Looking Back...

I've been in Japan for a month??!!! Where did all the time go? It doesnt feel like a month, it only seems like yesterday that I was sitting in The River having drinks with the Bens and Clare, or having dinner with Michael Lessani in Cafe Rouge. Yet here I am, one month down already and only eleven more to go...despite the homesickness, I am actually quite sad about that.

So what do I think I've achieved in this time? Well, the Japanese is really difficult but I feel like I am getting some of it at least. Its very exciting when I can hold a conversation with a Japanese person and they understand what I am trying to say! Being surrounded by international students all the time does have its bad points since English is always spoken, so I dont get enough opportunities to practise Japanese.

I am really settled here; I love the Ohmeikan and my room, its my little haven with lots of photos and fairy lights, though its annoying that the floors are so segregated. It makes a mission out of organising any sort of social event since the girls' quarters are always completely out of bound. Lately, life has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but the worse of the storm is over. I had an epiphany last night; I realised that I've been distracted, that I'd lost my way and forgotten the reasons why I came here in the first place, which are primarily to study Japanese, and Japanese Law and Politics. I am a lot happier, I still miss you guys but then I'd remember all the abuse I had to suffer with references to paddy-field hands, vertically challenged, banana boat, immigrant child, my tenses and grammar! So then I dont miss you that much! Anyhow, I've made some great friends, and they're starting to abuse me just as much too. Aaah, there's nothing like good banter!

Speaking of friends, I've made some Vietnamese friends too! I had a hard time proving to them that I am Vietnamese; they think I'm half English because my nose isnt very 'Vietnamesey'. My countrymen always have such a fascination with my nose, they call it a Westerner's nose simply because its defined and not flat. They're all very lovely and not as scary as the Vietnamese guys in Bristol that Char, Hellie and I went to dinner with last year. Those guys just spent an entire evening saying I couldnt speak Vietnamese properly when I can, its just a hybrid version since my parents are from the north and south.

The sumo wrestling was probably the highlight of the month, besides getting the scholarship of course. The office told me that I was really jammy since quite a few people from the university had applied for it, and I was the only one successful. I knew I was jammy but I didnt know I was that jammy. I still cant believe that I dont have any financial woes, this is the first time in a long while!