First and Second Week

     I realize I still need to finish telling the story of my first week in Japan, but so much has also happened recently that I feel obliged to share that too.
     After an awesome weekend spent with my friends, the Okamotos, I stepped onto a bullet-train and hurdled for 3 hours from Kanto to the Kansai region. After two more trains and a taxi (the whole rout ended up costing me maybe $250) I made it to my temporary accommodations at Kansai Gaidai.
     After all that travel, I was rather hungry, so at 8pm I set off with some new friends to a local super market. Unfortunately the super market was the most foreign experience I had had in Japan thus far, so I only felt comfortable grabbing some bread and water. Classic choices I think.
     The next few days weren't actually very fun for me. Between being shuffled around to different orientation programs, trying to endure a cold, and the ridiculous heat, I developed a good amount of homesickness. Thankfully, with the support of my friends and family I made it through and the following weekend was amazing. Scattered are a two photos from a trip to Kiyomizu Temple I took with my new friends.

     During the weekend I moved in with my home-stay family. Their family name is Tsukahara, and they are AMAZING. I'm so glad I got placed with them. My host mother is a nurse and my host father is a middle school teacher. They have a 12-year-old daughter who reminds me a little of my own younger sister. So far, life with the Tsukaharas is turning out great.
     Classes started the following Monday, but there is nothing spectacular to report about the first week of school. I will however list my classes for those who are interested.
     I am in level 4 of both Japanese Speaking and Japanese Reading/Writing. My Asian Studies classes are Religion in Japan, Japan and its world to 1860, and International Business Transactions.

     I didn't do much Friday or Saturday, but on Sunday I went to Osaka with my friend Aolai (you can link to her blog about Japan here) to check out a church. The church was awesome, I could see my self going there long term, and afterward the two of us decided to take a trip to Osaka Castle.
     This week has also been fun, but with a funny twist story I think I'll talk about in the next post. So I'll sign off for now with another panorama, this one of Osaka City.