March 04, 2009
This month went by even quicker then the rest. I met the local Roteracts here and went snowshoeing with the other students. It was a beautiful weekend with plenty of snow and sunshine. I also spent three days in Paris, and met my next and final family. I still haven't been to the new house, as we've been at their chalet in the mountains just north of our town for the past two weeks. I've been outside cross country skiing or snowboard almost everyday. Sad as I am that vacation is almost over, I'm excited to see all my friends as school again. This past month was a blast and I can't wait for the months to come, they should prove to be especially busy. There's also a huge conference in Toulousse, France with ALL the inbounds this year. I'm looking forward to it with impatients because it means I get to see all the friends I made the first day of this trip who're scattered throughout the country, and the people from my region who I've become close with. Less then 90days to go at this point.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Cathryn Salamone -- Japan
March 2, 2009
On the weekend of February 7th, I boarded the train for Okayama Prefecture, which is on the island Honshu, north of my island. That weekend was the 3-District Rotary Orientation for the outbound Japanese students going to either America, Canada or Australia. I was so excited to meet other exchange students, something I haven't done since the Rotary trip to Okinawa in October. As you can imagine, I was pumped to share my stories (and speak in English, for that matter) with other exchangers in Japan. I am the only exchange student in my entire prefecture, or state, along with three other exchange students on my entire island, so I haven't had much opportunity to meet with other exchangers. I met the two Australian exchange students who just came to Japan in January - they are the other two girls on my island, the fourth being a boy from Detroit. It was wonderful to talk with them, and I loved answering their questions when they had them. It gave me a really amazing feeling when I was answering questions, because it somehow gave me a senior kind of feeling -- like I was now a pro at this or something because I've been here for six months. They asked the same questions that I did when I came. It's hard to explain, but it gave me a wonderful feeling. I had an amazing weekend eating wonderful food, sharing hilarious stories, and just hanging out with other students from around the world during that weekend.
I've been wanting to mix my extra curricular activities up a little bit. In Japan, students usually only do one club or sport, which was hard for me to understand, since in high school I did many clubs and activities. Each club meets every single day, and the sports meet on Sundays for full-day practices. It's still amazing to me all of the time that these students put into their clubs. During the winter, I too followed this hefty practicing schedule with koto club, and thus I think I've become pretty good at it. However, it's become tiresome, and I wanted to try something new. I joined the school's choir, because there is nothing here that brings me more pleasure than singing. Occasionally my host family or friends and I go to kareoke, which is incredibly fun, but I also find myself singing or humming constantly when doing work or by myself...songs from America, Japanese songs (which I sometimes make up the words to...), songs from my childhood...anything. I also can read music (I actually have my clarinet here with me, and tried to join the school brass band, but the militaristic practice schedule of 3:30-7:00 everyday was way too much...) I went to my first meeting last week and had a wonderful time, and it brought me so much joy. I am finishing my time with the koto club after the last concert, in April, and then I am going to fully persue chorus and the school's swim team. I love being busy! =)
In the blink of an eye, it has become March already. I have a feeling it's going to be this way until the end. Valentine's Day was, as you know, the 14th, and in Japan it's actually widely celebrated - although a little different. On Valentine's Day, the women are supposed to buy chocolates or bake sweet treats for the men in their life, not just their spouses or boyfriends. Women buy chocolate for their family, co-workers, friends, aquaintances, even people they don't really like. In this case, it is called "obligation chocolate", where the chocolate is given to a boss or higher individual on the business ladder out of a feeling of necesity, not out of love. On White Day, which is March 14th (a Japanese invention), the men reciporcate the chocolate to the women, usually with white chocolate. My school is an all-girl's school, so friends gave friends chocolate. I tried my hand at origami hearts and was pretty successful...I then attached a candy to the backs with a small sheet of stickers. I was given a LOT of treats and candy, as did my host family, and I think we've all gained a kilo or two. I've only gained one, which is great :) It's funny how it seems like Japan practices the western holidays, but they really are very different. I was excited to see Christmas lights and Christmas trees go up all around the city I'm in...I was half expecting and lementing a year without Christmas. Working all the way up to Christmas Eve, the tradition in Japan is to eat Kentucky Fried Chicken and eat Christmas Cake, which is any sort of cake with a Santa figure on top and Merry X-mas written somewhere on it. On Christmas Day, everyone has work/school. It's really interesting to compare the holidays. Japan has it's own unique holidays which I enjoy very much, including festivals held at the start of each new season...and having a national holiday on the Emperor's Birthday. =)
Anyway, what else is new? Not much else happened in February. Feb. 23rd marked my official six months in Japan, which I thought was an incredible date. I'm already past my half-way point, which was somewhere in mid-January, since I am leaving the first week in July, but six months just seems like an incredible achievement. I always remember my little month anniversaries, but this one struck me as huge - I now have more months here behind me than before me. Six whole months in Japan? SIX? I was flipping through my journal and passed November 23rd, with "Today is my three month anniversary! I can't believe I've been here for three whole months! It's crazy!" I laughed for a long time at that. Yes, now I can sit back and say, "Wow...three whole months. Yeah, compare that to my big six." And then it will be seven and eight and nine, and I'm going to continue to marvel at the amount of time I've been here. I remember my trip to Europe two years ago for four weeks. Four weeks is nothing now! A smigent of time against this year long journey. I've gone nowhere and done nothing in comparison to this year. I've got four more months here and I'm going to make them count even more than the last six.
On the weekend of February 7th, I boarded the train for Okayama Prefecture, which is on the island Honshu, north of my island. That weekend was the 3-District Rotary Orientation for the outbound Japanese students going to either America, Canada or Australia. I was so excited to meet other exchange students, something I haven't done since the Rotary trip to Okinawa in October. As you can imagine, I was pumped to share my stories (and speak in English, for that matter) with other exchangers in Japan. I am the only exchange student in my entire prefecture, or state, along with three other exchange students on my entire island, so I haven't had much opportunity to meet with other exchangers. I met the two Australian exchange students who just came to Japan in January - they are the other two girls on my island, the fourth being a boy from Detroit. It was wonderful to talk with them, and I loved answering their questions when they had them. It gave me a really amazing feeling when I was answering questions, because it somehow gave me a senior kind of feeling -- like I was now a pro at this or something because I've been here for six months. They asked the same questions that I did when I came. It's hard to explain, but it gave me a wonderful feeling. I had an amazing weekend eating wonderful food, sharing hilarious stories, and just hanging out with other students from around the world during that weekend.
I've been wanting to mix my extra curricular activities up a little bit. In Japan, students usually only do one club or sport, which was hard for me to understand, since in high school I did many clubs and activities. Each club meets every single day, and the sports meet on Sundays for full-day practices. It's still amazing to me all of the time that these students put into their clubs. During the winter, I too followed this hefty practicing schedule with koto club, and thus I think I've become pretty good at it. However, it's become tiresome, and I wanted to try something new. I joined the school's choir, because there is nothing here that brings me more pleasure than singing. Occasionally my host family or friends and I go to kareoke, which is incredibly fun, but I also find myself singing or humming constantly when doing work or by myself...songs from America, Japanese songs (which I sometimes make up the words to...), songs from my childhood...anything. I also can read music (I actually have my clarinet here with me, and tried to join the school brass band, but the militaristic practice schedule of 3:30-7:00 everyday was way too much...) I went to my first meeting last week and had a wonderful time, and it brought me so much joy. I am finishing my time with the koto club after the last concert, in April, and then I am going to fully persue chorus and the school's swim team. I love being busy! =)
In the blink of an eye, it has become March already. I have a feeling it's going to be this way until the end. Valentine's Day was, as you know, the 14th, and in Japan it's actually widely celebrated - although a little different. On Valentine's Day, the women are supposed to buy chocolates or bake sweet treats for the men in their life, not just their spouses or boyfriends. Women buy chocolate for their family, co-workers, friends, aquaintances, even people they don't really like. In this case, it is called "obligation chocolate", where the chocolate is given to a boss or higher individual on the business ladder out of a feeling of necesity, not out of love. On White Day, which is March 14th (a Japanese invention), the men reciporcate the chocolate to the women, usually with white chocolate. My school is an all-girl's school, so friends gave friends chocolate. I tried my hand at origami hearts and was pretty successful...I then attached a candy to the backs with a small sheet of stickers. I was given a LOT of treats and candy, as did my host family, and I think we've all gained a kilo or two. I've only gained one, which is great :) It's funny how it seems like Japan practices the western holidays, but they really are very different. I was excited to see Christmas lights and Christmas trees go up all around the city I'm in...I was half expecting and lementing a year without Christmas. Working all the way up to Christmas Eve, the tradition in Japan is to eat Kentucky Fried Chicken and eat Christmas Cake, which is any sort of cake with a Santa figure on top and Merry X-mas written somewhere on it. On Christmas Day, everyone has work/school. It's really interesting to compare the holidays. Japan has it's own unique holidays which I enjoy very much, including festivals held at the start of each new season...and having a national holiday on the Emperor's Birthday. =)
Anyway, what else is new? Not much else happened in February. Feb. 23rd marked my official six months in Japan, which I thought was an incredible date. I'm already past my half-way point, which was somewhere in mid-January, since I am leaving the first week in July, but six months just seems like an incredible achievement. I always remember my little month anniversaries, but this one struck me as huge - I now have more months here behind me than before me. Six whole months in Japan? SIX? I was flipping through my journal and passed November 23rd, with "Today is my three month anniversary! I can't believe I've been here for three whole months! It's crazy!" I laughed for a long time at that. Yes, now I can sit back and say, "Wow...three whole months. Yeah, compare that to my big six." And then it will be seven and eight and nine, and I'm going to continue to marvel at the amount of time I've been here. I remember my trip to Europe two years ago for four weeks. Four weeks is nothing now! A smigent of time against this year long journey. I've gone nowhere and done nothing in comparison to this year. I've got four more months here and I'm going to make them count even more than the last six.
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