Peanut. Hazelnut. Cashew nut. Macadamia nut. That was the one that would send her into going crazy. She'd say, "Would you stop naming nuts!"

Well, it's been another few days. Not a whole lot of real new stuff going on. I'm actually starting to settle down into a good routine, which feels pretty nice for a change, ahaha. My walk to campus is quite pleasant, my classes are all going well... I think they're going to be pretty fun and interesting. Plus, it's Friday! And it's a three-day weekend this weekend! It's like... Respect for Age day, or something. Not really sure. But we get the day off on Monday, so it's all good. There's quite a number of random holidays that I don't quite understand, but all I know is that we don't have classes!

So anyway, I thought I'd take this time to maybe go through some of what I do in a day. I don't know, it seems fairly common to me by now, but it's quite a bit different from back in the states, lol. I usually get up around... 7:30... 7:40'ish. I use the new alarm clock that I got the first time I went to Kuzuha Mall. It's come in quite handy! But then I get changed and put my futon away before getting downstairs a little before eight, which is when breakfast is ready! I already explained most of what I eat for breakfasts, so I won't really go into that again. Usually we watched the news while we eat, though I can't really understand most of it. I'm surprised, though, by how much coverage they have on some of the politics in America. They had some stuff on 9/11 both last night and this morning, and they've had coverage concerning Palin's trip to... Alaska? I think. Something like that. Then they show a few speeches by McKain and Obama. That kind of stuff. Anyway, that's on until about 8:15, when this show called Hitomi comes on. It's some kind of Jdrama that's only on for 15 minutes a day!! But I've actually grown rather fond of it. Even though I can't understand much of what goes on it it, AHAHA. There's this funny old man in it though, and it makes me laugh.

Anyway, then I put my stuff in the sink, and depending on when I have class that morning, I usually go wash my face and brush my teeth and start to gather up my stuff. If I don't have class until 11 or so, I either watch some more TV with Okasan or head upstairs to review a bit of homework or something. Then I'm on my way. It takes about... 10 minutes or so to walk to campus. And it's a really nice walk, actually. I pass by a bunch of houses and some gardens and such. When I get to campus, I spend a lot of time in the computer lab, obviously, LOL. Mainly because it's the only time when I have internet access. I either have two classes in a day or three classes, depending on when I have my sumi-e classes, since I only have those three days a week. Sumi-e is pretty fun so far, and it's really relaxing too. I always enjoy those classes. My Japanese class is a bit hard because he says almost everything in Japanese! And quite fast too! But I'm already learning a lot from it, especially since we have to talk in class and think on the spot a lot. We have the review test for it on Tuesday. This will determine if you're really prepared to be in the class you were assigned. I've been studying, so hopefully I will do well on it!! Apparently, sections A, B, and C are lower in level in relation to the other sections or something. So if you don't do well on the review test, you're taken down there (rather than to like... Spoken Japanese 1). But I like the section I'm in, so I don't wanna change!! Religion in Japan is turning out to be pretty cool too. It's so interesting!! And Japanese Art is basically a lot like any other Art Survey class I've ever taken, lol. Though I like Japanese Grandpa Barnes. XD

Depending on when I have my classes, it depends on when and what I eat. Today, I went to the cafeteria with some of my friends, but it doesn't always work, so a lot of times I'll just run to the conbini (convenient store) and pick up something there. I've discovered a new drink - it's called CC Lemon. It... is amazing. Sooooo very delicious. I will be quite sad when I don't have it anymore!!

After classes are over I either get back on the computer, hang out with my friends or just head on back home. Most of the times Okasan is there when I get there, and she'll give me some tea or water or something (I've actually become fond of ice tea, which I never thought would happen, but they drink it all the time here, so I guess it's to be expected, ahaha). Then sometimes I watch TV with her, or do my shukudai (homework). She helps me with that sometimes too, which is a welcome relief!! Also, sometimes Okasan teaches English classes in her house. The first time, it was a bunch of high school kids. So I came down and we all talked for a little while. It was quite humorous hearing them try to speak to me in English, and half the time, I wouldn't understand them even though we were speaking the same language!!! Ahahaha. The second time, it was two Kansai Gaidai students who were English majors. I talked with them a lot longer, though both times it seems like I was doing the most of the talking. Mainly because they couldn't think of anything to ask me, ahaha. I had to wrack my brain to think of topics and such after we'd already gone over things like what do you like to do... and what's your favorite food... and all that kind stuff. It was pretty fun, though.

Dinner's usually around 7:00 or so. I always ask if they need any help with anything, but they're usually like, oh, it's ok!! Then I feel a bit awkward since I'm just sitting there while they're doing all the work, but aaaahhh. Anyway, we have dinner. Watch TV... ahaha, the tv's pretty much always on, whether it's on an actual program or just the Eco Music Channel. Last night when we were watching, an ad came on for Asahi Beer. Well, Okasan decided that we should have some too! So she brought out a can and gave us all a glass. It really cracked me up. Though the funniest part was that I pretty much detest beer, so for me, it tasted worse than the strange tentacle thing we had along with our chicken! I had to try and gulp it down without tasting it as much as I could, ahaha. Yeah...

Anyways, though, after dinner, Okasan's usually the first one to take a bath. So Mai-san and I will just do things at the table, whether it's studying, reading, watching TV, anything like that. Then I'm usually the second one in, though sometimes Mai-san wants to go next. The bath is quite different from any kind of American bath. The room is like one giant, wet room. There's a sprayer thing on a hose which you use as a shower. You have to wash yourself and your hair and get allllll the soap off outside of the bath using the sprayer hose, and then when you're done, you take the cover off the bath and get in. It's always really hot, but it feels great after the shower! I usually spend like... 5... 10 minutes or so in there. Oh, and before I get in to the shower, I put all my clothes right into the washing machine (since the changing room is the laundry room).

After the bath, it depends on what time it is. Sometimes I finish up homework... sometimes I hang out with the fam... and sometimes I'll just call it a night and go up to my room, whereaupon I do something like write random stories on my laptop or play my DS. And I always turn on the air conditioning because it's so very hot! My room has its own air conditioner, so whenever I'm in it, I turn it on, but I have to turn it back off before I leave. And before I go to sleep. BUT... there an 'oyasumi' option on the remote that you press before you go to bed, and it turns it on a timer. I'm not sure how long the timer goes, but it's maybe like... an hour or two. Then you go to bed and it just turns itself off automatically. Surprisingly, it's always really cold when I wake up in the morning. I don't know why, even though the air conditioner is off! But anyway, I have to get my futon all rolled out before I go to sleep, though it doesn't take very long. I have two mats, a sheet-ish type cover, and then my two pillows. Then there's a whole bunch of blankets that I could use still on the shelves, but I won't need to use them until it gets colder. I just use one blanket right now.

So that's basically how my days have been going. I haven't had a weekend day yet, though I assume I will just find things to do around the house. Tomorrow we are going to Osaka though, so that should be quiet exciting!!! Hopefully I will be able to get some good pictures from there!

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