Game Over

Yes, I know I've talked too much about games recently, actually, that's what I'll be avoiding in this entry, so without further ado, aside from this, let's get into it.

Well, school's been boring. The most interesting thing I've done recently is misrepresent my house by attempting to draw it from memory. I'll see about scans of my attempts later. I exaggerated the space of our living room a bit. I forgot the garage roof extends over my window to reach the door, and I thought we had out house number on a coloumb rather than the wall. I forgot about a couch and don't remember our van being black (I know THAT's new). I'll have the Japanese decide how well I did on Monday, when I next see them.

Also, their exams being on Tuesday. I would have taken some, but I only have a little time left, and friends wanted to do something in that time, as well as I decided not to bother. Also, Rotary has me showing a group from Seattle around on my second last week leaving me with only seven days of school left. School here is boring, more boring than in the West, English classes are PAINFUL to anyone who understands how the language should be used (I'll get to this in a future post), and my only asylum from these are my friends in my math class and my social studies teacher (who is actually really good). Still, time out of school is time with less to do. There is no one else to hang out with. There is very little to do. Japanese students consider free time a bad thing... as do most Japanese. Being here, I know why.

Still, I have 肉's SNES to play, a computer to use, new music to listen to (thank you Laura, and my PSP started working again as suddenly and strangley as it stopped working), shopping, once I get my last allowance and security fund from Rotary (current cash: 554円) and more plans with other exchange students. This includes going to the beach Tuesday.

Also, two days ago, while running around, I clipped my foot jumping over a barrier. Don't worry, the foot is fine, it's what landed on the concrete in its place that hurts. It was only a skinned elbow, a few cuts on my hands and a banged knee and hip. Though I must say, my accuracy at knowing whether I can make a jump is impressive. Before even attempting it, I knew I wouldn't make it (though I still consider the injuries worth the fun), and several other time's I've figured out just how close I'd come.
My way of explaining my bandaged arm (thanks to Red Cross trained 肉) to the Japanese consisted of laying one hand perpendicular to a desk and having the other run on and fail to jump over the wall/hand while doing Mario sound effects (hence the title, Game Over, it's not a reference to the end of my trip, as that's still over twenty days away).

Let's see, what else... I'm shaving more often... found something for Matt Larade that he's not expecting... oh yeah, my last host family.

I was very worried when I moved from 松崎's. It was boring and crowded there but they weren't bad. Well, all my worrying was for nothing. Shigenami (who's name's kanji is old and appearently not typable) is very nice. I live with a host mother in an apartment. Her son, my age, lives nearby and often visits. Her daughter went on exchange and now lives in Tokyo. She's very nice and is extremely leanient allowing me to do things that would merit hours of shouting at some other Japanese homes (including my first and 肉's current). I told her not to worry about me and she hasn't. She's also very Westernized in a truer sense than most Japanese. She uses many transliterated words, listens to Western music and has many contacts abroad.

Also, I feel so much like Callan at the end of his exchange. He too had a lenient family, a gaming console at his place, had Japanese equal to mine at the time (as 肉 is in the process of surpassing me) and was cheerful in a very sad time for me (while 肉's current family mirrors my own from that time). The difference would be that I've gotten to know Japan better, especially the language, so really, it's like the next step up. I'm not saying my exchange was any better or that I'm any better than Callan, but he really seemed to have a lazy time here.

Anywho, that's enough for this entry.