Byodoin Temple

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Ok So I havnt exactly been as up to date on posting to this site as I promised but this one should be good. Japan has been awesome to say the least. The first week I spent in the seminar houses on campus which are basically like apartments and I lucky and had some really good roommates and have hung out with the guys I met there a few times since and also have made other friends a long the way. The Japanese students at the school have been really nice and I have made a good number of Japanese friends already and only a few hundred are on campus now and on September 16 about 10000 more show up. Classes have been good but the Japanese language classes are pretty rough. Very intense, but I am managing, just have to remember I am here to study some too. I am living with my host family now and they are wonderful. The family consist of my Otosan or father, Okasan or Mom and I have a host brother who is 20 named Tomoki who has only recently gotten back from England so he speaks decent English which comes in handy, he is really cool and has offered to take me out and show me around whenever or wherever I want to go. I also have a little sister named Makiko, shes 19 and really nice just dosnt speak the best English and goes to a school two hours away and is rarely at the home. The food is by far the best part of the homestay everynight is like a feast, I almost feel bad because a lot of nights its only me eating because Otosan is a doctor and comes home late so I get this beautifully arranged dinner to myself, I have also become accustomed to eating a large breakfast which is also usually very elaborate and delicious. Soo that’s kind of the rundown on the general stuff now heres a little on what I did today since it was the first really good thing I have visited in Japan. I went to Kyoto today and visited Byodoin Temple. Byodoin was built in 1052 by a chief advisor to the emperor, during the Heian period of Japanese history. The temple is renowned for its symmetrical design. It was sometime after is construction devoted to buddist ceremonies and took its current design on. It was only about a 30 minuet trip from my homestay area and really beautiful and I had a wonderful guild named Saori who is actually one of my orientation roommates speaking partner here but we have become fast friends and she is very sweet and cute too so that’s nice, shi is also always willing to show me around. Soo here are some pics from the day I hope you enjoy and I will hopefully be doing more post worthy activity in the near future as I am lining up some good things but wont speak of them as of yet, in fear that they might fall through. Everyone take care, Miss you all.

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Comments

[Sarah Marie Singleton]

Wow!
Well Kyle, it sounds like you are adjusting well to life in Japan. You are far more brave than I ever could be. Continued best wishes to you!

[Johnny Bisignano]

Hey Buddy
Hey Kyle, I check this site quite frequent to see if you ever update glad, to see you finally did. Sounds like you're having an awesome time and everything seems to be going pretty smooth for you. I'm jealous of the food part i'd probably come back a sumo wrestler, I hope you aren't to that size just yet. School is going all right so far, the room mates are decent,a bit weird at times but who isn't. At least i get a long with them. I've been alternating weekends of either coming to visit Nikki or her coming to see me. She also says hello. Oh and we had a guy get killed in the apartment complex pretty close to my builing which was kind of crazy. Well buddy continue to have a great time and don't come back married. Make sure to update your site more frequent too, I like hearing about what you're up to. Well miss you buddy make sure you pick out something good to bring me back, Later man.

[nate]

hey man
wow, sounds like you're livin' the good life man. we made it out to the neverending pasta bowl tonight and had a feast of our own. i was the champ w/ 4 bowls, but it hurt. anyhow, same ole same ole here... i do have some pics to put on the site, so check in sometime and see if i've updated yet and hopefully i'll be making more soon. take care man. later.