I really need to start writing daily because entries are getting piled up.
So starting with chronological order:
On Monday, July 16th, my classmates had decided to hang with me and other classmates as a kind of going away party. Four other girls and I went to eat okonomiyaki first. It was really delicious and really fun! We talked a lot and after eating decided to go take purikura. We went to a local department store and took some. After, we went to the food court and Kana called a bunch of guys from my class and told them to come. So we waited around and everyone eventually came. We then decided to go to a park. I didn't know exactly why we were going but I just followed everyone. It turns out that they wanted to play tag. I thought it was a bit silly at first but it turned out to be really fun! One guy from my class, nicknamed Hatahata, is on the track and field team, so he can run abnormally fast. So because of that and playground equipment, playing tag was really enjoyable. We then played another game not unlike "What Time is it Mr. Wolf". Which also turned out to be really fun. Around 9 o'clock we decided to go home. Myself and five other friends decided to get some ice cream first. So we ate ice cream and discussed a future plan for a BBQ. I'm really excited for that. That day was so much fun!
On Tuesday, I unknowingly had to give a small speech to the entire 12th grade. I thought that I just had to give one to the school on the last day. So, being
that time I was already emotional and having nothing prepared, my stress level went through the roof. I began to cry and couldn't stop. It was a mixture of stress and the fact that I hadn't prepared myself to actually say goodbye to everyone that I had met in these last few months. So in about 10 minutes I prepared a rather good speech, if I do say so myself. But, I was crying during the entire thing. it was kind of embarrassing. Everyone was extremely nice afterwards though and said goodbye to me too.
On Wednesday after school, Beki and I decided to meet up for basically the last time. She would be going home that Sunday and we both were too busy to meet up again. Beki has been one of my closest friends here and I hated to see her go. We went shopping and took the silliest purikura and laughed a whole bunch. We hugged for a really long time before I had to catch my train and it was really painful to leave. But, since I am the last exchange student in both districts to leave I have to get used to this feeling. Something just seems harder to stay and watch everyone leave rather actually leaving in itself.
So on Thursday, July 19th, I went to school because we had to clean and then went to my host sisters university! It was my frist time going to a Japanese university. I was going to go to a class, but due to it being just before exams, all of the classes were full. We ended up just going to the cafeteria and staying there for hours. It sounds boring, but it was quite the opposite. I met a lot of people and talked about many different things. From university, to me, to music, to ice cream. After leaving the university, my host sister and I went to Ikebukuro to get some ice cream. We went to McDonald's and I had a McFlurry and my host sister had a milkshake. I haven't said it here, but the sizes in McDonald's here and at home are so different. Its quite amusing really. Fries are the same size but, drinks and burgers seem to be different. Basically, for drinks, a Japanese small is a North American child size, medium is small, large is medium and a North American large doesn't exist. Also, McFlurries are really small. Cute, even.
So my last day of Japanese high school was on the 20th. I had stayed up the night before to make cookies for my class and anyone else who had been nice to me since I came to my current school. The days leading up to my last day were pretty funny because I knew that my classmates were planning something for me. I honestly thought they may just say something to me and my closer friends would give me a card or something. But one day I was just putting my stuff away and one of my classmates yelled to another and said "I'M SORRY! I FORGOT THE PICT-" and she noticed I was there and cut herself off. Almost immediately after my other friend suddenly asked me to go to the bathroom. Now, in Japanese schools, girls (and actually girls everywhere I suppose) go to the bathroom together. Not to actually use it but just to hang out. And usually girls won't ask me, for whatever reason. Though, knowing something was up and my friend was just trying to get me out of the classroom, I played along and went. This happened quite frequently up until that Friday. Anyway, after only getting two hours of sleep due to making cookies and writing thank you letters, I went to school. I was going to be late so I got a taxi. A bunch of students saw me get out of the taxi and gave me weird looks haha. We hung around in our classroom until about 9 and then went to the gym to hear the speech that every Japanese school gets before summer vacation. Like saying to be safe, and don't be bad, and don't dye your hair and such things. Towards the end I was to give a goodbye speech and "graduate" from my school. I was really nervous, because unlike last time, the absolute entire school was there. All 700+ of them. I was freaking out a little and made myself calm down a bit by breathing deeply. As I walked onto the stage with my principle, something in me calmed down, as if I were just going about my regular business. I was presented with my graduation certificate and gave my speech. It was really, really weird. I was so calm talking. My voice and/or legs didn't shake, I didn't screw up or repeat my words (aside from when the mic squeaked) and I just felt so comfortable. I thought "This is how politicians feel". (Why did I think that?). I finished my speech and my friend asked me to "go to the bathroom" again. I went back to the classroom expecting something and.... nothing was there. I wasn't disappointed as such though I felt like I had expected too much. I though "oh well" and I sat down with my friends as my teacher talked to the class and gave out report cards. My teacher told me I had to go see the principle as well as an English teacher who has helped me out a lot throughout my time at school. I went to the principle's office with my teacher and he gave me a gift. I was surprised and very happy. He told me that it was such a pleasure to have me at their school and that I made a lot of students happy. I almost cried haha. I thanked him for letting me enter the school and for being so understanding. We shook hands and my teacher and I excused ourselves. I went to go see the English teacher, but she was busy so my teacher told me to go back to the classroom. I got sidetracked when I met up with a few of my teachers and talked to them, as well I met up with some friends from other classes and we took pictures and stuff. I finally started to make it to the class room and my teacher saw me and asked if I had talked to the English teacher. I said "No, not yet" and she replied with "Well just come into the classroom". I cautiously walked into the classroom and everyone was in a circle with party poppers. Okamoto Ryu (a boy in my class who studies English and will go on exchange to Canada after he graduates) met me in the middle of the classroom and, in broken (but cute) English, asked me if I had enjoyed my time here at school and with this class and asked me to not forget everyone. (He gets an A for effort). Then everyone shot off the party poppers as I began to cry tears of happiness. I was so happy that everyone had enjoyed my presence in class even though we never intimately talked. My closer friends then presented me with a few gifts. I cried harder and couldn't even say "thank you" because I was too choked up. Before my teachers could talk to me, my Japanese History teacher came into the class. He was a nice man who, though hated English, was very funny. He always tried to include me in the class even though I never did the work because, well, I really couldn't. Half of the words that were necessary to understand the content didn't even come up in the dictionary. He took a picture with me and shook my hand. He said he enjoyed having me in class. My teachers (homeroom and sub-homeroom) thanked me and just gave a small word about how they liked me and stuff haha. My sub-homeroom teacher Mr. Shiota is an English teacher spoke to me in English and said "Today I found out something interesting. We have the same birthday." In surprise I said "Oh really? Thats great." After he said that my classmates asked me what he said and I shrugged, teasing them. And then someone said "Sir! You definitely said that you like Hali more than your wife!" and everyone laughed. Ms. Tanuma thanked me for putting up with her class and she said that she was really happy when she found out I would be in her class. Before becoming seniors, she had taught me math and tried really hard for me to understand. It was really sweet. She started getting tears in her eyes (let me remind you, I have been non-stop crying since the party poppers went off) and then we hugged. Everyone then got together and sang the school song for me. I then told them, with tears in my eyes, that I was so happy to have spent my time at school with them. I learned so many things from everyone and will never forget them. I then told them I had cookies and even the people who didn't like me that much were happy because of that! Haha! Winning the hearts of people with food! So everyone lined up and said a few words to me before taking a cookie. Like "Even though it was only a short time, having you in the class was really fun.Thanks". Actually everyone just basically said a variation of that sentence. haha. They tried. Everyone just kind of left after a bit, either because of club or work or just because. After I gave my homeroom teachers a baggy of cookies and a card. We then just hung around for a bit. I then went to go see the English teacher. We talked about my time at this high school and I thanked her for being so helpful when I first came. She asked me what I liked most about Japan, and I replied with food and fashion and stuff like that. But, surprisingly, she asked me what I hated. Usually when Japanese people talk about their country to a foreigner, they'll never wonder what they (the foreigner) hates about Japan, only what they like. So I told her that I don't like the school system and education. And she fully agreed with me. It was great! Nothing will happen with it, but I'm glad I'm not the only person who sees it as a very far from perfect aspect of Japan.I thanked her again and excused myself. I went and asked the receptionist people to call me a cab because I had a lot of stuff with me and it started to rain (they didn't even know my name which was rare haha). I then met up with my music teacher, February and March homeroom teacher, homeroom teacher and principle again. We took pictures together and I gave them cookies. I said goodbye and went to leave. I was then stopped by the calligraphy teacher (who I had only met that day before going up on stage for my speech) and she gave me a piece of calligraphy she had made. I thanked her and we spoke a little before she wished me luck and I left. I got in the cab and with a happy yet sad feeling weighing on my chest, drove away from the best school I had every been apart of. Ok, so I said that for drama. I'm going to go back during summer holidays and take pictures of the school for memories haha.
On Sunday, July 22nd before going to the Ooi Festival, my host sister and I went to Kawagoe to go look at bikinis. I couldn't find one I liked so we met up with my host parents and drove back to Fujimino. We went to the department store and looked at some there. I found a few I liked but because I was wearing my yukata I couldn't try them on. They said they would buy me the bathing suit for my birthday :D
I then met up with my friends and we walked around. We went to a mini-concert where my other friend and classmates were playing. It was really high energy for just a small venue and high school students playing covers. But a lot of the other students got hyper and it infected everyone else haha. After we (Chuntan (nickname), Hatahata (nickname), Yasuko and I) went for food. We had shaved ice, mini cakes in the shape of pikachu, takoyaki, chocolate covered bananas and fried noodles. It was really fun. I absolutely love festivals. They are my favourite thing about Japan. There are a lot more to come too because its summer! I'm so excited.
So yesterday! Myself, Julie, Shannon, Asta and John decicded to (instead of going to the Ghibli museum because the tickets were sold out) go to the Takao Trick Art Museum. It was quite a ways away (almost 2 hours) but it was totally worth it. Its basically a museum full of optical illusions and its awesome to say the least. My camera died so I don't have many pictures but I wouldn't want to spoil it for you anyway. If you are ever in Japan, please go there!!! After the museum we went and ate at a little Italian restaurant. We shared two pizzas and gelato. So yummy. We then went to Minami Urawa, where we had planned to go to karaoke but just ended up playing in the park. Its nice having just the small moments with these friends. Just simple things that make our exchange that much more bearable. The connection we have with each other is just unbreakable. I will miss these people so much.
So that's all for now. I am becoming so busy!! Its awesome and it sucks because I'm not used to it! Also I'm still on the wait list for university math. Oh god. University ;___;
I'll write everyday from now on because it is a pain to go through all of these days haha!
Ciao!
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