derelict in my duty!
FIRST OF ALL. As some wise and astute persons have pointed out to me, I never gave anyone my mailing address! How shall I get letters and rescue packages if there is no address? Alas. I must remedy this situation!
Anna Denson
c/o Center for International Education
Kansai Gaidai University
16-1, Nakamiyahigashino-cho
Hirakata City, Osaka 573-1001
JAPAN
I think that's how it goes.
And now, back to the adventures...starting last Thursday!
So, Katiekay and I met with those four guys for lunch -- Komatty, Yuki, Naoyuki, and Takeshi. Plus, they had brought along ANOTHER friend, a hilarious guy by the name of Yukihiko. That's right, me, Katie, and five Japanese boys. Life is good.
We got lunch at McDonald's and ate outside on this wooden platform circle thing. We had a good if somewhat silly conversation, which somehow devolved into Takeshi and Yukihiko alternately raising their hands to ask questions, as if they were in class...though Komatty consistently laughed at them for it.
Turns out that Takeshi is a really funny guy. He all the time will make these claims which could be true..."I like snowboarding!" "Are you good?" "YES!" (Starts doing surfing movements and yelling, "FWOOSH, FWOOSH!")...until Komatty suddenly says, "USOTSUKI!" Which, of course, means "LIAR."
After lunch we all went out to the grassketball? field and played frisbee. I'm not particularly good at frisbee, to put it lightly, but it was all good. And since we called out each others' names, a learning exercise! Except for that one time...Yuki, who rarely says anything, suddenly told Katie that she should call Yukihiko "katahaba" next time she threw to him. Turns out it means "broad shoulders," and is some kind of mysterious Japanese insult. Fun times!
Here we are with the boys, post-frisbee!
Katiekay, looking sly...
From the left: Naoyuki, Takeshi, Yukihiko, Yuki, and Komatty.
Teehee, boys are cute.
Friday, the Witt girls finally got purikura (sticker photos) together! And went karaoke-ing. We sort of randomly ran into Amanda's two speaking partners at the karaoke place, so they joined us! It was a little expensive, but mucho fun. Amanda and Shiho both sing like crazy talented people!
On Saturday I went with my host family to my host sister's school. She does video game character design, and had made a video game with a programmer and a voice actor. There was an exhibition of all the groups, so I got to play her game (a very shiny tetrisesque game) and this cute but difficult game about a maid. Very pink.
Okaa-san had to go to work, so Otoo-san and I met up with Hitoshi (the half-naked brother) and wandered around Umeda for awhile. Umeda is Osaka's shopping district, and it is FULL OF PEOPLE. And oh, Japan is not the place to buy CDs or DVDs, just so you know. Everything is terribly expensive.
We stopped by the shopping center where Okaa-san's English school operates, and surprised her at work! I met a few of her coworkers, who apparently thought I was very cute and shy. Hah!
We finally wandered home, I cleaned my room, and we had oden for dinner. NOOOOOOOOOO, MISTAKE. I'd eaten oden once before, and decided that I didn't really like it. This time I decided that it was completely unpleasant, but I ate most of it anyway. (Must be polite!) Unfortunately, I started feeling ill almost immediately. Enter the persistent stomach pains! As a result, I was nauseated and miserable for about three days. I think it may have been food poisoning, but I've never had food poisoning before, so...who knows.
Ate tea and toast Sunday morning, and then immediately went back to bed for a three-hour nap. (I felt fine, as long as I wasn't moving AT ALL.) At four o'clock, wandered to Kayashima station and met Katiekay, who was coming over for dinner! We had a lovely time chatting with Okaa-san and Otoo-san, and Okaa-san even let us try on her wedding kimono. OH, SO PRETTY!
I have photos, but I have lost my camera cord. (Every day it's something new, I swear.) So you may have to wait awhile for this one. Sorry guys.
Monday I had to commute an hour to school and give a speech (in Japanese!) in my only class of the day. While dizzy and sick. But I pulled it off admirably! Hooray! And then loitered around the CIE for seven hours until swing dance started.
While chilling in the student lounge, I looked up and was suddenly surrounded by Naoyuki, Takeshi, Komatty, Yukihiko, and two more guys to whom I was never introduced. They sat down, and we started chatting away...just me and six Japanese guys. Fun, but sort of nerve-wracking! Finally Katiekay got out of class and joined usand we had a nice time hanging out until they all had to leave for class.
I made it through swing dance fine, thank goodness, and by yesterday morning was feeling just fine. Hustled to write a paper that turned out not to be due until tomorrow, showed off some of my music videos, drew a picture of me and Katiekay, doodled my way through my last class and ended up (somehow?) walking back to Gotenyama with Amanda and Professor Berry. Amanda is friendly in ways which I find shocking. Not bad, but just so outgoing! How does she do it?
This morning I realized I had a kanji test in my first class, studied on the train to school, and thoroughly rocked it. I have two more classes today, and then another paper to write for tomorrow. LET'S GO!
Thomas, Juli, and me. Why is my face always so big?
Juli and Thomas.
Megan, attempting to hide behind a piece of paper. With eyeholes.
GOT HER. Isn't Megan's hair amazing?
Anna Denson
c/o Center for International Education
Kansai Gaidai University
16-1, Nakamiyahigashino-cho
Hirakata City, Osaka 573-1001
JAPAN
I think that's how it goes.
And now, back to the adventures...starting last Thursday!
So, Katiekay and I met with those four guys for lunch -- Komatty, Yuki, Naoyuki, and Takeshi. Plus, they had brought along ANOTHER friend, a hilarious guy by the name of Yukihiko. That's right, me, Katie, and five Japanese boys. Life is good.
We got lunch at McDonald's and ate outside on this wooden platform circle thing. We had a good if somewhat silly conversation, which somehow devolved into Takeshi and Yukihiko alternately raising their hands to ask questions, as if they were in class...though Komatty consistently laughed at them for it.
Turns out that Takeshi is a really funny guy. He all the time will make these claims which could be true..."I like snowboarding!" "Are you good?" "YES!" (Starts doing surfing movements and yelling, "FWOOSH, FWOOSH!")...until Komatty suddenly says, "USOTSUKI!" Which, of course, means "LIAR."
After lunch we all went out to the grassketball? field and played frisbee. I'm not particularly good at frisbee, to put it lightly, but it was all good. And since we called out each others' names, a learning exercise! Except for that one time...Yuki, who rarely says anything, suddenly told Katie that she should call Yukihiko "katahaba" next time she threw to him. Turns out it means "broad shoulders," and is some kind of mysterious Japanese insult. Fun times!
Here we are with the boys, post-frisbee!
Katiekay, looking sly...
From the left: Naoyuki, Takeshi, Yukihiko, Yuki, and Komatty.
Teehee, boys are cute.
Friday, the Witt girls finally got purikura (sticker photos) together! And went karaoke-ing. We sort of randomly ran into Amanda's two speaking partners at the karaoke place, so they joined us! It was a little expensive, but mucho fun. Amanda and Shiho both sing like crazy talented people!
On Saturday I went with my host family to my host sister's school. She does video game character design, and had made a video game with a programmer and a voice actor. There was an exhibition of all the groups, so I got to play her game (a very shiny tetrisesque game) and this cute but difficult game about a maid. Very pink.
Okaa-san had to go to work, so Otoo-san and I met up with Hitoshi (the half-naked brother) and wandered around Umeda for awhile. Umeda is Osaka's shopping district, and it is FULL OF PEOPLE. And oh, Japan is not the place to buy CDs or DVDs, just so you know. Everything is terribly expensive.
We stopped by the shopping center where Okaa-san's English school operates, and surprised her at work! I met a few of her coworkers, who apparently thought I was very cute and shy. Hah!
We finally wandered home, I cleaned my room, and we had oden for dinner. NOOOOOOOOOO, MISTAKE. I'd eaten oden once before, and decided that I didn't really like it. This time I decided that it was completely unpleasant, but I ate most of it anyway. (Must be polite!) Unfortunately, I started feeling ill almost immediately. Enter the persistent stomach pains! As a result, I was nauseated and miserable for about three days. I think it may have been food poisoning, but I've never had food poisoning before, so...who knows.
Ate tea and toast Sunday morning, and then immediately went back to bed for a three-hour nap. (I felt fine, as long as I wasn't moving AT ALL.) At four o'clock, wandered to Kayashima station and met Katiekay, who was coming over for dinner! We had a lovely time chatting with Okaa-san and Otoo-san, and Okaa-san even let us try on her wedding kimono. OH, SO PRETTY!
I have photos, but I have lost my camera cord. (Every day it's something new, I swear.) So you may have to wait awhile for this one. Sorry guys.
Monday I had to commute an hour to school and give a speech (in Japanese!) in my only class of the day. While dizzy and sick. But I pulled it off admirably! Hooray! And then loitered around the CIE for seven hours until swing dance started.
While chilling in the student lounge, I looked up and was suddenly surrounded by Naoyuki, Takeshi, Komatty, Yukihiko, and two more guys to whom I was never introduced. They sat down, and we started chatting away...just me and six Japanese guys. Fun, but sort of nerve-wracking! Finally Katiekay got out of class and joined usand we had a nice time hanging out until they all had to leave for class.
I made it through swing dance fine, thank goodness, and by yesterday morning was feeling just fine. Hustled to write a paper that turned out not to be due until tomorrow, showed off some of my music videos, drew a picture of me and Katiekay, doodled my way through my last class and ended up (somehow?) walking back to Gotenyama with Amanda and Professor Berry. Amanda is friendly in ways which I find shocking. Not bad, but just so outgoing! How does she do it?
This morning I realized I had a kanji test in my first class, studied on the train to school, and thoroughly rocked it. I have two more classes today, and then another paper to write for tomorrow. LET'S GO!
Thomas, Juli, and me. Why is my face always so big?
Juli and Thomas.
Megan, attempting to hide behind a piece of paper. With eyeholes.
GOT HER. Isn't Megan's hair amazing?