I'm Nicol, from America!

HELLO!

HOLA! こんにちわ!

I’m Nicol and I am the new LEX America Intern, and I am so excited to be here! I will be in Japan for 1 year working at the LEX Hippo office. I don’t know exactly what to expect, but I hear I will be busy and learn many new things! (Please excuse all the english I'm still learning😅)

A Little About Me:

I am from a tiny town in Oregon USA! I love sports, and almost anything outdoors. I played a lot of volleyball and track and field in high school. (スポーツすきです) 😂When I went to college I picked up ultimate frisbee and a little game called spikeball. I have been in 4-H since I was 9 years old and it is how I got involved with LEX- HIPPO Family Club, this amazing program. I’ve hosted 5 month long exchange students, 1 year long exchange student, and participated in a month long homestay to Japan 5 years ago! Since then I have been looking forward to coming back to Japan, little did I know I'd be working for LEX Hippo

Me in Kyoto 5 years ago💜 にほんに5年前

My First Few Week In Japan:

I arrived in Japan septh 15th and we had a Hippo Activity that night. It was so nice to at least get to see so many friendly faces. (Names are difficult for me, but I shall learn!) After talking with them it is crazy to see how many connections there are within the huge program of LEX. 

Typical HIPPO Family Club😀 (I may or may not be faking that smile from jet lag:)楽し

I’ve showed some pictures of me helping with orientations in America and people are always pointing out who they know! LEX is the biggest family! (I will probably talk about this a lot). We’ve had many more Hippo clubs and I love them and getting to meet so many people. I’ve also never had so many people ask me about my life! Haha, they are all so interested in where I’m from and what I like to do, AND comparing Japanese and American culture.

What are we doing? I don't exactly know. BUT I LOVE IT

I really wish I could just speak Japanese right now, so I could chat freely with all the wonderful people I am meeting. In my two weeks, I feel like the sounds are getting settled into my brain, I still have to hear a word probably at least 100 times before I remember it, but I'm picking up more everyday, but still the only things I really get are the expressions, and they are the cutest thing. MY FAVORITE so far is べつ ばら "Betsu bara" meaning no matter how full of food we are, there is a second stomach for dessert, always. And if that ain't truth I don't know what is. I want to learn Japanese as quickly as possible, so I really appreciate those who speak to me in Japanese and take time to help me understand what they said. It is so helpful! 
The learning process is so slow and I would like to speed it up! (I know it has only been just over two weeks.) I have only spoken english my whole life with little to no language diversity, and HIPPO is all about knowing many languages and being mulitcultural, and I think it is the COOOOOLEST thing! However I am very far behind, and everyday am working on my Japanese! Or Spanish, or Korean, or Chinese or the many others!

America-Japan-Mexico-Thailand-Korea  5 people-- 5 countries! I am still so new to all the languages and cultures combined at LEX, it's the BEST👍

My host family is so amazing! They are so nice and patient with me. They know that I want to speak Japanese and I just can’t yet so they are helping me learn a lot. My host mom is such a good mom. She helps me with all the small chores of an inten and my schedule, she helps me learn about the trains and if I need to grab a jacket. We share a lot of cultural questions and have a lot of laughs, she is so cute! She is so busy! and always makes sure I am taken care of. Homestay life is a little hard to adjust to, I've never been good at asking for things and I have to rely a ton on others while asking a MILLION questions, but it’s all part of the experience, and personal growth. It’s hard to know the routine of the family, and have casual conversation or to simply fit in. But I absolutely LOVE IT and being able to be a part of their family for a little bit.

I feel so welcomed! タノシイ

I can't express MY GRATITUDE enough for all the people here! I was able to go and stay with two new host families over a weekend and I am so happy to meet them and for them to make me feel at home!

1st Kondankai at Honbu🎬 懇談会

My first Junior High school presentation😺楽し

"What do you want to do in Japan?" (besides Hippo of course)"SIGHTSEEING"

EVERYTHING is different here, and I LOVE IT. I certainly feel a little out of place at times, but I love to learn all the new things! Living with host families is certainly the best way to really understand a culture in my opinion. How the houses look, getting to work (TRAINS 電車), how we eat🍙 (chopsticks, the BEST thing), the language 日本語 (DUH), how they greet people, shopping, fashion, the FOOD, what they drink, even the bathrooms... Everything is different! But so far I love it all! Especiallllllyyy the food. 美味しい!!!

I seriously love all the food! Soba, そば tempura, oodon, gouza, all the soups they are great! The desserts are certainly FAR different from American desserts, but I love trying everything, and haven't had anything crazy awful! 😂 Squid いか is probably my least favorite, depending on how it's cooked ;)

I found this cute guy while walking up the SO MANY stairs🐉

I wanna know who translates bags and shirts😂

And this Gem. ❤😂

Well I can't write it all, but I am learning so many new things! Can't wait to see what I learn, till next time!!

 ありがとうございました!