Japanese Food for the most part has been good. It is different than what I saw in America in several ways. First is that certain foreign foods are relatively popular. I think curry and hot dogs (Sigh...someone should have brought over brats instead of their lesser cousins). Are relatively popular. It is kind of weird to get a little hot dog in a bento box. I don't want bad American food with my Asian food. I think I tend to separate food types as well. So, I wouldn't want rice with a thanksgiving dinner, but mashed potatoes are appropriate. I don't think the Japanese have these preconceptions about food like Americans do. I have also seen this in some quite clever takes on western food that were really good, so it's not all hot dogs where there should be more chicken or squid.

Also Sashimi is much better here than in the states. In the states you would just get a big piece of raw fish. In Japan you get lots of smaller pieces of raw fish (usually with the skin still on the fish), and several sauces/juices to put on it. Lemon, Soy sauce and Wasabi are the most popular. My philosophy towards Japanese food has been if my host family can eat it than so can I. For example, raw shellfish (don't know the species. My host sister had picked them with some of her kindergarten students) is pretty good.

 
Classes continue...

They all look interesting so far. They are also subtely different from American classes. The hardest thing to get used to is that they are about 100 mins long. Its not as bad as it seems though. The sensei doesnt usually start teaching till about 5 min after when the class should have begun, and I have gotten out 10 mins early twice now. Also, other than Mark Tiedermans class(a American) I havent gotten a syllabus. Also for most of my classes my grade is determined by a single paper at the end. Which the sensei has yet to hand out any information about other talking about a general subject and telling us the length.

I also had a Akido class yesterday. We had to take a bus to a middle school and there some Akido senseis showed us a few things. We started by watching a movie or two. Part of which showed someone who looked like O-sensei. The sensei is also supposed to be a third generation from O-sensei blackbelt. After this we practised rolling and tried out a really simple move or two. He really seemed to place emphsis not forcing anything, and just kinda flowing with it. Which I guess kinda works. But only if the aggressor holds your rist really tight. I think the Korean hapkido is more practical( :p Kevin).

I have also met with my converstaion partner twice now. Her name is Mahako...I think. I have it written down somewhere so I can look it up before I meet her. She seems nice...It just a language barrier again. And this time there is the Nagasaki dialect, and more shortcuts I havent heard of/slang to deal with. I find it easier to understand other Americans speaking Japanese than I do Japanese people speaking Japanese. Hopefully the converstaion partner will help me speak Japanese better. I also think that while you may only have one converstation partner, they will usually bring along up to 5 of their friends. I dont know if the guys do it as well, as I think all Americans got female converstaion partners this time. Hopefully my attempts to go around town, ask people questions, and order things in stores will also help my Japanese. I have also been studying out side of class a little each day. Either reading the Genki language book, or going through the dictionary for words I want to know.

Japanese bus's are also kinda interesting. They dont seem to mind being as tightly packed as American bus's, and they also seem to bunch up in the front. Which can be kinda annoying being a big gajin stuck in the back. They also have a slidable rate so the longer you stay on the more you have to pay. Densha are much better to get around town with.

Oh yeah...I was going to try to use a spell check for this post, but Microsoft Word decided that while it could technically work it needed to be installed. So I got to look at a fully functional word screen while it tried to install itself. Will work on that later...

 
Well classes began yesterday. So far I have only had my Japanese Language classes and one of my two literature classes. I decided to take about 16 credits so I have my Japanese Language Class, two literature classes, two one credit culture classes, and a History/culture class.

So far all my teachers have been good. The Japanese language class is a little below my skill level, but we still touch upon things that I never saw in America. A lot more weird shortcuts, and some new words. Oh well. It should go fast enough.

My literature class I have had so far is actually being tought by a German women. It is Japanese litereature during their "modern" period. I think this period goes from before Edo to WW2. I really hope I get to read some Japanese Mythology.

I feel pretty confortable getting around Nagasaki now. Especially with the free bus to take me to SumiYoshi and from there I can get a street car. Yesterday I went out to Ume-Saitoh, a shopping mall because it has a really big nice book store. I bougth a book for my literature class(Monkey Brain Sushi), a pocket dictionary, and ordered two other Japanese books(Cant remember their names now...). I think I also want to get a Kanji dictionary/learning tool.

Oh yeah...Mochi(or maybe Machi)(at any rate dumplings) are really good in Japan. You can get them from most 7-11 type stores for about $1. They are kinda kept in this steamer so they are always really hot and really fresh. I keep wondering I am eating the Japanese equivelent to the Gas station Hot dog....

I also think I want to go to a 100 yen store sometime. I really need a coin purse...As my wallet doesnt have one(My host fathers does). I also want to get some MD disks, and try to find a water bottle as the Japanese dont believe in bubblers.

Finnaly, what do people think of my blog so far? Anything I need to change fix? Anything you want to see/hear more about? Email me or just leave me a message on ICQ!

 
There where also several other things that I did at the Onzen other than bathing.

The groups as a whole had to take classes. Everyone did some practise with prenounciation. My group did some more basic japanese, and also did some caligraphy. YC(A study abroad student from china) can do this really well...But in a different style than the Japanese.

The group also did some karioke, which is much less embarising in a group than by yourself. I think the Koreans really enjoyed "I will survive". After Karoke I went to a room party by the koreans. It was kinda BYOB, and since the only place to get alchol was from the local beer and wine vending machines it was kinda expensive. I also tried some Korean ramen, raw, and I think they were surprised that I enjoyed it and that it wasnt that spicy. On a side note Asahi beer is quite good. I have had it several times now, and its a lighter beer sorta like a german weise.

Also some time during the night I did my best to talk to a Korean student named Young-Sik. He is a computer science major whos favorite series is Gundam. In fact he says he enjoys almost all Sunrise series, and also likes fighting games. However, he is a Kyo player to my own Iori. I agreed to go to some Game Center some time and play him in CvsS2. Hopefully my skills wont have degreaded completely.

 
This last weekend I went to a Onzen. Onzen for those of you who dont know are the big Japanese baths that are usually fed from springs. This Onzen was up in the mountains, and was about 2 hours away from Nagasaki. I think it also was Japans first national park.

As for taking the bath itself...The water wasnt as hot as I expected it to be. I thought it was going to be much hotter. The Onzen itself only slightly smelled of Sulfar. However the sulfar really does get into your skin. And you can really smell it when you sweat after being in a Onzen. It is also not a bad thing to be able to take off your glasses when in a japanese bath.

Also at the Onzen's hotel I did Karoke for the first time. It is much less embarrising to do karoke in a group, compaired to doing it by yourself. I think the Koreans enjoyed us singing "I will Survive" gotta run...