The Time I Karaoke-ed with Strangers ;)

Haha, this title makes me laugh - as it did when I thought it up while walking home. x)

I'll try to keep this short(er), unlike my other mile-long post that no one can read. lol

I was supposed to meet my friend Sachi and our other friend (who didn't show - lol), and some of her ESS (English Speaking Students) friends. After a lot of waiting, running around hither and thither to gather other people (and crashing an ESS party xD), we headed down to Karaoke at Rokkomichi!

It was funny, because it ended up being just Sachi, me, and 4 other of her friends from ESS. And, then just about (or even less than!) half-way through our 2 hours, Sachi had to leave! So... I was singing Karaoke. In a little room. With 4 Japanese "strangers" (just meaning, I'd never met them before like an hour ago!)

Hehe, these are the kinds of nights that I could never ever plan out. Would never guess would happen. And, they are exactly what make life interesting. And how blessed am I that they seem to happen each week, if not more often here!?! ♥

Anyhow, it was like めっちゃ恥ずかしいいいいいい～ (majorly embarrassing), but I did my best to sing Japanese songs. And managed that decently well - I just realized, I only sang two English songs?! Wow. Even I'm shocked. :P And, tried to understand what was being said around me. Which, wasn't everything of course, but mostly! ^^ And, it was just super fun. Because they were ESS students, they also had a decent grasp of English, and I was SUPER impressed by their English singing-ability!!! So awesome. :))) 

(Btw, this way of Karaoke-ing was different than I've experienced before. Everyone took their turn, and it wasn't like everyone pick whatever song they want whenever they want, and we all sing along, like I'm used to. It was interesting! And also felt like there was more pressure - LOL. I think at the start, my voice was not super steady... ^^;; )

Anyhow, I ended up spending my night with these four:

To-to: Got to talk with her a bit before about the ESS drama section, and we sang California Girls together - fun stuff! x) Unfortunately, didn't know any of the other English singers she knew - I need to brush up on my English music too, apparently! ^^;;

Atsuko: Her voice is SUPER cutesy, and all her songs sounded absolutely perfect to me. ^^ Super Japanese-poi, I think! :)

Yuki: Sang some heavy metal songs in English, and I probably couldn't have done them - lol! Very impressed, because I get stressed out by even slow Japanese songs, and I definitely couldn't try almost screaming them - lols

Toitoi: I'd already listened to 2 hours of his English in the ESS play I went to a month or so ago (he was the main character!), so that was intimidating enough, but he also sings amazingly! Like, super good - probably one of the strongest voices I've heard in a Karaoke room. ^^

Hehe, all in all, it was a super fun night. Though they were being typical way-too-nice Japanese and saying my Japanese pronunciation was good (and even praising my English pronunciation - LOL, sorry, that's not needed, guys xD). 

And then... I spent like 2 hours after coming home typing my status in Japanese and messages to these new friends in Japanese (DUDE, this takes sooooo long for me >.<), and also typing up this post. When I need to pack/do homework/do a million other things instead. Oh well. x)

In conclusion... Karaoke-ing with strangers? Never, ever, ever, EVER would happen in the US. I'd most definitely leave with my friend when she had to leave, if I'd even go in the first place. But here?... It just feels okay. And, for some reason, because they are the awesome Japanese that they are, it is, and I end up with karaoke-ing with new friends instead. ^^♥

When Pictures Are Not Needed

The title is a shocker, right? With me and my 4,000+ pictures since coming to Japan (and much of this has already been sorted through and bad ones have been deleted!!) only 2 and a half months ago... Well, the girl who always lugs her massive DSLR camera about in her purse wherever she goes saying "pictures aren't needed" just doesn't seem to fit.

But, I am. And, today helped me (to my surprise) realize that.

I have Japanese friends who take the same business classes as me (lots, actually! x) ), but it is actually quite often to just hang out with them at any random time. Because of their part-time jobs and crazy class loads (my one friend is taking FIFTEEN classes.... o.o), we usually schedule things in advance. So, today's shopping trip was scheduled awhile ago, and I was so excited to get to hang with my friends. ^^

We were to go on a clothes-shopping adventure. And, it was an adventure indeed! We started at Sannomiya at 6, and basically walked all over - Ikuta Road area, toward Motomachi, down toward the Harbor, and then back up to Sannomiya and more shopping below the station, where we ended 3 hours later - at 9pm, when the stores closed! (I wish I could show a map, hahaha)

My adventure was with 3 ladies that (I just realized!) I had the pleasure of meeting from my very first school day of the semester, and who have also all become group-mates of mine in various classes.

Shiwori: This girl is so cute, you want to just give her a hug every time she smiles. I kid you not! ^^ I have restrained myself thus far, but it's been hard. x) I haven't worked with her for very much yet - our group (with Sachi, in our business and debate case study class) was just formed last week - but when we found out we were to be group members, she was was so cute and said she was 「めっちゃ嬉しい！」(truly happy) and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. ^-^

Yumi: She is my business law group, and is the reason I'm in their group. She was adorable during our very first class, and when we were to form groups, she asked me to join them. I couldn't be happier that she did. :) I've been able to watch her in an English play her drama team did, and we have the same little habit (though hers is much less frequent, of course - lol) of pulling out a book and writing down new phrases or words in it. ^^

Sachi: She is in the same group that I'm in with Yumi, another business class, and a TA in our business debate and case class. However, she is now part of my team in that class, and I'm very happy. ^^ Starting after a random night where we were able to get dinner together early on in the semester where we really connected, she has been the one who has organized dinners and days for us to meet up. She's just the sweetest thing, and I count myself a lucky girl indeed that somehow she decided that we should do many things together, and is actually making sure that happens - no matter how busy she is. Also, she pushes me so much in my Japanese, and I feel like every single time I spend time with her, I can tangibly feel a change in me for the better. :)

Anyways, I had the pleasure of spending my evening with these three. And, it was so much fun.
Yet... I have not a single photo (from when we were all together) to mark the night.
This... is a bit distressing to me, of course. Being the picture-fanatic that I am, of course I want pictures!
But, I had my camera with me the entire time. And, I was constantly thinking "I want to take a picture of that" and had the urge to grab my camera out of my bag many, many times.

Yet, I never did. What happened?

Well, this is what happened:

• We laughed over super funny Japanese-English everywhere
• I kept track of all the new words I was learning
• I got told by a super fast-talking and very "Kansai"-ish shop 店員 (clerk) that if we got married, we he could move to Hawaii to be with me (hilarious story, if you can't tell already xD)
• We talked about our futures
• We explored vintage clothing shops and I saw a side of the more "local" shopping that I definitely haven't seen even though I've been here over 2 months
• I was complimented on my Japanese improving majorly since I first came - and they would know, seeing as they all saw me when I was really here for only one week (which, while I am aware that it is not nearly as good as they make it out to be, does make me feel good that my work is paying off)
• We talked about boys! x) Yes, Kobe business school boys - I now know which of you are かっこいい and 持てるそう and such. Muahaha! ;) 
• I worked really hard to concentrate and understand what was being said
• They had fun laughing at my reactions to Japanese fashion, and confession that I simply don't understand it
• I had an awesome conversation about my beliefs on relationships (in Japanese, which I consider a huge accomplishment because I also feel that I expressed and got across exactly what I feel, which is so very important to me)
• We looked for a Japanesey-outfit for me (successfully - yay! ^^)
• We surprised another 店員 when Sachi and I switched to English, and she couldn't get over how amazing Sachi was at English. x) 

And, we just were 4 friends, shopping.♥ No camera brought extra attention. No camera (blatantly, anyways) gave away the fact that I wasn't Japanese-from-Japan (I think this was also a little harder to see today than normal, maybe because my outfit was a lot more Japanese-mitai than usual ^^). No camera made people stop what they were doing to pose, no camera changed the mood to "oh, I'm having my picture taken". And, no camera distracted me from the moment, or the natural-ness of it all. 

It was... amazing. And, while yes, I might wish I had a few pictures in there to increase my happiness of this night, I also am completely satisfied.

Because, I had an amazing night. Made amazing memories. And, while a picture might be worth a thousand words? Well, I already have written much more than that much here (lol, typical Ashley-fashion). And, this will help me remember the perfect memory I have of tonight: uncluttered and the most natural experience in the world - shopping with my Japanese friends in Japan, speaking in Japanese, and just "being" Japanese. 

And, we'll totally hang out again and take a million pictures then, of course. Hahaha. x) But, as the photo-crazy girl that I am, I am very grateful for this very important lesson I've learned. 

Sometimes, pictures aren't needed for memories. Being fully and utterly in the moment can eclipse anything a camera could try to capture. 

My Host Family♥

Today, as a sort-of last-minute surprise, I met the rest of my Host Family!♥

So, as a little bit of background, I applied for a Host Family for the rest of my time here, but this is a bit different than a Homestay. Homestays are where you stay with the family, but this is more like a "Home visit" program, where I just get to meet up with my family and do various things with them. So, I get a glimpse into a Japanese way of life, and also get to have a sort of "family" for while I'm here! :)

Anyways, so this past Monday I met the most adorable おばあちゃん  (grandmother), and she had given me some pictures of the rest of her family that wasn't able to meet up that day. Also, I gave her some gifts from Hawaii, and she was so surprised and thankful, she actually gave me a hug!! This was shocking for me, since I've come to see that Japanese tend to not do that. But, it was so awesome, and a very good sign that I got placed with the perfect family. :)

I had thought I would only get to meet the rest of them next week Friday, but thanks to a couple emails exchanged with the mother (Ayako), we found today worked and I was invited to have dinner with them!!

I actually traveled outside of Kobe to meet them. Which, was a bit far (it takes me 25 minutes to walk to the station, and then was a bit over 30 minutes to get to Akashi), but it was cool to be able to finally have gotten outside of Kobe, in the Western direction!!

As I exited the ticket barrier, I saw my obaachan and one of her grandsons - and was greeted by another hug!! ^^ Anyways, they have two boys - ages 11 (Atsushi) and 14 (Satoshi), and they were both super excited to meet me. The older one was cute and would use a bit of English with me (he greeted me with "Nice to meet you", though was super shy ^^), while the younger one is like a ball of energy and actually greeted me by running up, coming to a stop by jumping, and shouting "ASHURI-SAN!" xD

Then, we had a lovely Japanese-style pasta meal, walked to look at the Akashi Temple, and bought yummy cake to bring back to their house, which is in Maiko (also a bit far from my home, but this will all be WORTH IT ^^). 

和風 (Japanese-style flavor) YUMMMMM~

CUTE, RIGHT?!?! Hehe, Atsushi looks a bit like a deer-in-the-headlights in the pic, unfortunately, but he's adorable (and super crazy, lol), trust me. x) 

I got to play piano at their house, which is so cute!!! Also, the mother is a piano teacher, and wants for me to learn a duet so we can play together! I don't know how well I'll be able to do that (dang it, I wish I had kept up my playing right now... T^T), but I'll try my best! ><b

Then, we had cake and tea together, and watched some of their home-videos (like of an Aladdin アラジン play Satoshi had been in, and a sports day event Atsushi had been in just earlier that day!), and looked through some photos from a trip the grandmother had taken to Nepal a couple years ago.

And, we just talked, which was so exciting. They had been worried about how they were going to be able to talk with me (which is silly, because the mother's English is actually quite good!), but were super happy that I could converse with them! I'm sure I sound silly (which is kinda embarrassing, with the little boys and their  Japanese being so much better than mine, lol), but they keep saying I'm so good (ohhh, such typical nice Japanese people... ^^).

I stayed with them quiteeee late! They drove me to the station (OMG, I GOT TO BE IN A CAR AGAIN! IT HAS BEEN SO LONG! lol), and gave my an umbrella just in case it might rain (not needed, but they insisted ^^). And, the grandmother even walked me up to the station and, against my wishes, bought my train ticket home.

Totally amazing kindness. The entire night.
And, they were so welcoming, I feel like I'm already part of their family. This is just AMAZING. ♥

So excited for my remaining time with them. I'm sure I'll be posting a lot about my Japanese family-experiences in the future. :)