The Disaster

Looks like this is the last post for my Japan study...

Due to the natural disaster and unreal destruction that happened in northern Japan, my family as well as my program felt it was best to leave Japan.

I was in Tokyo during the 9.0 earthquake that hit. Thank goodness I was in Tokyo and not any closer. Don't get me wrong, it was still amazingly strong and long lasting! At that time I was stuck on the 15th floor of a hotel in the center of Tokyo.

and like that wasn't enough, there were aftershocks every 15 minutes after!! Then every hour for the next day and the day after...and the day after! non-stop.

I was swaying for DAYS after. Its as if I had "sea legs" and was on a boat in the middle of the ocean.

In the past I have felt a 6.7 earthquake back home from the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, but NEVER had I gone through an earthquake this strong and long before...never.


At that time I didn't know the seriousness of the situation (the tsunami, the nuclear plant) until I got back to my room at 11pm and watched the news. (jaw drops)...

The most surreal experience for me was the morning after the earthquake. Business resumed and people were walking outside and taking trains (which just started working 6am that morning after a whole day of shut down). The sun was shining and I casually walked outside to check my surrounding area for damage. The only visible reminder of yesterday's nightmare was the convenient stores, shut down and COMPLETELY out of stock-- No food, no drinks. The night before EVERYONE ran to buy supplies. Other then that, nothing really.

Though life seemed normal in Tokyo, I knew that after what happened March 11, 2011 Japan would never be the same.

Though I was upset about leaving Japan, I now realize how lucky I was to get out. I got a plane ticket out of Japan before nuclear problems got worse. I was alive and I would soon be seeing my family again!! I could not ask for more.

Everyone in Japan had their own experience. Many up in Sendai and surrounding areas had horrendous stories and many deaths.

Japan was and is still suffering greatly, especially economically since people are not buying Japanese products and so many tourists and foreigners have left.


Please support Japan in any way you can! Lets show our aloha and kokua.

Keep Japan in your thoughts and prayers!...I know the people are strong and they will build a stronger better Japan.

島根県 Shimane Cultural Practicum

For my Japan Study Program I decided to do the fall semester with the cultural practicum. I was very excited for this part of my program because it would give me an entirely different experience than what I had in Tokyo! With the end of the school semester, I was definitely ready for a change. The city lights and crowded trains were finally getting to me. Take me back to nature!

The cultural practicum that I chose was in the Shimane prefecture, in the town of Daito (大東). 6 other students from my Japan Study program and I boarded the sunrise train the evening of February 5th and rode for 12 hours, reaching our destination the afternoon of the 6th. That was my first time experience on an overnight train that had beds!

When I woke up all I could see was snow, trees and very few houses. Yep this is what I wanted!



To sum up this experience it was an amazing experience! Before I got to Shimane, I knew we were all staying with host families and that our job would be to teach kids at all the schools in Daito and the surrounding areas. I don't think I was that prepared for the country lifestyle, my funny and open host family and the adorable kids at school.

I will not say the experience was an easy one, but it was TOTALLY well worth my time and I can now look back and say, "Wow I learned so much and look how much my Japanese improved!".

Having no leaders from Tokyo with us, our American group had to depend on each other, especially the girls that could speak/understand the best Japanese. Our Japanese leaders in Shimane spoke only Japanese to us, our meetings with the school principals were conducted in polite Japanese, talking with teachers and students and host families were all in Japanese. Our host families barely knew English.

As you can see, being a low intermediate speaker, I was mentally exhausted every day! every conversation and encounter was somewhat difficult.

After the first week I became use to the "country dialect" and I understood new vocabulary and "the protocol" when we went to schools. I started to relax a bit and enjoy the experience!

Shimane is a very "old traditional" kind of place. The people who live there are mostly old, they use polite Japanese and they stick to traditions. From a cultural view, I learned so much and had wonderful conversations and discussions with my host family. Everyone was so nice and I will never forget the experience!

My suggestion: Do the cultural practicum. Do something out of the norm. Get to know the people who live there. Enjoy!

Cute kids and me on the playground! :)

Winter Fun

Winter Break was absolutely amazing! Getting out of Tokyo and exploring other parts of Japan was great. Going to Niigata to go skiing/snowboarding with friends was TOTALLY fun and surprisingly affordable! I spend a few days in the mountains and returned back to Tokyo.

My mom came during this time and I spent many days sightseeing around Tokyo and taking her to eat delicious Japanese food! We then headed to Osaka for 6 days to visit my long time friends. We stayed with my friend and her family during 正月 (The New Years Time).

For New Years we ate a traditional meal, おせち料理、お雑煮(soup with mochi)、and had a sip of 酒, sake. We then went to the shrine, which is traditional on New Years.

For the rest of the time my friend took us sightseeing around Kyoto and Kobe, which was easily accessible by train. It was a lot of fun!

I then returned to classes in Tokyo and continued with the rest of my semester!



food for New Year's!

Visiting the shrine with my friend and her family