It's been a really long time...

So, its been a long, long time since I got back. I realize that I probably should have posted when I got home, but it just seemed so surreal and sad to be back in America. Of course, there were plenty of good things too, like family and friends... and cheese... As of 10 months being back in the states, here is my list of things that I miss the most:
1. My host family
2. My best friends from Japan- Brybry, Nisu, and Ruby
3. Trains (this is a really big one!)
4. My teachers / classes / obnoxious Korean classmates (and having homework that's always fun, even if it was busy-work most of the time).
5. Karaoke
6. *real* bubble tea
7. Okonomiyake and shabushabu(yummy food that you cook at the table)
8. People-watching in Seibu-Shinjuku station
9. The little old lady who sold onigiri (rice balls)
10. Seeing loli wandering around without getting stared at...

oh... and all the engrish that got put up on signs for the foreigners to laugh at (well, probably more for our benefit than amusement)

Recently, all I've been doing to keep up my Japanese ability is TA-ing classes at the U of I, but I don't have enough time these days to do much else. I feel like I'm losing my kanji, and often, I will have to think for a really long time before the right word comes to mind. On the up-side, it's very rare that I blurt out something in Japanese without meaning to these days. Anyway, I'll be keeping this blog up as more of a personal blog from now on. Hope everyone is doing well!
~リア　(Leah)