So this ^ song came up on random on my Zune when I was on my way home the other day and I was pleasantly surprised that I can now pretty much understand the small bit of Japanese at the beginning of the song! =D Something like "Everyone wants to become Jay-Z, because he's so amazing but they don't know a thing about it. Rockafella ya'll" Or something like that, okay maybe I didn't get it completely right but its a start right? That girl so wasn't Japanese btw unlike the Japanese girl singing lyrics in that one Gorillaz song that I can't remember the name of right now (I warned you about random thoughts didn't I?).

OH also I saw a tanuki by my homestay a few nights ago! I got really excited when I realized what it was. XD so cool, it was just running down the street. First Tanuki Sighting Recorded.

In other news, its the last week of class for this semester D: NOOO! I am not ready! Papers, final exams! Can't do it, 本当にできない！　But at least afterwards we will all be freeeeee! I will be leaving my host family soon and I am a bit sad about (besides leaving Rena which will be wonderful). We had an awesome Takoyaki party at my host grandparents house yesterday, it was wonderful. So tasty. My family has been so nice and I have no idea how I can properly thank them. I feel my gifts and thanks will be inadequate. I hope they keep in contact with me, but I don't think they ever got to liking me much. zannen.

I am caught up with Supernatural, the last episode made me ;_; stupid show always makes me do that. Now we're on hiatus until January 22 I think D: though its fine I can catch up with other shows now (especially since I will be in the dorms soon woot!) I am happy I got my friend back into it, she is on season 3 and excited to meet Cas! XD

I think that's all I will report for now, since I'm tired and involved in reading st xi kink meme fic. This is of course instead of writing my gender paper. *sigh* I be the best student evar.

Well I'm not sick anymore, but being sick for the first time in Japan was quite the experience. It was dare I say fun? People take disease much more serious here than in America. I just had a cold but my host parents were insistent on taking my temperature every chance they got. For some reason I suck at getting my temperature taken, the thermometers look the same, and you put them under your armpits to take your temperature but somehow I failed at it three times in a row before my host parents finally gave up. Still, they kept telling me to tell them if I get worse and they told me a few times that if I have a fever they'd take me straight to the hospital. I almost wish I did have a fever since I sorta wanted to see what a Japanese hospital is like. Darn my health! But it was nice, I got left alone in my room, Pocari Sweat was delivered to my door, and not only did Rena leave me alone, she wrote me a cute get-well soon card! Seriously, I just had a cold!

I also had to wear a mask to school for a few days. Masks are fun. Very fun. If I get sick again here I won't mind because I'll get to wear a mask again! =D Yes I enjoy them too much. But they are cool and people say I look like a serial killer when I wear them, especially since I had my hat on and a deep, gravelly voice due to the cold. It was fun coming up to people and scaring them. Plus they are warm. And everyone you talk to asks if you are okay sympathetically. It's nice, no one gives a crap if you have a cold in America.

But besides fun illnesses I've been having fun doing other things. We had another random day off this week, this time it was a Wednesday. My friend Kat and I were supposed to join a group in going to Universal Studios Japan (USJ) but a few of the members got sick so they cancelled it. :( We of course didn't know this until we were already halfway there. So since we were already out and it was raining, we decided to do another 8 hour karaoke session =D I love karaoke. I will miss it when I leave, I don't think we have cheap karaoke boxes in Chicago =(

Tomorrow I am going to the Pokemon Center in Umeda! I am very excited!! It should be fun, I can't wait to take pictures and buy a bunch of Pokemon stuff!

P.S. I was planning on watching Supernatural before bed, but stupid Megavideo stopped the episode right near the end!!! Like right as a ghost had a knife to Dean's throat. WTF?!

I'd hate to bring my journal down after such a happy last post, but D:   Facebook decided to disable my account for no reason that I can discern.  I used to be just a casual user of Facebook, but since I got here I've been checking it everytime I go on the internet, as it is the best/only way I can stay connected to Chicago and all of my friends, especially since no one is ever online.  Also, it is the only way I can connect with the Japanese students from the other campus I met the other day.  Now they will think I am ignoring their friend requests or ignoring their messages to the ones I already friended.  So this news was highly upsetting to me.

But wait, there's more!  So I thought, hey, this has to be some kind of mistake, I'll just send an appeal to them and maybe they'll give my account back to me.  The instructions are to send an email through the email address I signed up for Facebook with which is my school email that I never use.  So I gave it try.  Wrong Password.  All right fine I guess I just forgot it.  So I tried the Forgot Password link and got this message:

Your permission to have your password changed online has been denied. Please visit an ID Card Office. (7) (48,30002)

WTF?  I can't visit an ID Card Office I'm in Japan you bastards!  So I try to sign into Campus Connect, which is where I change classes, pay for Tuition, and do everything else important for my university.  Same message.  Fuck, when did this happen?!!  So now I got to send emails to staff complaining which I hate.  But damn it I need to keep track of my tuition this year because I actually have to pay for it now.  The whole thing blows.  I sent the email yesterday and got a response back today saying the sent the email to another office that can help me.  *sigh*  This is going to take awhile isn't it?

I feel so....lonely.  It doesn't help that I am sitting in the lounge alone in the corner and none of my friends I made in Japan are here.  And that one girl from my Body/Comm class that is here every morning Skyping with her family or whoever was sitting across from me for the longest time.  Egh.  Damn homesickness.  I had a bunch of weird upsetting dreams as well and an embarrassing morning at my homestay that I shall not get into but is also working against any potential toward a good mood.  I need some sweets or something to cheer me up.  All I have are these weirdly shaped chips that are pretty good just awkward to eat.  Well once class starts I'm sure I will feel better.    And I have Shuwa (sign language) club today! 

Hope to have a happier update soon.

ETA: Oh, oh and (since there are already a ton of other complaints might as well add more) all the Star Trek books I thought I downloaded to my computer (there were supposed to be like over 100) are gone!  There's only like 5 now, and 3 are from series I haven't watched and 1 is just the novelization of the movie.  D:  I'm afraid to download anything here because the school is so strict on its illegal downloading and my computer is on the verge of being full (the icon is all red).  And I just finished my bag of awkward chips.  FFFFFFF-

There are also three Japanese girls sitting with me now for the sole reason that there is no where else to sit.  It's worse than being alone.

But!  I did get messages from the GQMFs living in Japan about our Star Trek geek out day so yay!  Some happy news! :)

Ah you would think that a day spent writing an 8 page paper would suck but it was actually quite wonderful.  I got out of playing with Rena for almost a whole day, and studying was interspersed with amazing food for every meal, lovingly prepared by my host dad.  We even had spaghetti for lunch!  My favorite!  I like to think they made it for me because I've told them more than once that spaghetti is my favorite food but who knows.  I also got to watch an episode and a half of Supernatural!!  It was amazing as usual.  Oh and to top it all off, my 8 page paper is almost done and its not due for another three days!  How cool is that?  =)  Anywho I'm feeling pretty good since I spent the day on the internet for the first time in a long time.  It just feels good.  And hey I actually have a chance to update!

Tomorrow I am going to Nara which I am excited about because Nara is famous for having wild deer wandering around everywhere and they come close enough for you to pet them!!!!  =D  Oh I saw a report the other day on the news about American emoticons and internet words like gr8.  They asked Japanese middle school kids if they could decipher them and they couldn't usually. I got a kick out of it.   

I'm not looking forward to a writing test I have on Monday at 9am.  I have to write about my life in 50 minutes and its got to be written on special Japanese essay paper with boxes for all the characters.  Yes it has a name and yes I am too lazy to find out what that word is, even though I have a sneaking suspicion that the handout that is only inches away from me has the answer...  Point is, I have to have an essay test in Japanese!  *pouts*  I'm not particularly bad at writing (its probably better than my speaking) but I'm still nervous about it since my teacher is strict.  I'm trying not to sweat it or schoolwork in general.  Japan is hard enough without having to stress out about school.

Well, just wanted to get an update out there now that I have the time.  Oh also, I just discovered this DJ Smart mix for my Zune software that gives you a playlist of your music based on whatever song you pick first.  I picked a random Modest Mouse song and got Weezer, Kings of Leon, and Wilcon in return. <3 (this heart one was on the news too heehee)  Thanks for listening to my random thoughts!

I'm finding naps are the way to go.  I never took naps before but I'm always so tired these days that they seem necessary.  I had to relinquish my bike today because my host mom needs it so now I have to walk to school which takes longer.  = (  But luckily I live pretty close so it's all good. 

My friend and I tried to walk to Hirakata-Shi today, which is a big train/bus station close to school that has a mall and a ton of shops around and inside it.  We failed, but found this other department store that was pretty nice and we ate at McDonald's.  We both got the limited edition Tsukimi burger.  It's pretty good, here's the commercial for it I see on TV all the time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsSz90Y4JTU&feature=related

I've been having a great time over here, I am glad I am here for a year because there is so much to do it is overwhelming.  I am busy everyday.  I kinda miss just sitting around watching TV and playing on the internet, but I know there will be time for that when I return home.  So I am trying to do something new everyday.  I don't always do something new, but there's is always something new to experience whether I look for it or not.  Getting used to my host family has been interesting.  I am not used to living with small children so that has been different.  The little girl has so many mood swings which I suppose all 6-year-olds have.  I totally do not have the patience her parents have.  They are really great, I was surprised.  I was expecting Japanese parents to be really strict but my host parents are really relaxed and understanding with Rena.  My host dad especially surprises me, he actually cooks and helps take care of Rena.  I'd read that Japanese fathers are always busy with work and barely spend time with their families.  I am glad that my host dad is different!

I had my first experience of homesickness.  It was...unpleasant.  My host mom had just served me cereal for the first time which pleased me because I missed cereal.  It was the Japanese version of frosted flakes.  I was trying to think how to tell my host mom that it reminds me of home, but just thinking about the word home made me feel sick and I had to focus on not crying all over my breakfast.  But really, I don't have much time to feel homesick.  I am busy all of the time and have made a ton of new friends: Japanese, British, American, even chat with a girl from Estonia (I think that's where she said she's from) who is in my Japanese class.  I am so glad I made it here I am learning so much and I have been speaking Japanese everyday.  I even dream in Japanese.  It's pretty awesome.  I wonder how well it will be once the year is done?  I still have a ton to learn so I know I won't be fluent, but I already can hold (short, crappy) conversations with Japanese people so I know I am getting better.

Oh, also I am learning Japanese sign language.  It's super fun but I don't know how much chance I will have to use it.  Apparently the neighborhood I live in has a lot of deaf people so if I see some I will try to befriend them with my limited language skills!  Pretty much all I do here, use what ever words I know to make conversation.   Having tons of fun.  I must update again soon, I haven't even written about my awesome weekend at Kyoto and the sports festival.  Ah well, its 12:30 so I should sleep.  Gotta get up at 7:00 for breakfast.  Hope to find time to update soon!

I told myself I would make an entry about this because it was certainly an interesting experience so I feel I should document it.  Plus my school wants me to so here it is.  But first as my journal states, some random thoughts!  

I keep feeling like I see people I recognize even though I know it is impossible.  It's weird I'll think I see someone from DePaul or hell even high-school or grade school but of course it is not. 

I have a normal sleep rhythm again!  I'm super tired by like 10 or 11 and wake up around 6 or 7.  Perfect!  Everyone is awake by the time I get up.  Well the little girl is usually sleeping in the living room but she is out of bed.  I am not usually up that early but it is nice.  I got to school way before my class so I got time to chill on the internet.  

Okay so host family!  Jeez I can't believe I've only been there like two days.  Every day here seems like a week.  Check the cut! 

(Edit: yeah this cut ain't working for some reason.  Anyone wanna comment to help me out?  Could be that my computer is in Japanese and I missed a word in the explanation.  I can't seem to change it back to English at the moment because I am tired.  Gomenna.)

( Read more about my host family experience! )

btw, I met these really nice Japanese girls today at the cafeteria.  One of them helped me order my food and then invited me to eat with her and her friends.  Her name is Ayami.  We found out that we both were going to the Sports Festival orientation today so we hung out together for a few hours waiting for it.  Ayami even called my host mother for me explaining that I would be late coming home because I forgot to tell my host mother about the orientation.  I am glad she was there because calling my host mother would have been difficult, the pay phones are weird and I might not have been able to explain myself fully.  We are planning to go to Kyoto this Sunday so I am very excited!  She wrote a note explaining are trip to my host mother who was very grateful for it.  It is good having Japanese friends. 

I shall update soonish!

Yeah...  Yesterday was a long day.  Well emotionally long.  I wanted to write an entry yesterday before I went to sleep but that wasn't happening.  I was out before 11.  The reason yesterday was so long was because I moved in with my host family that day.  That's going to take some explaining so check my next entry which I will update a little later after I finish with my Language Lab and Bike Registration.  Oh yeah I have a bike now.  I'll talk about it next entry.

First, some other updates.  I met my speaking partner the other day!  She was nice though it was hard for us to keep a conversation going.  Luckily, my friend from the airport Megan was also in the cafeteria when we went to get lunch so I called her over and all three of us ate together.  Megan has been awesome since I first met her, she loves Star Trek and Firefly, she is skilled with maps and together we made our way to Kansai Gaidai from the stupid Tokyo airport that typhoon stranded us in.  She was happy to have someone to eat with and we were happy to have someone else to help keep up conversation.  My conversational Japanese is woefully bad, and Megan is a level below me so we had fun trying to use our Japanese.  My speaking partner, Kiyomi has a bunch a friends from her badminton team that kept coming over so that was fun too.  One guy that came over had an excellent American accent I was surprised.  Kiyomi liked the keychain I gave her, she kept asking what each thing on it was was.  I would tell her what they were and she'd try to pronounce it.  "She-awasu tawaa?" "Feri wheel?"  Buckingham Fountain was really funny.  But I find I really need to get both a cell phone and an electronic dictionary if I want to survive and both are like $200 each.  Well I might be able to get a cheaper phone but the electronic dictionaries are all over $200.  *sigh* At least I got that Jasso scholarship.  Okay my Language Lab is starting in like 5 minutes so I'll update in an hour or two about my host family.

...though I might get somewhat of a break today which makes me happy. All I have to do is pick up my ID and register my computer since I have to miss that Kyoto tour.  I'm not too bummed about it because I went through Kyoto on my way here anyway. 

I keep waking up insanely early for me because my sleep schedule is totally off.  I learned my eating schedule is as well, I'm not hungry during the day but I am at like 4 in the morning.  I hope I get over this soon. But I am having a lot of fun here, every single thing is a learining experience.  

I got all my classes and fees paid up which is a HUGE weight off my shoulders.  I got the classes I wanted too, but really all the classes here seem like so much fun.  I wanted to take more, but I figured since this is my first semester I will take it easy on myself. 

I also realized my debit card works in Japan here.  It is another huge relief since I never found a way to exchange my money.  Apparently the only place in at the airport I never made it to and it takes $11 to get there.  I will probably do it eventually since this American money is completely useless, but I'm not really sure how to make the trip yet.  I'm so hapy to have some shiny yen in my pocket.

Yesterday we had our opening ceremonies and it was pretty nice.  I liked all the speeches and the food was delicious.  The only problem was we had to be at least semi-formal and all I brought were T-Shirts.  So we made a trip to this mall right by Hirakata station that we didn't know existed until we got there.  It was really nice and I bought a pretty brown blouse and a belt to match, they were each like $20 which isn't so bad.  I noticed later there was stuff on sale too so I'll be on the look out for sales next time.  I almost bought this nice skirt to go with it since it was only $10, I may go back for it since I want to look nice for my host family.  We also had some delicious takoyaki as well!

Oh and I am very excited I found some fandom loving people on the same floor of the dorm I'm at!  I find their presence to be very comforting since I now have someone here to talk about LJ with. :)  Plus we're all planning on making a trip to Osaka (I'm in Hirakata City) to find this doujinshi shop.  I can't wait, one of them has been there before and she said all the books are really cheap.  I really want to see what kind of stuff they have.
 
I shall be updating soon!  I meet and move in with my family on September 6!  I will be happy to have my own room and be able to unpack my suitcase.  And meet my lovely family of course!  I hope we don't have too much trouble communicating. 

P.S. There's a box in the computer room labeled: "Please put misprints in here to recycle. FROM MAYUKO" :D It's my screenname!!  I will have to remember to get a picture of that sometime.

 My first journal entry!  I really should have done this before, since my school wants me to document my study abroad experience but it's been hard finding an excess amount of computer time.  So until I get my computer to go on the internet I am stuck using the school computers.  It is weird, my summer was mostly spent of LJ and now I can barely find the time to look at it.  Now that I am on here, I am realizing how much fanfic I have not been reading the past couple of days.

But I am in Japan!  That is the important thing!  I've had a rough two days here but I'm managing and I am sure it will get easier. It has definitely been an adventure!  I managed to get myself lost already.  Well I started out in Japan lost because of flight changes, but today I got lost all on my own trying to navigate the streets of Hirakata City.  Needless to say, my navigational skills are non-existent.  Luckily I found a bus that took me back to school so all is well!  I haven't died yet!

In other exciting news here, I got information about who my host family is today!  There is a mother, a father, and a six-year-old girl named Rena.  They want me to teach her English which I will be delighted to do.  It seems like a good family.   One person's host family consists of just one older lady.  Another person has just an elderly couple.  I'm glad I have one with a kid, that is what I wanted. 

There really is tons to write about but I don't want to occupy the public computers too long.  You will surely see many updates from me from now on so sorry if I seem like I am spaming your Friend's Page!  I will have to learn to use LJ Cuts so my entries don't take so much space. 

Bye for now!