Danielle- Saitama

Saitama

Hey, everybody! So these past few weeks have been an exciting, emotional few weeks.

First of all, I moved! As much as I loved Yachiyo, Chiba and the host family I stayed with, it was time to move on (rule as an intern is to change host families every 3 months). Now, I'm living in Okegawa, Saitama, and though it's only been a few days, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT HERE, TOO! Veerrrry country here, complete with gravel roads, rice fields surrounding the neighborhood, frogs croaking all night, and the nearest train station being a 45 minute walk away. It's definitely a great fit for me. And my new host family has been wonderful to me. Again, I've been so lucky. :)

That was the exciting part. The emotional part involves a really good friend of mine (who's been my interning partner these past 8 months) returning back to Mexico. He only has one week left here in Japan, and I know I'm really gonna miss him a lot. Thanks for the good times, Miguel!! I'll see you in Mexico!

So... I guess that's that for this blog post. Lots going on to keep my mind occupied lately. Having such a great partner and friend leave me so soon reminds me how fast time is going by, and how I, too, will be heading back to America soon. But I try not to think about leaving, because there is still so much I want to do, and so many people I want to meet while I'm here! Thusfar, it's been an absolute dream-come-true being here, being able to do the work that I do, and help out in the ways that I can. It's been a great experience, and I hope for the best these next 3 months. :D

Comments

Maddie- The First of Many New Experiences

The First of Many New Experiences So, what have my first weeks been like in Japan? ABSOLUTELY BUSY! But, also...AMAZING! Truly, it has been a busy couple of weeks here, but not overwhelmingly so. Furthermore, I`d prefer to be kept busy! Too much free time = too much thinking = homesickness. By keeping a full, fun schedule, with some relaxing and downtime, I can keep engaged with my surroundings, make new friends, and stay sane. To prevent a wall of text, let me break down for you some of my recent activities. So far, I have: Presented about my life in Wisconsin to classes of middle school and elementary school students. Eaten kaiten-zushi, or conveyor belt sushi. Been interviewed about my biggest surprise when I came to Japan (it`s bluntness in regards to appearance, people won`t hesitate to call someone fat, or tell you that you`ve gotten skinny since they last saw you. As I`ve seen it, it`s never been malicious, just matter-of-fact). Post filming. To my ...

Daniel- I have Guests!

I Have Guests! [訪れていた] (Daniel) After a trip to the Middle East, my sister and her husband decided to return to the US flying over Asia instead of Europe, so that they could stop by in Japan and say "Hi". Y-A-A-A-A-Y. It felt really good to see some family after seven months away. Unfortunately, the two of them could only stay for 3 days, so we were quite busy during that time. The three of us visited obvious famous places like Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya, Asakusa, and Akihabara. But I personally enjoyed going to a park where we did the tea ceremony in a tea house on the park's pond. The two of them found it strange that there were no chairs and the process to drink some tea was so formal. I guess I didn't really think about it, I have become so used to traditional tea ceremonies that they don't seem strange to me anymore. I guess I'm becoming a local I also really enjoyed introducing my sister and brother-in-law to my co-work...

Daniel- Okutama

Okutama　(Daniel) This past week, my eyes were opened to the fact that Japan is much more than a concrete jungle of lights and high-rise buildings. For the first time, I was able to head west to Okutama, a mountainous region on the west side of Tokyo Prefecture. Unlike the city, Okutma is covered with forest and greenery. The abundance of nature makes it a beautiful place to visit in the fall. Not too far from Okutama is Heirinji Zen Temple in Saitama, where I was blown away by the beauty of autumn in Japan. The purpose for my being in that area was to visit a kindergarten and to give a HIPPO presentation along with other HIPPO members. Among them was a younger gentleman nicknamed Tango, whom I hadn't met before. Tango and I got along very well, and he invited me on a hike, along with his friend, the next day. Tango's family owns a very quaint Soba restaurant in Okutama. The surrounding mountains and nature really give it a traditional Japanese feel. The three of u...

Search This Blog