004 - BUNGAKU!!! (CULTURE!!!)

So, after an hour`s worth of train riding, walking, and getting lost. I finally ended up in this basement-internet-cafe that is really... freakin` awesome. Well okay, its not that awesome. Its actually smelly and probably for middle aged men who wanted to smoke and look at porn at the same time after a hard day`s work (eheh, I`m not kidding. I`m never going to come here on weekdays). It seems to be the only thing open on a Sunday morning. Yes. A Sunday. I`m not at church. I emailed around, but unfortunately, all replies of a good family friend went to my spam. Sadness. Maybe next Sunday. But that means you won`t hear from me unless I come here on a weekday. Which is not happening.

So. I have a lot to talk about. I shall make short distinct sections and if you want me to talk about it more... well you can ask me. If you ever see me again that is, since half of you are bound for the other side of the world once I do get back.

Friday: Atsuta Shrine and Osukannon

This past Friday, we had one of our culture classes wherein we visited this shrine where the grass-mowing sword was hidden (I bet it sounds cooler in Japanese, bleh). Everyday is like a festival there, where they have street vendors. Yes. I HAD THE BIGGEST SQUID OF MY LIFE THERE. (Never mind the culture, they have SEAFOOD!!!) But yes, I bowed and washed my hands, though I didn`t quite make a wish at the shrine itself. I mostly got lost because I followed the group who usually got lost and made trouble for everybody else. But hey, that`s only once!

See pictures, kay? They should be dated for June 5th.

But yeah, I couldn`t take pictures of me eating the squid because I couldn`t be bothered.

This is also where I picke up the nickname kame onna, which I think translates crudely into `turtle girl.` If not, well, keep in mind it was given to me by a bunch of foreigners trying to desperately look like Japanese. So far, I`m the only one who is moderately successful along with this Vietnamese guy. Who by the way, ate all my fries.

Oh yeah, before we went on tour, we had lunch. I WENT TO MCDONALDS. But before you judge me to harshly let me tell you that its cheap and it is not the same thing.

I had an EBI Burger. Shrimp patty. It was Awesome. And the fries were newly made. I also had soft-served ice cream, which I had been wanting since that morning since I was walking around with just my yellow coat on. Most of you know my infamous yellow coat, it makes me look like a caution sign, yes?

Anyway, that morning I was stinkin wet on the train so I had to let my hair down and dry on the poor cushioned seats. It was interesting though, no one even looked at me on the way to school. I suppose they were just trying to be polite.

But back to turtle girl. The rain got all my homework wet, so I tucked my bag underneath my coat, and voila!, I was a turtle.

Everybody still following this convolute train of thought? Good.

Then we went to this place where they sold new clothes cheap and second-hand clothes even cheaper and toys. I bought toys. The clothes were not cheap enough for me, but were so Asian cute, I think I might try and get lost, end up there, and waste all my left over money there at the end of my trip.

Or I could buy everyone souvenirs. I guess I could be a good friend. Sigh sigh.

This was where the group of people who usually got lost, got lost for good. I had learned my lesson and stuck to the sensei like wet cornstarch (Keeps eggrolls rolled up, just in case you didn`t know). We waited for an hour at the train station, but the class had to leave them behind. One of the teachers were stuck waiting for them.

Id like to go over interesting pictures, but I haven`t gotten to the good part yet. So I guess maybe I can just explain said pictures later.

Saturday - Hamijama-machi

We, host mom and two host brothers, took the train in the morning for about an hour then my host father met us at the last train station. He seems to always be working, so I only see him early in the morning and late at night during the week, but today was first outing as a semi-family. My host brother, who was 6 years old, noted in Japanese that it was their first outing with me, and I almost had to choke myself from gushing KAWAII<3<3!!!! on him. He really wants to be like his dad, so he`s got this macho thing going. But he`s really nice to his little 6 month old brother. He`s only starting to warm up to me, but yesterday at the beach we played almost all afternoon (2 hours = 12 hours or 20 minutes depending on what you do on the beach really). We drove by car from the station for about an hour and finally got to this fishing village.

It was sooo cool. Everything was so cramped and narrow and New. So culture-filled, my camera got full (I also took a ten minute video that was so worth it, but that`s not the point) and the batteries died on me. Luckily I brought a change of lithiums, but unluckily I only had one SD card. Sad sad sad.

But I have great pictures. Host dad took many many pictures of me and host brother getting wet when we`re not really supposed to. Well, we hadn`t planned on it. Or I hadn`t planned on it. My host mom knew that it would happen with host brother, so he had a change of clothes. I didn`t. All I knew was that it was too cold to swim, so I didn`t bring much. Gah.

But before the beach, host father brought me to his old research facility where he showed me the specimen he worked on for about something years (dont remember). It was awesome. (I need more adjectives, really). I used to want to be a marine biologist, but that was short lived when I realized it would be hard to get a lot of money for it. Oh but, seeing all those creatures they studied!! They had fish tanks, clam tanks, mussel tanks, and a culture room. (PICTURES!!)

He studied a Japanese lobster. In larvae form, its body is completely clear and you could kind of see its insides. Its no larger than my smallest finger, but it grows to be a full grown lobster with a completely solid exoskeleton. Pretty awesome animal, spent thirty minutes trying to look for it in their aquarium. Was not disappointed, but the water was too dark to take pictures.

By the way, I got chosen by my host family because they liked my essay about writing and reading Japanese research papers. Just so you know. Total divine intervention, ne?

So after that we went to the beach and after that we went back to their friends` house so that we could dry up and have dinner. Oh I forgot to mention, when we arrived at the village, we went to their friends` house and had chirashizushi. It`s like a mix of raw fish some veggies and rice. Then for dinner we had this awesome sashimi of fish `bonito` (?). There was also chicken, and there was this chicken dish that was so good, I`m going to have to ask for it again. It`s kagare (I think). Hah! Look at me learning Japanese food! (If only I was as attentive in class, ne?)

The whole village was bustling with festive energy and it was great. There were street vendors everywhere! So after dinner, we went back outside at night and we watched the parade of marching/dancing Japanese people. Theyre all about the lobster.

After the parade we went back home. We just drove the car, and we got back after 1 and a half hours. I somewhat fell asleep on the way, but my host brothers basically cried for about twenty minutes and just went stone quiet when we got to the highway.

Demo, I still like kids. Even the ones that cry. I lived through three little monsters didn`t I?
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I may be able to upload the parade on youtube. I`ll see if I can do that some other time. As you can see, you already have a lot to look at on my pictures anyway, right??

Ok, later. I really want to eat and I havent eaten since 9 this morning and its already 1:20. I wish my photos would hurry uploading!!!!