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Kyomizu Temple

I live here

Imperial Palace Mote

Pre-departure

I have a video too, but I keep having technical difficulties, so later my friends. In summary - all is well.

Break from the Internets

Hello all,

I know I said I'd post pictures and vlogs - and I have a whole bunch prepared, but I'm going to take a break from the internet for at least the next two days in order to catch up on some work. I keep distracting myself with making vlogs and post entries. Yet I never have the time to finish them because I always have to re size my pictures and edit the length of my videos, so I need to take a short break so that I do not fall behind in my immersion experience. I'm trying to memorize 30 new vocab a day + 5 kanji + 1 grammar point + 5 hours of speaking/listening comprehension... all on top of my school work (so on top of other memorization). This reprieve should give me time to actually make posts once I've gotten into a routine.

I'll also not be Skypeing - at least not at length - for the next two days. I'll be up in case I need to talk to the parents, but I wont really engage. Sorry all (all 6 of you who read this), but I'm still adjusting to my life abroad. And what do you know?! Intensive language study is... intense.

In conclusion, I will say, more exciting and entertaining posts are coming to this website soon...

Talk to everyone mid-week or so. Signing off...

The Sun Does Shine in Kyoto

[I wrote this post on Thursday, but due to some technical problems it took me a while to get the video up, so that is why I am posting it now - on a Saturday morning that is definitely not sunny. More updated posts coming soon.]

Konbanwa All,

It is Thursday, June 17 - about 18:00 in Kyoto. Things are getting a lot better. Today it was actually sunny all day. It had been nothing but clouds and rain since we got here, but they don't call it the rainy season for nothing.

I'm starting to get a grasp. I still am quite terrible, but I can sense progress. With that in mind, I can actually enjoy this experience. I'm still jet lagged though, so it is hard to motivate myself to go too far from the apartment. I think it is more important that I get on a somewhat of a normal routine before I start wandering around in a strange land. I'd prefer not to fall asleep on the streets of Kyoto. Especially since the only story I heard of someone getting robbed in Kyoto was from this one rather annoying student at our DC orientation. He told us how a friend of his got drunk and fell asleep (passed out?) on the street. And what do you know?! He awoke to find his money and debit card gone. Imagine that...

Anyway, here is that tour of my apartment that I promised plus some other things. It is a bit long, but there is lots of movement. Plus I'm a little less jet-laggy. A little.






Man, I'm terrible at vlogs. Oh well - I'll get better eventually.

So yes, that's where I live. It is pretty dang nice and big compared to most Japanese apartments. The video doesn't do it justice, especially when I'm using my computer as a camera. And unfortunately I forgot to show you the wonderful pink toilet paper. Oh well, another time.

Lets see... what else?...

My classmates are pretty great. We seem to all get along and with our varying skill levels we are able to figure out what is going on at the end of each class. We make sure we understand what homework we have. It is tough when you assigned homework for the language you're learning in the language you are attempting to learn. The people in the more advanced class are nice too, but since they are above and beyond me, it is hard to socialize with them.

And I must continue my dialogue about Takeshima sensei. I wish I wasn't so tired and could fully express how awesome she is. Hopefully I can get a picture of her and all my senseis on here at some point. Maybe once I can learn how to politely request such a thing without stumbling on my words. It is a comfort to know that my teacher crushes not only transcend gender and age and the that fact that sometimes they are married, but it can even transcend language and culture. My anthropological heart swoons... Any-who...

Tomorrow I'll post some pictures of my pre-departure and some arrival photos. I've gotten behind on uploading them. But that is for another post.

Talk to everyone later!
Ja ne!

Speaking Japanese is Hard

Well, I made it to Kyoto safely and I'm somewhat settled in my apartment. Though I haven't had much time init other than to sleep. I'm a bit weary, but I thought I'd at least post a vlog of me rambling about some of my "adventures" so far. That way, everyone will be somewhat up to date and I can save some time for sweet sweet sleep and for studying. So enjoy my fatigued ramblings:



I wish I had brought my copy of When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris. I think it would be comforting to read about his experiences in Japan and the difficulty of learning the language. I feel kindred to him right now. Well that is it, kids. I'm extremely tired. It is about 11PM in Kyoto. 10 AM for you east coast Americans.

Night(s) Before the Rising Sun

Every blog needs it's Preface entry, so here is mine (partially for legal reasons):

I'm starting this blog so that I can keep everyone up to date with my travels. I'll be spending 7 weeks in Kyoto and the surrounding areas, so this should help ease everyone into me annoying you with stories from Japan upon my return in August. And don't you start saying that my stories wont annoy you. As much as I'd like to think they wont, I'm going to catch you on that day when things aren't exactly going your way, causing you to be a touch crotchety. As soon as I utter the phrase, "When I was in Kyoto [insert vaguely relevant memory here]," you're mental state may just collapse... but I am getting ahead of myself. So please enjoy my international musings. I hope to make this as entertaining as possible.

The time for me to travel to Japan is nearing. So these days consist of me getting ready before time's excited reach grabs me and whisks me away. Of course since I am at home, where it is impossible for me to stay continuously motivated, things are going slowly but surely. I'm mostly trying to soak in all the American iconography that I can.

If I could eat Apple Pie, I would have included it. Also, that Americone Dream is from the days when I was capable of eating ice cream... memories. Any-who, I also made sure to review my U.S. History, not forgetting the vital role our Native American friends played in it (I hope I do you proud, Harvard).

Then onto learning from the most influential and important figures in America - Sara Vowell and David Sedaris from the most American of American institution that I know... NPR's This American Life.

I'll always remember how back in 2007 David Sedaris gave me advice before my first trip to Japan. I'll forever be grateful for these words of wisdom that he wrote in my copy of his book Me Talk Pretty One Day.


His roman-ji is horrible, though, but I am grateful for his advice. He told me to expect to have that phrase said (ocassionally yelled) at me every time I walked into a Japanese store. He was correct. Irasshaimase!

On a final note, here's a little legal stuff I have to clear up so the U.S. government does not get angry with me. I'm quite fond of them for paying for all of my trip, so I'll give them this courtesy: I, Caroline Noel, "acknowledge that my blog and posts are not official Department of State Web sites and the views and information presented are my own, not those of the CLS Program, the Department of State, or American Councils." There you have it.