Finally, the leaves are turning colors!

So.... keeping up the whole blog thing to update my friends hasn't been working as well as I had ancicipated. Spring ran into Summer, and now it is officially winter here at Tsukuba. It has gotten pretty chilly in the last couple of days here, and some of the ginko trees are dressed in yellow. It's funny when you notice that some trees still have green leaves while leaves on other trees have completely changed colors!
Belive it or not, my second semester is ALMOST at a close... the busiest semester (with regards to classes). Things have been pretty hectic so far with classes, homework, and deciding on a thesis topic.
One of the most exciting moments here at Tsukuba is when someone comes over to my house for a visit. So far, a couple of my friends from high school, parents have come to say overnight here. It is somewhat of a hassle to get everything tidied, but it is worth it. With all the "independent time" I have at school and in my apartment, sometimes, things call for a good change :)
Most of the students here are busy with their own work, so we rarely have time to get together and have a good time..
So if anyone from the U.S will be in Japan, let me know and maybe we can hang out??


Something else i am looking forward to is the three day break before third semester resumes on Decemeber 1st. Yes.... we only get three days off before the semester starts again... still one month of class before weget a two-week break for the holidays. I guess when you have to work hard, you learn to appriciate the breaks more... right?

This following week, I somehow will end upo giving four presentations, for class, and one for the lab. Hopefully, I will survive!

Please keep in touch! and I miss you all!

Ｒａｉｎ ＷＩＮＤ ａｎｄ Ｇｒａｄ ｓｃｈｏｏｌ

Today was the entering ceremony for all graduate programs at the University of Tsukuba. Being forced to walk in a HUGE storm with buckets of rain and strong gusts of wind was not fun, but it kind of reminded me of the huge blackout and storm I was in when I came to Wooster, and of Mary Poppins because the wind almost swept me off the ground :p Unlike　schools in the United States, schools in Japan start in April and end in March. The ceremony was rather brief, consisting of a talk from the president of the school, two songs from a school orchestra, and one song from the chior. One thing I noticed when I sat down in one of the front seats on the second floor of the auditorium. The auditorium was PACKED with incoming graduate students dressed in suits. No colorful dresses or skirts-everyone looked the same :( (Well... okay, I was dressed in a suit too I guess)

Most programs had their orientation sessions today,-except for my group. I will be meeting many people for the next couple of days ! I saw some people from other countries so hopefully I will get to know some of them soon:D

For some of you readers who read this and don't leave comments.....
It would be great if you could leave comments!!

Miss you guys!

Okay, so it's Valentine's Day....

Today is the big day where most of the chocolate factories and cake stores get most of their profit :p and when I officially have a reason to eat lots of chocolate!!!
I liked valentine's day in elementary school in the U.S. because you gave chocolate and cards to ALL you friends.. (inlcuding that one person that always brought a smile to your face!!) and also in high school because it was an ecxuse to use the oven to make cookies and chcolate sweets for your friends!!:D

In Japan, V-day is a little different. Unlike V-day in the U.S., girls give chocolate and cards to guys-Yes, V-day is a one-way day for most people. In return for the delicious chocolate, guys give something back in return on March 14th.

One that I noticed while chocolate shopping for my dad and brother..
People in Japan invest way too much on valentine chocolates!! For the most part, it is $10 or less. But prices for fancy chocolate can rise up up...$30, $40 or more.
After looking around the chocolate section for a while, I finally setteled for some cheesecake bars with lemon, chcolate, white chocolate, plain, and blueberry flavors ( the samples at the store were tasty).
Hopefully, my dad and my brother will like them, and I will get to taste some of the special chocolate my brother will bring back from school... :p (Yes, this is what big sisters think when your little brother has a REAL valentine) (haha)

Anyway. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to ALL! <3

Superbowl Sunday and Mega Tuesday

It is now officially exam season for many people in Japan, and it is also snowing outside :)
While tomorrow and Tuesday willl be filled with friend chicken, chips, coke and random fun for many of you...
I am now off to Ibaraki to take a two day long exam.... Glad I decided to leave today because it is snowing!
Hopefully I will get to take some pictures to post for everyone to see. It's a pretty big campus (sadly, no squirrels)

Hurray for NFL!!

Appitizer for two??

So.... I just started this, and I am not sure how it works, but I hope to be able to keep in touch with many of my friends from Wooster!!

For start off the new year on the correct foot, my whole family and I went to our grandparent's house in Fukushima Japan, and made some traditional Japanese new year dishes. This included some tasty rice cakes and three different sauces to go with the rice cakes (walnut, soybeans, azukibeans, and seaweed). In my opinion, the walnut flavor was the best for this year!!!
Another thing that was nice..... it snowed on New Year day.
Fulushima is much colder than where I live, but it is rare for snow to fall on New years so it made everyone happy!


I hope everyone had a good new year!!!