Are you reading this?

Requests for more updates.

So I was told by someone very dear to me that I don't update enough. I was told that it had been far to long between posts for this friend's liking. So in response, I decided to post again. :) This is also for my benefit, because apparently reading your blog posts after you write them is quite funny. Oh, and this first picture is of the gate marking the entrance to the shrine on the 10Yen coin. Of course, it was closed when I went, so this is basically all I could get a picture of...

And I'm thinking the topic of this post is going to be about school. Since that's why I'm here and all...So to help keep things going, I present my first blog project: Going to School.

So I get up every morning around 7am-ish. Last week, when I had earlier classes, I would get up around 6:30. I'm happy for that extra little bit to sleep in. So anyway, I start my day with a shower and breakfast. Breakfast being whatever my host mother decides she wants to make me that day. Usually it's miso soup and tofu of some kind...But lately, she has been branching out, and for that, I am grateful. So then I usually leave around 8 and then just chill out at school until my classes start. My schedule is really weird. I have my language class from 11-12 M, T, and F. But I have it from 12-1 on W and Th. Weird, hu? I will go into my other classes later...By the way, this is my house. My parents met in architecture school (I think) and they designed and built the house themselves. It's great! (My room is on the first floor, by the entrance.) And this other picture is my street. I'm suppose to say "Good Morning" to everyone I see. Basically, my mom is Bree van de Kamp...but without the crazy.

Further down my street, at the corner where I start walking on a busier road is this building. I have know idea what it is, but there is a little English school on the left of it. My mom knows the teacher at the English school, and so I might be going there to help out...Eventually.

Oh, and I see these posters ALL OVER. For those of you who don't know, Japan just had an election. The past ruling party didn't win. I have been talking about Japanese politics with my host mom a lot, and she has been great about providing me with answers. She also told me I would get in trouble if I took one of these posters. Sad face.

On the left you see a rice shop. That funny red thing means rice. It was one of the first new kanji, chinese characters, I learned here. I was proud of myself. I now use this building to find my way home...Haha..

And this all happens on my way to the train station, BEFORE I even get to school! (I take a quick 15 minute train to another station, and then I walk about 20 minutes to school. It's actually really easy.)

I just thought it would be fun to post pictures of what I see, since I actually have to travel to get to school. Want to know what my school looks like? Here's a quick picture.

So since I'm actually at school, I will give all my readers out there a peek at my classes. They are easy. I really shouldn't humor them by talking about them, but hey, what can you do.

I'm taking a class called "New Japanese Cinema: '95-'04" with a Professor who always seems rather short of breath. But that's ok, he's great at this topic. And hopefully, I will be able to take this knowledge back to Knox and do a class with Sonja. Then, all my dreams would come true.

My second class is called "Peace, Democracy, Democratization and Human Rights" with a man who is Bob Seibert of Asia. He is just as wonderful, and I'm trying to "help" him remember my name so I can get him to sign my book...Or give me an internship.

And finally I have "Popular Culture as Social Practice: Producing Identities and Styles." This professor actually seems the most "normal" and the class is very interesting. There are defiantly some creepers in it, but they make things...fun...

So ya, that's how school is going so far. If anyone has any topic they want me to do or take pictures of...Please let me know!

Love from the East ^-^