Japan: Friends are Helpful

So we finally met our LEPs ["Language Exchange Partners"] on the 16th. Apparently I was lucky, because Hiroki-kun and Kanami-san could both speak very good English. Signs seemed to have a harder time with her partner though--as she recounted that their "conversation" was more pantomiming than actual talking. We toured the campus, visiting the library and PC rooms among other things. I also located my adviser's office and met him a few days later.

With all the new faces everywhere, I was very surprised to run into a few familiar faces from last year, when I came to Toyo for the two-week travel study. Yongmi-chan was amazing to reconnect with, and that day we invited her over for green tea [or ocha] and senbei, that is, Japanese rice-crackers. Of course, we were called old fashioned for offering such a thing--since it is very traditional and old custom to offer such things to house guests.

Granted, we do have very old fashioned breakfasts...

But connecting with some of the Japanese students at our school was good times all around, and we all more or less talked about food and music and hobbies. It was a very easygoing first meeting. Maybe my LEPs can help me obtain a cellphone.

Other than that, nothing of great importance has happened. Still waiting on my loan disbursement and all that jazz, but you readers all know that studying here has been my dream for a long time. And it's coming true around me every day! I am excited for classes to begin so that I can get into a routine. Until then, I like spending my evenings chilling on one of our porches with Signs.

It's a really great view. Take a look: