Thursday, July 30, 2009

Time is going by fast!

So the last few days have been very busy! Once again - didn`t get pictures from everything! I will try to remember...but probably fail! So sit back and enjoy this small sample of my life...

Monday I ate KFC for lunch! Yeah...
Anywaqy - afterward my okaasan and I went to go pick up Kate! Our okaasans set us up a play-date. Asonde kudasai to itte imasu! :P Yeah. We feel like we are 8. But anyway.

We went to a 100 yen store! I swear I have been to fifty.

And a slightly akward first picture...


These aren`t just any men`s panties. These are DISPOSABLE men`s panties.


No - we didn`t buy these.


Would you like to join us for some nice branch?

And then Kate came over my house were we read a book about Engrish. Yeah. Ask me about it sometime.


See previous post: Kate wants a mattress. She was in heaven.

On Tuesday I met up with some of the exchange students at our favorite hang out spot...


MISTER DONUTS!


These donuts are the best donuts ever. And yes - they have tofu in them.


Aren`t the Europeans so cute!?
Anyway - we took a bus out to a movie theater and starting watching Monsters vs. Aliens. In Japanese. It was hilarious but unfortunately Kate and I had to leave early because we had made plans to meet up with Satoko Sensei - an English teacher - and some of my classmates at...where else? MISTER DONUTS!

Anyway. So we met up with them - did some amazing purikura and then headed over to karaoke.

Kate between Natsumi and Sensei.



My Japanese friends! Natsumi and Ayako! (Also Kate - but she`s American. So whatever. :P)


Me with Sensei. (Note - not Ohigashi Sensei. I just call all my teachers Sensei)

And then on Wednesday, Kate and I were once again reduceded to 8 year olds and had a play-date! Her host mom picked me up and we went to...BOOK OFF! It was amazing. So much manga. Only 105 yen each. Unfortunately...all in Japanese.
But I still bought 8 manga. And a Yui CD.
And then back to her house for dinner.

Kate`s host sister Kohaku is the cutest thing ever. (Well - her and Tove would put up a good fight.)
And also - look at that delicious dinner! Yum!
After dinner we went to an onsen.
...there is a reason I have no pictures of that.

She stole my cellphone! (I use it as a watch and alarm clock here in Japan. Also as a unit converter.)


She also stole Moonbeam. She woke me up in the morning (Oh yeah - I spent the night at Kate`s!) and then kidnapped him for the rest of the day. This caption reads: Help me!


Kohaku grooming Moonbeam.


I had my first pocky of being in Japan at Kate`s. Chocolate bannana. Amazing.
OH! And before going over Kate`s I weighed myself and have actually lost weight in Japan...but then I snacked and ate a lot over at Kate`s. So I might have reversed that.

Really bad picture of me. But this was a GIANT PILLOW CASE!


Once again - fun with bedding!


Kate is my manga hero.


She has bought over 90 mangas in Japan. All at 105 yen each.
All shojo.
We had a manga reading party!
Even though it was in Japanese it was shojo! So I could basically understand it. As long as you know how to read 大好きだよ! (I love you) you can read it I have decided.

Kate shipping her manga home.


Kate`s obsession is approved by Allison. As proved by my signature.
I only wish I could have had the lack of self-restrain and oppurtuinty to buy this much manga.
Finally - someone worse than me! Someone who understands me!
Let me repeat: Kate is my manga hero.

And we colored with Kohaku!
This picture is a masterpience that I am more than proud of.
You need to make it big to appreciate it fully.

More karaoke with Kate`s host family!

Kohaku sang all these cute kid songs!


I want to take her home with me.
And then...Barbaque! I ate sooo much!
I am sorry, Corey - I think all the vegetables I have eaten in Japan were reversed by the amount of meat I ate last night.

Toriniku.


Deliciousness in the making.


Sam and Heath lived close by - so they were there too!
We played basketball! ...against little kids who were actually pretty decent...

And then more fireworks!


Sam`s host sister, Hina, was SO CUTE!


Hanabi!

And then I got home pretty late - stayed up even later - and slept in late!
Only 5 more days in Japan!
I will make the best of them! Maybe one or so more post left...
See you all soon!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

NATSU YASUMI! (Summer vacation) - FINALLY!

Ah! I have been very busy these last few days! So busy infact...that I do not have pictures for everything! But I will do my best! :)


This post is brought to you by Engrish!
Be little! Rapied shout rants. Compound time going hurtles.


This post is brought to you by coccoa milk! The best drink ever! 110 yen!



This post is brought to you by Choco! SO CUTE!

Okay - enough of that! SO! Friday was my last day of schooooollll!!!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAAY!
I had to give two speeches in Japanese - one to my homeroom and one to AFS/my host familoy as thank yous! But I cheated and wrote them in English - had Sensei translate into Japanese...and then I wrote her Japanese in romanji so it would be easier for me to read fast...
...But it still went really well!

Afterwards all the summer exchange students plus Carlos ate lunch together at a resturaunt. It was definitely Japanized Italian food.
Then...KARAOKE!
It was my first time in Japan...and let me just say it is awesome!
OH! And cheap! It is 100 yen a person for 1 hour.
I could only do an hour because I had to leave early to get ready for the Hanabi Matsuri (Fireworks festival) but I sang some Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, ABBA, Paramore, and even attempted some An Cafe! (Note: An Cafe is Japanese).
I want to go again!



And then yukata! For the third time since coming to Japan!
This one was sooo tight though! Ahh! Could hardly breath! It was so much fun to wear though!


This is the only other picture of me in it that I have - sorry that it is blurry!

And then the Hanabi Matsuri!




The fireworks really were amazing!!
The highlights were the ones that were shaped like fruit! They had watermelon, peaches, and even a strawberry!
And then also smiley faces, hearts, and cubes! It was quite a show!

Remember the Terebi To from an earlier post?
This is a picture from the resturaunt we ate at afterwards.
Anyway - I didn`t get home till past midnight and didn`t get to sleep until past 130! Really the latest I have been awake in Japan!

Okay! So Saturday morning the summer exchange students! (And once again Carlos!) Made mochi! So yummy!


You beat rice with a giant hammer! No lie! Alyssa is doing it here. But I have a video of me doing it! I will post it on facebook once I return!


Me eating mochi for the first time!
So yummmmmmmyy!
I had like...4. Apparently it`s pretty bad for you, too.

I...love this picture. I think Carlos should never shut up. The things that come out of his mouth are so funny.


Tove was cute enough to eaaaatttt! (She even had a Hello Kitty apron!) We think her host family was trying to dress her up!


Kate and me!


I would like to see you try to take my mochi away from me!


The entire group that was there!
Japanese people and exchange students from other schools as well!
Afterwards we did a little shopping - I bought much needed conditioner!
And we did purikura!
And then to another matsuri! It was kind of miserable because we were all tired, standing in the rain, and getting bite by bugs - but it was still pretty interesting.
The highlight was when these college guys just ripped off their clothing and were in traditional Japanese pants. (It kind of looks like a thong.) Left basically...nothing to the the imagination. All of our (well - the girls faces) were ten shades of red. We were just...shocked.
Sadly - I did not have my camera out because it was raining.
Okay! So today! (Sunday!)
I went to church again with Sensei this morning! This time her husband preached and it was a really good message! (Once again Sensei sat behind me and translated into English for me)
After church I got home and Sayo took me out to an `Amusement Center`! Full of games and sports and stuff!
First thing - purikura!
(Hello. My name is Allison. And I am addicted to purikura.)
Afterwards - bowling!

My host sister, Sayo!


...And that`s when I knew I was in Japan.



Yes. This is what it looks like. `Rodeo.` SO MUCH FUN! I loved it!
And I didn`t fall off!

Sayo on the other hand....

And then we played ping-pong!
And then roller skated!
And then played badmittion!
And then an adventure with the jindouhanbaki! (Vending machines are love. - just wait until you see some of my video adventures involving them!)

And then we went to eat ramen!
Noodle Restaurant - for the people!
This is actually my bowl after I had already eaten and couldn`t put another bite in my mouth! I got Tama-Nori (Egg-Seaweed) Miso Ramen! There was also pork and vegitables. It was taaaaasty! Be jealous!
But notice my chopsticks...I failed at breaking them in half! Ahhh!
Anyway - only 10 days left! And my 10th day is almost over! So probably only a few more posts to go! Comment and show me love - k? <3