Theoretically, ends always turn into beginnings

So, we're only three weeks into this term, and I already feel like somehow an entire LIFETIME has passed. I've barely had a second to breathe, but I can't really figure out what I've been doing. Other than going to school all morning and then working all evening and afternoon everyday Monday to Friday. I've managed to keep myself busy the weekends, too!

First of all, it was Martin's birthday on July 14, and I'd been telling him I would go to this all night gay dance party with him, so we finally did the Saturday after Cathryn left. And it was SO MUCH FUN!!!! Even though it required staying out till 5 in the morning. I was worried, because, well, I don't stay out that late. And, contrary to when I was in Montreal, when in France, I really hated going out dancing.

a picture a new friend took of us walking to the station at 5ish. We look (and are) tired!

Then the next Friday, we celebrated with the class, and we all bowling!

Me with Cesar, and Martin and Rin in the background!

I love bowling!!!! This was only my second time going since being in Japan, though. As usual, I won the first game and then BADLY lost all of the following games. It's as if, while everyone else is getting into the groove of things, my arm is deciding that, no, it's done.

Of course I forgot my camera, so I had to steal that picture from Cesar. We also got a purikura, which I was SUPER excited about, as it was my first one EVER!

Then that Saturday, I headed to Gifu to hang out with Abbie and Matt, friends of Kristen's from Colorado that are living in Gifu now. They came to see me in Okazaki, and I finally found time to return the visit.

Abbie made vegan gluten-free banana pancakes, and they were DELICIOUS! We also decided to buy matching-ish hats, and I sort of love mine! They brought me to this place called Donkey Hodai (I really can't remember what this place was called, and I know it wasn't Hodai, but it was definitely Donkey something), which had to be the craziest store I'd ever seen. Everything was EVERYWHERE! And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING, as this store really did sell any possible product I could ever think of.

Good times were had. I left on Sunday eveningish and headed to Nagoya, where I saw my FAVORITE Japanese (well, really they're pretty high up there on the general list as well) punk band, Special Thanks.



I've definitely written about them before, and I was SO excited to FINALLY get to see them live! It was AMAZING! Unfortunately, I think that it could have been MORE amazing. It was the last show of their tour, and you could tell that they were super tired. And I got the feeling that there was some major tension going on between the bandmates. I can't imagine how AMAZING it would have been, had they been on. I'll obviously just have to stay in Japan long enough to find out.

A band called Stompin' Bird opened up for them, and they were also TOTALLY amazing! How did it take me so long to realize that punk in Japan is where it was in the late 90s in the states? How am I ever going to leave?

The the next weekend, I went to Sakae Oktoberfest on Friday.

It was cool, and it was HILARIOUS seeing all of these cute little Japanese girls dressed up in what I assume was supposed to be German costumes but which looked far more like Swedish milk maid costumes.

Then I went out dancing at Club ID, and I had a fabulous time! Two times going out dancing in three weeks, and two times having a great time! Obviously there was something wrong with me when I was in France. Or, rather, there was something wrong with France.

Then Saturday, I went yukata shopping with Naruse and Miyoko, as Miyoko seemed to DESPERATELY want to see me in yukata. She even bought me some geta and made me some yukata undergarments. So anyhow, now I have a new yukata, and if things go as planned (and I can find someone to teach me how to put it on), I'll wear it to the Okazaki fireworks fest next week. And then you'll see pictures!

Then last Sunday I went to Nagoya Freedom. And it was so awesome that it deserves its own entry.

The Time Between

So, after Rachel and Josh left, I had a little bit of time to hang and relax and have tests before Guillaume arrived and I went traveling again.

First, we got assigned to our new classes (wow, that seems like it was AGES ago at the beginning of August - I can't believe I am just writing about it now), and I ended up in a class with Alexis but not with Martin. I absolutely ADORE my new class, so that is good. I still have Suzuki先生 sometimes, and since she is awesome, I am happy about that. Tsuruta先生 is my homeroom teacher, and she is fabulous as well. My two new teachers, though, I am still very iffy about.

Other than that, a bunch of us went to see a sumo match, which was super fun.

Martin, me, Lyn, Lauren, Alexis, and Tom

It's true that they were all super enormous, but for some reason they weren't nearly as enormous as I was expecting them to be.

The matches lasted about two seconds, and very little happened in them. But somehow, they stilled managed to be super intense.

So yeah, the sumo was SUPER fun, and I am so glad to have gotten the oportunity to see that in Japan!

Then one weekend, Jin Han and I met up with Sayumi, one of the people that was teaching us in our dance class, and we went to the matsuri (festival) in Nishyou (and least I think that's the name of the place).


Me and Jin Han

We were psyched to get to go, and we even got to dance (with Sayumi's team), which was super fun!


Sayumi's team dancing


Notice how incompetent I look compared to Jin Han!

It made me want to learn ALL of the Yosakoi dances, and I am sad that I haven't been able to continue. It was nice to be able to practice before the real dancing as the Yamasa team at the Okazaki festival.

Also, one day, Yamasa had a "try on your own yukata" get-together/session/I really don't know what to call it. We got to try on two different yukatas, and, well, I proved to be fairly incompetent.


This is the first one I tried on, that was super awesome 80's looking!

Me with Lauren and Alexis in the second one I tried on.
I had some trouble breathing in the second one.
When Guillaume came to visit, he was so kind as to buy me a yukata (YAY!!!!), and so now I've got one of my own!

Me in the Yukata that Guillaume bought for me.

Which one of the three do you like best?

Anyhow, so I'm sure there were other things going on, like we went to see the new Miyazaki film, Arietty, which is based on the books the Borrowers, by Mary Norton, which are some of my favorite books from when I was little. And since it was Miyazaki with the Borrowers, of COURSE it was AMAZING. More than amazing. And it was in Japanese without subtitles, and I actually pretty much understood it, which was super exciting for me!

And then it was time for Obon, and Guillaume was on his way! Details and pictures coming soon!