Friday, January 18, 2013

Halfway Home

As my halfway mark begins to rapidly appear on the horizon, January 15th, which happens to coincide with my birthday as well, I feel it a natural time to reflect on the past five. More specifically the past 2 month's, seeing as I have been incredibly inactive on the blogosphere. That, and my mother says I need to blog more.

Last time we spoke I was just moving out of my interim host family. I had stayed with a friend for two weeks as my current host family was visiting their daughter in the states. As much as I wanted to go to Yosemite, it might have been a bit detrimental to my exchange. That, along with the fact that I wasn't invited. But anyways, I have now moved in with them and they happen to be a lovely bunch of people filled with unique witticisms and bizarre hobbies. My host father happens to be a pigeon racing connoisseur and his free time is spent twiddling about in the two shacks which houses his vast collection of both racing and pacing pigeons. Apparently there is a difference.

I could bore you now with all my novel and petty thoughts regarding my first five months, and how my sense of time has gotten all distorted and such. A topic I have spent much time grappling with, manipulating a vast array of different thoughts and opinions. But in your own best interest, I am not going to. I am merely going to simply sum it up in a matter of words. Time is crazy. There you go, short, simple and sweet. Do with it what you will, interpret as you must. Quote me if need be.

Instead, I am merely going to bore you with my recent activity using only words. No pictures whatsoever, those can be found at the Fast Time's at Koryo High companion site, coolheartbarracuda.tumblr.com. Way back in December, my host family was kind enough to take me along on a brief tour of Kyoto. For those of you unaware with Japan's history, Kyoto happens to be a place of great cultural significance and a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites are housed within the city's limits. I believe the number is 13, but I could be very well mistaken and looking it up would require too much energy. Anyways, we spent the weekend perusing various old temples and watching traditional Japanese theatre. I was told watching Kabuki, a form of old Japanese theatre in Kyoto, is comprable to watching a musical on Broadway. It goes without saying, that I am greatly appreciative of my current host family and words cannot express my gratitude.

The holiday season was a bit strange. As in it was practically nonexistent. Aside from the various signs adorning the walls of the mall wishing me a "Many Christmas", there was very little to remind of Jesus' birth. If I remember correctly, it was snowing when I awoke on Christmas day, albeit, it was all gone in a matter of moments. Quite literally, I went to reach for my camera and it was all gone. Poof, a Christmas miracle.

Looking forward unto the horizon, it appears February is going to be a bit slow. I switch host families at the end of the month, like the end of January. This action begs the question, didn't I just do that? And the answer is yes, I just did.

Finally, shout outs to Northfield Rotary Club, Hiroshima Jounan Rotary Club and Districts 2710, 5950 and 5960 for granting me this wonderful opportunity. To them all, I am eternally grateful.

So ends this rant

Pictures at http://coolheartbarracuda.tumblr.com/