Holiday I

So, today was the first holiday of the semester. We had the entire day off. We decided that because it was supposed to be rainy and cold, we wouldn't go to Nara. Oh well. We'll get another chance. Instead, we decided that we'd go to the station and explore. I think it's Hirakata station. (Hirakatashi). There's some shopping areas around there, so we went to some of the stores. There's a place called "Kiddy Land" inside where you can buy all kinds of cutsie things. Most of it is based off of some kind of mascot. You can find My Melody, Hello Kitty, Lilo & Stitch, Disney, Mameshiba and etc. inside. I bought a mechanical pencil because it had cute charms on the top and it also said "All You Need Is Love." I also bought two stretchy headbands (brown and black), and a couple of soft poofy hair ties. (I'll post pictures of them later).

Yesterday I tried to make curry for dinner. I think I used too much of the seasoning. I didn't like it. :[ I'm also low on groceries again. 50 dollars is like nothing here. ~_~' Today I had ramen for dinner. It wasn't as good as last time. There was something in it that tasted weird. I'm also going to make a smoothie as soon as the ice freezes. No one put water in the ice tray. *_*

Classes resume tomorrow, but it's nothing I can't handle. ^^ It should be a good weekend. I still plan on going to Den Den Town sometime this weekend and I also would like to attend the cooking party on Valentine's Day. I'd like to make something *_* Maybe rice crispy treats? I don't know.

If anyone has any suggestions for stove top cooking that you think I could make in Japan, please make some suggestions. I can't think of anything every time. ^^'

Tests

Tests, tests and more tests. Enough of these tests already! I'm too sleepy to study, but I did. Tomorrow is my earliest day. I'll be waking up at 6:00am because I have class at 9:00. I'm really enjoying my sumi-e class. It's a nice break from the lectures. We have been learning about tone and bamboo. I'm not that good at the leaf clusters, but one of these days I'll get it. I'll take a photo of one of my paintings and post one. I like how experimental the class is. The only problem I seem to be having is finding my paintings that I've already done. I think you have to turn in 3 by the end of the week. When everyone is done, we put them under a table, so they're all mixed together and we don't have our "hanko" yet. A hanko is a red stamp which is equal to that of a signature in the west. I get to pick a name for myself as a painter. I was thinking about 芽美 pronounced "Meimi" which means beautiful sprout. I also wanted to incorporate 兎　"usagi" into it, as well, because I was born in the year of the rabbit. Hmm . . . (1988 is the year of the dragon, but I was born before the Chinese new year).

This Thursday we don't have classes, but I think I may be waking up early to go to Nara with a group of people. I think we'll see the Todaiji temple? I'm not sure. . . but this means I have more opportunities for photos!

Speaking of photos, here's one for mom:

Time to sleep *_*

New Schedule

Well, I come back to you at the end of this week with some mixed emotions. First, I'll tell you about my day!

I spent most of yesterday studying for a second placement test that was today. I took two tests in both Japanese reading/writing and speaking as well. They were pretty difficult. . . more on that in a moment. After the tests, I had planned on registering as an alien, but Melody didn't have any of her documents with her, so we just ate lunch instead. Whatever I had for lunch was ridiculously delicious! It was like stewed potatoes and meat on top of rice.

I didn't have any lecture courses, but I did have sumi-e. Every day of the week, I am with different students in my sumi-e class. I really like my Friday group. There is a girl from NY, A guy named "Ace" who was quick to introduce himself and ask for names. He made me laugh because he quoted the whole "Girl, the back of your head is rediculus" quote from some comedy sketch I watched before. It made me giggle. Then there is a kid from Korea named "Jo"? I think? And then another kid from some spanish country. I also like my teacher. She is originally from NY, but travels back to the US on the west side somewhere in the country. Today we learned about tones and how to drag the brush with our body and fingers. At the end, she said we could paint whatever we wanted, for fun. I didn't have any ideas so I practiced more on Bamboo and leaves.

When I went home, Jo wizzed by me on his bike, but he stopped and waited for me to catch up. He said hello and said that he liked my bamboo picture, which made me happy, but I had to honestly say that it wasn't anything good. *_* I hope I get better. This class could be great. . .

As soon as I got home, I got rid of my school stuff and got ready to leave again. Another 20 minute walk back to the campus to meet Pat and his friend. Just to walk 20 minutes back to where I came from again! We walked up a main road and tried to go to Pat's favorite restaurant, but they were closed. We walked a loooong way again and ended up going to a place called Tomato & Onion. It was a really good place! (Although, a bit expensive, but not too expensive either). I got grilled chicken, shrimp tempura, rice, and a small cup of corn soup. I really liked the corn soup. I heard it was awesome for breakfast.

After dinner, we headed to the BigWave Karaoke place and spent 2000 yen for two hours of karaoke with all you can drink. I was a little disappointed because I wanted Melody to have some sake, but after our 2nd drink, the hosts never came back. :[ I tried plum wine (which was pretty tastey) and a Malibu Orange. (Yuck.) Karaoke was lots of fun.

When I got back home, I checked my email and found out that I am being switched to level 3. :( I am both relieved and distressed at this. I have already learned the level 3 lessons. . . but I suppose a review of them wouldn't be bad. I also was worried about being stressed out about learning new things in level 4. It was a bit intimidating. Since I've already bought the level 4 kanji workbook, I will keep it and study it on my own time in the summer. (or whenever). I'm nervous about my new classes though. New teachers, new classmates, and I'm not sure what they've been doing this whole time. On the plus side, my schedule is a lot more convenient for me! Here it is:

Monday

Spoken Japanese 12:00-12:50

-lunch?-

Sumi - e 2:45 - 4:30

Japan thru film 4:40 - 6:10

Tuesday

Spoken Japanese 10:00 - 10:50

-Lunch?-

R/W Japanese 12:00 - 12:50

Body & Comm. 1:15 - 2:45

Sumi - e 2:45 - 4:30

Wednesday

R/W Japanese 9:00 - 9:50 (bleh)

Spoken Japanese 11:00 - 11:50

-go home?-

Japan thru film 4:40 - 6:10

Thursday

Spoken Japanese 12:00 - 12:50

Body & Comm. 1:15 - 2:45

-lunch?-

Friday

Spoken Japanese 10:00 - 10:50

R/W Japanese 11:00 - 11:50

-lunch?-

Sumi - e 2:45 - 4:30

今日は節分です。

I'll admit, I don't know the first kanji in setsubun, but today is a Japanese holiday called Sestubun! It marks the begining of a new season. (春）Spring! So, yes, spring has started for Japan. Ironically, today was also the first time I saw a tiny tiny bit of snow outside the window during lunch. ufufufu.

Basically, Setsubun is called the bean throwing festival. It is kind of looked at as a New Years, so the ritual is to clean out all of the dirt from the past year and drive away evil spirits or omens by throwing beans. Bean throwing is known as "Mamemaki." Usually, someone in the house will dress up like an "oni" or devil/demon and will have the beans thrown at them. I've also heard that eating these beans is considered good luck. When people throw the beans, they yell "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" which means demons out! fortune in! Some people use peanuts instead of soybeans.

Now-a-days, it is also custom to eat "makizushi," or uncut sushi. Basically a long sushi roll. When you eat it, you are supposed to face the direction of the years corresponding zodiac animal, which is on a chart. It sounds like a fun tradition. (I don't know if I could eat that much sushi though. Maybe if it had tuna in it).

Classes

This week I have been attending my classes. The schedule is pretty weird. The classes change times, days, and rooms as well. I have baught all of my textbooks, except the one's I'll need for speaking Japanese. We have another test this friday to make sure we are in the right class. If we do bad on it, they move us down a level. (Hopefully, I'm in the right class. It kind of seems like it, but at the same time, I'm not so sure. . .).

Melody wanted to make spaghetti for dinner yesterday. We finally learned how the stove really works and we cooked up some sauce and noodles. (I didn't want to cook it yet because we didn't have meat, mushrooms or parmesian cheese)!! It was awful. The sauce was sweet and it was just awful. I ended up giving half of my plate to Melody.

Lately, my throat has been bothering me. It's irritated. I have to cough or drink water all the time. I ate again at the cafeteria. They usually have something good. ^^ This time, I tried Melon Soda instead of getting miso soup. (I dont need the soup and honestly, I do not like miso soup). It was tasty! (And made by Fanta, apparently). Japan has pretty good proportions for me. I don't know about the rest of you, haha.

My body and comm class is very intersting. I've learned a bunch of signs for very common words in Japanese. Like the days of the week, konnichiwa, and genki. (Hello, how are you?) I look forward to it now. I am hoping that perhaps, when they talk about dance, it will be related to the dance the geisha perform. (Which I'm sure it is). Perhaps, instead of doing two mid-term and final papers, I can just write a research paper on that. But it could be difficult. . .

I might do karaoke again this weekend! Pat invited Melody and I. Hopefully, my voice will be ok. If not, I will just go for fun. Off to class for now.

How to Futon

Hello again, everyone! Before I go to sleep, I thought I'd post up my classes for this semester as well as show you how to put together a futon! It's really funny because the first night Melody and I arrived to the seminar house, we just wanted to sleep, but we looked at our futons and didn't know what to do. I'm here to further prevent futon frustration! (Or at least, I hope I did it right. . .)

First, there is this twice folded mattress. You just lay it out.

Next you put another thick, but soft mattress over it.

Cover it up with a sheet.

Next, you put the comforter inside of a sheet that has a hole in it. Why does it have a hole in it? I'm not really sure. . .

Finally, you stick a warm, soft blanket inside of the hole. I actually wouldn't mind just cuddling up with that blanket, but I think this is the way it is supposed to go. Add a pillow and some pajamas for optimal comfort levels.

The classes I have signed up for are different from the one's I thought I'd be taking. The culture class I wanted to sign up for wasn't available this semester, so I have revamped my schedule. After testing, I have entered Japanese Speaking 4 (sounds right) and Japanese Reading and Writing 4 (Might not be right, but I think I'll just go with the flow). I also got into The Body and Communication in Japan, Japan in Western Film and Literature, as well as the Sumi-e class that I really wanted to get into!!

Here are some course descriptions.

The Body and Communication in Japan

Dr. Steven C. Fedorowicz

Gestures, sign languages, postures and perceptions of the body are not

universal. So-called nonverbal communication, associations between the

body and linguistic meaning differ from culture to culture. A hand-shape in

one country can be very offensive in another. The image of an attractive body

in one country can be very different from that of another country and thus

convey very different intentional and unintentional messages. This class will

explore these issues in the Japanese context. Lectures, in-class discussions,

activities and readings will deal with gestures and facial expressions that play

important roles in interpersonal communication, rituals and entertainment.

Japanese Sign Language and its importance to Deaf culture will be a major

focus. Finally, the body itself, images of the body and how the body is

modified and decorated will also be explored. Objectives of this course are 1)

exploring the relationship between gesture and language, 2) gaining a better

understanding of the role of the body in communication, and 3) improving

cross-cultural communication skills.

Course Topics

1. Japanese Sign Language and Deaf Culture

2. Japanese gestures

3. Emotion and facial expressions

4. Japanese theatre and dance

5. Japanese martial arts

6. Mudra, gestures and dance in Japanese religion

7. Jan-ken and hand games

8. Japanese perceptions of the body and ideal body types

9. Molding the body – fad diets and exercise

10. Portrayals of the body in advertising and the media

11. Ornamenting the body – fashion

12. Ornamenting the body – tattoos and body pierces

---------------------------------------------------------

Japan in Western Film and Literature

Dr. Mark Hollstein

Why come all the way to Japan and take a course on how foreigners see the

Japanese? The answer is simple. Whether you make interpreting Japan an

academic, journalistic, or artistic career, or just answer questions from

friends and family about your experiences here, someday you will be called

upon to explain Japan to non-Japanese. This course will help you understand

how those who have gone before you have both succeeded and failed at this

task from 1853 to the present day. A central concern of this course is why

filmmakers and authors have emphasized, exaggerated, distorted or ignored

various aspects of Japanese culture to meet the expectations of their

audiences, and the way in which images of Japan, constructed in response to

specific historical situations are often recycled to justify or explain later

situations. We will also consider how changes in Western class, gender and

race relations have influenced media images of the Japanese Other. By the

end of this course, you should have both a good understanding of modern

Japanese history and a clearer idea of how group identity is created and used.

You will also be a more aware and critical media consumer.

Course Topics

(Some films will be viewed in their entirety, other by selected scenes)

The Topsy-Turvy Alien Japan

Authors: Percival Lowell, Walt Whitman, Rudyard Kipling

Films: The Barbarian and the Geisha; Lost in Translation

Japanese as Artists, and Mystics

Authors: Lafcadio Hearn

Films: Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado; Topsy-Turvy;

Enlightenment Guaranteed

Japanese as Villains and Enemies

Films: The Cheat; Broken Blossoms; Know Your Enemy, Japan;

Why We Fight, The Battle of China; Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips;

Popeye’s You're a Sap Mr. Jap

Japanese as Victims

Authors: Marguerite Duras, Jeanne Wakatsuki Huston, John Hersey

Films: Come See the Paradise; Hiroshima Mon Amour

Western Images of Postwar Japanese Women

Authors: James Michener

Films: My Geisha; Sayonara

Japanese as Corporate Samurai

Authors: Ian Fleming, Michael Crichton, Amelie Nothomb

Films: Black Rain; Rising Sun; Fear and Trembling

-------------------------------------------------------------

Japanese-Chinese Brush Painting

(Sumi-e)

Ms. Kathleen Scott

This studio course is designed to introduce students to the basic techniques

of Japanese-Chinese monochromatic ink painting. Material specific to this

medium are introduced and include various papers, inks, and brushes.

During the first half of the semester, traditional flower motifs (bamboo,

orchid, plum, and chrysanthemum) are used as points of departure. The

latter half of the course is devoted to the compositional principles and brush

techniques involved in Japanese-Chinese landscape painting, (J., sansui-ga).

Five hours of studio time are supplemented by a minimum of three hours of

individual work. Students are required to display one of their final works in

an exhibition at the end of the semester.

Classes meet three times a week, and one of these meetings is considered the

primary teaching day. New material is introduced and techniques applied.

Due to the importance of this first teaching day, in order to enroll in sumi-e,

students must be able to arrange their schedules to fit into one of the teaching

blocs. The remaining schedule will be arranged according to priorities.

My Room

Alas, Nikki has moved out of our room and will be moving in with her homestay family today. The amount of freedom she will have may be limited, so maybe sometime we'll be able to hang out again. This also means that I moved all of my stuff into my room and organized everything! ^o^-

Ta-da! Here is our room! My side is on the right.

This is a shoe box at the entrance of our room, but I also utilized it for my bathroom things, since I can just grab them and go. You have to carry your shoes downstairs though. Don't wear them in the seminar house! だめ～ブーっ。

When you are not sleeping, you fold up your futon and put it inside the closet. (My poor clothes). Underneath is a place for clothes, although not much. And you only get five hangers. I'll post a picture of my futon later tonight.

On the other side of the room is this mysterious wall. . .

We get both heating and air conditioning! We also have a vent fan that I pretty much keep on all the time so that it doesn't get stuffy or stinky inside.

Mystery revealed! There is another door that leads out to a small balcony. I like this because I can check the weather for the day before I get ready.

Here is my work desk. I keep most of my electronics in the second drawer from the top and the one under that holds all my make-up.

Honestly, everything is a lot more convenient than even at Mount! I actually have room for my computer on my desk (haha) and there are plenty of drawers and I even get a mirror. I really like this place. The Air conditioner/heater is controlled by a remote control. I am glad for this. It was cold the day we got here. It also has a 1 hour timer if you don't want to shut it off yourself. *thumbs up* b^_^d