On Saturday i woke up and laughed at the stupidity of the fact that i was going to school. However, it turned out to be such a fun day. We had lessons in the morning which, ok, was not so fun but before lunch we cleaned the school and the ate our obentoo (and Australian mums, my goodness i am so sorry haha, didn`t think you would take the pedantic efforts of Japanese mothers in regards to their child`s health so seriously, i have nothing against Australian lunch boxes, just a note of cultural difference!) We then had the parents come in to watch a lesson and there were trillions of them. I unfortunately sit in the back row so i had them staring over my shoulder. My host mum came to the school and i felt so loved that i actually had a mum to turn around and grin at and talk to, it was beautiful.
I had to wait about two hours for Marina`s club to finish so i was entertained by some third year student who also loves Elvis, it was a good click. Do you know when it`s so hard to hold a conversation with someone that you meet and you are both asking how each other is and you find out that you are both `good thankyou` and then that`s about all. Well try doing that in another language, i find it fascinating that we are lost for words when we both speak the same language. It is one billion times harder when you don`t even know how to say something. But it was good fun and not stupidly awkward like some conversations can be!
After school we took a family trip out to see models of traditional types of housing in Japanese history. It was fascinating to see the way the houses differ according to the occupation of the owner and i was particularly interested in the Samuri`s house! We had great fun and on the way home we stopped in at many shops and odd places for me to see things, it was great fun.
The next day, which was yesterday. We went out and my host grandmother bought me a gift. She was so insisting and we were both almost in tears because we were so happy but i didn`t know how to thank her, all i know is that she is quite happy. We had the chance to then go and eat 31 icecream, it is so delicious and i had the chocoholic icecream, it suits me.
Today my host family and i went shopping again and printed off some photos as well as taking some purikura which was great fun. Then we returned home for lunch which was soba! Now here i am writing this rushed and terrible post, i am sorry but you must suffer from this.
In about an hour we are going to the Fukushima Festival. Marina is singing there and beforehand we are watching the Taiko drumming! I am really excited but slightly sad because once the Fukushima Festival is over, i have to go to a new host family. I am excited to go back to the Hanzawa`s house however i am sad to be leaving the Yokouchi`s house.
It is the first month officially over in Japan and I love it. I really am so glad to be here for three months, it is long enough to push myself, to make sure i learn but it is also a time in which i can enjoy every minute. I can`t believe i now have under two months to go. I very much miss my family and friends but in a way that makes me smile when i think of you all, rather than burst into tears. So, thankyou for all your comments, with a month down i can officially say that i do love you all so very much!
Melissa xx
ps. the next month may be low on the number of posts, the firewall and I at the Hanzawa`s house aren`t the best of friends! xx
8 comments:
31? おいしいね。We have Baskin and Robbins in Adelaide now, one at Norwood and one at Glenelg. Your 3 months is going so fast and it is so good to read all your news. I bet you were a bit of a celebrity on Saturday morning with all the mums in the classroom.
School starts back here tomorrow. As you know I shall be attending the funeral in the morning. Keep those blogs going! They are really おもしろい。そして、日本語の勉強をがんばってね。毎日、話したり、聞いたりしたら、だんだん上手になるよ。
オーストラリアの日本語の先生より
Lissa! Andy here, i figured i'd call you liss as everyone else calls you Mel, and in my eternal quest to be unique, no detail can be spared. I'm so jealous of your Bike riding, panty-exposing adventures....how i dream of exposing myself to such a conservative culture, alas i will continue my efforts to share my genitalia with as much of lil ol'Adelaide as i can. I figure now that we're on my favourite topic, indecent exposure, i'll try to keep you entertained with stories from Andrewland. Well, Saturday night my friend decided to have a few friends around, for a couple of quiet drinks. hehe, well things got a little out of hand... Craig (hairy guy you met at the beach) was walking around in his tight little bonds undies, when i told him that years ago, i had developed a technique for flopping your willy out WITHOUT touching yourself!? he naturally was intrigued, and i proceeded to begin our lesson. Let me explain the layout of Jared's dining area. The Kitchen is attached to the dining area, there is one entrace to each room. Jared's mother wanted to get into the Kitchen, but decided not to go through the dining room, as she knew the Self-exposing-penis lesson was about to take place, so she left the room, deciding to enter using the alternative door. What Jareds mum wasn't expecting, was that Craig and I were facing the kitchen entrance. So, as she cleverly entered the Kitchen, she got front-row, exclusive seats to the marvel that was, the self-exposing-penis. The look on her face was, was simply priceless...
I figure, that by about now you'd be getting just a little bored with comments saying "wow! i'm so jealous, wish i was there, you're so lucky, blah blah." So, while you're enjoying your time over there, i'm gonna try to give you a few laughs via the glorious internet. Wow, this comment is HUGE. I soon i'll be out-commenting your blogs. hehe, Righty oh, hope you enjoyed my little story, hopefully i haven't offended anyone, good luck explaining this one to your Japanese buddies. This should test your vocabulary. Bye Lissa, :)
heya,
i can't believe how quickly time is going to go for you, it must suck. i think 10 months isnt long enough for me, i almost wish it was a 2 year exchange. that would be the best thing ever!! i have a new blog up by the way. its pretty long, but there are pictures...so thats always good.
oi when are we meant to send our timetable and our first letter/email to JFIE and AIIU....? i'm too lazy and fear that we were meant to do it ages ago....
anyways, gtg back to class...wooohh.....
peace x
Thankyou everyone for your comments.
ANDREW! Haha, i haven`t laughed that much in months, seeing that i simply don`t have anyone here who knows enough english to have a joke with and the Japanese don`t tend to find funny things, well, funny.
What can i say, you are one of a kind cousin! Now all my teachers, friends, grandparents (Nanna, are you impressed with `our andrew` now?)are exposed to the kind of family i come from haha.
Haha, loved it a lot though, thankyou so much!
Keep them coming but erm.. yeah haha.
(Ps. This reminds me of, i think it was mothers day, when you flashed that old people`s tour bus from the balcony? Mum and Elaine were super impressed!)
Love Lissa x
Dear Melissa,
I think the time has come for me to let you into a dark family secret.....................Andrew is adopted!
Love ya heaps
Elaine x xx
LOVELY! I am back from Barcelona and I have to tell you it was pretty awesome... I just love seeing the cities of Europe, and I can surely recommend it! It's a bit too dirty for me though... I kept coughing and sneezing with all the things in the air I am not used to, but well, it's the same in Bangkok I guess. Is it just Sweden that likes keeping their air clean or what? Well you must be used to the clean air in Fukushima and in McLaren, it's just to cherish, isn't it?
Anwyas, it's so much fun to read about everything you are up to down there, sounds a lot like Asia only I didn't live with an actual Asian family while I was there. It's just such an experience for you! You seem to be busy, and I can just recommend you to take it all in, but you knew that already.
And Melissa, today I was playing some music, had iTunes on shuffle when 'Kissing You' came on, you know that Romeo and Juliet song you sent me once? And I remember you saying that it's hard to like, but once you've heard it a few times it's just beautiful. And I just listened to it and really thought it was amazing, and I missed you so much! It just struck me how much I miss you! And it felt weird, cause I have you on the internet just like before, BUT DAMNIT I MISS YOU! But you are not allowed to come home, just not yet anyways.
I hope everything is great with you Melissa, I truly do.
Love you! xox
School on saturday! Boy-o-boy... THAT IS AMBITIOUS! Anyways...
But hearing the stories makes me clear how much I missed by canceling the exchange program. Even if it was just USA (that is not worth me as Emelie would say!). (Yes those were one of my plans for the next year.)
But I mean Japan! That would be great! However my inability of talking japanese would form a little problem... And I BET it is a difficult language but no language is too difficult for Michel the so called "language spounge"... Maybe if I have the chance I'll do a Japanese course.
And your host family seems to have accepted you completely. That is so great, having two family's...
But your first month has come to an end. Enjoy it with all your heart Melissa!
- Michel
hello ma darling! its amy and sarah here. we are currently sitting in our lounge room with the rest of our family, reading andy's quite humerous comment! omg how embarrasing! lol anyways we miss you soooooooooo much and hope you are having a fantastic time and look forward to hearing about it when you get back! by the way i, amy, just got ma belly button pierced! ahhhhhhhhh! how i miss jumping up and down screaming with you! good times! anyways i'll let ya go but just wanted to say we love you and are thinking about you always!
love amy & sarah xoxo =)
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