dancin in September

Guess what. I finally started dancing this week. After a 3 week delay from something I've done to my body, I am back on track and Optimistic about it. It felt great to encounter that happy exciting feeling I get when I learn choreography that fits my mood perfectly. The classes here are not much different than ones back in L.A.--except everything is done in Japanese ha. I'm just so grateful that I was able to get this feeling again before heading back home. All that's left is to stick a big fat middle finger right back at Them. Thank you for making me stronger.

This past week, I went to my first pro baseball game with Jun (meanass Frenchenese)--Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters vs. Fukuoaka Softbank Seahawks at the Tokyo Dome. Boohoo that Darvish didn't end up pitching, but yayhoo to a really great Japanese experience. I don't think Lakers fans have full out cheering songs? Yea, both teams were full out and fully prepared vocally/physically for the game. Our seats were really good considering we had cheapass tickets, and oh my, the selection of ball game food and beer was insane. Mos def down for another (only) Ham fighters game :)

Last night was another huge international party hosted by 3 guys at the Willing Setagaya dorm--one of them being Nick Adams-Cohen (hollaback San Marino!) This time it was themed Banana and Beer party lol. But before that, me Jess Marj...and I guess special guest Ambrose, played the marker game. Ugh they made it sound so easy before actually playing, but I was so not crackin the whip. We had to travel from Yoyogi-->Shibuya-->Sangenjaya at 8 p.m. on a Saturday night lookin like dis...


On top of that, Golden Week is starting later this week, yowza which means I need to babysit Ryan. AND THEN David (+ Spencer) are coming in June and flippin Okinawa-in' it, ow ow!

1:30 a.mmmmm

First of all, congrats a million times to CADC on taking 2nd place at this past weekend's Fusion competition. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XclUQ9TmBY
3 more months till I see all your crazy faces, dizzam.

This post is not really gonna be an update, sorry sorry. I'm talking to Brian right now and we are just remembering the earlier times of our EAP study abroad program. The summer was soooo chill/good/perfect, Great schedule. I honestly miss going out with like literally 10 people from EAP everyday at around 4/5 p.m. to go run/ultimate frisbee/soccer. And ugh the 3 minute walk to the station from our mansion, the Lawson's right by our building. The Daiei just 5 minutes away. THE BIG PARK WITH LIGHTS ON AT NIGHT.

Tomorrow I go to a ball game. this was pointless. it's 1:30 am. But I get to see Darvish tomorrow.

Happy Face

Just wanted to add that things are magically turning up--since end of March/Hokkaido trip. Nothing major, nothing big, no idea why, just things are getting better. Do I want to go back to L.A.? No, not yet. I'm finally at that phase now :)

On top of that, one of my Belgian friend in my dorm offered me and Hanna some Belgian chocolate (Cote d'or)--apparently it's the most popular brand in Belgium and is also well known in the European countries surrounding it. I've never seen/heard of it, but it is balls to the wall good. So smooth, perfectly rich/mild mix, Golden.

Ohana means

wOw I woke up sweating today--definite sign that it's gonna get brutally warm in Tokyo very soon.


These past 2 weeks have just been Ohanami-ing. Ohanami in Japan means to go see and enjoy the limited days of the Cherry blossoms during its bloom. For a lot of people, it's a time to gather with friends,family,co-workers,etc. just have a good picnic time and of course draank. I've already gone 3 times and all 3 times were a completely different experience but all good. First time was with Erica and her Japanese friend Azusa? (correct spelling?) and we were just evesdropping on hella foreigners just surrounding us while feasting on Erica's home-made fried rice. Second time...ooooh Second Time, was for my dorm-mate Colin's birthday. We seriously gathered like at least 25 international Keio students, so that was ill. And then a couple of us decided to go rowing/swan boat pedaling at the lake next to Senzoku park. Greatest Idea Ever. It was one of those days where I really felt I was in Japan and totally enjoying it once again. Being the rower and going the opposite direction, I got kinda seasick for the first 10 minutes but after that it was all uphill so w00t. And then the 3rd time was for Brian's surprise bday party. This is with the group of people who I first started hanging out with here in Japan during EAP's summer intensive. I forgot that we always forgot how easily we let the time slip by because we were too busy playing outdoor games. (today was badminton, soccer rally, freezetag, and sardines) Note: NEVER play sardines in the Shinjukugyoen.

And then this past Friday, my mom's good long-time friend invited me for a casual tea ceremony demonstration. She's been practicing it since she was 18, and is a teacher now so I knew this was gonna get deep. She also told me I was more than welcome to bring anyone that I wanted so of course I hit up the girl who happened to tell me the weekend before that she regrets not going to the tea ceremony during the summer--Erica. So we meet her at Aobadai station...sweet sweet area. It was a mixture of nice new houses, but also some Inaka/country touches. And it was actually really cool to have a more casual tea ceremony, plus just me and Erica since we got to do more things at our own pace etc etc. There's not much to say, but we had some SERIOUS never-have-i-ever tasted such smooth green tea, bombass boiled water, and mouth-watering traditional Japanese sweets.


Hm, oh yea. Yesterday I saw a Yu Darvish ad in the Tokyu Toyoko train line. He's wearing a suit, and just looks magical. I want IT.

Rawr

I've been on spring break since Jan 22, and finally started school today...April 8 woot woot.
Hm I'm gonna apologize beforehand if I in any case hurt whoever happens to be reading this, but something I just have an urge to share about. Most students are super giddy and antz in my pantz excited during the beginning stages of our study abroad time right? Yeh. So today's the first day of class, and I evesdropped on 2 international kids sitting behind me. One of them kept repeating themselves saying being abroad has been so amazing and their best decision in life so far, the people are incredibly nice here, I've yet to meet an evil soul here, etc etc...Oooooh man haha, I felt so sorry for both of them. You've been here what...TWO WEEKS?!

crap I just accidentally sneezed on my computer and forgot to close my mouth, and now my screen's all rainbow reflected and shiny. I'll do this next time bah.

How Sweet It Is to be loved by them

The #1 thing I always take for granted and forget since I've been abroad, is my parents. I'm not around them 24/7 anymore to see that they work hard everyday for the sole purpose of keeping everyone happy. By going on a week-long trip to Hokkaido with them this past week was one of the best memories I made during my abroad time here.

SO! First stop was Hakodate, Hokkaido. LOVE at first sight, Wow. Yeah it was snowing, Yeah it was single digits Celsius temperature, but when the city itself is surrounded by the bay along with gorgeous buildings and scenery, it's all perfect. We stayed 2 nights there, and unfortunately I did NOT like Hakodate ramen (Shio ramen), but their Bread was unbelievably tasty. And the tourist websites were for sure damn correct about the Hakodate night view as one of the top 3 most beautiful night view cities in the WORLD. On another unfortunate note, because this was the beginning of the trip, my only child side came out and there were lots of usual fighting with me against 2 adults -___-


Next, we trucked on a 5 hour train ride to Obihiro. Honestly there's absolutely nothing there, but my dad's college friend lives there with his family, so we went to visit. They were great hosts with a HUGEEE house..especially in Japan, mos def around the same sizes as the average ones in San Marino, yowza. Then they took us to Lake Akan for a night at this ballin' hotel with an endless number of hot springs omgeezerz. There were some on the top floor where it was outdoors, with the frickin snowy mountain just a short distance away as your view, bah it was unreal. Of course the lake was still frozen (at the end of March -__-), but I got to go snow-mobiling, yeh. We also were able to see Japanese cranes roaming around in the nature marshlands, families of deers running through the snow, and packs of swans floating along the lakes. Oooooh and the legitimate hot springs. It was crazy to see mountains with snow coated on top, yet random smoke coming out midway, with the natural scent of boiled eggs (fart) and yellow powdered rocks. View > Temperature, hands down.





And This is where my mom made her grand mistake of the trip. She planned for us to do a day tour of Sapporo, but previously decided that we would end up staying at Asahikawa instead for our last 2 nights. Before I start, I have already decided that I am going to temporarily live in Sapporo after I graduate. That is HOW MUCH I fell in love with this sweet city. Describing it will just sound like any other great snowy busy city with great food and environment, so I will just leave it as is. After the taxi day tour, we headed for about an hour and a half to Asahikawa. This city is well-known for their zoo filled with penguins, polar bears, and seals. The day we went was the last day the zoo allowed the daily winter attraction of releasing the penguins free and letting them walk as they want in certain zoo grounds. Other than that, the zoo will always be a depressing place for me. After seeing the other animals running free in the mountains of Hokkaido, mannnn the zoo was a prison.

8 days came and went, and I already miss them. Next time I see them is when I come back home to L.A. after my studying abroad term has ended. Until then, let's just hope that Tokyo will treat me and my friends a lot better. Seriously.