It's already been our first month in Mito and I can't believe how much we have been able to experience. I think we have been very fortunate to have such great roommates who are all willing to take us/help us with anything we may want to do. Just this past weekend we were able to attend the annual Tsuchiura Fireworks Festival which is the biggest fireworks competition within the Kanto region. At first, I wasn't completely aware of how popular this event would be but after our 45 minute train ride there (and our first experience of 'train cramming') we all were astonished to see the see of people that had all came to see this event. Though the event around for a whomping 2 and a half hours, I was more than glad to sit under the rainning ash of the fireworks to see the spectular displays of craftmenship.
Just before the fireworks competition, we all were invited to attend an intern
ational party held at Mito International Center. There we met various different people, all foreigners who live in or around Mito city. There were Koreans, Americans, Fillipinos, Chinese, Vietnamese and a man from Nepal who all spoke fluent Japanese. I thought it was interesting that we could only comunicate in Japanese rather than in English. In fact, Germaine and Kristine, who are both Fillipino, where able to chat in their own native language, Tagoloan. We were also able to play traditional Japanese games such as けんだま and take part in 茶道（さどう）or Japanese Tea Ceremony.
ational party held at Mito International Center. There we met various different people, all foreigners who live in or around Mito city. There were Koreans, Americans, Fillipinos, Chinese, Vietnamese and a man from Nepal who all spoke fluent Japanese. I thought it was interesting that we could only comunicate in Japanese rather than in English. In fact, Germaine and Kristine, who are both Fillipino, where able to chat in their own native language, Tagoloan. We were also able to play traditional Japanese games such as けんだま and take part in 茶道（さどう）or Japanese Tea Ceremony. I had also gained enough courage over this last month to venture into Tokyo by myself. Though I had planned on meeting a friend in Shinjuku, I first had to travel two hours from Mito to Nippori on the Joban Line and then another 30 minutes on the Yamenote Line to Shinjuku. I found this trip to be a b
it of an eye opener because I had noticed that before when a large group of us (study abroad students) used the train, many of the Japanese passengers would stare, trying to figure out what we were doing or saying. But when I was by myself, no one seemed to care who I was and it was sort of a relief; for once I felt like I was apart of the group rather than being on the outside lookng in. All in all it was a safe and fairly unamusing ride to Tokyo and I met my friend without a hitch. We did end up spending the day in Akihabara where we ate at a Maid Cafe, took pictures and went shopping. Towards the end of the day we were able to meet up with Chad, a former CSUN and Tokiwa Exchange student who is pratically fluent in Japanese and is currently a Graduate student at Waseda University in Tokyo. He's also acting a personal tour-guide whenever I'm in Tokyo.
it of an eye opener because I had noticed that before when a large group of us (study abroad students) used the train, many of the Japanese passengers would stare, trying to figure out what we were doing or saying. But when I was by myself, no one seemed to care who I was and it was sort of a relief; for once I felt like I was apart of the group rather than being on the outside lookng in. All in all it was a safe and fairly unamusing ride to Tokyo and I met my friend without a hitch. We did end up spending the day in Akihabara where we ate at a Maid Cafe, took pictures and went shopping. Towards the end of the day we were able to meet up with Chad, a former CSUN and Tokiwa Exchange student who is pratically fluent in Japanese and is currently a Graduate student at Waseda University in Tokyo. He's also acting a personal tour-guide whenever I'm in Tokyo. We've started working for the EC (English Connections) program at Tokiwa so our adventures have been few and slim to come by but so far, our stay in Japan has been nothing but what we had all hoped for.
-Kristin Van De Yar
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