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
Monday, April 30, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Better Trip
At three o`clock the bell sounded, bringing with it my liberty. Once cleaning time was over, yes, Japanese students clean their own school, toilets and all, I finally found my keys and rather ungracefully mounted my bike and away I went.
The gusty winds provided me with a golden opportunity to introduce Fukushima City with the concept of black bonds underwear. Rather shocked at this, I spent most of my time trying to slap my hand on my lap in an attempt to keep down my somewhat flirtatious skirt.
It was one of those days where people are out walking their dogs, the lawn mowers are running (This is just setting the scene, there wasn`t a lawn mower in sight, let alone a patch of grass big enough to need a lawn mower. In Japan I'm pretty sure scissors suffice.) and children are running down the road holding hands, blah blah blah. You get the picture, basically: it was a nice day.
An old man in front of me seemed to be heading in the same direction as I. It was slightly awkward though because he could tell I was behind him but he kept looking and I don`t think he could see me. I had fun trying to sychronize my peddling with his but I got so carried away at doing this that I didn`t notice the turn off that I had to make, it was a miraculous stunt and I admit my heart was racing after i had swung my bike around in an area in which bikes shouldn`t be swung around in.
Gale force winds continued and once I was on the last leg, I was completely against the wind. All i could think of is the scene from The Wizard Of Oz, when the tornado comes, it was pretty bad. (Perhaps not that bad though!)
Anyway, I made it home safely and parked next to Grandad`s motorbike. I locked up my bike and then walked in a day dream to the front door. I suddenly realised I was trying to open the front door with my bike key, slightly embarrassing but hilarious to me nonetheless.
Tomorrow I have school on the Saturday. It should be fun, for school of course. On Monday I change host family, back to the Hanzawa`s house. It will feel like I am back home! Then, in one week and five days it is my birthday! What a none event that shall be but never mind, I would give up all my birthdays to be where I am today, I love Japan.
Sorry about the bike-riding talk, it is just that that was my last bike ride home from school at this house! (not including school tomorrow!)
Love Mel xx
The gusty winds provided me with a golden opportunity to introduce Fukushima City with the concept of black bonds underwear. Rather shocked at this, I spent most of my time trying to slap my hand on my lap in an attempt to keep down my somewhat flirtatious skirt.
It was one of those days where people are out walking their dogs, the lawn mowers are running (This is just setting the scene, there wasn`t a lawn mower in sight, let alone a patch of grass big enough to need a lawn mower. In Japan I'm pretty sure scissors suffice.) and children are running down the road holding hands, blah blah blah. You get the picture, basically: it was a nice day.
An old man in front of me seemed to be heading in the same direction as I. It was slightly awkward though because he could tell I was behind him but he kept looking and I don`t think he could see me. I had fun trying to sychronize my peddling with his but I got so carried away at doing this that I didn`t notice the turn off that I had to make, it was a miraculous stunt and I admit my heart was racing after i had swung my bike around in an area in which bikes shouldn`t be swung around in.
Gale force winds continued and once I was on the last leg, I was completely against the wind. All i could think of is the scene from The Wizard Of Oz, when the tornado comes, it was pretty bad. (Perhaps not that bad though!)
Anyway, I made it home safely and parked next to Grandad`s motorbike. I locked up my bike and then walked in a day dream to the front door. I suddenly realised I was trying to open the front door with my bike key, slightly embarrassing but hilarious to me nonetheless.
Tomorrow I have school on the Saturday. It should be fun, for school of course. On Monday I change host family, back to the Hanzawa`s house. It will feel like I am back home! Then, in one week and five days it is my birthday! What a none event that shall be but never mind, I would give up all my birthdays to be where I am today, I love Japan.
Sorry about the bike-riding talk, it is just that that was my last bike ride home from school at this house! (not including school tomorrow!)
Love Mel xx
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Well Again
Australians hello,
How are we all? I hope you are enjoying life, i know i surely am. This week has had some hurdles to overcome and some down times regarding some aspects of life back home, however i will put them aside for this evening and enlighten you all with some lovely tales of Japanese adventures.
Well, i suppose the first lesson you can be taught is that, from my experiences, Japanese weather is crazy. Today when i woke up, the sun was shining, the ground was warm, i even became hot riding to school. Later on we experienced sunny but raining and then cloudy and warm, then cloudy and raining. We had one random rumble of thunder and then it was back to clear again. It was clear when i got on my bike and left school. However, by the time i was home, i was again saturated and looked as if i had just been running around playing chasey with a tornado.
I am starting to not get stared at so much at school. I am making such good friends here in Tachibana. Trying to remember everyone`s name is hard, they always ask me! I have three lessons of calligraphy a week which i love! The teacher knows a word or two of english but one of those is `freeze`. It is such a harsh word and i ran the brush right over my page when she jut randomly said `freeze`! Yumi Sensei had obviously been speaking with her and she said she didn`t know why i got so scared when she spoke english but it was funny when she finally realised what she was saying meant.
If someone asks me how tall i am, my friends always jump in and answer as fast as they can, before i get the chance, i think they are proud to be friends with someone who is 177cms tall!
This weekend i have to go to school on the Saturday. We have an open day (this is from what i can gather, often i think i am on the right track and then something completely random will happen!) We have heaps of Biology lessons and in the afternoon parents are coming in to watch us learn, they will think i am so strange, i don`t know what to do but pretend to look as Japanese as possible, it could be tricky.
Australian mothers, you are 100% outdone when it comes to packing lunch boxes. I am sorry to say, but it is a fine art over here and every one has such gorgeous lunches, i will take many pictures. The only issue i have had so far is the way my host mum slips grapefruit into mine. I can`t help the face that i get when grapefruit enters my mouth, it is so disgusting, i hate the way they look a little like mandarins!
As well as school this weekend, I know that my family and i, of course, are going to either a temple or some other place which i am not sure what it is, but it is our plans. I will tell you all about it!
I will leave it at this, i love hearing from you, your comments always make me smile!
Love Melissa xxx
How are we all? I hope you are enjoying life, i know i surely am. This week has had some hurdles to overcome and some down times regarding some aspects of life back home, however i will put them aside for this evening and enlighten you all with some lovely tales of Japanese adventures.
Well, i suppose the first lesson you can be taught is that, from my experiences, Japanese weather is crazy. Today when i woke up, the sun was shining, the ground was warm, i even became hot riding to school. Later on we experienced sunny but raining and then cloudy and warm, then cloudy and raining. We had one random rumble of thunder and then it was back to clear again. It was clear when i got on my bike and left school. However, by the time i was home, i was again saturated and looked as if i had just been running around playing chasey with a tornado.
I am starting to not get stared at so much at school. I am making such good friends here in Tachibana. Trying to remember everyone`s name is hard, they always ask me! I have three lessons of calligraphy a week which i love! The teacher knows a word or two of english but one of those is `freeze`. It is such a harsh word and i ran the brush right over my page when she jut randomly said `freeze`! Yumi Sensei had obviously been speaking with her and she said she didn`t know why i got so scared when she spoke english but it was funny when she finally realised what she was saying meant.
If someone asks me how tall i am, my friends always jump in and answer as fast as they can, before i get the chance, i think they are proud to be friends with someone who is 177cms tall!
This weekend i have to go to school on the Saturday. We have an open day (this is from what i can gather, often i think i am on the right track and then something completely random will happen!) We have heaps of Biology lessons and in the afternoon parents are coming in to watch us learn, they will think i am so strange, i don`t know what to do but pretend to look as Japanese as possible, it could be tricky.
Australian mothers, you are 100% outdone when it comes to packing lunch boxes. I am sorry to say, but it is a fine art over here and every one has such gorgeous lunches, i will take many pictures. The only issue i have had so far is the way my host mum slips grapefruit into mine. I can`t help the face that i get when grapefruit enters my mouth, it is so disgusting, i hate the way they look a little like mandarins!
As well as school this weekend, I know that my family and i, of course, are going to either a temple or some other place which i am not sure what it is, but it is our plans. I will tell you all about it!
I will leave it at this, i love hearing from you, your comments always make me smile!
Love Melissa xxx
Monday, April 23, 2007
Weekend
Well, this is going to be in dot-point form to make the most of my time:
Thursday
-Mel posts blog.
-Stays in bed all day, feels better and better.
-Runny nose, all the rest but still, maybe she can go to school on Friday?
Friday
-True Melissa style she doesn`t want to miss school, so pushes on and attends.
-Feels homesick, feels stomach sick, feels coldsick and most of all, has a headache.
-After lunch, headache is pushed to the limits, lip starts to quiver, finds Yumi Sensei.
-Yumi Sensei sends her to the hospital room, in bed, cream hospital curtains, Mel sleeps.
-Apparently has a fever, so she isn`t allowed to ride home on bike.
-Host mum picks up Melissa and gets her home.
-Melissa makes it up the stairs and then collapses on her bed crying.
Friday Night
-Host mum decides she wants Melissa better, fast.
-Takes Melissa to `The Hospital` which is in actual fact more of doctor`s place.
-Doctor speaks English, bless the doctor.
-Collects numerous amounts of pills, doctor`s certificates etc.
-Mel gets to experience Japan`s health system ( I said i wanted to really experience Japan...)
Saturday
- Pills are taking their toll, now she can smile and doesn`t even have a headache.
- Has nice day at home with family.
- Gets to go to a concert which was absolutely amazing.
- Comes home with headache but nevermind, it was worth it.
Sunday
- Continues taking the pills (sounds like I`m a drug addict haha)
- Finally finds an ATM that takes her card.
-Cleans up room and does homework, get`s all organized.
- Once organises, feels good.
Monday
- Goes to school.
- Weather is a little warmer.
- Comes home in good condition.
- Finally i am better, officially.
Well there you go a run down of the random things i have been doing lately, of course so much more to it but time is precious ladies and gentlemen! Love your comments, thankyou so much xx
Thursday
-Mel posts blog.
-Stays in bed all day, feels better and better.
-Runny nose, all the rest but still, maybe she can go to school on Friday?
Friday
-True Melissa style she doesn`t want to miss school, so pushes on and attends.
-Feels homesick, feels stomach sick, feels coldsick and most of all, has a headache.
-After lunch, headache is pushed to the limits, lip starts to quiver, finds Yumi Sensei.
-Yumi Sensei sends her to the hospital room, in bed, cream hospital curtains, Mel sleeps.
-Apparently has a fever, so she isn`t allowed to ride home on bike.
-Host mum picks up Melissa and gets her home.
-Melissa makes it up the stairs and then collapses on her bed crying.
Friday Night
-Host mum decides she wants Melissa better, fast.
-Takes Melissa to `The Hospital` which is in actual fact more of doctor`s place.
-Doctor speaks English, bless the doctor.
-Collects numerous amounts of pills, doctor`s certificates etc.
-Mel gets to experience Japan`s health system ( I said i wanted to really experience Japan...)
Saturday
- Pills are taking their toll, now she can smile and doesn`t even have a headache.
- Has nice day at home with family.
- Gets to go to a concert which was absolutely amazing.
- Comes home with headache but nevermind, it was worth it.
Sunday
- Continues taking the pills (sounds like I`m a drug addict haha)
- Finally finds an ATM that takes her card.
-Cleans up room and does homework, get`s all organized.
- Once organises, feels good.
Monday
- Goes to school.
- Weather is a little warmer.
- Comes home in good condition.
- Finally i am better, officially.
Well there you go a run down of the random things i have been doing lately, of course so much more to it but time is precious ladies and gentlemen! Love your comments, thankyou so much xx
Thursday, April 19, 2007
General Update
This is my second post for today, so if you have just started reading, you`d better scroll down and read `The Bike Ride` and then come up to this little update, that would be appreciated! Or just read at your own free will, you know... i don`t mind!
Well, after 16 hours of basketball training in four days, i came to what is known as `breaking point`. I started to realise that basketball was invading me and before i knew it i would be wearing guy`s t-shirts, get my hair cut short and walk like a rapper. So, i thought, enough is enough, i didn`t come here for basketball, i think it is time to stop. So stop i did. I felt terrible for `messing them around` i felt that i was being annoying by changing my mind, i know dad thinks its really annoying when i change my mind, sorry dad but it`s true, you know it, and so i spoke to Yumi Sensei but apparently it was no big deal at all. She explained that many people change their minds after a few days because it`s only the start of the year and so they don`t expect everyone to stick with their first choice and she could see the dark lines under my eyes and my quivering lip and told me that it`s all ok. Quite literally my heart felt lighter.
Shame the stress of basketball has lingered on. I quit on the Tuesday and i woke on Wednesday with a killer sore throat. I kind of just pretended it was all good and i went to school on Wednesay but it was really difficult to think because i had a terrible headache and when you read `The Bike Ride` (Don`t get too excited haha it sounds pretty exciting, `THE Bike Ride`... haha but it isn`t) you will understand what kind of a day i got off to. However, there was a good aspect of the day, of course, and that was that i made a friend called Saki who had spent all day writing english sentences so i would understand her and she said she has been wanting to speak with me since she saw me and she thinks i am beautiful (which was terrible as i looked pretty disgusting on Wednesday) and she hopes we can be friends. It was gorgeous.
I hadn`t told my host mum i was sick, i was kind of hoping it was just a sore throat but i have a flu kind of thing. The whole achey body, shivering hot and cold thing happening which isn`t good and of course my host sister who is in my class worked it out and she told my mum last night who was super concerned and the whole family whipped into action last night. Marina and my little brother and my host mum grabbed four extra blankets for my bed, my little brother went around and made sure my curtains were shut and windows etc and Marina turned on the heater and gave me medicine and it was so lovely.
So i slept from 8pm till 7am. I had breakfast at 7am and then went back to sleep until 1pm. Now here i am writing this blog, i am feeling a lot better, still the nose and throat but not as shivery or anything, it has been good. This weekend i am going to Sayumi`s friend`s concert, apparently she dances. That is great and i am so excited.
Well this is becoming long and there`s nothing worse than a long blog, i really really DO love your comments, and please tell me what you`ve been up to in them, it`s great to hear from you!
Well, after 16 hours of basketball training in four days, i came to what is known as `breaking point`. I started to realise that basketball was invading me and before i knew it i would be wearing guy`s t-shirts, get my hair cut short and walk like a rapper. So, i thought, enough is enough, i didn`t come here for basketball, i think it is time to stop. So stop i did. I felt terrible for `messing them around` i felt that i was being annoying by changing my mind, i know dad thinks its really annoying when i change my mind, sorry dad but it`s true, you know it, and so i spoke to Yumi Sensei but apparently it was no big deal at all. She explained that many people change their minds after a few days because it`s only the start of the year and so they don`t expect everyone to stick with their first choice and she could see the dark lines under my eyes and my quivering lip and told me that it`s all ok. Quite literally my heart felt lighter.
Shame the stress of basketball has lingered on. I quit on the Tuesday and i woke on Wednesday with a killer sore throat. I kind of just pretended it was all good and i went to school on Wednesay but it was really difficult to think because i had a terrible headache and when you read `The Bike Ride` (Don`t get too excited haha it sounds pretty exciting, `THE Bike Ride`... haha but it isn`t) you will understand what kind of a day i got off to. However, there was a good aspect of the day, of course, and that was that i made a friend called Saki who had spent all day writing english sentences so i would understand her and she said she has been wanting to speak with me since she saw me and she thinks i am beautiful (which was terrible as i looked pretty disgusting on Wednesday) and she hopes we can be friends. It was gorgeous.
I hadn`t told my host mum i was sick, i was kind of hoping it was just a sore throat but i have a flu kind of thing. The whole achey body, shivering hot and cold thing happening which isn`t good and of course my host sister who is in my class worked it out and she told my mum last night who was super concerned and the whole family whipped into action last night. Marina and my little brother and my host mum grabbed four extra blankets for my bed, my little brother went around and made sure my curtains were shut and windows etc and Marina turned on the heater and gave me medicine and it was so lovely.
So i slept from 8pm till 7am. I had breakfast at 7am and then went back to sleep until 1pm. Now here i am writing this blog, i am feeling a lot better, still the nose and throat but not as shivery or anything, it has been good. This weekend i am going to Sayumi`s friend`s concert, apparently she dances. That is great and i am so excited.
Well this is becoming long and there`s nothing worse than a long blog, i really really DO love your comments, and please tell me what you`ve been up to in them, it`s great to hear from you!
The Bike Ride
All the little details regarding Mel`s bike ride to school on April the 17th, Wednesday.
Carrying my heavy bag down the stairs i called out that i was leaving as i slipped on my black school shoes. Grandma poked her head around the corner as per usual and said goodbye and made me double check that i had everything. Tipping the contents of my bag on the floor i showed her my umbrella, which she is concerned about everyday, and then my obentoo (lunchbox). Once I had satisfied her, i left the house and closed the sliding front door. Shivering and sniffing, i dodge the garden hose which i usually trip over and then spent five minutes trying to find the key for my bike in the jumbled contents of my bag. I unlock my bike, fasten my bag into the little basket on the front and walk it out onto the road before getting on and starting to peddle.
I make it over the train tracks just in time but in an effort to avoid using my breaks, (because they squeek so loud it`s embarrassing) i run into a green pole due to a man, who must be deaf and blind, who was standing right in the middle of the walk way. Gathering back any scrap of pride i continue on through the smoggy city, sniffing and sneezing the whole way.
I have another accident as i try and pull my jumper`s sleeves down over my hands with my teeth. A sudden sneeze takes over me and i hit my nose on my hand and my bike wheel goes into a little ditch between two slabs of concrete. It`s not the best bike ride I`ve ever experienced.
As per usual i turn at the Coca-Cola sign, then head on past the museum and library and at the same time i am overtaken by two men who look about 100 years old, it`s embarrassing but i was not in a rush. I stopped for yet another train and it went for ages, i was amazed at how long it was and kept saying in my head `aaaaand it will stop... noooowwwwww...` but it never did and when it did stop it was out of whack with my sentence in my head, i felt stupid. I was stared at by a woman sweeping the paths which reminded me that i am in actual fact, Australian. Then i think, `...but who sweeps the road anyway...`. I come around a sharp corner and accidently cause a man the wobbles... i should really fix my squeeky breaks(If you are reading and understanding my english, i am really sorry, but you were on the wrong side of the path my friend...). I get to school and realise how pesimistic my mind is and that starts to make me feel bad so in order to break the negativity i give a massive grin to a first year girl who smiles back and says good morning, but i just reply with a massive sneeze and a sniff.
Usually i love riding my bike to school, and i garuntee i will post about a usual bike ride, but i thought an insight to some of the minor details of Japan would be maybe a little more interesting than my massive chunks of information that give the bare minium. Thankyou, i love Japan, i really do but i am quite sick right now and it`s making it a little tricky, but before i know it i will be fighting fit again!
Carrying my heavy bag down the stairs i called out that i was leaving as i slipped on my black school shoes. Grandma poked her head around the corner as per usual and said goodbye and made me double check that i had everything. Tipping the contents of my bag on the floor i showed her my umbrella, which she is concerned about everyday, and then my obentoo (lunchbox). Once I had satisfied her, i left the house and closed the sliding front door. Shivering and sniffing, i dodge the garden hose which i usually trip over and then spent five minutes trying to find the key for my bike in the jumbled contents of my bag. I unlock my bike, fasten my bag into the little basket on the front and walk it out onto the road before getting on and starting to peddle.
I make it over the train tracks just in time but in an effort to avoid using my breaks, (because they squeek so loud it`s embarrassing) i run into a green pole due to a man, who must be deaf and blind, who was standing right in the middle of the walk way. Gathering back any scrap of pride i continue on through the smoggy city, sniffing and sneezing the whole way.
I have another accident as i try and pull my jumper`s sleeves down over my hands with my teeth. A sudden sneeze takes over me and i hit my nose on my hand and my bike wheel goes into a little ditch between two slabs of concrete. It`s not the best bike ride I`ve ever experienced.
As per usual i turn at the Coca-Cola sign, then head on past the museum and library and at the same time i am overtaken by two men who look about 100 years old, it`s embarrassing but i was not in a rush. I stopped for yet another train and it went for ages, i was amazed at how long it was and kept saying in my head `aaaaand it will stop... noooowwwwww...` but it never did and when it did stop it was out of whack with my sentence in my head, i felt stupid. I was stared at by a woman sweeping the paths which reminded me that i am in actual fact, Australian. Then i think, `...but who sweeps the road anyway...`. I come around a sharp corner and accidently cause a man the wobbles... i should really fix my squeeky breaks(If you are reading and understanding my english, i am really sorry, but you were on the wrong side of the path my friend...). I get to school and realise how pesimistic my mind is and that starts to make me feel bad so in order to break the negativity i give a massive grin to a first year girl who smiles back and says good morning, but i just reply with a massive sneeze and a sniff.
Usually i love riding my bike to school, and i garuntee i will post about a usual bike ride, but i thought an insight to some of the minor details of Japan would be maybe a little more interesting than my massive chunks of information that give the bare minium. Thankyou, i love Japan, i really do but i am quite sick right now and it`s making it a little tricky, but before i know it i will be fighting fit again!
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Basketball Club
Well it has been an eventful last few days in a rather uneventful kind of way. On Friday morning i had a change of heart against Kendo. I know it seemed like a great idea to embrace the culture, do something new but seeing the Kendo when i went swimming with my family really put me off, yes, i am afraid of being whacked with a stick. The uniforms seemed so heavy and it really just wasn`t taking my fancy at all. I thought i had better get in quick and say so because i don`t want to miss an opportunity and end up doing something i don`t want to do, therefore, i wrote down to join the basketball club. Perhaps a rash decision as i don`t particularly like basketball all that much but i need to live with my decisions and this is taking it to the extreme. So on Friday after school, i started basketball. Here is Mel thinking, `Oh how sweet to have cute little clubs that everyone joins to have fun together, this is so cute i am going to have lots of fun in my club out on the court. Playing scrap matches and all will be good fun.`
I WAS SO WRONG! Club is perhaps the most serious thing i have ever got myself into! We have a change room and a club room with shrines and white boards covered in statistics and uniform racks and you name it, we have it. There are about five senpai in my club, then myself and three other year twos and then a whole heap of new first graders who i spend most of my time with because i am new and they are new, yeah. If you walk past a senpai, you have to walk bent over double like you have a stomach ache and same goes if you go near a teacher. We learnt all the ropes, like what to say when the senpai do certain things and we got out onto the court and we have this massive warm up training and special little chants and it is so so serious.
They are good. Very very good. Luckily two of the first graders are new to basketball aswell so we suffer together. We do our own little thing which is still hard enough. We train every day for two hours after school, so from 4.30 until 6.30 and on the weekends we get to the courts which are at school at 7.15am and we start training officially at 9am but we have to set up and lay out things for the senpai and clean up the courts and all crazy formal things like that. So yes, start at 9am and no joke, we don`t stop until 1pm. We did get a three minute break but we weren`t allowed to sit down during it.
I am sore, yes, actually very sore. But i need to pull through with this, its a challenge and i just need to take each day at a time. There is no one to prove anything to except to prove to myself that i can make it through. There is no pressure on me to get good or win or look good because when it is all over, that i quite irrelevant and extra pressure such as that is unneccessary, i came to Japan for Japan, not to be on the world`s greatest basketball team, that was just an added extra.
Right now i am taking advantage of free time which is quite nice. My family life is going great, they are all so lovely and talking in Japanese around the house is actually getting good, i can hold good conversations now, about things regarding home life of course! Also, my time-table is being changed so it isn`t so boring. We had a little altercation with school, i have been sitting through lessons and not understanding a word of what is being said and i got pushed a bit too far by one of the teachers but because of it i got to speak to Yumi Sensei and now we are going to take out some of the lecture style lessons and fill them with art, traditional Japanese calligraphy and P.E which should be great fun.
Well, i will post again if i survive this week`s basketball training, i think i heard something about a day off soon! But of course, that could just be my imagination talking...
Thankyou for your comments, again, i absolutely love reading them and in two weeks time i will post pictures!
I WAS SO WRONG! Club is perhaps the most serious thing i have ever got myself into! We have a change room and a club room with shrines and white boards covered in statistics and uniform racks and you name it, we have it. There are about five senpai in my club, then myself and three other year twos and then a whole heap of new first graders who i spend most of my time with because i am new and they are new, yeah. If you walk past a senpai, you have to walk bent over double like you have a stomach ache and same goes if you go near a teacher. We learnt all the ropes, like what to say when the senpai do certain things and we got out onto the court and we have this massive warm up training and special little chants and it is so so serious.
They are good. Very very good. Luckily two of the first graders are new to basketball aswell so we suffer together. We do our own little thing which is still hard enough. We train every day for two hours after school, so from 4.30 until 6.30 and on the weekends we get to the courts which are at school at 7.15am and we start training officially at 9am but we have to set up and lay out things for the senpai and clean up the courts and all crazy formal things like that. So yes, start at 9am and no joke, we don`t stop until 1pm. We did get a three minute break but we weren`t allowed to sit down during it.
I am sore, yes, actually very sore. But i need to pull through with this, its a challenge and i just need to take each day at a time. There is no one to prove anything to except to prove to myself that i can make it through. There is no pressure on me to get good or win or look good because when it is all over, that i quite irrelevant and extra pressure such as that is unneccessary, i came to Japan for Japan, not to be on the world`s greatest basketball team, that was just an added extra.
Right now i am taking advantage of free time which is quite nice. My family life is going great, they are all so lovely and talking in Japanese around the house is actually getting good, i can hold good conversations now, about things regarding home life of course! Also, my time-table is being changed so it isn`t so boring. We had a little altercation with school, i have been sitting through lessons and not understanding a word of what is being said and i got pushed a bit too far by one of the teachers but because of it i got to speak to Yumi Sensei and now we are going to take out some of the lecture style lessons and fill them with art, traditional Japanese calligraphy and P.E which should be great fun.
Well, i will post again if i survive this week`s basketball training, i think i heard something about a day off soon! But of course, that could just be my imagination talking...
Thankyou for your comments, again, i absolutely love reading them and in two weeks time i will post pictures!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Tachibana High School
I love it. Thats about all i can say! I was so nervous on my first day. (I have lost train of thought... my little host brother just came on and turned the lights on for me, how sweet). Anyway, erm, yes on my first day i was so nervous and i felt so stupid in my Japanese uniform but i bit the bullet and wore it all, including my pink little neck-tie. We left for school really early because my host sister Marina had club so i just sat in the class room waiting while people who were brave enough to approach the random Australian girl came up and said hi. I think they were more nervous than me! We all were in class and i sit at the back near a window, the view is awesome, cherry blossoms, snowy mountains and high rise buildings. We went into the massive hall for an assembly in which everyone was seated, there were so many people and everything was very formal. I was so nervous and help my speech so tightly in my hands i am surprised i didn`t rip it. Yumi Sensei guided me to the stage and we were seated while all the students bowed, it is an amazing thing to see so many people in perfect unison bow the way the Japanese do! I was about to die when i reached the microphone but i delivered my speech the best i have ever said it! I was so happy and the reaction i got when i mentioned the fact that my family has two horses was crazy, they all just went, ooh.
Well i went home pretty early after that because we didn`t have any lessons but then the next day wich was Tuesday, we had our first day of lessons. In the morning we had to write our new school years resolution, the Japanese school year has just begun. I wrote: 私はもっと多くの日本語を習いたいです。 Yumi Senei came to check that i knew what to do and then she saw i had already finished and she was so lovely, going `oh my goodness, look at this, kanji and everything!`
English lesson was pretty fun although i felt stupid repeating after the teacher english words haha. They learnt the phrase: `It`s all Greek to me!`
Today we had massive tests on the work they had been doing over the holidays, yes the Japanese don`t ever stop working. I just got to stay in the English teachers room and talked with David. After the test we went to a pretty park and had more school photos! Also, after schoool today i went and watched my host sister`s chorus club mini concert, it was so amazing! They sang, I Will Follow Him, which was so cute in their japanese accents. In Japan, you show the people in the year level above you so much respect. These two girls beside me asked me if i was a senpai, which is a senior, and when i said yes, they wouldn`t look me in the eye and they kept bowing to me and it was crazy.
I will stop here, i don`t want to make this too boring and long! I hope you are all well and if you get a chance, please comment!
Love Mel xxx
Well i went home pretty early after that because we didn`t have any lessons but then the next day wich was Tuesday, we had our first day of lessons. In the morning we had to write our new school years resolution, the Japanese school year has just begun. I wrote: 私はもっと多くの日本語を習いたいです。 Yumi Senei came to check that i knew what to do and then she saw i had already finished and she was so lovely, going `oh my goodness, look at this, kanji and everything!`
English lesson was pretty fun although i felt stupid repeating after the teacher english words haha. They learnt the phrase: `It`s all Greek to me!`
Today we had massive tests on the work they had been doing over the holidays, yes the Japanese don`t ever stop working. I just got to stay in the English teachers room and talked with David. After the test we went to a pretty park and had more school photos! Also, after schoool today i went and watched my host sister`s chorus club mini concert, it was so amazing! They sang, I Will Follow Him, which was so cute in their japanese accents. In Japan, you show the people in the year level above you so much respect. These two girls beside me asked me if i was a senpai, which is a senior, and when i said yes, they wouldn`t look me in the eye and they kept bowing to me and it was crazy.
I will stop here, i don`t want to make this too boring and long! I hope you are all well and if you get a chance, please comment!
Love Mel xxx
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Snowy Mountains
Well my goodness,
today was the biggest day of achievements since i actually stepped foot onto that plane in Adelaide airport.
I woke at 7am and had breakfast, the usual etc. Then my host dad, host mum and younger host brother and i got into the car about 10am to set off into the mountains. We have a massive car, which i have a picture of, of course, and i will show you all one day but for now, just imagine...
Well i could see no snow for a long time but we were headed for the highest mountain in Fukushima, Azuma i believe it is called. Suddenly my host mum cried out `Yuki` which is snow and i whipped my head around to find a whole pile of white bags haha it wasn`t snow but we kept driving and eventually we were surrounded by such beautiful snow! It was a first for me and i loved touching it and leaving my foot prints and hand prints! Also remind me never ever to wear dunlop volleys in the snow. I think i came very close to frost bite. Well, we ventured further and further, stopping often and in the car we listened to Disney Spectacular which just made the snow that much more pretty!
We stopped for lunch which was とても おいしいい！Very yummy, and then went looking at the little tourist hut at the top of the mountain where i bought a few bits and pieces. We drove back down the mountain, stopping often to look at certains amazing first time scenarios for an Aussie girl such as myself. Eventually we arrived at the onsen.
Onsen, marked with the famous ゆand i think it is the bravest thing i have ever done. Onsen, sorry if i am insulting by explaining this but it is the communual hot springs or baths rather....
I won`t go into detail, wouldn`t want to scare you all haha. It was awesome and such a culture shock to say the least but there were two baths, one was outside and there was a beautiful view of the mountains but, believe it or not, i didn`t take my camera with me, i quite literally took nothing but me ...
Gender seperated by a wooden wall and then back inside there were little showers which were Japanese style, so they had little stools, little bowls for water and hand held shower hoses etc but i couldn`t read which one was the body scrub and which one was the hair shampoo so i felt like a bit of a perve trying to watch everyone else and at the same time act as if i was minding my own business... yes very awkward but eventually figured it out!
After this amazing ordeal we went to visit my host mum`s grandparents who were lovely and gave me hand made chopstick holders, or as the grandfather insisted, you can also use these chopstick holders as book marks... very versatile.
I met another Australian named Ganto, a dog who was a border collie and he was gorgeous, of course i have a picture but i can`t show it right now.
Well it was amazing and i couldn`t say thankyou enough! Tomorrow i have school which is scary and i will post again when i can!
Love always, Mel xx
today was the biggest day of achievements since i actually stepped foot onto that plane in Adelaide airport.
I woke at 7am and had breakfast, the usual etc. Then my host dad, host mum and younger host brother and i got into the car about 10am to set off into the mountains. We have a massive car, which i have a picture of, of course, and i will show you all one day but for now, just imagine...
Well i could see no snow for a long time but we were headed for the highest mountain in Fukushima, Azuma i believe it is called. Suddenly my host mum cried out `Yuki` which is snow and i whipped my head around to find a whole pile of white bags haha it wasn`t snow but we kept driving and eventually we were surrounded by such beautiful snow! It was a first for me and i loved touching it and leaving my foot prints and hand prints! Also remind me never ever to wear dunlop volleys in the snow. I think i came very close to frost bite. Well, we ventured further and further, stopping often and in the car we listened to Disney Spectacular which just made the snow that much more pretty!
We stopped for lunch which was とても おいしいい！Very yummy, and then went looking at the little tourist hut at the top of the mountain where i bought a few bits and pieces. We drove back down the mountain, stopping often to look at certains amazing first time scenarios for an Aussie girl such as myself. Eventually we arrived at the onsen.
Onsen, marked with the famous ゆand i think it is the bravest thing i have ever done. Onsen, sorry if i am insulting by explaining this but it is the communual hot springs or baths rather....
I won`t go into detail, wouldn`t want to scare you all haha. It was awesome and such a culture shock to say the least but there were two baths, one was outside and there was a beautiful view of the mountains but, believe it or not, i didn`t take my camera with me, i quite literally took nothing but me ...
Gender seperated by a wooden wall and then back inside there were little showers which were Japanese style, so they had little stools, little bowls for water and hand held shower hoses etc but i couldn`t read which one was the body scrub and which one was the hair shampoo so i felt like a bit of a perve trying to watch everyone else and at the same time act as if i was minding my own business... yes very awkward but eventually figured it out!
After this amazing ordeal we went to visit my host mum`s grandparents who were lovely and gave me hand made chopstick holders, or as the grandfather insisted, you can also use these chopstick holders as book marks... very versatile.
I met another Australian named Ganto, a dog who was a border collie and he was gorgeous, of course i have a picture but i can`t show it right now.
Well it was amazing and i couldn`t say thankyou enough! Tomorrow i have school which is scary and i will post again when i can!
Love always, Mel xx
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Easter
Happy Easter everyone! For me it will be rather lonely, the word easter has not even been mentioned here in lovely Japan.
Well, the last few days have been awesome. Two days ago i was driven to Tachibana by my host mum where i met up with Sayumi and Marina. They took me to where the Tachibana students who have recenty been at Tatachilla were. When i was in Australia and met these students they were so lovely to me and Yumi Sensei (Ms. Yumi) was a great person to meet. So when Sayumi and Marina brought me to the classroom they were in, i looked through the glass pane and Yumi Sensei saw me. She ran through the rows of desks with her arms flying around doing a kind of little dance and gave me the biggest hug and i couldn`t help but cry i was so happy! The Japanese don`t hug so it was my first hug in a long time, since i hugged Bek and Darren goodbye at Tokyo station i think. Hearing her speak english was great as well and i felt like i had known her forever. She tells me she is my mum in Japan and i am so so grateful to have her. She also had my trackies that i had left in Australia and she gave me a packet of Timtams.
School hasn`t actually started yet, it starts on the 9th. Students still go to school in the holidays for club and other activities. I will be joining the Kendo club, so watch out when i return, you can`t mess with me anymore! So, when time came to go home from school, i got out my map and put my bags into the little basket on the front of the bike and prayed for the best! I had to ride home on my own using the school hire bike. I did it! Mel actually read a map, believe it or not! I took a photo when i got home of myself near my bike.. i was that proud haha.
Yesterday i studied and yes Ms. Wright i am working hard on my Japanese! Then when Marina returned home we went out to get a few bits and peices for my school uniform. It is so cool and i don`t have to wear it, but everyone does and the girls are pretty excited for me to wear it, so i will just embrace the culture i am thinking. The girls in Tachibana are pretty funny. They look at me as if i am some ... i don`t know, they peep around doors, giggle, get all shy and are so happy if i wave back haha. It is strange. Also, my class will be an all girls class!
After getting things for my uniform Marina and i made purikura! It was awesome, you know the little tiny pictures with all the cool writing... i can`t wait to get more! Then we went to, are you ready for this.... MR DONUTS! Yes, we did and this morning i ate a chocolate pie and a coconut donut for breakfast!
Japan has so much random stuff. Excuse my english, it is turning worse with each day but the up side is that my Japanese is getting better and better. When i was at school with Yumi Sensei and David the American student teacher, my english was all broken and i kept pausing because i forget that i can actually speak normally... also Hai keeps coming out and i am a professional bower now, everything you do people bow.
I love this place and oh one more thing. While riding my bike home two strange things happened. One was that i saw a car exactly like Mum`s red one and i almost ran into a pole because for a second i thought it was her and i actually went to say something, then realised i was all alone and no one would understand me anyway! Secondly, i was crossing under a bridge when the Bullet Train decided to go over the bridge, ( I was under the bridge.. not in the path of the bullet train!) and oh my god. They are crazy, it was almost blurred! Oh and the fact that i sat for five minutes at a footpath crossing thing waiting for it to turn green for me to cross, when i realised, you have to push a button, very embarrassing.
Well everything i see i wish i could tell you about instantly but by the time i sit down here, it is to hard to tell you all the tiny little details but i reassure you that you will all be tied down and told every awesome thing about this awesome country!
Well, till next time, i start school on the 9th and have to give my speech in Japanese to the 1000 staff and students of Tachibana, spare a thought please haha.
Happy Easter xx
Well, the last few days have been awesome. Two days ago i was driven to Tachibana by my host mum where i met up with Sayumi and Marina. They took me to where the Tachibana students who have recenty been at Tatachilla were. When i was in Australia and met these students they were so lovely to me and Yumi Sensei (Ms. Yumi) was a great person to meet. So when Sayumi and Marina brought me to the classroom they were in, i looked through the glass pane and Yumi Sensei saw me. She ran through the rows of desks with her arms flying around doing a kind of little dance and gave me the biggest hug and i couldn`t help but cry i was so happy! The Japanese don`t hug so it was my first hug in a long time, since i hugged Bek and Darren goodbye at Tokyo station i think. Hearing her speak english was great as well and i felt like i had known her forever. She tells me she is my mum in Japan and i am so so grateful to have her. She also had my trackies that i had left in Australia and she gave me a packet of Timtams.
School hasn`t actually started yet, it starts on the 9th. Students still go to school in the holidays for club and other activities. I will be joining the Kendo club, so watch out when i return, you can`t mess with me anymore! So, when time came to go home from school, i got out my map and put my bags into the little basket on the front of the bike and prayed for the best! I had to ride home on my own using the school hire bike. I did it! Mel actually read a map, believe it or not! I took a photo when i got home of myself near my bike.. i was that proud haha.
Yesterday i studied and yes Ms. Wright i am working hard on my Japanese! Then when Marina returned home we went out to get a few bits and peices for my school uniform. It is so cool and i don`t have to wear it, but everyone does and the girls are pretty excited for me to wear it, so i will just embrace the culture i am thinking. The girls in Tachibana are pretty funny. They look at me as if i am some ... i don`t know, they peep around doors, giggle, get all shy and are so happy if i wave back haha. It is strange. Also, my class will be an all girls class!
After getting things for my uniform Marina and i made purikura! It was awesome, you know the little tiny pictures with all the cool writing... i can`t wait to get more! Then we went to, are you ready for this.... MR DONUTS! Yes, we did and this morning i ate a chocolate pie and a coconut donut for breakfast!
Japan has so much random stuff. Excuse my english, it is turning worse with each day but the up side is that my Japanese is getting better and better. When i was at school with Yumi Sensei and David the American student teacher, my english was all broken and i kept pausing because i forget that i can actually speak normally... also Hai keeps coming out and i am a professional bower now, everything you do people bow.
I love this place and oh one more thing. While riding my bike home two strange things happened. One was that i saw a car exactly like Mum`s red one and i almost ran into a pole because for a second i thought it was her and i actually went to say something, then realised i was all alone and no one would understand me anyway! Secondly, i was crossing under a bridge when the Bullet Train decided to go over the bridge, ( I was under the bridge.. not in the path of the bullet train!) and oh my god. They are crazy, it was almost blurred! Oh and the fact that i sat for five minutes at a footpath crossing thing waiting for it to turn green for me to cross, when i realised, you have to push a button, very embarrassing.
Well everything i see i wish i could tell you about instantly but by the time i sit down here, it is to hard to tell you all the tiny little details but i reassure you that you will all be tied down and told every awesome thing about this awesome country!
Well, till next time, i start school on the 9th and have to give my speech in Japanese to the 1000 staff and students of Tachibana, spare a thought please haha.
Happy Easter xx
Monday, April 02, 2007
Cultures
Well the other night i was sitting at my new desk in my new host family`s house and the whole room started to shake. I though, ok this is not good, and it kept going! I was paranoid and just sat there holding onto the desk.. it wasn`t that bad though haha and when it stopped i opened my bedroom door and my whole host family cracked up laughing at my apparently startled face!
They are so lovely and live a bit further into the heart of Fukushima. I have a younger sister and a younger brother and Marina who is my age. Yesterday they took me shopping and to see Maiko! Maiko are Geisha, the dancing kind and i got to have my photo taken with them. They came from Kyoto and after the photo time they performed a traditional Japanese dance and it was so beautiful, the way they do their head and eye thing is amazing!
Today i got handed a map of how to get to school. That should be interesting seeing that i get lost walking around Marion. Marina goes to school super early because of her club so i have to get there by myself. I will just look for the oter tachibana students and follow them if they are heading in the same direction as my map states. After my host mum gave me the map though we went for a practice. It was good, it is a long way though. We also stopped in at this official place so i could register as an alien...
My knees and back are pretty bad after a week and a bit of sitting at these low Japanese tables, it is really painful. I feel so awkward and like the biggest yetti ever but yesterday i saw another foreigner! There was about a trillion people in the elevator and this guy came in and when the doors shut it was silent as we went up and all i could see was a sea of black hair and then me and this guy poking out the top like giants haha.
Food is getting hard to cope with, it certainly is a very different culture! It is good to slurp and burp and make eating sounds which, according to sayumi are `Shaki Shaki` sounds. I get angry at home at my sister if she makes just the slightest noise when we eat but oh my goodness, this place is crazy and i just had to keep looking around at things that wouldn`t make me feel sick and i hate myself for having such a delicate nature haha.
But i do love the awkwardness, i always try to fight the grin that comes onto my face when i am in the most awkward of situations! I smile even though it isn`t funny at all haha.
Well there is a little comparison between Japan and Australia. Thanks a trillion for your comments i absolutely love reading them!
Melissa xx
They are so lovely and live a bit further into the heart of Fukushima. I have a younger sister and a younger brother and Marina who is my age. Yesterday they took me shopping and to see Maiko! Maiko are Geisha, the dancing kind and i got to have my photo taken with them. They came from Kyoto and after the photo time they performed a traditional Japanese dance and it was so beautiful, the way they do their head and eye thing is amazing!
Today i got handed a map of how to get to school. That should be interesting seeing that i get lost walking around Marion. Marina goes to school super early because of her club so i have to get there by myself. I will just look for the oter tachibana students and follow them if they are heading in the same direction as my map states. After my host mum gave me the map though we went for a practice. It was good, it is a long way though. We also stopped in at this official place so i could register as an alien...
My knees and back are pretty bad after a week and a bit of sitting at these low Japanese tables, it is really painful. I feel so awkward and like the biggest yetti ever but yesterday i saw another foreigner! There was about a trillion people in the elevator and this guy came in and when the doors shut it was silent as we went up and all i could see was a sea of black hair and then me and this guy poking out the top like giants haha.
Food is getting hard to cope with, it certainly is a very different culture! It is good to slurp and burp and make eating sounds which, according to sayumi are `Shaki Shaki` sounds. I get angry at home at my sister if she makes just the slightest noise when we eat but oh my goodness, this place is crazy and i just had to keep looking around at things that wouldn`t make me feel sick and i hate myself for having such a delicate nature haha.
But i do love the awkwardness, i always try to fight the grin that comes onto my face when i am in the most awkward of situations! I smile even though it isn`t funny at all haha.
Well there is a little comparison between Japan and Australia. Thanks a trillion for your comments i absolutely love reading them!
Melissa xx
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