Kyoto and Nishinomiya

On Thursday we were all carted of the Kyoto to stay in a ryokan (traditional inn) and go see temples and castles. Now I like temples as much as the next person, but when you see a large amount in one day they tend to run together. I bought a shodo book for all the monks to sign. That was fun. Kyoto is full of foreigners speaking english. That, I didn't like. Anyway, I didn't get much sleep because ryokan paper walls don't really shield against the sounds of yelling. A lot of people didn't agree with me that we should sleep. Meh. Cindy didn't come to Kyoto because she sprained her ankle climbing out onto the roof while drunk... Wow. Becca came up with tonsilitis and woke me up at 6 with her crying. I had to run around trying to convey to the inkeepers that I needed a fever reducer... apparantly tylenol and i b profin don't exist. Mine was at the kaikan.

After seeing the temple plated with gold, we took the train back to Rokkomichi. I went to Sannomiya instead to get Brian some little presents for his birthday. I came back very tired and exchanged presents with him. He set up a surprise party. Very sweet. The cakes were lovely. Unfortunately within ten minutes Chris had broken glass there was alcohol all over my presents and I was pissed. I didn't really want a crazy drinking party... I didn't really want people who I didn't like to be at my birthday...and I wanted people to at least acknowledge that it was in fact my birthday. In other words: I wanted to be the center of attention. Apparantly the aim was just to drink that night, so I took my things and went to bed. I do very much appreciate that Brian took all the effort to set it up. It was very fun until all those drinky people that I don't much like showed up.

The next day was actually my birthday, thanks to those who wished me a happy one. That evening I went to Nishinomiya for my first home stay. I went late because my family couldn't recieve me until 5:30, so Aiko played cards with me until then. My host mother Masuko picked me up at the train station. She sounded like she was angry with Aiko, but it turned out she was just very apologetic for being about 2 minutes late. Lol. She's really awesome. Her husband, Hitoshi, was very nice, too. They live in a little condo in Sakurashuugawa (I think), and she wants me to come back in Spring to see the blossoms. Anyway, she showed me my room and gave me tea and cake. She was wearing a kimono. She's extremely good at english. Anyway, She loves me, which is fantastic because I love her. We went out to dinner with Masuko's father and their friend. Everyone seemed to be very pleased that I was turning twenty (the techincal drinking age here) so they decided we should have champange and white wine. Not to mention Hitoshi spoke much more (and much more english) when he had some alcohol in his system. Masuko works in a disabled childrens' school, which I suppose would explain her incredible patience with me and my japanese difficulties. They've invited me to come back whenever I like. They most common phrase during my whole stay was うれしい！！ (I'm so proud/happy!!) It was very encouraging. The bed was comfy and it was nice to go to sleep with no one screaming in the background. She loved the glass blue birds I gave her. Apparantly blue birds are lucky here.

When I came back to the kaikan on Sunday, I brought Masuko with me because she wanted to help me with my yukata for the festival. She was also very unhappy that she had missed a chance to buy me a yukata (which was why I didn't tell her about it until the last minute.) She ended up helping everyone and finally, putting on my other yukata and coming with us. It was very fun! Especially because she knows everything about it. I think she would be a wonderful mother.

Later Brian and I went to play with the UFO machines. Like the claw machines at home, but slightly more expensive... and they work; you actually win stuff which gives you the incentive to keep trying. What a surprise. We won a gigantic stuffed fish. And a baby fish. And a few other things. It was very fun.

Yesterday we got dragged to Shoin high school after class. I don't much like these tihngs where they parade us around and use us for our english skills. We had to listen to the girls' presentations (in english) and correct them. Then the walked us around the campus so that the girls can scream, giggle, and take pictures with us... Yeah.... After that we went out to dinner in Sannomiya for Brian's birthday (Sunday) sort of, but the same thing happened that happened at my party. A ton of uninvited people showed up. Even though we had a reservation. Le sigh. The place was fun though. It was called the Lock Up. You sit in these cell-like rooms and occassionally monsters come running through to scare you... or high-five you, depending on your response to them. They gave Brian and I each a piece of cake with our names on it for our birthday, and a card each. Except for some reason they took our birthday cards back and replaced them with Happy Anniversary. And they spelled my name Grolia. Well.. Guroria can be confusing if you don't know my actual name... I thought it was funny.