I realized that I'm terrible at this blog but I'm going to try and get better.... (don't count on it)
Last semester was a bit hard on my health, however I learned some good basics about life and about the culture too. I'm now living in homestay in Neyagawashi, out by Kayashima station. I have about an hour commute one way but I actually like it more (even though I officially pointlessly bought, and last minute, learned how to ride a bike).
Last semester I was in dormitories, dorm 4 to be exact. (The triply cursed dorm- number 4, and by both a graveyard and a crematorium.) I spoke far too little Japanese for my liking, the general populace was English-speaking or just wanting to practice English. I'm not speaking much more in homestay though as my host mother, Machiko, has hosted students for years and speaks very good English. However, the wonderful experiences I have already had make up for my lack of language use. I'm also finally learning more Japanese as I'm not in a level repeating the exact same materials that I had spent a prior semester learning.
Homestay is a bit lonely, it's only my host mother and I and she often has work or meetings to attend (she's a preschool teacher) and I rarely get to see my friends from last semester but I'm a lot less stressed I think. There was a guy last semester who I was having, as a friend, help tutor me, however he had other motives that we disagreed on causing a lot of stress and unwanted mental turmoil. I do miss my roommate though, we had similar interests and got along really easily.
Over the winter break I did go home for 3 weeks as it ended up being cheaper to, as I had already booked my flight back to Canada on a roundtrip ticket. I was happy to be home, but I didn't spend enough time with people I really wanted to. Before I did go home though my parents came to Japan and we travelled around for about two weeks. Living in the dormitory then spending the time with my parents clearly showed me that I'm ready to move out, and that if I stay more than one semester still living at home, it won't work out for me, so as soon as I get home I will be exchanging books at the used store and getting a job (or two) and saving up to get out.
I was in Toyko until the night of the 2nd and bought my very first brand lolita both new- in the form of a Lucky Pack from Alice and the Pirates, and used from Closet Child. Lucky packs are either special limited sets, or grab bags of merchandise marked down at a very high rate- often 50% or above. One of the clothing stores in Laforet, for example, was selling a designer jacket regularly priced around 600000Y for 95000Y. Japan doesn't have boxing day sales- this is what the new years Fukurobukuro (lucky packs) are for, and you can find them everywhere even the grocery store.When I went to LaForet (A&P) I arrived early and ended up going into a seperate lineup on the very cold roof where I got let in 15 minutes early to beat the rush. I first accidentally followed a girl into the staff check in though, oops! They still use papercards for check in there and have to deal with the security guards for check in. Very 1950s feel I think. Anyways, I waited up on the roof for about an hour and had a short chat with some Japanese girls in line. It was a really interesting experience in and of it's self, especially for the large variety of fashion that people wore while waiting.
Before I left to go home I spent some time with friends mostly in Osaka and Kyoto. Kimiko and I spent the 3rd in Kyoto renting kimono and visiting the temples for some late New Years celebrations. The New Year lasts several days in Japan and actually the celebrations begin on the 30th and last until around the 7th. There are a variety of regional specific traditional foods, or the special new years mochi for family, and people often visit shrines to get their new year-long fortunes. I got two which seemed good, but they did contrast on the point of travel- one said it was lucky to travel east while the west unlucky, but my other fortune said the opposite. Fortunes are sold based on your birthday, and there's also a game where you shake a tube and get a stick out of it and then take that stick to the temple miiko to get your fortune. The ladies who owned the kimono shop actually had a hard time fitting me as I was so tiny, and they were worried about the obi being too tight. I love the feel of a tight obi or corset though, and think it's like a friendly constant hug. Obi also give nice support for the back. It snowed that day, and of course snow and rain are bad for kimono fabrics so we spent a lot of time inside, and we had tea both at a cafe and at a traditional tea room.
It's been so long since I actually published anything that I don't really know what to say ^^"
I'll try to update more often, there should be another one coming up this week I hope
