OOOOOOOOOOOH!!! LIVING ON A PRAYER!!!
That's right comrades; the great journey to Japan has reached its midpoint. I don't know how time has moved back in the States, but I can tell you in great confidence that it flies like a rocket here. Which I imagine is good thing when you consider the less than savory events that tend to take fold. Being stressed out of one's mind is much easier to bear when it only lasts for a short period of time.
So a few things have happened since the sick post. I went back to Tokyo last weekend and met with one of the family's previous home stay kids... which I can't really call him since the last time he was at Kansai was sixteen years ago. Not sure how, but in some fashion he's found himself in Japan working for a big ol' business selling... you know I can't recall. All I know is that his job is largely English based, so his Japanese really is only a skosh better than mine.
Which of course we all know is flipping awesome. *
*It isn't.
Eric (he has a name though I failed to mention it) also has two kids and a wife, so he's well set into the culture and life here. After a weekend of grooviness (we went to Tokyo Tower and saw a dolphin show), we came back on home. Later, Okaasan was showing me a few of her other earlier foreign kids, and holy crap. The things they were presented in were magazines! Like, these blokes got interviewed and famous-ish and what have you. Man, if I don't get that sometime down the line, I will have totally thrown off my family's track record.
CROSS THINE FINGERS FRIENDS.
As I think a lot of you know (because I may or may not have openly whined at you), last week was midterms. Not to ruin the bliss that is finished toil, I have another set this coming Monday, so as soon as the lovely little blurb is finished, I'll likely be slamming my face into my workbook.
Repeatedly.
Until I pass out.
Funzies. Regardless of previously mentioned masochism as a means to avoid actually studying, I think I've performed fairly decent on Thursday's and Friday's exams. Thursday was my speaking exams. For one I had to hold a conversation and answer simple questions for 5 minutes. This was pretty tricky, but I managed to hold out until the end. Immediately following that bout of silliness was my reading exam. The idea was to read a short excerpt in Japanese. The challenge was merely remembering all of the Kanji (Chinese characters) we know. For this we were given two minutes, and I finished reading in one.
BAM.
Friday's exam was boring. It was just one of those 'remember details on a whole bunch of different art pieces and write about them' things. Bleh...
I know that in that little blurb in the top of the screen, it mentions something about this being an art blog as well. Up until now the only art presented was some bad Photoshop in some clearly deadly lavatory (also small). As luck would have it however I am (surprise!) an art student with aspirations towards becoming a cartoonist. To meet this end I pursue a variety of personal art projects, as well as take ceramics because APPARENTLY YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO THROW A POT TO BE AN ARTIST THANK YOU SO MUCH ADRIAN COLLEGE.
(quiet rage)
Complaints about major requirements aside, my current art project actually coincides with my Japanese Studies Major. Being the kind sensei that he is, my Japanese Prof. back home has allowed me to make a Japanese comic for my senior project / presentation / whatever thingie. In order to try and get my creative juices focused on a particular project I've, in what little free time I have, thrown together what you see below.
The quick and dirty is that this is murder mystery starring a bunch of fruits and vegetables. The main character (the Eggplant up front) is detective and it's up to him to solve the string of murders happening all over. I have plans for a couple issues, but for the moment we'll focus on one, and then think about other wonderful things, like an English translation and T-shirts. You know you want a T-shirt with at least one of these guys. The story is in the process of being written, and I'm going through some different designs for the actual cover. Also, I'm trying to come up with names for my characters, because at the moment they are all just Mr. / Mrs. 'Whatever They Happen to be". Seems lacking yea?
I think that just about catches us up to current events. Wouldn't want you cats to know too much about me, yea? My air of mystery is all but evaporated, and can use as much help as possible.
Take it easy everyone.
~Cheers
I've been here for three weeks now haven't I?
Can't say that it feels like it. I've been so busy and have had so many different things to take care of that I've not really had time to sit for second and truly think about what's going on, much less tell everyone.
Have I mentioned what classes I'm taking yet?
If not here comes the list, woooo.
Japanese Speaking
- A basic Japanese class. Go in, sit down, spew forth Japanese language by the teacher's command, hunt desperately for homework, finish it, turn it in, cry in fear of the coming grade, etc., etc. I'm fast finding that learning Japanese from a Japanese Sensei is much more brutal than doing so by some silly American professor.
Look at that smug little man...
Japanese Reading and Writing
- More of a supplement to the previously mentioned class, this one focuses more on the grammatical aspects associated with (here it comes) reading and writing Japanese. It's fun and the professor is an excited little lady, and the course is completely taught in the native language. Needless to say, I pay attention.
Ceramics Basic
- As a core requirement for my Bachelor of Fine Arts major, I am bound by blood to do a full year of a medium that only fills my with rage and sadness. I suck at ceramics, but I have to it anyway. Stupid.... anyway. Inomata Sensei is really cool dude. He reeks of talent and wisdom... also cigarettes. Okay, mostly cigarettes, but he is very good at what he does.
Survey of Japanese Art
- Another course taken with the desire to achieve the ever elusive art major. This class is taught by some white bloke who has been living in Japan for the last 30 years. While he lectures are a miraculous mix of both boring and amazing, the historical artwork is made fascinating by the sheer fact that 90% of it was all discovered in the Kansai area. Heck, there's an ancient burial mound behind one of the dorms! Groovy class, but I struggle for consciousness.
Not necessarily a class but...
Running Club
-That's right. Even though I have to ride my bike uphill for half an hour to get to school in the morning, and even though the relationship between myself and my legs has been fairly rocky as of late, I've found it necessary to punish myself physically during my stay here. I'll let you know if I break something.
On the subject of all the exercise I get just trying to get from place to place, I have lost a reasonably amount of weight. I've gone down two notches on my belt, so whatever that means...
This weekend starts sliver week, which is basically a five day holiday. I'll be putt-putt golfing with my host Otoosan (dad) and it'll likely be difficult not to think of putt-putt at Cedar Point with the Franks (I miss you guys!).
Much love and I'll post sometime late next week
.
Cheers
