because I know the material (and its not english) and also the teacher...father...protentant...involves me in class! even though i take forever to read one sentence.
FINALLY-- I don't like the way they changed the alphabet. yes. they changed it. they separated lmnop. NOT. COOL. i like lmnop being one word! its not abcdefg, hijklmn, opqrstu... NO! its lmnop!!!!
or
abcdefghijkelephantpeeqrstuvwxyz
that's the preferred way.
get it right japan!!!
yes yes AFS says "its not right, its not wrong, its just different"
NOT IN THIS CASE!

＊おわり＊

japan...china...korea??

so, nothing too exciting today.
EXCEPT!

I go to japan...going to learn Japanese...alright sounds good.
get there
have a lesson in Korean
AND
am going to China for 5 days this fall.

Heck
Yes.

안녕하세요？ 저는赖诗婷입니다。很高兴见到你！

score.

oh right! pictures. lets seeeeee....
we've got....
a panoramic of the view outside after rain (hope it works) and a chalkboard full of cartoon characters including sponge bob and Patrick(?) and Ariel
(CLICK THE PICTURES TO SEE THEM BETTER)

Video time!

first video: bike ride home and vending machines its pretty short because 1) its hard to bike and video 2) standing in front of a vending machine with a camera is a bit abnormal (but hey, so am i)

9/3/10 because i cant think of a better title

soooooooooo
yeah. today i fell asleep.
often.
in class.
because im really really tired for some reason.
i go to bed at 9:30 basiclly and then get up around 7. leave for school at 7:45. school starts at 8:30 (sooooo much better than 7:30) and then depends on what day it is what time i leave. dinner. dishes. shower. blog/read/fb/whatever. sleep.

sure im probably missing some details...but no one will notice.

Ah! i also met the new exchange student from Belgium.

oh yeah. I forgot to mention the french guy first. right?
whatever. I DONT LIKE HIM. he dosnt shut up! and hes twichy! and wosrt of all hes good at japanese! so hes loud, talks a lot, in japanese, while twitching.
hnufdjlvgslgtfinglfd
that was my frustration in words
so of course hes going to be bad at caligraphy! (yes, i have a caligraphy class every friday) caligraphy requires relitive scilence and no twitching.
it WAS my favorite class because it required the least amount of talking. but nooooooo french guy has to be all...FRENCH GUY!
but anyways, just so everyone knows, its not that I dislike french guyS. just french GUY.

so, there is a new student from Belgium who speaks french so now french guy has even MORE of a reason to run his mouth off.
but she seems nice. her name is Marie. (french guy will remain french guy)I hope I can somehow talk to her (without consulting french guy). her japanese is limited (much like mine) and her english even more so. not to mention my french is limited to `potatoe` (pomme de terre) and some other random food.

I also attempted to take more pictures today and some video while just riding my bike so I`ll try and put that up tomorrow when i`m not falling asleep on the keyboard.

alright thats all.
Oyasumi!

book stores, kyudo and stuff

alright. so.
...i forget what i was going to say...
ah! book stores. so basically my host mom trusted me with going to the bookstore by myself and making it back in time for dinner. I thought it was going to be a tiny hole-in-the-wall store but nooooooooo it was huge! the bottom floor was books and magazines and office supplies? and such and the top floor was movies and cds. it was AWESOME. I got stationary, a pen, and yotsubato (i have the english version back home).
today, school was much better. I showed people pictures and ate lunch in the cafeteria (usually eat in homeroom) and ran around school with people. AND we had kyudo today. kyudo is japanese archery where they have tall tall tall bows and a whole preparation ritual almost. its pretty serious stuff. and its also really hard. because the bow is pretty heavy and then the string is really tight and they hold it up pretty high...that combo is purty harsh.
i had a total "when in Rome" moment today too. during the beginning of kyudo club everyone lined up. and then all of a sudden someone said something (no. i don't know what) and everyone kneeled down all at once. so i basically faked my way through some ancient japanese starting-kyudo-club ritual i think. something like kneel with your left foot forward, sit on your knees, hands sorta by your hips, bow, yell something, roll call, yell something again, pray?, yell, bow, stand up.

yeah. faked it all. stood up confused.

kyudo is pretty interesting though. I didn't get to try it yet but i tried "air" kyudo hahaha. I also got to watch everyone. and I had to introduce myself in front of everyone. and then they all bowed in unison...and it scared me. HOW DO THEY KNOW TO DO IT?!

anyways. that's about it. kyudo goes until 6:30pm and then it takes 15min to get home via bike. and its already dark by then.
so I'm obviously tired.
in fact.
so tired I'm not going to reread this or spell check.
you all know what i mean anyways!
(sorry. no pics)