Independence Day

Today I have a lot to talk about!!! First to answer the questions of the lovely people who commented on the last post:
Mom: the salmon here is salt water salmon and for three nights in a row, it was so salty we couldnt eat it. I also have it every day with my rice. I think there was a pic of the fish in the Kamakura upload (wich is up). And tell Micheal of course I took those pictures for him!!! ^^ And also, do you know what Miles wants for a gift??
JT: My family! Okay I`ll start with Ayumi! She`s a year older then me, and a second year in highschool(junior). She goes to Aoyamagakuen in Aoyama, Tokyo. In August she goes to Switzerland for half a year. We get along great! I am thrilled to have a big sister! Last night we spent over an hour watching Nomo Neko (the cat on my wallet) dance to Numa Numa, and then watching the Hare Hare Yukai! And other things! XD We also sometimes study together, and she helps me with translating my manga. She likes manga and we both love Utada Hikaru! For the past few days we have been singing Beautiful World, which has been on the radio many times!!
Okaasan, my mother, is a kindergarten teacher at Fujimi Kindergarten. She is studying so she can move up and teach Elementry school, and so on. Shes really nice, and makes me a bento every morning! Sometimes she can be a little scary, but most of the time shes totally cool!!
Otoosan, my dad, is a company employee. I don`t really know where he works, but he leaves home first and is one of the last people home at night. He gets up really early, and when the US played Brazil in South Africa, he woke me up at 5am so we could watch the end together. He is really nice, and he, Ayumi, and I sometimes have long conversations about the most random things!
Nao is a university student, but he likes to play video games. He doesn`t really speak English, so he and I don`t talk much. Thus, I know pretty much nothing about him.
Molly: hmmmm I cant really thing of much else... verb forms? oh! and that stuff about working!!
And to bothe JT and Molly: JT, today while I was in Akihabara, I was getting ready to buy your DVD when I saw the price. It was more then 40$. Sorry, but thats a little to much! And Molly, I was going to surprise you and get you Ponyo, but it was the same. Just to much! Sorry!!
The floor is still open for questions.

And for the news!!
Yesterday the church we go to had an International Foods Banquet! There were two girls from Nevada there for a bit. They were from People to People, and only in Japan for two weeks, for which they traveled through the islands. They thought it was way cool that I was staying for two months. When we were being introduced, I was asked where I came from and when I replied Kansas they both gasped in shock and went `oh! you speak English!!` That was probably the funniest thing I`ve heard in ages! When I told my family about it at dinner, we all laughed! Other then that, I sat with a VERY nice woman who speaks English and helped my translate things. The foods where from Brazil, Peru, and Korea. And I love Avacodo juice!!
Today Ayumi and I went to Akihabara, Otaku capital of the world!!! XD It was. . . interesting. There were a couple girls in Loli, and when one walked past, I told Ayumi ``Kawaii!!!`` and the girl turned and smiled at me! So much better then telling me to go away like the girls in Harajuku. I`m still mad about that.....
So we were in Akihabara to buy Ayumi a converter for Suisse(Switzerland), but she ended up not getting one. Then for lunch. . . oh god ... I let Ayu talk me into going to a Maid Cafe. It was one of those once in a life time, live the second, type moments. So. . . There were all these girls dressed in maid outfits from various cafes on the street, and when you wanted to go to one, you just ask the maid, and she takes you to her cafe! Where you are then greeted by all the ladies who work there, and everything is extremely cute! I was laughing most of the time at how weird/cool this was. There is a pic we got on my photobucket! Pictures werent allowed accept for ones that they took, and pics of the food. Ayumi`s dish is the one in the pic. I just got spagehtti.
While we were there, the Hare Hare Yukai started to play... Ayu and I started laughing. Then (what I find amazing is that I was really wanting to listen to this song the night before) Carameldansen!!! I thought of you and Haley, JT. So of course I had to sing along!!
So! Then we rushed to another part of Tokyo (I can`t remember the name, but its where the Supreme Court for Japan is) and met Okaasan for Kabuki!!!!!!!!! There were other YFU people there, but I didn`t get a chance to talk to them.
Kabuki is AMAZING! If you every get a chance, watch it. There were little tapes you could listen to that explained it for forgeiners (and some from Japanese people too!!)! In the beginning they had a little demo and we were allowed to take pictures! Otherwise no pictures.
The play portion was about Goro, and man sworn to avenge the death of his father, and is part of a series of plays about Goro and his older broth Juro and their vendetta! In this play, he in wishing for luck in the new year, and has a dream about Juro being kidnapped by the Shogun who killed their father. It ends with him running off to save Juro.
After that was the Whisteria Maiden`s Dance. In Kabuki, all actors are male. But you could hardly tell. The dance was beautiful and so were the contumes! I loved the shamisen music, and Okaasan said that when we go to Obaasan`s house next week, she will play the shamisen for me!!!
Then we stared heading back home. On the train, Ayumi and I talked about things that are popular in the US and in Japan. There was a poster for a new drama coming out about vampires, and for awhile I thought it was Twilight, but she said no. Also, Twilight it NOT big in Japan. She said some of her friends went to see the movie (which just came to theatres) and liked it, but that she hadn`t.
At the trainstation in... somewehre... we ate at a cute little shop. I had a green tea icecream, with anko, mandarin oranges, and some other stuff. OMG I haven`t talked about Anko yet!!! Holy crap! Anko is my favourite sweet right now!!! It sooooooooooo yummy, I`m going to die without it when I get back home!! Anko is red bean paste. JT If you remember back to AFW when we ate at the Chinese restuarant, the little peach buns that no one liked? Yeah, they were filled with anko. I am in love with Dorayaki, which is like two pancakes with anko between! so yummmy!!
So, when we finally got back to Ageo, it was dark, and we had to ride our bikes home. I kept thinking, man, Dad would kill me! I found out that my bike actually does have a light, but its pretty crapy if you ask me! But it was fun trying weave around traffic in the dark!! XD
And as a little side note, I`ll admit that since the second day in Japan, I have been feeling terribly homesick. I`d been edgy, and counting down the days til I could come home and talk with people and be in a place I was used to. Slowly things started to get better, but I think today it finally wore off. On the train ride home I was thinking to myself, I`m in Japan. And I guess that`s when it really hit me. RIding my bike home, I couldn`t help but feel relaxed, knowing that I was totally comfortable with my new life.
In the short few weeks I have been here, I have come to realize a lot. Japan is alot like America, and, I`m sure, most other countries in the world. The people here are people, just like you would find in the US. They have normal lives, where they work, go to school, and study. They have daily schedules, just like we do in the US. And I think for awhile that bothered me. But today I came to realize that that`s life. That no matter where you are, things will be the same. There are, of course, differences, and that`s what makes it all the better.
While I have been here, I have come to have a better respect for America as well. I no longer feel that I have to get out of there as soon as I can, I know that no matter where I go, as long as I have friends, and a rutine, I can enjoy myself and live my life.
Truth is I really miss you guys, but life here is so great! I don`t want to leave in however many weeks I have left!!
By the way, Happy Independence Day!!

So much!!!!

Okay, so a lot has been going on! I wanted to post two days ago, but I didn`t have time, and last night I was catching a cold, so I went to bed early and slept alot!
But let me try to recap:
So I`ve been working at the kindergarten with all the kids, who are amazing. But yesterday was my last day, along with the three university girls who were working as interns. there was a good by party, and they played the song from Totoro on the hand bells. Tanaka sensei gave my the piano music for it, so Molly, Mrs. Emily, we need to find a piano so we can learn it one Japanese class!! And Michael, I promise to play it for you when I get back.
Last night we went to Inagakuan, my new school, and its pretty impresive. THe school itself has 6 buildings, and all of their clubs (sports etc) have one national awards! They don`t have a girls soccer club, so I was thinking of joining track (yes mom, they have tennis, but I can do that in America!!) but the my regional YFU lady said I should do a Japanese clud. So now I`m debating between Kyudo, Karate, and Kendo. Anyways, the school is so prestigious, that they are even lending me a uniform to wear, and man is it awesome!! I will try to get pics later! There are two students who will elad me around, Rikako and Ami. They are both really nice, and Rikako lives close by, so on days when she doesnt have lacrosse practice, see and I will go and leave school together. On day she does have practice, I will ride the bus.
And after that we went to grandmas! Where a wonderful meal was waiting! I love Japanese food. and her house was very traditional and cool!! Only problems was: i was sick! At kindergarten, we played in one of those kiddy pools, and i got very wet, then I walked around with wet hair, and BAM! Cold. So I was sickly, and a went to bed as soon as we got home! And this morning, I slept a lot, and now, it:s not so bad.
And today!! wooo!!! We went to Tokyo to see a very popular TV show called Shoten. I didnt understand most of it, but it was still interesting! Afterwards we went shopping and I got to eat Ramen!! yuuuuummm!!! Ayumi and I went into a Shonen Jump store and it was interesting. . . Ariel I thought of you!
On the way home we picked up shoes and socks for school, and then we have just been chilling here. There has been more im sure, ill write later.
to add, I called home. it was good to hear fluent english XD I helped Ayumi translate a letter from her host family in Suisse, she leaves in August. and life is pretty sweet!
Molly, sorry I forgot to answer in my last post, but the bikes arent too heavy. They are by no means light, but I`m used to my hulking mountain bike. . . so....
And Jacey, if your reading, I just found out that you really can just pop the memory card into the computer. My host father just showed me.... i was laughing inside
And Ariel, yesterday, I asked a friend what the date was and she told me the 19th... and I went `oh god!!!!` So heres my way late shout out: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! YOU OLD WOMAN!!!!!!! love you and hope it was great!!!
And Jilly (man to many shout outs...) I have been working on the story. I got to listen to the CB song, its great. And cant wait to hear the TH songs!!!!!

love you all!! so much!!!! look forward to your comments! feel free to tell more of what you are doing!! i would love to read!!!
and also I didnt upload pics. . sorry.....

JAPAN!!!!

OMFG I'M IN JAPAN!!!!!
Yeah, so plane ride was genki. I got to sit by my good friend Jessica and we had a lot of fun keeping eachother awake for 10 hours. It was great.
The whole "I'm going to Japan!" thing didn't kick in til we were landing. Then I started freaking out. I was so excited, and I still am. Japan is BEAUTIFUL. The ride from Narita to Tokyo was filled with industrial things overgrown with plants. It was cool. Then we got into the city, and it was building after building! AMAZING!
There is still a lot more I want to write and so many pictures I want to post, but they are all on Stacie's computer and I'm using my new roommates. . . We are currently staying at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo (I think we are in Shinjuku, not sure...)
And yes Zach, we were in dorms at a college in San Jose.
My host family will pick me up from the hotel tomorrow, and then I'm off!!!
Much love from this end!!!