Back Again

Hi everyone.

Well I havent posted in quite some time, over two months actually. And so much has been happening and I want to share it with everyone in Australia and anyone who is interested before I forget everything again.

Since my last post SO much has happened. I`ve been to Shibuya in Tokyo, which is probably the most crowded and over populated place I`ve ever seen. Though very very interesting and fun. I`ve done karaoke lot`s of times, once with my fellow german exchange student who goes to my school and other times with other Japanese people. Seriously, the Japanese get so into it. It`s quite funny.

Since then I`ve also moved host families. In my last family we lived in Shimotogari, which is near Numazu in Shizuoka prefecture. There was only myself, my host mother and my host sister, so it was quite a big change when I moved to this new family (3weeks ago) with 2 new host sisters, mother and father and grandparents. Though the grandparents have their own tatami room (japanese style) and bathroom. They also for some reason eat at different times to us, but they`re really sweet. So I now live in Fuji City. Obviously right next to Mt. Fuji. Though now that it`s getting warmer the snow on it is melting and it doesnt look so great. At first I didn`t know that it all melts every year and then snows back on again. And I thought the only reason it was melting was because of all the air pollution and ozone layer and stuff. lolOn my second weekend here in Fuji I was able to Bus into the city, which is only about 10 minutes away, and check it out. It`s a really nice city and I was really glad to be able to go the library and check out some useful books for studying to add to my collection.I really love it at my new family`s house. I can be so much more independant, and they don`t mind me going places on my own because they know that I know what Im doing. It feels so good to be able to do something on your own again, even if it is just to catch a bus somewhere on your own. My fellow exchange students would know what Im talking about.

School is still ok. It`s always such a long day. Mainly because I have to travel about 1.5Hours there and back everyday, catching 2 trains and a bus each way. Then I have at least 1 period of self-study itme in the library each day, sometimes more, and then I paritcipate in the other classes. Don`t get me wrong, the people there are really nice, it`s just that everyone is at least 1.5years younger than me and often we`re not really on the same level. Though I have made lot`s of friends, including people in the other years. Also the girls in my club activity (Soccer) are really awesome. Which brings me to club! I am absolutely loving my soccer club and the people there. Though unfortunately we only have it 2 times a week. Tuesdays and Thrusdays, because my school is really really study orientated and they think that too much recreation time, takes too much time away from the study. Another thing that really annoys me about my school. Oh well..

From now on I`ll try to post more often. I`ve made a kind of a summary now so it should be easier now, and hopefully more interesting!


Picture of school BBQ

I`ve also uploaded some of Pictures onto the net so check them out if you like at: www.picasaweb.google.com/marieluise.s

Peace

IN JAPAN

I wrote this post a few days ago, 30th of April, but didnt get a chance to post it until now.

Hey everyone.

So i've been in Japan for just over a week now and Im absolutely loving it. I guess i should start from the begining.

Last Tuesday the 21st, it was 'Aufwiedersehn!' (literally) to my parentals and onto the plane to Brisbane where we would be spending the night with the other exchange students heading to Japan. I was lucky to have met Meg at the Melbourne orientation (cos shes awesome:) ), and so time flew on the plane. Turns out she did Outward bound too for school so that just took up heaps of time. Well, im not going to blog every detail of our conversation, even though Im sure it would be super fun to read.
So we got to the Hotel in Brisbane and then went out for tea where we had the chance to meet the others. The next morning we were up and ready by 6 and left for the Airport. After we checked in we had time to have some breakfast and thats when I met my friendly giant Bek. So we got on the plane and I found myself sitting with Meg and Will. The trip was alright. Or as alright as 9 hours of sitting uncomfortably in one position gets. But I made new friends and had some good conversations so that was good.

FINALLY we arrived in Japan! We got our luggage and had to give it away again to get sent to our host families. Then it was off to OVTA (in Chiba) where we would be staying the next 3 days for orientation. Chiba is around 60 km outside of Tokyo. The next morning we all had to get up early for breakfast and our lectures. After having pretty much no sleep the night before it was really difficult to keep my eyes open and listen to everything, plus the tables and chairs were highly uncomfortable. But all in all orientation was informative and it gave me the chance to meet lot's of new people including japanese students that are travelling to America.
It was really interesting to notice how, even after only knowing people for a few days, how sad it was to say goodbye and head off to our seperate locations. I suppose when your put into this situation where harldy anyone knows eachother, and not many other people could relate to the experience, so it sort helps bring people closer.

So Kym, Mai and I got on the Shinkansen (bullet train) heading for Shizuoka and Nagoya. I was so nervous about meeting my host Family, and getting off on the wrong stop, but as soon as I got off, they were there to greet me! When we got to our home my host mother handed me the phone telling me that I could call my parents. When my Dad answered I just burst into tears. I don't even know why, because I wasn't homesick or anything or missing my family yet. But I guess it was the stress, excitement and lack of sleep combined together that when I heard my dads voice it comforted me and I could let go. But thats over now and Im having an awesome time with my host family and Im not missing australia and my family and friends too much.

In my Host Family there is a Mother and a Daughter. The father lives in America at the moment for work and the older brother in New York for school. I have my own room and the food is really good. So pretty much Im loving it. I'm really catching up on sleep too which helps.On sunday we did some shopping and got some things that I will need for school and then we went to the Hyaku Yen shop. ($1 shop) That was the best! It was huge as and I bought heaps of stuff and spent like nothing. Then I met some more of the family, the Fathers Brother and Wife and some friends that were over. They're daughter had just had a baby and so I got to see him too, he was very cute, they were also really nice. We had some Tea in the traditional Japanese room. And they gave me these Japanese style pocket bag things. How sweet!

Over the next few day's we did more shopping which I loved, especially the electronics shop, a nerds paradise:) , and I got to go to my School, Fuji Seishin. The school is really big and beautiful. It has it's own tea fields, which I'm told makes tea that tastes delicious, and Sakura Trees (Cherry Blossom) are everywhere. There I got my uniform and took some pictures. I also met one of the teachers who told me, or rather Karin my host sister who had to then translate everything into english for me, that I will be put into a class with a German girl there on exchange for the first couple of days. I couldn't believe it when I found out that theres another German girl at the school on exchange. Coinkidink! So I'm very excited about starting school and meeting everyone.

Last night, my host mother and I went into town for a Piano concert. My host sister, Karin, was away on school orientation so she couldn't come. The performers for the concert we're young elementary school and middle school students. One of the kids is in my host mothers class for elementary school and she was adorable and at only 8 years old SO GOOD at piano! The concert was just amazing! These kids, the oldest being 13, and the youngest 5 i think, were such good pianist's already! When the first little girl came out onto the stage and started playing I couldn't believe what I was hearing. At such a young age she's playing Chopin. And the rest of the kids were just superb too. They were seriously pretty much expert pianist's. There was an orchester on the stage too, so the music was awesome. All in all, a really great night.

Well I hope to write more soon! I hope everyone's doing great.
Especially the rest of you guy's in Japan!

Peace