Tuesday, August 30, 2005


This is my pink cup. Yep! This is the only thing that I like that's pink... everyone will be surprised to learn this I'm sure! I got it as a going away present from my buddy Yui. How sweet was that?? Posted by Picasa

This is big brother Jayce. He moved right as I took this picture. I promise I'll get a better picture of him soon...  Posted by Picasa

This is my buddy Zach! He's 5 years old and has a birthday coming up in September... He's SUCH a cutie!! He's eating a really sour candy and made such a funny face that I had to take his picture!:-) Posted by Picasa

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Wednesday!

Well, I've made it through 2 days of classes so far... my last new class is today. It's the seminar for all first year Asian Studies Japan focused people. There will be precisely 5 people in class. Should be fun!

Yesterday, Japanese was REALLY fun! We did self-introductions... which sounds boring, but it wasn't. Then we were told we had to talk to a student in class who we haven't spoken to before. I talked to a guy called Chen. He's SO cool! Anyway... we got to talking really casual. And the teacher came around and reminded us that we aren't old friends and we should be speaking in polite Japanese. :-) Heehee... it's hard! I've been schooled by my kids in Japanese... and they NEVER spoke in super polite terms. ;-)

After class I had a pleasant surprise. I ran into Hikaru. I met him on orientation day and, dumb me, didn't get his meishi or email address or anything! So, it was really good to see him again. And this time I got his meishi!! Yay... a Japanese speaking buddy. Plus, his English is excellent. I'm SO bad... we spoke all in English yesterday. Next time, Japanese!! ;-)

Ja... I'll talk to you all later!

A

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

How was class??

Well, I went to Japanese class today... it was really good! I think I'm going to like starting out in the lower level class... then I get all the grammar sorted out BEFORE I'm expected to go REALLY fast. ;-) Heehee... only bugger is... I own some of the books that are required for the class... but they're still MIA (in the process of getting here!). ARGH!! Don't I wish I'd thought to bring them with me in my luggage. Oh, well... would probably have had to ditch it anyway as domestic luggage allowances are 20 pounds lighter than international. Grrrr... to the airlines!

Hope all's well... later-gators!

A

Classes begin today!!

Yes, today I officially become a student again... Eeeeek! I'm not actually worried about the student bit... I'm more worried about the Japanese bit. I think that the classes I'm taking are great, but I'm just crossing my fingers that the Japanese class I've chosen (one lower than I'd like to be taking) is going to be at the right level. We'll just have to see when I go later today.

I'm thinking that grad school is going to suit me ok... the only day that I have be be on campus past 12:30 is Wednesday... other than that I'm outta there by 12:30 at the latest. And on Thursday I'm done at 8:45!! (There's a 7:30am section I'm taking... we'll see how that goes!)

Anyway, I hope that you are all having a great day! I know that all my students are back at school now, slaving away over tests in just a little while (well... in 4 hours they will be anyway...). Take care!!

A

Monday, August 22, 2005


The mango tree... it's on the corner of my street! Pretty cool, huh!?! Posted by Picasa

The potato tree!! Or that's what it looks like anyway... :-) I have NO idea what this tree is... but it's kind of funny, eh?? Posted by Picasa

Cool lantern... in tea garden! I think this is my favorite site on campus Posted by Picasa

Koi in the tea garden! Posted by Picasa

The sign in the Japanese tea garden.. Posted by Picasa

A stand of bamboo... in the art complex! Posted by Picasa

A much cooler view of the Korean Studies building... cool, huh? Posted by Picasa

Behind Moore Hall... the Center for Korean Studies... these are duplicates of buildings in Seoul! Posted by Picasa

This is Moore Hall... every one of my classes is in this building...  Posted by Picasa

Me... on my bed! I still LOVE the sheets I picked. :-) Yay for palm trees! Posted by Picasa

My room... the other side has my desk in it... but as per usual, my desk is a mess... so here's my bed! :-) Posted by Picasa

This is my house... that scrap of red car is a nice Mitsubishi Eclipse belonging to one of my housemates...:-) Posted by Picasa

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Laundry Day!

Hello... today is my least favorite day of the week... not because it's Friday. No, I quite like Friday's as a rule. This day tends to rotate for me... sometimes it's Saturday or Sunday... often times it's Wednesday or Thursday... it's Laundry Day!!

Why do I hate this day so much?? It is SO time consuming!! You have to sort clothes, then put them in the washer... then wait until the wash is done... then you have to hang up the clothes... etc... the job NEVER seems to end! At least today I haven't let too much pile up. The main reason for that?? I don't have many clothes here at the moment!! I can't afford to let my laundry pile up on me. Nope. Must do it once I start running out of shorts!! ;-)

Ok... that's all I have to say about all that. Hope everyone is enjoying their Friday... have a good one!

A ;-)

Friday, August 19, 2005

Just a glance

I was browsing through some of my pics that I took in the last week I was in Japan... and realized that I hadn't posted a bunch of them... so here they are... even if my dad gets mad... I'll have pics of Hawaii soon. I forgot my camera at home today... yeah, I know... very smart move by me! Tomorrow's a holiday so I'll take a bunch tomorrow. :-)

This was a test shot... Posted by Picasa

Takuma... trying to be cool has FAR too many sparklers in his hands at once! Posted by Picasa

Careful with the fireworks!!! Posted by Picasa

Why does Tomoki look scared?? I have NO idea! Posted by Picasa

The big boy and the little boy at play, Dai and Shunsuke! Posted by Picasa

How cute is this little guy?? Shunsuke!! Posted by Picasa

Lauren, I did it!! When I went to the steak place for the LAST time... I asked if we could take a picture... heehee...  Posted by Picasa

So...

I decided that since I was no longer in Japan and since I'm trying to start a new life (if you wanna call it that...) in Hawaii... my website needed a change. So... ta-da! New layout. That's as much as I can do since really I don't know much about computers or anything like that. :-)

Anyway.. today's another gorgeous (if a bit toasty) day. But the thing I'm going to remember to do today is... take my camera to school. I wanna take pictures of campus and post them for you all. It's a gorgeous campus and I want to make everyone appropriately jealous... haha! Just joking. I want to make you intrigued enough to want to come and visit! :-) So... that's the goal today. That and laundry!! I have a LOT of it... and that's bad because I don't have very many clothes at all!!

Hope all's well!

A

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Wednesday's adventure...

Today, I braved the buses!! Oh, yes... it was really easy actually. :-) Apparently the transportation system (buses) in Honolulu (not sure, it might be all of Hawaii... have no idea) has been ranked the best in the country before. I caught the bus and headed down to the big shopping area... how easy! Took like 5 minutes and I was within a few blocks of the Wal-mart. Yeah, I HATE Wal-mart too... but ya know... when you're a poor grad student it's a great place for things like... hangers, towels, and laundry detergent!!
Before hitting the Wal-mart, I went to the huge mall just a block down... and crossed my fingers hoping to find an Old Navy. I wasn't disappointed... I indeed found what I was looking for!! And bought an on-sale yoga tank top (green!!). Mainly, I didn't want to only have things from Wal-mart today!! Then I came home...
The only discouraging thing that happened today was the fact that I got a letter in the mail from the credit card folks... without a credit card in it!! ARGH!! Hate to sound desperate and poor... but I need a credit card right now!! Eeeek! Anyway... Had to send proof that I actually live in Hawaii now... instead of in Fairbanks... let's hope that the card comes soon...

Anyway... hope all's well with all you out there... ttfn!

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Hisashiburi!!

So... it's been awhile since I wrote anything on this blog... mainly because I had NO time!!! I'm officially in Hawaii... have been for the past 3 days. It seems SO much longer than that! It seems like at least a month. Glad it hasn't been... but at the same time it's kind of nice to be a little bit settled in. Yay!!
What I've been doing lately...
Sunday: I walked around my little area of Honolulu. Found myself a RadioShack and got a keitai (mobile phone). I wish it did as much as my old phone... alas, even as the phones get better here... they get EVEN better in Japan. How is that fair?? ;-) Eventually found a grocery store (yeah, it took all day, too!)... bought the bare necessities... a couple apples, nectarines (man I missed these in Japan!), peanut butter, jelly, bread and Suave Shampoo!! What did I ever do without 99 cent Shampoo!?!?! Haha...
Monday: I went to the orientation on campus... it was actually helpful. And, even better, I met some other grad students! Which was nice... there were people who knew less than I did. Which I must admit kind of felt good. haha! Instead of the boring campus tour... me and my new friend Megan did the "Amazing Race" version. REALLY fun!! Ran all over campus in my flip-flops... now I know where most of the important buildings are... and where the Japanese garden is... :-)
Today: Went to take my Japanese placement test... my reading and grammar are lacking... Hmmm... not a HUGE surprise there. Too bad there's no speaking section! And then had to get a TB test so that I could register... next thing on my list... online registration!! Wish me luck! ;-)

Hope all's well with everyone out there... send me a message or leave a message on here! Talk to ya'll soon!

A

Saturday, August 13, 2005


Japanese style picture! Posted by Picasa

Haven't gotten on the red-eye fixer yet... but don't really care... but here's the last peace picture! Posted by Picasa

A normal-ish picture! Posted by Picasa