http://blogs.targetx.com/evansville/MandyAckley/ en-us Copyright 2008 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:44:36 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss This week is the beginning of my spring break. In Japan spring break comes at the end of the school year, much like our summer break, therefore I have a lot of free time now. My teachers recommended we study every day over break so that we can do well on the placement test in March (and so we don't forget Japanese). But they didn't really give us an idea of how to study. I wonder how many of my classmates will actually persevere. I got a hand-me-down book from someone who is leaving. Already I like it better than the text book were we using in class. It's full of practical reading exercises. I also ordered a grammar dictionary off of amazon.co.jp to help me better understand. I know from personal experience that studying a language by one's self is hard. So it will take extra effort to get it down. In a few weeks I plan to go visit friends in Oita and Hiroshima. I am especially excited about Hiroshima. I hope the museum has explanations in English. I have noticed that museums just aren't worth going if you can't understand what is being presented. One of my classmates says they wouldn't feel right going to Hiroshima because it was us Americans who bombed the place. Therefore it would be offensive to go. I think the opposite. Shouldn't we want to go and learn about what the previous generations were involved in? Isn't the saying "knowledge is power" true? Oh and this Saturday I am going to the concert of my favourite singer! I have been waiting for this opportunity for some time now, and it was one of my fun goals for studying in Japan. I think I shall leave you all with this new music video she has; http://youtube.com/watch?v=l1_akHFlwpE Do you recognize the melody? http://blogs.targetx.com/evansville/MandyAckley/2008/01/spring_break_hajimarimasu.html http://blogs.targetx.com/evansville/MandyAckley/2008/01/spring_break_hajimarimasu.html Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:44:36 -0600 The best thing about celebrating Christmas in a country that doesn't count it as a holiday is that all the shops are open. I think I have gone out every night for the past couple of nights and partied. Dinner party with my host family, karaoke, and clubbing. The later two had me up all night untill we could take the first train back. Heh. Yesterday the international students all got together and had a potluck dinner. When I made my dish only 10 people had signed up, so when I looked at the list later I got worried that I would not have enough because the list had trippled. But there was plenty of food so it wasn't a problem. One of my peers was a bit frazzled because no one knew e v e r y t h i n g that was going on. I want to say this: just because there is not one person leading the whole event does not mean things are out of control. Even though there were several things/ideas going on that the 'organizers' didn't know about didn't make it any less difficult or crazy. The most important part is to have fun. Please remember that. While we are all thinking about food I want to highly recommend that if you go abroad to buy some cookbooks in that country. Sure you can buy 'Japanese' cookbooks in America, but maybe you noticed that they are mostly sushi dishes. I bought two already here and the food is so different than what are in the cookbooks in America. I haven't made every dish yet because translating the receipes are time consuming. Not only does it help with learning the language but you can try local dishes that will be cheaper than buying imported produce like we are used to. http://blogs.targetx.com/evansville/MandyAckley/2007/12/christmas_abroad.html http://blogs.targetx.com/evansville/MandyAckley/2007/12/christmas_abroad.html Wed, 26 Dec 2007 05:14:16 -0600 Recently I took a trip to Osaka with one of my friends. There were two things I heard about it before I got there; the people were friendly and that the shopping was really great. I have decieded that neither are good reasons to go. I thought the people were ruder and pushier than those in Nagoya and that the shopping was the same as other places I have been in Japan. So I would not recommend going somewhere with the expectation to go shopping. I had intended to buy a whole new outfit and the only clothing I bought was a scarf (only because it was very cold). On the other hand I don't think it's too terrible to go somewhere not knowning before hand what you want to see. At the shinkansen station there was a tourist center which was very helpful. We found out about a Christmas market that was really fun, especially since Japan doesn't celebrate Christmas like we do in America. But when I do go to Tokyo I know exactly some things I must do there. I think the best place in Osaka was Osaka Castle. It was amazingly beautiful! I was really happy that the history museum on the inside had an English translation of everything. I read them all trying to remember as much as I could about the history. Understanding why the castle is significant makes me appreciate it more. The museum in Nagoya Castle does not have much English and therefore I found it rather boring. Learning = interesting. http://blogs.targetx.com/evansville/MandyAckley/2007/12/osaka.html http://blogs.targetx.com/evansville/MandyAckley/2007/12/osaka.html Wed, 26 Dec 2007 04:53:48 -0600 A couple busy weeks ago I took a trip to Kyoto by myself. There was an anxious feeling at first since I was going so far away from my friends here. Even though I often can speak to people in Nagoya in Japanese easily it was still scary. But when I got there I was able to do everything I wanted to and then some. I want to tell you why it is ok to go places alone (despite what others may tell you). First of all you get to make your own plans without having to accommodate anyone else's interests. For example I went to the Fushimi Inari Shrine early in the morning with one of the girls staying in the same hostel. Going there together was fun, but she also wanted to go somewhere else that day and wound up leaving really soon. Fushimi Inari was the place in Japan I wanted to see the most, so I spent a good deal of time there making sure I had the full experience. If I was traveling with other people would they appreciate the same things I do? Would they get bored and want to leave when I am really getting into something? Maybe this is a selfish thing to say, but in my case I am not traveling to hang out with friends. I want to see and experience Japan as fully as I can. The next night I ran into another girl from the hostel and we went to Kyoto Station for dinner together. Kyoto Station is huge and has a mall like atmosphere. We walked along the sky walk bridge admiring the view of the city at night. It was quiet. She said something interesting. When you travel you are always among many people, whether it be your friends, other tourists, or locals. Isn't it that you travel as a vacation from hectic life? And yet there you are among it in a place other than where you live. She said that she often does not get enough time for herself and that being on the sky walk was very relaxing. There were not a lot of people and she was enjoying spending her time slowly that night. Getting some relaxing alone time doe’s sound nice doesn't it? I wish to spend all my trips as pleasantly as that one. ★ http://blogs.targetx.com/evansville/MandyAckley/2007/11/traveling_alone.html http://blogs.targetx.com/evansville/MandyAckley/2007/11/traveling_alone.html Wed, 21 Nov 2007 22:16:31 -0600 Here is the public link. That's all for now. I hope to write more interesting things soon! ]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/evansville/MandyAckley/2007/10/homestay_in_japan.html http://blogs.targetx.com/evansville/MandyAckley/2007/10/homestay_in_japan.html Wed, 17 Oct 2007 05:30:45 -0600