Anyway, so classes are all in Japanese, even the first year classes, apparently. Some people were saying this level two class is too easy, but maybe they've studied more than some of us, because I think it's just difficult enough to make it a bit challenging. I think it'll he better when I'm not so dead tired, though. Still, I think it was fun. Oh, and classes go from 8:50 until 11:40, with a break every fifty minutes. So that means class is split into three sections. Also, the teachers all seem really nice, and as always with a language class, we still have fun, even the teacher. That is, we are there to learn, but we have a lot of fun doing it, and we're not usually too serious.
I've already signed up for one activity, to go hiking with some Japanese families with other students here, and I'm thinking of signing up for the Hikone Castle tour--required for the culture elective class students, but anyone who wants to can join.
I do have a Japanese roommate for now--their English program here ends next week sometime, which is also when home stay students will move out (hopefully me being one of them, though I am nervous about being able to find my way here and back). Anyway, we were going to go shopping today, though I don't know where she is right now. Actually, I guess she lives in Kyoto now, and said this weekend if I had time, we could visit Kyoto and she could be like my guide. I hope she's really willing to go...It's just that I know in Japan when someone invites you to their house, unless you're friends with them and not just acquaintances, then they don't really mean it--it's just being polite. I'm just not sure if that applies to this situation...I guess we'll see. I'm really hoping she meant it, because I really wanted to visit Kyoto, more so than Tokyo. I'm not sure why...Maybe because it seems like it's not as busy or something...I'm from a small, small town, so bigger cities make me uncomfortable.
I know people keep going shopping or to restaurants to eat, but you know, I'm a poor college student. I don't have a lot of money. I have a bit more than they said I'd need for the year (about $2000 per semester, depending on how much you intend to spend), but that doesn't mean I want to spend all of it. Plus, I feel like I've already spent too much. Well, at least now I know how to make tamagoyaki (basically eggs rolled up and then cut into pieces with rice on the side, and maybe a salad, and I guess you need to add a bit of salt and some sugar to the eggs, and soy sauce for the rice). Ah, but if my roommate wants, I said I could try to cook an American meal sometime, which is partially why we were going to go shopping. Trouble is, I don't cook a lot, and I'm not sure what a typical but easy to make dish is...I guess I have some Googling to do.
One final thing is, though it probably will be difficult--especially at first--this is definitely going to be a great experience and one of the fastest ways to learn Japanese. I'm not sure about other study abroad programs, but having to speak the language every day to get by--when shopping or at a restaurant, say--and having to speak only Japanese for an intense three hours of class is great. I hope by next week speaking will have already become easier, just from having to only speak in Japanese so much. The only problem is being able to read things like signs or the info in food packages, because I don't know nearly enough kanji (Chinese characters). Right, I don't know if I said before, but Japanese has three writing systems--hiragana and katakana, which work like our alphabet, and kanji. Unfortunately with kanji, you can't just sound it out. If you don't know he character, then you don't know it.
Well, instead of sitting in my room for the rest of the day, I'm going to head downstairs and see if anyone is there. Even so, I'll bring study materials with me. I'm off, then!