Japanese Spring Break... Watch Out!!!

So my first semester in Japan is just about finished. I didn't think the way the Japanese did all their year end cramming would be so tough. With all theses cumulative exams piled on top of each other and counting for up to 50% of your grade, it gets a bit crazy. Luckily everyone here so far has survived.

In coming to Oita, I somehow thought that just being in Japan would make me magically fluent. I was wrong. I still have a long way to go. However, considering how burnt out I was last year, I feel like my experience so far has re-ignited the passion that I need to learn and be interested in this language and culture.

I also didn't expect much when I came to Oita to be honest. I didn't think it would be necessary or even logical to try and get close to anyone, but I was wrong. I've met so many amazing people in my time here so far. Drinking at the Izakaya last night for our last big hoorah, I never realized how close you can get to people in such a short time. With some of us staying, but some of us leaving, it was bitter sweet, but beautiful. While i'm sad to let go of my friends that I was starting to get close to, i'm also excited and ready to have some great experiences with the people staying and the new ones coming next semester.

To everyone who made my experiences in Japan possible and enjoyable... Thank You!!!

Part A

Part B

猿、宮崎県、けんたろとハン！！

新しい日記を書いて遅れてごめん。...

最近には誕生日だった。今年前たいてい父と晩ご飯を食べたり友達とパーティーをしたりした。ところが今年僕の一番いい友達はアメリカにいる。僕の家族もアメリカにいる。友達と家族は日本になかったらさびしくなると思った。しかし今年は楽しかった。サンディエゴに会った友達が大分に訪問しに来た。ハンと言う友達はサンディエゴで日本語の授業の同級生だった。けんたろと言う友達は去年サンディエゴで留学した。ほかの友達も来た。なべを作った。会館のロビーで食べたり遊んだりした。そのあとマットの部屋でテレビを見たりコンピューターで遊んだりした。真夜中になって友達が誕生日の歌を歌ってくれた。うれしかった。Just recently was my birthday. Before this year I would usually go to dinner with my dad and have a party with some friends. However, this year my closest friends and family are still in America. I thought that with most of my friends and family being so far away, I would be lonely. However, this years birthday was actually fun! Some of my friends I met back in San Diego came to Oita to visit. My friend Han was my old classmate from Japanese class at State and Kentaro was an exchange student there last year. After picking them up from the station we met up with some other friends. We made some Korean Nabe in Matt's room and ate together in the kaikan lobby. Afterwards, in Matt's room we watched some ridiculous Japanese tv shows and looked up videos on youtube. At midnight they sang the birthday song for me. I was happy, i got the customary midnight texts too.

とにかく次の日ハんとけんたろと高崎山にさると遊びに行った。その後大分と別府の間のビーチに遊びに行った。The next day we went to Takasaki Mountain to see some monkeys. After that we went to the beach between Oita and Beppu. The one with the pirate ship.

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後ほど夜に宮崎県に行った。日本に来てから宮崎に行きたかった。大分から延岡まで電車で三時間ぐらいかかる。切符は２，４２０円。けんたろの家に泊められてよかった。Later that night I went back to Miyazaki Perfecture with Han & Kentaro. I never was good with planning my own birthday so this year I decided to just go with the flow. Thats what brought me to Miyazaki...Less than 15 min. to pack I was out the door. Within half an hour we were on a train with a ticket costing about $30.

次の日宮崎市に行きたかった。ところがバスは週末だけは走っているから車を借りらなくちゃ行けなかった。でも車を使ってよかった。１２時間ために料は６，３００円。ハンとけんたろと僕の間に一人当たりは２，１００円だけ。将来宮崎に行ったら車を借りるのをすすめる。けんたろのおかげでいろいろを訪問できた。へいわだい公園で八紘一宇を見られた。この公園では面白い人形がいっぱい。青島はとてもきれい。単語が青島のけしきをぜんぜん説明できないよ。うどじんぐと言う神社も訪問ができた。その所はかっこいと思う。来て今すぐ僕はすごい！って。The next day we wanted to go to the city. Since busses didn't run on the weekend for some reason, we rented a car. It was about $23 per person for 12 hours so it wasn't too bad. Actually, if anyone plans to go to Miyazaki in the future, I would recommend going by car. Thanks to Kentaro driving, we were able to go to some really cool places. Heiwadai Peach Park had some statues and monuments from ancient Japan, Aoshima was too pretty for words to describe, and Udojingu shrine was great too! You could never find places like this in America.

フェニックスと言う道路からけしきが見える。きれいなビーチと海より何もほうがいいよ。

トイレ！！！

へいわだい公園：かっこいことがいっぱい。

King of the World!!

自然はきれいだぜ。

青島に行っている間にすごいどんでいる写真ができた。（＾＿＾）

青島：

帰るときは少しむずかしかった。強い風が島に当てた。

うどじんぐ：

この所は日本人に人気だぜ。

友達と宮崎県を訪問してよかった。観光して全部は面白いと思った。ハンとけんたろとほかの大分に住んでいる友達のおかげで誕生日は楽しくてうれしかった。夏休みもう一度宮崎にいきたい。けんたろのお父さんも親切だよ。家で訪問ができてよかった。今まで新年はいい。将来こんな経験をできるといいんですが。I was glad that I had the opportunity to visit Miyazaki. Everything we saw was interesting. This summer I would like to go again. Also, thanks to Mr. Miake we had a place to stay. It was good to see Kentaro's place. All my experiences in this new year have been good up to now and I hope I can have more like this in the future.

また、誕生日ケーキももらった。びっくりした！！

They even got me a birthday cake too!!

四国 Adventures in Shikoku!

今年のお正月は本当に楽しかった。ひろきと言う友達のおかげで日本のお正月の経験ができた。この経験は日本の家に始めて訪問しておもしろかった。友達の家族の家は西条にあるから大分から松山までフェリーに乗らなくちゃ行けなかった。松山に着きてともだちが迎えに来てくれた。This year New Years was really fun. Thanks to my friend Hiroki I was able to have my first New Years in Japan Japanese style! Since his house was in Saijou, I had to take a ferry from Oita to Matsuyama. As soon as I got there, Hiroki, his dad, and William came to pick me up.

松山でさいしょのところは道後温泉。千と千尋の神隠しと言う映画の温泉は道後温泉見たい。サンディエゴから来た同級生も来た。The first place we went to right away was a place called Dogo Onsen. The hotspring in the movie "Spirited Away" was apparently modeled after this one.

次の日にかんこうした。ひろきのお父さんは車でしまなみ海道に連れて行ってくれた。この所は四国と本州間に小さい島からおもしろくてきれいだ。The next day Hiroki's dad took us to the Shimanami Islands to go sight seeing. The small islands are located between the north part of Shikoku and Honshu. Its a very interesting and pretty place.

大島の店でいろいろなおみやげ食べ物を食べて見た。

At a shop in Oshima there were all sorts of good foods to sample!

伯方島で面白いお寺を見た。木戸銭は高すぎて外で遊んだり写真を取ったりした。

At Hakatajima we found a really cool temple, but it was too expensive to go in. However, we still took a bunch of pictures and played outside.

生口島ではサンセットビーチと言う所に遊びに行った。このすなはまはきれいだけど曇りだった。しかし写真がいっぱい。We went to a place on Saguchishima called Sunset Beach! This place was really nice but a little cloudy. We still took alot of pictures.

ひろきのお父さんはとっても親切！

一日中車で案内してくれた！

Hiroki's dad was really nice, he drove us around all day!

その後帰った。ひろきのお母さんは優秀なシェフ。晩ご飯はなべとさしみだった。食べ物はおいしそう！もちろんおいしかった！ After our adventure we came back home. Hirok's mom is an excellent cook! For dinner we had Nabe and some Sashimi. It looked delicious and it was!

レストランのさしみ見たいですね。

It looks just like restaurant Sashimi right!?

三日目もおもしろかった。

ウイルとひろきと松山で遊んだ。

Day three of my trip was also great.

For the day, Hiroki, William and I went to Matsuyama.

目が閉まりながらひろきは運転が好きだ！

Hiroki likes driving with his eyes closed!

大きなまちゃアイスよ。

Big matcha ice cream please!

黒ごまアイス、実は悪くないよ。

Black sesame ice cream... not bad actually.

へんなマネキンを見つけた。たぶんあの店のずぼんをはきたらお客さんはセクシー

になるよ。

Uhh.. we found some weird mannequins.

シナモンメルツとバニラアイスは一緒においしい。

Cinnamon Melts and Vanilla IceCream.. nuff said.

ウィリアムは自由人だぜ。

４２０と言う店を見つけた。店人が怒してまでサングラスと遊んだ。いろいろへんな写真を取った。

We found a nice little shop called "420"

Had a photo session with sunglasses until the lady working there got mad.

マットさんの家庭教師も会った。みなはえひめから来た。

We also met Matt's tutor! Her hometown is also in Ehime Prefecture.

夜に僕たちはひろきの車でアドベンチャーした。高い所できれい夜景も見つけた。

That night, Hiroki also took us on another crazy car adventure. Driving through almost pitch-black mountain roads with abandoned looking government facilities was pretty scary. We did find a nice romantic view at the top though!

夜はおいしい晩ご飯も食べた。真夜中前にお風呂に入って特別のお正月番組を見た。そばを食べた後で寝た。That night we also had another delicious dinner. We watched a special New Years program on tv and ate Soba noodles before going to bed.

お正月：

新年の朝僕たちはきれいな神社に行った。始めの初詣での経験ができてうれしかった。神社の建物は面白くてきれい。空気は祭り見たいだってみんなは元気。Ne w Years day was also great. We went to a nice shrine as I got to exprience my first Japanese "Hatsumoude" (Shrine visiting on New Years). All of the buildings at the shrine looked interesting and really pretty. The atmosphere was like a festival since everyone seemed so energetic.

ひろきの弟も来た。

Hiroki's younger brother also came to spend New Years with us.

誰かは馬の頭をかぶっていた。あの人はとらじゃなかったから謝った。

初詣で後でひろきの親戚の家に行った。西条の景色はすごいね。

After visiting the shrine, we headed to Hiroki's relative's place. Saijou's scenery looks pretty doesn't it?

親戚の家でひろきのおばあさんとおじいさんに会った。全部の親戚はとてもやさしい。

I also met Hiroki's grandparents! All of his relatives were really nice too.

おいしいすき焼きを作っていろいろな食べ物を食べて見た。おじいさんは酒とビールを注してくださいました。We had a huge sukiyaki dinner complete with so many foods iv'e never eaten before. It was all really good too. Hiroki's grandpa kept on pouring beer for me too!

かんぱい！！

全部はおいしかった。みんなはおなかがいっぱいまで食べたり飲んだり遊んだりした。

Everything was delicious. I don't think there was anything I didn't like.

後で少しい眠くなった。

After all the food, some of us were pretty sleepy. Specially with the low table, you can't help but to lay back.

ひろきの家族のおかげで楽しいお正月の経験ができたよ。

Thanks to Hiroki and his family I had a really fun New Years experience in Japan!