| JANUARY |
| Saturday 18th My flight over was great. From Melbourne to Singapore I spent my time watching movies. I watched Lilo & Stitch, Sweet Home Alabama, and a little bit of Spy Kids 2, on the little TV's on the back of the seats. When I got off of the plane it was goodbye to the other exchange students I knew, and hello to two who were going on the same flight as me. I became good friends with both of them. Because the plane [Singapore / Tokyo] was very empty I was able to sit next to one of the girls. We chatted for a while to each other and some other exchange students. Then we all went to sleep, which was kind of surprising really since there were so many of us but we all knew that if we didn't we would have 'jetlag'. When I got off the plane I was then a little nervous, kind of worried there would be no one there to pick me up. I was lucky getting my suitcase, it came out just as I walked up to the collection area. Then I walked through the doors, and was so happy to see a sign with my name on it. I introduced myself, and they did the same. It was my counselor and host father. We soon left the airport, it was good not too cold outside. I was surprised as we got in my counselorfs car it talked. It also had a little screen to watch TV or view a street map that showed where the car was at any time. I found out my host father has pretty good English, and he told me to sleep for the two hour drive from the airport to home, which I did. My host Mum speaks pretty good English (well itfs better than my Japanese) one of my host brothers English is great [he studied in USA for a year]. My other host brother and grandmother do not speak any English at all. My Japanese is just enough to understand them when they are explaining something to me (well sort of). Today my host parents took me for a short walk around the city [Kumagaya] that I am pretty much living in the middle of. They showed me some of the shrines and temples including the one I can see from my bedroom window. They are all very beautiful. There is even a small shrine in one room of my host families house. My host family took me to a Chinese restaurant tonight, as an arriving party. My counselor, his wife and three boys were also with us. But it was strange to find that Chinese food in Japan is different to Chinese food in Australia. It was a great meal but I prefer Chinese food in Australia. It was a good end to a long day. Sunday 19th Today was good, I woke at 9-30 which was earlier than the family expected, had vegemite and toast and some fruit, same as normal. After a sit down and chat to my host parents they took me out for a drive. They showed me my school, which is HUGE, and that I will have to walk to the station, catch a train and then the school bus, which I don't think is a problem. We had lunch at an Italian restaurant, home to rest, watch TV and write a letter, then two doors down to another restaurant for dinner. The meal was lovely. Well that is two days gone. Monday 20th Today was good, I went through my question sheet. My host father has been to the Yarra Valley [my home area] a few times as this Rotary Club is sister club to Yarra Junction. (That is why we have vegemite for breakfast here). I am going to school to discuss classes etc; on Wednesday. The hardest thing to get used to is how people are always bowing to eachother. Tuesday 21st Yesterday my counselor and club president visited. The club here has a sister club arrangement with Upper Yarra and some of the members have visited the Yarra valley. This Wednesday will be my first local Rotary meeting, I have my speech ready. Today I am just relaxing, it is so hard to listen to Japanese all the time. It is said the Japanese are very polite, and they really are. I am getting used to bowing to people when I say hello and goodbye. A lot of what I learn is just by watching others, I think thatfs what all the exchange students have to do. I am also surprised how often my host family eats out, last night was the first time I had tea [dinner] at home, it was delicious. Also today my host mother took me shopping, I got some books to practice my Japanese in and the cutest jumper with eChip enf Dalef on it. Wednesday 22nd Today I read some Japanese books as practice, and rested. I attended the Rotary Club meeting, they started by singing the National Anthem, followed by short speeches, then our meal, [which was a bit strange] then more speeches including mine. I think my speech went well, all of the Rotary members are nice. Thursday 23rd Today it is snowing, it is so pretty, itfs the first time that I have seen snow falling. I didnft think that snow flakes were so small. I have a beautiful scene outside my window with snow falling onto the shrine. It is getting heavier and starting to settle on the ground without melting away. Tonight I went and saw Kabuki in Tokyo. It was great, I could understand it all because I had a little radio think explaining it in English as it happened. The kimono costumes were fantastic, so many beautiful colours. Similar to the eOdorif my Mum and I went to in Melbourne last year. Something new I found out about Kabuki is that it is normally played by men. This performance only had five little girls about 7years old and all the rest were men. Bit strange how they dress up as women. A group from my Rotary club attended, some of whom I had already met. To get there we caught the eBullet Trainf into Tokyo and back. From Kumagaya station it was only 30 minutes. The performance was long, 4-30 to 9-30pm, with a short break for tea in the middle. I really loved it, but was tired and went straight to bed when I got home. Friday 24th Today I went to school to organized classes and books. There are 24 girls and 12 boys in my class, [it used to be an all girls school until a couple of years ago]. All the students and teachers seem nice, I donft think there are any other exchange students attending. Three of the girls from my class wrote up a timetable to help me, and of the two boys introduced to me, one drew pictures of all of my classmates with their names so I can remember them. The most different thing about school is everyone takes off their shoes and puts on slippers whenever they enter or leave the building. Weather good today, but cold, a lovely blue sky, with snow on the ground and all the houses looking so pretty. It sure got dark quick tonight though. |
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