In The Mountains

I have just seen one of the most beautiful places I have ever been blessed enough to set foot on. Today has been such an exhausting day. We started bright and early, meeting up at 8am to take a four hour bus ride out to the gorgeous city of Nikko.

As we pulled into the city we stopped for a quick lunch of Udon (large Japanese noodles, usually served in bowls of soup) before taking a short walk to the Nikko Shinto shrine. Shinto is the traditional religion of Japan. It’s beliefs are based on the idea that there are various gods representing elements such as wind, water, the forest, the river, the mountain and so on. They build shrines to each God in order to elicit blessing from them and stave off curses. They also believe that when they die they become Gods as well, and so they build family shrines in order to worship the spirits of their ancestors.

At the front of the shrine you first use a spring of water and a ladle to wash your hands and rinse out your mouth, so you can enter the shrine “clean”. From there you can wander in and around the different buildings and statues. In front of each one you can make wishes to the Gods by bowing twice clapping twice then bowing once while making your wish and throwing a coin into the shrine.

It was a beautiful shrine set into the back drop of a forest mountain. Even the city had the back woods old-town feel. The buildings were small and compact, blending in with the atmosphere of the place. Huge trees shaded the many walkways, and snow was still piled off to the sides of the paths. At one point we came across a box that you could put 100 yen into and pull out a fortune. We all decided to do it out of curiosity and had our friends translate the characters for us. Mine was a “so-so” good luck one as they described it. Dr. Namora went into a little more detail for me saying that it said, I should be careful not to spend too much money, that if I make a wish it had an 80% chance of coming true, and that my love life was looking promising. It was entertaining if nothing else to read the little fortune which I immediately tucked into my wallet for safekeeping.

Up a few hundred stairs we found the shrine to a famous general who was buried there. As we walked around the monument we came to the hollow trunk of a 600 year old tree. The students translated the sign in front of it saying that it was said to be good luck if you prayed to the tre and then shouted your wish into its trunk. Cythia, Shannon, and I decided to go for it, and elicited smiles and a few laughs from our Japanese friends, as we wished for help in our schooling and health to our families.

After we finished exploring the shrine Dr. Namora gave us a choice. We could head back to the school now, or we could drive another hour up a winding mountain road to where we could see a huge waterfall. We chose the waterfall :D

As it turned out we had to buy tickets to ride an elevator to the base of the waterfall, since there was no path to walk down, and the mountain was windy and snow-covered anyways. So a quick ride 90m down we walked out onto a platform and looked up in awe at the crashing waterfall in front of us. It has been a long time since I have seen a waterfall like that. It was so beautiful. As the freezing cold water crashed to the rocks below scattering puffs of snow into the air, Icicles clung to the mountain face, and the cold blue river flowed away below. It was simply spectacular. I could have stood there for hours admiring the sheer power of mother nature, but alas the biting fierce wind drove us to make our way back up the mountain and onto our bus, tucked in and warm for the long ride back home.

We made it into Tsukuba around 8ish and stopped at what appeared to be a Japanese steakhouse. It was a little on the more pricey side, but as I dug into my sizzling plate of chicken, sausage, and beef it was the perfectly scrumptious way to end a beautiful day.

For the Love of Science

Science is one of the great masterpieces of humanity, and today I got to pay homage to the brilliance of those who’ve come before me. Our first stop on our tour for the day was JAXA; the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Association. Basically NASA but for Japan ;) We were given a tour of the facilities by a sweet Japanese lady who spoke fairly decent English. As she showed us the steps Japan had taken from the start of its space exploration period up until now I was reminded of all the reasons I really love space.

My favorite part of the tour? Getting a glimpse at the isolation room in the astronaut training zone. As we looked into the small apartment-like space, our guide explained how when they had narrowed the candidate down to 10 they put them all in this area for two weeks, cut off completely from the outside world, in order to test their abilities to get along with these same 10 people in long isolation.

I’d like to think I could handle a challenge like that ;D

From Jaxa we took a trip to AIST, where all of Japan’s most innovative new technologies are being researched and produced. As we walked among the showcases we were treated with examples of some of the fun and cool new technologies being worked on. Of course what was one of the first things we got to see? Robots duh! Everyone want to see robots ;P

As cool as it was to see how much they were progressing down the road of robotics, I gotta say it kind of creeps me out….. I like humans….. haha I say go humans! But all the same it’s awesome work and can lead to many improvements in our everyday lives.

In addition to the robotics we got to see several other things, including new security technology and new green screen techniques. After being shown around we had a little break where we could wander the showroom and examine the various projects on our own.

For dinner we were taken to what I can only describe as a pancake house. Only these weren’t you’re ordinary pancakes. Here you ordered bowls full of egg and flour and various veggies and meats and then you mix them up and lay them out on a square griddle in the middle of your table and cook it to perfection. We ordered several bowls and then divided each pancake between us so we could all try the different kinds. A couple of my favorites, were one that tasted just like pizza, and another that was a sweet red bean pancake that came with a yummy warm syrup.

As I curl up for the night I begin to get a little nervous about how close it is to being time to leave this beautiful place.

Out On My Own

There is a mountain nearby the city of Tsukuba; tall and proud it’s two peaks stand guard over the people. Everyone we had talked to at Tsukuba seemed so proud of their dear mountain so I and a few others thought it would be a good idea to go and see it for ourselves. We had another free morning and wanted to use it to go up to Mt Tsukuba. However, when I knocked on Cynthia’s door at 7am to check that the trip was still a go, she and Shannon said that according to what they had looked up we would not have enough time to get up there. I went back and perused the internet again and after confirming the bus schedules four times over I went back and told them that I believed we would have enough time and that I was going to go. They opted out, not wanting to be late for our trip in the afternoon with the other students. So on my own and scurried down and caught the bus down to the transfer station and then switched to the 700 yen bus that would take me out to the mountain.

It was a 40 min ride through rural Tsukuba. It was also my first time getting to really see a lot of the traditional architecture in the houses. I’ve decided that I love the look of the Japanese homes, not just the building itself either but the whole package. The building and all the beautiful landscaping all wrapped up in one fascinating and gorgeous package. Me want….. :P

The bus dropped me off at the base of the mountain, from the visitor center I walked up a small road lined with old school shops and vendors until I reached the Mt Tsukuba shrine. As I made my way up through the paths I got to admire the beautiful statues and waterfalls and other elements making up this peaceful and sacred place. Past the shrine I caught the first cable car of the day up to where the mountains two peaks split off (unfortunately I didn’t have the time to climb all the way up). From there I chose the head left up the taller peak (since I only had time to climb one). Here on top of the mountain, the ground was still covered with snow and ice. I had to be very careful as I picked my way across the slippery rocks. As I reached the peak, I saw another shrine perched at the top. Making my way up the last little bit I looked out over the horizon. The day was fairly clear and I could see for miles all around the beautiful valley, off in the distance I caught a small glimpse of Mt Fuji.

As I got back to the cable car station I was suddenly struck with nervousness. The next tram down didn’t leave until 10 and I had to catch my bus at 10:30. The ride took about 8 minutes and then I’d have to run off the mountain through the shrine, find some place to break a stupid 10,000 bill so I could pay for the bus and then all the way back to the bus stop. If I didn’t make this bus there wouldn’t be another until after 12 which meant I would be very late to meet up with everyone else for our trip. As the tram slowly rolled into the station I paced back and forth wringing my hands and praying for a miracle. The ride down the mountain was the longest 8 minutes of my life. Then I was sprinting down through the shrine taking two steps at a time most places. As I ran by a vendor I stopped and bought the first not too expensive thing I found, turned out to be a stick (whose purpose I am still baffled about) that cast me 4oo yen or about 5 bucks. A friendly Japanese guy helped point me in the right direction from there as I sprinted down the side street and popped out by the visitor center and the bus stop at 10:25. As I checked the bus schedule my heart sunk.

First I noticed that the sign said 10:40 and not 10:30, but then from what very little I could understand I got the impression that the 10:40 was only running during certain time of the year, and this was not one of them. Without being able to read the characters I couldn’t be sure so I paced around the stop for the next 15 minutes trying to figure out what I would do if the bus didn’t come. It came down to two options: be late for the meeting, or call a taxi. In the end I decided that if it came down to it I would call a taxi, despite the fact that it would cost and arm and a leg and my first born child to make the 40 min trip back to the bus transfer station.

As 10:40 ticked by I was about to get up to find a phone to attempt to call a taxi when the bus came trundling around the corner. I literally leapt for joy, and sent a quick thank you heavenward and then boarded the bus back home. I got back to the university about 20 minutes before we were supposed to meet, so I sat back and relaxed taking a deep breath, proud of my uncanny ability to get myself anywhere despite not knowing the language in a strange city.

Cynthia and Shannon smiled as they saw me, happy to see that I had made it back safe and on time. Our first stop for the day? The JA co-op headquarters. There we were given a brief explanation on how a co-op works and how they run it here in Japan. A quick breakdown: a farm consists of a central company that farmers can choose to join by paying a yearly fee. In exchange they get to sell their products through co-op stores, use the co-ops various assistance programs, and use the co-ops name.

After visiting the Tsukuba branch office we went to visit one of the co-op stores, where farmers can sell their crops and produce. A lot of the food was cheaper and we stocked up on some veggies that we were going to cook for dinner. I also got some oranges, some of the first fruit I had eaten on the whole trip, and some yummy lemon ice cream.

After the store was my favorite part, visiting one of the actual co-op farms. The man (who spoke no English) took us on a tour around his farm as Namora- Sensei translated for us. It was cool meandering through stores of crops, inspecting the farming equipment and learning a little about the farming techniques.

I think most of us agreed that the best part of the farm tour was when we entered the Shitake mushroom greenhouse. Rows and rows of chopped-off tree trunks leaned against wooden poles filling the warm room with the musky scent of wood. Growing from each log were 10-15 mushrooms of various sizes. The farmer explained how they drill holes into teach piece of wood and then insert spores into each hole that would slowly grow the delicious mushrooms. It takes 1 year to mature each log of mushrooms. It was pretty awesome, and worked well for this small-scale farmer although the method would likely be impractical for a farm any larger than the one we visited.

As we got back to the school I grabbed a bike and ran to the grocery store with a few of the others to pick up some last minute items for dinner. It was the first time I’d ridden a bike since before I left for China; boy have I missed it ::D When we got back we began cooking the veggies and meat to make a delicious stir-fry and Crista cooked up some scallops she had bought at the fish market the other day. We brought it all down to the community center where we met up with the Japanese students for a good old home-cooked meal.

After our bellies were full we headed over to Big Echo to party the night away. As it turns out Karaoke is as big here as it was in China (no surprise of course;D). So the students took us out for an exciting evening of rocking the night away in a rented karaoke room just like the KTV ones in China. Basically you rent a room with your group where you can stay as late as you want until it closes at 6am and sing your heart away. We all stayed until about 1 and then ditched out for the 40 min trek back up to campus, the Japanese boys however, rocked it all night long, staying until the wee hours of the morning.

A Relaxing Day

You would think that on the first day where we didn’t have to meet up until noon I would take a night to recuperate, catch up on some sleep, and restore myself from the ever-evil chains of jet lag……. But I’m in JAPAN silly! I can’t waste time doing silly things like sleeping :P So instead I was up with the sun at 6 am. Wide eyed and bushy tailed I worked for a short while on my blog before getting ready. Cynthia knocked on my door around 8 and we headed out to walk down to the Tsukuba Center. On the way we got to take in the beauty of our dear campus, this time under the rays of the sun rather than the dreary gray clouds that were covering the sky our first few days here. `

Our first stop in the mall was the infamous Mister Donut. I was one of the only one who hadn’t tried it yet, and I had heard that it was the donut shop of legends. I bought a few I thought looked good and we sat down to enjoy. They were indeed rather delicious, although imagine my surprise when I bit into one to find….. Curry! I had bought a curry donut! However, once I got over my initial shock, I found that it was actually really good! :D

We spent the next little while wandering around the mall and the surrounding streets just scouting out the city. We also picked up a few groceries and then headed back towards the school. There we met up with the rest of the group and a few of our dear Japanese friends who led us to the Agricultural and Forestry Research Station on campus.

As we arrived we were led into an office building where we were introduced to the Dean. He was a nice Japanese man who seemed very excited to have us there. He talked about the school and the study program they were introducing for foreign students. He also asked us about ourselves and our majors. That’s when I made the discovery that Brendan and Trevor (the Anderson brothers) were not Agriculture majors like the rest of us. I was a little intrigued as to why they were in the group since this was an AG focused trip, but hey trip to Japan right?

When the meeting was over we took a group photo with the dean and then headed out onto the farm to learn a little about how they ran things in their little operation. First stop was the greenhouses. Here we got to see an array of beautiful flowers, some familiar and some not. One thing I found neat was how they utilized their scarce resources. Water and space are two expensive resources that they must deal with. To combat this problem they have two layers of plants on each table. As they water the top plants water escaped through the bottom of the top rack and waters the bottom.

After the greenhouses we got a small peek at the rice paddy and the orchard. It wasn’t planting season yet so the field was empty and dry, but still cool to see, as Namora-Sensei explained to us a little of the practices they used. When we came to the silage area, Dr. Namora explained that the two silos they had on the farm were to expensive to run and upkeep so they used other methods. One of them consisted of piling the silage up on the ground, covering it with a tarp and then laying a few tons of dirt on top. that was kept for a couple years and then dug back up. We got to watch as the tractor made its way down one row of silage slowly revealing the blue tarp underneath as it removed layers of soil.

Beyond the field we found the milking barn, where we were introduced to the small herd of 10 that were currently lactating. The milking area itself was rather small, but organized. In fact, I think I could only really describe it as….cute haha. It seems as with all things in Japan they just like to do it smaller haha.

After saying goodbye to our new cow friends we were released for the day to run amuk…..I mean explore….. I took a quick break in my dorm to rejuvenate and then headed out with Cythia, Sam, Shannon, and Crista to wander around campus. We eventually happened upon the campus botanical garden. As we wandered about its winding paths we found brides and pavilions beside beautiful ponds. Once again we were thwarted by the late blooming season, and many of the trees were still leafless. However we did come upon a fun little bamboo forest and some deciduous trees, whose green leaves and needles made me a little nostalgic for home.

It was soon time to finish our night by meeting up with the Japanese students again to go out for dinner. We had been told that we would be going to a ramen house that evening but as Namora dropped us off he told us that it actually appeared to be…. Can you guess?.... haha a CHINESE restaurant! I was so excited! As I perused the menu I was overjoyed to see an array of familiar dishes from the good old days back in Changzhou. I had the hardest time deciding what to get and eventually settled on a good old bowl of noodles. It wasn’t the same as our beloved noodle shop but it was still pretty awesome, and put a warm glow in my heart even as it warmed up my belly.

Food Coma

I have never eaten so much in my life!! I am stuffed full and happy as can be. Today we were lucky enough to be shown around a couple of the traditional sights around Ibaraki prefecture. Our first stop? Kairakuen, one of the top three famuos gardens in Japan and a wonderful place to see the plum blossoms. A little fact for you: the plum blossom blooms first in the season and is then followed by the iconic cherry blossom. Dr. Namura informed us that sadly the plum blossoms were blooming a little late this year so there would not be very many at the park yet, but it would still be beautiful. (I decided this just means I HAVE to come again sometime too see the trees in full bloom ;D)

A bus picked us us from the school bright and early and we headed out about an hours drive to the city of Mito. There we arrived at Kairakuen garden. As we walked along the path to the garden's entrance it wasn't long before we began to see stalls lining the walkway, each sporting various delicious looking foods. Dr Namura had had us stop by a supermarket prior to arriving at the park so we could pick up some lunch to eat while we were there but had I known this feast would await me I wouldn't have bought anything. However despite the fact I already had food in my bag there was just no passing up all of the amazing aromas drifting towards us.

My first conquest? A pancake of sorts filled with a warm custard. As the cook handed it to me and the warm smell filled the air, I knew I had made the right choice. I bit into it as we made our way towards the park entrance and I was amazed by how absolutely delicious it was. As my taste and smell were being gratified by the treat, my sight was suddenly filled with joy as we entered a path winding between blossoming plum trees. We were met at the front of the park by our tour guide who began leading us along a path that lead past a field where families were picnicking and listening to a group of elderly women who were playing some string instruments. We stopped for a moment to listen. It was beautiful.

As we continued on we saw a crowd of people surrounding some tables and being served tea by a group of kimono clad men and women kneeling in the middle. When we asked Maggie what was going on she explained that one of the kneeling men was playing a character from a famous Japanese TV show and they were holding a traditional tea ceremony that the guests to the park could participate in (if they were willing to wait in an hour or more long line). If I had not been obligated to follow along behind a group I would have joined in despite the wait, but alas it was not to be.

Moving forward, our guide led us along paths winding through the plum orchard. The bright pink and white flowers were beautiful. I only wish I could be here when they were in full bloom, as many of the trees we got to see were still only budding.Beyond the plum trees the scenery suddenly changed as we entered a new area of the park. Here we found ourselves surrounded by a grove of tall lanky trees packed in tightly with a canopy of green foliage spreading out at the top. The bamboo forest brought back memories of the pandas I got to see at the Shanghai zoo. The path through the trees led to a natural spring that they had rerouted up through a giant marble block. It was one of three such fountains found in the park.

We had made a full circle around the park and now we found ourselves back at the picnic area, the women still playing their instruments off to the side. We sat in the grass to eat our lunch; I had tempura shrimp and vegetables. Some of the various fried yummies you can get at any grocery store, and most convenience stores. We were released for some free time after that and I set off with Cynthia in search of the plum ice cream we had seen on sale when we came into the park. It was easy to find its large posters sporting purple ice cream cones and a couple hundred yen later I was holding the treat in my hand; eagerly savoring its tangy sweet flavor.

We decided to explore up and down the stalls to see what the different merchants were selling. I was pretty full by this time, but it wasn’t long before I knew that I was about to be a whole lot more full. I was roped in quickly as I rounded a corner and came face to face with a stand selling fried squid. Although they were cooking it differently then my dear friends at my Changzhou night market, I knew I had to have it. Cynthia had also found a stall selling large Takoyaki deliciousness. We purchased the two and decided to share then between us.

Food in hand we then decided to go check out what was going on around a large crowd that had gathered down one of the paths. As we approached we heard the loud high pitched voice of a Japanese woman coming from the center of the circle. We found a couple seats on a bench near the front and sat to observe as she showed off her pet monkey to the crowd. With drum in hand she called out commands to the small creature as she hit out a beat. She had him get up on some stilts and walk around jumping over hurdles and climbing sets of wooden stairs. All-in-all he was very well trained, but the animal lover inside me couldn’t help but cringe. I really couldn’t decide whether or not I should be entertained or upset by the display of human dominance over the tiny creature. It’s a fine line to walk I think. After all no one bats an eye when someone trains their dogs to ride skateboards, hop on two feet, or do back flips, but everyone freaks out when you try to do it with a monkey. Perhaps its because the dogs seem happy to do it, whereas that little monkey seemed rather ticked off at his predicament.

We quickly dissected the squid as we made our way back to the bus with our group, and the Takoyaki followed soon after as we drove to our next stop on the other side of Ibaraki prefecture. Beside the ocean along one of the sections of the coast affected by the tsunami last spring we came to one of Ibaraki prefectures famous fresh fish markets. My ears rang with the din of sellers and buyers haggling over fish as I breathed in the salty aroma permeating the air. Rows and rows of every fish imaginable lined the stalls, drying squid and fish hung from poles or were attached to rotating racks. Vendors served up fried shrimp, smoke oysters, and crab leg soup. We wandered up and down the rows admiring the fresh meat, and enjoying the free samples offered to us. I bought a hot cocoa out of a vending machine (one of the million that you can find everywhere offering any number of things to buy) and sipped it down as I munch on a Jumbo shrimp skewer, and before departing I bought myself a fish cake to enjoy later. By this time I was so full of yumminess I thought I would burst, instead I lay my head down and enjoyed a nice nap as we drove an hour and a half back to the school.

We had about an hour break before the students would meet us to take us out on the town for dinner. I stumbled up to my room and took a quick nap still a little dragged down by jet lag and then arrived refreshed to the community center. Our fare for the evening? A Korean BBQ :D For those of you who don’t know what that entails let me break it down for you ;) We arrived at the restaurant and were led back to a set of booths where we removed our shoes and climbed up onto a platform where the table was. I ordered a plate with slices of raw pork and beef that arrived at my table alongside a bowl of salad and some pickled sprouts and peppers. In the middle of our table was a small grill where we got to cook our own meat. It was SO MUCH FUN. It brought back fond memories of hot pot as I used the provided tongs to cook my meat to perfection. The thin slices were tender and delicious and probably one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. Honestly before dinner I hadn’t been sure I had room for more food, but boy did I prove myself wrong; THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE! :D :D

Back at the dorms I crawled into bed stuffed to the brim. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten so much GOOD food in such a small amount of time. I never knew what a true food coma was until that day, and as I slipped contentedly into slumber I knew for a certainty that this whole trip was worth it for all the amazing things I get to eat ;D

Tsukuba!

As I sit here munching my banana in the wee hours of the morning, I can't help but smile as I glance out my window at the beautiful Tsukuba University campus below me. I'm looking forward to another beautiful day with these wonderful people and I can't help but chuckle as I think back on yesterday.

My first night here in Japan we were welcomed most graciously into the country by a 3.5 magnitude earthquake around 3 am. Some of you who know my propensity for sleeping like the dead won't be surprised that I had no idea that it had happened until I awoke the next morning and met up with everyone else. Figures I would completely sleep through it haha.

After we'd all met up in our dorm community center we got to meet our three tour guides for the day: Yukari, Maggie, and Dezu. Yukari and Maggie were very confident and their English was excellent, I later found out that it was due in great part to the fact that both of them had come on an exchange to Utah State last summer for a month. Dezu was a little more shy and after introducing himself seemed content to just let the girls take charge.

We headed out to walk about halfway across campus to a conference center where we would meet up with he two professors over our little band. The first thing I noticed as we trudged down the road under the cloudy grey sky and drizzling mist was how absolutely gorgeous this campus is. The pedestrian walk that cuts down the middle is lined with beautiful trees and ponds and fountains. Small parks dot the campus, and everything is just so GREEN. I LOVE IT.

As we walked I got to chatting with Yukari. She is by far the cutest girl I have ever met and we became fast friends. She told me about her trip to Logan and you'll never guess what two foods she misses the most: tacos and chocolate milk! Definitely worthy of missing in my opinion! When I asked her what things had shocked her the most about the culture, she said that one of the biggest things was how we would speak with each other and with the professor during class. She thought it was so strange how the teachers would encourage us to ask questions and converse with them. She also said she was just as thrown off by how we drive on the right side of the road as we were by how they drive on the left.

A little ways down campus I noticed that most of the buildings had tall nets draped down the sides. When I inquired as to their purpose she explained that they were put up after the earthquake last spring so they could grown vines up them to act as a shade over the building because they could not use the air conditioning because of the electricity shortage. Many buildings were also still under construction, having damage from the quake being fixed.

At the conference center we met with our two professors who gave us a rundown on the school and it's history. Tsukuba University was founded only about 30 years ago and is now one of the largest campuses in Japan, and has one of the largest populations of international students. As they talked about the different initiatives the school was putting into place to attract more and more foreign students I couldn't help but feel myself being tempted into finding a way to come here for a longer stay. After we got a run-down on the weeks activities and all the basic safety and school policy-ness, we headed out to go visit downtown Tsukuba and grab some lunch with our three new friends.

Hopping on the bus, I had to once again stop myself from momentary shock as I shelled out 190 yen for the ride. I think it's going to take me awhile to stop feeling a twinge every time I look at the prices of things here. The ride was short and quick and as we hopped out I got to catch a glimpse of the entrance to the rail line that would take us into Tokyo, which by the way costs 2000 yen in case you were wondering haha.

Our first stop was Q't (pronounced 'cute') which is fun little shopping center in the middle of town. We headed inside and stopped at the mall food court. All it took was one whiff of the place and I was in heaven, everything smelled so good! I asked Yukari what she suggested and she gave me two of her favorites: Udon and Takoyaki. I figures since I'd had udon before (those delicious thick Japanese noodles are one of my favorite foods) I would go for trying Takoyaki which I had never heard of before. As it turns out, it is now on my list of top things I have ever eaten! Takoyaki consists of basically a fried dough ball around a delicious center of octopus, ginger, and green onion which can then be topped with a variety of choices ranging from egg salad to cheese to fish flakes. Nicole, the Anderson brothers, and I all got different kinds and shared in the deliciousness until we were all full and content.

After our delectable meal we began wandering around the mall as Yukari and Maggie showed us some of their favorite shops. We even came across a 100 yen shop where I picked up some more calligraphy brushes and some nice paper. Perhaps my favorite moment was finding mint ice cream in one of the stores and shivering as I ate it in defiance of the cold wind blowing through town. We also had the pleasure of coming across a candy store where our good friends showed us some of their favorite candy. I bought some very tart cotton candy that turned onto gum, fizzy soda sticks, a drinkable jelly, and a few other delicious odds and ends.

Outside the mall we wandered about the streets for a little while exploring the surrounding neighborhood. As we walked over one of the bridges spanning the streets below I stopped for a moment to watch the cars rolling by. I quickly realized that as far as traffic etiquette goes I had just wandered over to the other end of the spectrum. In america I figure we stand fairly middle ground, we're impatient, sometimes thoughtless, but in general we mostly follow the rules. In China it was a crazy deathtrap of aggressive (but attentive) driving, where right of way was only determined by how big and stubborn you were. However, here I was amazed by how polite everyone was. I never feel like my life is on the line crossing a road, and I certainly would never see someone driving blatantly down the wrong side of the road, or driving cops into fences. The cars just glide by paying careful attention to each other and graciously allowing right of way according to the rules of the road. It was quite fascinating. It's of course easy to see that this way of thinking is simply a part of the Japanese mindset. I have never met a more polite people. Oddly it's actually kind of unsettling sometimes, but I welcome the chance to experience it. At one point they took us up to the top of tone of the office building where we got to look out the window at a wonderful view of the city. We sat and entertained ourselves learning about all the different landmarks.

A short while later we all met up together to go to a small photo shop that Yakuri and Maggie insisted we had to try. The shop was full of various photo booths reminiscent of the little booths one would have seen frequently in the olden days, where a few coins or a couple bills would get you a small sheet of funny portrait souvenirs. These booths took it a step further however by providing complimentary free photo-shopping to "smooth out the rough edges" ;) and then an array of different backgrounds, stamps, and writing tools you could use to add a bit of "flair" to your photos before having them printed out. Perhaps the best part was trying to squeeze all 11 of us into the booth and laughing hysterically as we attempted to quickly rotate around in between pictures to try and make sure everyone was in at least one of them. I think the shopkeepers were quite entertained by our antics.

About half the group opted to head back on the bus up to our dear university after we were done harassing the photo booths, but I and a few others decided to save ourselves a few bucks and see a little more of the city by taking the hour long walk back up to our dorms from the mall. It was certainly worth the effort (despite my sore feet) to get to see the gorgeous Tsukuba University campus.

As we passed lakes, and gardens and trees, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness that I would be spending only a short time in this beautiful place. I also enjoyed getting the chance to get to know some of my fellow travelers a little better. It seems I was the only one to come on this trip without previously knowing at least one person. It's good to know that I'll have a few more friends when I return home.

After getting back to our dorms we took a short break which consisted of me passing out briefly on my bed until 6:30 rolled around. Then we met up with everyone in the community center where we were welcomed by a large crowd of Japanese students who had cooked a delicious meal for us. I and several others had brought a few treats to share from home as well. As the little party began, they took a moment to welcome us and teach us a little but about meal etiquette in Japan, and with a loud chorus of Itadakimasu! we dug in.

The first item to fall onto my plate was a gracious serving of Japanese curry offered to me by the students. Although possessing a slightly different tang from the Thai curry I'm used to, it was equally delicious and easily made it onto my list of top foods. Any feast wouldn't be complete without a mouth-watering plate of sushi and sashimi to make your day. Although it was store-bought from the local supermarket, I dare say it rivaled even the restaurant made fare back home.

Perhaps the only thing I have found so far on this trip that I didn't like was what befell me next. Our dear lovely Maggie was so insistent that the smelly slime she was proffering to me at that moment was a necessary delicacy for me to try on a trip to Japan that I of course simply could not refuse. Natto she told me was a fermented soy bean paste that I was required to try "at least once" even standing within five feet of the smelly concoction was enough to let me know that I would not enjoy it one bit, but the adventurer in me, was insistent that I not get away with neglecting my duty to try everything I could. Chopsticks in hand I grabbed a small pinch of the goo and quickly put it in my mouth. Eyes-watering I choked it down, every bit as disgusted by the taste as I was by the smell. I laughed along with my new friends as they handed me my glass of coconut milk to wash it down. Another successful conquest :)

As the meal winded down I began wandering around chatting with all the different students. Their proficiency at English varied greatly, but for the most part we were able to at least cover the basics. One guy was excited when I mentioned that I snowboard which spurred on a conversation comparing the climate of Logan and him hometown in northern Japan. I found out that a couple girls were going to be in Logan this summer on an exchange and I quickly told them that they'd better look me up when they were in town. That conversation quickly caused me to track down Christa and ask her how I might get involved with helping out when they came over, she said she'd keep me in the loop ;)

As the evening wound down a few of us decided it was finally time to scrub off the grime of our travelling and decided to venture into the dorm bathhouse. Now that was an adventure. Here's how it went down. We walk into a small area where a guy at a table took our money (170 yen) and directed us to the women's area. Through the door we removed our shoes next to a small set of shelves and then entered a wood paneled room where we grabbed a plastic basket and chose a spot on another set of shelves where you strip down and leave your clothes behind. From there you enter a shower room. Along the walls are several shower heads, you pick one, shower off, and then if you so choose, go and soak in the hot pool and the other end of the room. I gotta say that as odd as it was, it was a great way to spend an evening after an exhausting day.

I headed back to my dorm soon after and climbed into bed, content and happy. It would be another long day in the morning and I couldn't wait for it to begin.

lkjbdvljbdvmsndvljwbev...... ??

As you may have deduced from my clever title above. I. AM. EXHAUSTED. haha. I don't know how I am even writing this right now, but seeing as I am making a valiant effort to not fall asleep too early, I decided that this was as good a way as any to occupy myself for a short while.

Today has been the longest day that I never got to live that I have ever been through. Did you follow that ;P All I can say is that this 16 hour time difference may just be the death of me upon my return to the good old USA.

The journey began as all my long trips seem to: me not getting any sleep. Wed night I was blessed enough to be working until 10:30 after which I still had to pack because, typical of my behavior, I left it all until the very last possible moment. My mother, bless her soul, picked me up and drove me down to Salt Lake in the wee hours of the morning, where I got to say hello and goodbye to my dear family and board my 6am flight to LA.

Our plane hadn't even left the gate by the time I fell asleep in my airplane seat.

As I groggily marched out of the gate in LA I glanced sideways at one of the notice boards, laughing inside at how ironic it would be if I were to find a DELAYED notice next to our flight out to Japan. To my delight however our plane was scheduled to leave on time..... in four hours. It was a quick jaunt to track down our gate, where we all quickly collapsed into our seats.

I guess I should mention that I finally did get to meet some of my fellow travelers. There are nine of us total and six of us were on the same United flights. I hadn't been sure how I was going to tell who was who since I'd never met any of them before, but alas someone had done their homework, because when I got to the gate is Salt Lake I was approached by a groggy looking woman who says "You're one of the Tsukuba people right?" When I nodded a little perplexedly, she laughed and responds with, "yeah I may have Facebook stalked you all a little" :)

So anyways back to our main story-line.....

The ride to Japan was every bit as long as I was expecting. Although I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that the plane we were in was one of the ones equipped with a small screen for each seat. Muahahaha.... I thought to myself as I fiddled with the little touch screen. Alas, I was only able to enjoy tapping my foot along with Happy Feet 2 and hiding behind my airplane pillow for Paranormal Activity 3 before I passed out in my seat for pretty much the rest of the flight, only emerging from my slumber when sustenance was necessary.

Walking through the Tokyo terminal and out through immigration and customs was one of the oddest experiences. My mind was whirling through memories of China, that at once seemed to both correspond and conflict with the experience. Perhaps most odd was looking at all of the signs, because one thing I had not expected was to see several familiar Chinese characters mixed in with all the Japanese ones. It really kept throwing me off haha.

After clearing the bureaucratic tape we were please to meet up with the rest of our group and the representatives from the school who led us out to our bus. It was a charming little thing. And I mean little haha, it was short and stout, and well, honestly the only word I can think to describe it as is..... adorable haha. As we all pile in I snagged the very front seat so as to provide myself with the best view. Although I quickly discovered that due to the dark and the rain I wasn't going to be able to see much beyond car headlights. A girl named Nicole sat beside me and we quickly struck up a conversation, during which I learned that her grandma was Japanese and had met her grandfather during the war. That of course led to much discussion that helped pass the time during the hour and a half long ride to the University.

At one point I became curious and turned to our Japanese professor and the following conversation followed:

"How big is the population in Tsukuba city?"

"Oh about 200-300 thousand I think."

"And would you consider that a bigger city or a smaller city?"

"Actually Tsukuba city is in the top three cities as far as the population in our prefecture."

Now when I was in China, our dear Changzhou had a good 3-4 million people, and it was barely considered a blip of a city...... I just love finding these comparisons :)

We stopped at a supermarket just a short distance from the school and my favorite part of the day began: the shopping guessing game :D

As I meandered through aisles full of who knows what I found it extremely hard to keep a perspective on the prices. As I grabbed a bottle of water for 87 JPY and some yogurt for 130 I shuddered just a little, until I reminded myself that the exchange was about 80 JPY for a dollar, and then I didn't feel quite so bad.

As I passed the hot food case I shocked one of the Japanese students in our group when I excitedly grabbed a plate full of little fried fish (I'm talking WHOLE fish) "You like this?" she asked quizzically and I saw a huge smile break across her face when I nodded. "Very good!" she said and gave me a thumbs up. I laughed as I bought my stuff, thinking back at the delicious little fried fish my dear old Tsing Ying would serve us.

When we got to the school they handed out our keys and out internet passes as they talked through all the little formalities with checking into the University. I admit my mind was elsewhere as I zoned out in exhaustion and watched the three rather attractive Japanese guys doing break dancing at the other end of the common room. However my interest did perk up slightly when they began talking about using the showers, and the public bathhouse that was available to us on campus. I looked sideways at Nicole who had a mischievous look in her eye as she whispered, "We're totally going to go use that." I smiled back, "Well duh!"

They showed us up to our rooms after that and after making sure we were all good they all left to their own rooms and I collapsed face first onto my bed for the next 10 minutes until I could will myself to get up and do something so I didn't fall asleep.

Now my dear friends, I have stayed up long enough and shall retire to my slumber until the rising sun brings me new adventures ;)

Oh wait wait! I almost forgot! :O When we were in the airport I went to use the restroom, and in one of the stalls I found........ A SQUATTER!!! :D :D And of course I had no choice but to use it! Ah how sweet the joy :D