04.29.11 Yoshino

I got to ride in a car for the second time today. For some reason, I felt even more carsick this time around than the last. It probably had something to do with the narrow, winding Japanese roads we traveled by as we went deeper and deeper into the mountains of Yoshino.

We left Nara around 9:00 am and went to Yoshino with the Asano family, friends of Yoonkyung and Hana. This included a father, mother, and their son, Yuu, who I discovered had studied in America at a university in Tenessee. We made two stops before arriving at their house. The first was to a small roadside store so we could buy ice cream. Mr. Asano paid for us, and continued to pay for us throughout the day. I ended up not spending any yen on the trip, so I was extremely grateful! The second stop was to a supermarket so we could pick up food for lunch. Judging by what the Asano family bought, we were in for a treat.

When we finally arrived at the Asano family's house, I was taken in by the quaint country atmosphere, but we didn't have much time to relax because we immediately set out to a small bamboo grove behind their home to dig up some bamboo. The Japanese actually enjoy eating the shoots after cooking them. It seems to be a popular festival food. Being an American, I had never really seen bamboo before (not like this, anyway), and was amazed by how big the shoots were. Mrs. Asano told us that some of the ones we dug up could be sold for as much as 800 yen at a supermarket!

After getting as much bamboo as we could carry, we went back to the house to drop off our things. Then we immediately set out to a nearby festival where we got to play the popular goldfish game that seems to be featured in every anime or Japanese movie that has a festival in it. I had a blast scooping the fish into the bowl with the paper thin "net". In the end, I think I got about twelve fish! However, I knew that caring for them would be a major chore and there was no way I could bring them back to the U.S., so I gave them to Asano family. We put them in the giant water bowl that the Asano's used to have fish in until a cat came by and ate them. I hope they will be okay!

With two fun adventures done with, it was time to make lunch. Everyone pitched in except for Yuu. He sat under the kotatsu in the living room and watched baseball on the TV. I can't really blame him for doing so though! Lunch was absolutely spectacular. I have quickly learned that any time a Japanese "BBQ" is involved, I am going to enjoy myself. Afterwards, the food combined with the beautiful weather made me sleepy. Once Mrs. Asano gave us a quick tour of the hill behind their house where they grow all of their crops, we gathered around the kotatsu table for some coffee and cake. It was then that Yuu actually gave me a kanji name. It was fun to watch him and his mom debate over which kanji suited me best. In the end they decided on this:

小鈴

 Put together it is pronounced "koreen" (my Japanese name), but the meaning is "little bell." I am seriously considering using it when I sign my name!

Sitting under the heated kotatsu table with everyone for the rest of the afternoon was amazing. It reminded me of when my family and I all sit on the couch at home after church on Sundays and take naps together. Mrs. Asano and Yuu both laid back on the tatami floor, their legs under the kotatsu, and fell asleep. I did the same and woke up refreshed a little while later. After a couple hours of resting and digesting in front of the TV, the Asanos decided it was time to take us back to Nara. 

Despite the carsickness I experienced to Yoshino and back, the trip was exactly what I needed. The Japanese countryside was breathtaking, and the Asano family was extremely hospitable and kind to me and my friends. The day's adventure didn't stop there though. About an hour or so later, Yoonkyung invited me over to her dorm so we could order pizza! While watching a figure skating competition on TV, we munched on Pizza Hut pizza and it was absolutely delicious. One half was buffalo chicken and the other half was potato and bacon. Nevermind the fact that we paid about 3,000 yen ($30) for one pizza. It was totally worth it.

When I finally returned to my dorm, it was past midnight. It's nice to feel like a normal college student again.  

04.28.11 Golden Week Starts Now

After I returned from my school trip I decided I would spend the day relaxing. Yes, I admit it, I did skip my volleyball class today, but I can't imagine that I missed anything terribly important. Instead, I decided to spend my afternoon with Yoonkyung. Around 3:00 PM I met her in her office and surfed the internet while she finished up some of the research she has been working on. I gave her the omiyage I bought her and was relieved that she liked it.

Once she finished her work we went to grab coffee and chat. I think going out for coffee with Yoonkyung is quickly becoming one of favorite things to do in Nara. She is extremely easy to talk to and has seemingly endless patience when teaching me Japanese. Plus, she speaks clearly and slowly while managing to be extremely animated! Sometimes I feel like the Japanese are too reserved and won't to open up to me, but when I am speaking with Yoonkyung I don't get that impression. More and more I find that we are more similar than we realize.

After coffee we went to a small restaurant nearby for dinner. I loved it because we really got our money's worth! The portions were pretty big for Japan, yet the plates were cheap (around 650 yen). We talked even more in the restaurant, covering a wide range of topics, including plans for Golden Week. We finally set a date to go to Osaka-- May 5th-- which also happens to be Children's Day. Maki also told me she can go on May 5th so it seems like it will be a lot of fun. Tomorrow, Yoonkyung and I are going to Yoshino with Hana. I am super excited! Honestly, everyday in Japan is a new adventure for me. It really makes me wonder if I've been living my life to the fullest in the U.S. or just wasting the days away.

Around 7:30 Yoonkyung had to go to her part time job so we went our separate ways. Once again I returned to my dorm feeling mentally refreshed and satisfied. I can't say it enough-- Yoonkyung is such a blessing!

04.27-28.11 Gasshuuku -- Lake Forest Resort

I had an absolute blast yesterday! In the morning, Bea and I met up with Melanie at Kintetsu Nara station and boarding a tour bus with about forty other people. Together, we set out on our "gasshuuku," which is really a fancy way of saying "field trip." The ride began with everyone passing around snacks they had brought along for the ride. Japanese sweets were in abundance, and we munched on various treats until we reached our first destination: the Miho Museum. Together we walked through a tunnel and over a bridge to where the museum was nestled in the mountains. You could see nothing else but trees for miles in every direction. The museum itself was a work of art seeing as the architecture was pretty unique. We had the chance to see the work of Nagasawa Rosetsu, a famous painter from the Meiji period. His work was beautiful and awe inspiring. I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit! We also got to see some art from China, Greece, Egypt, and the Middle East.

Tunnel before Miho Museum

The bridge leading to the museum

Museum entryway

By the time we finished touring the museum, all of us were starving. Luckily, our next stop had lunch on the menu. We drove to a small pottery shop not far from the museum and immediately took a group picture in front of the hundreds of tanuki statues that were sitting outside. A tanuki can best be described as a racoon-dog hybrid, and they are a popular images in Japanese folklore. The thing most people notice are their oversized testicles. Why are tanuki's testicles so big? I don't really understand it either, but everyone seems to think it's hilarious. Anyway, moving on. Lunch was a real treat. Everything was made in the traditional Japanese style. There were things on my plate I had never seen before, but I ate everything (excluding the tofu) and enjoyed it all. Once everyone had eaten, we all sat down to try our hand at making a piece of pottery. I attempted to make a Japanese tea cup. I thought the design was simple, yet cute. On one side I drew a sun with the words "ohayou" (good morning), and on the opposite side I drew a moon with "oyasumi" (good night). Apparently, the shop will fire and color the pottery and ship it to Nara next month.

Giant Tanuki!

My lunch!

The pottery we made

It was down pouring rain by the time we finished at the pottery shop. It was after another thirty minute drive through the mountains that we reached our final destination: the Lake Forest Resort. The hotel was probably the biggest one I had ever seen. We walked in and I was immediately taken in by the grandiose decorations. After a short group meeting, we were given the keys to our rooms. I was thrilled to discover that they were also made in the traditional Japanese style. A sliding door led into the genkan (the entry way), another sliding door revealed tatami mats and a low table (futons were stacked neatly in the closet), and the final sliding door led onto a balcony where we had a spectacular view of the mountain scenery.

View from the balcony

With an hour before dinner, Melanie, Bea, and I all decided to go to the onsen (hot spring). In truth, it was probably the main reason why we went on the trip in the first place! We went to the bathhouse area where we were given keys to our own personal lockers and two towels. In the locker room it was something of a shock to discover that everyone in the onsen was completely naked (and seemed completely comfortable with it.) Melanie and I were the slowest to get accustomed to this, but after we stripped down and stepped into the onsen area it didn't really matter anymore.

The onsen was basically one giant room with four separate pools and a sauna. Immeediately to our left upon stepping inside was the "shower" area. Of course, the showers were also done in the traditional Japanese way. This meant sitting on a stool, soaping, and manually dumping water on your body by means of a bucket. Again, the area was open so there was really no place to hide. Once we were showered, we got to pick between the four separate pools. One was a round and looked like a jucuzzi with big jets all around the sides. Then, there was a long pool with bubbles coming up from the bottom, and one outdoors made completely of stone. The final pool was filled with ice cold water that you could dump on yourself if you got too hot. Together, the three of us rotated between all of them. It was really the most relaxing and enjoyable experience I've ever had.

(I don't have my own pictures of this for obvious reasons.)

 After spending about an hour trying out the onsen, we got dressed and went to the "powder room" where individual stations were set up for girls to do their makeup, hair, whatever. Each station had a mirror and a hair dryer, which was a plus. From there we went to dinner, which was served buffet style, but of course, with Japanese touches. I loved how the Japanese plates looked like waffles. Each little square was meant for a separate food. I am continually amazed by how the Japanese make everything a work of art-- even while eating! Once everyone had eaten, we did self introductions. This is one thing about Japan that I don't really enjoy. Anytime a large group of people gets together, the Japanese find it necessary for everyone to say something about themselves. This time around we were told to say our name, our high school, and our favorite singer.

This is the part of the blog where I will insert a small rant. This trip was sponsored by Nara's language department, so a French, German, and English professor all were present. I found it extremely interesting that the French and German teachers, although not natives of Japan, were able to speak Japanese, but the American English teacher (who has lived in Japan for nine years and is married to a Japanese woman) speaks NO Japanese. I am not exaggerating this, either. The entire trip he only spoke in rapid English. (I felt bad for the Japanese girls he spoke to.) Personally, I was embarrassed and a bit angry that he did this, especially since he has lived in Japan for so long. I wonder what everyone else must think of him. During the self introduction portion of dinner he was the only person to speak in English!

Once dinner was over with, it was karaoke time. Although I love singing, karaoke wasn't as fun as when I went with Bea, Melanie, Yoonkyung, and Hana. There were a lot of people in one room, many of them I did not know, so I mostly sat and talked with Bea. After about an hour of that, we left to visit the onsen again. We returned to our rooms completely relaxed and exhausted. Pulling out our futons, we laid down to sleep around midnight, but were up again at 6:30 to visit the onsen one last time before breakfast. Before leaving, I bought some "omiyage" (souveniors) for my friends back in Nara. In Japan, it is expected that if you go on a trip you should buy some type of souvenior to give to your friends when you return.     

Karaoke room

The trip back was not as long as the trip to the resort, but just as bumpy. Riding on a bus through winding mountain roads is not the most comfortable thing in the world. Even so, the entire experience was enjoyable and I am extremely glad that I went. It was fun to do things the way the Japanese would, and I am looking forward to my next truly Japanese experience!

  

04.26.11 Two New Classes

I haven't really liked Tuesdays in Japan up until now.

The day started out like it normally would. I went to my dance class in the morning and we got to practice more of the routines we created with the same partners we had last week. We also did a few other creative exercises in the beginning of class. I was paired with Yoonkyung so we had a lot of fun doing that.

Lunch came and went. I ate with Bea since Yoonkyung had to run off to her part time job. After lunch I had a small break, and then I had orientations for my two new Japanese classes: Beginner's Japanese and Business Japanese. I think Beginner's Japanese is just what I need. For one thing, the class is small and the two teacher's who run it speak slowly and clearly. They are both really nice too, which is a plus. The course load doesn't seem too heavy. We have to give a presentation in Japanese (worth 40% of our grade--yikes!), but the topic gets to be on something simple of our choosing so I'm not extremely worried about it. Business Japanese looks like it will be a little more difficult since it focuses on speaking in a professional setting (that means only keigo and polite verb forms.) Even so, we played an interesting game at the end of class where we each were members of a Japanese business with a different status ranking. Through trial and error we learned who should open the door, in what order you enter a room, who sits where, how guests should be introduced, the complicated process of exchanging business cards, and so on. I never knew there was so much to the Japanese business hierarchy. It was really fascinating!   

Once classes were finished for the day, I sucked up my pride and ventured out to do some shopping. Japanese seem to have adopted the European style of grocery shopping where they only buy enough for a few days. There are no grocery carts in Japanese supermarkets, only hand held baskets. That means I have to shop fairly often to avoid eating ramen every night. Also, things we take for granted are fairly expensive in Japan. For example: peanut butter, cereal, and coffee. I paid the equivalent of $5 for a little jar of peanut butter. Ridiculous!  

Anyway, tomorrow I am going on an all day field trip to a Japanese resort with an onsen (hot spring!). I am pretty excited about it. Good thing I don't have any classes to worry about. Golden Week is just around the corner.

Yatta!

04.25.11 "Kira Kira"

Mondays are still my favorite.

So, I looked out my window when I got up and it was a sunny, beautiful day. Five minutes outside and it started downpouring like a hurricane had hit Nara. Of course, as soon as I stopped to buy an umbrella it decided not to rain anymore. Why was I outside, you ask? Well, today I had to turn in my temporary residency permit for my official green card. Nguyen, Mao, and I all took the bus downtown in the morning to pick them up.

The first thing I said when I saw mine was, "Ooh! Shiny!" Apparently, the word for "shiny" in Japanese is "kira kira," which is actually an onomonopoeia. (No need to thank me for the vocab lesson.)

After we got back from picking up our cards, Nguyen gave me the Viatnamese version of ramen for breakfast. (It was also very delicious.) Afterwards we went to Japanese class along with Bea. You know that vocab quiz I thought I failed last week? I actually did better than both Nguyen AND Bea by simply guessing. Ironic, I know. Apparently we have one of these quizzes every week. I guessed on everything again today, but this time I felt no shame in doing it.

The lunch room was so crowded that I couldn't even sit with my friends. I found Yoonkyung and Hana in the chaos and Yoonkyung offered me her seat since she was finished eating. Once we were both finished, we went to Budou where I found my jacket (I thought I had lost it!). Today everyone got to wear hakama, the traditional clothes worn during most Japanese sports. My sensei had a blast teaching me how to put it on and shamelessly pointed out that I was the chubbiest of the girls (for your information, all of them are skinny and shorter than me.) My Budou sensei is probably my favorite teacher because she has a crazy sense of humor. I don't really believe she's Japanese at heart since she doesn't take anything seriously.

Our class! Photo by Yoonkyung :)

After Budou, Bea and I hopped over to the tennis courts for our gym class. We had fun breaking in to tennis. I haven't played since I was maybe in middle school so it was interesting to say the least.

Oh-- some news about Golden Week. Apparently Bea's friend isn't cool with letting someone he doesn't know stay at his house, even with Bea vouching for me. That means I'm out of a place to stay so I can't afford to go to Tokyo like I planned. I don't think this is a coincidence though. I know Tokyo experienced another earthquake recently so it may be for the best that I don't go next week. Instead, I will be hitting up Osaka with Yoonkyung and Maki and playing a soccer match in Kyoto. Sweet! Yes, I am a little disappointed that I won't get to go to Tokyo, but I have plenty of other things to do with my friends around Nara so I'm not worried : )

After classes were over I showered and went to Yoonkyung's office to study. She and her Chinese friend were kind enough to make dinner and share it with me while discussing my Japanese homework. I was able to translate everything I need for my next class so I felt productive.

I got back to my room just in time for my floor's hall meeting at 10 PM. I don't know why I went-- I didn't understand a word! Oh well, at least I can say I was responsible. In other news, I am out of food in my room. I should probably do something about that. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day because I'll be starting my other two Japanese classes (yikes!). I am excited and nervous. Wish me luck!

04.24.11 Easter Sunday

I didn't write a blog yesterday because I literally stayed in my room and did nothing. It was rainy and soccer practice got cancelled so there was nothing to report.

Today, however, was full of great things. I woke up early, probably because I was excited. For a Christian who is used to going to church every week, it has been difficult for me in Japan. The majority of Japanese do not practice any religion or go to a church of any kind. I met Yoonkyung and Hana in front of their dorm where a car had come to pick them up. I quickly learned that the driver was in fact the pastor of the church. We drove for about ten minutes before reaching our destination. The church was extremely small, only one room on the second floor of a building stuck in the middle of Nara city. However, although it was small, I was greeted warmly and quickly settled in to a pew towards the back.

When listening to Yoonkyung practice with the worship team, I was overwhelmed with emotion and brought to tears. Fellow Christians can understand what I mean when I say even though I did not understand the words, the Holy Spirit spoke to me through the songs that were sung. At my church in the U.S., I sing with the worship team. I personally feel that music is the best way I can speak to God. Worship was beautiful, and with the help of a powerpoint that displayed the lyrics, I was actually able to sing along. 

During the message portion of the service, Yoonkyung sat next to me and did her best to explain what the pastor was talking about with her limited English. However, I didn't really need a translation. We read from Matthew 28, which I found ironic since it was the passage I had read before coming to church that morning. The message was simple enough that I could understand it, and powerful in its delivery. Transcending language barriors, I was moved by the pastor's words: "we all have sin, but Jesus has paid for that sin. There is forgiveness for everyone and a second life." That was the message in a nutshell.

After the service officially ended, there was a fellowship meal where everyone shared something they had brought. Everything was delicious, and I was able to meet some of the other youths who attended the church. When they learned I sang in my church back home, they immediately asked me to sing a song. I ended up singing "How Great is Our God" by Chris Tomlin, accompanied by a guitarist and pianist. In that very moment, it didn't matter that I was in Japan. It didn't matter that the people in the room probably didn't understand my English. All that mattered was that we were all part of the body of Christ. I put all of my heart and soul in the song, and received roaring applause from the twenty-odd people in the room. It wouldn't have mattered if no one had heard it though. My heart was overflowing with joy and a sense of peace that only comes from standing in God's presence.

Then, the church came together to play a game. We were divided into three teams and had to get as many eggs in a basket that we could in a one minute time span. Each person had to carry the egg in a spoon from point A to point B, then pass off the spoon to the next teammate. It was all good fun, and I found myself laughing with everyone else.

Afterwards, Yoonkyung and the worship team practiced a song that I can only assume they will be singing next week. They invited me to sing with them, and due to the simplicity of the lyrics I was able to do so. I think they want me to sing it with them next Sunday. The pastor talked to me then, encouraging me, and asked for everyone to pray over me. For ten intense minutes, everyone was praying at once-- some shouting, some groaning, but all just crying out to God. I also prayed hard in those minutes, mainly for guidance and understanding.

When we finally left church, Yoonkyung took me out for coffee. We talked for a long time, and I was able to learn new vocab and actually piece together some sentences. Out of all the people I have met, I must say I am most grateful for Yoonkyung. It is true that Bea has probably helped me the most, but nothing can compare to the closeness I feel to other Christians. There is unspeakable joy in having found a sister in Christ who truly cares about me and understands what I am going through.

Yesterday and today are as different as night and day. My spirit, watashi no rei, feels uplifted and light. Nothing is impossible with Christ!

Amen! 

04.22.11 Humility

I was in a funky mood today. For one thing, I stayed in my room until I had to go to class. (No worries, I did get up and eat something.) I spent time on the computer chatting with my friends until about 12:45, then walked over to campus for Sports Law and Politics at 1:00. I didn't feel like talking to anyone, so I didn't initiate conversation.

I listened half-heartedly to Inoue sensei's lecture seeing as I still couldn't understand most of it. I had worked hard on translating the article the night before so I understood what the topic was at least. I've been feeling crappy since yesterday with a headache and general tiredness. Yoonkyung gave me a little pack of medicine to take while we were sitting in class.

Class ended with Inoue sensei assigning us homework. I am so excited about that (no, not really.) He also gave me two tickets to Nara's spring concert, but unfortunately it is on Sunday so I can't go. Immediately after class, Yoonkyung explained to me that Bea was somewhat miffed by the fact that I went with Yookyung to go get an electronic dictionary and never told her what was really bothering me (refer to Tuesday's post). I felt even crappier at that point until Bea came around the corner. I instantly apologized, seeing that it was impeccable timing. I felt myself tearing up when I explained to her that I had been having a hard time that day and never meant to hurt her feelings. I really do consider her a friend so I was glad that we could have talk and clear things up.

Two other talking points in our conversation included the fact that Japanese people really don't hug each other. I am used to greeting all of my friends in America with hugs (those of you who know me know that I LOVE hugging people) so I think the lack of hugs and affection has really gotten to me as well. Yoonkyung immediately hugged me, explaining that in Korea they do the same. I think my mood immediately lifted in that moment. Magical, isn't it? Maybe some people may find that strange, but the little things are what matter most when it comes down to it.

The other talking point was the fact that none of us can go to the concert on Sunday (Bea is coming to church with Yoonkyung and I as well.) So I thought that maybe Nguyen would like the tickets. Again, with impeccable timing, Nguyen walked out of the International Division's office as we were passing it. I immediately gave her the tickets and she thanked me. Another problem solved!

The three of us sat in the shokudo, sipping tea and eating snacks while I took the medicine Yoonkyung gave me. We also ran into Melanie (the French student) who has decided to stay in Nara for the semester. We all talked for a while until it was time for Yoonkyung to go to her part time job. I returned to my room to lay down for a nap until 6:00.

It was then that I met Ena and the other Sports Science third years to go out for dinner and drinks. Again, two of the teachers joined us, and almost all of the Sports Science students. I found out that there are only ten people in their class! (Yes, ten graduates in one year!) As per usual, the food was delicious and in great abundance. We ordered so many dishes to split among us that I can't even remember how many there were. I think we were there for at least three hours.  It was difficult for me because there was loud music playing while people were trying to talk so I had to ask them to repeat themselves several time, but I was still able to have some basic conversation so I left full and satisfied. Also, my friends only made me pay about 800 yen. If I had to pay on my own, it definitely would have been more than quadraple of that amount!

One of the girls (Miho) happened to live in my dorm so we walked back together. We swung by the convenience store where she works part time to buy some ice cream for dessert. She asked me if I felt homesick at all, which I found ironic. I told her that I do sometimes, but for the most part I have been okay (which is true.) She then shared that when she was a first year student, she went to Germany for a short time to study. "After one week of being there, I wanted to return to Japan!" she said. Her comment following that praised me for being able to live in another country like I am.

Today was not the best, but I am constantly encouraged by the kindness people show me when they could very easily give up and walk away. Living in a foreign country for less than a month, I have discovered the true meaning of humility.    

04.21.11 Coming Down with Something

I think I may be getting a cold. I've been sneezing all day and coughing. I'm going to bed early and drinking lots of orange juice in the hopes I can fight it off early.

This morning I had Japanese. I am happy to say that I was fully prepared for class thanks to the studying and research I did beforehand. When it was my turn to determine what was wrong with a sentence, I actually gave the right answer. I know it's a small achievement, but it still made me happy. Apparently, we now have homework due for next class. However, our next class won't be in two weeks thanks to the fact that Japan's Golden Week starts next Thursday. That means an entire week off from school thanks to the national holidays that fall during that time. I am relieved because that gives me more time to work on (or not work on) the assignment.

After the lunch break, I went to my volleyball class. Well, I thought I went to my volleyball class. Turns out I was one class period early so I accidentally walked in to another first year gym class. The sensei explained to me my mistake and I bowed out amidst laughs and giggles. I was embarrassed for sure, but decided to play it off by laughing about it. With an hour and a half before my class, I chose to kill time productively and went to the study room next to the International Division's office to review some Japanese. I left when it was time for my volleyball class to start (for sure this time). We warmed up by passing-- my group got over 120 consecutive passes (pretty sweet!). Then we worked on serving and receiving before having a couple short games between the three teams that were formed.

It surprises me how good all of the girls in my class are. For one thing, they all participate with enthusiasm, which is more than I can say for the students I've come across in UNCG activity classes. In addition to their good attitudes, a lot of them can actually play-- and play fairly well. It makes me curious as to what type of sports and activities they did growing up in middle school and high school. Maybe playing sports was required or something? Who knows. In any case, everyone came to play and I had a great time.

After class I returned to my room to work on translating the article for my class tomorrow. I've taken a big chunk out of it so I've decided to retire early and let my mind and body rest. Tomorrow is Friday! Time sure is flying by. 

04.20.11 Soccer BBQ

Darn it-- I forgot to bring my camera with me again.

Today was extremely relaxed. For one thing, I didn't leave my room until 4:30 in the afternoon. I love not having classes on Wednesdays. The midweek break is really needed. So, I got up early and chatted with several people on skype. I've found that the best time to talk is in the morning when it is early evening in the U.S. While I talked I attempted to translate some of my homework/reading for tomorrow's Japanese class. I was able to finish almost all of it before heading off to soccer practice at 4:30.

We had a lot of new people (first year students) at soccer practice. They all seemed extremely timid, but some of them can really play! I had a great time just being myself, even in spite of the language barrior. Also, some of my teammates greeted me being saying "what's up?" I taught them the English expression during our tournament this past Sunday and I was thrilled that they remembered it. Unfortunately, a few people were sick or injured so they didn't practice, but they helped out any way they could. Again, I was reminded of the difference in attitude between my soccer club at UNCG and Nara's team. Even if they couldn't play, everyone showed up to help out!

Afterwards we had a Japanese style BBQ as a sort of "welcome party" for the new members. We pulled out two grills and got the fires going using charcoal and newspaper. I was given the task of fanning the flames because it turned out I was pretty good at getting the fires started. Once we had two small grills blazing, we began throwing on different types of meat and vegetables. When everyone was cooked, the food was put on plates and passed around the the tables. The food disappeared quickly and was dipped in a sauce that I don't know the name of, but was extremely delicious. We talked and ate together as one big team for three hours. Even though the food portions were small, no one went hungry because the food kept coming the entire time we were outside. I must admit, I kind of like this style of BBQ better than American BBQ because everyone gets to talk while the food is continuously served.

The night was cold by the time everyone left, so I trekked back to my room and took a hot shower. Now I am working on finishing up my homework while trying to get some laundry done.

All in all, I'd say it was a good day. 

04.19.11 It Was Bound to Happen Sooner or Later

Today was the day where everything finally caught up to me. Call it culture shock, call it the end of the "honeymoon" period, call it a reality check-- whatever it was, it happened.

It probably didn't help that it was stormy and gross from the moment I woke up. I went to my dance class first. No problems there. I understood all the main ideas, I worked together with my partner to create a small dance performance, and generally enjoyed myself.

Then the lunch break rolled around.

Bea asked me again if I was going to go to the Japanese II class with her. I declined, saying I still felt the same about it. Basically, I am already taking nine classes, four of which are Japanese classes. I feel that if I'm struggling to understand and prepare for two of the level I classes, there is really no point in me taking a higher level course. Bea went on to say that the class would be good for me because of the grammar points, and I understood where she was coming from, but still thought it would be better for me to focus on the basic grammar I was already learning, especially since I'm already struggling with it.

Then she went on to tell me that the "business Japanese" class I have decided  to take (which starts next week) is even harder than the level II, and that it would be better for me to take the level II instead. Honestly, the more she talked, the worse I felt about myself. Then Yoonkyung asked me what I wanted to do, but I couldn't even explain it in Japanesee so I just sat there silently while burning holes in my chopsticks with my gaze. It seemed like no excuse was good enough for Bea, so I said nothing until she had to leave for class.

As soon as she got up, the tears came.

Yoonkyung-- thank God for Yoonkyung-- came and sat next to me and listened as I said: "Jyuugyou wa zenzen wakarnai. Zenzen hanesenai!"

"In class, I don't understand anything. I can't say anything!"

She comforted me in a mix of English and Japanese. She explained that when she first came to Japan from Korea she couldn't understand anything or speak either. But she also said I was extremely lucky because I had a lot of people and friends willing to help me. Apparently, because she is Asian, no one helped her and she was all alone.

From there, she took me to her office (she is a graduate student and teaching asssistant so she has her own space) and gave me coffee (a miracle cure for just about everything in my opinion). Then, she offered to take me to a place in Nara where she knew I could buy a denshi jisho (electronic dictionary.) I agreed, but when I went to the ATM, I couldn't withdraw money. I am not sure why Wachovia would have shut down my card since I told them ahead of time I was going to Japan. I was at a loss at what to do. Yoonkyung told me it wasn't a problem. If my card wouldn't work in the store, she would buy the dictionary for me and I could pay her back.

So we went to a large electronics store in downtown Nara and I bought a savvy lime green electronic dictionary for about $300. Surprisingly, my card worked! I know that it was an expensive purchase, but I feel like I will get a lot of use out of it. Yoonkyung then treated me to some gyoza at a cheap restaurant nearby. From there, we met up with Hana and I followed them as they ran a few errands. We laughed and joked. I was even able to understand most of the Japanese that was spoken and get in on some of the jokes. By the time we were done shopping, it was downpouring rain, but even in the cold, wet city, I felt a sense of peace and warmth unaffected by the weather.

For dinner, Yoonkyung, Hana and I went to a tiny Japanese restaurant where I ate okonomiyaki for the first time. The cook and his wife were friendly, as were the other patrons who sat on the stools next to us. Chatting over delicious food is probably my favorite thing to do in Japan, so my mood was 100% better by the time we left.

Okonomiyaki

Yaki soba

Yes, today was rainy and gross, and I was finally overwhelmed by the pressure caused by studying abroad in a foreign country, but Yoonkyung is right. I have great friends (like her) who are going to be by my side through this entire experience. Also, I decided to go to church with Yoonkyung and Hana for Easter this Sunday. I am so excited-- my heart is overwhelmed with joy.

I am truly blessed.

04.18.11 Happy Monday!

You know, I seem to enjoy Mondays a lot more in Japan than I ever did in the U.S. Maybe that will change over time. When I woke up today, my entire body was sore from soccer. Even so, I looked forward to my classes.

My first class of the day was Japanese I. I waited for Bea to go with me, which may not have been a good idea since she is incapable of being on time. Even so, class never starts when it is scheduled to. Usually it takes the teacher about ten minutes before they actually start teaching, so we walked in late and still had five minutes before class started. We started out the class with a vocabulary test. I found it surprising since we haven't had a real class yet, and if it weren't for the fact that the test was multiple choice, I would have completely failed it. In this case, I comfortably failed it. Honestly, I didn't know anything. I couldn't even make educated guesses. I felt better when Bea told me that a lot of the words she had never seen before and that she had to guess on most of it too.

We learned about the differences between "to" "-ba" and "-tara" today by going through the worksheets we were given the week before. Basically, we went around the class reading the sentences one by one and then chose whatever answer out of the choices that we thought was correct. It amazed me how easily and how fast some of the other students could read and answer. I think there was only one other person in the class who was worse than I was so it was really intimidating. It looks like I will have to do a lot of studying on my own before and after class from now on in order to prepare.

After the lunch period, Bea and I went to Budou. It was a lot of fun today because we got to practice kendo! We learned the basic footwork, how to bow before and after practice or matches, how you should hold the shinai (the practice sword), and how you should strike. At first I had difficulty following the Japanese commands, but I eventually got the hang of it, and by the end of class my teacher was praising me for my good form. Bea and another girl wore their hakama, the traditional Japanese clothes that one would wear in kendo. She got her hakama from the archery club and now I want to buy one too. It's exciting to learn something new and specific to Japanese culture.

Flickr g2slp

After Budou class, Bea and I went to gym together. Today we did the basic physical tests that are done in every gym class. It was humorous for me because Inoue sensei asked a lot of third and fourth year students to help him time the tests and give instructions, so I saw Ena and three of my soccer teammates. They helped explain things to me when I didn't understand something. First, we recorded our height, weight, and body fat percentage along with our resting heart rate and elevated heart rate after speed walking around a track for five minutes. Then we did some more difficult timed tests including sit ups, grip strength, squats, sit and reach, and a side stepping speed and agility test. My soreness from soccer made things a little difficult, but I did my best and was satisfied with my results. It will be interesting to see if I improve very much by the end of the semester.

Once classes were finished I decided to go out to buy some things I needed. It had started to rain pretty badly so I geared up for the weather and ventured out into the nearby shopping street. I bought some groceries along with a bag I can use for when I have sports classes or soccer practice and a few things I needed for my bathroom. Overall, it was a very productive day. For now I will probably make dinner and do some studying.

Ja!

04.17.11 Osaka Soccer Tournament

Waking up at 5:15 am was pretty tough, but I am so incredibly happy that I decided to go to the soccer tournament in Osaka with my club team.

We started out the day by meeting at McDonalds for breakfast at 6 am. Personally, McDonalds wouldn't be my first choice for breakfast, but the one we went to is apparently open 24 hours a day. Also, the serving sizes are ridiculously small compared to in America. My coffee was smaller than a tall at Starbucks and my "breakfast sandwhich" was probably about half its usual size, but maybe that's a good thing.

Two trains and a bus later, we arrived in sunny Osaka. The school the tournament was held at had an amazing turf field, which was a big improvement from our piece of dirt that we practice on at Nara. There were three university teams and three high school/middle school teams. The two divisions played round robin style one after the other. Our first game was at 11:00, but we had an opening ceremony at 9:30 where all of the teams lined up and the organizers gave speeches. From 10:00-11:00 we were given time to warm up. Then, our first game started. I didn't play in the first half, so I got to watch and take pictures. I really like the fact that Japanese teams bow to eachother and the referees before the game. They also bow after the game to the other team, the referees, and both benches while saying "thank you very much."

Anyway, the first game was extremely close. We scored first, and then the other team scored twice so we were down by one at half. I was able to go in during the second half and played pretty well for being somewhat rusty and out of shape. We scored again to tie the game 2-2 and went straight into PKs once regular time ended. Unfortunately, we lost the PK shoot out so that was a bit of a bummer, but everyone still had a positive attitude.

We had a break while the other teams played so we ate lunch and generally just sat around talking. Miyuki, the top scorer on our team, is from Osaka so she speaks in "Kansaiben," which is the Kansai dialect. Kansaiben is difficult for even many Japanese to understand (think of the most horrible southern accent in the U.S. and that's probably close to what it's like for the Japanese). So, while we were sitting around, Miyuki taught me a bunch of Kansaiben sayings (basically Japanese slang.) The whole team was laughing as I tried it out, and even I ended up laughing about it.

Our second game was at 2:00, and we did much better this time around. I played the entire time as middle defensive back and did much better than when I was playing midfield in the first game. Our team scored three times while the other team ended up scoreless. It was really fun to shout directions to my team mates in Japanese. I am picking up on the common commands pretty quickly so I am completely comfortable being on the field. The entire day was a real bonding experience for me and my teammates. I actually feel like a member of the team now!

Miyuki!

After we won our second game, there was another match before the closing ceremony. A lot of pictures were taken, and each team was awarded a certificate along with a box of chocolate desserts (oishii!). They were gone before we got on the bus. Inbetween train stations, I had the chance to eat out with some of my teammates. I had ramen (again) and fried chicken and shrimp along with the most delicious rice I've eaten since I've been here. Then we boarded the train for to Nara. It felt so good when I finally got back to my dorm and was able to take a shower! It was a pretty hot day and we were outside the entire time so I am thoroughly exhausted.

We will play for chocolate!

My team taught me a lot of new things today, not only about Japanese language, but about Japanese soccer and group dynamics. I think I am beginning to understand more and more everyday the concept of "harmony" that the Japanese value so much.