I didn't mean for this to happen...

A month or two ago I wrote about not wanting to get so settled and comfortable here that I forget what an amazing thing it is.

It seems it just couldn't be helped.

I haven't forgotten how extraordinary a semester abroad is. But the thing is, Kyoto is my new normal. So I don't take as many pictures as I should, and I don't write about my experiences enough--because to me, where I buy groceries and what I do at school are pretty uninteresting. In fact, I feel a little ridiculous sometimes, taking pictures in such a "tourist-y" manner. Maybe it's because, when I'm out and about in the city, tourists are easy to spot. It's easy to tell which foreigners are here on vacation and who's in it for the long haul. Tourists gawk at everything and keep their cameras close at hand. They get lost often and can't believe how different this place is. That was me, when I first came to Kyoto. Today I'm more likely to give directions than to ask for them. And while it may be a bit strange, there's a certain pride in moving to a strange city and NOT being (or feeling like) a tourist.

I will try to swallow that pride and become a tourist while I'm on break from school, but I can't make any promises.

60+ degrees in December

That's right. Today, the high in Kyoto was somewhere in the low-to-mid 60s. While people back home are making snowmen and shoveling sidewalks, I spent the afternoon riding my bike and shopping.

Not only did I opt out of wearing a coat, I also decided not to take my usual shortcut through the middle of town. I took a new route, cutting east across the northern part of Kyoto (passing the Imperial Palace, among other places of interest), and then following the Kamo south.

Shopping wasn't very successful, but I enjoyed poking around in numerous souvenir shops. I'll have to return to a few of them once I finally decide what I'm bringing back for everyone.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from my afternoon.

It may be a bit hard to see, but this is the Daimonji, one of five sites of massive bonfires throughout the city for a festival in August. I wonder how big a bribe it would take to get at least one of the fires lit for New Year's...

Apparently, you can cross the Kamo on stepping stones if a more traditional bridge isn't your thing. There were a lot of people enjoying the weather by the river today.

I was trying not to be rude, so this picture is a little hard to see as well. This little waterway runs parallel to Kiyamachi, home of Sam & Dave. I noticed that the water was full of muck but didn't think much of it. However, this dirty water seems to be unacceptable to the Japanese. Dozens of people were in the water, scooping out fallen leaves and stray litter. Many were wearing jeans and matching red t-shirts, but there were also a fair number of guys in suits. Nice suits. With rubber boots. I wish I could explain...but that would probably take all the fun out of it.

Tick tock...

This morning, all of the students leaving Rits at the end of the semester had a meeting with the lovely folks from the International Center about all the things we must be sure to do before we get on the plane home.

Which, by the way, for me is in less than a month and a half.

How did that happen?!

Giving Thanks.

I'm used to being home for Thanksgiving. I generally spend the day lazing about, offering to help but trying to stay out of the way as much as possible.

This year, on Thanksgiving, I went to class. Right around the time I would normally be sitting down to a massive home-cooked feast with my family, I was sitting in class, working on my Japanese speaking and listening skills. This was seriously depressing.

Luckily, a couple of the other American students (and one Canadian) in my dorm had planned a Thanksgiving party for that night. Earlier in the week they journeyed to the nearest CostCo (which isn't near at all...over an hour by train, I believe?) to buy food in bulk for the holiday, and they were cooking and baking up a storm when I came home. As I made mac & cheese for our welcome potluck, I was recruited to make it again, only a much larger amount.

Turkey is hard to come by in Japan, so we had rotisserie chicken instead. We also had mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, corn on the cob, dinner rolls, salad, an assortment of Japanese food (including yakisoba made by the new house managers), and a variety of beverages. (I'm sure there were other kinds of food, but sadly I'm a bit late on posting about this and have forgotten.)

We invited a bunch of students living in apartments or other dorms, as well as the two Americans working in the Rits International Center. The turnout was great, and most of the people there had never experienced Thanksgiving before.

I definitely missed having turkey and stuffing with my family, but I'm so thankful for my time here in Kyoto that it was hard to stay homesick for long. Having Thanksgiving with people I've only known for a few months, 6000 miles from home, with chopsticks was much more comforting than I ever could have imagined.

Finally...pizza!

We ordered Domino's pizza for dinner today.

Possible toppings include corn, potatoes, eggplant, mayo, teriyaki chicken, broccoli, and squid, among others.

But I just went for pepperoni.

Call me lame for sticking to the safe stuff, but I've been craving real pizza for a long time now. (Not that Domino's qualifies as real pizza...but it was close enough.)

Much more expensive than it would have been at home, but so worth it.

And to top it all off, the new house manager gave us beer to go with our dinner. A lovely lazy Sunday, indeed.

A Lovely Weekend, Indeed

Friday after class, I decided to join a few guys from the house (L to R: Kevin, Sean, and Bob) for drinks at A Bar--a sweet little establishment next to the tattoo parlor--where happy hour is from 5:00 to 7:00. We ended up staying until 8:00 or 8:30, but we ordered 2 beers (500mL)each just before happy hour ended, so that we could stay longer but not pay regular price for drinks. I had three 500mL Yebisu and one smaller Yebisu the Hop (see green labels above), and was quite content. We stopped at McDonald's on the way home (the bar food was good but insubstantial), and I called it an early night. After all, I had to get up early on Saturday for a field trip!

Yes, a field trip. All of the SKP students were given 3 options for a field trip: tea ceremony (been there, done that), Omron (Japanese tech company...not my thing), or the Disaster Center (can I get a hell yeah?).

As if going on a class field trip wasn't enough to make me feel 8 again, the disaster center is clearly meant for school children. The video we watched in the lobby starred a mother and her young son, learning about natural disasters and safety--and loving every second of it.

First up was a wind tunnel, simulating 32 meters per second typhoon winds. That's fast enough to make your hair and clothes whip around, and make breathing a little difficult if you don't lower your head, but I think I speak for the group when I say we wanted stronger winds. That would probably be too much for the age group this place targets, though.

Then we were put into a smoke-filled maze to show us what it might be like in a hotel fire. It was a lot harder to see than I thought it would be!

After learning how to use fire extinguishers came the moment we'd all been waiting for: the earthquake simulator, a room (meant to look like an eat-in kitchen) that can move and shake to let people feel what a 7.o magnitude earthquake feels like. Not only do you get to go in and feel the "earthquake," but you also get to watch the people inside. I'm not sure how useful it was in terms of earthquake preparedness (since we knew it was coming), but it was still pretty cool.

After all the excitement of the Disaster Center, I really wanted a nap. Instead, I went to campus for Rits Fest, a student festival that's been advertised around campus for over a month.

I can't believe all the things that were going on! Dozens of student groups running stalls selling food, drinks, knick-knacks, crafts, clothes; several music and dance groups; a WWE-style wrestling match; a photo exhibition, and more.

I was really impressed with the main stage. The set-up was really professional, and the band sounded great. We definitely do not have anything like this at Illinois College.

Rits Fest started winding down for the day as the sun started setting. Instead of doing the sane thing, and going home to rest, I decided to join some friends on a trip to Arashiyama. Apparently, for about 10 days every fall, some temples remain open at night for a "Light Up."

I think my pictures explain it better than I can. Even though many of them turred out blurrier than I would have liked, I think they capture the atmosphere much better than photos with flash would have. It was really beautiful, and definitely got me excited to see some more gardens in the near future. The hard part will be deciding where to go!

A beautiful afternoon, well spent

At least 10 times a week (usually a few more), I cycle past Ninna-ji, a temple founded in the 9th century (and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

This afternoon, the sky was blue and the sun was shining, so I decided to finally venture past the commanding main gate and have a look around. It was getting a bit late in the afternoon, so I opted to explore the portion of the grounds that was free admission.

The grounds and buildings were lovely, but my favorite part? A solitary sakura tree in bloom! It may not be in "full bloom", so I'm sure I'm missing out on the "real" sakura experience...but still. Sakura in November! I got some nice pictures of the cherry blossoms and the momiji. As always, photos from this latest excursion can be found in my Picasa web album.

A little early to be thinking about re-entry shock, but...

For the last few days I've been getting serious about changing my return flight to mid-January. Classes at Rits end on January 19, with an exam period until February 3. As much as I'd love to stay here, and travel around Japan in that time (since I won't actually have any exams during those weeks), classes at IC start up on January 13. So if I were to stay here until February 5, as currently scheduled, I'd miss over 3 weeks of classes back home, and I'd rather avoid playing catch-up all semester.

All of these thoughts of returning home has plagued me with some confusing emotions. I'm torn between my desire to stay here another term, and my desire to be reunited with the people I care about. As I tried to pick a suitable return date with a friend, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of remorse for the experiences I'll miss by returning early...which then triggered some guilt that I wasn't elated at the idea of coming home. It's not that I don't want to go home--it's just that going home means that this marvelous experience is over.

I can't quite pinpoint it, but I feel like these last 2 months have really changed me. How could it not? I've left behind the people and places dearest to me to start a new (albeit temporary) life in Japan. Life here--surrounded by beautiful mountains and famous temples and wonderful people from all over the world, with little contact with my loved ones back home--has become my new normal.

So when the time comes, how do I readjust? How do I take what I've learned (and what I will learn) and apply it to life at home?

Only time will tell, I suppose. Right now, my only task is to just enjoy the ride.

It's Official...

...We are now "regulars" at Sam & Dave.

Two Important Purchases

Yesterday, I finally bought two gadgets that I should have gotten shortly after my arrival. Better late than never, I suppose.

First: a cell phone! Since I'm here for such a short time, prepay was the best option. I went with a couple other I-House II students who speak much more Japanese than I do. Julien was such a huge help--I would have been completely lost if I went alone!

SoftBank only has 3 models for prepay, and two of them were out of stock. So by default, I got this model (although I probably would have chosen it anyway).

The phone was just under $70, and I prepaid about $30, which will give me around 30 minutes of talk time. Those minutes expire after 60 days. The rates for voice calling are outrageous, but I plan to use it mainly for text and e-mail (unlimited for less than $3/month). Oh yeah, and I got to make up the last 4 digits of my phone number, and create my own e-mail address for my phone.

I'm still figuring out how to work everything on it, but I'm pretty pleased with my lovely new phone.

My other big purchase was a denshi jisho from Taniyama Musen, an electronics shop downtown. It's going to make doing all of my Japanese homework SO much easier!

(Once I figure how to use it, of course. Luckily a few of my friends have a similar model, and they've offered to show me the ropes.)

I really wanted the pink one, but the only pink one they had was the floor model...so I got a 2,000 yen discount and the color I wanted. I owe a big thanks to Julien for that bit as well. I should probably buy the man a case of beer for his help.

And it might be cuteness overkill, but I got a pink case for it, too.

More than you ever wanted to know about my Momiji Irezumi

For a couple of years, I've been thinking about getting a tattoo on my foot. When I went with a friend from home to get his tattoo, I saw a beautiful drawing of a bird. I asked the artist for a quote, but I wasn't ready to make a decision. Other than its beauty, the bird had no significance to me. I wanted my tattoo to be both meaningful and beautiful.

Shortly after my arrival in Kyoto, I met a girl in my program named Kate who'd already been here for half a year. She showed me her tattoo--a simple black and white sakura design on her foot--and told me she got it at a tattoo parlor near the Kamogawa.

That's when I knew I'd get a tattoo here in Kyoto. But I still wasn't sure what I wanted. I spent a lot of time doing Google image searches and happened across some of Gakkin's (Kate's tattoo artist) work. Kate later gave me a link to the Harizanmai site, where I could see Gakkin's complete portfolio. I liked his colorful sakura designs, but I was especially taken by his realistic momiji tattoos, and realized what a perfect symbol they were for my time here.

However, the momiji tats in Gakkin's portfolio were all quite large. Could it be adapted, and would it still be as beautiful on a smaller scale?

I accompanied Kate to Harizanmai when she had to get a touch-up and immediately noticed a vibrant drawing (which had or was soon to become a tattoo) on Gakkin's wall, which included some small, bright, red-orange momiji.

And I was sold. I talked to Gakkin briefly on the phone and made an appointment for Sunday, November 2, at 7:00pm.

I started getting cold feet almost immediately after I got off the phone.

As I was running around gathering things for a last-minute Halloween costume, I stopped in to Harizanmai with the hopes of assuaging my fear. I wanted to talk to Gakkin more about the design, and luckily he had some free time. I told him I thought I wanted the momiji on a branch, but I wasn't really sure. He did a rough sketch for me, and while it was nice, it wasn't what I wanted. I asked him to draw the leaves as if they were falling, and I fell in love with the design. I left the parlor that Friday afternoon with an extra little bounce in my step--I was finally REALLY excited about the tattoo!

When I got to Harizanmai on Sunday evening, we toyed around a bit with the exact placement of the leaves. Once the stencil was in place, I started feeling quite nervous. I've always heard that the foot is an extremely painful area to get tattooed. I definitely started sweating a bit when Gakkin turned on the needle--what an ominous sound!

For the most part, though, the pain wasn't too bad. A few spots were much worse than the rest, but all in all it wasn't as painful as I'd expected. I only had to grit my teeth a few times, and I managed to only cuss once--compared to Aoife, who swore in no less than 6 different languages!

After he finished the outline, we discussed the colors one more time. He knew I wanted red, orange, and a bit of yellow. Did I want the leaves at the top to be darker, and the leaves at the bottom to be lighter? Did I want them all to be the same? No, and no. I wanted some variation, but I also wanted them to look like they belong together. Not sure how well I was getting my idea across, I told him that he was a great artist, and I trusted him to make it beautiful.

And that he did.

So, here's a close-up taken minutes after the pain stopped. I think it's fair to say that I am absolutely in love with my new tattoo!

To me, it's well worth the 30,000 yen (a little over 300 USD), the pain, the discomfort of a foot swollen to massive proportions for four days, and the sometimes tedious aftercare. Because now I have a permanent reminder of the things I have done and the things I can do, of my life in Kyoto (5 leaves for 5 months), and the beauty of changes to come.

A Newfound Love & Appreciation

Riding my bicycle everywhere (but especially over hilly terrain to and from school) has made me realize something.

Momentum is a beautiful thing.

When I first starting cycling around here, momentum scared me. I was terrified of going downhill too fast, and would ride the brakes down particularly long or steep inclines.

But the more I cycled, the less afraid I became, and the more I enjoyed cruising downhill, hair flying wildly behind me, and the added benefit of having to exert less effort to climb the next slope.

In fact, now I get grumpy when a combination of narrow streets, heavy traffic, and rude drivers force me to sacrifice my momentum....even if it is better for my health.

Yes We Can

Since my arrival in Japan nearly 2 months ago, I've been very, very pleased to be away from the 24-hour news cycle and constant campaign coverage. It's been nice to be able to tune in and out as I please, ignoring politics back home for days at a time.

But today? Today I sat in class, my mind wandering to the election, instead of properly focusing on learning grammar and vocabulary. Today, it was maddening not having that access.

This year marks the first time I wasn't sitting in front of the TV with my family, watching anxiously as ballots were counted and electoral votes allocated, states glowing red or blue on the screen.

I knew I'd be sad to miss Homecoming, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years...but it never crossed my mind that I'd be sad to miss election night.

But despite being thousands of miles removed from the excitement and hope surging back home, hearing the news from other students with Internet access on their cell phones had its own appeal. Today, I got a better sense of how closely the rest of the world has been watching. It's no secret (especially after Obama's appearance in Germany earlier this year) that the rest of the world pays much more attention to American politics than we generally do to theirs. But seeing the overjoyed reactions of students from around the world--Ireland, Japan, Australia, France, Malaysia, etc.--gave the news of Obama's election even more weight than it would have carried if I had been surrounded only by Americans. I can't help but imagine people all over the world breathing a sigh of relief--even celebrating.

Because that's what we're doing here. We may not number in the hundreds of thousands, or have as impressive a venue, or wave miniature American flags--but tonight, we students from across the globe are celebrating, and we'll raise our glasses to hope and change.

College Baseball

I went to see Ritsumeikan play Doshisha on Tuesday and and Wednesday. The games were hosted at a sports park about 30 minutes away from I-House (by bike).

Unfortunately I didn't have my camera on Tuesday, when Ritsumeikan defeated Doshisha 1-0 in the 14th inning. And though I brought it to the Wednesday game, the zoom function isn't working properly, so I have no shots of the game itself.

Anyway:
Everybody who came received a cardboard megaphone and thundersticks. The megaphones were rarely used but pretty much everyone clapped along with the cheerleaders and the band using their thundersticks. Sometimes I got the sneaking suspicion that following the cheers was more important than following the game itself. After all, it's kind of difficult to watch the game when you're rapidly clapping your thundersticks in front of your face.

At some point in the 6th inning, cheerleaders on both sides hand out long, colorful balloons for fans to inflate. Rather than tying off the bottom of the balloon, you simply hold on and wait.

In Japan, there is no 7th inning stretch with a rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Instead, they have the "Lucky 7," when all the fans release their balloons after a countdown from 15 to 1.

Some little plastic piece in the mouth of the balloon allows it to fly up and away, I think.

So the balloons go all over the place and many of them land on the diamond. No worries--team members help clean up before play resumes.

When the game is over (Doshisha won 2-1 on Wednesday), the crowd sticks around a bit longer. The teams line up, not to shake hands, but to bow to each other. Then, the winning team's fan section does some sort of cheer, followed by a song (the school song, perhaps?), followed by the team bowing to their fans. After that, the losing team does the same.

A couple other things that struck me:

1) The absence of SuperFans. Nobody with face paint, or even decked out in Rits colors.
2) The organization of the cheering! Not only were there female cheerleaders in your typical cheerleader uniform, but also male and female "cheer leaders" who wore suits with Rits ties (and a militant-looking Rits armband) and walked through the crowd encouraging fans to cheer. (I will admit Doshisha impressed me more in this regard--their crowd seemed very in sync with their cheerleaders.)

Japanese "Pizza," a Turkey, a Stolen Bicycle, and All-You-Can Drink

A.k.a. My Weekend.

Friday night a group of us decided to go to a nearby okonomiyaki (sometimes referred to as Japanese pizza) restaurant, Jambo. It's a small but busy shop, but our timing was pretty close to perfect and we didn't have to wait long for a table. We each got a small order of okonomiyaki, and we split an order of yakisoba.

Kengo was the only one at our table to eat the whole thing. The rest of us made it about half-way through before we admitted defeat. And that was just the small one...I'm terrified of the "Jambo" size!
After dinner we all went downtown to go bowling, which is really expensive compared to what I'm used to back home. One game was 690 yen, and shoe rental was 350 yen.

Somehow I managed to throw five strikes, including a turkey (three strikes in a row)! Sadly, though, the night was not all fun and games.

When we left, Aoife's bike had been stolen! She'd left it unlocked because her lock had gone missing since leaving the house. Her bike had been knocked over while we were all standing around chatting after dinner (after she'd removed the lock from the frame and put it in the basket), so we think it might have fallen out then.

So, we had one more person than we had bicycles. I traded bikes with Julien so he could ride with Aoefi sitting on the back (my bike has a small wire rack of the type often used by Japanese girls as seats on their boyfriends' bikes), and we began the journey home.

Not to be discouraged, the next night we went out again...this time, for nomihodai at a nearby karaoke place. I was reluctant to sing at first, but sang a variety of (mostly 90s) songs before the night was over. Three cheers for nomihodai!

Is this inevitable?

I've been here over a month now, and I can see (in myself and those around me) that the novelty of living here has worn off. I liken it to the neighbordhood near the airport. Those families are so used to the planes, that they don't even hear them anymore.

I haven't written here lately because nothing much has seemed worth writing about. Same old, same old. During the week I go to class and procrastinate. On the weekends I go out with my friends. Sometimes we go out to eat.

We've stopped taking pictures of every last thing that catches our eyes. We've stopped smiling at all the little differences from home. We've begun to take being here for granted.

For the others, who will be here a full year, it's not as big a deal. But for me? Me, the girl who leaves when semester ends? Me, the girl with less than 4 months?

For me to take this experience for granted is unacceptable.

I will try to be better. I will start by having my camera with me at all times. By riding my bicycle a bit more slowly so I can take in the sights. By going somewhere in Kyoto I have never been before. (I haven't picked that place yet, but it won't be difficult. Even the tourist map is filled with large temples, shrines, and gardens that I didn't have time for last summer.)

Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages) is Wednesday. Expect some lovely pictures shortly after that!

Giving foreigners a bad name.

Heard about this while I was taking a study break tonight and had to share it:

A British man went skinny dipping in the moat of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo this week.

I tried to embed video but it wouldn't work...I suppose you'll have to Google it yourself!

Busy, busy, busy

I know I haven't been around much lately, and I'm sorry for that. I blame the heaps of Japanese language homework I have every night.

I promise a real post (including fish guts, if you're lucky) soon--after my test tomorrow, perhaps?

A night with Sam & Dave

After the first day of classes last Friday, a group of us at the I-House decided it was perfect timing for a night out in downtown Kyoto. The buses stop running at 9, and taxis cost money...so we cycled across town to the Kamo River and found a nice spot near a Lawson convenience store and Sam & Dave (a bar/dance club).
Unlike the lovely US of A, Japan has no open container laws--it's perfectly acceptable to walk around the city (or sit by the river) drink in hand. We all had a couple of drinks, shared some snacks from the Lawson, and traded tales about our classes before heading to Sam & Dave. Sam & Dave takes up the 3rd and 4th floors of a building. The 3rd floor hosts the full bar (shown above) and a pool table or two; the 4th floor is home to the dance floor and a smaller bar. We got in for free with our student IDs (savings of 1000 yen for the ladies and 2000 yen for the gents!) and drinks weren't outrageous--between $5 and $7 for most. We danced the night away...literally.

This is what time we finally made it back to the I-House. We might have made it sooner, but a few people wanted to make a pit stop at McDonald's on the way. We'll definitely being doing that again! But maybe next time we'll stay out 'til the bars close (5:00am) and THEN cycle home...or perhaps we should splurge on a taxi, as a gang of foreigners cycling around in club attire at sunrise might draw unwanted attention. Cycling under the influence is a crime, after all.

I want to ride my bicycle...

I cycled to Kawaramachi last night. I was paying more attention to my surroundings than to the time, but I would guess the ride there is a little under an hour.

Legally, unless there's a sign noting otherwise, bicycles are not allowed on the sidewalk. In practice, however, the sidewalks are often filled with cyclists--not to mention pedestrians, parked bicycles, telephone poles, etc. When you ride in the street, you must stay as far to the left as you can, going with the flow of traffic. However, not all cyclists follow this rule, either. Not only do you have to go around cars parked at the curb, you also have to look out for cyclists going the wrong way.

So, when I cycle around Kyoto (whether it be on the sidewalk or in the street), I always feel a bit like I'm playing a video game of some sort. Ride on the sidewalk without crashing! Cross the giant intersection before the light turns red! Avoid cars! It's a rather exciting game...Only the stakes are a little higher than your average game, since collecting coins or talismans will not earn you an extra life. Luckily the Japanese are used to looking out for cyclists.

Reason #397 Why Flip-Flops are a Poor Choice

Once upon a time, an American girl moved to Japan, where she had the options of walking, taking public transportation, or riding a bicycle. For the first week or so she walked to nearby places and took a bus whenever she wanted to venture away from her little neighborhood. Then one day she found a bicycle shop that would accept her American debit card, and decided to buy this 6-speed beauty for a mere $155 (most geared bikes she'd seen elsewhere were at least $250):

(Complete with front basket, headlight, skirt guard, lock, and free delivery!)

She was afraid to ride it in a foreign land where you must look right first instead of left. But she knew her life would be much more convenient with the addition of her bicycle, and decided to take it for a quick ride down to the supermarket.

She was amazed at how quickly she got to the store! On foot, it would have been a 15 minute trip--but with her bicycle, it took less than 5 minutes! She parked her bicycle in front of the shop. When she looked outside a few minutes later, she saw that for once, the meteorologists had meant it when they called for rain and thunderstorms.

First, she tried to find a poncho for sale at the drug store across from the supermarket. When that failed, she decided to try to just wait out the storm. After 20 minutes she realized the rain wasn't letting up any time soon, and decided to buy a cheap umbrella and head back...pushing her bicycle, since it's illegal (not to mention dangerous) to ride while holding an umbrella.

Thirty minutes later she made it back to her dormitory, thoroughly soaked and annoyed at the seeming uselessness of her new umbrella.

Feeling like an idiot, but I'm not the only one...

The meteorologists were wrong again! I guess Sinlaku took a turn away from Japan. There wasn't much in the way of rain today, and instead of crazy gusting winds, we got a few cool breezes. Overcast skies and wind made the temperature much more tolerable.

The placement tests were awful. I have so much to learn! Most people are keeping their fingers crossed not to be in the lowest level language class--but I don't see the big deal. We're all going to improve our language skills, no matter where we get placed. I am quite worried, though, that I'm in over my head here. Comparing my skills to others' has really highlighted the weakness of my program back home. I'm not used to feeling like such an academic failure! Being here is very humbling.

The best part of the day was free lunch! Lots of different Japanese foods and time to mingle with other SKP students. We decided to celebrate the fact that two-thirds of the placement test is behind us, so we took a trip to Liquor Mountain when we finally got back to the house.

Off I go--I'm sure my Captain Morgan is chilled by now.

Tropical Storm Sinlaku & Japanese Lunch

It seems like every day this week people have been expecting to get hit with rain from the Tropical Storm Formerly Known as Tyhpoon Sinlaku--but tomorrow, as far as I can tell, is the real deal.

Tomorrow, as in the day orientation (and placement testing) begins at Rits.

Tomorrow, as in the day I was planning to ride my shiny new bicycle (pictures and story later) everywhere.

It's supposed to rain all day and get worse and worse into the evening and night. I was hoping to go out with some of the students in my program tomorrow to blow off some steam after our first day of orientation, but it I'm not sure Sinlaku will allow it. Only time will tell.

PS - I got my temporary alien registration card today. Afterward, we found a little Japanese restaurant for lunch.

My 900 yen bento.
(Clockwise, from top left: salad, soba noodles and tofu, bitter green veggie, noodles, and sausage, pork in a kind of sweet sauce, some pickled thing, and sticky rice.)

I was feeling brave today...

So I decided to venture to campus, then to Kawaramachi/Sanjo again...alone!

It's actually really simple, because the bus goes by Ritsumeikan on its way to Sanjo. I even managed enough Japanese to buy a day pass for the bus (my last attempt was a failure)!

The campus is smaller than I realized, but it will still take me awhile to really get a feel for where everything is. I'm directionally challenged in the worst way.

Once on campus, I came across these students in what appears to be taiko ensemble rehearsal in front of the gym. I watched them practice for a few minutes before beginning my self-guided campus tour.

I left Ritsumeikan and headed for Kawaramachi around 4 p.m. I had a lot of fun last time I went, but it was nice to go alone, too, because when I shop, I like to look at everything--even things I have no intention of buying.

After an hour or so of browsing, I decided to grab a little a la carte dinner from a grocery store. This fountain and seating area happened to be right in front of the store, so I parked on one of the stone cubes with my salad and maki sushi, all of which I successfully at with chopsticks. My chopstick skills are better every day!

After I had exhausted my options in Sanjo, I decided to roam up and down Kawaramachi-dori a bit. I found another mall area, but this one is underground! I suppose they figured since they were digging a hole for the subway, they might as well dig a little more to add some more square footage for restaurants and stores.

I headed back above ground and caught a bus back to Rits. The housing information I received over the summer said I-House 2 is a 30 minute walk from campus, and I wanted to test it out. It was a 45 minute walk. I definitely need to conquer my fear of riding a bike here! I like riding in rural areas and small towns, but the idea of riding around Kyoto freaks me out a little. It's not so much the traffic (because that's not bad on the way to Rits) as using the opposite side of the road. But I'm getting used to that, so maybe tomorrow I'll borrow a bike from the house and see how long of a bike ride it is.

Amerika-jin and other foreigners

I wonder if I'll ever get used to the stares of Japanese for whom foreigners are a novelty.

Being noticed so much is strange for me. In the States, I generally don't stand out much; I don't look much different from any other random person walking around. But here in super-homogenous-looking Japan? I'm taller, curvier, and just look different from everybody else. It's impossible to blend in with the crowd.

It's kind of funny, having people stare at me here, because I know at home the only reason people would stare is if I were having a wardrobe malfunction or acting bizarrely. Here, the only thing you have to do for a little attention is not be Asian.

This afternoon I noticed several bus drivers, pedestrians, taxi drivers, etc., watching me as I walked down the sidewalk. One older Japanese man wearing glasses and geta turned around and said to me, in Japanese, "Are you an American? USA!" When I told him that's right, I'm an American, he repeated, "USA!" and turned back around, glancing back at me over his shoulder. Talk about awkward.

But it's not just the Japanese who gawk at foreigners. Other gaijin can be guilty as well. Later on my walk, I saw three guys approximately my age sitting at a bus stop across the street. As I passed, one shouted, "Amerika-jin?!" I confirmed their suspicions and kept walking, laughing to myself. This time I spared a few glances back over my shoulder. Each time I tried to sneak a peek, they were watching me. Theirs was a different kind of stare from the old man's, though; instead of looking at me because of my differences, they watched me because of our similarities--our shared status as outsiders.

I do the same thing. Every time I see a non-Japanese, I look a little longer than is polite. I wonder where they're from, what they're doing here in Kyoto.

Suck it, jet lag!

It's my fifth night here and I think I have finally conquered jet lag. I won't know for sure until I see what time I wake up tomorrow, but this is the first day I've been able to stay up until something like my normal bed time without taking a nap.

Went for an early afternoon stroll with Doria then returned home to assess the damage my feet have suffered since my arrival. After that excursion I put no less than seven bandaids on my poor little lazy American feet. I'm simply not used to walking around so much, and I have the blisters and calluses to prove it. I hope this is only temporary, or I'm going to be spending a lot of money on bandaids and/or better shoes.

Feet rested, bandaids and flip flops in place, I decided to go on a solitary adventure shortly after sundown to familiarize myself with more of the area. A nighttime stroll is much more enjoyable than suffering through the heat and humidity of the afternoon. I discovered a huge drug store, several conbini, two large Chinese restaurants, one large and many small Japanese restaurants, a floral shop, two pizza places, McDonald's (go figure), what appeared to be a large sports apparel store, two small casual clothing shops, KFC, a shoe store, a pachinko parlor, a giant centipede that legitimized the warning bulletin at the house, and two Japanese teenagers making out in a park.

Ahh, the wonders of Kyoto.

Letter of Adoration

Dear Onigiri,

Thank you for being inexpensive, filling, tasty, and nutritious. Forget Wheaties, you are the breakfast (snack, lunch, dinner, or fourthmeal) of champions.

I'll be perfectly honest with you: at first, I was extremely turned off by your seaweed exterior. It seemed fit more for fish than for people. But I overcame my nori bias, and I'm so thankful that I did. However, we need to work on the mayonnaise thing. Mayo will always disgust me, and I'm always worried that when we meet, you'll bring mayo with you. I wish you'd stop so I wouldn't have to worry. Or maybe I should just learn how to read.

But I digress. Onigiri, thanks for everything, and for all that is to come.

Until we meet again (later today or tomorrow, most likely),
Your biggest fan, Jessi

Accommodations

What you see is pretty much what you get with this one, with the exception of a small area to the right of the door, which houses a sink. At first I thought there was no way I could be comfortable in such a small room.

But I've already found that there's plenty of room for me and my belongings (if only because I packed fairly lightly). I don't know yet if overnight guests are allowed, but I do believe there's even room enough for a futon on the floor next to my bed. The wall to the left is all built-ins, with both open and closed storage, a small desk, and a space for the small fridge/freezer. There's storage under the bed as well. I may have to send for more things from home to fill all the empty space!

The sliding glass doors on the far wall open onto a small balcony that faces the driveway of the house. I also have a private toilet (which has a sink on the back...WTF), and remote control air conditioning. Speaking of which...

This little thing amazes and frustrates me. It's a small switchplate just inside the door, right next to the main light switch. Those are my keys; the key to this is the same key I use to lock my door when I leave for the day.

I'm probably being a spoiled, wasteful American, but when I come in from a hot day, I like my room to be nice and cool. But since the lights and air conditioning in my room require my key to be in this position, I'm stuck coming home to a hot, stuffy room. Or I could leave the air on and risk having my food, clothes, and cash stolen. True, the crime rate in Japan is very low, but I'm living with a bunch of non-Japanese, and I'd rather be safe (if sticky) than sorry. And I suppose it's the green thing to do.

The adventure begins

Today is my third full day in the city of Kyoto.

It feels incredibly surreal; I just can not believe that this is really my life. That this will continue to be my life for months. That my life will change because of this.

I wonder how long this feeling will last.

---

Yesterday I went to the Kawaramachi/Sanjo area with two other students in my program and a Japanese student of Ritsumeikan University.

We ate lunch at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. At the bottom of the picture is the belt with various sushi and other foods going around the restaurant. On top of the belt is a toy-like shinkansen which the staff uses to deliver special orders to the tables. That is our chocolate mousse arriving!

This lovely dish is my tako nigiri sushi -- octopus on a rice ball with a small dab of wasabi between the two. Never in my life would I think that I could enjoy this! Yum! Each plate here is only 94 yen, except for desserts and other non-sushi items. Most sushi plates were 2 pieces of nigiri or maki. Higher quality pieces were still 1 for 94 yen. I got a delicious and filling meal of sushi for less than $5!

We shopped in the Kawaramachi/Sanjo area all afternoon. I got some hand towels, kerchiefs, and a couple other everyday necessities, as well as a t-shirt from Uniglo (790 yen), three (!) pairs of shoes from Cross Over (1990 yen each), and two dresses from the Gap (originally 6800 yen, I got them for 1900 yen each). We got ice cream at Baskin Robbins (where we received coupons for 1000 yen off admission to Universal Studios Japan--I think we're going on Tuesday!) and later had dinner at Second House, a restaurant specializing in spaghetti and cake.

I decided to try their pizza -- mozzarella, ham, and mushrooms.

The crust was incredibly thin and all the ham and mushrooms were in a lump in the center of the pizza. There were also chunks of tomato thrown in there, and very little sauce. Definitely not like any pizza I've ever had before, but still delicious!

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There's a co-op nearby that I'll go to later today to pick up some more things for everyday life--like an umbrella. The forecast calls for showers and isolated storms today, high in the mid 80s. In other words, gross. It'll be a good day for studying, I guess. The language placement exams are in less than a week and I have a lot of brushing up to do!