Well its been a few months since I revealed the news of my return to Japan, and now its time to give the final details. I'm only a few days away till I leave, and just about everything is set for my return to land of the rising sun!
I found out a couple of weeks ago that I will be living in the town of Kofu. Its located about 90 miles west of Tokyo, and is very close to Mt Fuji. I've been studying the area closely the last few weeks online, and I think its going to be a lovely place to live. Its a small town, but has everything I need. Its a great place for hiking and visiting hot springs, two things I wanted to do more once I got back to Japan. And best of all, one of the two main train lines that go through the city is the Chuo sen, which goes right through Tokyo, and is only 90 minutes away from it. So I'll be able to visit Tokyo whenever I want, which is something I hoped for since I do want to live there someday.
I'm very excited about how everything has worked out so far. Its amazing to think finally my life in Japan will begin again in a few weeks, as well as my career. I'm really looking forward to teaching English and doing what I can to make my life good there. I know it will not be easy, but I love a challenge and would do just about anything to get back to Japan.
As I get ready to say goodbye to friends and family in the states, I am a sad, but I know I will see them all again shortly. Plus I know they will come to visit me in Japan too I'm sure. So its not really a sad time, but a exciting one. Its amazing to think I’ll be leaving for Japan finally, after years of waiting and hard work to get back, in only just a few days
Oh a bit of new news, I have opened a companion blog site to this website for my trip. I will use both sites to showcase my return and life in Japan so please visit both sites. The new blog is at:
Keep checking both sites for my new adventures! I’m going to post very often at that blog as well as posting pics here.
Next update on this page, Ill be in Japan! Until then, check my blog for more timely updates!
Its been half a year now since I promised there would be huge news coming, and now I can make that news known to everyone. I have been searching for a way to return to Japan for some time. However problems beyond my control prevented that from happening. Luckily in the last few months I was able to take care of all of these issues that have troubled me for some time. Last month I took the extra step of attending a job interview with one of the major English teaching schools in Japan. I am glad to say now that the interview went well and I have been offered a position with the company. Of course I plan on taking it!
I do not know yet where in Japan Ill be heading to, but I know wherever it is, Ill be very happy! There are alot of things that will need to be done before my departure, but it will go smoother this time for sure.
Because of this news, I've decided I will be devoting more time to this website again, once I arrive in Japan. I hope to expand on it and make it into the site I always wanted to make when I first went to Tokyo. This time there will be more updates for sure, and even more interesting articles. Ill also add a blog site to the website so I can post some frequent updates for everyone.
Until then I must get ready to go back, and to start my new career as a English teacher! I know it will be a very interesting experience. Keep checking back as I update this site much more!
Hello everyone! Wanted to give the heads up that a major update is coming soon to my site! Some good news is coming for everyone and I hope you will check it out soon. Especailly with some good news about my future possibly coming soon! Keep checking back for the big update!
Today is a sad day for me as my dog Fred has passed away. Since he was one of the first things I had on the site in the pictures section, I thought it was important to post this info. I miss him so much already. Goodbye Fred, I know you're in a better place right now.
Hello again to all my friends and to others who visit my website. Its time for another update to the page and on my life in general. When I last updated the page, I had fully expected to do more updates and really make this page even better. However the difficulties in life I've had over the past many months has made it difficult for me to update everyone on myself. But I want to change that right now.
The new year is a few weeks old, yet its still very hard to not look back at 2004. For me, it was my most difficult year by far, and it was a year I look back on as one of great sadness, depression, and failure by me. When I look back at my post from last January I can remember how excited and optimistic I was about the future. I thought my return to Japan was guarrentied, that I would be doing the thing I wanted to do, and that my other problems in life would be helped and taken care of. However one year later, I've still as of yet returned to Japan, all the job options and such that I looked into I was turned down for or didn't qualify for, and my other problems that have effected me greatly are still there.
For me, most of the past six months especially have been difficult and very depressing for me. Almost all of my dreams have been crushed, and many times I couldn't stand the pain. But one thing that hasn't changed, is that I know somehow it will all work in time, even if the time today is hard and sad and the struggle takes a while.
Today I am feeling much better than I had over the last summer, and the past many months have been good for me as well. I've been able to continue my studies in Japanese at home, and I've even been able to help some people with translations and more. Last November I saw Megumi again for the first time since Xmas 2002. That weekend with her was the best in my life since the last time I saw her that Xmas. It was the best and I cant wait to see her again! And more importantly, while I'm still dealing with some issues, such as medical ones and my unemployment, I've come to an important decision. To return to Japan, will require a different route than I had originally planned.
When I was in Sophia, I had considered that I should go to grad school after my undergrad work and continue my studies in the Japanese language and Japanese popular culture, the areas of which I was most interested in and studied in college. I have had encouragement from all of my friends telling me to continue those studies as they are important and its what I was meant to do. So in the last few months, after researching it and contemplating, I've decided that I am going to apply for grad school. And since my studies will be on Japan, it is inevitable that i will return, I know it. While it maybe sad for me now to be away from the place I love and the friends I miss, I know I will get back there one day, I just got to keep my hope alive and work hard.
Sadly, I still have this medical condition I'm dealing with, but I'm getting help and thats the most important thing. And ill be back in japan before too long.
To keep myself going through everything, I've been keeping up with Japanese pop culture, and watching and studying many things. Just recently I received this year's NHK Kouhaku Utagassen (a very famous music program that airs each new years eve on NHK in Japan), and once again it was filled with wonderful and some suprising musical acts. Ironically lately I've begun rewatching a show that I watched the summer before coming to Japan, "Kido Senshi Zeta Gundam". I purchased the DVD set for it at Xmas and for the first time can fully understand it thanks to my Japanese abilities and the English subtitles (although the translation is flawed). I've been spending a lot of time looking at JPOP music as well. Toward the end of my studies at UT in 2003, I did some reports on JPOP music, and I wouldn't be suprised if I continued that in the future. Add in the PSP and other video games, and Japanese TV shows and all and you can see Im very busy. It may sound like Im just having fun, but Im looking at these things from a serious point as well to prepare for my future studies again. Although it would be nice if I was able to find work now, considering that Im still suffering my medical problems, its probably ok that I am doing what I can, especially in helping with translations.
Well as you can see, I've had a lot to say about my life recently. As events come and my applying for grad school comes, I hope to give everyone the good news of my hopeful acceptance in the near future. Im thinking of adding some more journals to the web-page to if I can ever get to it. I still have so much about Japan and my trip that I want to write about. Even though its been 3 years since I've been there, the memories are still as fresh as ever. Until then, Ill be preparing the page, and my return to Japan. It may be very far off now, but it will happen one day!
Hello again! I've been meaning to update this site lately, but pressing issues have prevented it. Yet I hope to get some really neat new things up in the next few weeks! I've decided to do some more commentarys on some of the things I experenced in Japan that I miss, including some things that are quite interesting and unique.
One thing I want to let my friends and everyone know that last December I graduated from the University of Texas! I recieved degrees in both Japanese and in Asian Studies. I'm so proud of my achivement, and I wanted to let everyone know that I havent that this has happened. Sadly, due to many things, Ive been taking a break from things and resting, for my health and such. Plus my search for a way to go back to Japan was given a major set back when I was rejected from the JET program and didnt even recieve a interview. However this has not changed my goals or determination. When I have brought my health back to shape, I plan on finding something to do, and Im considering continuing my education if possible. Either way, I'll find a way to get back, and this site will chronicle it!
Lastly for now, I've learned a interesting thing. Apparently many people have come to my website after searching for info on the Sophia Dorm. So soon I hope to add my opinions on the dorm, which are very interesting as it was without a doubt the most intreging place I have ever lived! Until then, keep checking my page! Also to all my friends in Japan and elsewhere, if you see this, please e-mail me. I hope to hear from yall soon :D!
Hello everyone! For those of you that have been to my page lately looking for a update, Im so sorry for the lateness of it. Its coming shortly. But until then, just wanted to let everyone know that I will be updating the site with new news on myself as well as my return to Japan. As always email me anytime, and be on the lookout for the next update!
Well time sure does fly, and the busyness of my life sure does help make updates to this site rare! But at least I have a lot of great things to talk about with all of you here now!
Right now I am in the middle of my natsu yasumi, or summer vacation from school. This year has been one of the most difficult ones of my entire college career. I took a total of ten classes, which might not seem a lot at first, but were truely very difficult and very demanding classes. Plus outside problems, for which there were alot over the year, really hurt me. However with the help of many friends, and family, and my pushing myself on, I was able to get through this year, and recieved great grades in my classes! The struggle was large, but I overcame it.
Right now Im enjoying a break, but it wont be a long one. I've decided this year to take summer school courses. Im doing this so that I can graduate in December, rather than May like I originally planned. I found out a few weeks ago that I was actually close to graduating, and I only needed 7 classes to finish. Considering I had to stay in Austin over the summer due to my apartment lease, I decided to go ahead and finish school with Summer and Fall classes. But not only will I be graduating this Fall, when I graduate it will be as a double major. Im now majoring in both Japanese and Asian Studies, so the extra work of these past few years will pay off with two degrees instead of one! As you can guess Im very happy about this.
The next seven months or so will be very interesting. I'll be moving into my own place for the fall, which is something I cannot wait for. Then I'll be spending most of the time studying and looking for a job as soon as I graduate. I'm 100% certain that I want to work in Japan immediatly, but I dont know what options are available to me at the moment. I do plan on applying for the JET program, and many English teaching schools in Japan, but I may also try other options as well. Its still all up in the air. Hopefully some of my friends both in the US and Japan can help me out.
Other than school and looking forward to working in Japan, my regular life and all has been quite the usual. Just lots of watching anime, playing video games, studing Japanese, and talking to friends online. Not much else to do really. Most of my time I keep thinking about Japan, about my time there, the friends I have there and the ones that are around the world now. Its great memories. Its amazing to think its been almost a year since I left Japan. I can still see everyone and everything when I close my eyes, and I've been having a lot of dreams lately of Japan and my friends there. I want to go back, and Im working everyday to do that.
This past month I turned in my final report for my Study Abroad grant I recieved. In it I summerizied my trip as the greatest year of my life, and everyday, I think about it in those terms. It makes me happy. I also learned on the final day of finals that a UT student who came to my Study Abroad Session in November, not only was accepted for study abroad in Japan, but is going to Sophia! It makes me very happy that my goal to get students to go to Japan has succeeded! But I admit I do get sad sometimes cause I am not there. This month the exchange students from Sophia that came to UT have started to return to Japan. One of them that I became friends with has the same feelings for the US as I have for Japan, and really didnt want to go back. Its interesting to see I'm not the only one with these feelings. But I know I will be back where I want to be soon!
And so for now I close this update with a promise (and yes I know you are probetly laughing already) for more updates and quicker ones. Even more so, I want all my friends, especially the Sophia dorm guys and my Amity friends to keep a eye out in their e-mail box for a e-mail soon. I'm going to try and e-mail as many of yall as I can soon. Also check out the amity message board as Im posting there more now. Until next time, ja ne!
Well its been a few weeks and time for another update, although not as big as the last one. I wanted to say first thanks to all my friends and other who have visited my webpage the last few weeks. The number of people that have seen it has gone up as of late, and I've recieved alot of great feedback and responces to it. I've even heard its a big hit with my friends in Japan! I hope yall all enjoy it, and can e-mail me soon!
While I don't have any stories or pictures uploaded that are new at the moment (give me a few more days), I did want to talk about something I did this week. As part of my study abroad commitment, I had to do something to help influence and increase study abroad to Japan. I decided that when I returned to the University of Texas this semester, I would hold a seminar on Japan study abroad. This past Wedensday, after weeks of preparing, I held the seminar. It was attended by almost twenty students, which was a big crowd for such a seminar, and I was able to talk from everything of my trip. Such things as Japan itself, Sophia University, Amity club, and weird stories about Japan. I really enjoyed it, and thanks to some help from friends who went and my counslours, it was a huge success!
Thats it for now at the moment, I will update the page with more stories and pictures next week during my Thanksgiving holidays! Oh and a note to friends, please e-mail me if you can, hope to hear from you soon!
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As I've been updating my page this weekend, I've had many wonderful memories come flooding back to my mind, and my goal to share them all is finnaly becoming a reality. But I would be wrong if I didn't talk about coming back home and the feelings I've had and still have to this day. Simply put I didn't want to come back to the US at all, and at the moment I'm not truthfully very happy.
When I left Japan in late July I had two feelings, one of excitement as I would see my friends and family back home again for the first time in a year. Yet I had a bigger and much more difficult feeling to manage, the feeling of sadness. I was leaving all the friends I had made in Japan, I was a school I absoultely loved, and I was leaving a city and country that I had called home for a year. I was leaving behind the place that made all my dreams come true.
When I first got home, I was ok, and really the shock of comming back to America and being with friends and family helped me adjust. But it wasn't easy. But a few weeks after my return, as school was begining for me again, I started feeling very upset. I had started to hear from friends in Japan in e-mails, and I was really starting to miss it. As time went on it got worse. In October as my birthday came I was really depressed. All I could think about was Japan and my friends there. It was all I talked about (and still do), it was my only interest. At time I would be in tears at the thoughts about how much I missed it and how I wanted to be there. At the moment, I still feel this way, there are times when its so hard I dont know how I make it. I really miss my home and friends in Japan, and I want so badly to go back as soon as possible.
Luckily things have helped me feel better. Hearing from friends there and my friends who studied there that are in the US now and abroad, really have helped me. I've tried to speak to as many people as possible, but its hard sometimes when everyones busy and can't get to e-mails. Yet everyday after school I wait in front of my computer for a e-mail or a chance to chat online with a friend there. I also try to keep as much of Japan in my life as possible. I listen to lots of JPop and other Japanese music. I talk about Japan and answer friends questions about it. I watch alot of Japanese tv, at least what I have access too. And I try to practice my Japanese as much as possible. I've also tried to help the students from Japan that have come to UT this year with there English and other problems.
I'm still sad, yet I try to put a smile on my face. I know I will return to Japan soon. In fact I plan on moving there after graduation. Yet the wait to return seems forever, yet its my new goal, and just like my goal to study abroad and go to Japan the first, this one will succeed too! But until then, I will practice my Japanese and keep up with friends! That makes me feel better!
I hope you are all enjoying the updates. Please e-mail me sometime!
Hi everyone! Hope you are enjoy the update. Just a quick note, I've decided to add Japanese text to the page. If you get strange jumbled texts, just set your browsers Character set to Japanese, and you should be able to see some Japanese text on my page! Look out for more stories and hopefully pictures in the days to come!
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Hello again everyone! Late updates seem to be the norm for me. Alot has happened since my last update, most importantly and sadly, the end of my year in Japan. At the end of July 2002 I ended my studies at Sophia University and returned back to the US. Since my return I have been pretty much upset and miss Japan alot, and I miss my friends. Yet this trip has given me a true insight into what my future is going to be, and soon I will return.
The last few months in Japan were a ton of fun, but also filled with difficulites with school. Yet the wonders of the World Cup, and of the many places and events I went to, such as viewing hanabi (firework) season, the city of Kawagoe, and the many trips with the Amity club at Sophia, it was the most enjoyable time of my life.
I really want to thank everyone who helped me in Japan, especially all my friends in the dorm, at school, and in Amity. There are so many to name, so please except my aploligizies for not naming you all. But I miss you all and I hope to be back soon and to see you all again!
Now the trip is over, but the adventure isnt, and that also means my page isnt coming to a end! I plan on updtaing with more pictures, stories, and more in the coming weeks to make this complete. Its also going to become a page where my friends in Japan and in the US can keep up with me, and keep up with my new goal, my return to Japan. So please keep coming and enjoy all the cool stories, and interesting experiences I had in Japan! So for now, please enjoy all the new updates in all the sections, including the new story section, and please keep coming back! I am updating the page more frequently now with stories and pics as fast as I can. Until next time Ja ne! And for my friends in Japan, please e-mail me if you can! I would love to hear from you all!
Hello everyone! Just wanted to let everyone know I have updated my picture pages a few times with some great pictures of Mt. Fuji, Kamakura, and of Sakura Season. Expect more in a few weeks. I will also have a full update in a few days with a new journal entry and more! Till then, ja ne!
Well another month has past and look a update, and this time its on time. This month has been a unique blend of history, beauty, and strangeness. I would like to focus on the beauty at first as I talk about my recent trips around Tokyo. A few weeks ago I decided to go to see Mt. Fuji on a whim. It was 6Am on a Sunday, the weather looked perfect, so I decided just to get my guide books, some money, a camera, and headed out to see Fuji san. I took a train ride outside of Tokyo, which gave me a chance to see teh true suburbs of the area, as well as some beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and of the hills of Japan. As we got closer Fuji san's impressive height grew and grew. This was I should remind you my first visit to a mountain so it was quite impressive.
After some minor problems, and some quick talks with the JR train people, I got on a "toy train" as they say and rode up a mountain to a place called Gora. The ride was amazing, the hills and mountains of Japan are truely amazing and was a sight I could not believe. From there we headed by bus to Owakudani, a place my travel guide book said would give a "breathtaking" view of Mt. Fuji on a day of good weather. Breathtaking was certianly the word. It was incredable. In front of me was Mt. Fuji, capped with snow, and a large valley beneth it. It literally was like it was torn out of a Godzilla film and placed in front of my eyes! And behind me I was able to walk up a mountain with volcanic rocks and ot springs spewing gases. It was very interesting. Plus very windy. The three dogs I saw tied to a pilar that were almost being pushed off the mountain scarred me. But after spending a hour there and seeing one of the most beutiful scence of nature ever, I left for my long trip home. It was amazing, even more so that I did this bymyself. A trip to remember thats for sure.
This week I have also experienced another great part of Japanese culture and its beauty with the begining of Hanami. Hanami is Sakura Tree viewing, or as you would know as cherry blossoms. Sakura trees are very famous here and when they bloom in late March and early April, the people come out in droves to see them, and have parties below them. I spent this day walking around the palace viewing the beautiful trees along the river. A unique event to say the least, and of course quite beautiful. The trees give Tokyo a strong contrast to the usual bleak grey you see everywhere of the metropolis that is present here.
Lastly of interest, last month I was able to go to a event thats very hard to get tickets to. I saw "Morning Musume" in concert. For those who dont know (probetly 95% of those reading this page) Morning Musume are probetly the most popular band in Japan. A group of 13 girls ranging from 13 to 25 or so, they have become the biggest thing in the JPOP scene in years. Getting a ticket, especially at regular price is almost impossible. However I pulled it off and was able to witness this event. The fans there were insane, but the performace was great. I was hopeing that I might get a chance to see them in concert before I came here so I was glad that that little goal of mine came true. Plus it gave me some first hand experience or insight into Japanese fan culture. Something I am studying and might use as a possible thesis paper in the future. I plan on writeing more about this in the cool stuff section, so look out for that shortly.
Unfortunely I do not have any pictures to post at this moment. My digital camera is out of action, but I do have new pics that I will post the second I get them scanned. They are really nice so you'll get to see some interesting things. Well thats it for now from Japan. I should be updating again real soon with more info on my trip. To my friends at home by the way, e-mail me some more!
Konichi ha minna san. Well you all are probably wondering why I haven't updated my page these past few months. I must apoligize as I have been pretty busy since last time I updated on my trip. Well at the moment I have two and a half months off for Spring break from Sophia, and so in between traveling, sightseeing, and the Olympics, I hope to be able to update some more.
But I do have a lot to say about the past three months or so. Its been a very busy time for me, with school becomming very difficult, the holiday season, spending time with friends, and finals. November was pretty much a quiet month. There was the dorm festival, which was one of the most boring things I have ever been apart of. In fact I was almost thrown out before it began due to my lack of having a suit. Which made me quite mad since I had to help out in setting things up. After that I participated in a Japanese Tea Ceremony at the girls dorm. Tea Ceremony is a fasinating part of Japanese culture that provides much in past traditions. While certain aspects were taken from the Chinese, its still a very Japanese-esque ceremony. I also even learned how to make sushi, which was very interesting. And mine turned out really good! Thanksgiving is not celebrated here in Japan, so my and most of the Americans (and a few of the Europeans) in the dorm went to Outback Steakhouse for the holiday. I must tell you, being away from Texas for so long, it was good to finally have a steak, yessiree!
The begining of December began quite slow. I continued Kendo, but had to take a extended leave due to other engangements. Unfortunally it looks like I might have to quit Kendo now do to a extended class schedule next semester and my hurt knee, which makes me quite upset (especially after paying so much money). I spent the weeks before Christmas shopping for family, getting some nice traditional Japanese gifts in Asakusa, a area outside Tokyo known for its Buddist temple and its traditional shops. The weird thing about Japan is they sorta celebrate Christmas in the commercialistic way that we do at home. Its just that they do it until Dec. 24. They do not do a single thing on Dec. 25. I ended up going to Akihabara that day, and it was shocking to me to see a normal busy day on such a holiday. Then I reminded myself that Christianity makes up about 1% or less of the population. I then had the opertunity to go to one of the beggest manga convections in the world, comimake. The amound of people and comics available was insane. When I left, there was still a line over a mile long (maybe even longer). New Years was nice, but I ended up staying in the dorm, since I wasn't feeling that well.
On Jan. 2, myself and a group of friends went to the Imperial palace for New Years Celebrations. The Palace which is located near my university is only opened on two days, New years, and the Emporers Birthday. Note, that is in December and we did try to go then, but the gates had already closed. We were able to see the Emperial Family which was quite a treat, including the princess who had given birth to a girl the month before (which made Japan go nuts!). The rest of January was devoted to studies, as I had three Japanese finals to deal with. But I took them and did ok I feel.
In Febuary I had the chance to go with a friend to one of the hottest places in Japan at the moment, The Studio Ghibli Museum. Studio Ghibli is famous for one of its directors, Hayao Miyasaki, and his films including "Princess Mononoke" and "Sen To Chihiro No Kamikakushi". To get in I had to buy my tickets three months in Advance! It was a very interesting and strange museum. I really enjoyed it.
Now I am spending time relaxing and watching the Olympics, but I plan on traveling somewhat these next two months. I would like to go to Kyoto but that might be difficult. I do plan on going to Kamakura, Mt. Fuji, and maybe Nikko, so there will be some nice pictures of outside Tokyo soon. And there is plenty in Tokyo I still haven't seen, that I will be visiting soon.
I hope you enjoy the update and forgive me if I am late with my next update, and for not getting back to some peoples e-mails, I've been very busy. I should also mention my camera is broken, but I still have ways of getting pictures on the site, so don't worry. Until next time, ja ne!
Well its been two months now since I have arrived in Japan and already I feel as if I have lived here for years. One thing I am suprised about is how well I have adjusted to Japan. Speaking in Japanese is difficult, but it can be done, and I am doing well. What really amazes me is my ability to live here, to go to the store, to take care of official business at a government official, and many other things. I feel more mature here than I have ever had in America.
Yet I haven't been completely deprived of some sort of culture shock, but it has been very small here for me. But its interesting to just walk down the street and see women in Kimono's, or see little kids, age 7 at least, taking the trains by themselves! The food also is different, but delicious as well. I never thought I would love eel or octapus, but I have developed a liking to these dishes. Also, I just love the curry here. Its amazing.
The history of Japan is also shown everywhere I go, but its also really more like a "Blade Runner"-ish world. Tokyo is vast and amazing. I just wish I had more time to explore it at the moment, however school has prevented that. Luckily I will have a chance to do that in Feburary. I also want to go to Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, and Hokkaido as well.
There is a lot more to do, but I have kept myself busy. For example this past week was the Sophia University Festival, and there the Amity club (which is the club for foriegn students run by Japanese students) held a speech contest. I decided that I should take part in it. Classes were too easy, so I had plenty of time to do it. Plus I wanted to meet some more people and practice my Japanese. I was able to do both in this contest. My speech was on my trip here, and was a nice little touching piece. I felt I did very well and enjoyed the whole experience. While I didn't win, I did meet a lot of people, made new friends, and even got some nice gifts!
I also did something this past week that I had been hoping to do for quite a while, retake Kendo. Kendo is a Japanese martial art based on the ways of the samurai. I really love this sport thanks to my interests in Japanese history, culture, and of course sword fighting and Kendo's relationship to Star Wars. I even bought the bogu to take the class. The bogu is the armor for competeing in the sport. It was very very expensive, but I am glad I purchased it. I mean how many times can you say you took a martial art in Japan!
Well for now thats it. Unfortuneally I haven't been able to take many new pictures of Tokyo, but I have some great new picture of me, some friends, the speech contest, and more on the pictures page. Hopefully in a week or so, I will have pictures of Mt. Fuji from my dorm, the university, and some more of me. Hope you enjoy them. Also I should have something new in the cool stuff section shortly. Until next time, Ja ne!
Well I have been in Japan a month and already it feels like home! The experiences of the past few weeks have been incredable, and I feel I have not only learned much, but have also matured greatly.
School has finally begun, which has put sight seeing behind for a while, but thats why I came to Japan, to study. Unfortunaly school has not been perfect. I am taking an intensive Japanese course, which is basically 18 hours of Japanese a week. At UT the most classes I ever took was 14 hours a week, so its tough. However I was placed in class 1 so I am starting all over. Its great review, but its too easy. A A in this class is just about guarrentied. But I have met some great friends, and with the review and outside help, its a good thing. I am learning new stuff, just slowly. But I get more out of speaking to the students here and people around town than in class.
But even with class I have had some fun. I've been to many areas of town shopping. For example, the electric district Akihabara, which is a drain on my wallet, but its so cool. I also had the wonderful opertunity of attending the Tokyo Game Show, which is one of the biggest video game shows in the world. It was a lot of fun. I got to play games that will not be out for up to a year, and I got to see some of my favorite game designers up close and in person. It was well worth the trip! Plus I got to see many of the cast of one of my favorite games/animes, Sakura Wars! Now that was a real treat!
I also just turned 23 years old this past week. To celebrate a friend of mine helped organized a party with the Amity club, a club of Japanese students who want to meet and help exchange students, for me for my birthday. Myself and them, mostly the girls in the club, went to a Italian resturant, where I was treated to a big Italian meal, and CHEESECAKE for my birthday. It was the best party I ever had, and I was quite humbled.
Other than that I am really just sitting back and enjoy the sights and sounds of Japan. I watch some tv now and then, talk with friends, and try to go out. And yes study as well. Its really a blast. In fact I will be starting Kendo again real soon. At least I hope. I have to find a cheep armor set first. Also I now have internet access in my room and my own computer so updates should be every week now, I hope, with picture updates every few weeks.
I have posted some new pictures of the skyline from my dorm and the TGS for everyones enjoyment. More will come later this week, I promise. Until then, Ja ne!