Yakarazuka

I want to watch this.

Bento!

As I'm starting to get back into the flow of organized schedules and school work, I'm also working on my diet. I've actually been eating breakfast almost every day now. But I guess I'm using a lot more energy everyday that something in the morning before class has become quite the necessity. Today I made a small bento of rice, tamagoyaki, and pan-fried sausage. For tomorrow I prepared boiled sausage (to look like octopus!), kabocha (pumpkin), and rice. I hope by the end of my time here I'll be a bento master. People in my program have started telling me that I'll become a great house wife though. BLEH.

Kotatsu and Concerts~

Monday was a holiday so the housing administration escorted students living in the apartments to a few stores that are known for selling cheap furniture. c: Josephine and I bought a little kotatsu~ <3

 This is Andrej, he's a Swedish man in a Gundam.. that specializes in massage.

 The admini surprised us by treating us to lunch after our shopping spree! D:

Later in the day, Josephine and I made plans with John to go see his guitar teacher's band that happened to be touring in Japan that weekend. So, here are some pictures of Umeda!

 HEP 5 Ferris Wheel

 Booze and Boogie, that's all you need. =)

 Wat.

The band we were there for was called Jaded Heart, but the head lining band, Doro was also really good

 The venue.

 John's guitar teacher, Peter.

 At the end of the show all the bands that played got up on stage and did a big number for the crowd... plus a sex doll.

On the way back to the station we saw THAT.

Kyoto!

Yesterday I went to Kyoto with my host family. :) First thing I was surprised about: KYOTO IS ONLY 50 MINUTES AWAY BY TRAIN SO AWESOME.

First we went to Kinkakuji:

 What I love about the weather here is that you can actually see the leaves change gradually. In Seattle it's all just kind of sudden.

 Money offering "saisen"　賽銭

 For lunch we went to a buffet or バイキング (viking). I asked my host dad why they say viking and he said vikings only know how to take things from other people. XD

 Next was Nijo Castle 二条城 where the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (first Shogun) first started its construction and then finished by Tokugawa Iemitsu (third Shogun).

 View from above. Kyoto does not allow tall buildings to be built.

 We had a tea service there before we left. Sooo splendid.

 Outside the tea house

 Went to Yasaka Shrine 八坂神社

My host family encouraged me to pray to the god of love. orz

 And that night we made delicious okonomiyaki!

Oct. 7 - Oct. 8

Thursday Oct. 7:

Not much really happened. Explored the Co-op shop again and discovered that our mascot is an awesome ALLIGATOR.

That night Josephine and I went to eat at the same izakaya that we went to with Yusuke.

These are supposed the be spring rolls. Very similar, but with salmon sashimi and cream cheese, so totally different taste.

Friday Oct. 8:

We FINALLY went karaoke as a giant group and it was SUCCESSFUL! :)

The only problem was that Josephine forgot to pick up her bike from the school office, so she was the only one without a bike. Since I weigh the lightest, Josephine rode Martijn's bike and Martijn rode my bike so that I could sit on the back and cling for dear life. Yoon senpai also came with us! Oh happy day.

The place was really big and pretty, but strangely enough connected to a ballet school. Everything was halloween themed~ c:

At the end of the night we were really hungry and biked to a yoshinoya just down the road. By this time it was pooouring rain. Since there was no point in me riding on the back of the bike in the rain I called a cab for Josephine and rode with Yoon senpai back to the school and from there rode by myself. Soaking wet doesn't even describe the condition I was in when I got back. XD But it was fun. I didn't get sick either. Course then the next day I had to wake up bright and early to go to Kyoto with my host family OTL

Oct. 4 - Oct. 6

Monday Oct. 4:

First real day of class! Every Monday the program has a meeting of some sort to go over program rules/upcoming events. That day I went to an intro to Japanese literature class and human rights education. Not sure what I think of the human rights one yet, but I think I might have to take it for the sake of getting credits. A couple of the girls recognized me and it turned out that they live in the same building but on the second floor. :o One was named Margot (from France) and the other Jeongeun (from Korea).

We stayed on campus for a while after class with the guys and I decided to invite the guys over for dinner. A few days before I had gone with the guys to go apartment viewing with one of the admini people. John (from Sweden) really doesn't like the dorms cause it's ridiculously dirty, I guess. The guys also wanted to see what our apartments looked like. We made stir fry with tomato sauce (surprisingly delicious) and put it on top of rice. I also introduced A Very Potter Musical to everyone. Martijn was totally into it. XD

Tuesday Oct. 5:

First Japanese class. Oh goodness, looks like it's going to be difficult. Was also the first time going to Toyonaka campus via the shuttle bus. Also went to get, I guess, hired for an English-speaking type thing. The guy in charge is kind of weird... But anywho, here are some pictures of the campus:

There was a little stray kitty on campus near my Japanese class. =( He looked so skinny, but he was really nice. He approached me to get some pets. I named him Mufasa.

Josephine, Martijn, and I decided to make yakisoba that night and watch more Harry Potter musical. We also took purikura!

Wednesday Oct. 6:

In one of our classes we met a Japanese girl who can speak Swedish, a good day for Josephine. We all decided to follow her to Minoh campus just to check it out and see if it was worth taking the bus there for one of our classes the next day. Turns out it is. The campus is a lot smaller, but it's in the mountains so the air is refreshing.