Cats!

The Lazy Song- Bruno Mars (There are just those days where yo don't feel like doing anything. That is one of the many plus sides to exchange, I have free time and can have a lazy day every now and again!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLexgOxsZu0

Rising Sun- Exile (My favorite Japanese song!... One of the three Japanese songs I know but still I like it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3WxhfO2O4E

I Do- Colbie Caillat (My relationship with Japan)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0oyglKjbFQ

This last Saturday I was supposed to go to Nara but because I was sick we had to postpone that trip. Instead my host grandparents were going to come to my house around noon with KFC for lunch. Well, they ended up at our house at 9:30 am with a ton of food for lunch- in Japan the way to get better is apparently to eat a lot of food and then just keep eating  more.

It turned out to be okay that we cancelled our trip to Nara because it was extremely hot and instead my Ojisan (grandpa) decided to take Otousan, Okaasan, and me to a river that is tucked in between some beautiful mountains. We drove the 20 minutes to get there then walked down to the river bank. It was so fun and full of life! People were barbequing, swimming in the river, and just enjoying time together. Not to mention the scenery was absolutely amazing!

Ojiisan decided he wanted to test the water and see how refreshing it was- he approved.

Kids enjoying the water

Turns out a lot of the kids were catching Kaeru (frogs) that seemed to be everywhere!

People swimming in the very pretty river.

Ojiisan skipping some rocks.

Just sooooo pretty.

And there is my Hogan Brothers shirt! When I get home, free hogie here I come!

Just thought the tree was very unique looking.

 Then we walked back up the hill to the car but before we left Ojiisan bought us all ice cream because it was so hot.

The ice cream treats are sold in individual sizes only and the choices are really fun!

 For the drive back home we took the scenic route and stopped a couple of times so that I could talk pictures. At one of the places we stopped we were greeted by an army of cats! Seriously, they were everywhere!

A water dam that Ojiisan seemed to be very proud of.

I hope this picture helps you visualize just how small the roads can be here, with blind corners as we drive up and down through the mountains. It is literally one car width, barely... but it is a two way street!

Once home with Obaasan we ate all of the food Ojiisan and Obaasan had brought me for lunch. Of course I shared but they kept saying over and over again to keep eating, the food was a gift to me, eat all of the food, etc. It was not from KFC because KFC wasn't open early enough for when my grandparents decided to show up but hey I am not complaining. The food was amazingly good like always.

The next day I was in a pretty bad mood, just woke up to a bad day... but yeah for Rotary which completely turned my day around! This meeting was much better than my first district meeting. It was shorter and for a majority of the time the exchange students got to chill in a different room with the Rotex. We all introduced ourselves (I offered to go first! It's what being an exchange student is all about) and one Rotex told us about her exchange to Denmark. Then they told us about this program they are starting, which is basically the same thing as the X-group I started back home, where each Rotex member is a buddy to an exchange student- there to be a friend, hang out, teach Japanese, etc. This Rotex program also entails some fun day trips to other cities in Japan and some barbeques! After the explanation of the group we had free time to just talk. There is a new girl from Canada that I got a little time to get to know, but I mostly caught up with Mai and Tia and talked with Rotex.

Tia and I representing Minnesota!!!

Our little Rotary Exchange Student Family.

After Rotary, Otousan and Okaasan let me choose where we would go to eat and I selected an Indian Restaurant they have told me so much about (Erik you will have to tell me if this looks like legitimate Indian food). Again, I will never be disappointed with the food I eat here in Japan- that is probably one of my only constants is that the food is always good and always will be good!

School has been pretty regular. I must say I am enjoying my free hours because I either get time to rest and read a book or journal or take Japanese lessons with Mark if he is at school. 1. I don't have much time to rest because during the week I am up by 6:30am to get ready for school and don't get home until 8pm because of Wadaiko Club practice and weekends are busy with my family. 2. Mark is a teacher at my school from Ireland, he is doing a home stay (so like an exchange) while he teaches at my school!

My view from where I sit in the Library.

 Reasons why I am so thankful to have Mark:

-he is the only other native speaker that I know of that lives in my area and that I can see/talk to on a regular basis at school
-he has offered to help teach me Japanese and about the Japanese culture
-he is the first person to understand the fact that I want to learn how to form a sentence! It is the grammar and lack of knowledge on verbs and particles that I have been struggling with the most- without those it makes it a bit difficult to form a simple sentence
-he doesn't like teaching out of textbooks. He says that they are good resources for if you have a lot of time but I am only here for a year so I need to know the important basics as of now (like verbs and particles). Thank goodness because that was what I was looking for but the other teachers here just keep buying me more textbooks! I have tried to ask them to stop and I will continue to try because I seriously have so many now that there really is no logic reason to have so many. I agree that textbooks are good and that I will keep working through the first couple I brought but am also glad to finally be moving forward at a faster pace with Mark

I have been dying to talk these next couple of pictures for a long time. The first picture is of the street I walk down in order to get to school! The second, third, and fourth are of a dinks vending machine. This vending machine is everywhere!- in reasonable locations like at a shopping center and busy areas but they are also in the middle of no where (like the one I pass as I walk to school). This vending machine also makes me laugh because I think of some friends back home every time I see one.

Can you find the car?

Just a vending machine next to someones garden on a fairly empty street.

Like a boss!

A couple more things about school. Today I bought a school lunch for the first time- curry! It was a huge serving in a giant bowl that was very cheap for it's size.

I wish I had taken a picture with my hand next to it so you could see a comparison of just how big it was! My friends didn't think I would be able to finish it... but it was so good. Curry, rice, and meat.

After lunch I played FRISBEE with some friends! It has been over a month since I have played and I was really starting to miss it. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera on me to document this wonderful moment but maybe next time, my friends asked if we could play again tomorrow and of course I said yes! Playing with them is a bit different than what I am used to at home but what can you expect when they didn't even really know about frisbee until I came along and told them how much I love it.

One last thing then this blog will come to its end. Tonight I had another Rotary Club meeting (it was fun, I got to talk with Mai most of the time). So, after school I met Okaasan in Kawachinagano (where our connecting train is) for a quick dinner. She let me choose and I decided I was really craving a good burger. The last time I had one was when Shiho and I went to Namba (and that was at a McDonald's). We went to this cute little burger restaurant and I introduced Okaasan to french fries dipped in shakes! She loved it so much she almost the rest of her fries dipped in the shake... and not only dipped but back for seconds with a double dip! I love and respect my host mom but that just put it over the top! It was so fun.

Sayonara from Osaka, Japan.