So this past weekend, I was able to go to Fushimi Inari Shrine (the shrine in Memiors of a Geisha). It was one of the places that was on my list of things to see before I left for Japan, but my determination wavered when my friend Tine told me about the giant spiders. Now, when I say giant, I don't mean the size of camel spiders of even trantulas, but I was told they were pretty big. Maybe half the size of your fist. She told me that they were everywhere and that one was crawling on a guy's leg, and all I could think was 'It's the spider apocalypse.' And it wasn't like I was going with someone that can handle spiders. No, I was going with someone who is more arachnophobic than I am. We're talking can't-look-at-a-spider-even-in-a-movie-or-videogame type phobia, so if a spider fell on one of us. I was going to have to be the one to get it off...knowing this, my interest in Fushimi Inari just soared, but I was still determined to go (despite being told by two other people that there were spiders too, so it wasn't just a one time thing).
I literally spent a half hour talking to two girls, Heather and Sarah, in the seminar house about spiders and Fushimi Inari Shrine and how its more likely for me to get killed by a refrigerator falling on me rather than being bit by a spider. Somewhere in there, there was a discussion on the uselessness of pandas and how they are a waste of money trying to save.
Anyway, before I left for Fushimi Inari Shrine the Heather I talked to about the spiders found the Heather I was going with and told her that if I was nervous about spiders falling on my head, I should take an umbrella because two other people in the seminar house went with their Japanese friend who told them that they should have umbrellas up the whole time. I hadn't told the Heather I was going with about the spiders because I knew she wouldn't want to go if I did, but so much for that! But it's actually good that she knew so we could both take umbrellas.
When we got to Fushimi Inari Shrine, we looked at a bunch of shops and I bought golden poop stickers! Golden poop is supposed to be good luck and poop is like my favorite word so of course I bought them! Then, I bought a yukata (2000 yen) and an obi (1500 yen), which I'm going to wear for the international student graduation ceremony. Now, I just need to buy the socks and sandals for it!
Right after I bought my yukata, a group of elderly Japanese came up to Heather and I and started talking in English. They were studying English and needed to practice with foreigners. They were so friendly. When they asked why we were in Japan, Heather said we were studying abroad, but they somehow thought she said bird watching. Even though Heather said we weren't bird watching, they kept mentioning it, so we think that they think we go to Kansaid Gaidai University to learn about bird watching. haha But that's ok! They gave us candy, to which Heather pointed out after we talked to them, 'Did you notice that we just took the candy unquestioningly in Japan, yet you don't take candy unquestioningly in the U.S. unless it's Halloween.?' lol Also when we were shaking hands to say goodbye, one of the women began stroking my hand and said something in Japanese to another woman, who also felt my hand. Then, a man looked at my hand because of what the woman was saying and then shook my hand. I don't know if that was a good thing to a bad thing! But it was nice talking to them!
Right after, Heather and I began our climb up Fushimi Inari Shrine with our umbrellas out, making us look like super weird gaijin (foreigners). Whenever we went up hill, I eventually got out of breath (man, I miss working out because then I know I'm in shape), but it wasn't as bad as the Great Wall. The Great Wall doesn't have breaks where the path goes straight or downhill. It's all uphill with high uneven steps. Fushimi Inari's steps were the annoying couple inch steps that were too long to take steps by two. But in all honesty, it wasn't that bad, and...we didn't see any spiders at all! Or at least I didn't. Heather said that she might have seen a few small ones, but she didn't freak out. We picked a good day to go!
Also, I can only buy Mountain Dew at select places in Japan. What a wonderful surprise it was finding that, when going through Fushimi Inari Shrine, someone was selling Mountain Dew, so I bought one (though I wanted to buy four! XD)
After we were done climbing Fushimi Inari, we went to the stores again to see if anyone was selling sandals for a yukata. One store was, but I think the sandals were for kids, but I'm not sure. Instead, at another store, I found cinnamon KitKats and bought a box (along with a bag of fox-faced cookies). The KitKats are so delicious! I want to buy more! If only they weren't $10 for twelve (mini)! It's funny because the night before, I was eating a normal KitKat and thought it tasted like cinnamon so I thought 'it would be a good idea to make cinnamon Kitkats.' Low and behold, they actually do exist (in Japan)!
After getting back to Makino Station near the seminar house, Heather and I stopped at a couple stores and asked about boxes for shipping stuff back to the U.S. (but before that, on the way to Sanko, we heard this guy playing the accordian in a park; he was awesome! I wanted to tell him that his music was good, and Heather wanted to stop to listen, but when we did, he kept looking at us so we decided to walk slowly so we could hear him longer). Anway, I have three umbrellas that are too long for my suitcase so I need so find a box long enough to fit them, and I need to find one in two weeks. The stores we went to didn't have big enough boxes, so we were planning to go to the post office today, which I was looking forward to so that I could get it over with (and so I would know where the post office was), but Heather told me that, at a store called Life, a bunch of boxes are available for people to take. So she wants to go there to see before going to the post office where you have to pay for boxes, and we're not going today. I doubt Life has a box long enough for my umbrellas, and I'm willing to pay for a box just to get it over with (I still might go to Life though), but first, I have to find someone who knows where the post office is. If I can't find a box, then I'm just going to have to try to get them on the plane. These are awesome umbrellas so I am not leaving them here. Plus, two of them are gifts. I hope I can deal with the whole shipping thing soon, which reminds me. I have to practice packing soon to see if I need to ship anything else back home as well.
Oh the joys of moving...in less than two weeks! I really don't want to go home. I'm also not going to see anyone from here (probably) ever again because we all come from different places. But I do have an incentive to travel to Europe one day because I have two friends from there now.
I am looking forward to going home though so I can see my puppy (though she's old so she's technically a dog)! And my family and my friends!
Wednesday through Tuesday next week are my finals, and I've finished my papers and my study guides so all I have to do is study for my tests, which is pretty easy. I recently got my Betraying the Martyrs: Breathe in Life CD, and I can't stop listening to it! It really helps me study.
So most of you guys are on summer break now. I hope you are all enjoying the pleasant warm weather!
5.15.2012
5.09.2012
Im sow sumart
Hello! It's been a while since I've updated my blog and perhaps it would have been longer if I wasn't avoiding my two final papers. My life since the last post has been both wonderful and tragic (maybe you already know from my facebook statuses), so let me begin.
First, I'll start with the most depressing story since I've been in Japan...I...was going to go to a Hanshien Tigers game with this Japanese guy that I know...I went to the spot to wait for him early since I was already out of class; however, I waited in the wrong spot, which was only a thirty second walk from the place we were supposed to meet. We didn't have each other's email so we could text, and the foolish thing on my part was that I didn't even look around that much because he had said 'next Thursday' in a conversation we had that week, but originally, he had said April 26th, which was that Thursday. So I walked back to the seminar house only to find that he had tried facebooking me...What the poop? I was so upset because I was really looking forward to the game and wanted to go to one before I left Japan. It was one of the most embarrassing moments that I've had here actually. I never mess things up like that, and I felt bad. The guy tried to pay me back the money for the ticket that I bought, but I told him no and that it was ok. I just think this guy and I are not meant to be friends because something always comes up. For instance, for my birthday party, I invited him to come and said it was on Wednesday night. He said he had a part-time job...then on Wednesday night he was hanging out at the univeristy, and when I asked him about his part-time job, he said that he didn't have it that night and was going bowling. Fancy that because that's where I said I was going for my party. He then told me that he thought I said Thursday and not Wednesday....-.-
But my birthday was rather enjoyable. I got to eat lots of Italian food and then went bowling. I even had a cake, which I wasn't expecting. Thanks, Veronica (my lovely roommate)! I also wasn't expecting to get a 21 (oh...21...haha...I get it! XD) on my first round of bowling, and like a 27 on the second round. It was wonderful really...being surrounded by Japanese girls that could actually hit the pins (unlike me) and groups of Japanese boys that really should go pro. I mean they did the pro ball curve, the lift one leg in the air move, and the 'I'm the man strut' after their billionth strike. Sometimes, they got so into it that while letting go of the ball, they would slide on their knees across the floor, and there I was with my 21 and 27. It was rather amazing.
I, being the crazy person that I am, cheered everyone at my party on their bowling, despite whether they were good or bad. I mean, come on! That just makes it all the more fun! But my friends weren't as into it as I was...*drops head in defeat* Oh well...I had fun! Oh! And we did puri kura (the cool photobooth) afterwards so I can treasure that day in my heart forever. From my friends, I got some incense, a cool duck plate, a pen with an otter charm on it, a small takoyaki plush (XD!!!), and a handmade takoyaki coupoun (=') ). I loved them all and am very thankful to my friends!
The next day, I went to Osaka Aquarium with my international advisory program partner, Miki! It was rather large and had a few sea animals that I hadn't seen before. My favorite parts were seeing the whale shark(! Oh my gosh! So cool!), the gian manta rays (<3 <3 <3 my favorite sea creature), the squid, the jellyfish (another favorite sea creature of mine), and the sea turtle (I finally saw a sea turtle in an aquarium! Normally, they're off swimming where I can't see them)! It was great. The path inside the building wrapped around the big tank (with the whale shark, manta rays, seat turlte, and other fish) so you could have a lot of chances to look.
Afterwards, I went to one gift shop and bought a small, fat whale shark plushie. XD Then, I went to a bigger gift shop and remembered that I've been on a long tedious search for finding a giant sting ray plushie. Perhaps Japan would end my search... I thought. Turns out, there was a box for giant sting ray plushies, but it was empty. Luckily, since Miki is awesome, she asked the workers at the store if there were any more giant manta ray plushies; however, the sales associate couldn't find any...The one aquarium where I find giant sting ray plushies is actually sold out of them! And it didn't make much sense...there were tons of fat, big eyed, cute mouthed seals; fat, colorful dolphins; giant turtles; and other really cute things...but no, everyone wanted the giant sting rays, which were not getting as much attention in the tank as the dolphins and seals. Thinking my search had been vanquished for the day, I walked around the store until Miki saw two people taking a giant sting ray plushie into the back storage room, and she asked about it. A few moments later, it was brought out to me, and I was like 'Heck yes, I'm buying this!" So I did!...and um...Yeah! I know 21 year olds shouldn't be buying plushies, but I've been wanting a sting ray one for so long...I had to have it! XD
Other than that, not a lot has been going on. I have finals next week and the week after and then I'll be back in the U.S.! Then, I'll be home for a month before I go to China for six months. Now, I love China and all, and I have lots of Chinese friends, but that's not going to save me when I don't know any Chinese and get lost. My plan is to cram as much Chinese into my brain as I can before I go. Lord help me!
Other small updates (that you probably don't really care about but here they are anyway): My writing has slowed considerably over the next few weeks, but I have been editing a bit and feel good about this story. I don't know if it will ever be good enough for publication, but I feel as if it has a lot of potential so we'll see. Am I allowed to talk about my own writing like that? =S I have an idea that I think is good, but I don't have the skills to write it...Must. Keep. Practicing. My second update is that I've been looking at universities in England for the possibility of getting my Master's degree in Creative Writing. I know...so smart sounding :P... I can see it now.
"What did you get your Master's in?" - Some elegant woman in a sparkly cocktail dress
"Oh, Me? (insert guffaws) I got a Master's in Engineering. How about you?" - Some tall, lanky guy in a suit
"Physics, but that was so long ago. I got my Master's by the time I was twelve." - The woman
*Both turn to me* "How about you?" - they ask at the same time (because, you know, that happens)
"I got my Master's in Creative Writing! ^.^" - Me (btw, I'm wearing a band Tshirt and jeans, just thought I'd throw that out there)
"Creative Writing? Is that like doing academic papers on the creative functions of the human brain?" - The man
"Nope! Just writing stories. It helps keep me sane. Oh, and I also critically analyze the creative works of others!" - Me
*Both give me a disturbed look and simply walk away*
Anyway, I'm still thinking and praying about it. So far, I've found one university in London, the one my friend Tine goes to, that has an excellent sounding Creative Writing program, but I kind of don't want to live in such a busy city. But if it remains the best, then I will go there. I'm also thinking of the University of Nottingham...The good thing about getting a Master's degree in England is that most are only for a year. Hooray! But I will definitely have to work for a year beforehand to save up money. That's alright with me though.
Next week, I plan to go shopping for a yukata with Miki, and I hope to go to Fushimi Inari Shrine with Heather. And I guess I should study for finals and write my final papers as well...
Anyway (again), I know a lot of you guys are free from school now. I hope you all have an awesome summer!
First, I'll start with the most depressing story since I've been in Japan...I...was going to go to a Hanshien Tigers game with this Japanese guy that I know...I went to the spot to wait for him early since I was already out of class; however, I waited in the wrong spot, which was only a thirty second walk from the place we were supposed to meet. We didn't have each other's email so we could text, and the foolish thing on my part was that I didn't even look around that much because he had said 'next Thursday' in a conversation we had that week, but originally, he had said April 26th, which was that Thursday. So I walked back to the seminar house only to find that he had tried facebooking me...What the poop? I was so upset because I was really looking forward to the game and wanted to go to one before I left Japan. It was one of the most embarrassing moments that I've had here actually. I never mess things up like that, and I felt bad. The guy tried to pay me back the money for the ticket that I bought, but I told him no and that it was ok. I just think this guy and I are not meant to be friends because something always comes up. For instance, for my birthday party, I invited him to come and said it was on Wednesday night. He said he had a part-time job...then on Wednesday night he was hanging out at the univeristy, and when I asked him about his part-time job, he said that he didn't have it that night and was going bowling. Fancy that because that's where I said I was going for my party. He then told me that he thought I said Thursday and not Wednesday....-.-
But my birthday was rather enjoyable. I got to eat lots of Italian food and then went bowling. I even had a cake, which I wasn't expecting. Thanks, Veronica (my lovely roommate)! I also wasn't expecting to get a 21 (oh...21...haha...I get it! XD) on my first round of bowling, and like a 27 on the second round. It was wonderful really...being surrounded by Japanese girls that could actually hit the pins (unlike me) and groups of Japanese boys that really should go pro. I mean they did the pro ball curve, the lift one leg in the air move, and the 'I'm the man strut' after their billionth strike. Sometimes, they got so into it that while letting go of the ball, they would slide on their knees across the floor, and there I was with my 21 and 27. It was rather amazing.
I, being the crazy person that I am, cheered everyone at my party on their bowling, despite whether they were good or bad. I mean, come on! That just makes it all the more fun! But my friends weren't as into it as I was...*drops head in defeat* Oh well...I had fun! Oh! And we did puri kura (the cool photobooth) afterwards so I can treasure that day in my heart forever. From my friends, I got some incense, a cool duck plate, a pen with an otter charm on it, a small takoyaki plush (XD!!!), and a handmade takoyaki coupoun (=') ). I loved them all and am very thankful to my friends!
The next day, I went to Osaka Aquarium with my international advisory program partner, Miki! It was rather large and had a few sea animals that I hadn't seen before. My favorite parts were seeing the whale shark(! Oh my gosh! So cool!), the gian manta rays (<3 <3 <3 my favorite sea creature), the squid, the jellyfish (another favorite sea creature of mine), and the sea turtle (I finally saw a sea turtle in an aquarium! Normally, they're off swimming where I can't see them)! It was great. The path inside the building wrapped around the big tank (with the whale shark, manta rays, seat turlte, and other fish) so you could have a lot of chances to look.
Afterwards, I went to one gift shop and bought a small, fat whale shark plushie. XD Then, I went to a bigger gift shop and remembered that I've been on a long tedious search for finding a giant sting ray plushie. Perhaps Japan would end my search... I thought. Turns out, there was a box for giant sting ray plushies, but it was empty. Luckily, since Miki is awesome, she asked the workers at the store if there were any more giant manta ray plushies; however, the sales associate couldn't find any...The one aquarium where I find giant sting ray plushies is actually sold out of them! And it didn't make much sense...there were tons of fat, big eyed, cute mouthed seals; fat, colorful dolphins; giant turtles; and other really cute things...but no, everyone wanted the giant sting rays, which were not getting as much attention in the tank as the dolphins and seals. Thinking my search had been vanquished for the day, I walked around the store until Miki saw two people taking a giant sting ray plushie into the back storage room, and she asked about it. A few moments later, it was brought out to me, and I was like 'Heck yes, I'm buying this!" So I did!...and um...Yeah! I know 21 year olds shouldn't be buying plushies, but I've been wanting a sting ray one for so long...I had to have it! XD
Other than that, not a lot has been going on. I have finals next week and the week after and then I'll be back in the U.S.! Then, I'll be home for a month before I go to China for six months. Now, I love China and all, and I have lots of Chinese friends, but that's not going to save me when I don't know any Chinese and get lost. My plan is to cram as much Chinese into my brain as I can before I go. Lord help me!
Other small updates (that you probably don't really care about but here they are anyway): My writing has slowed considerably over the next few weeks, but I have been editing a bit and feel good about this story. I don't know if it will ever be good enough for publication, but I feel as if it has a lot of potential so we'll see. Am I allowed to talk about my own writing like that? =S I have an idea that I think is good, but I don't have the skills to write it...Must. Keep. Practicing. My second update is that I've been looking at universities in England for the possibility of getting my Master's degree in Creative Writing. I know...so smart sounding :P... I can see it now.
"What did you get your Master's in?" - Some elegant woman in a sparkly cocktail dress
"Oh, Me? (insert guffaws) I got a Master's in Engineering. How about you?" - Some tall, lanky guy in a suit
"Physics, but that was so long ago. I got my Master's by the time I was twelve." - The woman
*Both turn to me* "How about you?" - they ask at the same time (because, you know, that happens)
"I got my Master's in Creative Writing! ^.^" - Me (btw, I'm wearing a band Tshirt and jeans, just thought I'd throw that out there)
"Creative Writing? Is that like doing academic papers on the creative functions of the human brain?" - The man
"Nope! Just writing stories. It helps keep me sane. Oh, and I also critically analyze the creative works of others!" - Me
*Both give me a disturbed look and simply walk away*
Anyway, I'm still thinking and praying about it. So far, I've found one university in London, the one my friend Tine goes to, that has an excellent sounding Creative Writing program, but I kind of don't want to live in such a busy city. But if it remains the best, then I will go there. I'm also thinking of the University of Nottingham...The good thing about getting a Master's degree in England is that most are only for a year. Hooray! But I will definitely have to work for a year beforehand to save up money. That's alright with me though.
Next week, I plan to go shopping for a yukata with Miki, and I hope to go to Fushimi Inari Shrine with Heather. And I guess I should study for finals and write my final papers as well...
Anyway (again), I know a lot of you guys are free from school now. I hope you all have an awesome summer!
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