I suppose I havent really introduced my host family. Most students in the JASIN program go to host families, though the ones who are here for more … base purposes, drinking and girls who love foreigners, chose the (male) dorm to stay at.
My host father is Kou Ishida, or Kou-san when I see him. Hes often away at work, which conviently for him and the family, is right downstairs. Kou is a designer of signs and advertisements. Around town one aternoon we took a short trip in the back alleys and saw some of the little projects he had done for area business. Not bad, Kou-san. He also created the centerpiece in Togitsu Machi’s Illumination, a sort of Christmas lights show, a 12 foot pyramid structure made out of PET bottles (reycleable plastic 500 mL bottles) flashing off lights that are blue, white, and silver.
Nami Ishida, Nami-san, is the mother and the one I spend most time with when I’m home. Her job is a Nurse at the Red Cross Blood Center, but she gets transported all across Nagasaki-ken when she works. In addition to her nursing job, she also raises twins and an exchange student. Mega props to her.
As far as Japanese couples go, Nami and Kou are very Western, very modern, progresive. That is, Kou-san kicks in with the child rearing, cooking, gaijin-explaining every now and then. One reason for this is that both parents are young; only 11 years older than me. They grew up in the influence of Western (:American) beliefs like equal sharing of the household. They both hold progressive jobs (Kou isnt a salary man!), married on the same level (both 32, though Nami is older by six months), but still keep some older values. Nami also holds a job which gives her leverage in the family. This takes away from the whole past attitude that is prevalant in some of my friends own host stays (”It’s 89 year old Gramma’s duty to clean up after you, male-exchange-student”).
The children who I live with are Nana and Mimi Ishida. Mi-chan and Natchan. They’re both actually their mom’s namesake (Nami can split into Nana and Mimi). Nana is a very popular Japanese name. The calls of “Natchan!” are common in Japanese malls. Nana is the older twin, by a minute, which matters vastly in Japanese society, where the ie system is observed. Every older girl is “Onne-san” and boy is “Onni-san.” Due to a mispronounciation on my part, my host family though I was talking about my older sister for several days until I brought out the pictures! My host kids, who were told my real name when I first got here, forgot it, as I am referred to as, and in reference to, as “Onne-chan,” or big sister. My twins are 6 years old, identical, and cute when not in hellion mode. Due to a mishap her great-grandmothers house, Mimi now has a burn across her chin which makes it easy to pick up who’s who.I think before, it had something to do with the type of hair cut, but since they are both jet black, I couldnt really tell. Even their mom has trouble sometimes. “Nah-” quick check over some identifiable-to-mother-only trait “-Mimi-chan!” Mimi is the more assertive child, Nana is the cry baby, and favors her mom, while Mimi all about dad. Onne-san is the one to play with. Because they were born a month preamature, they still rather small for their age and are being held back one year from elementry school by their parents. Rather, they go to preschool and do all the wonderful preschool things. This includes oragami, learning songs and dances, counting, Hiragana and Katakana, and civic code learning. Kids learn how to behave as a group through school, where the other children are expected to browbeat the other outstanding child, or ostracize if that doesnt work.
I’ve met a lot of my host families extended family. All the grandparents, some sisters, the cousins, and a few random others. My favorite is the twins great-grandmother, Hiba-chan. Woman is 88 years old, cooks a feast, and talks cozy to the foreigner guest. She also has a kohatsu, the wonderful lil Japanese invention of a warming table with a long blanket underneath which people snuggle up to into the cold of winter (as Japanese houses have no central heating). She lives above her daughters Japanese pizza shop in her own small apartment (about two blocks from where we live), and below a floor to her other granddaughter, the unmarried one whose name I never learned. Japanese pizza, if you’re wondering, is no deep dish. Soba noodles, no cheese, shrimp (terrors, as I’m allergic), and often cold, lest you ask for it hot. Hiba-chan, if you’re wondering, has lived in the area all her life. That means shes seen two World Wars, an atomic bombing (it is Nagasaki-ken after all), everything that came after that, industrialization, renounciation of the Emporer’s God-status, bare bones equal rights for women, the Japanese economy bubble boom and subsequent burst. I only wish I had enough Japanese skills to even begin to broach some of the things shes done, and as about them before this National Treasure is gone.
But rather, that ends my family segment. Good people, good meat, oh goodie, lets eat. ^_^v

So I finally got to go ice skating on Thursday with Cris and Damon and their visiting American friends and with Jess too. We went to the rink the Natural History Museum. I can´t remember the last time I went ice skating and so I was really bad to begin with. It was like learning to ice skate all over again. Then Saturday was the “International” Thanksgiving. I call it that because out of the thirty or so people that came, only about half were American and besides American Thanksgiving dishes there were also a few dishes from other countries. There was so much food that the next day Maggie invited a few people back to her flat to eat some of the left overs, which wasn´t completely successful because there was still food left! The days are ticking down until I go home for Christmas and I´m half excited and half feel as if I´m only here for a semester because of how sad I feel to leave (knowing that some people won´t be returning next semester, though on the brightside that leaves space for new people to meet). I know that I´m coming back here next semester, but sometimes it feels like going home in Dec. is final, even though I´m only going home for a few weeks. But that´ll help me to kick it into high gear here and hopefully do a lot more things before I leave here. I am getting excited about going home, though probably because I know that I am coming back here in early Jan and most likely going to Rome! Plus I´m already pre-registered for my classes next semester which look interesting, so now the only thing scaring me is the huge loan I have to take out . . .

Yesterday, we (JASIN students, Japanese former Seattle exchange students, and Seattle students who came to Nagasaki for unspecified purposes) went looking around different temples in the pouring rain. A walking tour. With Goverment sanctioned tour-guides. So freaking much rain. Why God why?? The trip wasnt cancelled and i got sicker feeling (a result of previous rain walking). The (illegal American) Suddafed does nothing!! Poor Seb forgot his umbrella, so he was one wet Brit prof. Alternatively, he would be offered his space under our umbrellas. We were able to see his families plot at one of the temple and shrines. Or at least, his wife’s family plot. He married into a very promient family. The Sainoos. When asked what would happen when he died, he idly suggested that his ashes would be tossed into the sea. Or he’d buy a new one. Which would be expensive. Land in Japan is but a dream.
I made a giant faux pas by standing on the wooden barrier between the inside of the shrine and the ‘outside’ world and was promptly manhandled off to avoid enraging the monks. Apprently you dont stand on the mid section of any such thing, such as shrine or between two rooms. Be warned people!
Yesterday was also a National Japanese holiday. We didnt have class, which is how we were able to go on tour. Im not sure what it was. I asked host mom and she did tell me, but alas I forgot.
Reports are due.

One month to go before I go home. How depressing.

Or some variation of that.  Apparently that´s how Hungarians toast.  And as it clearly sounds ridiculous, it can be expanded on the more uh…toasts you make.  Yes, I weekended in Budapest this weekend, and have no fear, I fully recognize the insanity of the fact that I flew across Europe for a weekend, but that´s the study abroad experience, no?  Ridiculous adventures made possible by the advent of a fully globalized and accesible international travel system!  Frontier, ha!  I heard Lonely Planet is already working on their newest book: The Moon.  In fact, I already found a great spot to open a hostel, right next to the Sea of Tears.  And I know a bunch of Aussies on their gap year who won´t mind the low gravity as long as they can work there for a while.  Oh and there´s a really good traditional Moonish food restaurant (they use a lot of saffron in their dishes) and it´s right next to the Subway.

But yes, Eastern Europe! 

  The building across the river is the Parliament building.  Budapest was beautiful, but not in the same way as Prague.  I still haven´t really come up with a fitting description of it.  But I do know that I was not there for nearly enough time (3 nights) and would love to go back.  The city is divided by the river and one side is Buda, mostly residential and historical, and Pest, more lively and full of aspirations for status as an internationally significant city. 

I went caving!  Lots of the city and such is above a vast network of caves.  For instance, Castle Hill, on the Buda side of the city, sits on top of a hill where it´s believed only 30% of the cave have even been discovered!  I like this style a lot.  Some of the holes we fit through were barely larger than the helmets we wore.  It was quite exciting. 

Oh and I met up with New Paltz friends in Budapest.  Danny and Debby are studying in Prague, so for them coming down to Budapest is just a hop on a train.  Here´s the sibs in Heros Park:

I ate at a vegan restaurant that served their attempts at traditional Hungarian cuisine, and it was definitely fantastic.

Well there´s more, but you should just go there and see it.  Budapest isn´t yet as insanely tourist filled as Prague, so it is YOUR mission to make that happen!  Let´s leave no city unfilled with Americans to get a grande latte from Starbucks in every language! She wants you to go! 

 So do they!  They´re working with all their formerly-communist tenacity to build a five star Marriot!   

 So do the Beatles.  Don´t worry, you can buy Love in every country.

 I heard this airline is going to be offering very cheap flights.  Good luck with that!  

My paper writing frenzy let up for a bit Wednesday, and then completely ended Saturday when I finished writing my last paper (though i still have final papers due in Jan). This collided nicely with my birthday weekend. It started with Jess and I going to a this promotional day at a salon that we got suckered into awhile ago. It turned out to be a really enjoyable day though- we drank lots of champagne, got our hair and make up done and then got keep a photograph after our own little photo shoot. It’s something that I normally wouldn’t do and so I figured I’m in London and it’s my birthday so why not. And from the amount of comments and “wow”s I’ve gotten when people see the pictures, I know it was worth it. It almost makes me want to call that number of a modeling agency from a card I was handed in Spitalfields a couple weeks ago when some guy approached me and asked if I was with an agency already . . . almost, but not quite.
Saturday night a bunch of us went to a club in Camden called Underworld for an indie night. It was really fun and it felt great to celebrate with the friends I’ve made here because it felt so normal, like I’ve known them for awhile, not just two months! Then Sunday on my actual birthday, after plans for ice skating became more complicated (apparently you have to book ahead of time), we ended up just going to Wetherspoons to eat and then to see Casino Royale. But I still had a great weekend and was happy to spend my 20th birthday in London (in central london and even in enfield!)

Although I’m looking forward to going home for Christmas and I will be home in less than a month, I’m also already planning on when to come back. My friend Raggy has a sister who lives in Rome and she invited me to visit with her. We talked about this Wednesday night when we had a little girly sleepover instead of going to Half Time like usual. I made some comment about how I’m excited for when some of my friends come here next semester and then I said “Well, not here, but Europe.” She laughed and said where do you think you are. I had meant that they weren’t coming to England, but to mainland Europe. But sometimes I do questions where I am. That night I was having a giddy sleepover with a Norwegian talking about visiting her sister in Rome, sometimes Jess, Maggie and I talk about New Paltz, then Jess and I ended with up going to see James Bond with Cris and Isaias, and I was talking to an Australian in a bar once and he said “there aren’t any English people in London” and how he had met lots of Australians. So I really don’t know where I am. Sometimes it feels like the US and then I get a jolt when I hear an English accent, sometimes it feels like just some sort of representation of all of Europe. But whatever it is, it’s amazing and I’m so glad that I’ve met all the people I have. And I, as well as the other students who are here for a year versus just a semester, can’t wait for the new batch of semester study abroad students to come in so we can make friends with them as well!

Im alltead out. I had some coffee in the morning, and then sadou kurasu, tea ceremony class, where we made two cups of tea the tradtional Japanese way, and some o-kashi, Japanese pastries to knock down some of the bitter taste. Then when I went home for the evening Host Father Kou-san made more green tea. While it was nice to wrap cold cold hands (Japan is in the 56 degree tempature marks now, you know) around a hot cup of tea, it was still like,” I JUST DRANK YOU.”

Theres only 35 days left in my trip. Im still not sure about the trip to South Korea, my non-American citizenship might make it troublesome. Maybe Mike can come to Tokyo and I’ll fly out there? Anything for a true visit.

Just some cultural points I’d like to make about Japan. The tubs of butter comes with a hole in the side that you punch out when you purchase it. A butterknife goes there and stays there. Seaweed grows everywhere, including drainage pipes, but people will still buy it from the store. Growing rice is a weekend warrior deal. No one can resist the sight of a foreigner playing with an affectionate shrine cat (I can testify). Everything is written in Japanese but with English subtitles underneath. Due to the increased globalization, there is a lack in what the net people call “Engrish.”  However, you will still find a sign in the Pengie Acquariuam that says “No Flush.”

 Thank you ‘n goodnight. Also, please see photobucket site for all the magic

Among many of the intriguing differences of conception of higher education between Spain and America, I’m especially fond of students use of the library in this country. People read books in the library! There only are five computers and there is no free and accessible printer for journal articles! It’s really fascinating. Every time I’m in there I see students poring over dusty manuscripts that are kept in some back room! I suppose it reminds me of the image of what libraries in college are supposed to be.

This nostalgia for things I’ve never experienced, so very 21st century, no?

Well, seeing all the real reading going on actually motivates me to push myself harder in the library. And now that I’m entering my time-to-study mode, I’m beginning to notice the regulars. I really like getting used to studious people in the library. In a bit I’m going to start sneaking candid photos of them. Perhaps I shouldn’t post that on the internet, but at the same time Spain seems to be way less concerned with individual rights of the nit-picky sort so it might not even matter.

The professor of my politics class actually made fun of us today for another cultural difference. All European students are quite comfortable with having their grades posted in public. Every essay, test, etc is posted on a wall and online for each student to peruse. But, he told us today, when he first did that with a class of Americans there was ire and shock. Now the Universidad de Sevilla has a special place where the Americans’ grades get posted, in private, and the Europeans still look at each other’s evaluations.

The doubly amusing aspect of this FDA approved USA hypocrisy is that every American college student knows we all proceed to compare marks as soon as the class is over. Although that did not seem to happen in class today after receiving our midterms.

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My parents were visiting this weekend, but I’m having photo issues so I’ll post that stuff soon. Thanks for visiting rents.

Alright, this is just a quick one. Haven’t really done much this week, as soon as I finished work on one paper, I started on another. The only times I went out were to events on campus- Half Time Wednesday night for much needed chill out time/stress relief and £1 Carling Friday night at the Forum, again much needed stress relief after writing three pages of my paper. However, Saturday a group of us went to see fireworks for the Lord Mayor’s show. It was pretty cool and it seems as if recently we’ve all become obsessed with fireworks! Here’s the website to check it out: http://www.lordmayorsshow.org/ because I don’t have enough time to explain what it’s all about.

Really scrambling to get this paper done since the computer labs aren’t open on the weekends and so I don’t have access to a computer unless I harass one of my friends to use theirs. Also discovered I took out a book for my paper which is pretty much useless. So needless to say I’m a little stressed. I’m also trying to think of too many things at once and plan out things months from now. I’m here for the academic year, if I wasn’t I’d be real sad because the semester ends in a month. Anyway, I plan to go home for Christmas, but I’ll have papers due in January and so either I have to scramble to get them done before I leave for Christmas or come back here early January and complete them then travel around a bit (I like that option better!). So I have to figure out when I’m returning here next year. I’m also trying to sort out finanical aid for next semester. This is the first time I’ll be taking out a loan and it’s more expensive to be here than back in NP, so I’m a little scared about that. I’m also looking over my classes and my major requirements again just to double check that I will be able to graduate on time. Then since I’ll have my room until June I plan to hang around here for a bit and travel around, hopefully with a friend of mine from home, but that all depends on how much money I have left as well as what summer job I’ll have and when that begins (which I’ll have to apply for from here, and I’ll have to do it early next semester to not get screwed out of a job again). So there’s a lot of things going around in my mind, some which are too far ahead in the future to worry about but still things that need to be given a thought.
Then of course my immediate worries are the paper I’m writing now, which has totally lost momentum, and the one I’ll have to write next week, which is also the weekend of my birthday and oh my God I’m turning twenty . . . ahh.

I think I’m just a little bummed because I haven’t really gotten out much, I think I just need to be reminded/inspired once more of where I am and then I should be fine.

While I do enjoy EL PAIS, the newspaper with the leftist slant, I am a little bothered by their editorial decisions right now.  They have been calling the US elections for two weeks now, essentially saying that the democrats are certain to win a majority in the states.  Of course, I’m optimistic for the same goal, but I am also wary of saying it’s definite before the elections are over.

Of course, this is VERY late to be mentioning it, but for all you abroad students, voting absentee is easy!  Even if you forgot to get your ballot before leaving the states, every county board of elections is all about facilitating your voting process.  All you have to do is send them a letter saying why you’re not there, the address you are voting from, and your signature at the bottom.  Then, they’ll send you the application with a postage paid envelope, and even if it’s close to the election they might include the actual ballot as well.  You send it back in a postage paid envelope, and then you vote absentee.

I was very excited to receive my absentee ballot, because I admit it, voting makes me happy.  Especially voting in New Paltz, we had five or six referendums this year!  Look how happy I am about it:

Anyway, voting is cool.  I am waking up at 8 in the morning to see the results.  I usually wake up that early, so I guess that’s no big deal.

I’m sick, send me some love and chicken soup.

So when I came back from Prague on Monday night I felt sort of odd for a day or two but now I’m back into the swing of things. This week has flown by with a vegence, being both productive (writing a paper, food shopping, emailing, cleaning my room!) as well as fun!

Tuesday night Flat 19 had a little quickly thrown together Halloween party and it was nice to see everyone get together but it also gave us a chance to talk about what’s on most of American minds here- THANKSGIVING! Friday after working on my paper a bit I went into Enfield Town with Maggie and Mike and bought a jacket since it’s getting a little chilly here (but not full blown NP bitter cold) and I only have a winter jacket and some light sweaters. I guess I was last at the shopping centre in Enfield Town around a month ago because now there’s some new stores that opened up where Maggie and I had to exercize major self control and we deemed some stores “dangerous” because of that reason.
Later on that night met up with some people at the uni bar, continuing the theme of seeing all those familar faces that I haven’t seen since before left for Prague. It seemed like everyone was either coming back from a weekend trip like Jess and I or embarking on a new one like some of our friends who were heading to Edinburgh. Jess had a friend, Dan, who’s stationed in Germany visit for the weekend so the three of us went out to the Zoo Bar that night (and because of my wondeful ace card I got in for half price, £5!)
Saturday I met up with some Americans and we headed into Central to walk around. Ryan and Greg head to Central whenever they have free time and just walk, so I figured they’d be good people to experience the city with even though it was pretty cold and Brady, Jen and I tried our best to pretend that we weren’t freezing. We walked around Covent Garden, a favorite of Ryan and Greg’s for the street performers and then finally settled on a nice Italian restaurant which turned out to be both cheap and delicious. We had the whole downstairs of the restaurant to ourselves for awhile, though oddly they placed techno music and then switched it to classical once more people began filling up the tables. We walked through Leicester Square and Piccadilly, where Brady headed home and Jen and I continued on to Trafalgar Square with Ryan and Greg who’s main goal it was to throw a football around various famous landmarks in London. We then walked Regent Street to Oxford Street and met Damon, Erigony, Jess and Dan at a bar called Marketplace where we were grateful for the warmth of indoors!
Sunday Jess, Dan and I met Erigony, Greg and Damon at Spitalfields Market where I ate the most amazing brownie and bought my sister an awesome bag that is just one big zipper (try and figure that one out without a picture)! Greg got a huge sandwich for £3 and both Greg and Dan bought super filling smoothies made with fresh ingredients. I wished I hadn’t eaten before we went there and I also, as with every market I go to, wished that I had infinite money to buy everything that was there for myself as well as others. Everytime I go to a market here I just see so many amazing things and people and food, and it makes me think of people back home and the things they would love while I try to take everything in. I think I could spend my whole time here just going to markets and I still wouldn’t feel like I’ve seen everything. I love the markets here!
Jess and Dan headed to the Ice Bar (where the whole bar is made out of ice and you have to wear parkas) and Greg, Erigony, Damon and I went to a coffeeshop where Jen joined us so we could make our way to Victoria Park to see fireworks for Guy Fawkes Day. It was funny because I had mentally put Spitalfields market on a list of things to do when my family comes to visit in February and then while we were waiting for the bus I got a phone call from them! I know that I’m going home for Christmas but I think I might be more excited for them to come here and visit me in February so I can show them around!

We met Jess, Dan and Ryan at Victoria Park were we followed the crowd in the dark to a field (we joked it was a cult meeting ending in mass suicide) to a fireworks display which was good once it picked up a bit, though Jess, Dan, Erigony and Damon said the one they went to the night before was much better. The ever-expanding group of eight of us now headed to to Chinatown to a buffet where we stuffed ourselves for £4.95. The group diverged a bit here but most of us walked down Whitehall, passed 10 Downing Street, and Parliament (how appropriate on Guy Fawkes night!) on a patented Damon City Walks Tour. On Westminster Bridge I learned from Damon that Guy Fawkes was hung, drawn, and quartered, something I read in medieval books when I was younger. He said that when Guy Fakes was being hung he somehow lifted himself up with all his weight and broke his own neck so as to not endure the full hanging and essentially had one last act of defiance.

This was the perfect London weekend to become reacquainted with the city after leaving it last weekend. I had a great time just walking around the city with friends (which brought back memories of walking around my own city) and in essence that’s what I feel like being in a new place is all about.
But I think I’m coming down with something, so excuse me will I go chug down some nasty medicine and proof read my paper!