it's been a long time

I apologize greatly to those who sneak a peek at this blog from time to time; I have not updated for almost a month. But just judging on my comment rate, I don't expect that my absence has been noticed. In any case! I'll go ahead and revive this baby.

Tonight is Halloween! If I was in New York right now (ignoring time difference), I'd be hearing hoots and howls of drunk Lady Gagas and zombies. But right here in this Bunkyo-ku apartment, there's only the electric buzz of the TV. A lot of my friends are probably going to get trashed in Shinjuku wearing pajama costumes and I'm very sad I'll be missing it. I'm staying in tonight because there's a very good chance that I might be getting sick. Although I'm 100% genki right now, I'm just going to be safe and rest. Even though all I've been doing is sitting here going on Facebook and picking my belly button.

It's been a little more than two months since I touched down in Narita airport. WERD?! As strange as it is to say, I almost feel like I'm not in Tokyo anymore. Obviously the illuminated signs and overcrowded trains are a big red flag that I'm not in Kansas, but it just seems so normal now. Many study abroad students have more or less been feeling the downhill tumble from the "honeymoon" stage and have been feeling homesick. I think in my case, it's not so much homesick as it is just being unfazed by everything now. Not that Japan isn't my dreamland, duuuuh this is like paradise. It is a dream being here. I've just become grounded.

School has been great, I love all my classes. However, I should have brought last semester's notes since I'm learning about semiotics-again. Darn you Roland Barthes! Who asked for your opinion, Karl Marx! I can't even pronounce your name, Althusser! Why must these dead white dudes torture me so... But I'm actually surprised that we're learning about such dense material since many of the students in my class are Japanese FLA students whose English skills are somewhat lacking at times.


(click on the link for more photos from the picnic we had awhile ago. if you have me on facebook, you've probably already seen these!)

I've made a lot of friends rather quickly since my last update. It's amazing how many people I've met by just joining one club. It's a club that bring international and Japanese students together...and we usually end up drinking somewhere. Haha. But seriously, it's so nice to meet great people.



Andddd. I'm taken! It's been awhile since I've had a boyfriend. I'm very happy. Except that he's sick right now and I worried that I have his germs. Ahhh...


But he's really good at getting Mickey stuff for me from the UFO catcher<3

So that's why I'm playing it safe with getting crunk this weekend. Although other people might advocate the magic of alcohol as the cure all drug, in the past it has never been good at solving problems for me. I'm really hoping my immune system doesn't bail on me...

This weekend is the Sophia festival. I'm bringing obaa-chan for her birthday because she wants to see my school. Love my grandma.



Ah! Another thing that has been keeping me busy is this hair contest that I'm in. I've been going to Shima salon for practice and stuff, and yesterday the stylist, Motoki-san, was deciding what kind of style to do. It's going to be a kind of baby doll tutu look I think. Hehe. Here's her business card with my face on it.