Host Family

I finally got Office Mac on my computer so I can now write Japanese on my computer. This is good as I will need it in the near future.

I've had fairly consistent contact with my host mother. We send each other emails once to twice a week since I got my placement. I've learned a bit more about my family. The boys are nine and ten. I think we'll hit it off great, their mother tells me they like basketball. The girls live out of the house, they're 21 and 23. They go to college in Tokyo.

She likes to send long detailed messages and even sent one in English and Japanese. I think she's better at English than she gives herself credit for. I also got an email from my school. I have to wear a uniform, which just consists of a white shirt and grey dress pants. I also bought indoor and outdoor gym shoes because the Japanese never wear the same shoes indoor as out.

I've learned some more things about the town I'll be staying in. Tsuchiura is famous for its fireworks display in October and the Cherry Blossoms in the spring. I've very excited to see the town, is sounds incredible. I'm not so happy about the distance between my house and school. I'm used to ETHS, where I could bike in 5 minutes. But Tsuchiura is a fair distance from my school in Ushikueishin. So I'll need to bike, bus, and take a train almost every day. 40 minutes of transit time. Ugh. But I'm packing and I've purchased a lot of my clothing, shoes, electronics, and such. Basically everything but my uniform.