STUDY ABROAD: WEEK 46

JULY 14

I’m surprised I didn’t feel particularly sore or tired when I woke up this morning. Personally, I felt a bit stronger, and a little less class-oriented. In conversation class I tried to use the time to talk about our weekend, since none of us wanted to study. It was a hard bait to bite, but eventually they caught on.

Usually our day would end there, but we had another appointment set for fourth period. A graduate student at the university was researching tea, and its role in different culture. As a result, we, the resident different cultures, were going to meet with him for an interview. It was kind of sad, because he had come all the way from Toyohashi for an interview that could have easily been done over e-mail. I regret saying that there was no inviting feeling amongst the exchange students who did show up for the interview, and it was mostly us Americans. Granted, there isn’t much that we can say about tea, in and of itself. Those of us with any particular tea background were largely influenced by Japanese tea traditions. There really was nothing to say. However, despite our poor efforts, the young man was kind enough to bring us all a thank you gift for our participation. That made me feel a bit guilty, but the deed was done.

JULY 15

Tonight I’m hanging out with some members from BPM~ I’m not sure what the plans are exactly. There was going to be a get together later in August, but it would be either when I was back in America, or in process of moving. I asked if we could also do one this month also, and they planned it for tonight. A Tuesday night, of all things, but at least my morning class is just over the kanji from chapter 15.

JULY 16

Last night was great! It started out kind of rocky on my end, but in the end we had a great time.

After practice, I hurried home to shower and then back out to Nagoya Station where I expected to meet the rest of the group. I was early, but then they decided to eat at Saizeriya before coming to the Station. I started in their direction, but they said it wouldn’t be long, so I bought my own dinner at McDonald’s and ate in on the corner. It was kind of embarrassing just sitting there and eating by myself, but I assumed they would come any minute. It was almost 11pm when they finally arrived; I was expecting a slightly bigger group, but there were only eight people. Maybe I was a little disappointed not to see certain faces that I was more close to, but I was glad to have the company anyway. I say that like this day was planned for me, which it was in my head, but really, I think it was just a hang out for them.

We caught the Meitetsu heading north of Nagoya and got off at Biwajima. From there, it was a short walk to Japan Rental Car, which up until that point I assumed only dealt with rental cars. Apparently, it’s also a karaoke place that allows one’s party to bring in their own food and drink (no sneaking). So the guys went out to buy the snacks and drinks, while the girls all settled in the room and changed into more comfortable clothes. They’re always dressed up to go somewhere, but I appreciate it when they finally let loose and tromp around in sweats. We managed to sing the night away, song after song, most of which I didn’t know. I really should practice more Japanese songs, but I hardly know any in my vocal range.

Day came, and the lot of us hobbled out into the light. Once again, I hadn’t slept, so I was awake, but tired. Once again, maybe for the last time, I headed straight to campus to review for the kanji quiz. During second period I half-napped in one of the empty classrooms. I couldn’t have prepared more for my thank you and farewell speech anyway. It was meant for BPM, but the atmosphere yesterday didn’t grant me the chance to read it. I’m not sure whether I should make a big deal out of the fact that I will be leaving, or not, since I will still be in Japan.

JULY 17

This morning we had something called a ‘first check’ of our apartments. Basically, Mr. Yoshida came to inspect our room to see if it was in one piece or if anything was messing. He also checked the condition of our bikes. I waited all morning for my turn, as supposedly each person would take up to thirty minutes. Most of that time was spent chatting in my case, since my room was clean and everything was in order. The next and ‘last check’ would be the final day we are allowed in our rooms; we will be returning our student IDs, our keys and our bikes. I could easily have set my last day to be the first of August, since I already have a new apartment to move in to. However, as the last of the students will be leaving on the sixth I volunteered to stay until the seventh so they had a place to sleep for the night after turning in their keys on the fifth.

Only two more days until I get the keys to my new place!

Speaking of which, I had to call the electric and gas company before I moved in. I had been putting the task of for the past few days because I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to say. With only two days remaining, I had no choice but to call them today. First, I went to the international center and asked if they might help me with the call. In return they confidently said, ‘But you speak Japanese very well, why don’t you call them?’ I called the electric company first as I stood in front of them, just in case. I don’t know why I had been so nervous; the call was very quick and to the point. ‘What’s your address, when are you moving in, how will you make the payments?’ I have to thank the international center for believing in me. Now, I know that I can handle basic phone conversations like that on my own as well. I’ll be all right.

JULY 18

Game Night! It would have been amazing if the Sloppy Joes weren’t made with mixed beef. I basically ate chip sandwiches since I couldn’t have the meat, but they were really good chip sandwiches. We played Phase 10 the entire time, finally making it up to the 7th Phase. I need to find this game and buy it, though I don’t know who I will play with after everyone leaves…

JULY 19

Let the move in begin! I loaded up my rucksack and packed various odd shaped things, like pots and other necessary knick knacks around my room into the large blue luggage that I brought with me when I came to Japan. Then I set out from my room in Chambre 72. Today, I was heading down to Okazaki on my own, so I only took the first load along with me. It just so happened that today Shin and some of the guys were meeting to play futsal at the usual place. Mark and I hung out with Shin for a few hours last night, but I wanted to see the other futsal members as well, if I had the chance. It was a little out of the way, but I had left early for that reason.

As I marched down the street, dragging my luggage along, I noticed something was dragging. Just as I turned the corner that would take me down towards the campus, the wheel gave out. It didn’t break out, but the bottom support literally caved in on itself. I wasn’t about to haul that monster any further than was absolutely necessary, so I doubled back and went straight to the station. Thankfully, despite a little rain, the walk from Okazaki Station to the apartment dealers went considerably smoothly. I signed a few papers, received my keys, and walked up the road to my apartment.

Just as I entered my apartment the sky opened and it started to downpour. It was half-past 11am at the time, and the gas man was scheduled to arrive until 2pm. My first task was to turn on the breaker, but there were no instructions, just a switchboard near the door. My estimated guesses failed, so I asked Jason to take a picture of the breaker in his apartment. I knew that they were the same design, so I just needed to know which switches were up and which were down. It turned out that all I needed to change was the giant main switch, silly me.

After that, there was little else I could do so I unpacked my poor suitcase and laid on the patio furniture mattress that would be my bed until I bought a real futon. I waited and waited as the rain poured on and on. The gas man called around 2pm to say he would be an hour late. Had I known that, I might have tried to run to the hyaku-en shop as the rain slowed down. So I waited some more and the gas man finally came and did his job. Now I’ll have hot water as well.

Tonight it’s off to training again, and I’ll be spending my first night in my new home.

STUDY ABROAD: WEEK 43

JUNE 22

I am still in shock.

This morning Akane and I went back to the apartment dealer. There were three out of five places that we could go see today, and the first one just so happened to be my first pick as well. As soon as I stepped in I knew it was the place. I didn’t really want to see the other places, but I didn’t want to make an impulsive decision, so we did check out the other two places. In comparison, they seemed small, unappealing, but maybe that was because I had already made my decision.

When we headed back to the dealer, and I mentioned that I really liked the first place. I thought that would mean, all right come back again next week and we’ll draw up the contract. No, they had the paperwork ready. I knew it was the right place, so now or later it didn’t really matter, right? I didn’t want someone else to take it. We worked through the paper and they printed out the initial bill for me. It wasn’t just rent, but also a gratuity fee, insurance, neighborhood fee. In the end, it came to about 2000 dollars. I had to pay it this week. Also, I had to move into the new place within a month of signing the contract. July 19th it is.

It felt like I was doing the right thing, but I couldn’t help wondering if I had acted impulsively. Was I supposed to inform the university first? Or, was I missing some vital piece of information? It all seemed to go too smoothly.

We ate at SUSHI-RO after that, and I was still in shock.

Then I returned to Nagoya in the late afternoon, only to run into Jordan outside Nagoya Station. His plans to meet someone had fallen through and he was just on his way home. Turns out, he hadn’t eaten at the time so I took him to the nearby udon place for some venting time for the both of us.

So excited! And terrified! Am I really doing this all on my own?

JUNE 23

The last International Cafe… so sad. I will miss all the regular faces, and the bi-weekly excuse to talk about nothing in particular. Takahiro and Yuto also showed up today to hang out. Apparently, they needed a picture of me for the interview, so Yuto snapped one with his phone. I wish he had told me about it sooner because I was not at all dressed for a photo today.

JUNE 24

I did my duty and paid for the apartment today. So much money gone, and once again the bank account is starved. The JASSO money should be coming in soon though. I got to save up because it looks like we’ll be traveling next month: Disneyland, Universal Studios, who knows! It’s going to be an adventure. I’m pretty sure we are going to USJ because the new Harry Potter attraction will open around the 17th. I can’t wait to go; I’ve never been to a Universal Studio or Disneyland before.

JUNE 25

No time to work on manga today, only class and training. I’m in the last stages though; I think I can finish up the pages in a couple more days!

JUNE 26

Joy joined me to play futsal again. We always have too much fun playing against each other. Also, now that I know a few more of the members, we can actually interact with them as other matches are going on. Speaking a few sentences in English is fairly popular, but the conversation always reverts back to Japanese. Our conversations aren’t about much, but we have a great time playing futsal.

After futsal I went straight to dance practice for a few hours. Now I am home and showered. Tonight I’m going to try and get some more pages done. I have all night to do it since there’s no class tomorrow. Less than one chapter to go!

JUNE 27

It’s done! It’s done!

The pages are all complete! I finished the last details at 6pm, just in time for me to go to Open Mic Nite at the Heart n’ Soul Cafe. I even started on the cover, so all I have to do is check out the pages and prepare them for printing, finally.

Going to Open Mic became my initial celebration. Rachael and a couple other students also came to the event this time. Takahiro was there working as the MC, and he somehow managed to convince Rachael to perform next month. On one condition: that I perform with her. I enjoy karaoke, not singing on a stage. I can’t even sing that well. But, if it’s for Rachael, I’ll brave that fire. Somehow, someway, we’ll pull a performance together.

JUNE 28

Today’s culture experience was all about traditional Japanese instruments and yukata. As one of the first to arrive, I had the chance to watch our teachers for the day wander into the university all dressed up properly in yukatas. As soon as our class officially started, at 9am, we were dressed in various yukatas. They weren’t so much separated by size as they were by height, meaning there was few for me two choose from. This time, as one of the older women helped me put the yukata on and set the obi I tried to pay close attention. I would be buying my own yukata for the upcoming fireworks festivals, so I had to figure out how to wear it properly on my own.

Once everyone was dressed in their yukatas and the pictures were taken, we were split into two groups. My group was the first to experience the instruments, while the other group was taught obondori, a festival dance that takes place to celebrate obon, a festival based on the Buddhist custom of honoring one’s ancestors. In the instrument room they had set up there was flutes, shamisen, and small taiko drums. I tried the flute first, but in the allotted time I could hardly get a note through. Rachael and Joy on the other hand had experience playing wind instruments, so it came more naturally to them. Next I was sent to the small drums, which started out all right until I started going off rhythm. As for the techniques of hitting and holding the drum itself, I found that I was quite capable. Last was the shamisen, the instrument I had least faith that I could play, but it turned out to be the most fun. My fingers tend to move slowly so I thought that strumming the strings would be harder for me. To my surprise, the challenge of plucking the notes was more fun that I thought. I would have loved to have more time learning it, but our time quickly came to an end.

We switched rooms with the other group and danced for an hour in our yukatas. Dancing was nearly mindless for me, especially since the steps in and of themselves are relatively simply and they repeat for the entire song. At this point, a few people were complaining about the tightness of their yukatas as well, but I felt no such discomfort. I’m looking forward to finding my own yukata, but hopefully it’s not too expensive.

I planned a dinner get-together with the Hawaiian students and a few of the Japanese students that we have known since last year. It had been too long since we had eaten out together, outside of the curry house, so this time we went to yakiniku. Taigen recommended the place, which we found to be cheap and conveniently near the station.

STUDY ABROAD: WEEK 42

JUNE 15

Akane and I headed to the apartment dealers this morning. I didn’t expect too much when we arrived because the place looked like a smaller dealer, unlike the big names in the business: Minimini, Suumo, etc. Thankfully, I was wrong.

It was only our first meeting, but they were able to pull out five locations within twenty minutes of the station that were under 400 a month. Not only that, but none of the locations minded whether or not I was a foreigner. I think that part of that reason was because I went to the dealer in person and they could see for themselves what sort of level my Japanese was at. At least, when he spoke on the phone with the owners, that fact came up each time. Each of the places he showed me fits my preferences, so it’s hard to pick on above the other. I do have a favorite that I’ve seen during my Internet searches as well. Next week, we’ll be back to check out the places in person.

With business taken care of, Akane and I biked over to Aeon Mall. We were basically killing time until twilight, when we were going to meet with Jon and a couple of Akane’s friends to go see the fireflies. The way she talked about them, it made me think that they were a rare sight to see; little floating magical orbs. Going to see the fireflies seemed to be one of the past-times at this time of year, so I anticipated the event.

We drove up into the mountains on the curviest road I have ever been on in my life. It was only two-lanes, so we had to be careful around each corner. Deep out in the country, only surrounded by fields and then towering trees. I was enjoying the scenery along the winding ride when suddenly we were told to stop outside of a tunnel and park along the side of the road. There was only other car in the area, so we thought it was a bit fishy. But, we all got out of the car and walked through the tunnel to the other side. Then it quickly became apparent as to why we had to park so suddenly. Both sides of the road were already lined with cars of other people who had come to see the fireflies. The area was particularly popular because of the clean water in the river which ran next to the mountain’s forests.

These fireflies that were the call of everyone’s attention are the same ‘lightning bugs’ that fill our backyards every summer in Toledo. Jon and I had to laugh because this was a normal sight for us. Though, I suppose, if they only gather in these secluded areas, then it would be a rare sight for the average Japanese citizen.

There was a small trail leading down from the road, past an elementary school, down to the riverside and then back up to the road. It did not take long to walk the entire trail, so soon we were heading back to the car. We ended up in the middle of the pack, meaning that a whole new group of go-seers had arrived after us, and some still arriving. As for us, we had only snacked on some mochi while we were there so we went off to find food. At that time of night, the only place open was Denny’s. I had pancakes for dinner.

JUNE 16

…Manga…

JUNE 17

After dance practice I headed to the City Pal apartments to join the Cho-Ko party. This month both Cho, one of the exchange students, and Natsuko, the Japanese student who is assisting with our culture class, have birthdays, so they created a party together. Many of the members still left at the party were the new Chinese exchange students, so afterward when we went to karaoke many of the songs were in Chinese. We stayed until morning, so once again I let two of the girls stay in my room overnight.

JUNE 18

…Training…and it’s raining…

(View from the JR train from Nagoya to Gamagori as it rains.)

(My first attempt to explain the hard and soft ‘th’ sounds.)

JUNE 19

…Manga…Dance…

JUNE 20

Game night, we meet once again!

We started out playing Blocks, but as the members at our table grew, Rafael suggested that we play Phase 10. The makers of UNO know how to make great card games. As the name suggests, there are 10 Phases of the game, but some of us only reached the third Phase before time ran out. I’m looking forward to playing it again next month. Though, sadly it will be our last Game Night together… June is going by too quickly!!

Once again, I went to dance in Naka District with the guys. I happened to see a few more familiar faces, including that of Pepsiman. The Pepsiman I knew was always wearing short shorts, and he danced very feverishly. Today, he wasn’t dancing, and seemed a lot calmer than usual. I greeted him and we ended up talking; it turns out that he hasn’t practiced dance recently, he was frustrated with it. In some ways I understood him because I was having troubles with dance recently as well. In his case, he had been so competitively recently that dance wasn’t fun anymore, he needed to rethink it. I, on the other hand, need to up my ante and challenge myself more.

There was something self-assuring about hearing that he, as well as other dancers, have had their hard times as well. It seems to be an obvious fact, but to hear it from their own mouths really hits home. It’s hard now, but soon, very soon I’ll be free to dance and improve again. If I think about it, when I started drawing, I made a good jump my first year, and then it was a consistent slow but steady progress. I didn’t notice it because I was just enjoying myself; I wasn’t comparing my skills to others as much. Then I made a few more jumps, and here I am. If I put my mind to it, I can create anything. I think, once this project of mine is completed, I can do that again.

JUNE 21

We had a make-up class today, in place for the survey class we missed at the beginning of the semester. What really happened is we watched Mark and Aurianne’s final presentation for the class. They are in the new B class, so we usually don’t get to see each other’s presentations. However, for these final presentations, the teacher wants us all to present together, so from next week on our class times will overlap.

After class I went to training and then karaoke again with Rachael and a few others. How can I say no when our time together seems so short?

STUDY ABROAD: WEEK 28

MARCH 9

SOUL BREAK!

I started my morning out with a good breakfast, stretching, and mental preparation. For all the good that did. At around 10:45 I went to Nagoya Station to meet with Yusei at 11am. My nerves were calm until literally the clock struck 11am. Then all the nerves hit me like a brick. There was also some miscommunication between Yusei and I; we planned to meet at the Silver Clock, but for some reason he was waiting just outside the station, probably no more than a twenty-feet from me. Once we sorted that out, we headed to Pineapple Studios.

The studio was already full of people when we arrived, so there was little room to warm-up and practice. I greeted other members from BPM, shyly admitting to the fact that I was going to participate in the battle today. Our new co-captain assured me that I would be fine since I was always practicing, but his kind words did little to settle my nerves.

Other things that I had been oblivious to also came to light once the battles started. Yusei and I were the third battle in Group B. As we watched the first battle, I finally internalized the meaning of a 2-move battle. Each member of the team would dance twice… twice! I only planned for one move, and even that was iffy. The level of this competition was also ridiculously high because the teams were competing to battle against BBOY Taisuke. There’s nothing like trying to debut in a place that you don’t belong.

Our turn came quickly. Yusei and I stepped into the circle to face our opponents; I heard encouraging cheers from the BPM members, but I couldn’t feel them. I was too busy trying to face the situation before me. I was resolved; listen to the music, don’t stop, don’t give up. It was a strong mantra, but once the music started, all rational thought went out the window.

Time seemed to pass slowly, but I jumped in first. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as I thought, but during the move I kept slipping on the floor, and there was just no strength in my arms. It felt like I was just messily rolling about the floor. Then of course, our opponents with the 80s mullets, were quite good. Three more moves passed before I had the chance to mentally come back to the present. It was my move again. I looked at the judge for confirmation, and he gestured for me to start. If the first move was passable, I don’t know what to call the second move. It was mostly the same, since I had nothing else prepared. However, it felt more emotionally taxing, and even though I hadn’t really expected to win the ‘we already lost’ feeling was apparent.

After our defeat, I quietly floated around the room for a while. My brain kept replaying the battle in my head. Eventually, I went outside to take a walk and clear my head. The walk helped. Without deciding whether it went well or not, the fact was that I tried. Part of me wished I could try again, just undo and reattempt the battle with a different perspective. With that personal assurance I headed back to the Studio. The number of people in the studio had increased as the time for BBOY Taisuke’s battle was coming closer. Mark had also come for the same reason.

I had no interest, so I spent a lot of my time wandering around and people watching. Dancing may not be my strong point yet, but making new friends and simply talking to people seems to be. I made a few new acquaintances and enjoyed the rest of the event after all. Just like last time, we headed to Ken’s house afterward for a post-battle hang out. Yusei just got his license, but Zawarun let him drive his stick-shift car to Ken’s place. It started off a bit rocky, but he picked up on it quickly.

During the drive we happened to pass a Burger King near Tsurumai! I had never ever seen one in Japan before, so I assumed there wasn’t any. I’ll have to try to find it again one day.

We hung out, ate sushi, and played cards for a couple hours before I had to catch the subway home. It was around 11pm or so when I arrived back at Nakamura Kuyakusho Station, but rather than going straight home I went for another walk. That’s one of the nice things about my neighborhood; I can just take a walk at 11pm without any problems. It was very peaceful, and with today done I’m ready to move to the next level.

MARCH 10

I cut my hair this morning. I think I over did it, but thankfully I was using thinning sheers, so it was a gradual mistake. Mostly the bangs are too short I think. Oh well, it will grow back.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had the chance to hang out with Akane. Today, we hung out in Anjo and went bowling, and then Jon won these from the arcade. It is Okazaemon, the mascot of Okazaki City.

After all that fun and excitement, I wasn’t too happy about the fact that it was snowing again. There was even a rumor that it might stop the trains from running! All the more reason winter should end. Things seem to still be pretty unfortunate back home— lots of snow, low temperatures, an unrelenting winter. Despite those rumors, the trains proceeded with no problems, and after bowling we met with Jessica and Zi for curry. I can’t believe Jessica’s leaving at the end of the month! We’ve barely had any chances to hang out. Hopefully, we can get one more hang out in before she’s gone, too.

MARCH 11

The soreness lingers on. It’s bearable throughout the day, but it’s starting to get hard to sleep. I’m not even sure what the best approach to relieving it is. I’ve tried taking hot showers, simply relaxing, and stretching it out, but nothing relieves it. For now, I’m just going to go on with my life and keep going to practice.

Speaking of which, the seniors have finally finished coming up with the choreography for their showcase tomorrow. I wish I could go, but I have training down in Gamagori. I probably watched their final practice a dozen times over, and I’m still just in awe of their teamwork and skill level. We’re having a send-off party for them in a couple weeks… say it isn’t so!

MARCH 12

I really don’t want to go to the doctor, but last night I could barely sleep at all because of the strain in my back. I naturally rotate around when I’m sleeping, so getting stuck in one position contrarily upsets my sleep cycle. I also prefer to sleep on my side, but that’s when I feel the strain the most. Oddly enough there is a chiropractor on my way home from school, and I’ve also looked up what sort of doctors are in the area, just in case. But, I really don’t want to go. I just don’t like going to a doctor, period.

In other news, I have committed myself to going to see a HUGE dance event in Tokyo next month: Dance@LIVE. It’s the finals off the competition that have been going on all year long. Remember, I went to watch Dance@RIZE back in September to cheer on BPM? It’s the same competition. I don’t know if anyone from BPM is going, but my friend and I are going to go for the weekend and check it out!

MARCH 13

Dance practice Thursdays! All day from 2pm to 9pm, just trying to improve somehow.

MARCH 14

Today, March 14th, is White Day! It’s the “answer” day to Valentine’s Day, so in this case the men give something back to the women. And, nothing special happened to me whatsoever. Not even some return chocolate from the random people I gave chocolate, too. Of course, I didn’t see anyone today except for the people down in Gamagori. That may not be a bad thing since many of the White Day gifts are white chocolate (not a big fan) or marshmallows, which probably have gelatin so I can’t eat them.

MARCH 15

I had another day of training down in Gamagori. Recently, I have been helping out with the Eiken classes a lot. Part of the reason is because I can quickly understand the answers, without the need of the answer book. Another reason might be because a few of the upper level students have lived abroad, or somehow are at a high level of English recognition, so I can even explain the definition of words to them in English. I try not to use Japanese, but sometimes I catch myself slipping into Japanese because certain things are just easier to say that way. The only problem with working with high-level students is that it’s hard to see if they are progressing when most of the studying is dedicated to learning new words, out of the two-thousand or so that are part of their current level. I have this same problem studying by myself; there are just so many words. If I study, I can remember them, but continuing to study is the challenge. I’m thinking about taking the N2, the second highest level, in the Japanese Proficiency test, in July.

STUDY ABROAD: WEEK 18

DECEMBER 29

Slept in, did laundry, cleaned my room, you know, the usual time-killing and relatively non-productive things that people do when they are waiting to go somewhere.

My plans didn’t start until the evening. I met Akane and Jon down in Okazaki, then we back-tracked to Shin Anjo to eat Indian curry with two of Jon’s friends, Jessica and Zi. When I first met Jessica she greeted me with such energy and forwardness that I was a little taken aback. I’m not going to lie; the thought that ran in my head was ‘Whoa, she sure is American.’ I’m American, too, but it’s been so long since I’ve met someone as bold in their introduction. Zi was more of the subdued British type, and he is also a Muslim. Only the second one I have met so far and shared a meal with in Japan.

The curry was of course delicious. There was no all-you-can-eat naan deal included with the dinner set, so I only ate the one piece. After curry, we joined Jessica at her favorite little bar. It was expensive, but that was expected of a high class bar. The chef that made the food there was amazing. Even a simple chicken wing was succulent, and the adzuki bean dessert was mouthwatering.

During my talk with Jessica, I came to realize that I am a duck. More appropriately, I am a duckling, just hatched, and still fresh and new to this world. There’s a lot I haven’t experienced, and I should continue to be open, rather than ignorant, in all factors of life.

DECEMBER 30

Last night I stayed over at Akane’s house again. This time it was because we were going to make mocha, a Japanese rice cake! Making mochi before the New Year is one of the Japanese traditions. From the early morning, rice is hammered in a large bowl until it becomes like stretchy, chewy dough that is used in many desserts. My favorite of which is of course daifuku, which is mochi wrapped around adzuki beans.

At the New Year party last year, back in Toledo, I did have a chance to hammer mochi. Today, I honestly expected to take more part in the making, but the house was soon full of Akane’s relatives. The men took turns amongst themselves to hammer the mochi, but we all got a few good swings in. After every batch of mochi was made we would roll it out in the kitchen over some rice flour and make up dough balls. During this whole time we were all also fed mochi with kinako (roasted soybean flour) and adzuki, and also mochi with soy sauce and wrapped in nori, dried seaweed. Jon, Jessica and I were the only foreigners there, so we had to try every new snack they brought out. By the time dinner rolled around we were all stuffed and ready for a nap.

Though, it wasn’t a party, the mochi gathering was a great get together for the family. It was only one part of their extended family, which is what I would consider a family visit, but everyone was really jolly and relaxed. This was the calm, laid-back holiday spirit that was lacking in the hustle and bustle of the big city. Even though I’ve only visited Okazaki a few times, it’s really growing on me, more so than Toyohashi. They are very near in size, and they both are somewhere between a small city and a countryside. I would have liked to spend more time there and relax, but I had to come back to Nagoya. Tomorrow it’s off to Toyohashi~

DECEMBER 31

It felt so great to sleep in today. I wanted to stay home and be lazy all day, but like I said, it’s off to Toyohashi. Even though it would take twice as long, I decided to ride the local train. It was almost an hour and a half long trip, but it was nice to sit there and stare out the window, just listening to music and daydreaming.

I arrived in Toyohashi in the late afternoon. Ai, who I went to the Big Bang Concert with, and her father picked me up at the station and drove me to their home. The house was bigger than I expected; not only that, but it was spotless. I hardly wanted to touch or do anything because I didn’t want to disturb the order. As it were, I was going to spend the New Year’s with them, so I needed to get comfortable. They were more than warm and welcoming. Once the dog got used to me, and I figured out my way around the house I was able to settle down too.

During and after dinner we watched Downtown’s “No Laughing: Earth Defenders” Special program. It was the first time I’ve even seen it on TV as it was broadcast. The program itself was a good 6 hours long, including commercials. As it was ending, the program was interrupted for the New Year countdown. We couldn’t hear the local temple from our house, but at Buddhist Temples all across the country people were gathering for the final countdown. The priest would ring the bell 108 times to symbolize the 108 human sins and desires, and to literally ring in the New Year. It’s called joyanokane. Once the bell is rung the 108^th time, people celebrate and eat soba, buckwheat noodles.

It’s now the year of the Horse. I can’t wait to see what new things will happen this year; there are still so many things I have planned, and so many more unplanned things I hope to encounter.

Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu. Kotoshi mo yoroshiku.

(Horse sculpture at Inuyama Castle)

JANUARY 1

The year 2014 started out in the warmth of a fluffy futon. Had it been any other day, I would have laid there for hours. However, it was not just any other day, nor was it under my control. This New Year’s holiday isn’t simply a time to kick back. No, it’s a time to enjoy doing things with the family. With that, we were all up and out of the house by 9am to go on a little road-trip.

Our first stop was a small shrine a few blocks away. There the family, mostly the father, paid his respects and asked for help and guidance in the New Year. I couldn’t sit and wait in the car, so I followed the family around the shrine. The father also gave me some coins to donate. The Shrine housed many different gods for everything you can think of: health, wealth, school, work, children, parents… I tossed the coins into the donation box and made a little prayer myself. I prayed that this coming year would go well, and there would be no problems with school, or work, and also that it would be a peaceful year. It was a lot easier than making up another New Year resolution.

We also received fortune slips. There’s always a gauge of luck on the fortunes, and mine showed very little. I guess I’ll be making up my own luck this year. Those fortunes we tied onto a rack at the shrine and then left there; supposedly we can’t take them home or they have no meaning. But, it doesn’t say anything about taking pictures.

More or less, it means as long as I stay positive, good things will come my way. That conveniently matches my current attitude. The other ambiguous half refers to health, love, travel, money, etc.

After that, the real road trip began. In one hour we reached a rest area in Shizuoka Prefecture. There we had a light snack, and stretched our legs: it seems that Shizuoka is indeed a fan of eel. It reminded me of the woman I had met on the train a few months ago who was traveling to Shizuoka to try the squid.

(Eel-shaped éclairs and sweet buns that look like horses.)

We didn’t buy any eel there, just some crème puffs and coffee. Another hour later and we were finally nearing our destination. We could see Mt. Fuji from the car, and to the other side of us, the big blue ocean. The weather also happened to be perfectly clear. So far our luck was pretty good.

Our destination was not Mt. Fuji itself, but one of the many viewing points that surrounded it. There was a large lodge, with shops for souvenirs and restaurants. Just around the corner there was also a large open platform that looked out over the land. There we had a full-on view of Mt. Fuji, stony cold blue with its white crest of snow. We took pictures and watched as a small puff of cloud passed the mountain. A larger cloud followed that one, so we were lucky to arrive when we did and see the mountain in its glory… but it was really far away.

We ate udon for lunch at the cafeteria and then started our drive back to Toyohashi. The drive was actually longer because we made another stop at small old shrine in Toyokawa, near the family’s company’s old factory. The family owns a sweet company which makes all kinds of baked goods, like cookies and muffins. When I came to their house yesterday I brought some rusk as my omiyage, but their desserts are far superior. I didn’t know that I could buy them in the convenient stores, but from now on I will try to find them. They make a delicious almond cookie, which trumps a dry rusk any day.

Once we finally returned home, I offered to help prepare dinner. Turns out that one of the traditional foods that is eaten during the New Years that are prepared in boxes is called osechi. All the food was pretty much ready. My contributions were little more than ‘Take this out of the container and divide on the plates nicely’. I thought that gave me a little free rein to arrange the various foods in an artistic manner, but simple is always best.

JANUARY 2

Today was another early day. We weren’t traveling nearly as far as Shizuoka Prefecture, but it was a little drive back out to Toyokawa. This time, we were going to visit Toyokawa Inari. I was expecting another quick visit to the shrine to drop in some coins and pay our respects. Maybe that would have been the case on any other day, but it wasn’t going to happen today.

(Toyokawa Inari, outside the main shrine)

First, the shrine was packed. There was nearly no parking near the shrine, so we had to park a couple blocks away and walk through a park to reach the shrine grounds. Once we were there, the mass of people was apparent. Food stalls of all kinds lined the paths that led to the main shrine, selling everything from candy apples, to senbei (rice crackers), to chocolate bananas, yakisoba, churros, taiyaki and more. The line for the main shrine itself wasn’t even a line anymore, it was literally a wave of people that stretched far beyond the shrine steps and then wove around to various paths. Because of that, the family moved on to visit small shrines on the grounds.

(Hundreds of fox statues can be found throughout the shrine grounds.)

We spent the rest of our time their wandering through the various stands and little shops. Horses were a popular motif for the New Year. I used to collect horse models when I was younger, so it was a bit nostalgic for me to look at all the various horse crafts. If I had any use for them, I might have bought a couple pieces.

Lunch was a light meal in a small tea house, followed by some senbei and chocolate bananas. The father was on the hunt for some good custard-filled taiyaki, which we didn’t find until we were just about to exit the shrine grounds. The taiyaki was warm and sweet, mine filled with a custard and adzuki bean mix. It was a good end to the day’s outings, so I thought.

Then, on the way home, we stopped at a cemetery where some of the family’s relatives were buried. The father lit two small candles and a few incense before his family’s grave, and then he and the family paid their respects. I stood there watching silently, suddenly reminded of death’s presence. Up until now, I have been fortunate enough not to lose anyone close to me. I said another prayer, hoping that it would still be a long time before I would have to stand over someone’s grave.

JANUARY 3

Third time is the charm, right? Except, not this time: there was still no sleeping in, and no chance at a lazy day. This morning started off with an afternoon movie, a romantic drama that surrounded a girl’s musical journey as well. I’m not much for romance movies, but I enjoyed it for the most part. And then, they messed it up. Everyone stayed to sit through the credits when the movie ended, which was already borderline awkward because the theater was dead quiet. Then, a short clip plays… an extension of the movie, if you will, and it just made everything really confusing. Once that was over people were still quiet as they exited the theater. That silence was so eerie. In the States, there’s always chatter about something or other going on. I made a few comments to Ai just to break the silence around me.

Thankfully, once we exited the theater sounds filled the air again. Children ran about, arcade games were being played, friends chatted amongst themselves. It only took a few moments to readjust, and by then we were at the food court for lunch. Now that I think about it, having a movie theater right next to a department store with a food court is not something you can see in America. At least, I have never been to one. Basically, as we sat there munching down on our French Fries, I could eye the department store’s luggage and contemplate whether or not it was worth a closer look before biting into my burger.

The ride home was briefly delayed by a stop at Tsutaya, a rental and book store. I found the Japanese novel versions of Battle Royale for 600 yen each, but I didn’t buy them because I only had 1000 yen on hand. Now I know what they look like though, so next time I go to Book-Off I can search for them.

It so happened that at the same time my family decided to bombard me on Facebook chat. The four of us were talking in one chat message as I was looking around the store for Ai and her mom. I had to cut the chat short because they kept going off on tangents and I couldn’t stand in one place to try and figure out what they meant.

We returned home for a brief reset, and then it was back out to meet the extended family for dinner. Uncles, Aunts, Cousins and Grandparents… I was invited along, but somehow I felt like I was intruding on the family time. Once again, they were all kind and welcoming, and we shared a lot of talks over the full course meal. The Grandmother also gave me an unexpected gift, otoshidama, which is usually something they would only give to their grandchildren. I have received too much from this family, from every family! One day, I’ll repay them all— I won’t forget that.

Also, in the back of my mind, I’m starting to worry about all the food that’s gone in my body these past couple weeks. Not to mention, I haven’t been dancing at all since the weather got colder. I’m pretty sure any weight that I’ve lost in the past three months is going to make a comeback because of this holiday.

That said, my night did not end there…

JANUARY 4

Last night, there was a party going on in Nagoya with the International Students and some of our closest Japanese upperclassmen. In fact, one of the previous exchange students from France, who is now working in Tokyo, stopped by to spend a few days in Nagoya. This party was one of his celebrations.

I left Toyohashi at about 7pm, so just before nine o’clock I arrived at Kentaro’s apartment. I thought it would only be for a couple hours, and then I would go home. Somehow it became 2am, at which time the group was hungry and ready to move the party. We stopped at a nearby ramen joint, one of the only places open at that time of night. I only drank water, as I was still full, and my wallet was mostly empty.

We talked about a lot of things, but most importantly I found out that Junko finally decided on her job! She had been job hunting so long that I was honestly overjoyed to hear that she was done. It’s a small reminder that soon these upperclassmen that I have become so close to will soon be gone, off working in Tokyo or who knows where. That’s why, despite my tiredness, I stayed at the party. From there though, the groups split. One set going to karaoke, and the other, myself included heading home. Junko and another girl had missed the last train, but were too tired to go to karaoke so I let them stay in my room for the night. The two of them shared the bed, and I slept on top of my coat, in my warm Tigger costume, and we may have had the heat on for a bit as well.

The girls stayed in my room until 10am, and once they were safely out the door I went back to sleep for a couple hours. I had made plans to meet a friend later today, so I couldn’t stay in bed. When I woke up, I made an attempt, mostly out of boredom, to once again fix my tire. This coming Thursday it seems as though there is going to be a bike check, so I really need to fix my tire by then.

  

I had a simple wrench amongst my “I may need this one day” pile, but the grip was too small for the bicycle. Then, just as I was contemplating where to go looking for an adjustable wrench my friend messaged me the “OK”. We went out to the movies (agian! Haha). The movie tickets were 1800 yen though! I didn’t realize that yesterday when I went to the movie with Ai that we received such a large discount (we only paid 1000 yen). On the other hand, drinks and snacks were cheaper, so it all balanced out in the end. We watched the Conan VS Lupin III Movie, which was classically enjoyable. We would have watched the Hunger Games 2, but I haven’t seen the first one yet! Then we went out and ate shabu-shabu, thinly sliced beef boiled in water, for dinner. My new favorite thing is now mixing beef in raw egg and eating it over rice~