Day 153 - 30th of January

10:14pm　セミナーハウス
天気：晴れ
I’m just watching (500) Days of Summer with Hugo. Jamie’s just got back, and he’s finishing up packing for his move into home stay tomorrow. Lol, this movie’s pretty cool; a little quirky. It’s a light little boy meets girl comedy, and it jumps from day to day (backwards and forwards) across a 500 day period; keeps it interesting. Anyway, today was good… I didn’t do much this morning, but after lunch at 2, we all got ready to go to karaoke. It ended up being Rachael, Simon, Ash, Katie, Jacinthe, Jo and I; a great group. When we got to karaoke, it was packed, so we had to wait almost an hour to get into a room. In the mean time, we got ice cream, and had a purikura session. It was a little after 4 when we finally got in, so we were only in the there for 3 hours; at 7 free time starts, which has to be paid for separately. It was still great though, and so cheap; 100 yen an hour. Everyone had a really great time, and Rachel and Simon really got into it for their first time.

When we got out at 7, we were pretty hungry, and Jo suggested we go out for dinner. Katie and Ash, decided to go to a convenience store, and Jacinthe had to go into Hirakata to teach, so it was Jo, Simon, Rachel, and I. We ended up going to an okonomiyaki place just around the corner from the seminar house. Rachel and Simon had never tried it before, and they loved it; I’m still feeling very nice and full from it. When we got back, Simon went into the computer room to ask Yuji to translate his fortune from Kiyomizu-dera. Otousan was in there, and was looking at names of people, and when he saw Rachael he chose to call her by her last name, Green. The thing is, there are two Rachel’s here; the one I’ve just met from America, and the one from my Japanese class last semester. And they even share the same middle name; Sarah. So, in order to minimise confusion, Otousan has a different name for each of us; that’s why I’m Jo, and Jo’s Joanna. I don’t think she minds though. After that we all parted ways. The movie’s finished now. It was… interesting, I’ll give it that. I won’t be doing much tomorrow except seminar house meeting at 12, and checking in; yay we get all our kitchen stuff back. Time for bed…

Day 147 - 24th of January

8:26pm　セミナーハウス
天気：晴れ　
Just got back from a really cheap restaurant in Makino; huge meals for 500 yen. When the eight of us arrived, there were already another group of international students, and several more flocked in throughout the time we were there. The place was obviously well know and very popular and for good reason. I recognised one of the guys (can’t remember his name for the life of me) from my old Japanese class back at USC; he’s moved into seminar house 4. He came over, and we chatted for a while, and he told me that, Simon and he were the only two coming to Kansai Gaidai; I’m wondering if there are any more going to other unis. He wants to go into level three, even though he probably is ready for level 4, having finished Genki II; just wait and see what happens. Anyway today… Even though I went to sleep so late, I still got up at 8:30; Hugo and Jamie were already up. I hung around for a while, and got one of Jamie’s bananas for breakfast and then went out to do grocery shopping.

I needed to get some money out first, so I made my way to the uni, and found the east gate closed. So I continued walking and took the back streets to get to the main road. It look a lot longer, but was certainly interesting. At the front gate, the guards totally misunderstood what I was saying, and ended up giving me directions to the seminar house. Rather the to protest, since the uni was indeed closed anyway, I just let them finish, and then went across the road to 7/11. I couldn’t resist buying another Final Fantasy XIII Elixir with model. I got Oerba Yun Fang and the same can again!!! I couldn’t believe it. Oh well, what can you do; give the duplicates to others as souvenirs I guess. With money, I made my way to Kirindo, then Fresco, then the 99円 store, and finally Top World.

Finally satisfied I had everything I needed, I made my way home; I noticed groups of new people everywhere. It was about 12:30, and time for lunch. Nobody was up in the kitchen, so I ate my avocado on toast in peace, watching something about the different percentages of pork and beef, Osakans and Tokyoites use in their curry; weird I know. Apparently, Osakans use way more beef than Tokyoites do. Then they were showing this restaurant that serves pig’s feet; not for me thanks. After that, I signed up for my classes this semester. I ended up choosing “Religion in Japan”, and “Monster, Ghosts, and the Making of Modern Japan” (mostly just cause I like the title). I’m pretty sure it’s a film course, since that’s what the professors two other classes focus on, so it should be really interesting. Ash and Katie, and Jamie for that matter have chosen it too; I’m sure it’s going to be very popular. It wasn’t offered last semester, but it all comes down to chance whether I get into it or not; since all the classes are decided on a lottery-based system. Failing that, I have Onna to Otoko: Gender and Sexuality in Japan”, as my next preference, which should be interesting too.

I talked with my family for a few hours, and chatted with Carly and Alex too. I also found out where the onsen is in Gotenyama; the one Nadezhda was talking about. I really want to go there sometime this week. At about 5, I started getting ready to go out, while Hugo was trying to get in touch with his new speaking partner. He had rung while I was talking with my parents, when Hugo wasn’t in, and then rung again at about 5:30. I wanted to wear my new pants tonight, but I didn’t have anything to go with them, so they’ll have to wait for another time. Out of time, I just got on whatever, and met Jo, Biancha, Ash, Katie, Liz, and two new girls whose names I’ve already forgotten, and we left for the restaurant just after 6. I’m so tired, so I’m thinking early night. I’ll go into uni tomorrow for lunch, and get my forms in and accommodation payed, and then go to koto practice. Probably just have cup noodles for dinner; that’ll be fine. Gosh I’m so full from dinner… anyway, time for shower, then sleep.