I'm in Japan!

おひさしぶり です ね! It has been a long time hasn't it!

I have only been in Japan two days but it feels like much longer!

So much has happened I don't know where to start. The 14 hour plane ride was long and uncomfortable as expected. However, the views from the plane were breathtaking, especially when we finally arrived at Osaka. The moon was glowing pink in the sky and the bright lights of the city stretched on as far as I could see. Before coming to Japan it was hard to fathom that Osaka was one of the largest cities in the world, but now I know how it is first hand! St. Paul could fit in it 20 times I think. From the airport to my home stay family's house it took 70 minutes by bus. To travel through Osaka by car it would take at least a several hours.

Even though I had been awake for 24 hours straight I could not feel anything but exhilarated at seeing all that was going on around me. Lights and buildings and flashing signs made it impossible to see the stars in the sky. When I finally met my home stay family it was awkward for me, because I was so exhausted I couldn't think of what to say in Japanese, but they were very nice and when I got to my new home I took a shower in a Japanese style bathroom. That is not that easy to do, but it is hard to describe without showing a picture! Maybe sometime when I am the only one home I will take pictures of all the rooms. I have not taken a picture with my home stay family yet either, but I will when everyone is home.

My home stay family are the Shoda's and their house is two stories. My bedroom is on the second floor and is quite spacious. I have my own desk, bed, closet, dresser, mirror, and kotatsu (a heated table that you put a special blanket cover over in the winter so your legs can stay warm when you sit at it). The first thing that I had to "figure out" was the bathroom. Above the toilet there is a small sink (probably 8x7 in.) and when you flush the toilet water comes out of the sink! I thought at first that it was the dirty toilet water! But I found out today that after you wash your hands in the sink the used water fills up the toilet tank again for the next person who uses it. It is a way of cutting down costs.

Probably my favorite thing about my first day in Japan was when my home stay niece in 3rd grade made me ham and cucumber sushi with her "easybake-esqe" sushi set. That same night my family made me okonomiyaki, which is a traditional Osaka food. It is sort of a cross between an omelette and a pancake. It had eggs, bacon, a special batter, grated radish, and is topped with mayonnaise and a sauce that I don't know but is good. I don't really like the mayonnaise though, so I ate around it.

Today I went to Osaka Gakuin for the first time for orientation. My homestay mother went with me to show me the way to school. First there is a 5-10 minute bike ride to a bike parking lot, where I bought a pass to park my bike. Then I walk another 5 minutes to the train station. I bought a 3 month pass there and road the train to school, which took another 10 minutes. I am lucky because most students have to ride for an hour or hour and a half.

At OGU there are only about 25 exchange students, and they come from all over. Finland, Germany, Philippines, Taiwan, Mexico, Holland, and other places I'm sure I'm forgetting. I met a lot of great people and I can't wait to get out around town and have fun with them. Tomorrow and Saturday I have more orientation and then I start class on Monday.
Well I have to go now! Dinner is almost ready and I should go downstairs to visit with my お母さん and お父さん (mother and father)

じゃ また 明日 See you later!
リンズィー