Typhoon

There was a typhoon yesterday! It came right into the Aichi prefecture, which is my area. So school was canceled! I’ve never experienced a typhoon before so I didn’t know what to expect. It came when I was about to go to sleep. The wind was so loud! In Japan they have an extra cover type thing you put on the doors and windows when typhoons come. So they made lots of noise shaking. The wind was so strong it sounded like it was going to blow the whole wall down! It was really hard for me to go to sleep but finally I slept. Then the next day I stayed inside all day. I sort of wish I would have gone outside to feel how strong the wind was, but I didn’t. Nothing was really damaged at my house, but some old places were completely destroyed.

ぶんかさい

I helped put this up! Boy was it heavy!

This weekend was our school festival. I'm pretty sure it's one of the biggest things they do. They have it every year and they start getting ready for it months ahead of time. It's really amazing how much work is put into it. Well this year with the new influenza going around my school decided that they would only let parents come to the festival. It was really sad because this was the seniors last performance and their friends couldn't come to see them. Even still i think we all had a good time.

Anyways first was the opening. My class did a funny dance where all the girls and guys were in the school uniform skirts and we had pom poms. The song was by a famous Japanese girl band. Then lots of other classes performed their skits. Here in japan, or at least at my school, people really go out there when they're performing. They aren't dumb and shy because it's embarrassing. That's what makes it so funny!

After the opening we all went to do whatever our classes decided. Some classes had fun things set up in classrooms and the rest had shops with food or other things. My class decided to sell tropical juice and ....... cucumbers. .... i know it's a little strange. But they were amazingly delicious! Me and couple of other girls made this sign and we stood in front of our tent holding it and yelling きゅり　うってます！It was pretty funny!

Then my dance club performed on this stage that they made. The background was a picture of the little mermaid made out of bottle caps! It was AMAZING! It was tons of fun! The first day we didn't dance too well, and I'm sad because that's the day i got the video of :( ... oh well. The second day rocked! Everyone had tons of energy and all of the boys breaking were amazing! Oh and the second day the whole dance team wanted to do their hair crazy for the performance and my hair has a lot of volume so it was huge!

So after all that fun was over we all sat down as it started to get dark and had a little thing for the seniors. This festival was their last before they had to buckle up and study their butts off. So everyone was crying and it was just great! Then we watched a couple of videos and slide shows and at the very end there were fireworks! This really was the funnest day ever! It's really the best to have something you've been planning forever work out perfectly!

Festival

This sunday there was a big festival in my town. It was really cool. They had these float type thing that people danced on. It was pretty much like all of these guys dancing like crazy and singing kareoke. Then after there was a firework show. Holy cow japanese fireworks are amazing! And the show went on forever! I really wish we could do them in utah too because it was really the coolest thing i've ever seen!

Masks

Everyone here is being really careful with the "new influenza" Our school festival is coming up, and a couple people have gotten it so now our dance club is required to wear masks. Even when we're dancing we have to wear them! It's kind of hard because it gets in the way when you're breathing heavily, but it was way funny the first day everyone wore them. Just try imagining 40 kids doing hip hop with these masks on

I Speak!

I saw this at the train station. Weird huh!

Today I had my japanese tutor lesson, and it went really well! I had lots of different conversations with my teacher. Then after my lesson I talked with 2 other teachers in japanese. I actually had a conversation where I knew what they were saying and I could respond!! WHOOOO!!!!!!! I was すごく　うれしい！！！
Yay i'm so happy! Hopefully i'll get even better to where I can talk with all of my friends too!

Purikura!

Right now i'm at school! There are 3 classes in a row that I don't go to and all of my homework is done so I thought that I would update my blog!

I just figured out that one of my friends in dance also lives in Tahara. So yesterday after dance me and my friend Rio took the bus back to Toyohashi. Then we decided to go do Purikura! I wish they had Purikura in Utah! It's so much fun! For those of you who have never heard of it... it's a photo booth where you have a green screen behind you so you can pick the background. Then after you take about 6 pictures you go into another booth and edit your pictures. You can put on hearts or masks or color your hair or write things. Trust me it's sooo much fun! Anyways this is our Purikura!

Pups

Oh I forgot to mention my 2 little doggies! Emi and Kuma! I miss them so much! Those cute little puppies! They're actually pretty old, but they're little so they will always be puppies to me :)

I miss coming home to Emi's cute face with her ears pushed back. She is the cutest when she's all excited. Then kuma always jumping up and giving me kisses! Nobody else really lets him so he gives me lots and lots of kisses! Emi is always there when you're sad. She always knows so she comes waddling up to you then she sits on you then looks up at you. It's like her saying …. you can pet me and it'll all be ok!.... My doggies have always been there to comfort me. I love them so much! And I can't wait to come home to them running around and jumping up to greet me!