Wow. I am now living with my homesaty family and they are very unique. Sadly, I do not have internet at my house that I can use on my laptop, so you will have to bear with me until I bring my laptop to school and then there will be more photos of orientation week and karaoke. My host family is composed of Mama, Papa, Tomoichi (big brother), Reiko (big sister), and Yoshiko (big sister). They are rich, or so it seems, we all live in a four story house in downtown Osaka, in a part called Kyobashi, and the house has an elevator. Mama owns three designer clothing boutiques, and my sisters are about to open their own store. In fact they are all, minus Papa, going to France tomorrow to select clothing for their store.
I really like my sisters and mama, they speak enough English for me to converse with them. Papa, who I am going to be living alone with for the next 10 days speaks no English, so that will be an adventure. They are all very nice to me and smile a lot, but they are also all very busy so it is a little hard for me to feel at home yet. Mind you I have only been there for one night. Today I found my way to school all by myself! I have to walk to Kyobashi station, then take a train to Hirakata-shi, then walk to school. I have discovered that Japanese people do not like to walk if they don't have to, everyone was shocked that I would walk 20 minutes instead of pay a ton of money for a bus pass. I had to use one Japanese sentence today though, because the people at the train station did not speak English, Kansai Gaidai wa doko desu ka? Where is Kansai Gaidai?
My host family says I speak very beautiful English, they were surprised that I was from America, papa kept asking if I was from United Kingdom or South America, heehee. Also mama says I have good intonation and am an natural Japanese speaker. I hope that means I can learn quickly. I am only worried about feeling lonely at my homestay, it is really hard when you don't speak the same language, and they are so busy that I am afriad I will never get intigrated into the family fully. I am, however, going to model designer clothing for my sister's website. Woot.
I have class now, Sexuality and Culture in Japan. Sayonara!
5 comments:
Sexuality and Culture in Japan? Daaaang. I wanna take that course. Oh my gosh. Lindsay, you're a rockstar. I can't wait to see pictures of you modeling all the designer clothing!
Have the Japanese students arrived yet? How has campus changed since orientation?
(I had a crazy dream last night, and in a key part of it, you introduced me to this beautiful Japanese boy, who looked a little like Miyavi... then I was off skateboarding and stealing cars with Lelu...)
I love you! And I bet you'll settle into the family soon. It already sounds like they're making an effort to include you in things important to their, having you model for their boutique. And what a compliment, about your intonation! It'll all be wonderful.
And you're wonderful too!
<3 me.
I'm so glad you are keeping up this blog, it is really fascinating to read.
This all sounds wonderful! My brother went to Taiwan for a year in high school and had the same kind of homestay experience as you are having: an extremely nice and rich family, although VERY busy. He enjoyed his stay (he moved to a different host family every few months), but did say that it got a little lonely before he made a group of good friends. Keep having a wonderful wonderful time, post lots of pictures so I can live vicariously through you ;) and learn LOTS! Love and kisses!
Jenna
Hey Lindsay! =* I hopoe it doesnt get too difficult with your family. I miss you here at the seminar house, tsk tsk...
Kisses and hugs, see you around the campus :)
I second Gena on this one.. Sexuality and Culture in Japan? Sign me up!!
You seem to be doing SO well, love.. I'm sure the loneliness and melancholy will shake off just as soon as you feel comfortable with the language and once you get your bearings around town. Maybe you could make the next 10 days with your new Papa a learning experience. Immersion is the best approach for quick-learning, and maybe trying to communicate with him will sort of catapult you into speaking more. How awesome that your Mama thinks you have great intonation! You'll pick it up in no time, I'm positive.
and.. SEND ME PICTURES when you get to model designer clothing. We all love photos of you anyhow, and photos of you in pretty clothes are even better.
I miss you and love you! Keep posting!
xox
Suz
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