The Year in Review: Sarah in Japan

As of today, I have spent four months and nine days in Japan. 

And 

I've

had 

tons

and

 bucket-loads

of 

fun!

I've adventured to temples and shrines full of foxes and flea markets! I've seen traditional Japanese gardens in Japan! I've celebrated the new year and drank sweet sake! I've seen rice fields in person, in the city, and walked along the banks of a river full of fish, herons, and I even saw a KINGFISHER yesterday! I've taken purikura and done karaoke; I've tipped a daruma and watched dorayaki being made. I got to see a Buddhist temple/Shinto shrine mix that specialized in blessing cars. I've also been instructed in the way to handle a Japanese kitchen knife, how to make okonomiyaki, yakisoba, omurice, AND I know how to use a rice cooker (the jury's still out on the washing machine, though!). I have seen straps of cell phone charms heavier and larger than the cellphone itself (and I am well on my way to having that occur to me as well!).

I've learned how to glean tiny bits of information from a big picture and weave it into something I can understand. I have a better grip on the super formal keigo Japanese. I still like anthropology (and I'm telling you--after the teacher I had, I'm still surprised that I do!). I can walk to places and not be afraid of being hit by a tractor (though old ladies on mopeds, bicyclists, and buses, not to mention cars, still apply because everyone drives like a crazy person in Japan) and I can navigate both the bus and train system with (relative) ease. I can also listen to random conversations on the bus and pick out words that I understand~!

Over all, I am very happy that I was able to grab this opportunity to Japan. There is just something that reading and researching cannot grasp and that is living in the element!

I do wish that I could have taken a different anthropology class, but what's done is done  and I got a good grade in it anyways, so let bygones be bygones.

In basic: I've enjoyed Japan so far that I can't really even put it into words. Whenever I think of what has been, is now, and will be happening, my heart just starts to flutter and I can't even stop the smile from spreading across my face. But it's really hard to put this into words. Ask me about situations and I can wax poetic, but describing this all in general? English doesn't have the words for it, and I don't know enough of any other language to know if they have words that can describe the feeling I'm feeling.

True, I've been kinda less adventurous lately. That's mostly because I am still settling into Seminar House life along with accidentally injuring my foot--I really shouldn't have walked on an injured foot around Kyoto in heels yesterday, but I sure looked snazzy! Also I'm considering when to take a quick travel to Tokyo. My To Do list is overflowing with things I just need to take care of.

I have to say that the best pictures I took would have to be at Fushimi Inari, closely followed by some of the pictures I took of Okaasan's cooking.

I have to say my favorite place so far was Fushimi Inari, followed by the Toji Fleamarkets.

My most useful item bought here is my Japanese-English electronic dictionary.

My favorite thing that I've bought oscillates between a good ten items, so I can't rightfully choose.

The stupidest thing I've done so far is a tie between getting my camera broken at Toji and walking on a bad foot in heels yesterday.

If you have any questions about my favorite whatever or most [insert term here], please just ask by commenting below--I'll answer them in my next blog post!