The Good News

My lovely room-mate and fellow Utsunomiya adventurer Jessica in our hotel room. 8D And below: the view from our window

As per usual, I've got my headphones plugged into the computer and am now listening to the Philyjays rocking out. The only difference is, I'm doing it in a Japanese apartment in Oyama City. I must say, listening to their songs is quite comforting... it's nice to have a little slice of Australia with me. Although people talked about having "full immersion" into the culture by only listening to Japanese music... I need my Philyjay fix, I'm sorry (it's taking me back to the concerts with Ling... people in Australia, seriously, go see them play sometime, they're at their BEST live... so full of energy and stage presence). :'D Okay, enough nostalgic music talk. xD I'm in Japan. What am I doing (isn't that the point of this blog?!).

So, what's THE GOOD NEWS?
The flying tin can hurtling through the sky that I rode to get here (also known as "the plane to Japan") didn't break up in the atmosphere, which is definitely a plus (I hardly got a wink of sleep, but I did get to finally watch Shane Acker's '9', which had some AWESOME robots and visuals... the plot was so-so, but man, those machines were just frightening eye-candy, which I loved xD). When we stepped out of the plane, a rush of cold air just swept over us and pretty much bowled us over. Gasps all around. Yes, right now, Japan. Is. Freezing!
Orientation and the day after the plane ride was a blur for me. Everyone was just really tired and fatigued from our general lack of sleep on the plane (ah! We had some fierce turbulence in the last 30 minutes to landing too, fun fun! The ride itself wasn't that bad, though :D) but I think the day involved a lot of lectures... and more lectures... and then a really awesome trip to a Japanese school (in pouring rain, but despite everyone being tired, the whole "we're in Japan" spirit was there and the Japanese students were all really enthusiastic, which helped). I got talking with one girl in particular, Arisa, a fourteen year old student who's going to Australia next year. We had a lot of fun talking a rather broken conversation of English and Japanese, haha. I've also learned that namedropping Japanese idol group Arashi gets you points over here too, wahaha. xD

That day, though, I made a terrible mistake. I don't know if it was just because I tempted fate by eating the dangerous mixture of plane food, Calpis Water (it's a soft drink) and convinience store onigiri... or perhaps the onigiri was off or something... but I payed the price. My gosh. Cue a lot of kneeling over the toilet. And waking up at night with a bad stomach ache. Thinking about onigiri and feeling nauseous. Opening my mouth. You fill in the blanks.

Onigiri are off the menu for a while.

The next day was much better, though, after my stomach recovered and appetite returned! My student group for Orientation (White Team... my Asian friends will probably be like, "appropriate group name, Lucie xD") took purikura (our team leader, Take, shouted us :D thank you Take - and I'll add the pics later 8D) and explored an AEON shopping center. And stuff. Sorry, I'm probably not making this entry entertaining but I'm too tired to edit or actually think, so... you know. xD

We took farewell photos, of course!
FIRST: White Team ; SECOND: The NSW AIIU Group


Day three, though, was special! I met my HOST FAMILY (after a ride on the Shinkansen with Jessica - a fellow exchange student going to Utsunomiya Kaisei :D - and Evan, who travelled onwards further through Japan). Below: The last of us left before we split up for the Shinkansen. xD


Mina's English is amaaaazing! She talks to me in English a lot, though, because she's so fluent, although I'll have to try to speak more Japanese. ><
And Yumi, my host mum, is also really really kind!

Oh, and we all wear red glasses. 8D STYYYYLE (xD)

At the station, I was greeted by two teachers (although I didn't get to talk to them... @_@ I will at school, though!), my soon-to-be classmates in Grade 1 (who don't speak much English yet :D I get to practice japanese so... thats good! xD), Atsuko (Mina's friend who also went to Aus... so her English is also great), and Yumi and Mina (of course). After awkward but sweet introductions, it was back home from Utsunomiya to Oyama City!

I'll write about today in more detail later, since I have to go to bed now! But today was the best day I've had so far, I think... xD It involved meeting the grandparents, and sushi, and trying strange foods... more on that later. 8D

Well, this entry has been a bit of a rush (you can probably tell, with my loose style of writing I'm using here) but my next entry should be more detailed, so yes. 8D

Well, mata ne!

- Lucie