Japanese Embassy

This isn't my picture, I'm too lazy to go find my cord right now, but the picture I took of the Japanese embassy looks like this:
As much as I like Japan and their gorgeous architecture.. the only pretty part of the Japanese Embassy in Washington D.C. is the living quarters off to the left of the main building. Unfortunately, the other building is hid behind a high fence and for me at least wasn't in my sight at all. The part of the building where I got my visa was this part above. My first though = it looks like a prison....>_>; again I love Japanese architecture but they or whoever made this has no taste.

Speaking Partner

I got my application for the speaking partners program. The program brings together us international students with a Japanese student in order to acclimate to life in Japan easier. We get chances to go hand out in the city and speak Japanese with them. Here is what Kansai describes a speaking partner as: "There are three functions of this program; local students 1) assist you to settle in Japanese life right after you come to Kansai Gaidai, 2) provide a chance to practice your Japanese language outside a classroom setting, and 3) become information resource for your Japanese life. This program also aims to encourage interaction between you, international students, and local students at Kansai Gaidai."

Once I find out who my partner is I will post a small bio of them. :)

Orientation Week

I got confirmation today that I will be staying in Seminar House 1 for orientation week. I've been obsessed over youtube videos on the seminar houses and they look really cool. Here are some facts on my seminar house:
2 story building
Phones in each room (incoming only)
Dining rooms and kitchens are located on each floor
Communal toilets and shower rooms
Lounge room
3 televisions (in lounge and in kitchens)
Computer room with internet
Laundry facility
Pay phones are located on 1st floor
Bed linen and futon set including pillow will be provided.

Naturally I will be taking a video of my living quarters as soon as I arrive. And will be posting them on my youtube account and subsequently here as well.
During this week I will meet my homestay family. I'm getting more and more excited every day!!

VISA

Last week Grandma's boss took Grandma and I into DC to pick up my visa. It was a really simple process. I brought a picture of me, my passport and my CoE (Certificate of Eligibility) that Kansai Gaidai gave me and gave it to the lady at the counter. So now I have my visa and my CoE and am READY FOR MY TRIP. :D !!

Mood: Holiday Happy
Music: Jingle Bell Rock

Homestay

I got my homestay acceptance letter today! :D I'm really excited! The family chooses the student a week prior to orientation and I find out about them and meet them during orientation week. I really hope there are little kids. If there are kids my age that's fine to-we can go out on the town a lot. But if there are little kids it will be easier to communicate at first Lol.

Bought my ticket

Finally got around to buying my ticket to Japan. I had several options, the first went out of Dulles Airport and went straight to Osaka and was 1200$, the second went out of BWI and was 1600$, the third option went out of Dulles and was I believe also 1600$. The first option went by fast and I lost that ticket :( booo, the only different between the next two options needs the background story first. I told my mom I wanted to stay in Japan for longer, I wanted to stay there on my own after the program was done. She was worried however, that I wouldn't have a place to stay and blah blah- you know the whole parent worries. Anyway, if I had to change my return ticket date at the last minute it was cheaper to get the third option, the second flight out of Dulles. The only problem was that the flight stopped in Quatar in the middle east and would be a two day flight. My mom basically said.. "uh.. NO." SO without really getting to voiuce my opinion on how cool it would be to be in the middle east for a few hours we opted to go with the much shorter flight from BWI to Osaka, by stopping in San Diego. Much easier to navigate I believe. So long story short- Got my ticket.

Other than that I'm trying to survive my last few progects and nonsense finals. :P

EL OH EL

Let's not pull an all-nighter again.

Do do dodo... ba da bada.

My procrastination has finally set in. My Japanese paper is due on Tuesday. I need to do my hist and geog paper like.. yesterday. Plus I have to keep up with my finals studying and work. UGH. I should be writing my paper now but like.. I need an ENTIRE day. All to myself and I need proper sleep so my brain will work all day. I'm going to start it tomorrow and my Japanese paper, but it's coming down to the wire here and I'm feeling the stress come bit by bit.

I'm on Cloud 9

After like.. four weeks of waiting impatiently, worrying nervously, sweating the answer to my Japan application I have heard back from Kansai Gaidai... and I'M IN!

I checked every day at least twice and I just got back from work about 15 mins ago. I was looking up graduate school information when I thought "why Not? I've looked a million times already but just once more won't make me more paranoid" and there it was in grey italics "Accepted'. Totally squealed like a little girl.

Now I have to get a plane ticket, get a visa and fill out more paper work so I can find the perfect homestay family. I am so happy I really want to cry. There is way too much happiness in me to contain... on second thought I'll just dance around my room in my underwear.
WOOOOOHOOOOO!! <3

So...tired

I haven't woken up this early since high school.. oh em gee.. how in the world did I ever do it for 12 years.. ? Besides having to wake up at 5:30 in the morning for work those stupid freshman in my quad partied until like 4 am and freaking woke me up at 2:30 am. I was seriously ready to call the TU pd or some shit on them for underage drinking.. somehow I fell asleep again but I will definitely remember that the next time they wake me up, since this is like the 5th time they've done it!

Kansai Gaidai

Still waiting on a response. But here's the link to the school.

http://www.kansaigaidai.ac.jp/asp/no_intro_index.html

Cosplay Paper

I got my paper back from my Anthropology teacher and she gave me a good review. When I hand in the final draft I think it will be an A. Here is a little exert:

"The first part of my ethnographic research was in an online forum. Cosplay.com is the largest and most well-known website dedicated to all things cosplay. The community is open to people all over the world. There are regional forums and specific topic related forums that I have taken responses from. I had previously been a member but had never posted in the forums, nor uploaded any information about myself. I renewed my profile and introduced myself on my profile. I did not expect to run into any problems since I had been a member for awhile but I was soon to see otherwise. I began to ask questions in the general forum and immediately received a response from a forum moderator:

#####: Posts asking people to answer survey or research paper questions are not allowed without prior permission from Admin. As you can understand if we allowed such posts, every year when finals comes around we'd get flooded with students.

Following this message I sent a letter to an admin explaining that I just wanted to ask a few questions and that I can limit it to a few people. The response to that email was just as short, my account was removed. Not wanting to give up my best source of information the next day I made another account."



And here are two of my favorite examples used later in the mini ethnography paper:

#######: Your room is now your "closet" and your closet is your "armory". I have quite literally turned my room and closet into nothing but clothing and weapon racks for cosplay. I sleep on a futon in the middle of my floor, next to my sewing machine, my hot glue gun, my sequin machine, and a few other necessary tools.

######: Being awesome & absorbing attributes and superpowers of the character I'm cosplaying, including but not limited to flying around and shooting lasers from my eyes. I wear my costumes under my street clothes and change in phone booths too.

Welcome November

I needed a nice long post since it was the new month but it took me a few days to think about what to write. I am still waiting on Kansai Gaidai and totally freaking out. Yes yes it's only been three weeks since I've handed it in and DeAnna my bff said it took a month for her... but I need something to get me excited. I've begun that lull state in the semester where you know you can't skip anymore classes and you finally have to get your work done.. but the semester seems to be going fast because we only have a month left. I can survive a month of school but not waiting a few weeks for a reply from Kansai.

On another note I've sent my Christmas list to my mom-pretty sure she's going to get what I asked for. It's all important stuff mind you.. just really expensive. The main thing I want is an electronic Japanese-English dictionary. Practical purposes aside- it's just freakin' cool. I have decided on the sharp brand much like this:Very lovely no? I'm drooling just thinking about it.

Again, on another note: I have come to the realization that television today is crap. I have recently begun to watch old television shows; shows that my brother's generational age watched. Daria came to mind and I've become obsessed with her witty and sarcastic nature. I wish I could have her pizazz. For now I'll just watch the old episodes and be nostalgic a bit longer.

Current mood: anxious and a bit spacey
Current wish: That Kansai Gaidai would hurry up with their decision!
Current song: None, because I am in the computer lab in the Linthicum building where the speakers are disconnected.

Paranoid

I haven't heard back from Kansai Gaidai.
Kill me.
Now.
kthnx.


x_x

Soundtrack to My Life

I found my old iPod video thing the other day. I forgot I had music on it and kind of buried it in my room for three years. Well it's charged and I've been using it between classes, walking places. Today it really felt like my life was a sitcom and my iPod was my soundtrack. I haven't updated the songs on it in 5+ years. I put it on random and had my own personal amusement today. A Christmas song cam on while walking to the library and I almost.. ALMOST started skipping, singing and dancing around to the song. But otherwise glad I found my old songs.

Current Mood: giddy
Current Wish: I wish Kansai Gaidai would get back to me. I really want to know if I made it in.
Current Song: Billy Idol White Wedding.. Lol don't ask random songs on my iPod

Goodluck! I can do it!

I found this picture online somewhere, thought it was totally me. I'm a little caught up with my classes, except that I am now behind on my papers for those classes. But I'm only a week behind so it's not that bad. I can catch up. I think if I stick to the homework/work/relax schedule I have made then I won't get too stressed come finals time.

What you say

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear." Eph. 4:29


Truth can be harsh if not appropriately timed and the Word can bring healing as well as be a sword.

Note to Self:

After going a year and a half without eating fast food: DO NOT EAT.

The delicious taste does not make up for being nauseous almost instantly and having diarrhea for three hours afterwords.

What I need to know

So I know I haven't gotten my confirmation yet that says I actually can go to Japan but I've been preparing nonetheless. My Japanese skills are poor on all levels. I found this amazing website that helps you learn kanji, kanji compounds, etc. It's basically a game. You can switch it between English/Kanji/and kana so you can learn it all three ways. My goal before I leave for Japan is to learn all the Kanji and Kanji compounds in the game. That is 1005 kanji and 600 compound kanji and they give you levels so you start out with easy ones. Here is the link to the site!

https://www.msu.edu/~lakejess/kanjigame.html

日本語 Lesson

Today we will learn the passive form. According to my Japanese teacher, who is a native, the passive form is used a lot in Japanese. It is seldom used in English and is frowned upon when you use it in papers or journalism.

Example in English:
Superman helped Lois Lane.
Passive version of the sentence is: Lois Lane was helped by Superman.

Example #1
ロイスレインはスーパーマンによってたすけられた。
によって ni is the particle while speaking, when you write passive sentences use niyotte
たすけられた tasukeru means to help. Here are the rules for conjugating passive verbs:
Class 2: Drop る and add られる

(Past sentence られた)

Example #2
ととろははやおみやざきによってつくられた。
つくられた tsukuru means to make. Here are the rules for conjugating passive verbs:
Class 1: Change ending "u" to "a" and add れる

Class 3:
する　－　される
くる　－　こられる

Random Fact: We were learning VERY polite terms. If you want to impress strangers use this extremely formal way of asking what someone's name is.

おなまえはなんとおっしやいますか。
Onamae wa nanto osshyaimasuka? (I translate to exact spelling of ramanji. The only difference is that I still use wa instead of ha because of the pronunciation. Meaning I'll use Youkoso instead of Yookoso. )

Currents

Current Mood: Hyperactive/excited/nervous
Current Wish: I wish there were more hours in the day, not so I can get things done- I do that already. I just want more sleep.
Current Song: Owl Cities- Fireflies

[Oops forgot these in the last post heh]

I'm so nervous!~

I just checked my application status for Kansai Gaidai! .. They received all parts of the application and it's under review at this very minute!1!~

This is a very surreal feeling I have right now. It's done. Out of my hands. Nothing more I can do. Me going to Japan now all depends on a few professors and counselors in Japan that are going over my paperwork. It is so close I can hardly believe it took me two and a half years to get here. This is the third attempt to study abroad. It's been pushed back for a wedding, getting my grades up and stuff and now.. it could almost be over.

I'm excited and scared all at the same time. DeAnna's blog isn't helping any either. I go to her blog everyday in the hopes she updated with more information that I can rigorously read off the screen. I'm probably even annoying Daniel and Stephanie with all my Japan questions x_x; If I find someone that has studied abroad in Japan I turn into Insta Creeper and hassle them with a million questions...I gotta stop doing that.

I will update on this again when I know more information. Cross your fingers! I'm going to Japan! ....(hopefully ;_; )

Waking up Sucks!

I set my alarms (3 of them) this morning for 7:30. Did I wake up at 7:30? No. I stayed in bed for another 2 hours. I have a 5 page paper due today and did I finish it yesterday? HAHAHA NO. I literally have an hour to finish it and I'm wasting my time updating my blog with this useless post.

Ok rant over. Actually I wanted to post an exert from my ethnographic research. I definitely had some "lulz"

Why do you like cosplay?
Favorite answer: "Being awesome & absorbing attributes and superpowers of the character I'm cosplaying, including but not limited to flying around and shooting lasers from my eyes. I wear my costumes under my street clothes and change in phonebooths too."

Weekly Update

School: Classes are going ok, I'm behind in my cinema class because I'm too lazy to wake up early on Wednesdays to watch the movies with Maria. I haven't started any of the 3 papers I have due in about a month and a half. And as with Japanese, I've begun to feel quite dumb in the class. Almost everyone outside of my little corner has studied abroad in Japan, or has studied it longer, or knows kanji because they know Chinese....I feel quite stupid compared to everyone else. We have begun to write and speak more in class. I'm horrible at writing with kanji, remembering past vocab, and reading fluently.

I'm thinking of stepping down from being the secretary of Towson Conservatives this semester because I don't have the time to go to all these functions and I feel bad about it.

I'm a little upset that the people that run the Quidditch club are so flippy. No one gives straight answers about the meetings and I have the feeling that the club won't last- which makes me sad.

Work: My first day with live training was last Sunday and I have a feeling my first full day on register will be tomorrow. I'm actually excited. I still don't remember how to do a lot of things but all I can do is try. At least I know I'm good at returns Hahahaha.

Personal: Now that I've handed in my study abroad application I'm getting more and more nervous. There are so many things that can go wrong before I feel confident I am going. They have to accept me for one thing, Mom has to be able to work my financial aid out, I need to get that scholarship they are offering, etc. Until I'm on that plane heading over there I will still feel that this is a dream. I've also begun to think about feeling homesick. I have no problems being away from home, but the longest I've ever been away was a month and a half. Potentially I'll be away for 5 months with the only contact being through email. I'm not sure how I feel about that yet.


Current Mood: Contemplative
Current Wish: I wish the heater in my room worked so that the fire alarm won't go off when I turn it on because it feels like 30 degrees in here.
Current Song: The Prince of Egypt Soundtrack- When you Believe.

Facebook Links

So this past week I've had some extra time on my hands. Facebook came out with these cool games that play in real time. I've become addicted. Farmville, CafeWorld, and Roller Coaster kingdom. The frist, you own a farm, the second is you make food and run a cafe, the third is you run a theme park. VERY fun and but makes you lose track of the time.

I have to stop clicking on links when I'm on facebook. It's bad enough I spend AT LEAST 4 hours on that site a day, but when I click links I find these games, and other cool websites that make me totally forget what I'm supposed to do. Envoy was the last game I've clicked on. It's a game where you grow a kingdom. Haha. I love to pretend to run things.. I guess.

Huzzah!

I am officially done with my study abroad application! It will be in the mail by the end of the day and I will receive word from Kansai Gaidai within two weeks. OH EM GEE. I can taste the salty island air of Japan now. After this is all over I can go back to concentrating on my classes.. and the many papers I have to write.

Happy Birthday Katy

Great party last night.

Note to Self

• Make Japanese study group with Stephanie and Daniel.
• Practice quidditch.
• Squeal over Study Abroad.
• Play Mahjong.
  

Vocab Update

ぞっとする That's Creepy
あんたﾁｮｰおもしろいよ You Crack me up!
そんあのかんけいぬー It doesn't matter.
つぶれるまでのむ Binge drinking.

New Obsession

I have a new obsession. Mahjong. And not the American version that you play on your computer where you match up tiles. I'm talking the authentic Asian Mahjong. There are a few versions, but I'm most attracted to the Hong Kong and the Japanese Riichi Mahjong styles. I've even found a website where I can play against others annonymously (thank goodness for that. I don't want people knowing how bad I actually am.) www.mahjongtime.com

Also, I'm thinking about practing Kendo with the George Washington club. Apparently they let outside non-students participate on Saturdays. Yay for physical activity! (*cough*)

ｸﾘｽﾀです。

I am currently in Japanese 301 and will be using my journal blog to help me practice my vocab and grammar. (Being in JPNS 301 does NOT make me an expert on the language, trust me when I say, I am the slowest person in class and when I study abroad next semester I will be clinging to my electronic dictionary the entire time) While I blog about what I'm currently learning I am also going to go back into my old textbooks and do reviews.

If you are going to follow along I suggest that you learn Hiragana and Katakana. I will review sentence structures and conjugations from time to time, to remind myself.

Vocabulary: [Life and Careers]
じんせい life
うまれる to be born
たんじょうび birthday
あかちゃん baby
ようちえん kindergarten
はいくえん day care center
しょうがっこう elementary school
ちゅうがっこう middle school, junior high
こうこう high school
せいと pupil, student
たんだい two-year college
きょういく（する） education (to educate)
にゅうがく（する） to enter a school
そつぎょう（する） graduate (to graduate)
わかい young
みせいぬん underage person, minor
しゅうしょく（する） to get a job
どくしん single, unmarried
けっこん（する） marriage (to get married)
りこん（する） divorce (to get divorced)
ちゅうぬん middle age
たいしょく（する） retirement (to retire)
ろうじん elderly person
としをとる to grow older
し death

TU Quidditch

So I go to Towson University, I noticed on facebook the other day that my friend joined a group called TU Quidditch. The giddy middle schooler in me made a huge fan girl squeel when I found out that some undergrads at my school actually created a team/club to play muggle quidditch. The first meeting is on Wednesday. I so want to go. Even though I have another club to go to around the same time. Here's the link: http://tuquidditch.webs.com/

Studying Abroad and Grad School

The deadline for Kansai Gaidai is coming up and I feel like I'm rushing around at the last minute. Well, because I am. I have to hand it in ASAP because it is due next Thursday. I still have to get a doctors appointment and get the pictures they want of me.

This past weekend I went to PA with my grandmother and mother and we had this conversation on my future. I originally was double majoring in Asian studies and international studies. After talking with them I'm debating on going to graduate school for Asian studies instead of getting my second B.S from Towson. My goal is now to get into George Washington University. It is going to be hard. Very hard. I need to concentrate on my grades for the next two years. My gpa is currently 3.15, my goal is to get that up to 3.5 by the time I graduate.
(If i go to grad school I'm going to have to live at home for 2 years! x_x)