September 19-22

So the last few days have not been as crazy but they have been really fun.  On Monday Ayaka and Kasshi took Reni and I around exploring a bit.  We went to this place Bikkuri Donky for lunch, which is a hamburger place basically.  But not like American hamburgers, just the meat with stuff on them.  Like, my meal was a plate with hamburger meat and a poached egg on top, with salad and rice.  It was quite cheap too.  And the restaurant looked like it was supposed to be in a theme park.  The way it was set up reminded me of a cross between pirate ship/steampunk junkyard.  This is a picture of Kasshi, Reni and I standing outside (Ayaka was holding the camera): 

Then we went shopping around Hirakata-shi station.  I found a really cute dress that was marked down from 4,000 to 900 yen.  I also got two new pairs of leggings which I really needed, and a long green shirt that's really loose and looks pretty good on me.  Ayaka treated me to taiyaki, which is like a sweet fried dough with either red or white bean paste inside.  Usually it's shaped like a big fish but this time it wasn't.  It was soo delicious.  Also I taught Ayaka and Kasshi how to say "wicked" and they taught me "meccha".  They both mean basically the same thing, and everyone in the Kansai area says "meccha".

We then went back to the dorm and grabbed ice cream at the super market.  I really want to do something for Yayoi, Ayaka and Kasshi to thank them for showing me around so much, so I'm thinking of making them a big American dinner.

Tuesday was quite routine with classes etc. but I did buy a bike.  I thought for a long time I just didn't need one but it really does make your life so much easier.

Wednesday there was a typhoon warning so we didn't have any classes.  For us in Hirakatashi it was mostly just a lot of wind and rain but everything was closed even though it actually got very nice later in the day.  I didn't do much, I was intending on catching up on some reading and homework since I just switched into a new class but instead I ended up watching the Lion King with some of my dorm mates in the computer lounge and then doing some shopping.  At night some people went out to eat or to Cafe Istanbul to eat and drink.  I was invited to both but I've been spending so much money on eating out or beer that I decided to stay in.  Instead I went out to get cake ingredients with Emily and Eric and Emily made a cake in one of the rice cookers and it was THE BEST THING I EVER TASTED. 

Today I had my first Sexuality and Culture class (yay!) which seems like it's going to be an awesome class except for the fact that one student has to act like a fourteen year old boy and make immature comments whenever we talk about anything sexual.  Which, given the fact that this is a sexuality class, is like a lot.  A lot a lot.  It is a bummer because this is the subject I was most interested in learning more about.  Still, I'm determined to enjoy it.  I also went jogging with Emily this morning but since it's been a really long time since I kept up with running at all I was quite pathetic at it.  I'm hoping to get back in shape though.  Since I had extra time this morning--biking cuts your travel time pretty much in half--I was bored so I took some pictures around the dorm. 

This is the view from outside of my window.

This is my room! The futon on the left is mine.  We're supposed to roll them up when we're not sleeping in them and put them in our futon cupboards during the day.  We don't though.

This is my desk! On the shelf on the left is some of the birthday cards and presents I received.  Everyone is so sweet here.  And that's my pink umbrella I got in Osaka.  When it gets wet patterns of tiny cherry blossoms appear on it, and they disappear when it dries.  I would have to say it is the best.

My door and closet.  The white slippers with the dragon pattern are mine.

This is my typical breakfast.

And this is me, standing outside of the seminar house.  Otoosan took this for me.  I'm wearing the new dress and tights I bought the other day.

This is my new bike! I call it Lucille II.

And this is what I had for lunch today.  I decided that I want to make a new section of stuff I eat because I eat a lot of cool stuff and Japanese people always make their food so aesthetically pleasing.  This is not so much because I made it, but it's my first bento box so I felt that it deserved a picture.  I picked it up for like 100 yen and decorated it with some purikura pictures.  It's rice, apple slices, cherry tomatoes and my attempt at tamagoyaki which I messed up so it's pretty much just egg.  Tamagoyaki is like a rolled omelette kind of.  You make it by gently beating eggs in a mixture of soy sauce, hon-dashi, and sugar.  Then you pour half of the mix in a frying pan and when it starts to get omelette-y you roll it.  You then pour the rest of the mix in and when it starts to get a little more omelette like you roll it over the first one.  It's delicious but I got confused making it.  I was a little flattered though because at lunch one of the guys we were sitting with (who had just met me) saw my lunch box and was like, "Aw, I wish I had a host mom to make bento boxes for me."  And when I said something like, no, I made this, he asked me to be his host mom and make him bento boxes for lunch.

Next time I want to post more pictures of the school, I feel like I haven't been taking enough.  And tomorrow I'm going to Kyoto with Yasmina, Ayaka and some of Ayaka's friends! I'm sooo excited because I love Kyoto and pretty much everything about it.  We are going to see Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavillion and I'm not really sure what else but it should be awesome and I'll take lots of pictures.  Also I have the option of going to Kobe to go hiking and then go to a real onsen which would be amazing, but I'm worried about spending too much money so I have to think about it.  Transportation to Kobe alone would be about 3000yen round trip which made me gasp at first.  Still, it would be an amazing experience.