trips and festivals

So a long awaited entry is finally here!
I've forgotten a bit that has happened due to busyness, but I'll try to get it all in!
I'll start with the K reunion 2 weekends ago:
So I left Kyoto from Shijou Karasuma station on the express train to Osaka on a sunday early afternoon. about 45 minutes and $3.50 later, I was in Osaka Umeda area. I was a few hours early for the K reunion dinner, so I decided to wander the streets of Osaka. Pretty soon after leaving the station, I stumbled upon a music festival lining the street for about a mile and a half. As I walked down the street I kept hearing contrasting music styles as people just set up along the street and started playing. (P.S. there is an annoying clave clacking sound that comes from the temple across the street occasionally, and it is annoying me right now, but I digress). I was made to dance in a circle with several old women, and also was invited to join an improv performance and an electro-funk band (who gave me their cd!). After this, I met with K people and we had a tabe-nomihoudai (all you can eat and drink). Of course we had to eat so much because 2 people on opposite ends of the table thought they were ordering for us all... The aircon on the wall was named "cleanpoo"... I am always amused by japanese names for things...
Last saturday I randomly took a trip to Tokyo to visit Yuki and anybody else who could come (of course that ended up only being Neal) I got on the bus friday night at 11h40p, and arrived in Tokyo at 6h20a. The night Bus was cheap and not too bad, though I recommend this list for anybody planning a night bus trip:
-eye mask
-melatonin/sleeping pill that is good for 6 hours
-comfy pillow (blanket and slippers are provided)
-change of clothes
-toiletry bag
These items made the trip SO much easier!
I sat around the station for a bit in the morning waiting for Neal and Yuki to wake up, and a hobo approached me and tried to give me money cuz he thought my parents had forced me to move out and I could not afford a place to live (THAT WAS A FIRST...esp since I'm used to old ladies and young guys randomly talking to me in Kyoto/Osaka).
We had a delicious lunch in the station department store, then walked to the government tower. Yuki left us, and Neal got the 2 of us lost in Tokyo, he kept walking in circles, so I finally took over and got us to Shibuya from Shinjuku. We shopped a little in Shibuya (and random;ly ran into Takumi), then Neal departed and I met with another friend. We went to a restaurant themed like an old o'temple. We did photoboothing, and windowshopped some, then headed back to Shinjuku park where we just hung out and talked until my bus back to Kyoto arrived at 10h40.
On Wednesday, we got out of class early to view the Jidai Matsuri (festival of the ages). JMD came into town to see it with me. I got a ton of great pictures, but it was kind of boring...
That evening we went with moto to the Himatsuri in Kurama. All I have to say about that was it was packed like a crowded train, there was alot of fire and oshiri (butts) (the festival guys were wearing fundoshi (picture sumo uniforms, but on skinny guys)).
my Tuesday Japanese teacher is officially obsessed with my teeth... and I don't know why... its kinda crazy...

I'm alive, just uber busy! I'll update soon about the trips to Osaka and Kyoto!

FREE TRIP!

So I just found out that I got a spot to speak at the Tokyo Japan America Youth Forum on November 7th! But wait... don't I live in Kyoto? Isn't that a 2.5 hour train ride on the most expensive bullet train? NO PROBLEM! My ticket and 1 night's hotel stay are payed for!
I'm really excited right now... the Japanese word that best describes me is 幸せ (she ah wah say)
or " (adj-na,n) happiness; good fortune; luck; blessing;"
Now I just have to write a 7 minute speech plus a self-introduction (there's that self-intro again).

忙しかった (EE SOH GAH SHE KAH TAH)

For all you wakaranai (don't understand) people, the title means I was busy. Sorry for the lapse... but it's bound to happen more and more as the year goes on and my daily routine settles (unless you want entries that state the same thing kana...).
Well, I've officially had all of my classes, so I feel like I can update about them now:

Every day, I have Japanese for 3h15m... it's quite taxing yo. From 9-12h15, I learn a chapter per day. I also have a different sensei every day, so now I've had to do my self-introduction about 10 times (self-intros are really big here). I really like all of my teachers, they are all really nice. My Tuesday teacher, Furukawa Sensei is kind of scattered so it makes the class more interesting. I'm kind of frustrated because we're going over extremely easy characters... so I feel like kanji time every day is sort of wasted...

Thursdays, I have UK/Japan Cultural comparison, and it seems like the easiest class I've ever taken! It's an ADVANCED LEVEL course because it's in English, so I have to write about 300 words for homework every week (this weeks is a response to Led Zeppelin, and a short bit of research on the IRA).

After that, I have Law and Politics of Japan in Japanese, so it's a bit difficult, but I'm going to stay with it at least until drop period.

Friday afternoon, I have 日本語総合演習B, which is an intermediate Japanese Language seminar, but I dont know, I think I may wait until next semester to take this class...

On Tuesdays, I have 日本語総合演習A which is a similar class, but working on Oral skills, it seems like a very fun class, and the level is not too difficult!

After Seminar A, I have Cultures of Japan/Kyoto. This class seems like an awesome class, we have Japanese student TA's (who happen to be in my Circle(informal club). The downside of that is that they keep being like who knows the answer? ROB!!!! KOTAE WA!?(What's the answer?).

I was able to meet with JASC people on Thurs evening, which was very fun, we reminisced and planned to meet again! On Saturday, I ran into Hisashi (My 1st TA who visited Atlanta during Spring Break 2007). We were so surprised to see eachother in the student supply shop. I ended up having lunch with he and his dad.

On sunday, I went to Fushimi Inari Shrine with my Circle (as seen in the movie Memoirs of a Geisha... In fact, for those of you who havn't seen the movie, watch it for a good idea of where I am living... little has changed since the time of the movie in many neighborhoods...). Even though I had been here before, it was still great to see it again as it is such an amazing shrine!

After Tuesday's culture class, I ran into Tomoka (studied at K college for a year) on campus and we talked for a while with her friend who spoke Spanish.

I'm beginning to get used to hearing Japanese only and living here. It's quite enjoyable so far, but I've only begun the "study abroad bell curve of emotions" given to me by the K councelling center.

Today I had lunch with Iseki, Moto, and Iseki's friend, then explored the Kyoto U campus, it's quite nice, but I like Doshisha better I think (NO OFFENSE GUYS!).

Well, it's about time to write 300 words... in English... about Led Zeppelin... HAHA!

UNTIL NEXT TIME (whenever that may be)
-Rob

OOH OOH PS!
Have you ever heard of a small company that's kind of well known called "NINTENDO?" How about "KYOCERA?" Well... I don't want to brag (cuz I mean who's heard of them...) but they are located within 2 miles of where I live...