Back Home

Well, I've been back for a while now, so it's about time I do this... my last post, I think. ^-^ Leaving Japan was one of the saddest days EVER.... my family could only come with me to the train station (there's the picture of all of us... Momo-chan's head got cut out a little....), where we took an hour-long-ish train to the airport and waited for FOREVER for the plane... we managed to actually delay the darn thing because one of the arriving groups was late (long story....). Everyone was really happy to see each other again, though.... we were all telling stories and showing pictures. ^-^ Then once we got back to LA, everyone went their separate ways. Most people went directly to a connecting flight, but I met up with my cousin and we hung out and then I flew back home the next day.

Adjusting back wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, though that was probably because I was only gone for six weeks. Granted, I was a mess for a little while because of the time change, but once I managed to get that righted everything's been almost like an average summer- although immediately after coming back I had a tendency to talk in Japanese by accident.... not so much anymore, but sometimes I still doing it! And a week after I got back, Mieko, my host sister, came to our house, so we've been prepping her (or trying to, anyway) for the wonders of American high school. And my brother starts this year, too, so that'll be fun for both of them. ^-^

So, this is probably my last post, but to anyone reading this who isn't a relative or already an AFSer, you should DEFINITELY apply to the AFS program. You will meet so many new and amazingly nice people and learn so much. I had the time of my life while I was in Japan and I made some great friends and now have another family who is super-cool. ^-^

Bye!

~Kay

Last Day

Making yummy gyoza! They're technically Chinese, but they're so yummy and delicious and now I know how to make them! YAYY!!!! But now it's my last day.... TT_TT This is just going to be a short post with no pics... the rest are a SURPRISE! Hooray! My host family is SOOOO amazing. Today, since it was my last day, we went to Tokyo Dome City and rode the HUGE roller coaster (seriously, it's BIG and I learned that it is possible to ride some roller coasters in a skirt) and went around looking at the

the different places and went on the ferris wheel... and then we

went to dinner at the Tokyo Dome Hotel and had lots of yummy food. And they gave me a really nice going-away present. I really wanted to start crying....

So I guess I'll be seeing you guys soon. Don't worry, though. Animefest won't be any fun without everyone. ^-^ And would it be weird for me to be jealous that you guys went to Conneticon? We should all go next year. Ace, have fun in Gettysburg! I don't think I'm going to be able to get the game, though.... it's nearing midnight now on the last day.... XD.... my sister says she doesn't know if they still make it, too... and she's never seen a manual, either. I did get everyone presents, though, of what I hope is the very best thing I could find. XD And the yukata I was wearing wasn't actually mine, it was my okaa-san's. My yukata is the one I bought in Epcot last year and used for my Shintoism project. It's still pretty, though.

Oh, and Ace, tell your mom that, most unfortunately, I have not seen "Shoe-shoe." Apparently because IY and YYH are so old, there's not a lot of stuff out there any more. Trust me, I looked. Even in Akihabara. There was some CG stuff, but a lot of it was fanservicey models of Kallen/C.C.... -_-' Anywho...

See you guys soon!

~Kay

Fun!

So this week, we went to the Ueno Zoo, where Otou-san used to work a long time ago. There were lions, tigers, and bears (oh my! But really, there were these huge bears from Hokkaido...HUUUUUGGGGEEE). And animals with weird names- I mean, why is the dormouse edible? And of course, there were cute animals like this seal who came right up to the glass.... XD And then we had RAMEN! Real ramen, not the instant type. It was insanely delicious. I think I'm going to have to learn how to make it for when I get back.

Then the NEXT day, me, Momo-chan, and Okaa-san walked around Asakusa in yukatas. It was actually kind of hard, since it's like wearing a dress. And the people at the hair place decided to be all, "Haha, we're going to put makeup on your face and not tell you until you're putting it on, so you can't do anything about it." Yeah. But it all turned out okay. I looked cool. And three different people came up to me and asked if they could take a picture with me. I'm not kidding. And then a bazillion other people took pictures secretly (which, by the way, I think is illegal in Japan) or kind of just said, "Hey, we're taking your picture now, so smile!" Everyone who did that was a foreigner. All the people who asked were Japanese. Does that tell you anything?

And of course, I need one picture with a fan. One of the people who took a picture with me, a little kid (I think it was for homework), gave it to me with an origami crane and a name card. It was really funny.....
Then the next day Momo-chan and I went back to Harajuku and had lunch (日本　の　マクドナルド or just Maku -- better than in the US but still not fantastic. The teriyaki burger wasn't bad, though. We met Momo-chan's friend Stella (yes, Mom and Dad... and I told them the story) who is an AFSer from Canada. Oh, and yesterday I went to see the new Harry Potter movie (yes, it was in English). Can't say I'm terribly impressed... if I hadn't read the book I think I would have been really confused...

Some of the interesting food/drinks I've had recently- CC Lemon (like lemonade plus soda... everyone but me calls it Cee-cee Lemon... darn you Code Geass and darn you C.C.) Also yummy was all that stuff in the middle, rice and miso soup (though Okaa-san's food is always the best), pickled veggies, sukiyaki beef and tofu and greens, more veggies, and that thing in the middle is an onsen tamago (haha, yes, I did laugh), which is basically a barely-cooked egg that you dip the sukiyaki beef in. It was REALLY good. Then the last thing is メロン　ソーダ　(melon soda), which has to be one of the best types of soda EVER. Also good is apple tea soda.
Lunch today at a monjayaki and okonomiyaki place. It's pretty much meat or fish and cabbage and other veggies cooked in sauce kind of like an omelette, though only one type has egg. It's REALLY yummy and fun to make. And then we were off to.....
TOKYO TOWER!! Whooo! It was really... big... haha... we went up to the observation deck at 150 meters and got a nice view of Tokyo, though we couldn't see Fuji-san... oh well... haha... the building inside it is full of souvenir shops and resturaunts and stuff... it's a pretty cool place....
This is the view looking straight down from 150 meters. They had little windows in the floor that you could look through (and stand on...both of which I did). We didn't go all the way up (333 meters) because it costs extra, but it's pretty cool, isn't it? Everything looks so tiny... Anywho, hope everyone is having a fun summer. I don't really have any plans for when I get back, except that Bicen homework and get ready for Mieko-chan (that's her name! It's so exciting! She's coming sometime between August 12th and 15th so that's right after I get home). Oh, and cleaning out my suitcase. I hope everything fits! Haha. Jess, I have to talk with my cousin before we make any concrete plans. She is giving up a day of work to look out for me! But we can try to meet if I'm not too burned out (I'll try to sleep on the plane, but no garuntees....) Everyone back in CT, I'll have to find out when we can all get together, neh? Maybe it's time for another Animefest?

Wah... only a few more days left... I'm sad... though I'll be happy to see you guys again!

~Kay