I thought I was supposed to get skinnier in Japan...

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In Wakayama now with my friend's parents. They are super super nice but her mother is trying to give me diabetes. She feeds me nonstop and when I asked if I could go for a walk this evening she told me it was too dangerous. Yesterday for lunch she took me to a four course French restaurant. Four courses! I wanted to die. So I'm eating too much and stretching my legs too little. Tad bit depressing. I'm worried I'm going to be a tub of lard by the time school starts. I have 2-1/2 weeks from now to somehow lose however many pounds I've been force fed. So frustrating! It's affecting my mood unfortunately.

I should be headed back to Kyoto on Monday. Fingers crossed! And then I'll probably stay there for maybe a week and a half and then maybe off to Mie before Nagoya for school. Not sure. I kinda just want to be on my own so I can perform actual exercise and not have to eat so much.

There are soo many spiders here. They lurk in every corner, in every tree. Mosquitos are called "Ka". I've smashed quite a few of them. Moths are "Ga", butterflies are "Cho-cho" and cicadas are "Semi". I think I've learned more about bugs than I would have liked to.

I'm going to go see pandas tomorrow. Super excited! I feel like a panda. Always eating, never moving. I think they have more fun being fat though.

My friend's day loves to sing and is in a chorus club. They practice on Saturdays from 1-5. The average age of the group is 68. I'm not sure how they handle it. The first night in Wakayama he asked me if I knew any neeguro speeruchuarus. I was confused until he brought out a song book and I took a look at it. It was a compilation of negro spirituals. I wanted to laugh so much! Then he started singing some. I had to inform the family that "negro" is no longer a politically correct term and that associating these songs with the black population of America probably is not a good idea.

Sang my first karaoke song. Katy Perry "California Girls". In front of my friend's family even. It was her song choice. She sang it with me. No one seemed to notice the raunchy lyrics thank goodness. It was embarrassing until I realized I was the only one who understood the song. I'm not gonna lie, karaoke is actually really fun. They were surprised when I told them it's rare in America and that most people are shy about singing in front of others.

I miss peanut butter!

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