Week 2

---

Here I am, with one full week in Japan under my belt already. The last few days have been quite exciting, and more than a little exhausting. Not only am I getting into the rhythm of a school student, taking the trains and hanging out after school, but I'm also becoming a new family member, a friend, a role model for the kids... its all quite exhausting.

Yesterday we went on our first class trip to the Mingeikan and Shibuya. The Mingeikan was very interesting. We were fortunate enough to be able to see a special exhibition of Noboribata, and meet the collector, as well as get a special tour of the Yanagi house. The Noboribata were especially interesting to me, because they incorportated not only Japanese written characters and stories, but also ancient Chinese scripts and legends. I was very impressed to find out that the collector actually looked up all the characters on the banners, so that he would be able to read them. Many of the characters are very difficult to find, and he said that one of the symbols took an entire week's worth of searching at the National Library before he was able to find it. After that, we were let loose in Shibuya, and, of course, I went shopping. I managed to get lost, also of course, but I asked a police man how to get where I wanted to go, so there was no problem. Something that seems very different than the United States is here, it seems like there are policemen everywhere, and they seem a lot more approachable than in the states. People aren't scared of them. At home, even though we haven't done anything wrong, me and my friends always get nervous when we see a police vehicle or officer. Maybe its just me, but it seems different here. Just like at home, there are places where it feels a little unsafe to walk alone, but they don't carry the same fear as the "weed and seed" neighborhood of downtown Raleigh. If you've ever been there, you know what I'm talking about.

This morning, however, I had another dose of the familiar. The whole family went with Yuzu to her first swimming lesson. She's only 5 years old, and was really nervous, just like any other small child would be. There were lots of little kids there, and they were all full of energy, just like they would be in the US.

After that, we went on another family outing: Asakusa. I certainly wasn't ready for what was waiting for me. It's an outdoor market, almost like a carnival, but I think it's open every day. The shops seem pretty permanent, at least. While waiting during Yuzu's swimming lesson, me and my host mom slipped out for about 20 minutes to check out the nearest department store, looking for summer yukata. I'll be going to a couple of festivals while I'm here, so I want to dress for the occasion. Anyway, the yukata at Saty, the department store, started at $100 each, so we had to move on. My host father heard that we were looking for yukata, and immediately knew where to look: Asakusa. And he was absolutely right. There were many, many kinds to choose from, with a huge price range. I was glad to be able to bring my host mom with me, so that she could tell me if I was getting a cheap tourist knock-off, and direct me towards the real thing. Together we managed to find some very cute ones, at only 1050 yen each (about $10), as well as some very cute geta (wooden shoes) and kinshaku (purse). I have yet to buy hair accessories, but I can always go back. I think our class is actually going to make a trip there at a later date. I learned a very important lesson today: the locals know what to do and where to go.

I also came across a strange situation today while in Asakusa with my family. A couple of tourists asked my host mom to take a picture of them in front of the temple gate, and somehow, I felt as though I was a local, kind of. Perhaps because I live here now with a Japanese family and speak Japanese with them, or because I'm with people who know the history, culture, and how to get around, but it was a strange feeling. When I'm with my classmates, I speak English and feel like a tourist, but when I'm with my host family, I feel more at home. It's very strange.

---