Typhoon Season

I don't have pictures at the moment because the camera's battery is still charging. But its damn crazy here. After getting completely soaked the other day, I decided to wear swim trunks, a jersey and some flip flops to ride my bike (I finally bought a used one) from my host family all the way to the school. It takes almost an hour so it seams. After riding in the rain, without an umbrella it was like taking a shower while going to work.

Today was the day of my interview too. Luckily, thanks to my weather proof chrome bag, I was able to keep my office clothes dry for the trip. Ive been pretty tired these days, waking up early, then sleeping before midnight. Rather than stretching my brain and studying Japanese like I should be doing, I find myself eavesdropping on German conversations and every now and again making an interjection with the skills I learned from my one semester at SDSU. I find myself using English less and less too, with the exception of course when lending my ear to the Danish guy who finally has someone to rant to about the Germans.

Life is pretty busy already and about to get busier. It looks like ill be working on this blog on the weekends as I spend most of my time biking across this city while most people would just take the bus, train, or subway. However, Im on a fairly tight budget.. so bicycling it is!

Peace!

Round 2 begins..

After 29 hours of flight time and stop overs I finally made it to Japan, alive and well. Taking off from SFO at 1.40 am and flying through the darkness for 13 hours, the plane made its stop in Taipei just in time to watch the sunrise. Ive never been to Taipei before so I tried my best to look for the famous Taipei 101 building that was apparently the tallest building in the world at one point in time. After a few hours, the connecting flight took off for Fukuoka.

Luckily I got a glimpse of Taipei 101 from the plane.. and it doesn't look like much but yes, its that tall.

Before landing in Fukuoka, the pilot decided to make a couple of loops for some reason. After being on such a long trip my mind was starting to freak out.

After leaving SF on Thursday I finally made it to Fukuoka the next day at 12noon. I remember telling myself that I would come back within a year or two, and I did it!. Naturally, I would have met my host family and crashed on the floor to sleep the moment I could get myself in the door. However, the days adventures decided to keep me awake as my host family was apparently MIA. I met a lot of students at the asahi nihongo school were the majority of my new acquaintances were the Germans. Thats right, I said it.. The Germans. I proceeded to make my way to the first convenience store in search for banana milk which unfortunately is out of season. Over the next few hours I made my way around the immediate surrounding area of the school and found myself a few interesting sights and a ramen shop.

Later around 7, considering that my host family was still MIA, the school hooked me up with a hotel for the night. In fear of messing up my sleep schedule, despite no sleep for almost 48 hours, I made my way to the "international bar" with my new german speaking friends. However, after a combination of being fully away the day before my flight and no sleep whatsoever the entire trip, I began to feel like a walking zombie. I didn't need alcohol to feel the way I was starting to.. So I made my way back to the hotel where I tried to listen to songs for the next time I ever karaoke. Finding that I couldn't even pay attention to entertaining myself.. I passed out. Now. moving forward, this the start to the next chapter in this life?

There was a mini fridge about the size of a shoe box in the room. Cute!

FRANKENSTEIN!!!

In preparation and celebration of going to the land of Crazy Vending Machines, Maid Cafes, and Kick-Ass コンビニ(by the grace of God)、I have decided its time to resurrect my J-Blog. Only this time, a slight up-grade to the phenomenon known as V-LOGS!!! I hope you all enjoy, because I know I will.

This video is also a tribute to all of the people who gave me such a great experience in San Diego. You made my undergrad more enjoyable than I would have ever imagined, specially in this last semester. Stay Classy folks.

Being Glad it Happened

Ah, its not easy sitting here in the corner of my house's mini library. Finding refuge away from the noise that comes with living in a big house with 17 roommates, fraternity and sorority neighbors, police sirens and the sound of breaking glass and parties at all the neighbors houses that usually accompany each night. Its been about a month since i've been back home, I would've been leaving for Japan in less than a week this time last year. I spent more time than I ever wanted to writing failed essays for scholarships and filling out paper work for the year long process just to get there. Before I knew it, my year in Japan was gone just like that. And yes it was worth it!

I've spent many weeks trying to wrap my mind around everything that happened before I left for Japan and what happened while I was there. The truth is i've been too busy for myself to properly reflect and soak it all in. As I continue to think this all up, I realize that I was dreading the day I would be writing my last post. While hoping not to lose my connection to Japan, I feel myself fighting for air to breath in this sea of academics and resumed responsibilities. I realized that If I didn't take this very moment for my self to take a break I never would. In other words, in the short time i've been in America, I quickly found myself swamped in my studies again, neglecting time that I should be taking to build or rebuild the relationships around me. Waking up each day at the same time, eating the same breakfast and rushing of to class at the same time... worrying about the same things. I wonder as if nothing has changed. The life around my school hasn't seemed to change one bit. People still caught up in little dramas about who thinks this about who and what. *sigh*

Before I go down that road, I should remember something... I am not the same person I was before I left. While putting a video together for this years Study Abroad Info Session, I wanted to make something I could use as an aid to help promote the city and school I spent the best year of my life so far in. Going through the pictures i had put in chronological order, I began to remember some of my favorite moments in the first few months. Going through some old raw footage seeing everything from blackmail worthy footage to just plain hilarious moments I found myself in nostalgia again. To take in the year as a whole, I realized that I cannot let my days be spent doing what i'm not passionate about. And yes, I have decided that I will go back to Japan one day, to live there for at least a few years... While pressing my shoulder to the wall to make sure i'm even more prepared during my next round, I also realize that I can't my life in America pass me by.

To everyone I met, to those who let me be a part of their lives, to my friends in America who kept in touch and skyped with me, to those who came from all over the world to share my life with me in Oita... I am thankful for each and everyone of you!! I will never forget any of you!! Although I was sad to see it end, I was glad it happened. For that I promise to keep looking forward and pursuing more opportunities to meet people like you.

As for the video, I managed to compress some of my most treasured moments in Oita throughout the entire year into 4 minutes. However, there were so many more moments I wanted to share but just didn't have the time or space needed. Hopefully from the eyes of those interested in studying abroad, seeing how much fun we all had might convince them to follow in our footsteps at Oita too.

Im in America and I'm still posting on this thing?

Yes, ive been back, but my work concerning Japan isn't quite done. In a few weeks I will be sharing my experiences in Oita with students who want to go to Japan at the 説明会。Unfortunately that means one thing... school starting again. Thats right, my summer which had just begun, has now come to an end. My first day back at state wasn't too bad. Seeing familiar faces of other friends who either went to other schools in Japan or never left was nice. Also moving into a big house with my old frat mates isn't so bad. Theres new faces, but alot of legit people to be friends with.

Anyways, Im back in school. My one complaint is concerning textbooks. I realized that in Japan, colleges actually care about students and show it by providing cheap textbooks, free handout reading materials and cheap meals at school. However, this is not the case at SDSU or in America. Students pay ridiculous amounts of money for living in a dorm, buying a used text book (my finance book will cost $149 used), or getting ripped off with over priced items at the campus bookstore. Unfortunately there isnt much regulation and thats just how it is for now. I suppose I could consider it more motivation towards going back to Japan or pursuing other opportunities abroad. I want to learn alot, but I don't wanna grow up just yet.

I guess im going to cut my midnight rant short. But first, I know people have been asking me if I'm glad to be back. Of course I am. Actually it is nice to be back, away from the crazy humidity and in a place where the beaches are sandy and the waves are actually there. Yet, I had such a good experience abroad that it just went by too fast. Now I got this itch to go back... combined with a huge impression left on me by all of the people I met this last year. Alot of these friends I may possibly never see again, being that they are from all over the world, but then again... I could see them again! When people see me, sometimes they may wonder if Im depressed about coming back, but it cant be helped. Ill be doing my best to keep looking forward, cuz I can't just stop now. Ive become international and Im going to keep it that way.

Back in Black

Im back!!

Its a mixture of sadness, excitement and a whole lot of anxiousness thinking about how not to lose my Japanese. The day I left Oita was indeed a sad day. Holding back and hiding my emotions just wasn't possible.. On the bus ride to the airport I listened to some Japanese music on my headphones while quietly going back and forth between being still or hiding my face while crying. While I was sad to go, i was still glad it all happened. I spent a few days with Kentaro in Yokohama before coming back. It was a great way to cut down the shock from leaving Oita. As said before, it would've been too much for me to handle if it was all at once. I didn't wanna be that guy on the plane, riding in the middle seat and crying for 12 hours. Even though I wasn't, didn't mean I wasn't sad.

As for being back... I realized I was in America once I got to the immigration line. It was almost an interrogation with that lady's tone of voice. Blah blah.. "What were you doing in Japan?" with a suspicious tone. "What did you study?" "Exactly how long did you stay?"... "What are you doing with $3ooo worth of stuff on you?" Uhh .... well, "I have my laptop with me and two check ins that have clothes and some random stuff." Ok "welcome back to America".. not so enthusiastic tone. I also realized I was back when I saw someone pouring out a can of soda onto the ground in some parking lot. "Yep, im in America."

As sad as I am, i realize I do have alot to look forward too. I finally got to eat real pizza when I got back. It was AMAZING! Now I have tacos and burritos to look forward to also. And just this morning, even though im back in Sac at my dad's place (the place where I feel most stagnant and will never move back to) I was really happy to go to the grocery store. After 11 months of small food portions plus having to always buy fruit in season, im finally back in the land of huge gallons of milk and juice, real bacon, flour tortillas, bagels that don't cost a fortune and mangos that are 57cents... not 3,000円 ($34). Yes, i'm back but, theres still work to be done. If theres one thing I learned from the last year it is to keep moving forward. I hope I can really take that to heard. In a few more days Ill be back in San Diego, where the real challenge starts. Im going to find a way back to Japan no matter what.

最後の日 Last Post in Japan

Oh goodness, the things I lack words for. Nothing can describe my time in Japan, all of my experiences, the things ive enjoyed, the struggles I've had, the personal growth... all of it was worth the year long process of paperwork, transcripts, scholarship applications and interviews just to get here. I used to wake up almost every day amazed "wow, im in Japan!" I would have dreams that I woke up in California, I would be wondering how the hell I got back and wondering how on earth to get back to Oita. As wonderful as San Diego or Sacramento may be, I don't know if I can settle for simply moving back and staying long term. Im determined to get back here somehow... maybe not Oita, but somewhere here. Maybe its the culture, maybe its my inability to grasp the language all that well... whatever it is, I always felt like I was learning something new, thats why I rarely got bored here. You have to try so hard or be a boring person to not have fun here. But thats simply an opinion.

In the end, I really enjoyed getting to spend time with friends from all over the world. The only problem with getting close was the inevitable fact that I would have to leave them. I thank each and everyone of my friends who spent time me, put up with my bad Japanese, or just listened to all of the weird issues I might of had all year. Ahh, I don't have much time some sort of masterpiece about how I spent my time, or what I learned, but I just know that I wouldn't trade this experience abroad for anything. Right now its almost 5am in Yokohama, Ill be flying back to America in 12 hours. I wish to come back someday soon. I moved my flight from Oita 2 days early because I didn't want the shock of leaving Oita and Japan all at the same time. I knew it would have been too sad for me... Haha, I really couldn't hold back my tears when I left, but im glad it all happened. The good things and the difficult things were all worth it.

To everyone who spent my last days with me, thank you!!!

Izakaya, PEI pub, Hanabi, Sushi Meijin, Riding a bike with a kite attached..Ice cream in Yuta's Room.... it was a blast!

Ill never forget you!! See you again!