Monday, January 31, 2011

One Week (And a few days)

So, I've been here for over a week. If you want to be exact, one week and 2 days. And I love it. Everything is so different! It's only been a week, but I am starting to pick up some Japanese. My host family is SUPER AWESOME so they've been helping me out. I can say I'm tired, I'm hungry, and that I want to eat. I can say Please and Thank you, and other pleasantries such as that. I have begun picking up words in sentences. Just yesterday (kinou in Japanese) I was able to figure out what Kenta, (My host brother) was asking. It was a big step for me and I was very proud. A lot of things about Japan are different, and I love it, but somethings kinda weird me out. Like the fact that nobody here drinks plain tap water. It's strange! If I want water in the house, I have to buy a bottle. Everybody drinks tea instead. For the first few days I felt really dehydrated allll the time, but now I feel better. And since I don't drink it as much, I don't miss it. Another thing, is that everyone walks, or rides their bikes here. It's so strange to see all these people out and about on bikes. The girls wear their cute school uniforms, with skirts and knee high socks, as they ride their bikes too and from school. Just looking at them I get cold! I've been taking walks when the weather is nice, and I love it. I can see Mt. Fuji over the horizon, and it is beautiful. The food is amazing, and I have much more of an appetite now then when I first got here. Soon, I will start "working" (helping out) at a school nearby where younger kids are taught English. My host mother thinks it will help my Japanese if I am surrounded by kids speaking it. I agree. Yesterday I went on a nice walk, and while I was out, started to get cold. (Samui) So I stopped at a vending machine, and bought a can of Hot Chocolate. I was amazed, and it was pretty good. There have been a few bumps in the road, like my check card not working at first, and not having a computer, but overall things have been pretty good. I'm going to go shopping tomorrow with my host sister, Yui. I am very excited, and can't wait. I'm pretty much over my jet lag, although I keep waking up at 6:30 am. Even when I don't have to. Sorry if this is ridiculously long and rambling, but this is how my brain works. Things are pretty awesome here, and are just getting better. I will (attempt) to write at least once a week, but don't expect anything.

Sayonara!

4 comments:

  1. I can't wait to read more, fellow traveler!

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  2. Clare,
    Glad to hear you are settled in and finding your way through their language.
    What a great experience you will have.
    Helping out at the school will be fun and that is also where you will pick up many culture and language differences. Like phrases we say, they may think are extremely odd.
    Rachel has been finding that out in London.

    Hope you get to take pics soon and post.
    Mrs Diamond

    ReplyDelete
  3. Clare,
    Glad to hear you are settled in and finding your way through their language.
    What a great experience you will have.
    Helping out at the school will be fun and that is also where you will pick up many culture and language differences. Like phrases we say, they may think are extremely odd.
    Rachel has been finding that out in London.

    Hope you get to take pics soon and post.
    Mrs Diamond

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mom's so jealous I can comment and she can't. Nah nah nah nah nah!!

    Glad to see you're having a good time in Japan! You're making friends and making small children very happy. And not getting dehydrated - that's the most important part. Everyone I've told is so excited for you and thinks it's the coolest thing ever, and I have to agree.

    I hope your music came back - you never responded to the facebook message so I don't know what happened with that. Let me know if you need any help with anything.

    Oh, and e-mail Mom and Dad every once and awhile. They don't have to be long lengthy messages but maybe more than HI MOM I'M FINE LOVE YOU BYE. Just saying. Do the whole loving-daughter-misses-her-parents thing. Make them feel loved. Trust me, it'll help you get more stuff.

    Love you sis!

    ReplyDelete