Blogs from Hirakata, Osaka, Japan, Asia - page 12

Ohayoo!! Yesterday, I met my homestay family and parted with mom and Jason... I guess my first impression of my host parents was that they're a little... eccentric - in a good way. No, they're not crazy, they're just really laid back, lax and a little modern... Surprisingly I have no curfew, I am essentially free to do anything I want, except dinner is always at 8, and the only drawback is that I have to pay for my own laundry. My room is good sized, not too small, but definitely not more space than I need. I unpacked and everything fit perfectly - I even have some room to spare!! The house is not a traditional Japanese house. I haven't seen tatami yet. My bed is western, an actual bed, not a futon. I have ... read more

Hello people, So far I really like Japan. It is quirky and everything is downscaled, including the people! So far, amoung other normally mundane occupations, I have managed to open a bank account, not get ridden over by a bicycle, register at varsity, buy food, cook supper and order at a restaurant. At home I wouldn't call any of these a milestone (except perhaps registering at varsity with any speed)... but here, considering that I am practically illiterate, blind and deaf, these things are worth celebrating. The bank account situation was hilarious, picture a room full of students (largely Americans and Aussies...need I say more), forms with no english or roman letters and the most anally retentive bank form protocal I have ever come across... Any slight deviation in case, order or style of handwriting between ... read more

I made it to japan in one piece! I am very tired.... not much plane sleeping went on. First I flew to JHB... Quick and painless... Then 10 and a half sleepless hours to singapore. Then my fellow UKZN mate and myself cruised Changi airport for about 12 hours. OOdles of fun. Hmpf! We went on a tour of the cultural districts of singapore... 'Twas interesting, but I was exhausted! Then we climbed on another plane to Osaka. Bout 8 and a half hours. Stopped in bangkok on the way. Yucky airport, and about 28 C at 1 in the morning! It was very turbulent to Osaka! We arrived at 5AM! it was 1 C. Talk about slight change in temperature.... tee hee. Had to hang about the airport until 9! Once all of us were ... read more

Last night we (Zach, Levi, Sebastian and I) went out with Haruna, Madoka and Ayako for karaoke and dinner. We ate at a great little okonomiyaki place... I had pork, and it was really great! I usually hate cabbage, but it didn't taste like cabbage at all. We were stuffed when we finished, I thought Haruna was going to explode! We then headed to "Green," a karaoke bar (club?) that has all-night karaoke and 2-hour nomihodai (all you can drink) for 2,100 Yen. So we did that. (Haruna paid for me since the 5,000 Yen I thought I had in my wallet turned out to be a 1,000. _ I need to pay her back!) I didn't get drunk, although I had a nice buzz for a couple hours. We sang and sang and sang... and ... read more