Photos from Kyoto...and beyond

Well, you asked for it, so here they are.  My photos.  I'll give a brief play by play of each, so get ready for a long post.

 Because my parents had to see the trains I take to get everywhere.  Truth be told, they're alot like buses.  Some of them have plenty of seats, some have the hand holds on bars, others have fold out chairs.  Different with each train.  This one took me about twenty minutes to get from Hirakata to Kyoto

 Kyoto is just a gorgeous city and these two shots are dedicated to it's awesome landscape.  As of right now, I could live in Kyoto happily.  It's very rustic, but also modern in its own way.

 Random old timey street lamp.  Like I said, rustic but modern.

 These pictures were from the first real shrine we found, and include shots of the shrine, paper lanterns, and the purification area.  You dump water on your hands using those dippers as a form of metaphorical purification before entering somewhere sacred.  Very neat.  The water is very cold, no matter the font.

 Just a quaint little store across the way, nothing more.  Doubt if I even went in this one.

 Had to get a picture of these thunder demons on a poster.  It was an advertisement for the Kennin-ji temple, I believe.  Sorry if I misspelled that.

 More Trains!

 The above photos are all shots of the Kennin-ji temple and its scenery and architecture.  My group and I headed there first and I got some shots of the pagoda, coy fish in their pond, one of the places to hang up tags with wishes written on them, and several other neat spots that make it very mystic.

 This deserves an explanation and is one of the only pictures I'm really in.  Yes, I'm wearing my black coat and yes it was over 90 degress on that day.  Deal with it.  This is the world's smallest Ukiyo-e museum and the man to the far left, right next to the sign, is the owner.  He makes prints of old works, like Hokusai's views of Mt Fuji, as well as originals and showed us the process, which involves using pieces of wood and dyes that are pressed to strips of paper, each piece adding one color to the paper.  it was amazing.  We bought some prints and he gave us some free presents.  The curator was a funny old man and we really loved him.  He even agreed to pose with us.

 The pagoda in the distance belongs to Kyo Mizu temple, one of the hotspots of Kyoto.  I accidentally captured one of my friends in this shot.  Can you guess who she is?  Or did I even tell you about this one?  Ooooo, the mystery...

 This is a playful tanuki statue.  They're kind of like guardian spirits and are usually either creepy or cute.  Almost all of them are sitting on their own swollen testicles though.  Weird.

 Another shot of the huge pagoda.

 These shots are from some beautiful Geisha in training, in full regalia.  We were lucky to spot them.

 More Pagoda shots...seriously, I love the architecture at work here.

 A rickshaw!  I really wanted to ride it, but had to settle for a picture.  Rickshaws are expensive.

 One of many, MANY shops that line the streets surrounding Kyo Mizu.

 Some more quaint scenery shots.  None of them has any real purpose but to be pretty and unique, which they do nicely.  I had to climb a lot of stairs to get them at times.

 I found a Ghibli store!  It had so much cool stuff!  I wanted to buy more but I don't even have my stipend yet so...had to put that idea on hold.  FYI, that giant stuffed Totoro costs  $1,000 dollars and is bigger than most ten year olds.

 Finally we arrived at Kyo Mizu and I took as many shots of the architecture and scenery as I could.  It's a beautiful place.

 Relics of a bygone time.

 The final building in the distance, surrounded by forest, just like in the old legends.

 A shrine full of many many Jizo statues.  See all their red bibs and hats?!  That means people have been taking good care of them, in hopes they will look after the spirits of wayward children.

 In the back are statues of flaming deities and powerful figures of myth.  No, I don't know any of their names.  Sorry.

 Look at those crazy stilts!  That's how the whole temple is held up on the side of a mountain.

 Dunno what's in there, but let's hope it STAYS in there.

 Really just beautiful scenery.  I'd have enjoyed it more if my ipod hadn't died about right here and if it were about 20 degrees cooler.

 Shinto shrine!  These were actually much harder to find than I thought.

 Yes, I climbed up all those steps...four times.  Ugh...

 At the bottom of the steps was this little tea house.  I called it heaven, for its air conditioning and cheap Cokes.

 This is back at Kennin-ji temple.  We were allowed inside to see where the monks lived in olden times.  Most of these shots show scenery or these great painted backdrops.

 An old timey palanquin.  It was one heck of a ride in its day.

 This and the next few shots are a bit dark, so forgive me.  They are from the innermost vaults of Kennin-ji temple and show off some truly amazing art.  This is a ceiling, painted in intricate detail with twin dragons coming together.

 Rich Buddhist relics.

 Wonder how much that chandelier cost?

 The next few photos are actually of me in Osaka, heading to a birthday party.  I felt like including them here instead of making another post right after this.  This was just a figure enshrined next to some graffiti.  It really is quite amazing, seeing the beautiful, expensive piece next to a tagged wall.

 Sweets paradise, the only all you can eat cake buffet in all of Osaka.  Pray for me people, because this night, I probably gained a good thirty pounds.

 And here's why.  No, that's not the desert plate.  That's the appetizer.  Cheesecakes of every variety, green tea cakes, rice cakes, there was barely any real food there at all...and god help me I had too much.  But if you didn't eat all you took, there was an extra charge so myself and the others who joined me girded our loins and swallowed as much sugary madness as we could.  Needless to say, I was sick later that night.

 The legends were true!  Chocolate fountains...they DO exist!  Meh, I didn't want any chocolate that night.  Still, it was really cool to see it.

One of the birthday girls who I went to celebrate with.  She's the one in the cake hat.  Yes, even in Japan they make you wear silly hats on your birthday.

That should about bring you all up to speed.  I hope my photos were amusing and I regret not getting more shots of the shops in Kyoto, because they have EVERYTHING a Japanophile could want...for a price, of course.

I head back to Kyoto this sunday.  Maybe I'll take some more pictures for you all then.

Well, I'll sign off for now.  Stay tuned for more wacky hijinks as I try to get my act together during the next week...which comes with two three day weekends in a row.  Let's face it people.  I am officially on vacation.

Seriously, school is going well, the classes are pretty fun, though certain circumstances have kept me from enjoying them fully, and I'm adjusting a bit better.  Still get sick in the mornings most days and the food is taking its toll, but we survive in odd ways.  Today, I ate at a Mcdonalds...I hate Mcdonalds, but it made me feel like I was back home, with the greasy patty and fries, so it was worth it.

Till later everyone.

First week of Classes and Kyoto

Hello dear viewers

Let me get the first week of classes out of the way first.  We had a lot of trouble finishing up paperwork, such as getting my bike registered and getting into the swing of things, but classes have gone well.

My spoken Japanese class is eerily similar to how it was taught in the states by the absolutely fantastic Yumika Araki.  My new teacher, Yamauchi sensee, is just as creative and excitable as she was and makes class fun, through his energy, a few gimmicks, like today where he pretended to "accidentally" have a phone call with his wife just to segway into our next area of study.  It will require more work than any other class, but, them's the breaks.

Sumi-E is the one class that worries me.  my teacher is nice, intelligent, and confidant that I can become a decent Sumi-E painter by the end of the semester, but I tend to over think my works and they appear sloppy instead of smooth.  I have time to improve, but these are my most tedious classes, sheerly because I worry the most about them.

Shinto is an interesting course, though our teacher seems a bit too laid back.  She seems intelligent, but never wants to use the full 90 minutes we have.  Still, there's plenty to learn and we got a basic overview in the first week, including taboos, fertility idols, festivals, and the core essence of how Shinto is not a religion with a set creed, doctrine, rules, etc.  It's a very approachable religion in that aspect.

Anime Method and Meaning is a course that confuses me.  Our teacher is intelligent, if a bit awkward, but really, the class is just watching animated films and discussing their meanings.  Probably the reason it confuses me is our first film, Angel's Egg, is an auter art anime film, that has about four minutes of dialogue during it's eighty minute run time.  It'll probably be less confusing as time goes on, but for now, it is a little weird.

For those of you also not in the know, I went to Kyoto last Sunday.  I have pictures BUT, I will wait to post them, as I'm still sifting through the lot.  I will have them for you all by Saturday or Sunday.

Kyoto is my kind of town.  It wears its rustic Japanese flavor on its sleeve, in the open, for all to see.  I could actually live there and enjoy it, as there is so much traditional art and architecture and flavor.  I saw dozens of people in Kimono's or even colorful costumes.  I saw Geishas and Maikos, geishas in training.  It was like stepping into the wondrous world of dreams I'd heard so much about.  When you see the photos, you'll know.  But, let's stick to the facts.

I started with a group of friends at the train.  We irritated each other a fair deal on the trip and I got lost a few times, but on the whole it was an enjoyable experience.  That's all I'll say about my companions, for various reasons.  Anyway, the train is...well, fast and cheap, but a bit tiresome, as most of us had to stand.  Felt like I was back in Ecuador for a bit.

We started off in Kyoto at the temple of Kennin-ji, I believe, something to that extent.  It was a great zen temple, beautifully built from top to bottom with an intricate number of supports and amazing little alcoves for expression in rock gardens.  The most impressive thing by far was the main hall, where a huge number of Buddhist relics were housed.  The room's roof had a huge painting of twin dragons in it.  It was fantastic.

Ironically, the best part of my day in Kyoto was finding the smallest Ukiyo-e painting museum in the world right outside the temple.  The printer makes both reproductions and does his own work, by using different printing plates to add varying levels of color to pieces of paper.  He showed us how he made these for free and even gave us some good luck charms.  I bought several prints and we had a great time, with photos and everything.

Next, we had a trip through the shops leading up to Kyo Mizu(that's an abbreviation, I cannot remember the full title.)  Along these shops are where I got lost, as there is so much to see and some beautiful souveniers to find and buy.  I got a monogrammed cloth, which I will probably use as a wall scroll, a gourd reminiscent of the ancient Japanese tale of a sealed paradise withing a gourd, a lucky tag from the temple, and some great items from a store that specialized in Studio Ghibli items.  I spent SOOOOOO much money here and can't wait to go back.  My friends spent a fair bit as well, one even going so far as to buy a pair of $40 metal kabuki fans that were just amazing to behold.

Next was the temple, which was a lot of walking, plenty of gongs and things to bang and pray to, beautiful art work, incense, atmosphere and one of the best views I've seen in all of Japan, with a perfect view of Kyoto from above.  There were some rustic niceties as well, such as a tea house for weary pilgrim, cleansing fountains to purify the hands and body, and shrines from all over, including a Shinto dog shrine, Buddhist Jizo shrines, and plenty of others in between.

We had planned on seeing more, but by 5pm we were all dead on our feet, so we headed back to Hirakata city.  I felt like I'd just done a whole convention weekend in a single day.  I got off the train and had a nice meal at a local restaurant, which was a bit spicy but still good.  I should try eating out more often.  Maybe on Saturdays.  For those curious, yes, I did take my black coat with me to Kyoto.  It was a long, hot day, and though I was tired, dehydrated and exhausting, I didn't collapse or falter, so no worries.

Now, we start the routine weeks, with regular classes and some projects down the line.  I hope I can keep myself together in it all.  I did manage to get some writing done this weekend, along with a little exploring(I found two hobby shops, two arcades, and an American Cafe run by Japanese who don't speak English.  It was...weird.)

Anyway, that's all I can muster for now.  I'm tired as the class days wear on me...and I'm tying to cook more for my dorm mates, even though it's really more expensive than I'd like.

Like I said, photos of Kyoto will be forthcoming, so be patient.  Until then, I bid you adieu, dear viewers and hope that you get a chance to see the same beauty of Kyoto that I saw and captured in my photos.  Something to look forward to in the coming week.  If anyone wants to know more about my exploration, just leave a comment and I'll get to it next time, along with the photos.

Sickness and the bane of the bowels

No, you're not reading that incorrectly, dear viewers.  Today, I'm here to talk about what few people want to, but something I still feel is important.  Sickness and adjusting to the trials of traveling abroad.

Admittedly, I'm not the best resource on this, as I'm not going to go into things as dangerous as parasites or potential diseases that you should have inoculations for, but there are a few hiccups with settling in that need to be addressed, for friends worried about me and for potential travelers.

First, is jet lag.  No matter how chipper you feel getting off a plane or how great you feel the next day, it WILL take a toll on you.  For me, it's been in the sleep department.  I've gotten great sleep...but that's kind of the problem.  I need a lot more sleep than I ever did back in the states.  I could go on about 4-6 hours max on most nights and still be fine before.  Now, I need at least 8 to function and I'm still dead tired when I'm done with school.  Hopefully, this will change, but people ready to travel abroad need to be aware of how this affects your life.  You need to make the days count more and rest up as much as you can.

Next, is home sickness.  I only realized I had this the day before I resolved it.  But, it turns your stomach into knots, makes you whiny, sleepy, tired, and very unpleasant, even if you don't realize you're missing home.  Eventually, either with help from friends or finding something that you really love, you can resolve this, and appreciate where you are, but it will screw with your life for a few days, to up to two weeks.  I resolved this by finding some personal beauty in Japan, through a few annoying, but good hearted friends, and just having to get over myself.  But, I wasn't prepared for this.  You people need to be!  I loved Japan when I arrived and I still love it, but I didn't realize how much I missed my family, my old apartment, and my friends, even though we talk on skype.  It's trouble.

Also, food.  When I first arrived in Japan, I loved the food and I still love it now.  There is so much to taste, so many wondrous things to discover, my personal favorites being strawberry milk and Calpis white water.  However, I've been having trouble adjusting to this new diet...thus, the bowels in the title.  I really don't know how to handle this, but to just get used to it.  I've had my fair share of unpleasant feelings, especially in the morning.  The only time I really feel content is when my stomach is empty.  This isn't sickness in the usual way or even food poisoning, it's just a shock to my system.  So, those heading abroad, be warned, you will be ill from the new food, no matter how used to it you think you are.

Finally, love sickness.  This, I really can't advise people on how to avoid.  While I've been here, I've met so many amazing women, some of whom I admit to having a little crush on.  It has its charm and is a minor annoyance at first, but believe me, when you're getting over the above diseases, this is hell on earth.  It twists your stomach into knots and makes mild annoyances into crippling diseases that can keep you bedridden a good portion of the time.  I've managed to work through it by just living my life, but I can't really advise on this, since everyone is different.  But, if you do plan on getting smitten, hell, even if you don't, try and avoid it for at least the first month.  After you've overcome the aforementioned traveling ailments, it might not be so bad, but it was nightmarish for me, despite my previously optimistic posts.  Just trying to relax and being friends with people you like instead of trying to woo them seems to be the best medicine.

Alright, now you know.  Behind all the glitz and glamor I paint Japan in, I've been going through some stomach churning annoyances.  I still love this place and the people around me are growing on me, but it makes life a pain, especially after meals and in the mornings.  Fellow travelers, beware of these ailments.  You WILL NOT avoid them, but a little preparation goes a long way.  I wasn't prepared, so now I'm suffering.  Give me a week or two and I should be okay, but for now, I'm still dealing with illness all my own.

I probably ought to mention culture shock but really...haven't had much of a problem with it yet.  Japan is awesome and the service is much better than the US in almost everyway.  Granted, people are much more reserved and you can feel isolated, but people at Kansai and the seminar house are friendly enough so it hasn't bothered me.  Still, something for travelers to keep in mind.

Talk to you later, dear readers.

Karaoke and Aesthetics

Hey everyone.

Before I go on with the basic rundown of what's happening, I'd like to take a moment and say that my own views are not really reflective of how others act in general.  I'm just not used to dorm life, so...I might have been a little out of line before, speaking in terms of groups.  So, I don't meant to speak ill of anyone, just that I have an opinion, like everyone else.

Also, I probably won't put any pictures of my dorm mates just yet, at least not single shots.  They haven't told me not to, but I want to respect their privacy, so...yeah.

Now, for something less depressing...depending on your perspective of course.  I tried Karaoke.

I went out to Karaoke with about seven girls.  I embarrassed myself royally, but had a good time.  I can see why people would be intimidated or not like it, as it is wild and crazy, but it could grow on me.  My voice cracked at least twice, but I sang my heart out...for better or worse, heheh.  I might even do it again.  Just a lesson by example people.  Take a leap.  You might not look dignified, but you might enjoy it.

Next, I'd like to talk about the beauty of Japan.  It's not at all like what most people think, like the ukiyoe paintings or the fine art you see in museums.  it's cramped, urban, and can be a bit intimidating at times.  But there is a keen sense of beauty to the city I'm in if you're willing to look.  I first discovered this on the roof of my dorm, then did some house hunting.  Here are some of the things I found.

Japan is a land of contradictions in terms of architecture.  There are huge factories and campuses alongside old timey buildings and shrines across the street from vending machines that sell beer or cigarettes.  There is a rustic beauty in Japan that thrives alongside modern innovation.  It seems like the land never loses hold of its culture, even as it trods forward on the path towards the future.

I once read in a book that Japan's industrialized world can be intimidating, even ugly, to outsiders, but there's beauty if you're willing to look.  There are natural beauty in the parks, in the rivers and canals that run through the city in a much more beautiful version of American's home plumbing, and many more wonders to see.  However, what I find most charming about Japan is how it feels alive.

There are people all over the place and while you can find highways and lots of cars, bicycles, motor bikes, and motor cycles are more common, along with walking people and plenty of shoppers and vendors.  Hirakata city feels wonderfully lived in.  And the old culture lives alongside the new, making it feel both rustic and yet modern.  It is...in my opinion, much more lively than America in all the right ways.  People aren't hidden away in cars all the time.  And colorful too.  The district I visited to sing Karaoke was bright and loud, and full of people, it was colorful, and fun, but still felt exotic and Japanese in its own flavor, thanks to the old/new culture living together.

I also have to comment on the use of space in Japanese buildings.  Even the small ones are usually two stories and have plenty of plants, colorful dolls or ornaments laid out, or other such things.  They may be small and even a bit drab at places, but they've got much more charm than the cookie cutter suburban housing that seems to plague some areas of America.  Every Japanese house I've seen seems to have a balcony to stand on and look out at the world, as well as a beautiful garden for color and occasionally for practical uses.

It's an aesthetic I find most interesting.  Maybe through my pictures, you all can see some of what I see in Japan.

I'll be whining about classes later in the week.  Consider this a reprieve, dear friends.

Orientation, poverty, and the glory of biking

Hey again

This time, I'll try and be a bit more detailed, as I've been in Japan almost a whole week.  So, I've had a lot of experiences since then.  Well, let's start with orientation.  It was a nightmare...not hard, mind, just really annoying and tedious.  Lots of paperwork, plenty of bills, and speeches, and...gah!  Anyway, my week started off simply enough.  A little welcome tour, a bit of cafeteria food(which in Japan is surprisingly good) and meeting my speaking partner, Jayoon, in person.  She's very fun and energetic, but has an attention span problem at times.  Hard to get it hard to keep it.  Still, I like her.  Sorry, but no picture just yet.

My next few days were not so pleasant...the heat made me go through my whole wardrobe by weeks end, but far worse than that was the placement test for my Spoken Japanese language class.  Registering for the class was easy.  The test though...good lord...I've never felt more stupid or clueless on the Japanese language.  And this is after almost three solid days of speaking it off and on with my dorm mates, speaking partners, and any store owners I shopped at.  I even studied!  Hard!  But it made me realize how different it is from being able to get by and being able to speak it fluently.  Granted, I did well enough.  Didn't get busted down to elementary level Japanese.  I'm in spoken level three, which is slightly better than what I ended my last semester at Elon with.  And then I got to meet NACCHAN!

Allow me to explain.  Natsumi is my home visit contact.  Essentially, she's the eldest daughter of a family I will be visiting with on the weekends or on holidays to improve my Japanese and learn about family life.  She's very sweet and incredibly cute.  She's on the left.  I'm on the right with her speaking partner Skaven.  She speaks pretty good English and we got to have a nice lunch, plus talking over skype later.  I look forward to seeing more of her and meeting her family...though, I'm a little nervous, as just from talking with her, I learned that family dynamics are pretty different in Japan than in America.  Perhaps in ways I didn't expect.

After I met Nacchan(Natsumi's preferred nickname) I met Keiko, my other speaking partner.  She seems a bit shy but is very knowledgeable in both English and Japanese.  And she's in my curriculum, so I might see her more often than the others.  She's nice and we talked for a long time, though she was delayed by the trains.  Seems lots of students commute to Kansai and the rides are very long.  I think Keiko had a 1 hour our more commute just to see me, which was sweet of her.  I know that Keiko is a world traveler, having studied in America before.  She'll actually be in Florida when I head back to Elon, so I might make a trip to see her in the summer or spring break.  Or, I offered her my spare room when I get back to my apartment in the states.

Later on in the week I spent some time exploring with Matilda, a dorm mate of mine.  She's a bit quirky and claims to be a misanthrope, but I'm very comfortable around her and...well, I can't speak for her.  She at least tolerates my presence.  She's British and very intelligent, with a tongue almost as sharp as her wit.  Still, she's one of the dorm mates I may try to keep in contact with after I leave Japan.  She's been here so much it's almost like a second home to her...though from her stories of a countryside home, I'd love to see her normal home too.  Anyway, I'm getting off topic.  We walked for a long ways and I'm getting used to the heat.  We found the Midori, which is a huge mall type store and Mattie(as I have taken to calling her) went shopping for a camera...to take pictures of bugs with.  Like I said, she's quirky, but very fun.  I marveled at the assorted electronics on display and, gasp, model kits!  I was big into gundam model kits as a kid and they were here...they were cheap...and they were awesome.  Probably going to be one of the many souvenirs I take home with me.  It was an enjoyable trip and I hope to do more exploring with my dorm mates down the line.  Sorry folks, but no pictures of Mattie yet...not sure she'd appreciate it anyway, so we'll see if I put one up down the line.

What else did I do this week...I bought a bike...yes, that might sound odd to some of you, but I really bought a bike for about $70.  It's more of a loaner, as I have to register it and then sell it back to the bike shop for some of my money back before I head home.  Still, they will service it for free and I have a bike.  While I did walk to school the first few days and when I was out with Mattie, biking is the only way to go at Kansai.  It cuts travel time down by almost 70%, making hour long walks less than fifteen minutes, give or take traffic.  It's essential for surviving the heat and to avoid getting blistered feet.  I was a bit unsteady at first, but it's all come back to me by now.  I have to do MORE paperwork to get the bike registered with Kansai, but a small sacrifice, I suppose.

With my new bike I can head out to the conbeni's much easier.  Those are basically convenience stores, but I've really been shopping at grocery stores more and more.  The food there is startlingly fresh, even the premade meals.  Mattie advised me to always eat premade meals on the day I buy them.  Shame to waste such high quality materials.  Tried lots of new fish, vegetables, and juices since discovering the local stores(I love strawberry milk.)  Still no Calipco soda though...huh...maybe it's Chinese?  I dunno.

While out on my bike, I've been admiring the scenery a lot too.  I took pictures of this shrine which was by seminar house 1.  A bit dusty and old looking, but I love the architecture, especially the dragon dogs by the shrine gate.

Anyway, let's talk cash.  I'm broke.  I brought more than Kansai advised me to bring for my first month and still, broke.  My parents have sent me money, so I'm fine, but bills bills bills!  Anyone thinking of going to Japan, be ready.  Food is not just an everyday purchase, and a somewhat pricy one at that, but sundry items like dishes, towels, fans, things needed to survive the heat, are also necessary.  But what took up most of my money was the college.  I had to pay so many bills for deposits, liability insurance, and the like...and let's not forget my bike.  It was depressing.  I even had to buy a mobile(don't get too excited mom and dad it only works in Japan) to keep up with my speaking partners, as it texts and they receive texts easier than emails.  My advice to anyone thinking of coming to Japan?  Bring plenty of Yen or, like me, have your debit card handy.  You WILL need more money than you bring.  That is certain.

So far, I like staying in Japan.  I've been having to get used to the noise of a dorm, the slow speed of my internet, and the lack of familiarity, but it's been pretty cool and people like Mattie, Tamaki, Eriko, and my other dorm mates have made adjusting easier, though I still don't have anyone I can really "talk" to yet, outside of basic "Hi, howya doin?"  The food is good, the architecture is cool, and the weather has taken a nice turn.  We have a typhoon heading our way, hehe...I hate the heat, but the rain I love and it rains a great deal in Japan, three times in this week alone.  Was annoying when I put my clothes out to dry, but otherwise, very enjoyable.  Freak weather, either super hot, or super rainy, is what to expect here.

For those I know are curious, my classes for this semester are Spoken Japanese, Shinto, Sumie brush painting, and Anime: Method and Meaning.  I got all I wanted.

Before I wrap up, I do need to comment on Dorm life.  I've only lived here a week, but I've noticed basically four types of people who live in the dorms.  This may be me being tired or a little upset, but just go with it.  There are the people who are rowdy, love to make noise, play loud games, watch movies...they'd probably drink too if alcohol wasn't banned in the seminar houses.  They can be fun, if a bit tiresome when you're trying to sleep or work, since the walls are pretty thing.  Next, are the know it alls.  I detest these people.  They think they have all the answers, be it to Japanese, how to live, what to do in terms of jobs...people so sure of having IV league material or being lawyers or whatever.  I find them insufferable because they seem to think they know all the answers and all the shortcuts, all the ways to cheat your way into a perfect life.  Ugh...I hate spending time with them and avoid it when possible.  Then, there are the people who are BOTH.  These people, I try to avoid.  They can be fun, like I said I sometimes play cards with the rowdy crowd and it's enjoyable enough but...they talk politics or argue idiotic stuffs they're dead certain of VERY LOUDLY far too often.  It gets me down.

Then, there are the people who fit into neither of these categories.  I'm one of them and so are the people I prefer to spend time with.  Granted, they may socialize with the others, but these are the people with quirks, with interesting ideas, very easy going.  They make the trip worthwhile.  Perhaps I'm not being clear, but they have something, a certain, I don't know what, that makes them good people, even if they might not think they are.

These are the people I hope to keep in contact with even after I leave Japan.  Most of them still have an extra semester here.  And, god willing, I might be able to see them if I ever go back to Japan or travel abroad, as a few of them are foreigners.

I enjoy my time here in Seminar house 1, mostly.  Granted, there are annoyances like the LOUD people, but it's part of living as a community.  Orientation week was a nightmare, but I'm hoping that classes will be easier...though my schedule seems a bit cramped right now.  Only time will tell.

Till then, later