Day 265 - 22nd of May

9:30pm　特急
天気：晴れ

Carly and I are on the rapid express to Tambabashi, on our way to Kyoto station; we’re catching the night bus from there. And I thought I had a lot of luggage but no, Carly manages to outdo me; and she’s the one who’s only here for two weeks! Anyway, I am now officially finished!!! We had our graduation today… Getting back from karaoke at 5:30, I had a few hours sleep and got up at about 8:15. I quickly got ready, as we were supposed to be seated by 9:30, and ended up making it with time to spare; I had to ride my bike one last time. I was really happy to see so many people in Kimono; girls and guys alike…

9:55pm　普通

We’re on the train to Kyoto station now. We don’t have to be at the buses until 10:50, so we’re making really good time; having to drag our luggage in and out of tiny elevators isn’t much fun though. Anyway, as I was saying, it was really nice to see so many students wearing kimono; they all looked so good. In contrast, there were unfortunately quite a few guys who felt it appropriate to just come wearing jeans and a t-shirt; ah well, what can you do? After some photo-taking, I went and got seated in my assigned seat in the front row; that’s the nice thing about alphabetical order. The ceremony didn’t end up starting until after 10, with people still trickling in up to the hour. We did keep to time though, so it was fine once we got into it. After introductions, it was time for us to receive our certificates. Well, in actual fact what we got was an empty folder; the certificates were distributed to our mailboxes for us to collect after the ceremony. Seemed like a smart idea to me…

11:22pm　高速バス

Off we go on the night bus, and holy wow it’s tiny; lucky we got the back seats so we can recline all the way. Still, there’s absolutely no where for me to put my legs; maybe I can figure something out. Oh my gosh, getting here was a mission and a half. Once we got to the station, we ended up walking (staggering) to the wrong side of the station, so had to turn around and go right the way back to the other side. Finally we did make it, and soon found the check-in point. We had a bit of time before the bus arrived, so Carly went to pick up some yatsuhashi for Diego, and then I went to get some dinner; onigiri! The area was packed full of late night travellers, and more than 10 buses would be ready to board at any one time; it was really hectic. Eventually, our bus number was called (number 8) and we made the final haul, getting on just in time; we were actually the last to board. It’s not too uncomfortable I guess; Carly’s already asleep. Anyway, I still haven’t finished talking about the rest of my crazy day… After we all got our certificates (didn’t end up taking that long), we heard a long flowery speech from the Australian consulate of Osaka (same guy as last semester). Following that was the American consulate (who had a stutter), a visiting professor from an American university I forget the name of (he was very engaging), the President of the university (who had a translator), and then two international students, one of whom was Nadezhda…Well, they’ve turned all the lights off now, so I’ll have to finish this in the morning!

5:30am　高速バス

We’re just leaving our second rest stop now, and I think we’re only about half an hour away from Tokyo; I decided to get out and explore a bit and found a map that pointed this out to me. It’s bright outside, but that weather’s looking very dull, so I have no what we’re going to get up to today. Anyway yesterday…looking very Japanese in her purple kimono; yes that was the end of my sentence last night. Both of them presented in Japanese, talking about their experiences of Japan; I thought they did a great job. Then Motohashi Sensei (my reading and writing Sensei from last semester), talked to us about the results of a survey she had conducted to find the top best and worst things about Japan according to international students at KG. I can’t remember what the worst thing was (maybe narrow roads), but the best was of course the food. I have to agree with this whole-heartedly; I’m certainly going to miss Japan for its food. After all the speeches, we there was a special performance from the vocal group, and what did they sing; Angela Aki’s “Tegami”. This time I got most of it recorded; so happy to be able to hear it one more time. I’m going to miss singing it at Karaoke; it was one of my favourite songs. And with that, the ceremony was over!

From the hall, we all meandered over to the main cafeteria to enjoy the bountiful spread prepared for us; I went and picked up my certificate first. The food really was amazing, and there was so much variety; I didn’t try even half of what was on offer. Inside the cafeteria, it was extremely crowded so I didn’t stay for long, opting to go outside and sit with friends. I stayed around for a while, chatting and taking photos with people, hoping to spot Mori and Midori Sempai. Soon, Mori and Ume-chan emerged from the sprawl, and after Midori arrived they presented my with a wonderful parting gift; a large card with all my Sempais’ comments written on it; Mori had drawn a Totoro motif on it! Now we had to try and find Maarika. Carly and I had talked with her earlier on; she had in fact lost her voice. We went over to the club building to see if she was there; she wasn’t. So, Midori and Ume-chan went on a search and in the mean time, I got to play the piano for a while; that’s something I’m definitely looking forward to doing often when I get home. Eventually Maarika came over (with food of course), and she received her gift, Carly and I said our final goodbyes, and then made our way back to the Seminar House. While I’m going to miss the friends I’ve made in the club, and playing the koto, I don’t think I’m going to miss having to sit in seiza for prolonged periods of time!

The rest of the afternoon was quite stressful, with the last of my packing, cleaning, and sorting to be done. I got my straightener to Katie (she had payed me the previous day) and then okkasan invited us into the office, to show us pictures, and let us know that Otousan has Skype; I think that’s so cool. At about 3:30, I made French toast and scrambled eggs, so as to use the last of my bread; I donated my eggs, cheese and butter to Ash. Everything else went into the “not empty seasoning” box, which was already bulging with food; I hope someone can benefit from it. After eating, I quickly cleaned my kitchen box and fridge, but ended up missing Natchan’s inspection at 4; soon after, she was tied up helping people getting their parcels to the postman. Among them was Rachael, and she was sending a tonne of stuff home; I’m glad she could get it all sorted. She was still there during, and after my inspection, which didn’t end up commencing until 5:30; that gave me just enough time to prepare. That was all done in no time, and Okaasan was very impressed…

6:12am　高速バス

We’ve just arrived at Shinjuku station; our stop is next… After check-out, I could finally relax; for a little while. All the girls had gathered in the lounge, waiting to see me off; that was very special. This also meant that I could hand out all my gifts at once; bonus. Carly and I ended up sticking around until about 8, and we finally got the opportunity to play the Hetalia card game; that was quite enjoyable. Finally, and regrettably, it was time to say goodbye. I had already been subjected to a big group hug (not that I minded), and then got to hug everyone individually, even Ash who is generally the “hands-off” type. At the threshold, I was seen off by Katie, Ash, Rachel, Rachael, Sarah, Otousan and Okaasan, and Yuji and Natchan; I also got a hug from them. Kind words followed, and promises to never forget Japan and to visit were made, and then I stepped out into the night, laden with luggage; good-bye Seminar House 2… Just kidding!!! After we left, Carly decided she would go straight to the hotel, while I took my stuff to Makino station. Since I would be sending the last of my parcels, with Katie to help me carry them (bless her), after waiting around up the street for a while, I decided to return to the Seminar House. I dropped my stuff outside and burst in, running to the toilet; I thought it would be smarter to go at this point. I made it just as Katie was leaving, and got to hug Ash and Rachel one more time.

This time, it really was good-bye, and Katie and I made the trek to the 24 hour post office located just past the karaoke place; it was a tough walk. We eventually made it though, and I got to filling out the address forms. Katie soon left (after sending her postcards), and I decided to but another box, to lighten my second checked bag; I ended up getting almost 6kgs out of it. Getting all the done, I made my way over to the station and got to see Katie one last time; she was waiting for a friend in the station. Elevator up, I met Carly on the platform and then all the fun of the night ensued… We’ve arrived at Tokyo station now; at long last, I’m in Tokyo!!!

Day 167 - 13th of February

天気：晴れ
I had initially planned on going to the ice festival today, but decided to put it off to tomorrow. I felt the need to get everything done today, so I could justify going out and having fun. Also I had had a late night, and figured that it would be better to get to Kobe as early in the day as possible, so Sunday seemed much more appropriate; with the intention of having an early night tonight… So, this meant that I ended up sleeping in until 10:30. After breakfast, I did my homework, and pondered over what to make for the food party tomorrow. A most excellent idea hit me. Since I couldn’t find rolled oats to make ANZAC biscuits, why not make Milo biscuits; it’s Australian too!!! And, easily enough, I found a recipe online; all the ingredients were easily obtainable. So, feeling excited and determined, I went to Sanko and purchased butter, Milo, and sugar with the money given by the CIE, and a few other things separately. Getting back, I went straight to the kitchen, to find the opening ceremony of the 2010 winter Olympics on the TV. Katie, Ash, and Jacinthe were among the viewers, and Katie was ecstatic; her face lit up in pride.

Not overly fussed about watching the ceremony (I had missed most of it anyway), I got stuck into making my Milo biscuits. The recipe was really easy – cream butter and sugar, add an egg, the Milo, and flour, then bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees. I had a lot of fun making a mess with the flour and butter, and then killing my arm stirring it all together. The end mixture was looking very promising, considering I hadn’t been exact with any of the measurements; I was playing it by ear, or should I say by consistency. Simon was in and out of the kitchen periodically, checking my progress, and at this point he commented that I didn’t look like enough; I wasn’t perturbed. I prepped both of the microwave ovens, and decided to get one batch done, just to see if it was okay, before proceeding with more. I rolled out 9 balls for this first batch, pressing them down with a fork. I remembering to wet my hands, and the fork, and that helped a lot; thanks Nanny. And into the oven they went…

I watched them, and noticed that they were expanding quite a lot and, when they were done, almost all were connected; okay so the trays were too small for 9 biscuits at a time. Touching them, I realised they were really soft, and panicked, adding more flour to the mixture. My worries were for nothing though, because as they cooled, they hardened. Simon came in at a good time, and he and I tried them; they were really good. Crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, and packed with Milo flavour; more like cookies really. Thoroughly satisfied, I went about baking the rest. Almost 2 hours later, and a lunch break mid-way, I had successfully baked 51 Milo biscuits! I must have done about 7 batches (8 including the first lot), with 6 biscuits in each; utilising both ovens. I’d bought a nice big Tupperware container to put them all in, and then put them in the fridge, ready for tomorrow; I was very happy. I went downstairs, and talked with my family for a few hours, trying to get my speech for Japanese started. It’s just a 2-3 minute speech about anything. I decided to talk about my 故郷 (furusato – hometown). Soon after talking with the family, Yuji came in, to get me to sign a card for Asami; I wrote in yellow. Not getting much further with my speech, I went up to make dinner, noticing Asami in the computer room, dressed in a Kimono.

I made gyudon for dinner, Jacinthe graciously letting me borrow her soy sauce; I’ve been out of it for a while now. On the TV, were the highlights from the Olympic ceremony, and I realised I’d missed out on a really amazing show; the visual effects were incredible. Katie came in, and swelled with pride once more. Instead of going back down, I ended up staying and chatting in the kitchen with Katie, Ash, and Rachel until 9, when I had to do cleaning; again, Hugo was out. Still, I am most satisfied with the cleaning group. Perhaps it’s just because we only have to clean three times a week, but it feels like much less of a chore than it did last semester. Chelsea was once again helping out; even though it’s not her week. After finishing up, I went downstairs, showered, and got everything ready for tomorrow. Jeremy and Rachael were still up for going (after I explained that it wouldn’t be happening today), and Simon will be joining us too. We’re going to leave around 7; see how well that goes…

Day 160 - 6th of February

11:18pm　セミナーハウス
天気：雪
Today was absolutely wonderful. Not only did I get to see Beauty and the Beast, the Broadway musical, but I also got to wander around Kyoto in the snow… I got up at about 9, and readied myself for the musical; I decided to dress nice, but practical. Katie on the other hand, decided to get dressed up in her kimono, and when she came down at 10:30, she went straight to Okaasan to make sure she had everything okay. 15 minutes later, and we were ready to go. Katie told me Okaasan re-did the whole thing, every though she’d done it fine to begin with; still, a good learning experience. So yeah, I don’t know who was colder walking to Makino. Probably me, just because I’m not used to it; it was freezing. When we got to Kuzuha, it was snowing finely. Unfortunately, the ground was too warm still, so it melted as soon as it landed. We bought a snack at Tambabashi, and then continued to Kyoto station, getting there with ample time.

It was snowing heavier in Kyoto; it entered liberally into the open station. We made our way straight to the theatre, and after a few photos, and a look in the souvenir shop, from which I bought an Astro Boy pin, and Kimba the White Lion Badge, we made our way to our seats. We were a little off centre, but I couldn’t complain about the leg room; we were in the aisle. Since we had about 20 minutes before it started, we went out (separately) to have a look at the merchandise. Katie came back with a very shiny program, and I settled for another pin; so cool. And then… it started. What can I say; it was absolutely spectacular. The singing, the sets, the costumes… everything was so well done. The fact that it was all in Japanese didn’t complicate things at all. I know the story well enough, and I could understand much of what they were saying anyway. When they were singing it was a bit harder admittedly, but it did have an oddly restful effect; I didn’t have to focus on the words, just feel it I guess.

My first time seeing a professional stage show, and I was absolutely blown away. There were many new songs that didn’t feature in the movie, which made sense since it is a Broadway musical. I loved watching the set changes; they were seamless. And some of the effects; wow!!! Right at the beginning, when the old hag transforms into the beautiful witch after the Prince turns her away; that was incredible. She literally flew up into the air and this huge dress came cascading down from her as she cast the spell on the Prince; it looked like a firework was coming out of her wand. And the transformation scene at the end was perfect; just like the movie. Somehow (I’m guessin some sort of harness), he was drawn up in the air and spun around and somehow went from the Beast back to the Prince. Far out I don’t know how they made it look so good. So yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and came out feeling awestruck.

It was still snowing quite steadily, and I decided that I’d do some exploring around Kyoto. Katie opted out, which was completely understandable considering her attire. So I set off, making my way to the subway before coming to the conclusion that the bus would be better; I wanted to go to Kiyomizu. So, I went up to ground level again, and was soon on a bus. Getting off at the bus stop, I noticed there was something temple-looking nearby, called 大谷本廟 (Ootani Honbyou). Since the complex was closing shortly, I had a quick browse, and made my way out another gate, and soon found myself in a huge cemetery. It was eerily beautiful, walking among the silent gravestones with the snow falling softly and the sun setting over Kyoto tower, soon to be blocked by the impending grey clouds. Out of the cemetery, I found myself at the bottom of Kiyomizu-dera. I decided against going into the main section, since it was getting dark, and my batteries were dying; they did die while I was there.

Instead, I just walked around the skirting buildings, and then made my way back down the hill, going past all the shops. The snow was falling heavier, and I eventually took refuge in a Studio Ghibli shop I spied; didn’t buy anything though. I continued on, and found myself in familiar territory once more; I had stumbled upon Kodaiji. I willed my camera to work, and got a few more photos of the heavy snowfall. Unfortunately, the ground was still too warm; it did settle on the plants and rooves though. I continued down the hill, and bought some batteries at Lawsons, before taking a final few pictures of Yasaka shrine. I called it a day when it got too dark, and made my way back to Gion station. I caught the limited express to Makino, and after a quick stop at Life (for more groceries), I made my way home in the freezing cold; it was snowing a little. You can imagine how happy I was when I got back inside; and warm. I made dinner soon after returning (yakisoba), and caught up with Katie. We watched an interesting quiz show on tv for a while; it had us quite absorbed actually.

Finally I went back downstairs, to find Rachael and Sarah in the lounge watching Blazing Saddles. It was quite funny, and completely daft; it’s directed by Mel Brooks so what more do I need to say. That finished at around 10, by which point I was very tired. I had a shower then got settled in bed. Tomorrow’s going to be very interesting I think. We’re going to a fertility festival in Nara. And when I say we, I don’t know who exactly yet. I’ve convinced Hugo to come, and he’s asked his speaking partner to join also. I also persuaded Rachael to come. She didn’t want to at first because of the nature of the event; being British means she’s a prude, or so she tells me. But she finally came around, and supplied me with a very useful piece of paper, with all the travel information on it; her professor had supplied this to the class. So, armed with this information, we should be able to get there no problem. The festival starts at 2, so we’re going to leave at around 11. I hope it’s snowing…

Day 144 - 21st of January

8:13pm　セミナーハウス
天気：雨天
Finished cleaning; well pretty much… Got up at 9 this morning, and left for Toji at 10; Ryan arrived just before. We walked to Makino and it was drizzling, the sky moist and grey; it had rained the night before. Ash felt right at home, and insisted she didn’t need an umbrella. Soon after reaching the flea markets however, it started to pour; not that that deterred the crowds. Ash and Katie were in bliss, seeking out kimono stalls and the shelter they offered. They got quite a few things. As usual, I just enjoyed browsing; started forming some ideas of what I should get though. Katie found this really cool toy that, when spun, mimics the look of a bubble! It’s basically strips of iridescent plastic that “merge” together when spun. It’s a really cool idea though; looks great.

After about an hour and a half, we left the flea market, out an exit I hadn’t been before. I hadn’t realised just how huge the markets were; this arm extended right the way up to the shinkansen line. We walked further down, past the massive shopping centre that’s opening in spring, and went into Kyoto station. Not far from the door, was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s a bit hard to explain, but basically it’s a fountain of timed water jets, cascading from the ceiling to the floor, that creates shapes, patterns, words and even kanji!!! It was seriously awesome. It wrote ようこそみやこみち and then the translation, “Welcome to Miyako-michi. And then it created images of historical sites in Kyoto, including Toji pagoda, and heaps of different patterns; I was transfixed. We watched it till the completion of the circuit, and then continued through the shops, and over to the other side of the station; facing the Kyoto tower.

Katie wanted to see if she could book tickets for the Beauty and the Beast musical, or in Japanese 美女と野獣 (Bijo to Yajuu). This perked my interest, so we went together to check it out. The theatre is in Kyoto station, and the stairway to it was decked out in red carpet. Inside the foyer, there were statues of classic anime characters, including Astro boy, and Kimba the Lion. After a bit of thinking, I decided I was in, and we chose a day and got the tickets. We’re going on the 6th of Feb, for the Matinee performance at 1:30. It’s going to be so incredible, and so cool to watch in Japanese! After that, we went to donut king and indulged, before catching the train back home bound. Katie and Ash decided to go on to Hirakata station, but I got off at Kuzuha, and then changed for Makino.

I went and bought the Pokémon: Heart Gold Soul Silver walkthrough, at the Keihan store, and then went on to Sanko, to pick up bread and sauce; bread for lunch and sauce for dinner. I got home at about 3, had lunch, and then began cleaning my kitchen box and utensils. I also clean the fridge. Just as I finished, Ryan came up, and I inquired if he’d moved the stuff out from the bottom of the fridge. He said he had and that he’d cleaned it also. Lolz, well now it’s doubly cleaned. Here I was worrying about him getting things done, and he had finished everything by the time I’d gotten back; he’ll be moving to seminar house 4 tomorrow. When I came back down, I put my laundry away, and dusted the shelves. He was watching Mad Max on his laptop; I recognised the Australian accent. When I told him I hadn’t watched it, he said, “What kind of Australian are you?” That inspired me to watch it, along with many other Aussie classics, as soon as I get home!

At about 7:30, I went up and made dinner; my last home-cooked for a while now! I made spaghetti bolognese. Simple, but it meant I used up my last carrot, most of the onion, and the rest of my meat and pasta; so I was happy and so full afterward. I thoroughly washed my plate and cutlery, and then came back down. Yuji soon arrived at our door, accompainied by our new RA, Asumi. He inquired about by progress with inspection, and I let him know that everything but the floor, and shoji doors were done. We explained that we were going to be getting up at 8 tomorrow to vacuum; he implored us to have it done on time. Then I went up and showed him my kitchen box and the fridge; Ryan had already showed his. He was most satisfied, and I’m sure relieved; one less to worry about. I really hope it does go smoothly tomorrow; fingers crossed. As soon as it’s over I’ll be so happy. I don’t think I’ll do much else tomorrow; probably just mail Tamblyn’s shoes. Well, I think I’m going to go have some dessert now, and then say goodbye to the pots and pans…

Day 124 - 1st of January

12:59am　祇園
天気：雪
Happy New Year!!! We’re in the line (more like the mass), waiting to get into the Yasaka shrine; only one way to enter. Chionin was amazing. We were at the bell for New Years; we got to hear it ring about 30 times. Apart from the yelling of the security guards, beckoning us to advance, it was a truly magical event. At New Years, a lot of foreigners cheered, but I was against that; it’s not the right thing to do at a temple. We got to spend about half an hour at the bell, which was more than ample, before we were swept away by the tide of people. I gave the girls hugs and congratulations, and watched in awe as it snowed lightly; I was so happy that, although I didn’t get a white Christmas, I got a white New Years. We walked down into 円山公園 (Maruyama Koen – Maruyama Park), and the girls bought some 甘酒 (amazake – sweet sake). I got a sip from Katie’s cup; it was… interesting. Nadezhda brought mocha, and we shared that, and my coconut sable. We thought we could get into the shrine through the park, but we ended up having to walk all the way around and back onto Gion, the main street…

1:26am　祇園
Still waiting…

2:26am　祇園
Almost there… We’ve been occupying ourselves with songs, riddles, and jokes. It’s snowing pretty heavily now…

3:34am　普通
We’ve just gotten on the local train back to Makino. Yasaka shrine was really beautiful, so I guess it was worth the wait; wow, I can say I’ve done hatsumode!!! I bought a burger which looked really nice, and it was huge, but it was also stone cold. I think the girls made a better choice getting takoyaki; oh well. We gave our offerings, made our New Years wishes, and then made our way out, and back around to the station. Jo’s going to go shrine hopping until 4pm, when she can check-in to her hostel in Osaka. I was game to join her at first, but now I just want sleep…

11:41pm　
After getting back from Kyoto, I found Ryan to be awake still, but managed to get to sleep just fine. I didn’t wake up again until 2:30. I made pancakes, something I haven’t done in a while, and watched some traditional performances on TV. At one point I was watching a traditional instrument ensemble consisting of three koto players and a shamisen player. They were all elderly women, dressed in the formal 黒留袖 (kurotomesode) kimono; it was a very enchanting performance. After that I talked with Carly for a while before watching Labyrinth with Alex, India and Nadezhda; it was so funny watching that movie again. We took a break, so I could go make some dinner (shepherd’s pie), before sitting down for Watchmen; we were joined by Jeremy. I can’t say it was one of the better movies I’ve ever seen, but it was certainly different. And that was my New Years. I was really glad I got to participate in hatsumode; certainly a unique-to-Japan experience. Walking back from Makino station this morning, I realised there was a solar eclipse. I looked it up online to find that it was only a partial lunar eclipse but still very rare. That and the fact that it coincided with a blue moon last night makes 2010 seem a very auspicious year to me; I certainly welcome it…

Day 84 - 22nd of November

セミナーハウス

天気：雨天

Today was... tiring!!! Woke up at 8:30 and got ready to be there at 10. It was another freezing day, and on top of that it was cloudy. I dropped my kimono stuff off in the room and then went to find "Finding Jero", my singing booth; though this is the first time in this journal I've referred to them as that. Jero is the name of a popular singer in the Osaka area. He's an American who sings enka (a relatively new music style that resembles traditional music). Anyway, found the members in the CIE building. Before we started singing, we had to go out and advertise. We weren't able to pull in a crowd as large as yesterdays though; I think the weather put people off. So today, singing was just for fun, and we all sung English songs, me included. Since we had the time, they played the all of every one's songs. Of course, I hadn't learnt the all the Japanese lyrics for Kiss from a Rose, so I just sung in English. It was a bit repetitive but oh well. We had one more group sing (skater boy), and then Niky and I had to rush off to get dressed. Sempai's mum and Hashimoto sensei (I think that's her name) were so helpful and supportive throughout the day.

After I'd been dressed and payed for my zori and tabi, I asked if I could buy the obi they had lent me, and Hashimoto sensei gave it to me as a present. I was so grateful; I wish I could have conveyed my thanks better in Japanese. The performance went really really well; I was glad I got to stay and watch the whole thing this time. I recorded all of the songs bar one; both times they performed it, I was too busy serving or making tea. I was amazed at how popular we were. In the third session we had almost 40 customers! It was great. We ran out of cups and water and Mark had to duck over to the convenience store to get water while Chiharu sempai went to get more cups. Deigo, Jessica and Carly came during the third session when I was performing; I got Diego to record me. Apart from the huge crowd, a memorable moment was when Chiharu sempai accidentally whacked Midori sempai in the head with a koto; ouch!!! She was fine though. I thought the girls, and the rest of us, all did a really awesome job today.

In the last session, after a reprise of Sakura sakura, Sean persuaded me to perform Hanagoromo with him. We both made a few mistakes here and there but overall it was really good; I was proud of myself for being able to play it! We got a lot of group photos, then the girls went up to get changed, except for Chiharu sempai, who helped us international students pack up. Since Mark and I needed to go to the INFES closing ceremony, we went up a little early. Saki sempai's mum folded my kimono for me; was so awesome. Saying our final goodbyes (and see you tomorrows), Mark and I went down. Since the weather had turned nasty they had moved the event into the CIE lounge. It was about 5:30 at this point. First on the agenda was the winners of the Karaoke competition; first and second place. Before the announcements were made, they asked us if we were okay with singing our song again if we won, and all I could think was, "oh no, I'm going to have to sing that song again!!!"

True to my prediction, I won the competition; I still couldn't believe it though. I was so overwhelmed at that point, tired, and mentally unprepared to sing; but I did it. I messed up pretty bad. I was again disappointed in myself; everyone was really supportive though. I could feel my face glowing afterwards. Oh well if I didn't do that great, it's not the end of the world; I'll get over it. The prize was 6000円 worth of visa gift vouchers! I'm going to put it towards presents for people. After a slide show of photos from the day, and some final speeches, INFES was officially over; I had a great time. I never did get to try that deep-fried ice cream though...

It was a dark, cold, and rainy walk back. Luckily, Carly got some umbrellas from the CIE. When we got back, Diego and Jess were here; they shortly went out for dinner. I went up and cooked stew; didn't eat it until about 9 though. After that, Carly and I went up to keep Amber company for a while. Her Dad had visited her this weekend and we watched the video of her belly dancing, and another of the cheerleaders. The stunts they performed were absolutely incredible; they even made kanji out of thier pompoms! They were true athletes. Now feeling very tired. Tomorrow morning will be lazy, and then the afternoon will be karaoke and yakiniku with the koto club; it's going to be a lot of fun...

Day 83 - 21st of November

5:18pm　特急電車
天気：寒い

Carly and I are on the limited express train to Kyoto. We're going to see the Kiyomizu-dera and maybe Kodaiji "light up"; it's going to be beautiful. Diego and Jessica are already there. They went to the Todaiji flea market today. Carly and I on the other hand had INFES commitments. I got to uni at about 10 to 10 and found the koto room in building 2, 1st floor. The changing room was on the third floor. Mark and Justin were already half dressed and I was to promptly to follow. Sean showed up a bit later, but Niky was still a no show. With everyone else ready we all walked around to get some lunch. So many food booths; many selling the same thing (especially takoyaki). Some of the salespeople were very pushy, advertising their stalls. I felt a little uncomfortable in my kimono; unfortunately it's too short and my hairy legs show, lol. The tabi and zori fit well though, but they're scary to walk down the stairs in. It's freezing today, especially in the wind. I was pretty warm though in my kimono. We were to play for four sessions every hour; 1, 2, 3, and 4. I was scheduled to play at 1 and 4, but I explained that I would be singing at 2:30, so they changed mine, and Niky's (who would be singing also) times to 1 and 2.

5:37pm　七条

We're in Shichijo now, and have to switch to another train to go one stop down to Kiyomizu-gojo ~ the 条 (-jo) on the end can be loosely translated to mean street, so gojo is 5th street, as shichijo is 7th street. In Kyoto, many of the train stations are on these streets. Continuing... Niky showed up at about 12. She had a bit of a scare this morning, not knowing exactly when to get here. Luckily the kimono sensei were still around and she was dressed no problem. She did forget her tsume and music but that was easily fixed; she borrowed Justin's. So, the performances: we played in groups of three and Niky, Brittney, and I were first up. Since it's just Sakura, sakura it was over pretty fast. After that, the Japanese girls played three pieces while we beckoned in customers and served them tea. Each session took about 25 minutes. I decided not to record today, so I would have battery for tonight. I love the songs they play though; well except for the one really long, boring one, 六段の調べ (rokudan no shirabe).

5:45pm　普通電車

On the train... In the break, Niky and I had a quick look at the art exhibition and some ikebana before playing for a second time, accompanied by Mark this time... We're here; according to Diego the line to Kiyomizu-dera is really long.

6:17pm　清水寺

We're in the line to Kiyomizu-dera and it's incredibly long!!! But, it's moving at a relatively fast pace. We haven't found Diego and Jess yet, we're guessing they're at the other entrance. Wow, we can see the pagoda from here, all lit up. There's also a huge spotlight shooting light into the sky; it's amazing. Half-way there...

10:38pm　特急電車

We're on our way back home now. Tonight was great. We never did meet up with Diego and Jessica, which was a shame; it was too hard to find them in the masses. Kiyomizu-dera was stunning. We must have spent about an hour there; it was well worth it. Unfortunately, silly me forgot to lock the switch on the video camera and it must have came on in my bag, because when I pulled it out, it had less than 20 minutes of battery left. I did take a lot of photos though; that made up for it. After walking around the grounds, we did a little bit of shopping and then went back down into the city to find a place to eat. We almost immediately stumbled upon an okonomiyaki place; I was so there. We were seated straight away, and while our order took a while, it was so good. We shared a special okonomiyaki with everything in it; pork, beef, octopus, squid, prawns, and onions and cheese on top. And for dessert, ice cream; Carly had banana, and I got black sesame seed. Seriously, it is really yummy.

We walked to Gion Shijo (4th street) station, passing a few temples along the way, and a supermarket bearing the IGA brand name; I wonder if it's affiliated with the Australian one? Carly was shivering from the ice cream. We fooled around a bit in a small park, and made a quick stop at a grocery stall so Carly could get some cereal for tomorrow. To tired to do anything else, we got on the train. It's nice to be able to sit down, especially on an express train, which are almost always completely packed. Okay, now back to today... after playing for the second time, Niky and I got ready for singing. She decided to stay in her kimono, while I opted to change. As I said, it was freezing and we were singing in the outside auditorium; "circle stage". I was really nervous, and of course last, so I had to endure. Niky was second, and I thought she did really well. Finally, it was my turn...

10:56pm　淀駅

Whoops! The express train only got as far as Yodo, so we had to change over. Now we're on a local. Anyway... yeah, it was my turn. I did... okay. I forgot a lot of the lyrics; I was really disappointed about that. At least I got the last verse out perfectly. Carly was there recording it. Maybe I'll watch it one day; doubt it. Well, I wasn't the best, but I wasn't the worst either, so I can take comfort in that. Afterwards, I went over with Carly to her booth (Food booth 2) and bought one of her 和 パフェ (Wa Pafe - "peace parfait"), and donated to an orphanage in Germany (which was what the INFES was raising money for). The parfait was really good even in the cold weather. Since we were going to Kyoto, Carly got out early, on the pretense that she would help out extra hard tomorrow; same for me! I got all my stuff together and then we walked back home.

Getting back, we had a quick snack (I reheated the chicken from last night, otherwise it would have gone to waste). We printed off a map showing Kodaiji; we had anticipated going to three temples tonight but that didn't happen. I'm kinda glad we didn't; it would have been too much. We're going to try again on Thursday. Anyway, that's my day; we're in Makino now. Walk home, then collapse. Gotta be at uni again at 8:30 tomorrow; singing first and then kimono and koto!!!

Day 79 - 17th of November

11:34pm　セミナーハウス
天気：雨天
Another miserable, rainy day. It was also a very long day. I didn't need to go shopping this morning, since I'd gone on Sunday, so I relaxed a bit, had lunch, then went out into the rain. After speaking, I went to McDonalds and got the new McFlurry (strawberry short cake). I know, I'm crazy eating ice cream in the winter, but it was so nice. I did a bit more research for my history essay, then went to class. I found myself falling asleep. It wasn't that it wasn't interesting, it was just that the room was so nice and warm. I hung out with Amber and Carly a bit after class, then went to koto. We didn't get that much practice in, since we had a big meeting at the beginning about our party after the INFES. We had a short session with the sensei, and then the last 1 and a half was the girls practicing; they need it more than us, and I don't mean that in a bad way. Sakura, sakura really isn't a very hard piece. I'm looking forward to practicing new things afterwards.

After koto Sean, Mark, Justin and I went with Saki sempai to Kuzuha mall to buy our zouri (scandals) and tabi (socks) for our kimono. We were supposed to go yesterday, but since that we inconvenient for me, and everyone else didn't mind going today... well yeah, it all worked out fine. So off we went, through the freezing cold to 御殿山駅 (Gotenyama station). Two stops down and at Kuzuha mall, we met sempai's mum; she's very cool. As soon as we got there, she made Mark carry her heavy shopping bag; it was so funny. We went to one shop that sold tabi-like socks, but they all had stupid designs on them; we wanted plain ones. So we went up to the kimono shop on the 3rd floor; the women who came with sempai's mum to help us with our kimono the other week works there. Luckily, they had zouri and tabi in our sizes, but they were pretty expensive. We also had to buy ties for our kimono. Justin and Mark opted to just buy the zouri and ties, while Sean and I bought tabi also (white). It was after 9 at this point and the rest of the shops had closed, so we hurried back down to the first floor.

We parted with sempai and her mum, and went into the grocery store. I didn't want anything in particular; it was all very expensive. But I did find a small glass dish, which I'm very happy about. I'm going to make a cake for my birthday in it; yay!!! Hungry and tired, I made my way home, picking up a bag of Mister Donut donuts on the way; they were cheap okay. Caught the train back to Makino and walked home. My ears were hurting from the cold by the end of it; stupid me for not bringing my beanie. I was 10 when I got home, and after answering some questions for Deigo I made chicken parmigiana for dinner, and had a heated up donut for dessert. So, I didn't get down here till 11, and now I just want to go to bed. I can do my Japanese homework tomorrow morning, and tomorrow afternoon is for history essay...

Day 71 - 9th of November

9:57pm　セミナーハウス
天気：晴れ
Today turned out to be pretty good... I woke up a bit late this morning, so I rushed to get ready. At precisely 9, the van came to pick up the extra parts Dell had sent Diego for his computer. Of course, Diego wasn't in the room at that point, so I took out the boxes for the guy, before rushing out the door. I made it to class just on time, and waited anxiously to start. I'd expected to go first, but in fact, sensei had us draw from cards to designate our turn; I was third. I went okay I guess. Giving a presentation in English is one thing; Japanese is so much more intense for me. Felt good to get it out of the way though. After class, I met up with Jo in Floresta and we quizzed each other for the quiz in Reading and Writing; that helped a lot. CEL was... bleh. We watched a 30 minute video and the narration was absolutely shocking. This guy is an anthropologist, someone who is constantly socialising with people, and he can't read from a script; it almost put me to sleep. Just so you know, it was about a small neighbourhood in Tokyo; what interactions take place, and the changes that have happened.

After class, I finally got some books out of the library to start my research on Murasaki Shikibu for History. I'm going to get a few more tomorrow I think. I had something to eat in the cafeteria, then stuffed around until koto. I realised I'd forgotten my tsume. Actually, I was more worried that I'd somehow dropped them; I thought I'd put them in my bag this morning. So, tsume-less, I helped Charlie with hanagoromo, before the kimono sensei showed up; they were a little late. It must have been after 5, because Niky doesn't get out of class till then, and she showed up right when they arrived. The two women, were so helpful, a praised all our kimonos; Niky's especially. It's a beautiful peach-orange colour. They helped us all dress and I felt a lot better about my kimono. They even had a brown obi for me to borrow, which suits perfectly. The only problem was, when I got it out yesterday to air out a bit, I didn't fold it back up properly, since I was in such a rush in the morning. The kimono, haori, and jubun were all really badly creased; I felt terrible about it. Luckily, one of the sensei will take it home and iron it for me; sooooo grateful.

So now we're pretty much set. Sean managed to get a new kimono set for $200; a little much. It does look good though, maybe a little plain; both the kimono and haori are grey. Charlie's not participating in the festival; he'll be in Tokyo. Maarika is borrowing a kimono, and I don't know about Brittney; I think she left part-way through for some reason. The sensei are even making 草履 (zori - flat scandals) for us. We're allowed to just wear regular white socks underneath; finding 足袋 (tabi - the traditional socks) in our sizes would be impossible. We packed up soon after the sensei left, and I made my way home worrying about my tsume. It was all good though; they were waiting for me in my desk. I had dinner; defrosted stew, which still tasted really good. It's shopping day tomorrow, so hopefully I can get some good deals. Deigo's got to chose his classes for next semester at his university. The problem is, classes don't open until 10am, so he has to wait up till 1 this morning to get in fast! I'm going to go have a Milo now, and then probably get some sleep.

Day 70 - 8th of November

10:31am　快速急行
天気：晴れ
We're finally on the train to Kyoto. It's Carly, Mark, Justin, Maureen and I. Sean and Charlie didn't end up showing up unfortunately, but after 30 minutes wait for Mark and Justin (with Maureen as a tag along) I was ready to leave.

5:44pm　快速急行
We're on the rapid express back to Makino... Getting off the train this morning, Mark knew the way to the shopping district, so I let him lead. We got there easily enough, then it was a matter of me remembering where the shop was. After figuring out where the cinema was, I was able to find my bearings, and got everyone to the shop; "Harajuku Chicago" - selling used clothes and kimono. We spent about an hour in there, trying to figure out what to get. The obi's were quite expensive, and we felt a little discouraged so decided to shop around some more. The proved a fruitless venture; everywhere else was ridiculously expensive. So, Harajuku Chicago it was...

Mark, Justin, and I all took another took and eventually came out satisfied enough. I ended up getting a 襦袢 (Jubun - under robe), 羽織 (Haori - kimono jacket) with a 羽織紐 (Haori-himo - tasseled, woven string fastener for Haori), and the kimono itself. Men's kimono are really plain; I decided on browns. It seems silly but, the under robe has a design and you don't even see it; all you see is the plain collar. Even the pattern on the Haori is on the inside. So really, men get to be pretty dull. It cost a little more than I wanted it to but at least I have one now. Unfortunately I didn't get an obi; none suited the kimono. So I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do about that, but I'm just going to take my yukata obi tomorrow so at last I can practice with the whole outfit. Maybe I'll be able to borrow an obi from someone?

Anyway, feeling very hungry, we went our separate ways in search of food, only to find each other again in the same restaurant; "First Kitchen" - a ripoff of McDonalds. Although, I have to say, the fries were cool; they came in many different flavours. After lunch, Carly and I decided to see a movie, "Push", which didn't start until 3:15, so we wandered around for a bit, stopping at a few temples. The movie tickets are a little expensive; 1500円, and that's with the student discount. Carly had to buy the popcorn (caramel - so good), and pay for 500円 of my ticket; some gentlemen I am. I'd run out of money, well... I had enough to buy the train ticket home. The theatre was number 6, on the 6th floor; we took the elevator up. So, with our tickets, numbered by our pre-chosen seats, we made our way in.

The movie turned out to be really good. I won't go into the details here, but the ending left you feeling like there was more to come; hopefully there is. We came out at about 5:15 and it was almost dark. We found our way out onto the main street, and figured out how to get back to the train station; Sanjo this time. Carly stopped off at Book Off, and got one of her manga, "Tsubasa". Then we got on the train... We're almost at Kuzuha now, to change over for Makino.

11:04pm　セミナーハウス
Well, I'm almost over my cold, and another weekend is over; it really is going fast. Got back and made dinner (stir fry again), and then did my homework for Japanese. Cleaned the kitchen for the last time in a while, and watched as buildings were being demolished by explosives on TV (intentionally of course). I'm all ready for my presentation tomorrow, and here's hoping I do okay; I'm first up!