Japan Week 5
Monday (July 25) was school. Tuesday was school. There really wasn’t anything earth shattering that I can recall, though I admittedly don’t remember much… whoops. I probably should be taking notes every day. I’m sure you’ll live without the long winded explanations. Every day was kanji, tests and more tests, and speech practice. Wednesday we had a bazaar on the first floor of the building, with all of the proceeds going to charity. It was awesome! I bought souvenirs. :) They had kimonos… and obis… and dolls… and I wanted them SO BAD but I was good and knew I shouldn’t get them.
And then later I figured out that I could have bought the yellow and red obi to go with my colorful wedding kimono, and it would have been a worthwhile purchase. I’m an idiot.
Thursday was more of the same, and Friday I headed into Ochanomizu to find the manga museum run by Meiji Daigaku. It had an exhibit on boys love manga that a teacher told me about - so I found it, after getting directions twice, and it was tiny. One floor. Took me 10 minutes of casual perusing to be done. They had some interesting things in the case, and even some things I own - like the “All Nippon Air Lines” manga. I laughed when I saw that. It was a friend’s birthday, but I said I’d be home for dinner so I ended up not joining them in Ikebukuro for ice cream. Besides, you have to pay to get into Namja Town, and I didn’t feel like doing that.
Saturday had me going to the piano recital for my host family’s granddaughter, where she played a duet with her mother who is a piano instructor. Her mom also did a solo. Then I went to a festival, where I danced like an idiot because I have no rhythm and don’t know the steps, and played taiko off beat in a yukata (which is really uncomfortable). I fished for yoyos - little water filled balls - just like in manga and anime! I was also approached by a city councilman. o.0 That was interesting. He looked like one of the staff at KCP. Dinner was at a local restaurant and was quiet yummy. When we were there, it started to pour; thunder and lightning earlier had driven us from the festival before nightfall. I saw a fabulous bolt of lightning, and such wonderful peals of thunder… don’t hear that often anymore. Especially at school in Oregon, where I heard it ONCE in TWO YEARS.
Finally got a picture with both my host parents too! :)
Sunday was, of course, spectacular. How could it not be? I went to Disneyland! And no, it’s not the same park as before - there are two separate parks in Tokyo. It was bit drizzly in the morning, but the day stayed cool and I never even needed sunscreen. We did another amazing group picture. It was much more crowded because people are now on summer vacation, but we still got good seats for the awesome afternoon parade, and again for the Tokyo Dream Lights parade. Just click through from those links… the parades are awesome. I also saw Sorceror Mickey again, and he was a very friendly Mickey who liked to pose. I stood in line for over an hour and a half to see him… and forgot to get his autograph. Yeah. I’m smart like that. I also saw the Fairy Godmother and Smee!
I stayed at a friend’s that night, as the next day - Monday - was the speech competition. Good luck to me…?
Week 6 plans: more tests, more studying, speech contest, fire museum, shopping in Shinjuku, Sendai Tanabata festival
And then later I figured out that I could have bought the yellow and red obi to go with my colorful wedding kimono, and it would have been a worthwhile purchase. I’m an idiot.
Thursday was more of the same, and Friday I headed into Ochanomizu to find the manga museum run by Meiji Daigaku. It had an exhibit on boys love manga that a teacher told me about - so I found it, after getting directions twice, and it was tiny. One floor. Took me 10 minutes of casual perusing to be done. They had some interesting things in the case, and even some things I own - like the “All Nippon Air Lines” manga. I laughed when I saw that. It was a friend’s birthday, but I said I’d be home for dinner so I ended up not joining them in Ikebukuro for ice cream. Besides, you have to pay to get into Namja Town, and I didn’t feel like doing that.
Saturday had me going to the piano recital for my host family’s granddaughter, where she played a duet with her mother who is a piano instructor. Her mom also did a solo. Then I went to a festival, where I danced like an idiot because I have no rhythm and don’t know the steps, and played taiko off beat in a yukata (which is really uncomfortable). I fished for yoyos - little water filled balls - just like in manga and anime! I was also approached by a city councilman. o.0 That was interesting. He looked like one of the staff at KCP. Dinner was at a local restaurant and was quiet yummy. When we were there, it started to pour; thunder and lightning earlier had driven us from the festival before nightfall. I saw a fabulous bolt of lightning, and such wonderful peals of thunder… don’t hear that often anymore. Especially at school in Oregon, where I heard it ONCE in TWO YEARS.
Finally got a picture with both my host parents too! :)
Sunday was, of course, spectacular. How could it not be? I went to Disneyland! And no, it’s not the same park as before - there are two separate parks in Tokyo. It was bit drizzly in the morning, but the day stayed cool and I never even needed sunscreen. We did another amazing group picture. It was much more crowded because people are now on summer vacation, but we still got good seats for the awesome afternoon parade, and again for the Tokyo Dream Lights parade. Just click through from those links… the parades are awesome. I also saw Sorceror Mickey again, and he was a very friendly Mickey who liked to pose. I stood in line for over an hour and a half to see him… and forgot to get his autograph. Yeah. I’m smart like that. I also saw the Fairy Godmother and Smee!
I stayed at a friend’s that night, as the next day - Monday - was the speech competition. Good luck to me…?
Week 6 plans: more tests, more studying, speech contest, fire museum, shopping in Shinjuku, Sendai Tanabata festival