Himawari

Hello everyone!

Thanks for coming back to read my blog!

So the past few days were not as busy as the last few weeks, but I still did a lot and had fun, but I also got to relax.On friday after class I went to a shodo demonstration. Shodo is calligraphy. In the class I was taught how to write different strokes and then how to make different characters. I used a bamboo brush and ink to write the characters. It actually is a lot harder than it looks. You have to hold the brush a certain way, use the right amount of pressure, and move it in very precise directions in order to get the character to come out the way you want it to. I was eventually able to do it pretty well, but I still need a lot of practice to get good. Not to mention we only learned how to do block calligraphy. There is also semi-cursive and cursive shodo as well.

After the shodo class I then went out with some friends for okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki is basically a Japanese pancake, but made out of cabbage, batter, and many other things you may want (meat, fish, vegetables). It is then topped with mayo and special okonomiyaki sauce. It is really good and pretty easy to make, so I may try to make it at home.

After eating some of us then went bowling. Bowling is the same as in America, same rules and everything. But the interesting thing is that each lane had a camera that would tape you when you bowled, so after you bowled you would get an instant re-play. It was pretty funny to watch how we all act when we bowl. I didn't do very good, but luckily no one really did that good either.

On Saturday I basically just relaxed and did homework most of the day. Then I went out for dinner with Okaasan and Daisuke. We went to an Italian restaurant where we had a course meal. It was all really good and seemed like very fancy food. I got a type of seafood soup, and lasagna.

After dinner, Okaasan and I went to a violin concert. The performer was Taro Hakase. He is a violinist that puts on concerts with his 7 member band. He seems to be very famous in Japan and this was his 20th anniversary tour. The music wasn't really classical either, it was very pop oriented for some songs. I actually really liked the music and Okaasan gave me the CD as a present. One of my favorite songs was himawari (ひまわり)-sunflower. It is actually the theme song for a 15 minute drama that Okaasan watches everyday, so I was surprised to hear where it came from.

On Sunday I went to church with Mal, Euna, and Charlotte. Thursday is Charlotte's last day in Japan so we had a party for her. The party was actually an okonomiyaki party where the people at church made okonomiyaki for us. It was pretty good, too much okonomiyaki is never a bad thing. After the party it was back home where I had to study for an exam and do homework.

This week won't be too eventful either. On Wednesday, tomorrow, I am going to kaiten sushi with some friends. Kaiten sushi is a sushi restaurant where sushi goes around the restaurant on a conveyor belt and you just grab what you want to eat. Then on Saturday I am going to go see the new Harry Potter movie. Don't worry it will be in english, but with Japanse subtitles. Next Tuesday is a holiday so I don't have school. So I am going back to Otaru with some friends to look around some more. Some of these friends live or have been in Otaru before so they know the best places to go and what to see. It should be a great time.