Home Away from Home

So exciting! I am finally with my host family!

So yesterday we woke up at the Keio Plaza Hotel. It was so nice! One of the YFU Japan reps went to Australia for a year and had a funny accent somewhere between Japanese and Australian.

Then we went and met some people from the US Embassy here in Japan. It was interesting... After that we went to the Meiji Shrine and then to Harajuku. Meiji was cool, until we had to clense our mouths and I accidentally drank from the cup. I will never do that again!!! I learned.

I`m to lazy to post pictures, so I am going to put up links:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n157/MinaBlack/IMG_0096.jpg

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n157/MinaBlack/IMG_0096.jpg

In Harajuku, most people gave us weird looks... The Forever21 had a line out front... it was crazy! Then we found and H&M. We went in, but my friend Anna (the only one who would go in with me) was bothered by the weird looks people gave us so we left fast. No we were to nervous to go into the Japanese stores. A lot of weird looks...

The ride back to the hotel was long, and I was so nervous about meeting my family. Only nine of us went home today, and I was lucky to be one of them. I said goodbye to all my friends and waited for my family. There was only o ne man there, and I kept thinking he was my dad, but I wasn`t sure. Then He was introduced to me. We gathered my things and left. My host father speaks a very little bit of English, so we had fun trying to talk to each other.

Mom, I really regret bringing so many bags... the only good thing that came out of dragging them to Shinjuku station and then waiting with them for the hour train ride to Ageo was that I know I got a good work out. Especially when I had to carry them up the stairs! My arms and legs still hurt!

At Shinjuku, we met Ayumi. She is so nice! The three of us borded the train together and went to Omiya where I finally got a watch. No more not knowing what time it is! Yes! lol then we got back on the train and went to Ageo. Yes, I still had my bags.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n157/MinaBlack/IMG_0102.jpg

When We got to the house I put my bags in Ayumi`s room, which is where I am staying. Ayumi started making dinner when her brother, Nao, came home, followed by her mother. Everyone is soooooooo nice!

We had Japanese hamburgers and miso soup for dinner. Japanese hamburgers are amazing! So much better then American hamburgers!! They have veggies in them and aren`t greasy. Unfortunatly, I wasn`t very hungry. I ended up finnishing mine for breakfast. We slept on futon, which weren:t as comfortable as I thought. I woke up around 5, but Ayumi wasn`t up yet, so I went back to bed. I woke up many times, none of which Ayumi was awake. We finally got up around 10:30, by which time I was VERY hot! And sweaty and gross. I took a shower, which took my forever to figure out, then Ayumi and I went to the super market. I was stared at, but pretty used to it.

When we came back, she showed my her books. She likes manga a lot. Then we made a Strawberry Shortcake for her friends, but since we had no strawberries, it was a Kiwi Shortcake. Goldern kiwi are oishi. Then she helped my with some Japanese.

When ootosan came home, we went to a department store for more food. We bought things for spagetti, and then, the highlight of my life: purikura!!! American would benifit from purikura! It`s like a photobooth, but then you can edit all the pictures with cute little addons. I`ll show you all the pictures when I get home!!

Oh! And Mrs. Emliy, I have a question: I was told when I got here that they dont drink water, only moicha. Do you know where I can drinkm just plain water? I`m dying for some......

for more pictures just take the links and go through my album. JT flickr limits uploads so I:m not using it.

love you all!