I'm doing well here. I am starting to get over being so homesick now. :D
My host family is great. My little brothers are really cute and they like to play "trump" with me. It's matching using a deck of cards or the nice animal cards Dad got for them. They always get really excited when I say more than 2 words to them in Japanese. My host mom is very sweet. She is very helpful and kind. I can't wait to learn more Japanese so I can get to know her better. My host dad is a huge help. He acts as my translator when we are shopping for cell phones and at the Rotary dinners when people ask me more complicated questions than is the food delicious? Haha. It was nice to have an English speaker while I was settling in. I think he will stop speaking English to me in a few weeks though. That's good I guess.
At my welcome party I will get to see all my Rotary friends again. Since I am done with my class now, I won't see them very much. All that I really know about it is that I have to give my speech that we worked on in our class.
The class was really fun and I think I learned quite a bit. It gave me a good base to work off of so hopefully I'll be able to start making better sentences soon. I'm really glad I took it, but you've gotta tell AnnaMarie that she was wrong. I am definitely not the best one here at Japanese. Haha. I'm pretty sure that I was put in the dumb group. Our group wrote our speeches in romaji (english alphabet). The other group wrote theirs out in hiragana! They can all read and write hiragana and katakana really fast. Oh, well. Our group had a lot of fun with our lessons. :D And, yes, we bow to our sensei. Everyone bows to everyone here. Every time I meet someone we bow.
My house. It's really nice. I now have my own room. It is just a little smaller than Christy's room I'd say. Minus the closet. There are two other rooms about the same size, then another one with the sliding walls that I can't remember the name of. Then we have our toilet room, our bathroom (which are totally separate, by the way) the little changing room next to the bathroom. It has sinks, a mirror, a little closet, and the washer/dryer. We have a nice little kitchen, which is smaller than AnnaMarie's. The last room is the living room. It has a couch and the table that we eat at and the TV. Then, pretty much every room has a little balcony outside of it. The main balcony has a nice hammock I like to sit in sometimes. And our toilet is a western style one, with the bedet (how do you spell that?) built in. It took me like 3 min to figure out how to flush it my first night. Our bath is Japanese style. There is a little shower thing on the wall that you wash off with, then you can take a bath to relax if you want. The bath has a heater so it will stay at whatever temperature you set it at.
My room is nice. It has two little balconies off of it, and I have a bookshelf and computer in it. I also have a little set of drawers for my clothes and a part of the closet is for me to hang my stuff up in. We are still working on the bed. Right now I am sleeping on a futon, which is fine with me. They had ordered me like a 100 dollar bed and it broke when we were assembling it. So, they had it sent back and I guess they are going to get another one at some point. Until I get my bed, I'm not really sure what to do with my suitcases. They are just in the corner for now, but I want to store them under my bed once I get it. I'll work something out in the next few days.
Sometimes I help make dinner. I helped make curry the other day. It was pretty good. All the food here is good. The only thing I didn't really like was sashimi, but I’ll eat it. It tastes fine, but the texture is weird. I'll just have to get used to it I think. For dinner I have had everything from Beef stew to sashimi to curry to Udon My host mom is a really good cook. I do miss Italian food though. I eat rice at least twice a day. Usually for breakfast I make myself shokupan (toast).
There are very few foreigners here, so EVERYONE stares at me. Some try to be sneakier about it than others. My host dad keeps apologizing for it, but I was like, hey, if a 7 foot tall girl walked in to my school at home, everyone would stare at her too. Haha. I am taller than almost everyone. I haven't met or seen any girls taller than me yet. Once in a while I will see a foreigner on the street, and I have realized that I stare at them. Haha. Usually I am just trying to figure out why they are here. I think the majority of them are from the navy base, but sometimes you see one with a Japanese wife or something.
Yesterday I went to my school for the first time. I met the American teacher named Jonny and another teacher who speaks very good English. They are kind of assigned to me to help me get settled into school. I start on Monday. I'm pretty nervous, but everything will be fine. My building is really complicated though. Good thing I just have to follow my homeroom classmates. I'll take pictures with my uniform once I get it. It is going to come on Sunday. They just finished it. I am going to get sooo many more stares when I am wearing that. And, it's okay, you can laugh.
After going to the school, I went to a Rotary dinner. They are at this really nice hotel called Camelot Japan or something. The food was really good Japanese food. The Rotarians are all very nice (and rich). One named "Sammy" own a whole bunch of restaurants. I went around introducing myself to each table, and at his there was a lady wearing a kimono. He asked me how I liked it and I said it was beautiful. Then he said that he is going to have one made for me! That is so nice of him! My host dad said that he will probably get a really nice one made (like 3,000 to 5,000 USD) Yikes! And there was another lady in a kimono who gave me this beautiful Japanese fan. It is purple silk and bamboo. Probably expensive. The other Rotarians like to come around to my table and watch me use the chopsticks and ask me how I liked the food. I'll be going to these dinners about once a month I think.
I’ll be getting pictures up soon. Probably tomorrow. Today we are going to go shopping for my rice bowl and chopsticks. :D This is pretty exciting.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
First Few Days in Japan, and I Only Got Lost Once!
From my first few days here in Yokohama:
August 22:
The flight went well. Sorry about the typing. this keyboard is confusing. I`m having a really good time here. My host family is very nice and the boys are so cute. I am learning the most from them.
Yokohama is beautiful! The city is really really big and busy, but I am slowly starting to understand the train system. It feels like I have been here a lot longer than I have been. Tomorrow I am going to go to my Japanese class all by myself. I really hope I don`t get lost! The other exchange students are cool and funny, especially this kid from Brazil and the girl from Mexico.
Today I got tailored for my school uniform.. haha. They are custom making it, and it will be shipped to me next week. I also got shoes. My feet are so big here! Mie (my host mom) was like “ookii” (big) when she saw my shoes. Then the lady at the store`s eyes got all big when they were telling her my size. +D
I also went to the Rotary lunch and gave my little speech. One thing about the Rotarians here is that their cars are soo nice! I saw a few Mercedes, Porches and even a Rolls Royce! And they all seem so willing to help me. They said to just let them know if there was anything I wanted to do or see.
Hmmm.. oh, parking here! The parking place for us is in this really cool car elevator thing. It actually moves the cars down so you can drive in, then moves it back up. Cars are parked 2 or 3 cars high! I`ll take a pic at some point. My house here is really nice too. I love you all and I miss you all. I am having a lot of fun though. Don`t worry about me.
Love, Abbey--
USA ---> Yokohama, Japan
Rotary Youth Exchange
08-09
August 22:
So guess what? Today I am going to ride the trains all by myself. I really hope I don`t get lost. Today I will be going to my Japanese Class, then touring Yokohama with my friends there and some Rotex students.
Right now I am waiting for breakfast, which is going to be Udon noodles and rice I think. I tried to help, but Mie gave me the computer. I think I just get in the way... oh, well.
I miss you lots, but it is really awesome here. I have this train pass card, like a plastic credit card ish type card, and there is this scanner and you just put your wallet over the scanner and it detects the card and will charge you whatever the ride costs. Crazy! You dont have to atually get out the card. And the key to my house has an electric sensor in it too, so you don`t actually use the key part at the front door of the complex building. My whole complex, by the way, houses 6,000 people! and they have an eye scanner that you can use too, but Im not registered in it, obviously.
August 24:
Hey_Everyone!
Guess what? I really did get lost yesterday. haha.
Yeah, so I got to my bus okay. I got to the correct trains okay. After the trains is what turned out to be the tricky part. I had to find the Washington Hotel and then from there I would take a right, down that street to my japanese class. The Washington Hotel is just straight from the station, right? Well, these roads are not grid system, and I took the wrong road to go strait on. After a while, I started asking people for help....
Me: Sumimasen, Eigo ga wakarimasu ka? (Excuse me. Do you speak English?)
Them: iie (No)
Me: umm, Washington Hotel?
Them: Washintonu Hoteru? blah blah jdklj jklejwkafdskfjfj djifjkdsl.
Me: kinda blank stare.. this way? (pointing)
Them: hai. (Yes)
Me: Arigato Gozaimasu. (Thank you)
I was lead through a subway a little ways (not on a train) then back up, because it was too dangerous to go on the street. yeah, that was definatley not the way I went the day before. Finally I get to this building they are leading me to. It was a DIFFERENT Washington Hotel. At this point I am 30 min. late for my class and trying really hard not to cry. I go into this hotel and find a phone to call my host dad, who calls rotary and sends someone to pick me up at the front desk.
Everything worked out eventually. I was 40 min late and all the other kids had a good laugh, but Rotary took care of me. Today I got there all by myself with no mistakes. and home, too. That was my big adventure.
I love you all!!!
-Abbey
August 24:
Tonight i am going to go to one of those Sushi restaurants with the rotating belt things... mmm. I`ll tell you about that when I get back. I should get going now though. I will post pictures when I get my room set up.
August 22:
The flight went well. Sorry about the typing. this keyboard is confusing. I`m having a really good time here. My host family is very nice and the boys are so cute. I am learning the most from them.
Yokohama is beautiful! The city is really really big and busy, but I am slowly starting to understand the train system. It feels like I have been here a lot longer than I have been. Tomorrow I am going to go to my Japanese class all by myself. I really hope I don`t get lost! The other exchange students are cool and funny, especially this kid from Brazil and the girl from Mexico.
Today I got tailored for my school uniform.. haha. They are custom making it, and it will be shipped to me next week. I also got shoes. My feet are so big here! Mie (my host mom) was like “ookii” (big) when she saw my shoes. Then the lady at the store`s eyes got all big when they were telling her my size. +D
I also went to the Rotary lunch and gave my little speech. One thing about the Rotarians here is that their cars are soo nice! I saw a few Mercedes, Porches and even a Rolls Royce! And they all seem so willing to help me. They said to just let them know if there was anything I wanted to do or see.
Hmmm.. oh, parking here! The parking place for us is in this really cool car elevator thing. It actually moves the cars down so you can drive in, then moves it back up. Cars are parked 2 or 3 cars high! I`ll take a pic at some point. My house here is really nice too. I love you all and I miss you all. I am having a lot of fun though. Don`t worry about me.
Love, Abbey--
USA ---> Yokohama, Japan
Rotary Youth Exchange
08-09
August 22:
So guess what? Today I am going to ride the trains all by myself. I really hope I don`t get lost. Today I will be going to my Japanese Class, then touring Yokohama with my friends there and some Rotex students.
Right now I am waiting for breakfast, which is going to be Udon noodles and rice I think. I tried to help, but Mie gave me the computer. I think I just get in the way... oh, well.
I miss you lots, but it is really awesome here. I have this train pass card, like a plastic credit card ish type card, and there is this scanner and you just put your wallet over the scanner and it detects the card and will charge you whatever the ride costs. Crazy! You dont have to atually get out the card. And the key to my house has an electric sensor in it too, so you don`t actually use the key part at the front door of the complex building. My whole complex, by the way, houses 6,000 people! and they have an eye scanner that you can use too, but Im not registered in it, obviously.
August 24:
Hey_Everyone!
Guess what? I really did get lost yesterday. haha.
Yeah, so I got to my bus okay. I got to the correct trains okay. After the trains is what turned out to be the tricky part. I had to find the Washington Hotel and then from there I would take a right, down that street to my japanese class. The Washington Hotel is just straight from the station, right? Well, these roads are not grid system, and I took the wrong road to go strait on. After a while, I started asking people for help....
Me: Sumimasen, Eigo ga wakarimasu ka? (Excuse me. Do you speak English?)
Them: iie (No)
Me: umm, Washington Hotel?
Them: Washintonu Hoteru? blah blah jdklj jklejwkafdskfjfj djifjkdsl.
Me: kinda blank stare.. this way? (pointing)
Them: hai. (Yes)
Me: Arigato Gozaimasu. (Thank you)
I was lead through a subway a little ways (not on a train) then back up, because it was too dangerous to go on the street. yeah, that was definatley not the way I went the day before. Finally I get to this building they are leading me to. It was a DIFFERENT Washington Hotel. At this point I am 30 min. late for my class and trying really hard not to cry. I go into this hotel and find a phone to call my host dad, who calls rotary and sends someone to pick me up at the front desk.
Everything worked out eventually. I was 40 min late and all the other kids had a good laugh, but Rotary took care of me. Today I got there all by myself with no mistakes. and home, too. That was my big adventure.
I love you all!!!
-Abbey
August 24:
Tonight i am going to go to one of those Sushi restaurants with the rotating belt things... mmm. I`ll tell you about that when I get back. I should get going now though. I will post pictures when I get my room set up.
Monday, August 18, 2008
I'm Leaving Tomorrow!
Okay, so I have really neglected my blog this week. I got my itinerary and tickets and all that good stuff. I'm currently in Milwaukee. My flight leaves tomorrow morning from Milwaukee at 10:20 and goes to Detroit. I'll leave Detroit at 2:25 for the Tokyo Narita Airport, where I'll land at 4:20pm (2:20am my time)! yay! I'm really excited and a little nervous. I'll blog more about this week once I get there, but I can't now. Right now I am outside of the library in Milwaukee using their internet with Tyler. :D I'll will be in Japan in about 29 hours!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
I Have a Visa!
So, a few days ago I got an email from my host club in Japan asking me to let them know about my itinerary once I get it. They said that they want me in Japan for a language camp form the 20th to the 29th of September! That means I should be leaving within two weeks!
At that point I was still waiting for my visa, so I informed my travel agent about the dates. She emailed back telling me that as of last friday, I have a visa! Yay! Now I just have to wait a few more days and hopefully I'll have my plane tickets. I am going to get all packed up and ready to go this week, just incase they call and say that I am leaving in 3 days or something. The only bad thing about leaving sooner than I thought I would be is that I might not be here for the going away party my friends are throwing me. Hopefully they can reschedule it for a day that I will still be here.
Last weekend, we went down to Milwaukee to visit AnnaMarie, Tyler, and Katie and to go to the Breaking Dawn release party! Breaking Dawn is the fourth and final book in the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. AnnaMarie, Christy, and I went to Border's for the midnight release party. The party was pretty lame, but we had a good time together! We went for ice cream at Kopp's and had some fun girl time. I'm glad that I will get to see them one more time before I leave, because I will be flying out of Milwaukee.
I have been getting so excited to go! I thought I would be more nervous at this point, but I'm really not. I've been cleaning out my room and studying my Japanese. I finally made arrangements to take that final exam before I go. Today, my friends Kate is coming over. She volunteered to help me pack! That was so nice of her. I am really going to miss her this year. I have also been hanging out with my friends as much as I can before I leave. In two weeks. Wow. I still can't believe it is that soon. I'm so excited!
At that point I was still waiting for my visa, so I informed my travel agent about the dates. She emailed back telling me that as of last friday, I have a visa! Yay! Now I just have to wait a few more days and hopefully I'll have my plane tickets. I am going to get all packed up and ready to go this week, just incase they call and say that I am leaving in 3 days or something. The only bad thing about leaving sooner than I thought I would be is that I might not be here for the going away party my friends are throwing me. Hopefully they can reschedule it for a day that I will still be here.
Last weekend, we went down to Milwaukee to visit AnnaMarie, Tyler, and Katie and to go to the Breaking Dawn release party! Breaking Dawn is the fourth and final book in the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. AnnaMarie, Christy, and I went to Border's for the midnight release party. The party was pretty lame, but we had a good time together! We went for ice cream at Kopp's and had some fun girl time. I'm glad that I will get to see them one more time before I leave, because I will be flying out of Milwaukee.
I have been getting so excited to go! I thought I would be more nervous at this point, but I'm really not. I've been cleaning out my room and studying my Japanese. I finally made arrangements to take that final exam before I go. Today, my friends Kate is coming over. She volunteered to help me pack! That was so nice of her. I am really going to miss her this year. I have also been hanging out with my friends as much as I can before I leave. In two weeks. Wow. I still can't believe it is that soon. I'm so excited!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Home!
I am finally home for a while. This summer has been so crazy! It has been a while since I have written anything on here, so this might get a little long.
The rest of Summer Scholars was really fun and I miss the people I met there. I stayed at Michael and Caroline's house for a week after that was over. It was so much fun spending time with them all! Ryan and Calvin are fun. They are going to be so big when I get back from Japan! On the Fourth of July, we went to the parade in Provo. That was fun even though we didn't stay for the whole thing. It was a lot longer than the one in Bessemer! I was a little disappointed that I missed marching band this year though.
I left Utah on the 5th. My flight left at a very early 6:30 in the morning from the SLC airport. Everything with my flight went well. My luggage was almost 15 pounds over the limit (ooops) but I had a really nice lady checking me in and she let it slide. I think it had something to do with the fact that I was traveling all by myself and I'm only 16. Anyway, once my flight got into Chicago at about 10:30, I got my luggage and was off to figure out Chicago's train system. I took the train to downtown Chicago, then found my way to Grand Central Station to get on the AmTrak up to Milwaukee. At this point, AnnaMarie and Tyler, who were supposed to pick me up, were on a plane that was late from California. I was a little confused when their friend Erika was at the station to pick me up instead of them. She took me over to the airport where we picked up AnnaMarie, Tyler, and Katie.
I stayed there in Milwaukee for a few days, then we all drove up to Ironwood. Two days later (on the 10th), I left for the Grand Rapids Rotary Conference. I didn't sleep very much, but I had a really good time. It was good to see everyone one last time before we all leave for our exchanges, and it was awesome to meet more people from, back from, and going to Japan! I also received my guarantee form while I was there! I already had most of the information from talking with my host dad, but it was still exciting to get it! On Sunday, we drove back from Grand Rapids and said goodbye to all the inbounds and other outbounds.
On Monday, June 14, I left for Girl's Camp! It went through Friday and was really fun. I was a youth-leader in charge of the fourth-year girls. Fourth years go across the lake one night during camp and actually camp in tents, so I got to lead that with a few other youth-leaders. We made a fire and had s'mores and then we got to get everyone up nice and early so we could all canoe back in time for breakfast. Being a youth-leader is awesome because you get to lead all the camp songs and be crazy! I love Girl's Camp. It's sad that this might be my last time. Maybe I'll be back in time for it next year. That would be Christy's first year, too.
I finally got home on Friday, and I got a call from Sister Anderson. She asked if Rosalie and I would want to babysit her kids while Brother Anderson was a scout camp. She lives in Ashland, so I just went over to her house on Sunday after church. I stayed there until Wednesday. It was fun to spend time with her kids and with Rosalie. I'm going to miss them when I leave.
So, now I am finally home for a while! It feels so good to sleep in my own bed. Now I have about 4 more weeks here, then I take off for my big adventure!
The rest of Summer Scholars was really fun and I miss the people I met there. I stayed at Michael and Caroline's house for a week after that was over. It was so much fun spending time with them all! Ryan and Calvin are fun. They are going to be so big when I get back from Japan! On the Fourth of July, we went to the parade in Provo. That was fun even though we didn't stay for the whole thing. It was a lot longer than the one in Bessemer! I was a little disappointed that I missed marching band this year though.
I left Utah on the 5th. My flight left at a very early 6:30 in the morning from the SLC airport. Everything with my flight went well. My luggage was almost 15 pounds over the limit (ooops) but I had a really nice lady checking me in and she let it slide. I think it had something to do with the fact that I was traveling all by myself and I'm only 16. Anyway, once my flight got into Chicago at about 10:30, I got my luggage and was off to figure out Chicago's train system. I took the train to downtown Chicago, then found my way to Grand Central Station to get on the AmTrak up to Milwaukee. At this point, AnnaMarie and Tyler, who were supposed to pick me up, were on a plane that was late from California. I was a little confused when their friend Erika was at the station to pick me up instead of them. She took me over to the airport where we picked up AnnaMarie, Tyler, and Katie.
I stayed there in Milwaukee for a few days, then we all drove up to Ironwood. Two days later (on the 10th), I left for the Grand Rapids Rotary Conference. I didn't sleep very much, but I had a really good time. It was good to see everyone one last time before we all leave for our exchanges, and it was awesome to meet more people from, back from, and going to Japan! I also received my guarantee form while I was there! I already had most of the information from talking with my host dad, but it was still exciting to get it! On Sunday, we drove back from Grand Rapids and said goodbye to all the inbounds and other outbounds.
On Monday, June 14, I left for Girl's Camp! It went through Friday and was really fun. I was a youth-leader in charge of the fourth-year girls. Fourth years go across the lake one night during camp and actually camp in tents, so I got to lead that with a few other youth-leaders. We made a fire and had s'mores and then we got to get everyone up nice and early so we could all canoe back in time for breakfast. Being a youth-leader is awesome because you get to lead all the camp songs and be crazy! I love Girl's Camp. It's sad that this might be my last time. Maybe I'll be back in time for it next year. That would be Christy's first year, too.
I finally got home on Friday, and I got a call from Sister Anderson. She asked if Rosalie and I would want to babysit her kids while Brother Anderson was a scout camp. She lives in Ashland, so I just went over to her house on Sunday after church. I stayed there until Wednesday. It was fun to spend time with her kids and with Rosalie. I'm going to miss them when I leave.
So, now I am finally home for a while! It feels so good to sleep in my own bed. Now I have about 4 more weeks here, then I take off for my big adventure!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Host Family!
I am so excited! Right now I am at my Summer Scholars camp at BYU. This week has been awesome, but I am going to tell you about the best news first.
Two days ago, during our free time, I checked my email hoping to hear from Chip and Sharon about Japan. The email was not there, so I was really disappointed. After a while one of my friends here told me to see if anything went to my spam folder. I didn't think there would be because Chip and Sharon's emails always go to my inbox, but I checked anyway. It turns out that my host Dad had emailed me on the 10th! I was so excited!
My host family is adorable. My host Dad and Mom seem really nice and they have two sons ages 5 and 6. Their names are Toro (5) and Wataru (6). I guess they are both really into Pokemon, so I'll have to work on that.
I will live in Yokohama, which is a little ways south of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. It is a huge port city. My host family's house looks really nice. They live in a complex with a swimming pool and gym and there are tennis courts pretty close to my house that I could see on google maps. That is really exciting for me. Now I'll be able to keep in shape while I am there.
The school I will be going to is an all girls Catholic school, so that'll be interesting. I guess I will have to travel about an hour to school each day. My host Dad said I'll take a bus from my house to the train station (10-15 minutes), then take a train to another train station (35 minutes), then walk from that station to my school(10-15 minutes). That will be a good time to write in my journal though. That is about all the news I have for now. I don't have any official Rotary information, but I am going to be in the Kanagawa East Rotary Club, in District 2590.
Okay, now for the rest of the things I have been doing. On Friday the 13th, I went to the outbound Rotary Conference out at the Conserve school. It was awesome! I had a ton of fun and it got me really excited for my departure. Grand Rapids is still to come... Anyway, I got home on Sunday and we took off for Utah! It was great to hang out with AnnaMarie. Katie, Benjamin, Christy and James so much! We stopped at the Badlands, which were spectacular, and we even saw the Jolly Green Giant in Minnesota!
Once we were in Utah, we all took a trip down to Arches National Park with Michael, Caroline, Ryan, and Calvin. Ryan is getting so big and Calvin is such a sweet baby. We did a lot of hiking in the hot sun and saw some really pretty landscape.
On Sunday, Calvin got his baby blessing. That was nice. After that, Dad, Benjamin, Christy, AnnaMarie, and Katie left. James and I went to the other two hours of church with Michael and Caroline. After church we dropped James off a BYU and I haven't seen him since. Hopefully I'll be meeting up with him during my free time on Friday. Monday morning, Caroline helped me get all checked in for camp here.
Camp is really fun. I am in the math/cryptology class and it is really interesting. It goes a lot into computer sciency stuff so I was totally lost yesterday, but today I understand it! It was very exciting when it just sorta clicked. We have done really cool activities each day. Monday we had a BBQ and went up into the canyons to a park. Tuesday we had a Pajama party and watched Enchanted. It was really fun and even the boys liked it. :) Yesterday we took a trip to Temple Square up in Salt Lake City. It was so beautiful. I love going there. It is alway so peaceful. We got to watch the Joseph Smith movie there too. The movie was so powerful. I cried a lot, and so did a lot of other people. Tonight we are having a dance with the sport camps so I am very excited! It is going to be really fun. Everyone here is so nice and I have made a lot of new friends. I really want to keep in touch with a lot of people, then maybe I'll see some of them at BYU if I go to college here. Anyway, I just wanted to share all of my good news. I should get going now, though. Free Time is almost over.
Two days ago, during our free time, I checked my email hoping to hear from Chip and Sharon about Japan. The email was not there, so I was really disappointed. After a while one of my friends here told me to see if anything went to my spam folder. I didn't think there would be because Chip and Sharon's emails always go to my inbox, but I checked anyway. It turns out that my host Dad had emailed me on the 10th! I was so excited!
My host family is adorable. My host Dad and Mom seem really nice and they have two sons ages 5 and 6. Their names are Toro (5) and Wataru (6). I guess they are both really into Pokemon, so I'll have to work on that.
I will live in Yokohama, which is a little ways south of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. It is a huge port city. My host family's house looks really nice. They live in a complex with a swimming pool and gym and there are tennis courts pretty close to my house that I could see on google maps. That is really exciting for me. Now I'll be able to keep in shape while I am there.
The school I will be going to is an all girls Catholic school, so that'll be interesting. I guess I will have to travel about an hour to school each day. My host Dad said I'll take a bus from my house to the train station (10-15 minutes), then take a train to another train station (35 minutes), then walk from that station to my school(10-15 minutes). That will be a good time to write in my journal though. That is about all the news I have for now. I don't have any official Rotary information, but I am going to be in the Kanagawa East Rotary Club, in District 2590.
Okay, now for the rest of the things I have been doing. On Friday the 13th, I went to the outbound Rotary Conference out at the Conserve school. It was awesome! I had a ton of fun and it got me really excited for my departure. Grand Rapids is still to come... Anyway, I got home on Sunday and we took off for Utah! It was great to hang out with AnnaMarie. Katie, Benjamin, Christy and James so much! We stopped at the Badlands, which were spectacular, and we even saw the Jolly Green Giant in Minnesota!
Once we were in Utah, we all took a trip down to Arches National Park with Michael, Caroline, Ryan, and Calvin. Ryan is getting so big and Calvin is such a sweet baby. We did a lot of hiking in the hot sun and saw some really pretty landscape.
On Sunday, Calvin got his baby blessing. That was nice. After that, Dad, Benjamin, Christy, AnnaMarie, and Katie left. James and I went to the other two hours of church with Michael and Caroline. After church we dropped James off a BYU and I haven't seen him since. Hopefully I'll be meeting up with him during my free time on Friday. Monday morning, Caroline helped me get all checked in for camp here.
Camp is really fun. I am in the math/cryptology class and it is really interesting. It goes a lot into computer sciency stuff so I was totally lost yesterday, but today I understand it! It was very exciting when it just sorta clicked. We have done really cool activities each day. Monday we had a BBQ and went up into the canyons to a park. Tuesday we had a Pajama party and watched Enchanted. It was really fun and even the boys liked it. :) Yesterday we took a trip to Temple Square up in Salt Lake City. It was so beautiful. I love going there. It is alway so peaceful. We got to watch the Joseph Smith movie there too. The movie was so powerful. I cried a lot, and so did a lot of other people. Tonight we are having a dance with the sport camps so I am very excited! It is going to be really fun. Everyone here is so nice and I have made a lot of new friends. I really want to keep in touch with a lot of people, then maybe I'll see some of them at BYU if I go to college here. Anyway, I just wanted to share all of my good news. I should get going now, though. Free Time is almost over.
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