Ding!
And it has been 1 month already! Only 10 left!
I can't believe how fast time has flown up until now! But my life here is pretty tight scheduled, so that's probably why. The last 3 weeks have been awesome! I love Japan more and more every day! School so far has been my major occupation. I spend a gigantic part of my time there. If you would compare it in piles, the pile of being at home would be quite small, and the pile of being at school would be gigantic, you see?
The second day I arrived at my host family I already went to the school. I fell in love as soon as I saw people wearing slippers. I showed my love appropriatly with a box of heart shaped chocolates, one for everyone who wears slippers right! Afterwards I went to talk business. Sad as I was, that the box of chocolates event only happened in my head, but also happy as I was, to be actually wearing slippers! Ans so I was sitting in a room, talking business, wearing slippers. It was like a long lasting dream finally coming true. That day was nothing special, except for the slippers.
The first week at my school was amazing! Everything was amazing! (It still is!) We have 6 classes a day and between each class a brake of 10 minutes. Every hour I just study Japanese since I don't understand anything, but in between the lessons I have funny crappy japanese conversations! Which really improve every week, I notice knowing more and more words, somehow... There are also a few hours that I go study in the Gaijin room, in which I am usually accompanied by an english teacher. Handy for any questions. Kurasawa Sensei is my main communication channel between the school and me. He also teaches me Japanese a few hours a week, and he is always friendly and I can go to him with any problems. I have already made a lot of friends by now! And I don't even know some of those friends! It is because I have orange hair and a white skin I suppose. This appearance occurs in the most amazing thing here at school, especially the first 2 weeks! And what I am talking about is that EVERYONE stares at me. I don't really mind though! I like this kind of attention! Everyone includes all the girls ofcourse! And so when I smile at some girls, they look at each other and start giggling. ^^ By now some of those people, to which I still daily wave my hand at, have turned into friends!
At the end of the first week I was already asked to come and do something after school by some classmates. I didn't quite understand what their plans were. This ended different then how I would have expected. I had already visited the Kendo club after school, but was yet to see what the Go club was like. So during my study hour with an english teacher, Kurasawa Sensei told me we were going to the Go club together after school. But I was already going to do something with friends! What now? So I told him, and he said he would ask my friends what their plans were. But I just felt this turning into miscommunication, and so it did. >,< At lunch I found out that the friend who asked me in the first place, had to stop by his club but it wouldn't take long. I said to him, there is a small problem, but I can't really explain. So after school that friend hurried to his club, and Kurasawa Sensei talked to someone else instead! The wrong person! That person also wanted to tell me something after school, but it didn't matter. So obviously Kurasawa Sensei thought everything was alright! But it wasn't since he talked to the wrong person! Anyway, after visiting the Go club I returned to our class, and ofcourse there were still classmates hanging around, because that is what they do in Japan, they are at school, always. So the students there were making decorations for our classroom. I waited with them for my friend, and tried calling him a few times, but only at around 7 'o clock I managed to reach him. He already went without me since I was nowhere to be found, as expected. But since I now was alone with 4 female classmates of me, we decided to go have dinner with the 5 of us! And all's well end's well, for it was a splendid evening after all! I had a very nice dinner in an italian tinted restaurant with 4 lovely ladies!
Now about the Go club I've visited... It sucks! Wtf! I was so disappointed! In the whoooole school there is only 1 student who is in the Go club. That's why the Shogi club with 4 members went together with the Go club with 1 member. So it was a pretty sad get-together there. Not only that there are almost no Go players, but the only student who could play Go is weaker than me! So it's not interesting at all! Lucky my LP is very kind so he searched a Go club for me in Okazaki-Shi. Afterwards my host mother called them and I could visit them. So I already went once to another Go club which comes together at saturday, it was quite funny, only old grandpa's. But man they are strong! They are all stronger than me, all around 1 kyu / 1 dan -> 4 dan, in Japanese rating, I have no idea what that is in Belgian rating. The Sensei is 8 dan here in Japan, and he reviews a game or gives a lecture each week. Ofcourse, I didn't understand anything of it. >,<
I have been going to the Kendo club about 3 times a week. My first time I just watched. I would feel bad for leaving early, but I didn't warn my host mother that I was staying late. Dai Pinch! It seems that almost all clubs train each day from 4 until 7, so I sticked around until 7 'o clock. I found out later that the Sensei was plesantly surpriced that I stayed until the end. It was already dark by then so the club leader (not Sensei) demaned someone to accompany me home. I knew the way but it was the first time going home in the dark. I said I didn't need it (I really didn't) but there was no stopping it. So that evening someone rode along with me all the way until my house, and he went back to school after to then go to his own home. It was insane friendly, and was one of the most amazing things I have experienced so far. In Japan everyone really is friendly towards everyone!
The Senpai (upperclassman) - Kouhai (lower classman) system is really awesome! When a Senpai requests something, all the 1st years would even fight to fulfill the request. Especially in clubs, for example when it is break time at 6 'o clock in Kendo practice, all the freshmen run towards the cold tea to bring cups to their Senpai. Every time a Senpai passes you during Kendo you say 'Shitsureishimasu' which is translated as 'Sorry for being a bother to you.' Which just sounds weird in English. Really, High School Kendokas of Japan are all insane! Not only their way of beautiful Japanese politenes, but during the practice they are constantely giving kiai (shouting). Even people who are not fighting are shouting "FightoooooOOO!" All the time! From the moment an excercise starts you can't hear anything but shouts everywhere. And they are really fast as well. And they train every day, even saturday and sunday. Everyday for 3 hours. I only go 3 times a week, not because I am not motivated, but because I have more a Belgian-styled mind, experiencing everything a bit. Japanese tend to focus on 1 thing, and insanely practicing it every day. I like Kendo a lot! But I don't neccesairly want to become the best or anything, I just want to enjoy doing it. So the other days I help with the preperations for the school festival, which is next weekend!
Today was a holiday here in Japan, a national holiday, which means only school, the post office and the bank are closed. They don't have a lot of vacation here. And guess what students do on a free day, they go to school! xD You didn't really have to guess since I just told you. So I asked the class leader if we were going to prepare a bit more for the school festival, and eventually went to school at 10 'o clock this morning. For the school festival every class prepares something, and a few clubs prepare something as well. My class will sell food.
Okonomiyaki! So today we painted around 12 posters to hang around school, and afterwards we practiced cooking it! (the Okonomiyaki, not the posters) Ofcourse not the whole class was here today, most of them just came to school today to participate in their club, and maybe actually a few stayed at home! But we were with 8 people from our class, 8 from a total of 32. Our neighbour class was only with 5 or so! They are building a gigantic anime character! From noon on we just cooked Okonomiyaki all day long! It was delicious! It's like a pancake, made from flour, eggs and water. Then salade and something weird I don't know is added while the pancake is still baking. As toppings, some weird brown sause is poured over it, along with mayonese and seaweed (I think). It's very strange when you first taste it, but after a few tries you can't get enough of it! It's very greacy though. Until around 4/5 'o clock we all had fun at school and then everyone went home.
So while underway to my bike I waved like 6 times to people I don't even know, and I met 2 girls which I do know! They have talked to me a few times before and are my Senpai. They asked me what my plans were, and since I didn't have anything to do we went to have fun in a shopping center with the 3 of us! It was very fun! Every shopping center definately has a game center. We played some games there, including the thing with the 2 goals, and the white puck which glides over the field like ice. We also made awesome Japan-styled photobooth pictures! You make a lot of crazy pictures with flashy backgrounds, and afterwards you enter another booth in which you edit your pictures! You can write all sorts of things and add hearts and stars and anything that's flashy! Then at the end everyone can send 1 picture to their cellphone, and everything is printed on sticker-paper! So now I have a bunch of cool stickers with me and 2 friends of mine! At the end we ate some lovely fried octopus!
Takoyaki!
I could talk for days but as I have said in the beginning, my scedual is pretty tight up! I stay at school everyday until 7 'o clock, and after I come home I have dinner, socialize with my Japanese parents and family, take a Japanese styled bath, and usually go right to bed. In Japan everyone is always genki! Genki means lively, or very awake and happy! I see a lot more people smiling here in Japan than I see in Belgium. But maybe it's just my school. I have not met 1 person so far who doesn't like school, everyone likes school! I do too! At saturdays I also go to school, these days to prepare things for the school festival, but after that it should calm a bit down. Then I have time to join another club besides Kendo! Maybe the manga drawing club, or a bit of juggling or table tennis. Or all 3! And sunday I try meet up with friends. Between all that it's hard to get to the computer sometimes, and this is my host brother's laptop, so he often uses it after his work as well. I am sorry. And also, almost all pictures have absolutely nothing to do with the text! xD Sorry for that too! >,<
This is where I'll round up my post for today! I hope everyone who reads this is happy just as I am! Don't worry about me! As you can read I am doing more than fine and my family is very nice for me! You should be thankful for every day you get to live in this interesting world! And if you don't think it is interesting enough you should seek adventure! You can all leave comments on my site! Everywhere is fine! If you have a gmail account you can even comment on photos if you want! (then you need to first logg in at picasaweb.com, property of google) Also don't forget that every picture is viewable in large resolution as well! 1600x1200! Just press the (+) in the right upper corner. That's all! Have a lovely day!
