I know it has been quite some time since we last spoke, I meant to get in contact, I really did. But time just ran away from me. Seeing as it's been just a little over a month since I touched down in Japan I figured now would be a good time to drop some knowledge.
I sit here pondering and reflecting on the past month. I feel obligated to mention the cliche exchange student line, of "Wow, its already been a month?" seeing as it really is true. As a wise man once said (bonus points if you can guess this fabled 90's country music 'star') that time marches on. Each day that passes finds me discovering something new, whether it be a new word, new food, or a new arcade game.
I hate to bore you with my mundane, reflective thoughts, so let's get to something a little more exciting. Not that much more exciting, but a little bit. Sukoshi, as the Japanese might say. I would like to inform you dearest reader, of some of the things that have occupied my time in the past three weeks. The first being school, which consumes a lot of time, somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 hours a day or so. I start off my day by waking up bright and early at 6:00 and hop in the shower, eat some breakfast (what once was corn flakes has shifted into grapefruit nowadays) and head out the door around 7, clutching my Astram pass and my school bag, decked out in one of my many school uniform iterations. Allow me to run off track here, but my school uniform is absolutely absurd. In fact, when my counselor and I went to pick it up it required both of us carrying multiple bags of it. This uniform for consists of three white short sleeve shirts, and summer pants which is the current iteration, from the "summer wear" collection. The fall collection consists of two long sleeved maroon shirts and a blue "formal" shirt along with the same lightweight summer pants. The winter collection utilizes the same shirts as the fall collection but throws in two neckties, a sweater and a snazzy overcoat blazer type thing, in addition to more hardy winter pants. All of this is tied together with three pairs of socks, some hideous commuting shoes, sandals for at school and a belt to boot. All of this is for normal wear, however, I also have two short sleeved polos, a long sleeved polo, two pairs of shorts, sweatpants, indoor shoes, outdoor shoes and a lovely speedo, to which I have become closely connected with, all for physical education. They aren't messing around at Koryo, they take their physical education very seriously. But I digress, I leave my house wearing the fine threads mentioned above and head for the Astram station, think of it as a subway. This walk takes me roughly 15 minutes and I get to stroll through the Hiroshima Castle park and see some old man practice his gymnastics on the high bar every Thursday. I get to the station and board a subway esque thing bond for Koryo. I always sit in the same car with the same folks everyday, those people are for a different post though. After exiting the train, after about a 35 minute ride, I have a nice walk of 10 minutes to school, all of it being uphill at a relatively steep pitch. I then up walk four flights stairs to my classroom. I then endure Japanese classes from 8:30 until 4 on Monday's and Thursdays, and 8:30 to 5 on the other days. After school, I attend the Takayu club. For those unfamiliar with the Japanese language, that's ping pong. I play until around 6 and then head back to the apartment, ultimately arriving around 7, usually a wee bit later.
For something completely different, picture time
The releasing of balloons during the seventh inning stretch at Hiroshima Carps baseball game
The beginnings of a tradition tea ceremony. As it turns out my club's President is a master of the tea ceremony and it has been passed down in his family for 300 years.
Well, that is all for now. I have missed a lot, but hopefully will be able to fill you guys in with the rest at a later date. Until next time.
