I failed again...
I still didn`t manage to write in my journal on the day of, bad habits are hard to break, ne?
May 8th, 2006 ~ Asuka’s room, Fukuyama House, Kyoto, Japan; getting to be late.
After today, I am determined to be a whole lot more studious and consistent with pretty much everything. And that’s a good thing because I actually have to study now. But, since I didn’t write about Sunday yet…
May 7th, 2006 (Sunday) Fast Sunday went pretty well, but Haruyo went to another ward for a stake thing, I’m pretty sure. I understood some of what was going on, and managed to not sneeze or cough too much. I really wonder why Haruyo and Asuka haven’t offered me a mask or anything…but it’s too late now. They almost went overtime with the testimonys, just like they do in America. No difference there. After that was Sunday School and all of us Study Abroad students went to the “kantan” (easy) class, the one that’s usually just for new investigators or members. We talked about faith in Christ and I think I understood most of it. Luckily I didn’t have to answer any questions, so I survived. Relief Society was separate this time and in a really small room - the same one we use for devotionals every morning. We did an introduction for them (jikoushoukai) and I think mine wasn’t too terrible, but it’s easy to say that when there was another American who could only manage something like “I’m (name). I’m not a study abroad student.” And that was about it for her.
Asuka helped me scrounge up some food and I ate so I could take some more pills (yay for medication!) and I goofed off for a bit. I kept trying to get the motivation to do homework - failed miserably. Had rice, some meat, and then Shizuka tried to put some little dead baby fish on my rice. Luckily Asuka saw my distress and managed to stop her at three. They don’t have much taste, but their eyes. I couldn’t stop looking at them, but covered them up and ate them that way; it was Haruyo’s suggestion. And then the dad went and poured a bunch on his rice. I’ll just imagine it’s healthy and be glad they probably won’t offer it to me again. Basically was lazy and all was well. Planned to get up early and do my homework.
May 8th, 2006 (Monday). Didn’t manage to get up early. Got to class without too many mishaps - ripped part of my pants cause they got caught in the bike chain, left the kickstand down the whole time, started to go down a wrong street - and was late, but wasn’t the last one there. Julie and I were both still sick, and neither one of us had done the homework. There was a tea ceremony at the Shimegamo Jinja, so we rearranged our class schedule for the day and went to watch it. It was so hot, too. We all ended up at the back and in direct sunlight and like all traditions, it takes time. I’ll admit I wasn’t as impressed as I probably should have been, but I could feel the sweat going down my back and I’d seen one a lot closer before. Granted, I only ate the candy provided and it wasn’t by professionals (the one I’d seen previously), but they just don’t really appeal to me. Went back to class and we all crammed together (the upper level) to read the articles out loud together. Got them done in time and Warnick-Sensei talked to us for a while. He said we have a quiz on some vocab and kanji tomorrow. I must study. Must must. And Travis finally showed me how to look up at actual kanji on my dictionary. Now I can finally use it! Just will take a long, long process…
Oshima-sensei came in afterwards and went over the articles again - only in Japanese though - and then asked if we had any culture taboo questions. He’d apparently told the other class one, and had me demonstrate it. I was supposed to pretend I was going to a friend’s house, where there was a grandma. Thus, there was a superior present. He wanted me to demonstrate how to take off my shoes at the genkan (entry way thing) and I did it right on the first try. Straightened my shoes, etc, etc. The hard part came when he wanted me to show how to put my shoes back on. I was still crouched on the chair - that was the step up he used (I work better with visuals, apparently) with my side to where the grandma would be. I reached down for my shoes - shooting him glances every few seconds to make sure I wasn’t screwing up - and got it right. You’re not supposed to show your backside to the person, at home it doesn’t matter, but not to superiors.
Good job me for doing things by accident. Huzzah!
I’ve been wanting to go to the bank for a while, but apparently they all close at three. We got out of class early and so I hurried home and Haruyo drove me to their bank. We accidentally passed it - we were talking about two story McDonalds - and so she had to search around and we parked a few blocks away at their family’s temple. (I think.) There was a parking garage behind it, and so we rushed down the streets and got to the ginko (bank) in time and I finally exchanged my traveler’s checks for yen. I’m not sure if the exchange rate was good or not, but it’s too late now. Very few places seem to take T.C’s here, so…it’s all for the best. And I paid back Haruyo, too. So I’m debt free, at least, Japan-wise. Mom, Dad, you guys are way too nice to me. I need to study harder just to deserve this trip - and thus I shall.
Went shopping for food afterwards and I carried the stuff around, I joked about being young and strong. She jokingly requested I do it everyday. I just laughed and we kept walking. We got home without much trouble and then there was a delivery truck sitting in front of their garage/house. She got out and talked to them to move the stuff - putting the things inside the house, too - and I hauled all the groceries in. I don’t think she expected me to, but I do whatever favors I can. I even clean up after myself in the bathroom - apparently we Americans are usually messy in Japanese bathrooms. I can only hope they have no complaints with me. We planned to make Sukiyaki together and I went up to my room and dozed/goofed off on my computer for the time in between. Then I went back down and we made it. She put a lot of things into it that I wasn’t expecting. There was tamanegi (some huge root thing), onions (which I cut without crying!), beef, some tofu-bread mixture things, and then we put in sake for cooking. I hadn’t expected it, but oh well. It all burns out anyway, right?
It took a half hour to finish cooking and I watched the news for a bit. Didn’t understand much, but tried hard anyway. Then we ate and I watched some more TV with them. There was a show called “Hey, Hey, Hey!” and it was basically a celebrity talk show thing. It was full of Kansai-ben. I understood like…none of it, but I tried valiantly anyway. I hardly ever understand anything on TV, not in Japan at least. It’s all so fast and slurred and just…yeah. Little kids are the worst, too. Them and elderly people. No better way to feel like an idiot than to have a little kid jabbering on to you and all you can do is smile, nod, and hope you don’t have to really reply. Or that you didn’t agree to something like giving them all your money.
But, yeah. Here I am again. And gosh darn it, after this I’m doing some serious homework. With a bath in there, too.
I will beat this stupid lingering sniffles thing.
Love to you all,
bel/bobo
...I need better habits. *hangs head in shame*
*trundles off to cram and then sleep*
May 8th, 2006 ~ Asuka’s room, Fukuyama House, Kyoto, Japan; getting to be late.
After today, I am determined to be a whole lot more studious and consistent with pretty much everything. And that’s a good thing because I actually have to study now. But, since I didn’t write about Sunday yet…
May 7th, 2006 (Sunday) Fast Sunday went pretty well, but Haruyo went to another ward for a stake thing, I’m pretty sure. I understood some of what was going on, and managed to not sneeze or cough too much. I really wonder why Haruyo and Asuka haven’t offered me a mask or anything…but it’s too late now. They almost went overtime with the testimonys, just like they do in America. No difference there. After that was Sunday School and all of us Study Abroad students went to the “kantan” (easy) class, the one that’s usually just for new investigators or members. We talked about faith in Christ and I think I understood most of it. Luckily I didn’t have to answer any questions, so I survived. Relief Society was separate this time and in a really small room - the same one we use for devotionals every morning. We did an introduction for them (jikoushoukai) and I think mine wasn’t too terrible, but it’s easy to say that when there was another American who could only manage something like “I’m (name). I’m not a study abroad student.” And that was about it for her.
Asuka helped me scrounge up some food and I ate so I could take some more pills (yay for medication!) and I goofed off for a bit. I kept trying to get the motivation to do homework - failed miserably. Had rice, some meat, and then Shizuka tried to put some little dead baby fish on my rice. Luckily Asuka saw my distress and managed to stop her at three. They don’t have much taste, but their eyes. I couldn’t stop looking at them, but covered them up and ate them that way; it was Haruyo’s suggestion. And then the dad went and poured a bunch on his rice. I’ll just imagine it’s healthy and be glad they probably won’t offer it to me again. Basically was lazy and all was well. Planned to get up early and do my homework.
May 8th, 2006 (Monday). Didn’t manage to get up early. Got to class without too many mishaps - ripped part of my pants cause they got caught in the bike chain, left the kickstand down the whole time, started to go down a wrong street - and was late, but wasn’t the last one there. Julie and I were both still sick, and neither one of us had done the homework. There was a tea ceremony at the Shimegamo Jinja, so we rearranged our class schedule for the day and went to watch it. It was so hot, too. We all ended up at the back and in direct sunlight and like all traditions, it takes time. I’ll admit I wasn’t as impressed as I probably should have been, but I could feel the sweat going down my back and I’d seen one a lot closer before. Granted, I only ate the candy provided and it wasn’t by professionals (the one I’d seen previously), but they just don’t really appeal to me. Went back to class and we all crammed together (the upper level) to read the articles out loud together. Got them done in time and Warnick-Sensei talked to us for a while. He said we have a quiz on some vocab and kanji tomorrow. I must study. Must must. And Travis finally showed me how to look up at actual kanji on my dictionary. Now I can finally use it! Just will take a long, long process…
Oshima-sensei came in afterwards and went over the articles again - only in Japanese though - and then asked if we had any culture taboo questions. He’d apparently told the other class one, and had me demonstrate it. I was supposed to pretend I was going to a friend’s house, where there was a grandma. Thus, there was a superior present. He wanted me to demonstrate how to take off my shoes at the genkan (entry way thing) and I did it right on the first try. Straightened my shoes, etc, etc. The hard part came when he wanted me to show how to put my shoes back on. I was still crouched on the chair - that was the step up he used (I work better with visuals, apparently) with my side to where the grandma would be. I reached down for my shoes - shooting him glances every few seconds to make sure I wasn’t screwing up - and got it right. You’re not supposed to show your backside to the person, at home it doesn’t matter, but not to superiors.
Good job me for doing things by accident. Huzzah!
I’ve been wanting to go to the bank for a while, but apparently they all close at three. We got out of class early and so I hurried home and Haruyo drove me to their bank. We accidentally passed it - we were talking about two story McDonalds - and so she had to search around and we parked a few blocks away at their family’s temple. (I think.) There was a parking garage behind it, and so we rushed down the streets and got to the ginko (bank) in time and I finally exchanged my traveler’s checks for yen. I’m not sure if the exchange rate was good or not, but it’s too late now. Very few places seem to take T.C’s here, so…it’s all for the best. And I paid back Haruyo, too. So I’m debt free, at least, Japan-wise. Mom, Dad, you guys are way too nice to me. I need to study harder just to deserve this trip - and thus I shall.
Went shopping for food afterwards and I carried the stuff around, I joked about being young and strong. She jokingly requested I do it everyday. I just laughed and we kept walking. We got home without much trouble and then there was a delivery truck sitting in front of their garage/house. She got out and talked to them to move the stuff - putting the things inside the house, too - and I hauled all the groceries in. I don’t think she expected me to, but I do whatever favors I can. I even clean up after myself in the bathroom - apparently we Americans are usually messy in Japanese bathrooms. I can only hope they have no complaints with me. We planned to make Sukiyaki together and I went up to my room and dozed/goofed off on my computer for the time in between. Then I went back down and we made it. She put a lot of things into it that I wasn’t expecting. There was tamanegi (some huge root thing), onions (which I cut without crying!), beef, some tofu-bread mixture things, and then we put in sake for cooking. I hadn’t expected it, but oh well. It all burns out anyway, right?
It took a half hour to finish cooking and I watched the news for a bit. Didn’t understand much, but tried hard anyway. Then we ate and I watched some more TV with them. There was a show called “Hey, Hey, Hey!” and it was basically a celebrity talk show thing. It was full of Kansai-ben. I understood like…none of it, but I tried valiantly anyway. I hardly ever understand anything on TV, not in Japan at least. It’s all so fast and slurred and just…yeah. Little kids are the worst, too. Them and elderly people. No better way to feel like an idiot than to have a little kid jabbering on to you and all you can do is smile, nod, and hope you don’t have to really reply. Or that you didn’t agree to something like giving them all your money.
But, yeah. Here I am again. And gosh darn it, after this I’m doing some serious homework. With a bath in there, too.
I will beat this stupid lingering sniffles thing.
Love to you all,
bel/bobo
...I need better habits. *hangs head in shame*
*trundles off to cram and then sleep*