Cathryn Salamone -- Japan

October 12, 2008

NAME/ADDRESS OF HOST FAMILY: Kenji & Hinako Urata, 3-14-11 Hyakkoku-Cho, Kochi-City, Kochi Pref., JAPAN 780-8015
HOST CLUB: Kochi Chuo Rotary Club
ADDRESS: 1-3-35 Takajo-Machi, Kochi-City, Kochi-Pref., JAPAN

Kochi City has several Rotary Clubs within it, those including Kochi North, East, South, West, Central (my current host club), and Royal. During the second week and a bit of the third week of September I have been leaving school at lunchtime and going to the Rotary meetings of each of the clubs. There, I gave a speech in Japanese and was introduced to the club. I spoke about how happy I am to be in Japan, about my school activities, and a few facts about Albany, my home city, like population and so forth. Also, on the 18th, Kochi Central Rotary Club had a party, at which I was a guest. It was a traditional Japanese-style dinner party, and I wore a yukata, or a summer version of a kimono. There was lots of food and fellowship amongst the Rotary members. I was surprised and excited to see later, that three geisha women entered and danced, played the Japanese woodblocks, and served some guests. They showed me a funny dance and my host father and I, along with the geisha, danced in front of the club. It was very funny, and so much fun. On the 23rd I had my Rotary Orientation, where I met the other exchange students. There are three exchange students on the island of Shikoku, myself included. One is from America and the other from Australia. I also met the former outbound japanese exchange students and got to ask them questions about their experience. It was a nice day and I was happy to meet everyone.


I have still been going to Koto Club and to my traditional japanese dance lessons. They are very fun and I am learning and advancing slowly in both. The koto is a beautiful instrument, and I cannot believe that such a traditional and old instrument is still being played today; that I am now playing an instrument that geisha centuries upon centuries ago once played.
On the 27th, my school had the annual Undokai, or Sports Festival. It was resemblant of a Field Day at school, with our school split up into three teams of Red, Blue and White competing against each other at various fun games. I was on the red team, and I had such a great time that whole day cheering people on...so much so that I lost my voice for that day and the next! School is great and I already have some good friends who are patient when I stumble with the language here and there.

So much has happened in September, and then September 23rd came around, I seriously could not believe that I had been in Japan for a month already. In the begining of September, I had been introduced to my school, gotten aquainted with my host family, ridden to school on my bike for the first time, fumbled with my japanese and learned the essential japanese customs of every day life. By the close of September, somehow I miraculously memorized the location of all of my classes, love my host family and truly feel like a member of the family, know the route to school by heart, am getting along much better with the japanese that I do know, and am completely accustomed to the japanese customs such as taking shoes off before entering a home, and essential dining ettiquite. I have grown to love my life here in Kochi very quickly -- Kochi is a city of around 300,000 people, however, the city seems close-knit and is without any very tall skyscrapers or several side-streets that might be a little overwhelming. I feel very comfortable riding my bike to school, because there is an aura of safety that surrounds Kochi. Even late at night, I still see people walking on the sidewalk or riding their bicycles casually...I don`t think I would ever find myself alone if I were ever to get lost.

Being in another country is absolutely amazing...I am re-experiencing life as if I`m a child again, amazed by small things like new foods, or different foods at a grocery store, or even the way Japanese Yen looks and feels when I hold it in my hand. This was everything that I have been wishing for prior to being selected for Japan, and I couldn`t be happier that my wish has come and is coming true.