I have left this for so long... So it's going to be very difficult to cram all my experiences into one entry.
I can't even believe it's been a little over 2 months now. As usual, life has been on over-drive but I am doing pretty well. I suppose I'll just write what I remember (list form makes this easier).
-着物祭: On my last day with my host-family, my host mother took Alyssa and I to the kimono festival in our hometown, Nagahama. I was so shocked by how beautiful all women walking around the town were! Their kimonos were very colorful, and they were adorned with fancy hair ornaments. Our host-mother told us how to determine what kimonos were cheap and what ones were super expensive (it mainly depended on how much embroidery there was and whether or not it was pure silk). It was really wonderful to see.
-日本人の友達：I suppose one of the things I feel most fortunate for is making some Japanese friends. They have all been really generous and deal with my terrible language skills. It really helps to talk to someone your own age because you feel more connected and less stressed. Because the Japanese language has various tenses that determine respect among elders, it's very difficult to ever determine how polite you are supposed to be. I remember passing by my host-mother and saying "ohayo gozaimasu!" in which she told me then saying good morning in that way is too polite and that it was okay to use plain verb tenses. However, I also know that Japanese in it's plain for would be too rude... So it's very confusing sorry. In general, it's great to know that not everyone hates the foreigners
<--(haha).Random thoughts: Before I forget, here are some interesting facts.
First of all, many elderly women in Japan dye their hair to make them look younger, but they don't use natural colors. Many women dye their hair blue and purple! Second, I bought lunch the other day and a lunch-box restaurant (obento) and they gave me a free fleece blanket. I have no idea why. Finally, when my class took us to a town called Otsu to learn about Japanese law, one of the men working at the courthouse had explained to us that they are just now using a jury system! I couldn't really believe it. Apparently, Japanese court usually consisted of 2-3 judges. These judges were to decide the verdict. However, they are now requiring people from the Japanese population to come in for jury duty. It may not seem like much, but this is/will drastically change the political system.
So overall, I have been having a grand ole' time here in Japan. I get homesick occasionally, but I honestly forget I am in Japan sometimes. Cars that talk don't phase me so much anymore, I don't take it so personally anymore when I am perceived as the foreigner, and the most crucial aspect of it all is that I am gradually forgetting English! Most of us here have developed a hybrid of Japanese and English, which really doesn't help matters. However, it makes me believe that the language is slowly but surely sinking in. This is all very spastic, I know. I am going to edit this later, but I thought it was important to update. For now, バイバイ！ Bye bye!
