Picture of my Host Family

We were on the shinkansen (bullet train) and I finally got everyone to cooperate and managed to get a picture of my whole host family! Yay!

Updating for Leah

Hey, everyone, this is Stephen doing an update for Leah.

She's had a pretty busy November and hasn't had much time to write a blog post. Despite being busy, she's still doing really well over there and seems to be getting on really well with her host family. Due to some odd problem or another she hasn't been able to get any form of internet. Her classes are going well, better than last semester I believe. She's still enjoying being in Japan, but she's really looking forward to getting back. Due to her lack of internet, she had a bit of a problem getting scheduled, fortunately between her mother and myself we were able to get her scheduled albeit a bit later than would have been ideal. Leah's also been working on writing a novel for the November Novel Writing Month. She's 19721 words into her novel, which sounds like a ton of writing to me but apparently that's behind where you're supposed to be at the point. So far it sounds like her novel has a somewhat Stranger in a Strange Land feel to it. I'm looking forward to seeing it when it's finished. If anyone wants to know anything more or get a message to Leah, give me a shout at CHSPub@gmail.com.

Signing off,

- Stephen

"Miya goes shopping! I love my baby sister!" - Leah

BBQ

Today, my whole school went to Shyouwakinen Park to do a BBQ. It was really fun, but, because we made Korean food, I really have no idea what any of the food I ate is really called (I ended up calling it by color). The weather was really nice today. Not too cold or windy, and blue skies, with only a few cottonball clouds. After eating, we bought icecreams and watched the korean boys be manly. They were playing a rather painful looking game. When/if I find internet, I'll upload a pic from my camera instead of my phone. After a while, the girls went and played frisbee. I ended up breaking a nail... sad days. Now im on the train home.

Long, tiresome day.

Fall finally came!

Today it got cold for the first time. It's making me think about everyone back in Moscow. I hear that it's been getting down to 15 at nights? I hope it doesn't ever get that cold here... I only brought a light jacket with me. Anyway, in answer to the cold weather, my host family turned on the floor heater, which is really good at relieving "ice butt" (a condition where your rear wont warm back up, no matter what you do). I think that I might never sit on the couch again! It's so warm and lovely on the floor now.

They also got out the table futon thingy that I can't seem to remember the name to remember what is called for more than a few seconds.

Aside from weather and studying for an ever-impending test, Bibi-kun, Miya-chan, Takeshi-san and myself went to make paper today. There were a bunch of really nice old ladies there to help us stumble through the process, and in my case, they were nice enough to dumb down their Japanese so I could understand. They kept saying this one word over and over... I gather that it probably means to dry, because eventually, one of them said 焼く which means to fry. We were each supposed to make 3 sheets, but because I couldn't think in japanese fast enough, one of the older ladies took my paper and squeezed out all the water before I could decorate it, so I ended up with 4. All in all, a very busy day.

Cookies!

Today we got up early, and went to the store to buy ingredients for oatmeal raisin cookies! After getting back from the store, Sakura-chan and I rushed to finish our homework before we were allowed to start the cookies. I was doing my Japanese homework, and Sakura-chan was doing English homework. I think that she knows more English than I know Japanese...

As for the cookies, they turned out great. I was surprised that we didn't have any major problems, considering all the conversion math, and the fact that Bibi, who is 3 years old, was trying to do most of the measuring before we even knew what was going on. I think he measured 2 teaspoons of flour into the eggs that Sakura-chan was breaking... but still, the cookies were delicious! Even Miyabi-chan liked them!

All in all, a well spent morning!

Halloween ... TREE?!?

So, this isn't the first one I've seen over here either. They're quite popular. And the best part is that they're popular because "They're popular in america... arent they?"

Miss all of you back in the land of "halloween trees" by the way, it's hard to write blog posts on a japanese cell phone. Which is why they're gonna be so short.

- Leah

Update on Leah

Hey, all,

This is Stephen posting for Leah. She's moved in with her new host family in Japan but she doesn't have internet yet so she asked me to post this for everyone. She wanted everyone to know that she's doing well and misses everyone. She passed her final for level 2, and passed the class, and will be moving on to level 3. Her new host family is pretty amazing. Aside from the two parents, she's living with a 9 year old, a 3 year old, and a very young child she thinks is around 12ish months old. The image below is of the 12ish month old, Miya. They're feeding her a ton of amazing food, I'm kind of worried about trying to find somewhere nice take her out to dinner when she gets back, haha. Hopefully she'll get her internet working soon so she can actually post, but if anyone wants to know anything more feel free to contact me at CHSPub@gmail.com.

Signing off,

- Stephen

Final's finally finished! (go, alliteration, I choose you!)

Well, after a horrendous bout of studying, (and then an awful 4 hour test this Friday) the semester is over! Wooooh! I think I passed... unless I made a bunch of horrible mistakes (which is highly possible -.- ). After the test, Michelle had her going away ceremony all by herself, and then all of us went to a restaurant/bar type place to celebrate! We probably stayed there annoying the staff for about 2.5 hours ^_^
Then, yesterday morning, both Michelle and Jannice left for the airport. I miss them already. Michelle is gone for good, back to Jersey, but Jannice is just going to Korea so that she can get her visa renewed for next semester. This means that I am now, officially one of 5 people living in the dorm (two of those I have never met, and only found out about yesterday), and the only English speaker. Tomorrow, the two Malaysian girls who are sharing room 205 are leaving, and then it's down to me, mystery girl in 308 and mystery girl in 401. It's really nice and quiet now, but that also means that the only people who will go shopping with me are guys. They're still fun, but it's just not the same.
Tomorrow I'm going to the Pokemon Stadium (probably... if Bryan emails me back). It sounds really cool, I plan on buying the new Pokemon game: Heart Gold, and a special pokeball thing that you can use to carry one of your Pokemon with you, and play mini games and stuff. The Pokemon apparently gains experience as you walk. Ok, enough nerd talk. Bye bye!

How can cup-noodles be hard to make?

I think this has got to be the most complicated instant-ramen known to man kind. After much stewing over the instructions on the side of the bowl, I have decided that you're supposed to put the clear packet in first, then the water, then the other two... I think?



I wonder what this little thing is? It was inside the clear packet, but it's in its own packet... That makes me suspicious. I don't think I'll try it... whatever it is.


Ok, the hot water's inside, and the other two packets are on top, just as the direction-pictograms described. Now, we wait 4 minutes...
Ooooh! Yum! There was a sauce-like substance in the blue packet and a flavor packet in the green packet! (Why they don't just package those together is beyond me)
All in all, a good dinner, considering it came from the convenience store and I'm being lazy. ^_^

There's no one left...

So, all the Americans who were only staying for one semester left today. It's kind of nice, cause no one's clomping around upstairs, but I feel sort of lonely. As of right now, there's me, and one of the Malaysian girls home right now. That's it. No one else... I wonder where the other four still living here are right now... Sad thing is, that the new people don't come until a week after I leave for my home-stay on the 1st, so It's gonna be like this for a while. Michelle leaves on the 28th (I think), so It's going to get even quieter before the joy of a host family. Oh, well. Not much I can do about it. Just another excuse to actually study for the test tomorrow. Wish me luck! ^_^

Homestay!!!!!!! ^_^ !!!!!!!! (I don't think I put enough !'s there...) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11one!

Anyway, I get a home-stay, and I'm super excited! I think their last name is Saito, but I'm not positive on that one. They have 3 kids, the youngest is a baby girl just 1 year old, the next is a boy who's attending kindergarten, and the oldest is a girl in elementary school. They live in Futako-tamagawa, which is about a 40 minute train ride from school, plus however long it takes to walk to the station. That isn't bad at all! The other host family that they were considering for me lived on the beach, which would have been nice, but that's almost a 2 hour train ride to shinjuku! This one is much, much better! I can't wait to meet them! I get to move in on the first! Wish me luck not messing up on introductions or anything stupid like that! I hope my host mother is good at cooking, because I want to learn a few recipes from her (if she'll let me, that is...) I really want to learn how to make gyoza and mochi... (Japanese pot stickers, and rice flower pastries that are sometimes filled with ice cream) ok, I'll quit with the run on paragraph now, and get to studying... test on Monday, another one on Tuesday, 5 day weekend, and then a final on the 25th (next Friday). ^_^


ps. I can't believe I actually got a host family! this is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Michelle's B-day!

In celebration of Michelle's birthday, we all went out for lunch, and a HUGE dessert!



This is about half of the people who went... I couldn't manage to get them all to hold still for very long. From the left: Lori, Shelly, Amanda, Michelle (b-day girl), Jannice, and Terri. We were waiting at the restaurant.


I think it's called okonomiyaki? Anyway, it comes to the table still raw...

And then everyone at the table whines that they can't cook until Lori gives in...

And then you eat it, and it's delicious! It's basically a really odd omelet that has more veggies than egg, and that you have to cook yourself, at the table. ^_^ YUM!!!

After that, we went to Milky Way. A cafe-style place that sells over sized, overpriced desserts, and won't let you share... Anyway, this is a picture of Terry and Tom eating their yummies.

This was mine... Really really big! Chocolate icecream, bananas, mochi, whip cream, cookies, a dried cherry and frosting and shortbread cookie sandwich, two star shaped cookies, and chestnuts. Yummy but I only made it through about half of it. Too much!

====================================================

It's a bug line again!!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.I met the poor little guy on the subway, 6 stories underground. That was sure a silly way for him to go from one place to another. Anyway, right after I took this picture, he freaked out and started flying all around the car. Once he landed, I asked a Japanese guy what they were called, and apparently it's a "kamakiri" yay for me actually remembering a word in Japanese!

I felt sorry for him, so I caught him...

And brought him upstairs...

And outside to some nice foliage! Hope you're doing well, little guy!

Bus Trip

That was lots of fun! The candy that I made went over great! But it was mostly the guys who devoured it cause the girls are all on diets... I don't get it, they're all really skinny to begin with! How can they get any smaller? Anyway, the macaroni salad wasn't quite so well received, which is ok, I suppose. It just means I'll have to eat it myself!

This is the entrance to the Shimizu Koen. It was basically a bunch of obstacle courses (one of which was over some very murky water) I gave up my camera so that I could do the water course, but it's kinda sad, cause no one got a picture of me plunging into the nastyness... twice... on a rope swing both times. I'm really no good at that. On the first one, I could have made it if I had just let go, but no, I scaredy-catted out and held on and was drug back into the water. The second time, though, I just plain fell off -_- I know, horrible, right!

We also went to a grape all-you-can eat place! They were yummy, but had seeds, so they took a while to eat. In the end, I probably only ate 1 bunch. My friend Michelle ate 4...

The people in the pic are my classmates... well, some of them anyway.

Kane, Ika, Yonha, Bowon, me, Junhi, Haru, and Daniel

These are some of Becca's classmates who I played Uno with on the bus ride back!

There's Becca herself, and Pak, and Pak (I really don't remember their first names at all, sorry guys!)

Also on the bus... Friends! The one on the Left is Ika, she's Thai, and the one on the right is Kane, she's Chinese!

Lots of fun on this trip, but I'm really tired still, and my arms hurt. I guess I'm just not used to all that Tarzan stuff.

Bus Trip Preperations

Tomorrow is the "bus trip" and everyone's excited because we're going to an "athletic park" where there are 3 different obstical courses, one of which sounds very Ultimate Ninja-ish... and we're also going to go to an all-you-can eat grape farm, or something.
After that, we're supposedly going to have a pot-luck too. For the pot-luck, we got split into countries, and I feel slightly discriminated against, because my group is me, and Randal, and Daniel (who won't even try to cook). So, guess who has to make two dishes... me! >.<
Anyway, I'm making macaroni salad and almond-brittle sans almonds (or any kind of nuts for that matter) because my grocery store doesn't sell them... apparently...
Wish me luck! More on the trip tomorrow ^_^

BUGS!!!!

This post will contain pictures of bugs, both cute and creepy. For the comfort of those who are slightly bugaphobic, I have started out with the cute and beautiful. There are spiders later, so don't read on past the =============== line thingy... ^_^ I do this for you're own good, Leona.

This little guy was crawling on me - thus he gets the title "bug" ^_^ really cute for a bug, huh? But just as hard to catch in order to deport from my room!

I found this one walking to school one day ^_^

===================================================================

line one for if you don't like dragonflies...

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Dragonfly! Yay! that was a hard picture to get.

===================================================================

line two for the more creepy things in life ^_^ sorry Leona, you'll have to stop here.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

A mantis! I had to catch him before he'd sit still long enough for a picture. Thanks, little guy!

This one was hard to miss, he was really really loud, and right above the door. Hooray for cicadas!

This cicada just came out of it's shell! So cool looking!

cockroach in a cup... IN MY ROOM!!!! That was just a bit violating...

====================================================================

line three: for those who discriminate against the 8-legged race

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

earthquake... oh earthquake... why doth thou waketh me up at MIDNIGHT!!!

sorry, I think I've become hyper-sensitive to the quakes... they say that this one was only a 1... which technically means I shouldn't be able to feel it, let alone have it wake me up... so why? just why... that's all I want to know.

Oh, well, I'll quit griping about being sleepy, and go back to memorizing my kanji.

Rain!

Yay! Rain! I was really starting to miss the rain... But it did! It rained today! I'm so happy! Anyway, It's that time of year when I would normally start to think of a Halloween costume... bu I'm in Japan. *sighs* No Halloween for me this year. So! That means that you guys should all make amazing costumes! and take pictures of them, and send them to me! I'll find something cool and Halloween-ish to bring home to those who do ^_^

Summer break! (I think they lied)

AAAAAHHHHH!!!!! Go away! You pesky little helicopters!!! There must be about 20 of them... and they're flying big circles around my dorm! And worst of all, I don't know why.... O.o

Anyway, aside from the things that are making it hard for me to study (A flock of helicopters is much much worse than one would imagine....) It's summer break!! Well, it was summer break. They gave us enough homework to make up for not having class though... So, this week, I've been studying, and taking my last chances to hang out with Robot and Monique (one of my classmates and his girlfriend... who's amazingly nice ^_^ ) they left on Thursday, so before they did, I had dinner with them and their landlord, who's really nice. His name is Kodama, and he speaks more english than most, and is ready and willing to correct you on bad Japanese! ^_^ yay! someone who's not afraid that you'll be mad if they tell you you're doing it wrong!

We went to the Sky aquarium in Roppongi tower (it's on the 52nd floor) my camera battery died so I don't have any pics from the outing, but Monique took some, so I'm trying to get her to email them to me... There were puffer fish, and sea horses (which are umi no uma in Japanese... literally sea horses... well I thought it was cool, at least) and turtles, and lots of jellyfish with lasers being projected through them for an awesome, psychedelic, rainbow, jellyfishy party!!

Anyway, there was a festival in Roppongi that day too... And we had to walk straight through it to get to the tower ^_^ Think of all the goodies of a carnival without any of the annoying rides or the funny smells... There were miniature ponies there, and goldfish games (one girl had a turtle that she won from the goldfish game) I really wanted to play, but I don't think my dorm manager would be too happy if I brought a goldfish home with me... They were so cute! As we walked through the crowd, there were two people in demon costumes! They looked really scary! And not like "boo! haha!" scary... more like "I will rip you to shreds!" scary!

Anyway, while I've been having fun, I really do need to get back to studying for my test on Monday... bai bai!

Kamakura Trip... I am VERY tired

So, this weekend we went on a class trip to Kamakura, and boy am I tired. Saturday (I guess that was yesterday... man that seems so long ago), we went to school for a lecture about the historical and religious significance of the places we were going to visit on our trip. In order to get all of that info stuffed into our brains, we had to be there at 8:30 in the morning... a good 2-3 hours before I even think about going on a normal day. That was an early morning. We finally got to get on the trains at 12:30 I felt like part of a herd of wilda-americans.

Enoshima was our first stop. It's an island off the coast of Kamakura (which used to be the capital of Japan before Kyoto... something about 1192... something about the begining of the shogunate government... the assassination of the Minamoto line?? something.... anyway, back to the story). On Enoshima, there are 3 main shrines and a couple of caves with religious significance (something about 3 goddesses and a dragon??).

The following pics are from the main shrine on Enoshima (Nakatsu no miya):

This was the tori gate at the enterance to this shrine. There were a lot of stairs. (so many in fact that the school bought us escalator tickets for the way up)

This is a pic of Becca and me... I'm no good at taking pics of myself...

This is were you hang your wishes on wood plates that you can buy at the shrine. They traditionally have horses on them because in order to make a very powerful wish you donate a horse to the shrine... but that's not very practical anymore, so they do paintings instead. But most of these had cows, because this year is the year of the bull.

So, interesting fact: at temples, they often have fortune telling services. It generally works on an honor system where you drop your money into a box, and then pick out your folded strip of paper, on which your fortune is written. But more often than not, the fortunes are bad. Which is kinda cool, I mean, at least they're trying to be realistic. But many people don't like their fortune, so they used to tie them to the nearby trees to get rid of their bad luck. Eventually the shrines got tired of this practice and put up these lines to tie the fortunes to. Kinda cool, huh.

After the shrines and temples, we went to the Samuel Cocking botanical garden. It was destroyed in a major earthquake a while ago (like maybe in the 60's or so??), but they've replanted some of the plants. They reminded me of home.

This one reminded me of my friend Elisabeth. She absolutely loves violets. (here's a link to her mostly crafty blog ^_^ http://lindenflower.wordpress.com/ )

This sign says beware of hawks!! And it's true! I think I saw more hawks that day than I've ever seen before in my whole life! there were dozens of them... all at once! Cool, and creepy, all at the same time.

We saw most of them from the tower in the middle of the gardens. It provided a really pretty view of Enoshima island!

In the center here, is picture of the giant aloe-vera-esque plants that only bloom once every 50 years. And sadness... these ones bloomed last year, so I can't see these bloom until I'm 70 o.O

Looking back towards the mainland...

These little octopi were being sold on sticks. 4 critters for 100 yen... it made me sad. But then, one of my classmates bought a stick D: anyway, he said that they were yummy until the last one, which was apparently bad. Serves him right for eating things that were so cute!!!

Anyway, after that, we went to the Ryokkan (japanese style hotel) for dinner. Yum!