Update-its a long one...
I know, I am sooo bad at updating this thing, but hopefully I will make it up to you with this one-I promise it will be a big one : )
A few side notes before I update you on everything that has been going on:
*The weather has gone from blazing hot and humid-I had not touched a long sleeved shirt for five weeks, to cold and windy-all I can say is thank goodness for Fall and I'm scared what winter will bring.
*Today I went to the 100 Yen shop (think dollar shop) and found my first bag of M&M's in Japan-I have not seen M&M's in the 6 weeks I have been here-needless to say I was a bit excited and got a little carried away
*Oh, there is a Old Spaghetti Factory (just like the one in Folsom) 10 minutes away from my apartment-who would have ever thought there would be OSF in Japan-one of those little mysteries, hmmm
The past few weekends have been jam packed with lots of firsts for me-my first rave which included first time in the country and my first Japanese Karoake experience. Here are the highlights of the past few weekends...
Lake Biwa-6am At the Rave-good times
Last Saturday, I was informed the day before I was going to be going to a Brazilian rave on the shores of Lake Biwa a two hour drive from Nagoya (the largest lake in Japan, if you look at a map it is the big hole in the middle). We took a train from Nagoya station to some random little town in the middle of nowhere Japan-we arrived at 9pm...5 hours later at 2 in the morning we finally arrived at the Rave. All I can say is a lot of nothing happened between the train station and ride to Lake Biwa, but we finally arrived. By this time I was ready for bed, we had just traveled for 7 hours and it was way past my bed time. I danced for a bit but by 4 in the morning I was ready to go home. Naomi and I sat on the beach and watched the sunrise over the lake. It was absolutely GORGEOUS. The lake goes on forever, and with the lush green mountains surrounding the lake its one of those memories I will never forget. It was also one of those moments where it hit me that I really am in Japan (you would never find lush green mountains like these in Cali). We finally left Biwa Lake at 7 in the morning to head back home. The scenery on the ride back to the train station was amazing, we drove through the countryside and the lush green mountains and apparently we got lost but I was asleep during that part-we made it home at 2pm on Sunday. It was a long and random weekend that I will never forget.
Did you know Karaoke in Japanese means empty orchestra...Isn't that hauntingly beautiful---If you can name what show that is from I will send you 1000 yen note (KIS Aussie girls don't count) hehe
I went Karaoking on Friday with the foreign teachers and Kae and Japanese teacher for the first time since I have been in Japan (I know, 6 weeks in Japan without karoaking is a disgrace) and all I can say is SOOO FUN!!! Karoaking In Japan is much different that in America. The major difference is that you have your own room for just you and your friends, so the embarrassment factor that you face in a karaoke bar full of strangers is not there-you only embarrass yourself in front of your friends-something I can live with :) We got there at 11pm and left at 4 in the morning-it was THAT MUCH FUN-plus all you can drink was included : ) And yes, I can say I actually got up and sang a few songs-highlights were: It's Raining Men and Living on a Prayer-I bet you wish you were there, hehe
Today, I went to the Nagakute festival which is right in my own backyard. There is a small/medium shrine 3 blocks from my apartment and today is the anniversary of a big battle that happened there 300 years ago. I really had no expectations when I went to the festival-Saori (Japanese teacher) took Lizzie (my roommate) and I saying it was small. But to my delight it was quite fun and interesting. The festival was basically a reenactment of the battle. There were a couple hundred Japanese men who were involved in the reenactment and dressed up in the battle uniforms of that day. There were two groups and they first greeted each other, some gun shots were sounded, then both armies walked towards each other and up towards the shrine. Once the armies past we followed them up the hill climbing though forest to watch them. Both groups ran around the shrine three times-each side had a horse that was elaborately decorated and being chased. It was quite interesting. After they finished there were kids fighting each other in a traditional karate style I have never seen before. We also bumped into a couple from America whom Lizzie had met at a party a while back, so we hung out with them at the festival and ended up going to get Raman after the festival. And with that, that pretty much brings you up to date...oh yes, the kiddoes are doing great-they are still crazy but they are starting to settle in.
A few side notes before I update you on everything that has been going on:
*The weather has gone from blazing hot and humid-I had not touched a long sleeved shirt for five weeks, to cold and windy-all I can say is thank goodness for Fall and I'm scared what winter will bring.
*Today I went to the 100 Yen shop (think dollar shop) and found my first bag of M&M's in Japan-I have not seen M&M's in the 6 weeks I have been here-needless to say I was a bit excited and got a little carried away
*Oh, there is a Old Spaghetti Factory (just like the one in Folsom) 10 minutes away from my apartment-who would have ever thought there would be OSF in Japan-one of those little mysteries, hmmm
The past few weekends have been jam packed with lots of firsts for me-my first rave which included first time in the country and my first Japanese Karoake experience. Here are the highlights of the past few weekends...
Lake Biwa-6am At the Rave-good times
Last Saturday, I was informed the day before I was going to be going to a Brazilian rave on the shores of Lake Biwa a two hour drive from Nagoya (the largest lake in Japan, if you look at a map it is the big hole in the middle). We took a train from Nagoya station to some random little town in the middle of nowhere Japan-we arrived at 9pm...5 hours later at 2 in the morning we finally arrived at the Rave. All I can say is a lot of nothing happened between the train station and ride to Lake Biwa, but we finally arrived. By this time I was ready for bed, we had just traveled for 7 hours and it was way past my bed time. I danced for a bit but by 4 in the morning I was ready to go home. Naomi and I sat on the beach and watched the sunrise over the lake. It was absolutely GORGEOUS. The lake goes on forever, and with the lush green mountains surrounding the lake its one of those memories I will never forget. It was also one of those moments where it hit me that I really am in Japan (you would never find lush green mountains like these in Cali). We finally left Biwa Lake at 7 in the morning to head back home. The scenery on the ride back to the train station was amazing, we drove through the countryside and the lush green mountains and apparently we got lost but I was asleep during that part-we made it home at 2pm on Sunday. It was a long and random weekend that I will never forget.
Did you know Karaoke in Japanese means empty orchestra...Isn't that hauntingly beautiful---If you can name what show that is from I will send you 1000 yen note (KIS Aussie girls don't count) hehe
I went Karaoking on Friday with the foreign teachers and Kae and Japanese teacher for the first time since I have been in Japan (I know, 6 weeks in Japan without karoaking is a disgrace) and all I can say is SOOO FUN!!! Karoaking In Japan is much different that in America. The major difference is that you have your own room for just you and your friends, so the embarrassment factor that you face in a karaoke bar full of strangers is not there-you only embarrass yourself in front of your friends-something I can live with :) We got there at 11pm and left at 4 in the morning-it was THAT MUCH FUN-plus all you can drink was included : ) And yes, I can say I actually got up and sang a few songs-highlights were: It's Raining Men and Living on a Prayer-I bet you wish you were there, hehe
Today, I went to the Nagakute festival which is right in my own backyard. There is a small/medium shrine 3 blocks from my apartment and today is the anniversary of a big battle that happened there 300 years ago. I really had no expectations when I went to the festival-Saori (Japanese teacher) took Lizzie (my roommate) and I saying it was small. But to my delight it was quite fun and interesting. The festival was basically a reenactment of the battle. There were a couple hundred Japanese men who were involved in the reenactment and dressed up in the battle uniforms of that day. There were two groups and they first greeted each other, some gun shots were sounded, then both armies walked towards each other and up towards the shrine. Once the armies past we followed them up the hill climbing though forest to watch them. Both groups ran around the shrine three times-each side had a horse that was elaborately decorated and being chased. It was quite interesting. After they finished there were kids fighting each other in a traditional karate style I have never seen before. We also bumped into a couple from America whom Lizzie had met at a party a while back, so we hung out with them at the festival and ended up going to get Raman after the festival. And with that, that pretty much brings you up to date...oh yes, the kiddoes are doing great-they are still crazy but they are starting to settle in.
posted by Brenda | 2:24 AM
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