05.31.11 Indian Inspired Day

It was definitely an Indian inspired day.

I rolled out of bed and forced myself to go to my Indian dance class. We are working consistently on our routine now so the class has become increasingly more difficult. Every week we add on a little bit more to what we already know. I think it will be amazing once we reach the end of the class. Speaking of the end of classes, apparently we are already half way through the semester. How time flies!

After class ended, I went to the cafeteria to eat lunch. Yoonkyung couldn't stay long because she had to run off to her part time job, but my classmate Rina ended up sitting and eating with me. : ) She is a really nice girl so I hope I can hang out with her more in the future. I've already arranged to meet up with Ena this Friday, but I really should make an effort to hang out with more people since my time here is so short.

Once I had eaten, I sat in the International Center's study hall (that's really the only way to describe it) and practiced writing and memorizing kanji for about an hour and a half. I can tell that I am making progress in my studies because I was able to use one of the new words I learned in my Beginner's Japanese class. Beginner's Japanese was interesting today because we were given the familiar scenario of "if you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you bring?" From there, we were asked different questions of how we would do such-and-such a thing, like what we would do for food, etc. We were also assigned our final project, which is a presentation on any subject we want to talk about. I'm not looking forward to preparing for it, but I think it will be a good experience for me in many ways. Now I just have to pick a topic to speak on! What should I talk about?

When class was over I returned to my dorm and took a nap. I think I have been stretching myself pretty thin because I am starting to feel ill again. I am developing a sore throat and have had a pretty consistent headache all day so I am going to drink lots of orange juice and try to get more sleep. I don't have time to get sick so I will do my best to fight it off early!

I woke up to a text from Yoonkyung asking if I wanted to meet her and Hana for dinner. I agreed and groggily went to meet them near the bank next to Nara's train station. From there we went to eat at a small Indian restaurant. I think I have only eaten Indian food once in my life, but it was good to try something new. Everything was delicious! I think the curry was the best part.

We left the restaurant on full stomachs and decided to walk off our meal. We ended up stopping in a bookstore where I splurged on a book about Japanese culture (in English) that looked interesting. I haven't read anything for myself in a while, so I felt it was okay to treat myself to something nice-- especially since it might help me in my studies. The three of us meandered into an arcade and played around for a little while, but we ultimately ended up back on campus. Yoonkyung and I left Hana and went to her office so we could study. Correction-- so I could study. Of course, my concentration waned in less than an hour, so Yoonkyung and I spent the rest of the time looking up places on Google maps. I showed her UNCG and my home in Delaware, and she showed me where she lives in Korea and her university.

Currently we are still planning on going to Korea together in August. I need to buy a plane ticket soon, but before I do that I need to find out when classes end. If they end by the first week of August, that would be perfect. Here's hoping!

05.30.11 PIRATES

I think I have the best Mondays out of any college student I know. Today in particular was especially awesome.

It started out with my Japanese class being cancelled-- again. It was the same teacher that I usually have for my Thursday class, which was also cancelled last week, so we think she might be sick or something. Since we were already on campus, Bea, Rafael, and I sat in the cafeteria and drank coffee. At lunch time, we ate together and had a nice conversation with a random Japanese girl sitting at our table. She started talking to us first, which I found pretty impressive. I get the impression that most of the girls at our school don't have the guts to speak with foreigners.

From lunch, Bea and I met up with Yoonkyung in our Budou class. Today we did naginata drills to music from Ponyo. Since Ghibli is the equivalent of Disney in Japan I have heard a lot of the music used in various places since I have been here. They couldn't have picked a more annoying song for us to practice to, but it was still a lot of fun. I think today might have been our last day for naginata, which made me sad, but our sensei video taped everyone doing the routine we learned so I am hoping I can get a copy from her.

After class was over with, Bea and I had P.E. The weather cleared up long enough for us to go outside for tennis. Honestly, I am already bored with tennis. Maybe because I am not that good at it and there are too many people for me to participate throughout the entire class. Next week we will do ping pong again so I am excited for that.

Immediately after class, Bea and I went to Konami. I know what you are thinking-- "You had two sports classes and went to the gym afterwards?!" Well, yeah. My sports classes aren't really that physically demanding, so I ended up running on the treadmill again and doing some ab exercises. I was able to run about 5.4 kilometers in 35 minutes-- almost as good as when I ran over 6 kilometers (4 miles) in 40 minutes on Sunday.

The best part of my day though, was when Bea and I got back from Konami. We met with Yoonkyung and Hana at the Nara train station and rode a few stops down to a mall where they had a movie theater so we could see Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. We went to the fourth floor to buy our tickets, and I was surprised to find we had assigned seats. Like in a real theater, we were able to select where we wanted to sit based on a chart they provided. Although I found it strange, I really liked it because it meant we didn't have to wait in a long line to get good seats. Lucky us! Because we came on a day when women got a discount, we only had to pay 1,000 yen for the initial ticket, but because the showing was only in 3D, we paid an extra 400 yen. (I hate 3D! It's just a gimmick that makes you spend money!) Basically, this meant I had to pay about $15 for a movie ticket. Ouch! We had time before the movie started, so we walked to the food court and ate dinner. I had takoyaki (my favorite!) and then bought Baskin Robbins for dessert. Delicious! At 8:50, our movie started. I noticed that most of the previews were for English movies. I think it's interesting that Japanese movie theaters import so many American films. Maybe that's why the movies are so expensive? Or maybe it's just because no one goes to the movies that it's expensive? I'm not really sure.

English, with Japanese subtitles-- in 3D!

On the left is the theater seating chart

Movie prices

Watching 2.5 hours of Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz really made my day that much better. For someone who frequently goes to the movies, it was a real treat to be able to go today, especially since I haven't seen a film since I've been here. And you have to admit, Johnny Depp may be strange, but he is one of the best actors out there! I thought the story was interesting and much, much better without Kiera Knightley and Orlando Bloom. We all know that everyone only comes for Johnny Depp anyway, right? ; )

After the movie was over, we caught one of the last trains back to Nara and said good night. Another day has already passed--and how!

Rocking our 3D glasses on the train

05.29.30 Remember This

It was a gloomy Sunday, both literally and figuratively. Although I went to church, I was tired and sleepy so I didn't really pay attention to what was said. Instead, I had a time of self-reflection where I practiced free writing in my journal as a way of having a conversation with God. As I poured out my troubles and concerns to Him in nearly illegible writing, God spoke gently to me via my favorite Bible verse:

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

So that's what I tried to do. During prayer, I was completely quiet to the point where I almost fell asleep. I tried to rest in God's presence, and when it came time to practice for worship, my heart was lifted slightly. Music tends to improve my mood, as you may know.

Afterwards though, I was back to my gloomy, self-doubting self. Even during church I tended to focus on how I couldn't speak to people or understand anything, but then again, I wasn't really in the mood to try. Because Hana and Yoonkyung both had to work, I returned to my dorm and took a quick nap. When I woke up, I went to the gym with Bea, although I would have rather slept.

I am extremely glad that I went to the gym though, because exercise is the best way for me to relieve stress (other than singing). I ended up running like a mad woman on the treadmill. In about 40 minutes I had ran more than 6 kilometers. For those who can't do the metric conversion in their heads, that's 4 miles! It's really strange to me how quickly my endurance has built up during my short time here in Japan. I can only imagine it is because I do soccer or some other sport daily, not to mention the fact that I have to walk everywhere. Once we finished, I went back to the dorm completely satisfied.

Though I should have studied, I ended up relaxing and chatting with friends on the internet instead. I think it was good though, because I was able to laugh and express myself, and generally be encouraged by my friends back home. I talked to Yoonkyung, too, mainly because I felt bad for how I had been acting the past two days and wanted to apologize. Of course, she completely understood where I was coming from and reassured me once again.

I have to remember that I have only been in Japan for two months, and have really only studied Japanese for a year and a half to two years. I can't keep comparing myself to people like Melanie, Bea, or Yoonkyung because they have all been here for a year or more. I also have to remember to try speaking in crowds, because that's the only way I will improve my conversation skills.

Bea told me something the other day that really encouraged me. She said something along these lines: "You are doing an amazing thing. Even though you have studied for maybe two years, you came to Japan and will probably be at my level by the time you leave. I have studied for over three years. You are doing great!"

Over and over again, my friends back home have told me how gutsy I am for going to learn in a country where they speak a completely foreign language-- that I have courage for trying to learn Japanese while taking classes in Japanese. And they are right!

As my mom told me a week or so ago: "You are an ordinary person doing extraordinary things." As long as I can remember all of these things, I think I can maintain a positive attitude. The trick is not to get down on myself. Easier said than done, but I am willing to try!

Sunday Morning

It's Sunday and it's raining. Of course, I had to listen to this song by Maroon 5. I never get tired of it.

"Sunday morning rain is falling
Steal some covers share some skin
Clouds are shrouding us in moments unforgettable
You twist to fit the mold that I am in
But things just get so crazy living life gets hard to do
And I would gladly hit the road get up and go if I knew
That someday it would bring me back to you
That someday it would bring me back to you

That may be all I need
In darkness she is all I see
Come and rest your bones with me
Driving slow on Sunday morning
And I never want to leave

Fingers trace your every outline
Paint a picture with my hands
Back and forth we sway like branches in a storm
Change the weather, still together when it ends

That may be all I need
In darkness she is all I see
Come and rest your bones with me
Driving slow on Sunday morning
And I never want to leave

But things just get so crazy living life gets hard to do
Sunday morning rain is falling and I’m calling out to you
Singing someday it’ll bring me back to you
Find a way to bring myself home to you

And you may not know
That may be all I need
In darkness she is all I see
Come and rest your bones with me
Driving slow"

--Maroon 5

05.28.11 Sudden Drop

I hit that metaphorical sudden drop in the roller coaster ride today.

It wasn't the rain, although I am sure people might blame it on that. Soccer practice was cancelled, so I went out to buy some things that I needed for my room, and some not-so-needed things, such as Sentokun and Mantokun postcards to send to my friends back home. Sentokun and Mantokun are two of Nara's famous mascots.



Sentokun



Mantokun

 Since I had nothing else to do until the evening, I searched the web and finally found a website that allows me to watch movies for free. Of course, I had to watch Aladdin so I could get my Disney fix.

In the evening there was a large get-together in Yoonkyung's dorm. There were eight of us all together: Yoonkyung, Hana, Bea, Melanie, Rafael, Masami, Asuka (another mutual Japanese friend), and myself.

I can't really explain exactly why I was on the verge of tears the entire night. Homesickness isn't a good enough reason. Neither is my broken pride. I am tired of trying to explain myself, and I am tired of going through this vicious cycle. I don't want to be the odd person out-- the one stranger in a crowd. The food was great-- absolutely delicious, actually. Everyone made something-- except for me. I brought drinks instead. Add 'cooking' to the list of things I can't do. I practically died of happiness when Melanie passed out some traditionally American candies like Snickers and Twix. We even played Mafia, a game that I love back in the United States, but when I was asked to be the storyteller, I absolutely froze. Of course, everyone said it would be okay for me to speak in English, but all I felt was an intense shame and embarrassment. In that moment all I wanted was to leave the room and cry in a corner somewhere, but that would have been even more pathetic so I shoved the job onto Hana.

Masami and Hana

Rafael and Melanie

Bea, Yoonkyung, Asuka, and Rafael

Why is it that whenever I am in a group of people I freeze up? This isn't who I am at all.

Maybe that's why I am so upset. No one here has seen the real me. The fun, sociable, always-talkative Corrinne who loves making jokes and going out. I feel that my friends in the States know they can always come to me to talk about their problems, but here, I can't do anything for my friends. I can't laugh at jokes. I can't contribute in conversations. God, I really do sound pathetic.

Forget sudden drop. This roller coaster has derailed and is headed straight off a cliff. If I were to make a comparison to how home sick I am now to how I have felt in the past, it would be like comparing cancer to a common day cold. I have never wanted to be home more than right now. I tried to get through writing this post without crying. Add that to the list of things I can't do, too.  

05.27.11 "Firework"

It rained again today. The weather here reminds me of when I lived in Washington state as a kid. I know a lot of people hate the rain, but I absolutely love it. For me it's like God pulling a giant blanket over the sky as he pours life-giving water on the earth. Beautiful!

I slept through the night again and ate a wonderfully delicious lunch before going with Yoonkyung to our Sports Law and Politics class. It was really interesting today. We were talking about the Olympics, and we focused on the Beijing Olympics in particular. I didn't realize there was such a huge scandal involving the Olympic torch relay and Tibet not being able to participate in the games. If you have no idea what I am talking about, you should google it. It's kind of sad!

Once class was over, Yoonkyung and I met Hana at the same cafe we went to this past Sunday. I had the waffles this time and they were absolutely delicious. Afterwards, Yoonkyung and I met in her office to study for a little while. Towards the end of our time together we went to give Chan her birthday presents. She really liked them! I was relieved.

I decorated Chan's door at midnight! She was surprised in the morning <3

Yoonkyung's present!

PANDA PILLOW

 See what I mean by the panda pillow? SO. CUTE. <3

After we had given Chan her gifts, I met up with Bea so we could go out with Kimi (the Taiwanese girl I met at English Cafe) and her Japanese friend, Uchi. (Yoonkyung decided not to come because she hasn't been in her office lately and felt bad about it.) The four of us met up by Nara station and went to Ichizoku, which is quickly becoming my favorite cheap restaurant. It is the same one I went to with Bea and Yoonkyung the other day. I finally remembered the name! Also, I realized that I was able to understand everything that was said during our conversation at dinner, which made me happy.

Once we were done eating, we all went out to karaoke. Uchi had to leave early because she was going to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie (I get to see it on Monday!), so Kimi, Bea, and I sang for three hours. Singing with Kimi was incredibly fun because she spoke fluent English and only chose popular American songs to sing. Because I knew every song that she picked, we got to sing together, which was a lot more fun than singing by myself. The three hours flew by, and we left karaoke completely stoked at having found new singing partners to go out with.

She's definitely invited to karaoke when I go out for my birthday next month ; )

05.26.11 休講

I know that Sunday is technically the day of rest, but Thursday works just as well. I actually slept through the entire night (hallelujah)! The downside of this was that when Bea and I got to class, we found that it had been cancelled for the day, which meant that I could have slept in. However, Bea and I got to sit and drink coffee while going over some grammar points together so it worked out well. Afterwards we ate lunch together and I quickly went to the International Center to pick out my bike via "lottery". Literally, I stuck my hand in a box and pulled out a ping pong ball with a number on it. The bike that corresponded to that number would be mine for the semester. Turns out I pulled "12," which was the same number on the bike that I borrwed this past week. I think it is the only new bike of the bunch, so I was absolutely thrilled that I got it. It's a pretty blue color with a basket and a working light on the front. Score!!

After I had gotten my bike, I met up with Yoonkyung so we could have coffee at Tully's as well as go shopping for Chan's birthday present. We shopped around in Vivre, the department store next to Tully's. I ended up buying her the cutest panda pillow ever. Everyone likes pandas, right? I mean, you can't look at a panda without smiling (unless there is something wrong with you.) Anyway, I digress. Yoonkyung also bought Chan a present: a cute coffee mug that has a popular cartoon deer on it. I think she will like what we got her.

So cute that it hurts

Since my body was still incredibly sore from yesterday (the the point where even walking hurt), I decided not to go to my volleyball class. Yoonkyung and I studied in her office instead (well, for a little while anyway) and discussed our future travel plans together. Around seven or so we both were hungry so we went back to her dorm to eat. Of course, she made delicious Korean food. (Side note: I apologize for the lack of pictures in my posts lately. I keep forgetting to bring my camera with me places.) To end the day, the two of us went to Konami. I swam for a little bit, but I didn't push myself. Bea met us there and the three of us went back together.

I just returned from decorating the door to Chan's room. (She lives two floors above me.) I know this is traditionally an American thing to do, but I hope she is pleasantly surprised when she wakes up in the morning and sees what I wrote. : )

05.25.11 Beyond Exhaustion

I woke up at 6 AM today. No, not by choice. I think because the sun rises on my side of the building, it makes it very difficult for me to sleep (among other things). I am used to sleeping in complete darkness, so when the sun rises at 5 AM and I get the brunt of it, it doesn't work out so well for me. In any case, I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't. Again, I just laid in bed until 7:30 or so, which is when I had to take out my trash. (I was victorious in this endeavor, by the way.) I laid back down for another hour or so, which is when I had to get up to get ready for the gym. In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have ran as much as I did at the gym when I knew I would have soccer practice later in the day, but oh well.

Once we finished, Bea, Yoonkyung, and I ran into Chan on our way out of Konami, so we invited her to have coffee with us at Tully's, which is quickly becoming my favorite coffee shop here. Together, we also managed to make plans to go to different places. This Friday is Chan's birthday, so we might do something together, although I already have plans to go out to dinner and karaoke with Kimi so I am not sure how it will work out. In June, there is a day that I have off from class because the teacher is taking a personal day, so Chan, Bea, and I are going to go to Osaka (hooray!!!). Then, that same week, I am meeting Ryoko in Kyoto (she will be coming to UNCG in the fall.) Also, I think plans to visit Universal Studios is in the works. Add my birthday into the mix and June is looking like a fun month. I can't wait!

Once we finished making day trip plans, we said goodbye to Chan and went to eat lunch at a restaurant that Yoonkyung took me to before. I think it is my favorite restaurant here because it is cheap and they give you a lot of food, but I always forget the name of it! In any case, we ate a delicious meal and went back to school. I wanted to take a nap, but decided to go to Yoonkyung's office instead so we could study before I went to soccer practice.

I blame Youtube for why we didn't actually study.

At 4:30 I begrudingly went to soccer practice. Of course, it was fun, but we ran a lot more than usual. Or maybe I just felt like we did since I was already exhausted to begin with. After showering, I went over to Yoonkyung's dorm and we made dinner. Well, she made something. I brought sushi and grapes and she provided Korean ramen and kimchi (delicious!). Once we had eaten dinner, my entire body seemed to turn into jelly. Hana came over, and I laid down on Yoonkyung's bed and half listened to the TV while she and Yoonkyung talked. Around 11 PM, Yoonkyung walked me halfway back to my dorm. My whole body was sore and I couldn't really focus on what she was saying because of how badly I needed to sleep, so I mumbled a good night and shuffled off.

I slept through the entire night this time.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

05.24.11 Feeling Good

I think I am getting my act together. Of course, life is like a roller coaster so I know as soon as I hit the top of the hill I am going to have to come back down. And, to use another cliche, the grass is always greener on the other side. Unless you're in a boat. Think about that for a minute.

Today went fairly well for a Tuesday with no apple muffins. (If you don't understand this inside joke and want to, message me on facebook and I will give you the full story.) I went to my Indian dance class where we learned another group's dance, a more intricate folk dance, and more Indian-esque poses to add to the Indian dance we are already learning. Also, I got to see Yoonkyung wear one of these:



It's called a "sari"

 The teacher brought in two sari that she owned and had Yoonkyung and another student put them on to show us what they looked like. I think we will all get to wear them eventually, so that is pretty exciting. It's the closest thing to a dress I have ever seen Yoonkyung in so I was intrigued. The only bad part of class was the beginning when Ena came in crying. Even though I didn't know what to say to her in Japanese, I got to give her a big hug and tried my best to make her laugh the rest of the time. She told me after class that she has a big problem in her life, but she didn't go into details. I hope she will be all right!

After class I ate lunch with Bea and a few people from E.S.S. They're all so sweet! I ran out immediately afterwards though so I could turn in my application for a bike and return the key to the one I had borrowed. I should know by Thursday if I get a bike for the rest of the semester so pray that I get one! It would be really convenient. Once I did that, I sat in Yoonkyung's office for a bit to study (Japanese, of course). I feel like the only thing I have done in my free time lately is study-- or go to the gym, but hey, that's a good thing, right?

I eventually left to go to class. Beginner's Japanese was fun because we talked about sports and got to make sentences using some basic grammar that I actually understood. (Whoohoo!) Also, I made the decision to stop taking Business Japanese because it is definitely too difficult for me. The class uses "keigo", the ultra polite form of Japanese. In my opinion, if I can't understand basic grammar I don't think learning keigo is going to do me much good, so I explained to my sensei my predicament and she agreed that I was probably making the right decision. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest!
From there I returned to my room to make dinner and take a nap. I haven't been able to sleep well lately. In fact, I think I dread going to sleep so I stay up as late as possible. It takes me hours to go to bed here. I think this is partly because my mind continues to go a mile a minute even after I close my eyes. I find myself thinking about countless topics-- mainly worries and concerns that I have-- so I can't rest. Even when I laid down for my nap, I mostly just thought about things for an hour and a half. It was about that time that my alarm went off.

I met Yoonkyung around 8 PM so she could help me with my Japanese homework. I officially hate Japanese particles. On one hand, I can see why they would be useful in a language, but on the other hand, they are a pain in the butt to understand. (Putting it nicely.) Stupid "は" and "が"! After Yoonkyung had helped me with that, she showed me the textbook she has been studying in preparation for the TOEIC test. It made my homework look like elementary school work. I don't think people give much thought to how difficult English really is to learn!

When the two of us finally tired of studying, we ventured out into Nara in search of coffee. However, since everything in Nara seems to close early (seriously, nothing was open at 10 PM), we settled for an hour of karaoke with complimentary beverages. I think it was the first time Yoonkyung and I had done karaoke with just the two of us. It was a lot of fun because I got to sing more and we could be completely silly without caring who was watching. Definitely made me feel good. Singing is a cathartic release for me.

It is already past midnight, and yet again, I do not want to sleep, but I probably should since I need to take out the garbage in the morning (help me God) and then I am meeting Bea and Yoonkyung so we can hit up the gym. I'm determined to keep things on the upside for as long as possible.

"Gee gee gee gee baby baby baby!"

05.23.11 Let's Get Down to Business

Yes, that was a Mulan reference. I am going through Disney movie withdrawal, okay?

In all seriousness though, today was a productive day. Started the day out right by talking to the best mom in the world: Maria Rogers. (You may think your mom is the best, but that's just because you don't know mine well enough.) Afterwards I went to Japanese class, ate lunch, went to Budou where we got to do more Naginata (badassery ensued with actual sparring), and then to gym class where we played table tennis instead of real tennis because it was raining. Bea and I totally pwned in table tennis. Seriously. The inner competitor in me practically giggled with glee as we beat down every pair we went up against. I should probably feel guilty about this, but I would much rather be happy about it instead.

: ) So I am. Hakuna matata!

 Darn it. There I go again.

After classes were over, I came back to the dorm to find that my textbooks had come in the mail along with two postcards from Michelle, one of my best friends in Greensboro. It definitely brightened my day-- until I remembered I needed to go grocery shopping. Grocery shopping in the "you have nothing but cabbage in your fridge" need to go grocery shopping. I'm happy to say my adventure to Paket (the local supermarket) involved me mastering the skill of riding a bike while holding an umbrella. I felt like a total gangster (not really, but you get the gist.)

With my major chore of the day officially accomplished, I made the most delicious egg and cheese sandwich of my life and sat down at my desk to study (after devouring it, of course).

I ended up taking a two hour nap instead-- no regrets because I was extremely tired. I woke up and got ready to go to the gym, but it turned out that Yoonkyung's part time job went later than she expected and Bea was at a party, so I ended up going by myself. Even this wasn't a downer because I always work harder when I go to the gym alone. I did twenty minutes on the ellipitcal, twenty five minutes on the treadmill, and a good ten minutes of stretching and ab work-- all with the strength of a raging fire.

Okay, okay, last Disney reference, I promise!

Now I am actually studying. And by studying I mean chatting with three friends on facebook and skype while occasionally glancing at the kanji quiz I have open in a separate tab. Ah well, here's to productivity!

かんぱい！

05.21-22.11 Heavy

As usual, the weekend passed in a blur.

On Saturday, I had soccer practice in the blazing heat. I think it was the hottest day I've experienced in Japan so far. Naturally, we played in the worst of it-- from 1:30 to 5:00. Luckily, we were guzzling water every few minutes so I didn't get dehydrated, but I was exhausted and a shade or two tanner by the end of it. Immediately after, I showered, ate, and got ready to go to E.S.S with Bea. I didn't really want to go because my entire body felt heavy, but because Bea insisted, I went. I've started to make more friends in E.S.S. It's fairly easy to do since everyone is incredibly friendly themselves. My favorite part is when we go to McDonalds because I get to practice my Japanese in a relaxed setting. Even so, I left a little earlier than usual last night because I was tired.

Yuji with his motorcycle

Waiting in line for McDonalds

Modern day ninjas

 On Sunday morning I had to wake up early to do laundry because I had no clean soccer clothes. We were supposed to leave Nara around 11:30 and play our game at 2:00, but around 10:30 or so it began to downpour. I've noticed that when it rains here it never drizzles-- it's more like a giant bucket of water being emptied. In any case, our game was cancelled, which was disappointing because it meant I had gotten up early and missed church for nothing. Hinako (our team captain) had bought sushi for everyone in preparation for our trip, so I met up with her on campus and got to eat a free lunch before I decided to walk to church.

Although I missed the sermon, I came in time for prayer. When I got to church though, a sudden heaviness overtook my entire body. I think since I have gotten little sleep, haven't eaten well, and have been exercising more vigorously the last few days, everything finally caught up to me in that moment. It was so bad that I couldn't even move. A few people noticed this once we finished praying, and a woman (I feel bad that I can't remember her name!) prayed over me and had me lie down. I ended up taking a nap on one of the pews and woke up refreshed and in a much better mood. That's the power of prayer for you!

Once church was over with, Yoonkyung, Hana, and I went to eat and grab coffee. We went to a little cafe where I ate a delicious panini while Yoonkyung and Hana had waffles (yum!). Hana couldn't stay long afterwards since she had her part time job, but Yoonkyung and I walked around to shop for a little bit. She helped me in my quest to find brownie mix (I have a strange craving for brownies right now), but we couldn't find any. As it got later, I resigned myself to returning to my dorm so I could study Japanese and work on my homework. Yoonkyung bought some food for me before I went back to my room since I don't have anything to eat right now. Grocery shopping is at the top of my list of things to do tomorrow. I joke about Yoonkyung being like my mom, but really, it's a good thing she takes such good care of me. I'm not usually irresponsible when it comes to things like eating right, but lately I have been in a funk (refer to previous posts.)

I look studious

It tasted even better than it looked. And that's saying something.

"NOM NOM"

Mine was the heart, naturally <3

I was actually productive in my studies, so I am feeling a little better about myself. Also, I ran into a classmate on my way back to the dorm and managed to hold an entire conversation with her without having to ask for clarification on anything. It was a small victory, but I'll take it. Tomorrow is the start of another week. My goal is to study every day this week. Time is of the essence so I really want to apply myself and do well.

がんばります！

05.20.11 Noh

For once, Friday wasn't horrible. Hooray!

I ate lunch with Maki, Bea, and Ena, and after that I went to Inoue sensei's class. Yoonkyung wasn't there so my usual attention span (which wasn't much to begin with) dropped to practically nothing. Ena always seems to fall asleep in this class, and I found myself nodding off due to my full stomach and the warmth of the classroom.

When we finally finished, I sat in Yoonkyung's office and waited for her to get there so we could study. We worked on some vocab and basic grammar, both of which were harder than they probably should have been. I don't think many people can really understand the level of mental exhaustion I have at the end of every day here. I am constantly learning new words, listening to sentences to try to piece together grammar, reading foreign characters-- it never stops. As a result, I find myself ridiculously tired, not always physically, by the time I have to go to sleep.

Later in the evening, Bea and I went to go see a Noh play. I was lucky to get the ticket for free, because otherwise I would have had to pay about $50! Noh is one of three very famous traditional types of theater in Japan (Bunraku and Kabuki are the others). Three plays were shown over a span of about three hours: Iwafune, Onigawara (a comedy), and Kagagetsu. Before every show they gave a summary of the plot in Japanese and English, so I could follow what was going on. I learned that Noh plays were originally shown on grassy fields or hillsides, which is why the shows were held outside. Because it was so different from anything I had ever seen in America I was really intrigued by it. I think Noh is more about what isn't said, which may be why Bea found it boring. At least the costumes were really cool! (I apologize for not taking pictures-- we weren't allowed to.) We sat on the grass and watched the shows from 5:30 to 8:30, and the last shows were illuminated by firelight.

Before the first play

A view of the seating area

The stage at night

Once we got back from the Noh plays, Bea and I met with Yoonkyung to go to the gym. I didn't want to do anything too difficult since I will be playing soccer all weekend, so I warmed up on an elliptical for twenty minutes and then did some easy exercises in the pool. When everything was said and done, Yoonkyung, Bea, and I relaxed in the hot tub and sauna before showering off.

Not bad for a Friday, I'd think. Not overly exciting, but it could have been worse. The most exciting part of the day for me was probably when Yoonkyung suggested we go see the new Pirates of the Carribbean in theaters. I didn't even know it was released in Japan so I am really looking forward to it! Now it's time for another busy weekend.

05.19.11 Don't worry!

It's getting harder to think of good blog titles. Especially since I feel like my days are becoming less and less interesting.

Today was a Thursday, which meant I had Japanese. I am glad that Bea was sitting beside me to help me understand what we were going over. We've started talking about transitive and intransitive verbs, which I remember going over in my Japanese classes at UNCG, but it has been a while. I hate them because they're super confusing. This is one thing that English definitely does better. Also, my text books haven't come in yet. I am starting to get a little worried. I am pretty sure I filled everything out correctly online, so why haven't I received them?

At lunch, I ate with Maki, Hinako, and another girl whose name I can't remember right now. It was nice to listen to their playful banter. Apparently, Hinako met a guy the other night who she really likes. The only thing that surprised me was that he is 35, and he works at the same place she does. From what I have heard, it is common in Japan for an older man to date a younger woman. Based on how Maki explained it, it is because most college girls think that guys their own age are lazy or unmotivated, so they look for people who are older and already have a solid job. Makes sense to me!

Once we finished eating, Maki helped me register my student ID card on campus. This allows me to unlock any of the gates or doors on campus after hours (on weekends or after everyone has left for the day). This is extremely convenient because it means I can take shortcuts across campus or go to school in the evening to study.

As I finished saying goodbye to Maki, Yoonkyung texted me to ask if I would like to study together. Since I wasn't doing anything at the time, I agreed. First, we walked to the post office because she had to mail something to her friend in Korea. Then she helped me rent out a book from the International Student Center so we could practice some Japanese vocab together. She reminded me that if I ever needed help with something or had a question, I should ask her. I guess I am still struggling with the fact that I am a very independent person and don't like asking for assistance. Everyone has been telling me over and over that I should ask them if I need something, but then I feel like all I do is ask for help! But when I don't ask for help I get into trouble or make a fool of myself. It's a vicious cycle that I can't seem to break.

Yoonkyung and I didn't get to study anything substantial because I had volleyball class at 2:40. It seems that we have a report due next month on the rules of volleyball. I didn't fully understand everything the teacher said so I will have to ask her to repeat it next week. I am already dreading it!

My next appointment was with E.S.S at 6:00. I was excited for the meeting because my group is doing The Little Mermaid at their musical. However, the meeting itself was pretty boring because all we did was go over the Japanese script, edit it, and discuss how we should do certain scenes. I couldn't contribute all that much so I listened for two hours before I excused myself out of boredom and hunger.

However, I didn't eat much since I had to meet Yoonkyung at 9:00 to go to the gym. I think exercise always works best when I want to distract myself from the things that are worrying me. Yoonkyung and I swam for about an hour and I felt great afterwards-- until I started to think about how I always go to the YMCA with my mom in the States, and that made me miss her terribly. I wasn't ready to go back to my room at that point, so I asked Yoonkyung if we could sit and talk for a while. We sat outside on Nara's campus and I was able to talk freely about things that were bothering me. Sometimes I tried to speak in Japanese, but for the most part I just wanted to speak and have someone understand me. Yoonkyung is a great listener, and for that, I am extremely grateful. Tomorrow I think we will study together since I didn't accomplish anything today. Yoonkyung has to study her English because she is considering getting her doctorate degree in the US. If she does and she goes to a school in North Carolina like Chapel Hill or Duke, that would be awesome : )

Before I went back to my dorm around midnight, Yoonkyung stressed to me: "Don't worry!" I think as long as God puts people like her in my life, I won't have to.

<3

05.18.11 In a Funk

Yep. You read that right. I am in a funk. I think "funk" is the perfect word to describe it since the word itself is extremely awkward. It also kind of looks like something else if you don't read it carefully. That, however, is just a coincidence.

I should be happy. Nothing went wrong today. Maybe I just have a bad attitude. Maybe it's "that time of the month" (for the record, I hate when women use that excuse). I don't really know. All I know is that I better get out of it-- and soon.

Bea, Yoonkyung, and I met up at 9:00 am to go to Konami. After two stops to a convenience store (one for a snack, the other for an atm), and one stop at the grocery store (so Yoonkyung could buy a drink), we finally got to the gym. It took us a while to register because we had to fill out paperwork, take a picture for an ID card, pay for our first month, etc, etc. The entire process was extremely long, boring, and frustrating. It makes me feel dumb when I can't do the simplest of things. However, we finally registered and were able to go into the locker room by 11:00. Yoonkyung and I went to the pool while Bea decided to go to the weight lifting and cardio area. I haven't swam in a long time so it was challenging for me, but it was relaxing at the same time. When we had spent a solid half 45 minutes or so in the pool, Yoonkyung and I dipped in the hot tub before hitting the showers. After we were ready and dressed, Bea and I were given a short orientation by one of the staff members. He was nice and friendly, and he spoke slow enough for me to understand. Ultimately, a gym is a gym no matter where in the world you are. Thank God for my experience working at UNCG's Rec Center. Even if I couldn't understand the Japanese, I think I will always be comfortable in a gym environment.

Since I had only eaten a snack bar before going to the gym, I was absolutely starving when we left around 12:30. I was supposed to meet a Chinese girl at 1:00 to help her with her English, but I texted her to reschedule for 3:30 so I would be able to eat with Yoonkyung and Bea. We met up with Hana and one of her friend's as we were leaving, and they took us to a nearby buffet where we could eat as much as we wanted for 1,000 yen. The food was sub par, but it wasn't awful. I ate as much as I could and didn't really talk. Whenever I am upset I tend to be quiet. I don't think people in Japan realize this though since it seems like a fairly normal thing for people not to say much.

When we returned to the dorm, I wanted to study Japanese, but both Bea and Yoonkyung had plans of their own so I didn't ask for their help. On the way back to my room, I ran into the house mother again. I was glad Bea was with me this time, because the woman decided to ask if I had taken out my trash this morning. I hadn't because I opted to sleep in, so, of course, she insisted that I bring the trash to her right away. It was all I could do not to cry or curse, or both, but I held my tongue.

Once the trash situation was taken care of, I passed out for about an hour. It wasn't because my body was tired that I decided to take a nap, but because I was feeling awful and wanted to forget about people for a little while. I woke up around 3:30 to wait for Xiu, the girl I was supposed to help. However, by 4:00 there was still no sign of her. She sent me a text message around 4:00 to say she was on her way, but by 4:30 she still hadn't arrived so I went to soccer practice, irritated that I had waited an hour for nothing.

Soccer practice was also somewhat "blah" today. Only eight people showed up so it wasn't as fun as usual. We ended by 7:00, and since I hadn't eaten since noon, I was starving again. Luckily, I ran into Bea and she offered to cook for us while we studied Japanese. It was a relief to go over some things with her that I had been struggling with. There is still so much I don't know, which constantly irritates me. I know that I learned on Sunday that I am supposed to have joy in every circumstance, but for a highly emotional person like myself it isn't always so easy.

I miss everyone back home. I want to hug all of my friends. I want to talk and laugh with them, make inside jokes, use slang and be understood, reference movies and song lyrics and have people respond likewise, but more than anything I just want to hear "I love you"-- in perfect English-- from my family and the other important people in my life. This type of homesickness is so different from the kind I experienced when I first went away to college. This may very well be the "culture shock" people so often reference, but even that isn't quite right. Maybe "culture sickness" is a better way to describe it. The worst thing about it is that I don't really think there is a cure. It is just something I have to learn to live with. I was never able to hide my emotions though, so I am not sure if I will be able to "grin and bear it".

どうしよう？

05.17.11 Big Mistake

I finally did it. I made a big enough mistake that someone got visibly angry with me. I knew I should have gone back to sleep, but because I was wide awake at 7 am I decided to get up and try to get some things done. Laundry wasn't a problem, but taking out the trash was. The Japanese take their trash very seriously. For example, plastic bottles must have their contents emptied, wrappers removed, and caps taken off before they can be placed in the recycling bins. Glass cans are divided based on color, and cardboard, newspapers, and "burnable" garbage are not the same thing. Plastic is separate from paper, paper can be combined with what was once edible, and so on.

What I didn't fully understand was where and when trash had to be taken out. Apparently, Mondays and Thursdays from 7-8 am is when plastic and other non burnable garbage can be taken out. All burnable garbage must be taken out on Wednesdays during the same time. Today, however, was Tuesday. And not knowing this, I placed my trash bags outside the designated place. I left them there and continued on my way.

Dance class came and went. We learned the dance Yoonkyung and Hiroko made up a few weeks ago, and we practiced more of the Indian dance sensei taught us last week. After that, we met with Bea for lunch. During the lunch period I received two calls from a number I didn't recognize. Since I didn't know the number, I didn't pick up. However, the calls continued even after I returned to the dorm. I was just getting out of the shower when the person called two more times. Finally, I picked up. The person on the other line told me to meet them right away. I didn't exactly understand who it was, but I heard "come to the genkan" so I left my room in search of the mystery person.

Turns out that it was the "house mother," the woman who oversees the dorm, who had been calling me. She found my trash that morning and was pissed that I had left it outside where the deer and other animals could possibly get to it, and that I had taken it out on the wrong day (God forbid). I have no idea how she knew it was mine, but she marched me over to the trash collection area and showed me how to separate everything, then stressed the dates and times to me, all in rapid Japanese. All I could do was apologize as I tried to keep from bursting in to tears.

As a result of this run in, I was late to Beginner's Japanese. We practiced using particles, adjectives, ordering in a restaurant, and read another manga strip. Business Japanese was just as difficult before. The teacher gave us situations and had us choose the best response out of multiple choice. It was a relief when class ended because I was absolutely starving. I guess I didn't eat enough at lunch. I was glad Bea was with me when we walked back into the dorm because I was afraid of running into the house mother. It was somewhat encouraging when Bea told me she and Tabea had a similar problem with the garbage last semester, but I really don't want anyone holding a grudge against me for what I felt was a simple mistake! I am glad throwing out the trash isn't as difficult in the US!

05.16.11 忙しい Busy

I think I have finally become accustomed to living in Japan because not everything is as new and exciting to me as it was when I first got here. I wouldn't say that I have become complacent, but I have definitely settled into my own rhythm. In other words, I am just as busy in Japan as I would be in the United States.

I slept in until 9:15 or so (how in the world will I get up for 8 am classes in the fall?!) and talked to my parents for about an hour via skype. I hadn't talked to them in a while so it was really refreshing, but it also meant that I had to rush out the door instead of being able to take my time getting ready. Bea and I hurried to Japanese, but it didn't matter that we were five minutes late because our professor wasn't even there yet. We started with a quiz ten minutes after the class' official start time. Then we went through some new grammar points, which I plan on having Yoonkyung and Bea review with me on Wednesday.

The lunch break was short and bittersweet. Bea and I sat with Melanie and Rafael, the two French students. I like them well enough, but since we aren't that close and I can't speak with them easily it can be a bit awkward trying to talk to them. We didn't have much time for talking though since Bea and I had Budou immediately after lunch. Today was started naginata, which I love much, much more than kendo. Maybe that's a good thing since it was designed with women in mind! For one thing, the foot work isn't as difficult as kendo (in my opinion), and there are lot more variations of how to use the "spear" than the shinai that is used in kendo. It came more naturally to me so I am looking forward to doing more next week! From there we went to our gym class, where we practiced more tennis. Even though I like tennis it was somewhat boring today. At least two of our E.S.S. friends that we met were in it, so we actually got to interact with them for a little while.

Bea was supposed to have another sports class afterwards, but since only two other people showed up, it was cancelled (wow!). The two of us left shortly after this to ride to a department store a few blocks away. I got to borrow a bicycle from the International Office in order to make this happen. I love Japanese bikes! They come fully equipped with a light on the front, a basket, and a rather convenient locking mechanism so you can park them anywhere without needing a chain or some other bulky locking contraption. Convenient! When we got there, the two of us went in search of bathing suits. We found them, but... well, Japanese bathing suits are probably the weirdest thing I have ever seen. Either they were all skimpy bikini type swimsuits or they all looked like surfing/full body suits! Since I am curvy with a little extra in the middle, I was forced to buy the latter. Even though no one would wear them in the United States, they are quite sporty and conservative so I think they suit me. Another strange thing about the department store we went to was that there were no changing rooms. There were only single, stand-alone "boxes" where you could try things on, and these were scattered throughout the store practically smack-dab in the middle of the aisles! It was rather... weird. The weirdest thing of all though was that the bathing suits were actually tied via plastic wire to the hangers themselves, so before you could try them on the store clerks would have to cut the ties with scissors. In addition to the ties, the bathing suits all had bells hanging from them. I wondered if this meant there was a big shoplifting problem in Japan? Anyway, we finally purchased bathing suits that fit us. Hooray! Then, Bea made a pit stop to the electronics section of the department store so they could clean out the microphone jack on her laptop. It seems like blowing air in it was all it really needed so she won't have to send it to an HP store to be fixed-- yokatta!

On our way home we stopped at a popular fast food restaurant that sold gyuniku donbori (basically meat on top of rice in a large bowl). Apparently, these type of restaurants are really popular because they expect their customers to eat, pay, and leave. You aren't supposed to sit and talk, and Bea explained that the average eating time was around 15 minutes. Even though it was empty when we were there, she told me that around lunch time it could get pretty crazy. Also, women don't often go to these restaurants. Usually you see Japanese business men there because all of the women go home and cook for themselves. Interesting, right?

It wasn't long after we returned to our dorm that we went to meet Yoonkyung. Our plan was to go to the local gym, buy memberships, and possibly go swimming or do some other type of exercise. However, when we arrived at Konami (the name of the gym), their membership desk was already closed for the night (it closed at 9:00 and we got there a little bit later.) Yoonkyung tried talking to the people who worked there, but from what I gathered the only way we could do anything was if we paid 1,000 yen (you pay about 4,000 yen for a month membership so it was really expensive!). In addition to this inconvenience, we found out that the gym is closed on Tuesdays (why? I have no idea) so we can't come back until Wednesday! Even more annoying was that the discount that Yoonkyung thought she qualified for when friends join didn't apply to us. Eeeeh? All three of us were a bit disappointed, but Bea and I didn't want to keep Yoonkyung from exercising so we told her to go swimming while we went out to get coffee and donuts.

I finally got to try Mister Donuts, a famous donut chain here in Japan. I didn't really care much for it, but at least I tried it. Then we walked a few stores down to the ever-popular 24-hour McDonalds where we bought coffee and sat upstairs in their large seating area. Yoonkyung came to join us shortly after. She said she couldn't work out because she felt bad that we couldn't go too! I learned the word for disappointed: bakkari, but I have since replaced it with "Konami." And so, an inside joke has been born in Japan! To say that we are disappointed, Bea, Yoonkyung, and I will now say "konami datta." It would probably be funnier if you were here, but you get the idea. The three of us got to talk about many things, and I practiced trying to speak only in Japanese (with my friends' help). We even explained to Yoonkyung what sarcasm was since she had never heard the English word before.

In other news, I received an encouraging card from my parents today. I couldn't believe that it took almost two dollars for them to send it to me! Even so, it really brightened my day. It is nice to know I have so many people supporting me and praying for me back home. <3 Needless to say, today was a good start to the week. Midnight came all too quickly, and I should really go to bed now since I have my dance class in the morning. Another day has passed in a blur! Tomorrow will be busy (isogashii) also. Good night!

Sweet bread at the supermarket. They were too cute to resist so I bought the turtle one

05.15.11 デパート

The weekend really flew by this time. Of course, church takes up most of my Sunday, but still. I find myself surprised every time Monday rolls around.

At church today we read Philipians 4:4-7:

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It was an encouraging message about how we should have joy in all circumstances. When the service was over, we had our home cooked lunch like usual, and Pastor Pakku had me sing happy birthday (in English) to one of our church members. Following that was prayer time. I think I have finally become accustomed to the church's way of doing things, because I now know when we are praying, when we are eating, when we are singing, etc. When church was finally over, Hana, Yoonkyung, and I had our pastor drop us off near a popular department store in Nara. We met up with Bea at Starbucks for coffee and talked about how annoying it is to meet foreigners in Japan who either don't know any Japanese or don't know anything about the culture. This conversation started when we ran into Heidi again (the teacher from the English cafe.) Honestly, it really makes me angry when foreigners in Japan aren't sensitive to the way the Japanese do things because I think it can give people a bad impression of me!

Once we had some Starbucks, we shopped in the department store. Well, we didn't really do much shopping. We mostly walked around and ate free samples on the sixth floor. This area had a bunch of food vendors from different places around Japan who were trying to sell their products. It was different from anything I had ever experienced before. When we had eaten our fill of freebies, I bought some socks to wear with my flats (the socks that all the Japanese girls wear), and that was about all. After a few hours of weaving in and out of stores, we ended up at the supermarket in the basement where we bought dinner and drinks. We waited until it was later in the evening so all of the bento lunches were half price. Score! It wasn't really a productive day, but it was fun. We took the train back, and when I got back to my dorm, Bea came over to use my computer so she could skype her father (her microphone is still broken). In the meantime, I prepared for Monday's Japanese class by looking through the worksheets and translating the kanji.

That was it! Sorry I don't have any more exciting news to post. I can't believe it is already May 15th-- the first half of this month flew by! Knowing how quickly the time is passing puts even more pressure on me to study and apply myself to learning Japanese.　がんばります！Ganbarimasu! 

05.14.11 Club Day

You would think that Saturday would be my day to rest, but I have discovered that there is really no such thing as a weekend in Japan. Saturdays have become my "club day."

For example, this morning Bea and I went to "English Cafe" at our school. It is a program sponsored by the graduate school to encourage people to speak and learn English. They have a different English guest speaker every month, and they basically sit and talk to the students that come for about two hours. The guest speaker was a woman named Heidi, who is actually a teacher in the JET program, something I am considering doing after I graduate. She is an English language teaching assistant in an elementary and middle school in Nara. Although I didn't really care much for her flippant American jokes that seemed somewhat tactless, I got to meet some cool people, including a Tawainese girl who spoke flawless English. Her name was Kimi and she seemed like a lot of fun so we might go out soon. Hooray for new friends!

Shortly after English Cafe I had to get ready for soccer. This meant changing, scarfing down lunch, and quickly photo copying Monday's worksheets (I borrowed Bea's textbooks.) Soccer practice was fun (as usual), and even though it was hot, we at least had a breeze today so it was bearable. I love my soccer teammates more and more every day that I am with them. They are the most easygoing Japanese people that I've met so far.

Immediately after soccer practice I showered, ate, and met with Bea to go to E.S.S. Today we had to translate English sentences into Japanese, which was a lot more difficult than it seems. It was good practice for Bea and I-- we actually got to learn something about Japanese grammar. Next, we lisened to a song from Princess Mononoke (the English version) and had to fill in the blanks on a sheet of paper. Then we had free talk time and met in our musical groups. Exciting update on the musicals: I get to participate! I am going to be part of The Little Mermaid musical! (*cue fan girl squee*) Afterwards, as per E.S.S. tradition, everyone went to McDonalds. Bea and I got to talk with two girls in one of our classes, both of whom are super nice. It was good for me to practice speaking Japanese.

So, although my day was jam packed with activity and the fact that I was running on five hours of sleep, I had a lot of fun. Also, I have been named a UNCG PAL for next semester, which means I get to be the "tutor" for an exchange student. I found out that the girl I am a PAL for goes to school in Kyoto! Her name is Ryoko and we've already become facebook friends. I am hoping that we can meet up in Japan before she comes to Greensboro.

It's a small world after all!

05.12-13.11 Falling Behind

Hey everyone! Sorry I am falling behind on my blog posts. Things have been a little crazy here since I have been getting up early and going to bed late. There really hasn't been a good time for me to sit down and write!

So, Thursday. In the morning I had my Japanese class. It went fairly well, except that I found out I need to buy the textbook for it and have not done so yet. Whoops. At lunch I ate briefly with Yoonkyung, Bea, Melanie, Hana, Rafael, and a mutual friend of theirs, Masami. I couldn't really stay long though because I was meeting Nguyen (who I will now refer to as Chan since that is what everyone calls her.) She and I walked around campus and attempted to find the textbooks, but they weren't anywhere to be found. Luckily, we ran into a couple people that I knew and they were able to direct me to a website where a lot of students order their books online. Later in the day I was able to order both of my textbooks-- I just hope that they get to me soon!

After Chan and I met, I had to grocery shopping. I really hate grocery shopping here because I have to carry everything on my own. I bought more than usual today because I was planning to cook for Yoonkyung and Hana later. Before I could meet Yoonkyung though, I had to go to my volleyball class. I didn't feel like going at first, but I had fun. I think I am slowly improving my volleyball skills now that we are actually doing practice games.

Once class was over, I showered, ate, and wasted time on the internet before returning to campus to meet Yoonkyung. On my way to her room, I stopped by Inoue sensei's office and apologized to him for missing his classes. He was very understanding-- he even asked if Yoonkyung and I could have dinner with him on Friday. I really love that students can go out with their professors here and it is considered completely normal! From there, I went down the hall to meet with Yoonkyung. Since she was busy working on her research though, I went back to my dorm to make dinner for us and Hana, who was on her way over. I made Ranch chicken using some Ranch packets that my friend Kristina sent me and put it in a salad. Then I made cheesy bread by melting sliced cheese on toast. Both Yoonkyung and Hana said it was delicious, which was a real relief because I really can't cook much! Once we all ate dinner in Yoonkyung's office, Hana and I surfed the web while Yoonkyung did her work. We mostly looked up Youtube videos again. Also, we drew hilarious renditions of each other on the white board (I forgot to take pictures, but trust me on this one). The three of us left by midnight, completely exhausted.

Chicken salad and cheesy bread!

Friday. Oh, Friday. Why are you always so mean to me? I blame Rebecca Black. (If you don't know what I am referring to, that's a good thing.) In any case, Friday wasn't all that bad in retrospect. The day started out normally enough. I met up with Maki, Mao, and Chan for lunch at school because Maki felt bad that she hadn't seen me in a while. Because the weather was nice (finally!) we all sat outside and talked. We even made some plans to go on a day trip next month to a nearby temple. At 1:00 I had Inoue sensei's class. Yoonkyung and I sat together as we watched a video on the Olympics and discussed its history.

After class finished, I went to my room until 4:30. It was then that Inoue sensei had proposed that we meet. Because it was early for dinner, he had asked if we wanted to exercise a bit before going out. Being Sports Science majors, Yoonkyung and I readily agreed. Together, we went to the tennis courts on campus to play around for a little bit. Inoue sensei has played tennis for a very long time, and he is also the advisor for the tennis club so he is pretty much an expert on the sport. Yoonkyung and I haven't played tennis for many years, so it was hilarious watching each other as we learned to play. I think I was laughing most of the time-- it was a lot of fun! By the time we finished, all of us were hungry. After changing, we met up again and went out to a local okinomiyaki restaurant (yum!). We ordered a few different kinds of okonimiyaki, and even more when Maki joined us later in the evening. Okinomiyaki is probably my favorite thing to eat in Japan other than takoyaki so it was a real treat.

Inoue sensei and Maki

The night was still young by the time we left, so Inoue sensei proposed that we do karaoke for a little bit. I was definitely down for that! However, on our way to karaoke, both Yoonkyung and I received an angry text message from Bea. In summary, she was upset that we had been spending all of our time together and not including her. She felt that we were ignoring her and that I didn't want to hang out with her anymore because I had found other friends. Yoonkyung and I were in total shock, and I felt absolutely terrible. The two hours we were at karaoke were absolutely agonizing. All I wanted to do was go back to the dorm and talk to Bea to clear up the misunderstanding.

When karaoke was over, that's exactly what Yoonkyung and I did. It was around 11:30 when we got back, and we woke Bea up to do it, which I think startled her at first. We sat in the kitchen and talked until 3:00 am about everything and anything. I don't want to go into details, but all three of us ended up crying by the time we were finished.

In the end though, we managed to clear things up and I think we've all reached a mutual understanding. We've already made some plans to hang out, and I am definitely going to try and be more diligent in telling her what I am thinking and feeling so a misunderstanding like this doesn't happen again. She and Yoonkyung are my closest friends here, and I definitely don't want to ruin that!

So maybe Friday turned out okay after all.