DisOrientation

WELL.  Orientation went smoothly (sort of).  Let me introduce you to some of my friends:

This is Scott.  Scott is from University of Colorado at Boulder.  He wears pink slippers and drinks mango beer.  We love Scott.

This is Sarah.  Sarah likes her vending machines.  Sarah and I went on adventure to find towels and got lost.  We love Sarah.

This is Alice.  Alice dubs herself a "Blonde Asian."  She has probably gotten lost here in the past week more times than most of us will get lost in our lives.  We love Alice.

 

This past week we (plus a few others) have explored the area around the school.  There is the Kansai Gaidai Campus, the train station, the bus to the train station, the streets that all look the same, and of course McDonalds.

Feels like home....

So after taking a whole bunch of tests and going to a whole mess of orientation programs Scott, Alice, Sarah and myself all got to meet our homestays!  I moved in on the 31st into the Hiramatsu residence.  There is "Mama-san" and "Papa-san" as well as "Momo-chan."

Papa-san and Mama-san are extremely accommodating.  They are even putting in wireless internet for me although it's been proving to be more difficult than they thought.  Mama-san is a little crazy.  She speaks in a way only extremely "cute" middle school girls would would speak but is in her upper 40's.  I'm no expert but I don't think that is normal.  Papa-san is a chef so I was surprised when I didn't get fabulous homemade meals in the house but I guess it seems to be his work and not something he wants to do at home.  On the one hand, I am being introduced to the little-know best spots to eat in the city.

This is Momo-chan.  Momo hates me and probably thinks I am some kind of monster.  Every time I walk into the room he hisses and/or runs away and/or freezes like a deer and has a staring contest with me (see picture above).  I had to use my zoom lens to get that picture...

SO  I am liking my classes so far, two language classes (Speaking as well as Reading & Writing) and two classes that both focus on gender and sexuality.  I can't wait to get to know my host family a little better (the cat will soon be sleeping in my lap, I swear).  This weekend I plan to go to the shopping district of Osaka!  Wooo~  I'll let you all know how it goes.

Bye for now!