"WELCOME ようこそ日本へ"

"WELCOME ようこそ日本へ
君が今ここにいること
とびきりの運命に
心からありがとう"

--Dear WOMAN- SMAP

So I am finally back in Japan! It is good to be here again. On my first full day here I was able to call my host father and he happily welcomed me back to Japan. It made me feel at home.

Speaking of which, I have noticed that Japan has lost its intional shock factor, if you will. For example, the fact that I can't read the signs doesn't suprise me like it did in the past. Regardless, I am still pretty illiterate. Hopefully that will change this year.


I am all moved into my dorm and I am slowly in the process of making it feel like home. I want to decorate it a bit more and hang some posters here and there.



I saw Ritsumeikan University for the first time in three years. It was pretty crazy. The exteior of the buildings seems diffrent from what I remembered. I am so happy to finally be here. I received my ID card which makes me an official student! Speaking of which, today was the first day of orientation and I took my placement test. Hopefully I did well. Also, we had a welcome party with all of the Buddies (the Japanese students who will help us through out our experience at Rits) and I had the oppertunity to speak lots of Japanese and become friends with them. Maybe we will all go out to Karaoke on Friday.



Changing topics, this past weekend was wonderful. I did a bit of sight seeing with my lovely. We visited Ryoanji, which is famous for its peaceful and ascetically pleasing stone garden. I would love to see it in the winter, too.



We also stopped by Kinkakuji. I still can't believe this was my second time there. Who would've thought I would be back there again. Kinkakuji is a hot spot for tourists and it was overwhelming seeing so many foreigners there. The outside of the pagoda is laced with a gold foil material (I believe so at least).



So that is really all the updates I have for now. Classes begin next week. I am looking forward to studying Japanese intensely again. :D

オリビア
9/21/2010