:-/

Okay, I will upload more pictures soon. But not right now.

Yesterday Katie and I took pictures at the photo booth and that was fun and we`ll probably do that again soon. We also walked around Aeon Mall which is the closest food court to the IES building. There were a lot of really cool clothes there but expensive. We found some Engrish things too and I`ll upload those pictures soon.

Yesterday I walked home from IES alone for the first time which is about a 20 minute walk. I had thought that after I made a certain turn, it was a straight walk until I got to the red katakana sign and the yellow building but as I was walking (in the hail) I noticed a street that we had turned down when walking home from Kanda. So I turned down that street and kept walking till I got to the cake shop and then turned again and I was right and so I didn`t get lost. I guess maybe I turned down a street too early and that is why I had make the extra turn because I`m certain the original route I was shown was straight. Main point, I didn`t get lost.

I can`t get from my house to Kanda alone but I can get from Kanda and IES to my house. I think I can manage getting to the station from my house. The problem is going places FROM my house, I have no problem getting home.

Classes will finally start Thursday.

Host Family

Everyone's gone to their housing, and of course I have a homestay. The woman is very nice and I was worried about food but even though I was very specific on the housing form, they just old her I was vegan (couldn't eat any meats or dairy) So there was a confusing moment when she was saying I can't eat beef and I'm like no, beef is ok but pork is bad but then I realized what they told her so I don't eat that stuff in America but in Japan it's fine.

She speaks like no English so I don't have to worry about not learning Japanese. I have my own room, if I get home early enough I'll take pictures but I haven't been taking many pictures because everywhere it's been cold and rainy and cloudy so I'd rather wait to get a better shot. The places i've been so far are places I'll go like everyday so It's no big deal.

Still raining

Today we rode a train (after walking 20 minutes in the cold rain) to a ramen shop. My options were pork ramen, pork ramen, pork ramen, and cheese miso ramen. I don't like miso soup but I can't eat pork so I choose the cheese miso hoping the cheese wouldn't be gross and that it would over power the miso. AND IT WAS AND DID! It was very tasty.

(you might have to click the picture to see all of it.

Welcome to Chiba!

So I guess even though the program says we're in Tokyo, it's more like Chiba...and not Tokyo. But this is a view of Makuhari City which is in Chiba I believe. It's the view from my room at the "training facility." We have private rooms with private bathrooms but I'll only be here til Saturday.

The other picture is something i found amusing in the convenience store.

Today we got cell phones. I tried to get one from this site a friend recommended but they ran out of stock so I got the one the program suggested I get (which was instant and like...free). On paper it's a wonderful deal- like there is no monthly fee, pay as you go free incoming calls free calls between friends with the same phone. It even has a Japanese English dictionary and you can exchange phone numbers via infrared. I know that a lot of people complained about the phone but if I begin to hate it I do know how to get a pre paid phone but right now it doesn't appear to be worth it. If I got the pre paid one then I think I could get 300yen unlimited texts or mms...but I don't plan to use the phone very much and while incoming mms is kind of expensive. Pretty much calling is no big deal because if too many people call me they pay the connection fee, not me. I will just have to set it up so that I don't have to make many calls, and to try to call more than I use mms.

Japan has been cold and rainy. Which is no big deal except we went outside to 'tour' the city. Although I don't know how much it sunk in which the umbrella distractions.

So anyway, all the people seem to be very nice and friendly and I can't wait for better weather so I can go exploring. ^_^

First Post

I will use this blog to update you on my adventures in Japan, with pictures included if the internet connection is fast enough for me.