The truth is, I thought it mattered - I thought that music mattered. But does it? Bollocks! Not compared to how people matter.

Today was the start of what is called Doshisha Eve Festival. This week marks the 133rd anniversary of Doshisha. In Japan, Colleges and (i think) high schools have huge festivals open to the public for a few days. Because of the school festival, we have the week off!
I attended the festival today, and it was like nothing I have ever experienced. Imagine the Dogwood Festival (for those of you who are in Atlanta) placed in a small space such as ummmm the AD YMCA parking lot. With as many people, and 10x pushier vendors.


In other news, I went shopping for a new coat and nice shoes, and I learned that I have a gift of bargaining without even trying. I was at a Department Store (where you usually NEVER get discounts according to my teachers) and everything I bought ended up being　at least 20% off.　I just had to follow a formula I learned at the 1st place, go to a younger, college age guy. start asking about stuff in Japanese, compliment their english no matter how bad. tell them I am a student at Doshisha, and therefore need to save. Mention that their fashion is great and I want a similar fashion. then pick what I want, act like I can't live without it but the price is soooo high. From there, out comes the calculator, and before I know it I have a discount! (It probably helps that I look so exotic here...)

MEXICAN FOOD!

I FINALLY was able to eat mexican food!!!! YAY!
It was expensive, and a bit wrong, but it was delicious!
I had tortilla soup, a mexican steak, avocados, and chili rellenos!
While there I also met a few people who studied at GA State (WHAT ARE THE ODDS!)
anyways, it was alot of fun!
This week I don't have school except for monday (which is weird because Monday is a national holiday haha)

so finally a real update...kamo

Whew, it`s been a long time since I last updated my blog... I`ve just been very busy.
Every week I have 3 tests (2 character tests, and 1 grammar test) for my morning class and presentations/homework for my afternoon classes, so it has been very intense. Yesterday, my favorite sensei, Furukawa sensei was sick, so our class was cancelled (therefore I have free time here in the library now.
I just finished my first English lesson with Junko san, who is a TA for my Japanese culture class. Today was a kind of "where are you at in japanese right now?" check.
Since we finished one textbook in Japanese class (9-12:15 every day) we`ve started working on different skills during the last half of class. Since we have a different teacher every day, each day is a different skill.
monday- storytelling/comprehension
tuesday- conversation
weds - essay writing
thursday- listening comprehension
friday - speed reading
These skills are all geared towards the JLPT (japanese language proficiency test).

I`m still making many friends, which has become somewhat of a problem. When a new number is sent to my phone through infrared, I sometimes forget which japanese characters go whith which face, especially now that I see repeat kanjis!
I guess that`s the least of my worries though...

Well, We`ve had 4 holidays on mondays so far... but at Doshisha all of those holidays are class days. HOWEVER, next week is Doshisha`s birthday so we have an ENTIRE week off!
I am totally going to get some rest!

In the last few days it`s started to get really cold here so it`s getting difficult to wake up in the morning... insulation here sucks.
I have a presentation for my UK class tomorrow on Cool Britannia and Brit Pop... lol the class is so easy because it is an advanced level english class for Japanese students.

I`m so happy to have peanutbutter in my cubboard right now, it`s so good to taste it again!

p.p.s.
I just met an actor of a japanese comedic play style (kyogen) and he gave me free tickets to his show!!!

woot

Guess who saw the Japanese emperor by total chance today? that's right! It was me!

OH P.S., I know I said that I am 13 hours ahead, but now it's 14 hours, so for example it's 8 am on the east coast, Japan is 10 p.m. REMEMBER THIS FOR SKYPE CONVOS!

Japalloween

so one question asked of me recently was whether or not Japan celebrates Halloween.
The answer: not really...
I'd say it celebrates the day more than anywhere else in Asia, but it is an Irish (Catholic) holiday that was imported and popularized in America after all...
There is no trick-or-treating, so candy sales do not go up at all, BUT costume parties are definitely a mainstay for University students. I ended up attending three costume parties all in the same costume, a 6 foot tall white dog. The dog costume I purchased is actually 犬のお父さん　(papa dog), a popular mascot for a cell phone company, softbank, here in Japan, here is his ad (though it is in Japanese...　http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2mb9S_uHsA&feature=related
Anyways the parties were nonetheless fun, and I met a ton of people! The dog costume was definitely the best choice for it's "kawaii(cute)" factor and attention grabbing power. My friend Hayato commented that I am quite モテモテ(mohteh mohteh)（a slang word for popular).
Yesterday, a friend (Sandy Ito) from Kalamazoo came to Kyoto to visit, and we went to Teramachi and shopped/chilled. I bought a new coat (with way too many unnecessary pockets) because I need one, and I also ended up buying a new japanese style shirt (3 layers sewn in to 1 shirt because layering is popular here), and pants with too many pockets. I also got a new messenger bag. It was a tough choice between a plaid one that had SO much engrish, and the white one I got which just says "Ain't I right? Just go easy!"(a.k.a. the white one was cheaper...)
It was a good budget day japanese-shopping wise.
Right now I'm working on a 500 character essay for class, and also beginning to write my speech for next friday. I only have to pay for 1 night's hotel stay and a few meals the whole trip! so excited!!!!!

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...