Today was really exciting, and it made me really happy to be a Japanese Exchange Teacher in the future!

This is me with 1 of my sister’s 4 classes I got to see today! I helped teach them English, and I really liked it. All the children were cute and fun to play with, they were very welcoming and nice and loud, but I loved them. <3 I showed them pictures of me and of America, and shared with them basic things in basic English. They seemed most interested in my obsession with alpacas, and my obsession with Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. They said I was cute and I danced and sang to Kyary really well ;; I try my best~ We played Jankenpyon and I took pictures with them and signed their books. They seemed so excited for me to sign them, and I don’t know why, but I felt like a celebrity!

I was sad when we had to leave, but maybe I can get the same job in the future, if things go well. <3

The school lunch was fried chicken, with rice and a nuts salad and miso soup. I didn’t… like it very much. XD We took the rice and turned it into riceballs, which was fun, but then we just threw them away, haha. So much for being polite |3 I’m very sorry chefs! I feel like a really mean person!

After, we went to a beach, where the water was freeeezing but we also played in the sang and grilled lots of meat, and played with fireworks! There were other people who came, and although the beach was empty, they always sat right next to where we were. Every. Single. One. :T I thought of it like raves: sometimes, being crowded is more comfortable. Maybe that applies here?

There was a trio of punky girls there, and I thought them really cute. My sister said you can tell if they’re punky, because they will shave all of their eyebrows. I want to shave mine, haha, but not to be punky! There was also a girl that had a tattoo. How taboo, for Japan! <3

Tomorrow we head to Tokyo. I’m excited for that, we’re staying at a really silly hotel… details tomorrow! Look forward to the sillyness >:D

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I forgot to mention a thing that happened yesterday, in Kanazawa. We were sitting and just hanging out really, and a student came up to us and started talking to Britti. He spoke really confidently and politely, asking her about her DS and then her name and such. He should hands and asked for all of our names, speaking in the most polite form of Japanese. I stuttered, but was proud when I told him what my name was in Japanese XD We were really impressed and amazed at how polite and casual he was in talking to us. I felt so happy, he was really cute and little too. Most kids aren’t like that, but he was. He’s going places! I admire him. Maybe I will too. <3

On Tuesday we went to a nearby city, Kanazawa. I really like this town! There’s so much to do. We did traditional stuff at first, such as visit a Ninja Castle and walk through a stroll garden. At the garden, we got ice cream. I don’t know if it was just that particular ice cream or if all Japanese ice cream tasted that way, but it was very very sweet and almost tart. But it was good! I liked it.

I started off the day by going with my dad by ourselves to a convenient store down the road. I liked it, I felt happy that I could read some of the packages and speak my way through most of it. I don’t know much Japanese, but I got around! I bought a “pankeeki”, or pancake. <3

I should have taken more pictures of these things, but I didn’t… :c

There were lots of other foreigners in Kanazawa. I think it’s a tourist-y town? I forgot to mention, there was a museum there~ it had lots of nice things, and although they didn’t need to, I was impressed by how easily the employees switched back and forth between languages. I must say, I’m a bit envious.

I tried ramen!

I put garlic and other seasonings in mine. The broth was delicious, but the noodles were so hot, I didn’t eat very many. I think that’s considered rude in Japan (not eating) so I feel terrible, but I can’t help it…! My sister told me about how Japanese people will make really passive aggressive comments about you not eating their food, such as “Wow, you sure have a /small stomach./”

I’m sorry! I’m too picky about my food!

Here’s a picture of Kanazawa~

The museum is across the street!

It may have just been me, but at the museum, all of the workers and people didn’t seem very nice. They had mean expressions, and spoke bitterly, or not at all. Every other facility I’ve visited, I’ve always admired how smiley and peppy the workers were, but not here…! D: I couldn’t help feeling unwelcome. I didn’t do anything wrong!

I saw lots of Japanese students going home in their uniforms and bikes. I got to see seifukus~ so cute! I really admire their long skirts, too. I learned that, in the mornings, elementary students walk to school wearing these bright yellow hats. They wear these hats anytime they’re away from school (but still under school protection, you know) because when they’re out walking, they have strategically placed security type peoples to watch them and make sure they’re safe and doing the right thing.What a good idea~

I really admire how Japan walks everywhere. Or, walk and train. I love both, but in America, it’s cars or nothing. Silly America! I like walking!! Get a move on!!

This was my 1 of 2 favorite parts of the day~ VISITING THE LOLITA SHOP sdlghl;sdhkga;dhka;sdlgk so cute I love it so much. No pictures were allowed inside, so I just snuck one really quick from the outside…

It’s so expensive, haha! My favorite brand is AP, but they had no sales or clearance racks. I went to my second favorite brand, BTSSB. I got such a cute cord~ the lady helped to dress me up. I love it when that happens! I also loved how even the workers were dressed in kawaii clothing. I would love to work there!

After, we went to a karaoke bar. Japanese karaoke is normally private, room renting, but at this udon bar, it was sort of like an open mic night in America! I love performing, so naturally I loved it. It’s a bar that was very welcome to foreigners. I sang some Lady Gaga, but the real excitement is when I sang Kyary Pamyu Pamyu!

At first, I sang PON PON PON and danced just a little. The audience got so excited, and I got called cute a lot? ;; I’m not cute! Anyway, my sister had the idea that she would sing a song and I would dance to it. She sang TSUKEMA TSUKERU and I danced, and the little crowd was so excited! I was so happy, we did it again for Ninjari Ban Ban. I made a few friends, especially one older woman who really liked Jpop and so badly wanted to take me to her Jpop events. I’m so honoured, I really felt like an idol XD

I learned several things. One was that in karaoke, it matters not how you sing, but if you sing loudly. That’s what my sister said. Most people get really drunk to sing apparently XD I’m too young! It was nice to see you could belt out a song terribly off tune and it’s still happy and exciting and everyone cheers you on. America is too judgmental  I also learned that there isn’t much concept of an age. It’s perfectly normal for a minor to hang out with a woman well in her 60s. I think that’s really nice. -w- Friends are friends! Another is that some people are really welcome to foreigners. They just want to hang out, make friends, and test their english, haha! I really love Japan <3

This is a late post but I’m writing it pretending like it happened today XD

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Monday~ all together it wasn’t too eventful, but today we went to the mountains and parks that were near Kanazawa. There was a really beauuutiful waterfall there. It was so big, haha! I liked standing next to it and feeling the mist of it.

Then we took amazing silly meme pictures!

I’m so powerful. D:<

No, haha! We played around at mountains, and this theme park, which looked scary and abandoned. It’s called Cycle Land? I think? Or, the literal translation was something like “Bird Humming Cycle Adventure”. Does that make sense? It looked like it would be lots of fun if it was open and running, but since it wasn’t it was kinda… terrifying, haha D:

After the mountain and hiking and waterfall we adventured on over to a popular thrift store called Romanyu. As I said before, since Japan doesn’t seem to be fond of second hand or used things, it all came really cheap. I bought my neenee a beauuuutiful gift~

I covered the price tag so she couldn’t see it, because I’m evil. Everyone, this is my sister’s husbando. XD

We went home after going to the grocery store. Me and my family don’t like Japanese food, so ironically, we made tacos and played Dance Central for the X-box Kinect. Not very Japanesey, but it was still a really good day. I had lots of fun. <3

Actually day two, I’m just making this post a little late :U

Anyhoo, I love it just as I remembered. Ahhhh, it’s all the simple things, like the service, peppiness of people when they talk to others, just the society in general makes me really happy. I really want to live here forever ;dghadgjalsdg.

For the first part of the week, I’m just in a smallish town staying with my sister in her apartment in Hakusan-shi, Ishikawa. It’s a really nice town though. A small town in Japan doesn’t actually seem that small. ;w;

We woke up in the morning and went to Starbucks. Everyone else has said they can always feel the Japanese people staring at us because we’re foreigners, but honestly, I never notice it. I laugh because maybe I’m just used to being stared at XDDD

After that we went to a little mall place, found some lovely Engrish shirts. My favorite talked about photosynthesis. It was nice. I love Japanese fashion so much, even the day-to-day casual clothes. It’s like, everything has lace, and if it doesn’t, then it has a bow. It’s so cute d;sdgjadk;jgalsdgjalsdj;aldjkg okay so

We went to a 100 yen shop and THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE STORES YOU GET SO MUCH FOR YOUR MONEY THERE ITS NOT LIKE AMERICAN DOLLAR STORES AGALDKJGDL;JG;A;DGL i can’t remember all I got but there was lots of fake eyelashes and a case and tweezers and socks and surgical masks with twins on them and clear bra straps and decora stickers and oh my! Haha

We also took some looooovely purikura, I could take purikura all day I tell you!

T

Top left to bottom right: Me, Dad, sister, and sister’s boyfriend.

After that they went to the beach, I had to wait because I was wearing stockings. ;; But I still got a pretty picture with my sister:

I look so tall omg

We went shopping after that, looked at some nice thriftstores and found some cheap kimonos, which are normally hundreds ya know

I learned that Japanese seem to hate second-hand things, so they’re either thrown away or just sold extreeeeemely cheap!

Also got a glimpse at a fish market, where apparently the fish are still partially alive though they’re sitting on top of buckets of ice. That’s really depressing ad’adgja;ld good thing I hate eating fish!

We ate at a place called なかなか, I ate there last time like 4 times it’s so delicious kdgja;ldgldlgdjl;kadjlkgjal;dg they give you a little grill thing and you order slices of meat and cook it yourself and put it in this wonderful sauce and it’s just good stuff 10/10

We did a little bit after that, but eventually we ended up at a place called Round 1, which is like an indoor amusement and sports center, where you buy (suprisingly cheap too) however much time you want to stay there and then are let go and you can do whatever! We played frisbee and I rode a mechanical bull and we took more purikura and we fished suprisingly?? And then karaoke! <—- which I learned you pronounce that the Japanese way :T I rocked out to miss Pamyu Pamyu, as always. <3

I love it

We played Slender later which was nice and silly AND ABSOLUTELY FREAKING TERRIFYING I TELL YOU

We’re so silly and scared hahahaaaaaaa

Oh oh oh I won an alpaca ;; technically my sister did and it’s the one I’ve wanted for a long time with the cupcake and ahhh a;dgka;lkgjalkjgalkdjlgajljgl;adjlajl;dgj

HER NAME IS LITTLE MISS SUGAR CAKES

I look sort of manical I PROMISE I’M JUST REALLY HAPPY  <3 <3 <3 There was a guy who squeaked his horn when I won haha

I also got a white Rilakkuma bear idk what they’re called, if they have a different name than the brown bears? I shall call him Buttons <3

Another thing I learned was that at arcades you can sometimes ask the workers for help on the machines and they’ll tell you how to get it, they may even make it easier for you sometimes! That’s how we got Buttons~ in which, we spent soooo much money trying to get. |3

I think that’s all for that day. The next I may get to see a stream of the Kuroshitsuji musical at the theatre which is like a dream come true I get so excited thinking about but I don’t know if I even will yet I just hope so sa;jadl;kjaldad;lgj

<3 <3 

~Kari