With love,

Today will be one of those nights where I can't fall asleep. I'm just not tired and I have a lot on my mind. I'm not sad, in fact, I'm really happy with where my life has lead me and what I'm doing now. But it's the situations around me that are frustrating and I'm trying to figure out how to best handle them.

First of all, I've heard a few times this year that I've "inspired" people to do better things and while they started out doing them, once I changed our relationship they lost all motivation to continue doing those things. So I've watched over the past few months people do things that make me feel so disappointed. I feel so let down.

Second, I see people shutting down over small stupid issues. Life is hard. Everyone knows that. But ya know what? You find ways to deal and you focus on the good things or at least focus on what's best for you until you're ready to see what's good in your life. The last 6 months have really changed my views on life and what I should be focusing on and as much as I love my friends and try to help, I can only help so much unless you're willing to help yourself.

Blah blah blah. I'm too tired to write anymore. But you get the idea.

By the way, I am enjoying my time in Japan although I'm trying to figure out what to get for presents and how I'm going to spend my free time, as well as motivate myself to finish projects and papers. Wish me luck!

Yeah Yeah Yeah's.

Heads Will Roll


[kind of obsessed with this song at the moment]


So it's been a really long time since I last posted anything and by long time, I think it's been over a month. Whoops. To be honest I didn't know what to say and eventually it just seemed tedious to write in here until something really interesting happened. So here's some updates:

• Halloween was interesting. I went to a restaurant called Lock Up. In order to get to the restaurant you had to go through a haunted house but it wasn't as scary as I thought. It was more about the suspense and expectation that something would happen but it didn't. The food was amazing and for 3500 yen, they brought many small courses that each table shared but it was definitely enough to feel somewhat full. Drinks of course were unlimited for two hours which is something I love about Japan. Drinking in Japan is expensive unless you find the bars that offer deals where you pay a certain rate that usually lasts for two hours. It's a really good deal, trust me. Towards the end of our meal they turned off the lights and people dressed up as monsters ran around trying to scare us. It was amazing. Afterwards most of us went home but I went with the small group that went to karaoke. We had a really good time honing our singing skills, or lack thereof, and caught the 5:30 train back to Asakadai afterwards. All in all, a good night. 
• Fall break followed the weekend of Halloween. While most people went off to different countries or parts of Japan, I spent it in my dorm and wandering Asakadai. Not a very interesting time but I'm planning to go to Kyoto for winter break to stay with my friend Ayla and my friends for the Christmas holiday. 
• This past weekend Kaitlin and I were taken to Harajuku and Shibuya by our new friend Natsumi. We had a really good lunch that was a buffet of traditional Japanese foods. Salads, potatoes, miso soup, chicken and some other things were offered to us and everything was so delicious. There were a lot of shops there that I knew from America and some from other countries but it was actually really pretty. I found some shops with cheap clothing that I'd like to check out soon. The weather here is still pretty nice most of the time but I won't go outside without a long sleeve shirt or a jacket of some sort. It's almost like the end of summer/beginning of fall still compared to the weather in Michigan right now. Afterwards Kaitlin and I head back to Asakadai to get ready for our night. During Halloween Kaitlin met a guy, Kevin, who is full Japanese but has moved around and was born in the States. He is a producer of various things and does debates on tv here in Japan. He invited us to a big party in one of the nicest apartment buildings I've ever been to. It was located in the rich part of Roppongi called Midtown. The floors and walls were made of marble and had huge chandeliers in the hallways. The party was nice but really packed and Kevin took us to a smaller party that was being held for governor Miyazaki. (Kevin explained that governor Miyazaki is the equivalent to Arnold Schwarzenegger being governor of California and that he used to be a comedian.) The smaller party consisted of several rich and/or powerful Japanese men. Their occupations included: governor, real-estate trader, president of the Mirage hotel in Las Vegas, and music executive. The other attendees were 20-some Japanese girls who were all in their mid-twenties and dressed very nicely. They spent the entire time fawning over the men. Meanwhile, Kaitlin and I just watched from the couch and spoke with people who were interested in us. I met a lot of people and some of the girls were really sweet and not like some of the others that were there. I didn't like some of the men that were there but I never felt in danger, in fact Kevin was pretty helpful in my opinion. We were supposed to go out clubbing but for some reason or another we ended up not going and since the trains stop running at 1:00 AM, a man named Toshi gave us a ride back. I'm still so grateful for this because it was a 45 minute drive from Roppongi to Asakadai. But we made it back. Oh, on an interesting note...a girl we had met from the first party had exchanged phone information with us and we wanted to her to come to the party with us. She tried to get a hold of us later but we didn't know where to tell her where we were and when we tried to call her back so Kevin could give her directions, no one answered. Somehow she got to the party and seemed very upset and kept asking Kaitlin and I if we were okay and trying to get us to leave. Kevin got really upset about it but I didn't think much of it. Apparently though she thought we had been drugged by the men there and was worried about us and so she called the police and told them that the men were having a drug party. What we didn't realize as Toshi was pulling out of the road away from the apartment was the policeman talking to some of the girls that had left only maybe 50 feet away from us. Luckily most of the people were gone and only a few people were left. A man we had met, Kuroiwa, explained to them that no one was drugged and got them to calm down but it was a very close situation. eek. What an exciting night. 
• On a good note! Kevin offered Kaitlin and I jobs doing voice overs in Japanese videos in English. I'm excited because this might help me out in some way or form later on when I'm trying to get a job. And who knows where it will lead. I have no aspirations to become "famous" but I think it could help with something maybe. 

So that's all that I've been up to until now. School is getting a little more difficult with midterms being just about over and soon our big project for the end of the year are approaching quickly. So until then, I'll try to update more often! 

Goodnight!

After the Storm

Well the typhoon has passed and now I can say I've been in a typhoon. I wasn't sure what to expect but I think if I would of been closer to the coast it would have been a little more scary. It was projected to hit Tokyo around 6 AM but I believe it actually hit between 3-4:00 AM. It poured for hours and I watched the streets and parking lots fill up with water until I fell asleep. By the time I woke up around 9:30, the water was gone and replaced by hind winds like I've never seen before. Regardless of the winds though, it was actually the first beautiful day we've had in a while. It was so sunny outside and the sky was an amazing shade of blue. I stayed inside all day and enjoyed the weather while working on my homework when around 12:00 I found out that all classes for today had been cancelled. Yes, I was excited.

I've spent all day just enjoying my time off and finishing up the Japanese drama "Hana Yori Dango" after starting it over the summer. Now I will prepare for tomorrow. I have two classes and then for dinner, I'm meeting my friends to celebrate my friend Mayu coming to Tokyo to visit from Kyoto. I'm so excited to see her. She's a really sweet girl and I haven't seen her since the beginning of the year.

Making friends has been a little difficult unfortunately. Some Japanese students have been really outgoing and we've exchanged numbers but I can only say I've really spent more than one occasion with one girl, Saori. In terms of the international students, a lot of them split into groups immediately it seemed but I'm trying to be more outgoing and less shy. Everyone seems really interesting and I do want to get to know them. Speaking of being more outgoing, I've also been trying to be more independent. Of course it was very nerve wracking to come to a new country knowing only a handful of people so naturally I glued myself to Kaitlin and Desiree. I love spending time with them but lately I've been trying to be more independent and go out on my own. In general, I am more of a independent person, just shy at first so I'm afraid that maybe I seem like I'm closing myself off from people but I'm not. It's been very annoying being so exhausted all the time and getting used to Tokyo when it's such a busy and overwhelming city is the main cause of it but I will be fine soon. Also, it's VERY expensive to go out all the time and I would rather save my money for other things like going to Korea or Thailand during my break. I've been here for a month and I'm figuring things out I'm happy to say. I hope that everyone else is figuring there stuff out as well. While some people are joining clubs or "circles", I'm content to just explore things on my own this semester. I don't really know which circle I'd join anyways and I want to get used to things here before I tie myself down to something.

Have a good night everyone!

Another photo of Melor

Hello Melor

I just woke up from a short nap and now I need to finish the rest of my homework! Here are some shots of what  Typhoon Melor looks like:

Somewhere in that lies Japan and me. I don't think it'll be that bad for us but then again I've never been IN a typhoon so I kind of don't know what to expect. I expect lots of rain though. It's all we've been getting for a week and a half  now.

Oh look, homework.

Super Typhoons & Massive Amounts of Reading

Well Michigan may have snow storms but Japan has typhoons. Nice trade off for me, right? I guess I'll find out how bad it'll be within the next 48 hours but I'm not even sure how concerned I should be about it. For the past week or so, the weather has been dismal. When it rains, it usually rains all day and even when it isn't raining it's been kind of cold. Well today was no exception except I decided to check the weather and found out the typhoon that's been affection southeast Asia is what's causing it. When I checked this morning they predicted that by the time it reached Tokyo it would have weakened. After school though, I checked my e-mail to find a warning from the American Embassy about super typhoon Melor and from what I understand it won't be getting better. After talking to my friend Greg, I still can't really predict how this will affect the area I'm living in but I guess all I can do is watch the reports and just go about my normal life here. So wish me luck! (Also--someone tell me why regardless of the fact that it's been raining a lot, I still haven't bought an umbrella!)

My classes this week are going well so far except I forgot to do some homework that my Japanese class is supposed to do online. Ugh. But I've been doing everything else and I think I'll be okay. They don't take late homework so there's no reason for me to get too upset about it. I just need to make sure to write down everything on the calendar that they gave us. (Shakes head in frustration and disappointment)

Other than that, most of my homework is just reading and preparing for lectures in class. I'm not very outgoing so I haven't spoken up yet but I'm trying to be more outgoing in general because that's the only way I'll get anywhere while I'm here. I need to make friends, I need to do well in classes, I need to improve my Japanese, and all of that demands me to be outgoing and speak up. So...wish me luck with that too!

It may be strange to say but I consider eye drops to be a beauty product that I've worked into my daily regimen when it comes to getting ready in the morning. No matter how much sleep I get or how much coffee I drink, I never look as awake as I'd like (or as white-eyed) as when I put eye drops in. They make my eyes look bright and they also wake my eyes up. It's like...caffeine for them! Strange ne? When I told this to Shawna last year she just laughed at me and said they weren't but I still consider them a beauty product, at least for me! (^_^)

For a while I've been obsessed with the fashion of Daisy Lowe. Also~I'd like to imitate her hair style because there really is NO point in my straightening my hair when the rain and weather has just been ruining it. Her hair style is more what mine is really textured like. I just need to find the right products to keep it looking like that and NOT a fuzzball all day.

Korea Battles the Twentieth Century

I've spent most of the day doing my homework yet I found myself distracted by how nice today was. I actually enjoy Sundays now, whereas before they were just the day before what would be a long and painful week. The weather was beautiful today. During this last week, it's been rainy or at least dark and somewhat cold. So it was nice to wake up this morning with the sun shining and the warmth rushing in through my windows.

Last year I watched a movie called " All About Lily Chou Chou ". I know a lot of my friends really didn't care for it. It was long and strange compared to the movies most people usually watch but I thought it was beautiful and sad and it still leaves me with this indescribable feeling after seeing it.  I especially love the music from this film. Most of the soundtrack is done by Japanese artist Salyu. My friend Matt gave me all of her music and I still love listening to it till this day (actually~when I took a nap earlier I played her music). So for anyone interested, here are a few links of some of the songs from the movie. Arabesque , Glide , Tobenai Tsubasa . I hope someone else enjoys this too.

I'm very proud of how much I accomplished this weekend. My room is very clean and organized, all my Japanese homework for the week is done, I'm prepared for my other classes and ready to begin the week. Tomorrow I have a follow up dentist appointment. Last week I had to go in because something was wrong with my mouth and I was in a lot of pain. It turned out that the root of my wisdom tooth was pressing into the nerve that runs through my jaw so I was given pain killers and was told a number of things I could do about getting the tooth out. Honestly though, since then the pain has been a lot better and I haven't even taken a single pill today. So hopefully it's moved away from my nerve and maybe I won't need to get my wisdom teeth taken out until it's necessary, regardless of what anyone else may say. I don't see the point in having them taken out until they are physically hurting me. So wish me luck!

Good luck to everyone else for the rest of the week. By the way, how are my friends back home? I hope everything is going well for everyone and I hope to talk soon! Let me know how things are at Western!

おやすみ　みんな！
Goodnight!

By the way~ the reason I titled my post what I did is because that's what my history class is discussing. I just shortened it.

Tokyo Life

One of my friends asked me recently what living in Tokyo was like. Tokyo is...a lot of things. 

Tokyo is always full of energy. I probably pass by thousands of people going to and from class. I really do love it but I'm still getting used to it because I come home so exhausted every day. I lived in Chicago and it's not the same. They're both cities but they don't compare. Tokyo is a lot more advanced. The transportation system is amazing and you can get to just about anywhere you want to go by it. Everything is ridiculously convenient and I don't think things are as expensive as people think they are here but then again you really have to do some exploring. I really love the 7/11's here. They're actually nice stores and the food is the same quality as a diner or cafe (well, in my opinion). Apparently yesterday, instead of suffering the rain without an umbrella, I could of bought one at the 7/11 for 100 yen (~$1.00). Instead, I was wet and all the effort I took to make myself look nice was wasted. I really love city life and how everything is at my fingertips. I hope that my friends can visit soon! I've seen so much but at the same time, not that much at all. Tokyo is such a huge city that I can't even explain it to someone, it's something you'd have to see for yourself. I remember the first night I arrived. I was so exhausted and I just wanted to sleep on the bus ride to the hotel but I forced myself to stay awake so I could see the city. It was everything I thought it would be and even more. 

October

So I've almost been in Japan for a month now. I'm so happy to have school starting up because I was getting kind of bored and I need to be busy 24/7 or I go stir crazy.

I've taken today as a day to clean up my place (really clean it) and work on school work. But everyone deserves a break right? I came across some beautiful rings by Alex Monroe that I fell in love with.

 ~love ring~

~blue topaz twig ring~

I want, I want, I want.

Change in plans: staying in tonight due to massive amounts of reading. Ew.

Let's See How Difficult This Will Get...

Now begins the second week of classes. Most people are switching in and out of them yet I'm happy to say that I'm only dropping one. I still haven't decided whether or not I will add another class. I would like the opportunity to explore Japan and I'm not sure how hard my classes will be and how much time I'll be allowed to do what I want. So we'll see!

So far I like most of my classes. My Japanese class is very easy which I've chosen not to be upset about because I assumed most of my learning would be done outside of the classroom. Most of my classes focus on business and culture and it leaves me wishing they offered classes that were aimed more towards foreign students. I'm jealous of my friends in Kyoto who have the option to study calligraphy and the tea ceremony. I thought that a key part to understanding the Japanese and going into business with them would require someone to understand their culture and history. I guess I will be learning that on the streets as well. (^_^) So far my favorite class is my Japanese Culture 2 class. The teacher is a nice woman that has put together an excellent syllabus that I really think will be where most of my cultural knowledge will soon come from. I'm happy to know that there really isn't any homework in my classes except for my Japanese class. I learn mostly from taking notes which is part of all my classes. I will be putting most of my effort into my finals, three of which are papers ranging between 6-10 pages. Two of my classes actually have field trips! Overall, I'm excited for this semester.

One downside that's become apparent very quickly since I've been here is that difficulty most 留学生 (foreign students) are having with securing things that are necessary for us to survive here. One of the biggest issues I've experienced is how I'm going to receive money while I'm here. After about a month of hassle and multiple phone calls with Citi Bank, I finally have an account with them and a card is on the way. Yet, my funds are dwindling and there are still things I need to pay for that are very necessary. My only complaint with Western's study abroad program is that there wasn't a lot of help given to us on keeping in touch with our families so that we can receive money. Not only that, but getting things like our cell phones, alien registration, and commuter pass have been really difficult. Most of it we couldn't of done without the help of our Japanese friends that we knew before we arrived in Tokyo. I hope that's an issue that is solved and figured out a little better than what we're experiencing now. It's already stressful living in another country where you vaguely understand the language but it's even more difficult when you have to way to receive necessary funds.

Well~I think that was enough ranting and going on about classes. Until next time!

As the Adventures Become More Interesting....

Everyday in Tokyo is an adventure. Every step, every turn, every direction that you look in. It's an amazing place but then again Japan is an amazing place in general.

I love my futon bed. I've never liked the ridiculously soft mattresses in America because they aren't good for my back and I wake up feeling terrible. I wake up on my futon and I feel well rested and ready to go!

I love Japanese food! Everything I've ate has been SOOO amazing! Nothing has let me down yet. I've tried so many different things since I've been here and I hope that I can make these foods for myself when I have to go back home. You actually feel better after eating Japanese food. You feel full but not overly full, you feel healthier and you have more energy. I usually crash mid-morning in America but here I don't start feeling tired till late afternoon. I also don't eat huge portions of food. Everything here is so filling and in portion sizes that everyone, everywhere should be eating. It's already very noticeable on me!

I love public transportation. I missed it after I moved back home from Chicago but Chicago's transportation system has nothing on the Japanese transportation system. I'm not going to enjoy driving a car again... While the trains can be confusing, once you spend enough time in them you begin to understand how everything works and get yourself through it with ease.

I love being around so many people. Everyone here has been so nice to me. I've become accustomed to the stares (although most people are looking at Kaitlin because of her blonde hair). Some people even try to talk to us! Today an old man was flirting with my friend Desiree but it was in a cute way, nothing creepy. He gave her chocolate and invited us out to drink with him and his group (one other older man and 3 old women). They were very polite and very funny and we felt bad having to turn them down.

Japan really can be summed up as cute (or kawaii). I love listening to the language, everything from stationary to cell phones are adorable. People are so sweet and helpful...I don't know why anyone WOULDN'T like the Japanese! Open your minds people! But really, every advertisment is sweet and everywhere you turn, there's always an adorable cartoon animal. Hehe.

Now that I've finished ranting on some of the things I love about Japan, I'd like to briefly discuss the events of tonight.

My friend Yuuya's friend from elementry school is the lead singer of a band and we were all invited to go watch her play at something that would be similar to an open mic or battle of the bands in America. We watched 3 bands perform (all of which were amazing in my opinion). I was even able to get a cd with some of the music on it and exchange phone numbers with Yuiko by the end of the night. I told her that I thought her band was amazing and I'd like to see them perform again sometime!

While I did have an amazing night with good friends, I did witness a terrible thing. On the way home, Desiree, Kaitlin and I witnessed an older man who was drunk arguing with a businessman. I'm not sure what they were arguing about, although I did catch that the businessman was informing the other man that he was just drunk and to settle down. I watched the drunk man try to punch the businessman and it got so bad that the businessman actually pulled a handfull of hair out of the drunk mans head :( . It just lay there on the ground... But it was terrible and it took a couple of other businessmen to calm the drunk man down a bit and get him off of the train. I hope I never witness anything like that again. This shouldn't discourage anyone from coming to Japan. Who hasn't seen a drunk man start an argument and try to fight someone? I've never felt unsafe in Tokyo. Everyone is very kind and willing to help you if they can. One man walked Desiree and I to the post office the other day when we couldn't find it! Why isn't America more like this?....

It's been a long day and night so now it's time for bed. Until another day!

Oyasumi!~~

Early Morning

I'm sure it's because of the time changes and stuff but I'm usually exhausted so early at night and I wake up as early as 5:30 or 6:00 AM. But it's a lot different here in Japan. Whereas the sun doesn't even go down in Michigan until sometimes as late as 9:00 PM, it disappears aroudn 5:30 PM here in Japan and the sun begins to rise around 4:00 AM.

Yesterday was the first day of orientation. It was filled with the usually tour, lunch, and long discussions but the part I hate to think back on the most was the placement exam. To put it best...

"It was everything I never knew and nothing I was ever taught"

That's it in a nutshell. It was all fluent Japanese. There was a writing portion, reading portion, and an essay portion. It was the most frustrating, difficult test I have ever taken. But I was warned before I came to Rikkyo that they usually place you too high or too low. I didn't mind being placed to low because I figured a lot of my learning and development of my Japanese skill would grow outside of the classroom. I guess I'll be in a lower level.. But we still have the interview (the second part to the placement exam) on Wednesday. The rest of orientation week will be spent getting information on the scholarships we've received, opening a bank account, and registering for classes.

Afterwards, my friends Kaitlin and Desiree headed to Shinjuku to celeberate our friend Kota's birthday. We went to this amazing restaurant that was on the 49th floor of one of the taller buildings in Tokyo. I have never seen a view SOOOOO amazing. I tried to take a picture but there are some things you can't explain well enough with something like a picture. Summed up, it's one of the best things I've experienced since I've been in Japan. We had a great time and it was nice to see people I'm familiar with. Afterwards my friend Hirotoshi helped Desiree and I get back to the Tobu Tojo line.

Well...I'm going to try and go back to sleep for an hour or so but I will be updating more soon.

じゃね！

Settling In

Very slowly, my room is coming together. Yesterday Desiree and I went out exploring with our friend Kanako. She helped us to file for our Alien Registration cards, buy our cell phones, show us our school, and went with us to buy our necessities. All in all, it was a great day!

We were mainly in Ikebukuro all day which is about a 20 minute express train from Asaka, where I live. I haven't been on a train that was ridiculously packed yet but hopefully I can figure out the train system a little more before that happens. One of the most interesting things I came across yesterday was a Japanese mall. The mall we went into was to put it simply the size of an office building that you'd see in Chicago or New York. I don't know if the mall extends all the way up the building but I know that it was at least 12 stories tall. In the bottom part of the building, it's a maze of a train station and shops, mainly consisting of food from regular groceries to specialities like restuarants and chocolates. It was kind of overwhelming because of the sheer number of people I passed going through there but the smells that I smelled were AMAZING! I'm sure everything in there was expensive though because the items in the mall were generally more expensive than I was willing to pay my first full day in Tokyo. I did however buy some cute stationary though to mail back friends and family in Michigan! One of the floors we visited was full of office supplies such as paper, writing utensils, stickers, planners, diaries, photo albums, you name it. Everything was so unique or cute I wish that I could show everyone. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to take pictures of stores inside the mall. But even that wouldn't give you a good enough idea of what it was like.

One of my favorite places that we found yesterday was Olympic, a three story market with groceries and other everyday necessities. I love being able to buy prepared foods that are so delicious! I don't usually like the ones available in America but I love the onigiri I bought last night. For those of you who don't know what onigiri is, it's a rice ball that has can have a variety of things stuffed into the middle. Usually tuna, mayonnaise, salmon, or the strange sour cherries that I haven't gotten around to attempt trying since last fall. But they're very filling and I love them!

One of the best things I bought yesterday was my Japanese けいたい cell phone. After looking at all the different brands and companies, Desiree and I decided on AU. Although we're currently both having a difficult time trying to understand our phones (AU doesn't have any phones that come with English), I know we'll figure them out soon. They are really cool though! I'll update about it later...once I can read it better!

Overall, I tried to listen very hard and carefully to what people were saying. I understand some but I don't always know how to respond exactly. I'll have to study more. Trying to listen to someone and then translate it all in your head and then think of what you want to say and translate it back to them...that's exhausting. Wish me luck!

Okay--Adventure day #2...

Hello Tokyo!

So I made it to Tokyo...Finally!!!

Here's a recap of everything:

I didn't sleep much the night before my flight because it made more sense to just sleep through most of the plane ride. That was...difficult. The plane, while not as crowded as I thought it might be, it was still kind of cramped. Even though I could kind of lay down, it was uncomfortable. My cold didn't make it any better. I've been sneezing and coughing for days and luckily it started to get better the day before I left but still, I'm not feeling like how I normally do. There wasn't much to do on the plane and I was very bored. Luckily the last few hours flew by and next thing I know, I can see Japan outside my window.

Narita airport was a little confusing for me. I knew the places I needed to go I just didn't know how to get to them. I had to build up the courage to ask a Japanese man where immigration was and he pointed it out to me. Luckily after that I didn't have a problem finding anything. It was difficult to translate at points but I was able to figure it out and I stayed calm through it all. I'm sure it had something to do with how exhausted I was. I was past the point of being quick to jump to being angry, I was just letting things come as they did.

I admit I was scared when I finally got to the hotel in Ikebukuro thought. I had signed up for a student from Rikkyo to meet me there and take me to the dorm but I had never heard anything confirming that I would be picked up. I arrived and tried to explain to a woman that I was supposed to meet someone but she thought I just needed to get to the dorm and pointed me in the direction of the train. At this point, I'm getting nervous because I wasn't sure where I'd be sleeping if at all. I tried to use a pay phone to call one of my Japanese friends or the dormitory but I didn't have all the change I needed and I started to panic... And then my savior came! A guy named Toshi asked if I was Kelly and I was so happy. I wasn't going to sleep in an expensive cardboard box on the streets of Tokyo!

After a kind of awkward walk, then train ride, then more walking to my dorm, I had FINALLY made it!~ All I wanted to do was sleep but this very 'genki' (energetic) man and woman who run the place immediately bring me to my friend who I was dying to see at this point. They then asked if I was hungry and although I was a little, they gave me A LOT of food. I feel terrible for not being able to finish it all but to be fair, it was a lot. I don't know how the Japanese eat so much. I guess my stomach will have to adjust. But it was interesting being shown around my dormitory by a man who barely speaks any English. It was interesting to say the least :) But he was really nice and showed me how to work everything.

Okay~~ I'm sorry if this was boring and lacking in details but after only about 2 hours of sleep since Tuesday, I am ready to sleep. Goodnight! Or...

Oyasumi~!!

Blurs, Quesadillas, and Gel Pens

I was hoping this week would have been more laid back and a time for me to relax but it hasn't exactly been that. I've spent most of the week preparing to leave and buy things that I need and set up things that I'll need in Japan. I would say that most things are taken care of except for the last bit of things I need to pack with me. I'm still a little nervous I'll forget something vitally important...

Hence me feeling like a blur. I'm here and there, visiting people, buying things, making appearances. It was just nice to sleep in a bit today. David and I, after running our own errands, went out for lunch and had some food at Applebee's. I don't know when it became okay to load everything up with salt. I swear, even the fries at McDonald's weren't that salty. They were good fries just salty. I don't know why I'm writing a blog about fries...haha. Anyways!!!

Tonight is my friend Desiree's birthday party and I'm excited to see everyone and introduce them to my boyfriend David. I think it'll be a lot of fun! It's also a going away party since most people are leaving within the next week. EEK! I'm nervous...Sigh...

I decided to write thank you cards to people that mean a lot to me or have helped me out in a way that has made it possible for me to go to Japan. I should REALLY get on those. On that note, I will go do that.

See everyone tonight!

2 Weeks...

Apparently I blog weekly now.

It's all hitting me on how much less time I have here. I have so much to do still!

- immunizations
-new clothes
-pack
-check up on financial aid
-speak with Yumi Takahashi (my advisor) to make sure my credits are all set up so that I can graduate next December

I'm sure there are other things but hopefully I remember them. If not, then I'm sure my parents will be quick to remind me.

I've been feeling sad about leaving but I know that in a lifetime, 11 months isn't really that long. And I am excited to be there and I know that I'm going to love it and once I'm all settled I'll want everyone to come to me because I won't want to come back. (sorry grandma!) Anyways, I'm just enjoying the time I have left with everyone and tying things up before I go. I'm really going to miss certain people..Like Anna, David, Brynn, Samantha, my family... But everyone has Skype or some way to contact me so it'll be okay. I'm sure my blog will be more frantic and anxious as September 9th draws closer but after that I promise, people might enjoy reading my blogs then.

I'm planning on visiting Chicago the weekend before I go as well as a bbq with my family to send me off. So hopefully I see everyone before I go. If not, keep in touch and the coming home party will be amazing!

3 week countdown

So with less than a month to go, I'm quickly realizing how much stuff I should be doing to prepare before I leave... I know what I need to do but at the same time, I feel like I'm forgetting things or that I'll forget something and not realize it till I get there and then what am I going to do? I'm sure everything will be fine. I just need to try and knock some stuff off of my list asap.

Another thing about leaving for so long, I started figuring what and who meant the most to me. It's like the end of high school. You realize who are your true friends and what was really important to you and you carry that on into the next phase of your life and the rest becomes obsolete. I don't know. I suppose that's me getting a little carried away considering I'll be back in a year. But I guess I don't know where I'll be when I come back. That worries me too. When I come back from Japan I'll be done with school. Other than going through graduation next December and meeting the requirements of my scholarships, I don't know what I'm going to do or where I'll be. I guess I'll just have to figure that out along the way?

It's been nice to read blogs from students who have already traveled to Japan and been to Rikkyo. I feel more reassured about what things will be like when I get there and what I need to do. For anyone else who is going, let me know if you want to read these blogs too unless you've already come across them.

Okay~Now I need to go make money! 3 weeks and counting...

Summer Stress

Update: After going through our packets a little more, Desiree and I realized that we weren't being housed in the same dorms :( I blame the scholarships we got. Desiree received that JASSO and her housing information said that she would be housed in someplace called "J-Dream"? I'm disappointed... It would be nice to live in the same dorm as someone I know. But on a good note, I saw that Kaitlin also received the RUI scholarship so I at least know that she'll be there with me :) 

 Argh. Summer Japanese class is intense but I love it. Except that I had a test last week and now I have another one today. Off to Brown to study/take my tests! 

Update!

In less than two months, I will be bound for Japan and starting a pretty sweet adventure. I can't wait :) All the nervous and scared feelings I had have quickly fallen away. I'm still nervous but I'm not as panicked as I was. hehe. I bought my plane ticket last week. On September 19th, 12:50 PM (Chicago time) I will be heading to Tokyo! I'm SUPER happy its a nonstop flight because before my dad was mentioning layovers in Detroit and I really didn't want to do that. Although I don't have anyone to fly with, Desiree was nice enough to decide to wait for me when she gets there. Her flight is only a few hours before mine and her's is direct also so she won't have to wait long. Then we'll go to the dorms together :)

On another good note, Desiree and I received our information packets from Rikkyo today! It sucked that we had to wait through class when we knew it was there but we havet them now and I can't stop reading it. I'm a little intimidated and confused by the some of the rules of my dorm (no playing mahjong, girls and boys can't go into rooms of the opposite sex but have to go to the dining room to chat, I have to fill out a form if I'm going to be out for the night, etc.). It's so weird. Even my Catholic school wasn't this intense. Regardless, I can't wait. Heheheeeheheehehehehehehhehehehehehheheheheheehehe.

I'm so glad that I'm going with all of my friends :) This is going to be the best year of my life!!! Love you all!

夏休み

Wow. It's been a long time since I wrote anything here and to be honest, I kind of forgot about it until some of my friends mentioned it yesterday. There really isn't much to report on though. Most of the paperwork is done and so my friends and I are just waiting for our information packets and praying we get scholarships. I've received one so far but I really need more. I would really hate to have who evers job it is to decide who gets the money and how much. I feel terrible for one of my friends because she didn't get very much. We all really need the money. Hopefully good things are coming to us this summer before we go.

A few weeks ago me and some friends took our Japanese friends to the airport. I feel terrible because I said I wouldn't cry and I did. I just couldn't help it. I was thinking about how amazing the past year of my life had been and it was mainly because of them and they were going. But, I know that I'll see them in at the end of the summer so really, it isn't that bad at all.

I will be in Japan soon... I've never been more excited for anything. For all of my friends and me, this is our dream, it's going to be an amazing part of our lives. Yet...I am nervous. I already know to expect getting homesick and missing friends and family back home. This is the first time I've ever done anything like this and I feel terrible for feeling scared because that's the one thing I never hear any of my friends say. Lucky for me, I have a lot of friends in Japan that I know I can depend on. We're pretty much a small family anyways so I know I'll be fine. I can't wait to experience everything :D

Until then, I will be working and taking classes. Commuting back and for during the week isn't fun but it's allowed me the chance to hang out with my friends in my hometown before I go.

On another note, some of us have gotten together weekly and started a Japanese study group which I think has been really helpful. Going over everything again makes me feel more reassured but I'll just have to try harder when it comes to conversations.

じゃね！

Is it love?

Well--this is where I'll be living in about 5-6 months! I'm so excited :D Also-my application to Rikkyo is all sent in so that's done. Just applying for scholarships at the moment!

Other than that, my life has been very hectic. I'm mentally exhausted with some people but I'm trying to look past it for the time being and enjoy my own life and focus on what's important.

For Future Reference...

I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who has every read my posts or who may just come across it randomly. I know that my posts are that interesting right now but I will be continue to update until I leave for Japan. Here's some information on that...

I'll be spending the next few months filling out paperwork and as many scholarships as I can, fun right? I've been so anxious to just jump on a plane and get to Japan I don't know sometimes how I'll manage. I won't be leaving till early September but I might try and leave earlier and stay with a friend or two just so that I can get acclimated to everything a bit right before school starts. But trust me, when I get to Japan I'll have so many pictures and videos uploaded it'll make my site worth keeping track of. So stay tuned (^-^) It'll get more interesting...I promise.

Soon you will all see what living in Tokyo is like and who knows, maybe this will come in handy for you if you get the chance to visit!

東京!!!!!

Dear Kelly,

This email is to tell you that the Japan Selection Committee has
chosen Rikkyo University as your placement for the 2009-2010
academic year. Attached is your official acceptance letter from
WMU.

It is important that you make an appointment with me as soon as
possible to go over the paperwork required to submit your
application for Rikkyo. You may do so by calling our receptionist
at (269) 387-5890.

See you soon,
Gaby


Although it wasn't my first choice, I am SOOO happy to be going to Japan and Tokyo is an AMAZING city :D I CANT WAIT!!!

Dreams DO Come True!!! :)

YATTA!!!! I DID IT!!!

My dream is coming true :) I'm going to Japan next fall for about 11 months. I don't know which school I'm going yet but that doesn't matter, the point is that I'm going and I'm sure that I'll get into one of the two schools that I want to get into but I'm SOOO HAPPY!!! And what's even BETTER is that I get to go with one of my closest friends, Ayla!!! I'm so happy and I'm so happy for everyone who got in :)

Okay--I need to celebrate and stalk Japan and plan :) EEKKK!!!

I love life :)

(X_X)

Nervous would be the least dramatic way to state how everyone who applied to study abroad in Japan next year feels right now...but in less than 24 hours are the interviews and hopefully we will know sometime over the weekend who is going and who isn't.

I'm so nervous about the interview...I can't help but think "what if I don't get to go?" .... [sad face]

BUT!

I'm trying to be positive. I want to do the best that I can and I want to be confident and enthusiastic. Even if I don't speak much Japanese and it is terrible, I can at least explain why I want to go and why I think they should send me. Ahhh it's like tryouts!!! I hate tryouts...

Anyways, good luck to everyone tomorrow! Let's enjoy our remaining time with our Jason and do our best tomorrow!