Changes

The Japanese have already gotten into me and changed my way of thinking. I unconsiouscly apologize all the time. Secondly, I got very mad yesterday when there was no place to take your shoes off at this thing we went to. Thirdly, the other night I encountered some foreigners who were wandering around Yamaguchi. They saw me, saw I was not Japanese, and stopped to ask me questions about where there were bars. I immediately got very upset because they did not even try to speak to me in Japanese, they did not begin their conversation by bowing to me or saying excuse me, like you should, and they did not bow and than me at the end of the conversation. Also, they should have known that there aren't places like that in Japan. I was very mad at them and mumbled about baka gaijin all the way home until I realized that I too am a gaijin. However, I understand what is appropriate and these people did not. It was very upsetting. They probably don't even take their shoes off inside. Very rude people.

I have been very busy. A few days ago I went to You me town, a mall, with the Americans, the Canadians, Kayo san, Aya san, Aya san, we have two Ayas, Maya san, and Hiro san. It was really fun. I got pear flavored Baskin Robbins ice cream and Dominique, Maya san, Emily san, and I looked at leggings. You can buy them in any color and pattern here and there are whole stores full of them. I did not get any because I do not have any skirts to wear them with. After that we all went to Karaoke and Whitney, who stayed with the Izumis two years ago, is my adpi sister, and is now an English teacher in Japan, showed up at the Karaoke place. This was for real Karaoke where we had our own private room and little handheld computers to look the songs up on. I didn't sing but some of the kids did some pretty funny songs and some of our Japanese friends sang Japanese songs. We made Aya chan sing a song in English.

I left early because I had promised to have dinner with my family. We had fish, the whole fish, one for each person. It is the best way ever that one can eat fish. It had so much flavor and was so good. Otousan had to teach me how to eat it though. You turn it over to the soft side, split it open down the middle with your chopsticks, peel back the two sides, take the spine and ribs out, and then it is really easy to eat. It was delicious. Okaasan's cooking is so good!

After dinner I helped Obasan with the dishes then Okaasan talked on the phone with one of her friends. She was really excited after she hung up and told me that she was going to visit her friend. She wanted to know if I wanted to come. I said yes and so we hurried to get our shoes on and ran out to the car. Okaasan's friend's name was Tajima san and it turns out that she is Elliott san's host mom. We took her a big box of grapes as a present. Elliott san wasn't home yet though so we sat in the living room and had coffee. Okaasan thinks Tajima san's house is very pretty and it is but it is much more European looking than our house. They talked very fast in Japanese and then they both started making phone calls. For Japanese women it is considered very polite to talk in a high voice on the phone. Okaasan doesn't care about this but Tajima san says Moshi moshi in an incredibly high pitched voice. Moshi moshi is how you greet someone on the phone. Then Elliott san came in and he was very surprised to see us there. He came in and sat down and it turns out we were there because Okaasan wants to invite Elliott san's family to go fly fishing and to the hot springs with us on the 19th. He had a hard time making a decision though because the host family party is supposed to be that day.Finally, Tajima san called the other host moms and it was decided that the party will be moved to the 18th and fly fishing and hot springs will be the 19th. It should be very fun.

We stayed there till about 11 and then Okaasan wanted to go grocery shopping. She kept asking me what I would like but I did not know what to pick so I said anything would be good. It was lots of fun. she just kind of goes around and throws whatever into her basket. She did get upset though because the store was out of bananas and she is on a banana diet. I don't see why because she is very pretty and certainly does not need to be on a diet.

The next day I went to see many shrines, graveyards, and temples with Whitney san, Audrey san, and one of whitney's friends who is living in Yamaguchi and teaching English. It was lots of fun and everything was really beautiful. We saw a five story pagoda which was built in 1400. Whitney and I went to eat sushi that night with my family. They go every Saturday and they just kept ordering things for me until I was crazy full. I had 7 plates of sushi. Then we went to the Jazz bar with Otousan which was very fun. The singers and musicians were really good.

The next morning Whitney and I went to the flea market, freemarket here, and then we met up with our other friends to go to artful Yamaguchi, a festival that was this weekend. We got to see lots of traditional houses which were really cool. Last night I had raw squids for dinner. Tomoko san's friends caught it that morning. Last night I had to stay at a hotel because my family is gone today for a haircutting competition that Tomoko san is in. I hope she wins. Tomoko san is in and out of the house a lot because she works at the salon. The other daughters do not live in Yamaguchi though. The hair salon is super nice and I was told by other students here that my family is rich because they charge 50 dollars a haircut. 50,000 yen. Today I have Intercultural Ed. Flower arrangement, and Archery. I will let you know how it goes.