Tuesday, August 31, 2010

KGU campus tour!

So today was our KGU campus tour! It was helpful, but I didn't take any pictures because none of it was that interesting haha. But we walked all the way to the train station, which took about 30 minutes. Even though it was ridiculously hot, the walk was actually not too bad! Oh jeez my bug bite itches. Here, look:

Sorry to those of you who are eating. But anyway yeah that itches a bit. It looks worse than it is though.

So this morning I had the Pikachu bread that I had boughten the other day...

...and it was rather awful. It had chocolate creme in the middle, which was awful tasting. It was really cute though? Tomorrow I have another one to try, it's pink so... we'll see.

So right today we toured the KGU campus, and the town around campus. There are lots of ... not casinos, but places to gamble. I'm pretty sure they're all Pachinko places. Like this:

Thanks Google!
There was also an amazing mall near campus. Seriously amazing. In the basement there was a super market/drug store. The first floor was tons of clothing stores. Why yes, I did buy somethings:

This skirt at Uniqluo. It looks a lot better in person. The best thing about this skirt?

...Well two good things. First, the price; it was only 500¥, which is a little over $5. The second good thing? I could buy a size small! >:D

I also bought this at a different shop, I can't remember the name.

You can't see it very well in the picture, but its a nice light pink color. AND it was on sale: 980¥ which is about $10! So two items of clothing for less than 2000¥ hells yes. We're going back on Friday. There's a cardigan calling my name...

Well sadly thats all for today, nothing super interesting happened. Tomorrow is our placement test! So, I'm off to study kanji! I'll let you know how it went tomorrow!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Kamakura!!

So I like how this blog took years to come to you all. Yeah, sorry about that! Anyway, let's move on to the pictures! I'll try to keep this in order...


So we arrived in Kamakura, which at first was a bunch of shops, so nothing too interesting, until we got there ⇧


Oops! I forgot to get a picture of the gate thing! Here it is, albeit an awkward side-shot.


A nice-looking stone mini-bridge. And under it...?


...tons of giant plants! What are these?


Pretty...


All of us exchange students!


Pretty, still.




Four people?


OH NO WAIT five.


Pretty, again.


No smoking and no bonfire, people! Which is totally unfair, you have no idea how much I wanted to bonfire.


More of these! Tons more. They're sake barrels, apparently.




See all those white things? Those are fortunes, and if you get a bad fortune, you are supposed to fold it up and tie it on one of these places, to... I don't know, will away the bad luck.


A crap ton of steps. 65 to be exact. Actually that's not very many.


This guy looks PISSED.




My 'buddy' Ayako and I! I'm still smiling... had I not read my fortune yet?


Wait... wait, what's this? That pink one...?


...bad luck! Well, it was awkward luck. It clearly said good luck at the top of it, BUT then in the different categories, it was bad. For example:
• It said I was selfish in relationships and that I should reflect on my conduct.
• It said that I should consult a good doctor soon.
• And finally, that my carelessness would lead to my failure in any upcoming examinations.
FML!!!


Cassie's was similarly bad, so here's her tying hers.


Kelli, me, and Niki outside my new home!


The abyss!




Oh oh there's the gate again! A good picture this time.


Waiting for the train, I saw Kimura Kaela! (Click that!)






Urgh blurry.






Incense!






It's Buddha! Well there's been tons of Buddha's so far.








Sooo many Buddha statues!




There was a bigger Buddha statue in there, but we weren't allowed to take pictures. I think Kelli got some forbidden pictures though...


People write little wishes, for good health or for whatever, on these wooden card things, and hang them up.


Awesome statue.


Even more awesome!

Inside of that building if you can see it on the right, there was an even bigger golden statue. Pictures were forbidden, of course. BUT I bought a little charm called お守り(omamori) which is a good luck charm of sorts. I bought one with a big Buddha on it that is supposed to be good luck towards everything.


The view!


OH OH and this sign! Kites are dangerous, everyone, watch out. Their sharp clothes will injure you!


A fish we saw as we were leaving~


Adorable!


A one-person-rick-shaw! We all wanted to ride on one, but apparently it's pretty expensive.

After going there, we went and see the one thing I was looking forward to seeing...


大仏/daibutsu/Giant Buddha!
It was amazing (or if Kelli sees this, AMAZINFFFF)


I really have a ton of pictures of him.


This is an awesome shot. Geez, I'm amazing.


Cassie, me, and Yinzhou!


Ayako and I!


Lots of us together!


EXTREME CLOSE UP! I think Masaru took this for me. Thanks!


Kelli (creeping in the background), Misato, Kiana, omgicantbelieveidontrememberhername, Marie, Brenna, and Nicole!


Cassie pretending to be the giant Buddha!


Giant sandals!


Me pretending to be the giant Buddha!


This picture is super blurry, but can you see Mt. Fuji?

Yesterday was sooo much fun, even though by the end of the day I had gained five bug bites, a sunburn, and incredibly sore feet. But by the end of today I had lost the sore feet, 4 bug bites, and my sunburn doesn't hurt!

Today I was supposed to get my cell phone, but since they only had 4 phones in the model we could buy, a lot of us didn't get one, myself included. BUT by the beginning of next week, they should have more in stock. And even better? Pink ones in stock! Hells yes.

Anyway, I'm off to bed! Tomorrow we go to KGU for the first time and take a campus tour! Goodnight~