日本で

Warning: these blogs are no longer about me going to Japan.


THAT'S BECAUSE I'M ALREADY IN JAPAN!! don't you love how capital letters emphaise everything you say? Ok starting now anything in italics is word for word from my personal diary I'm keeping so things may seem a bit unorderly but you'll soon catch on, I know you're all smart cookies ;)

So my darlings, I'm in Japan and what can I say to express how wonderful it is here and how happy I am...*thinks*

I guess you could say that from the moment I left Brissy domestic airport to this point in time I have not had a dull second. Orientation in Osaka was awesome!!! I met so many people from Australia and around the world: Malaysia, Bolivia, France, Swedan, USA, Thailand, Switzerland, Germany, Brazil, French Canada and China to name some of the few that I hung out with for 3 awesome days xD oh and guess what everyone...the first night in Osaka we stayed at a youth hostel. At this particular hostel it had communial bathrooms which means we all bathed together naked (chortle, chortle grow up lol) . To tell you the truth I found the bath very relaxing; almost as if you were going to fall asleep. After you actually got undressed [believe me once that is over and done with it gets so much easier] you're laughing. I'd do it again.

"25/3 9:50am - Arrived in Yokohama, amongst leafless trees, there was one tree with sakura in bloom. Beautiful. Passed it quickly, now on highway."

Arriving in Saga airport I got the biggest adrenaline rush. Why? Because in just a few short minutes I would be meeting my host family!!! I recognised them straightaway waving AFS flags and "ケイトリンようこそ田中家へ" hand made poster :D against everything AFS had told us about the Japanese and personal space we all hugged each other and took photos and of course lots of smiles!!!!

"27/3 TOUCHDOWN! OMG this is it :D! Smile! Be positive! Yay! Enjoy!"

My family are the most wonderful people you could ever meet. I don't think I could ask for anyone better to host me. Everyday we talk, joke, laugh and just enjoy each others company.

"27/3 お母さん told me that today I am a guest but tomorrow I'm their daughter :) 楽しみにしています"

So now the details everyone is asking me for...

My host family consists of お父さん、お母さん and my host sister まいみ. We live in this awesome house that looks western but definitely has a Japanese feel to it (just look in the tatami room ;) ) since I live in a more rural part of Japan if you compare to major cities, so I have a backyard! It's so beautiful. One of お父さん hobbies is gardening so there's tulips, fruit trees and a pink sakura tree too!I'm surprised with how cold it is here (7~16'C) everything still manages to grow. But wooow, it's beautiful even if I have to rug up to see it up close. Totally worth it. お母さん is an amazing cook. Im eating so much im bound to gain weight. She's cooked okonomiyaki, gyoza, miso soup, spagetti, rice, veggies, yakisoba, spring rolls and so much more. Delicious, mouth watering, おいしい!! None of these words come close to how wonderful the food is. I just love her food and yes, I do my bit my cleaning up around the house and helping out with chores. I also have my own room which is quite spacious with a bed, desk and cupboard. I barely spend any time in there, I'm mostly downstairs hanging with the family or studying with まいみ.

Speaking of studying...I start school on the 6th which is only 5 days away!!! Yayyy!!!! So excited!!

"30/3 went to xxx xxx xxx highschool and had an interview with the vice principal and one other teacher. Received uniforms, blazers and bag which is so cute ^_^. They told me I'll be making a speech in front of about +640 people...eep! Met the principal even though he was busy and gave him the business card holder. He seems really nice."

My uniform is so adorable. Blue pleeted skirt, white shirt with a navy ribbon collar thing (the ones that look like the breast cancer symbol), a navy coat/blazer and long white socks. I've written the speech which basically says 'my name is, I'm this old, Im from, I'll be in this class, my hobbies are, sorry that my Japanese is bad but I'll try my best' I wrote it really quick and お父さん corrected it for me :) my head inflated slightly when there was only 3 spelling mistakes hehe. It shouldn't though, this is grade 8 japanese language we're talking about :P so I'll be going to the same school as my sister = no chance of getting lost. Ride a bike to the next town, catch two trains and then get of and walk to school. Pretty keen!! I've been studying Japanese everyday with the booklets AFS gave us. Definitely helping!

日本語日本語日本語日本語日本語!!!! All day everyday :D it's the most amazing feeling when your immersed in a language that's foreign to you. I was really surprised how much I can understand whats being said when I just sit back and listen.

"27/3 I thought the ride home was going to be awkward but everyone seemed to have kept the conversation going and I was surprised how much I understood.
Eg. お父さん said in Japanese to my LP (support person) 'that where we were was not Fukuoka but Saga. After we go over the bridge we'll be in Fukuoka..."

Its not much but It's the small things like understanding a conversation that's not adjusted to my ears that gives me immense satisfaction. At home I try my best to speak Japanese to the family. I've begun writing down words I don't know onto pieces of paper and studying them at night before I go to bed. I'm also addicted to the Japanese drama "はなよりだんご" and so I pick up some words from there and talk shows. The only time I have actual conversations in English is when まいみ and I make up English Dramas using sentences from her homework book to help her with her english which we've just started doing. It's so much fun and the crazy things she comes up with. Omg her pronunciation is amazing!! And she's so much better at English than I am in Japanese (lol I know that, that doesn't say much bit take my word when I say she's got skillzz)

So Kaitlin you've rambled on long enough what else have you been doing or don't you have a life in Japan?

Well darlings, yours truely went to Hanami. Sakura is nothing like the pictures. It's 7738332929227273628299228 X better. Sakura is beauty in a tree. The family and I rode together on bikes to the park [which had sooo many people!!] and ate obento under the sakura trees. A perfect day to say the least. Next week the sakura will be gone and I won't see them again for the rest of my home stay. It's sad, but I'm so glad I saw them.

So the next 7 days plans are shopping with sis and her friend, going to a taiko drum concert, school speeches, public holiday and starting school officially. I can't wait!

Just a random note here: I'm officially addicted to the song "The flavour of life" by Utada Hikaru. If anyone's interested in Japanese music she has the most beautiful voice so check her out on YouTube or something. Hehe, advertisement muchly.

Let me know if you actually reached the end of this blog or not. It seems pretty long and I hope it's not too boring for you. But something is happening everyday and I'm enjoying every moment I have here. I always look forward to waking up in the morning and starting a new day (it sounds cheesey but this is seriously how I feel)

No regrets. Live for the moment.

K x