Perfect Day for a Bike Ride Around Town

     So, I'm not usually into the whole vlogging thing....but the other day was the 4th of July, and Josh and I rode our bike's to the Super Market and bought things to have a picnic with. (: so I took more videos on my bike; this is the town I live in~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YOy2Y6_e0k&feature=youtube_gdata

~Jane Claire (◡‿◡✿) 

一期一会

I just got back from a 3 hour soccer practice! Soccer practice....In Japan.... My two favorite things mesh together so well!! X) This practice wasn't with my school team, however, I played with a local team of 11 and 12 year-olds that Josh's little brother is on! They welcomed me to their team so graciously, I had a great time at their practice! 

     So they were 12, and I was just a few years older than they were; they were also very small because they were still young....even so, soccer isn't a game about age! It does not matter how much older I was, soccer is soccer! I had a lot of fun at soccer practice with all of them!
    When the coach was giving his end-of-practice speech, he explained my favorite Japanese proverb to everyone: 一期一会. Ichigo Ichie translates to one life, one meeting. It means that in life, they is really no guarantee that you will be able to meet someone tomorrow, or the next day. Therefore, you must treasure meeting now with friends and strangers. The coach was explaining to the team how I'm from America, and how it was a lucky meeting that we could all play soccer together in Japan ((Granted, I was the lucky one to be welcomed so kindly, and I was incredibly humbled)). Then he said, "If we meet again in the future, possibly in America, great. Let's all play soccer together then. But because we do not know if this will happen....一期一会."   I was incredibly touched. This moment was incredibly important and this explanation of that proverb really put things into perspective.
    But you know what, that coach was absolutely right. Everyone in my life now, everyone in my life at home, I have no guarantee that we will be able to meet tomorrow, or the next day. Today is truly the only Today. Even if we meet again in the future, we will never meet again under these same conditions, good or bad. I think this is what I was trying to get at with those boys in my class that I was having issues with. The next day, after they had called me "gross foreigner" and "idiot," I started on a clean-slate with them and made sure to greet them with "good-morning." Because there is no guarantee of meeting again, so I want to be able to enjoy and treasure every moment now....ahh, anyway ._. I guess I've been doing some serious soul-searching in Japan....
    I feel like everyone I have met in Japan so far, I have met for a reason. They have all taught me so much, and this has been a really incredible life-changing experience. To everyone, I just want to say 本当にありがとうございます♥

~Jane Claire☆彡

アメリカ、お誕生日おめでとう！(:

     Yesterday was the 4th of July, and Josh's family and my family wanted to celebrate     どくりつきねんび (Independence Day) the "American-way!" So, we spent the day riding our bikes around town, having a picnic together, and setting of small fireworks when the rain finally let up. (: On facebook, a lot of the YFU students were posting about how they really missed America on the 4th of July and how their feelings made them extra-patriotic yesterday. I didn't really experience this sudden boost in patriotism, but I had a lovely time explaining the history and symbolism of the 4th of July to my host family! After I explained some about the 4th of July, Josh's little brother, Kakeru, asked me in a small voice, "Hey, is today America's birthday??"
      Haha, that question absolutely made my night! But you know what, I guess that is a real question-- and It was America's birthday (^^) I usually think of the 4th of July as the day our nation's freedom was declared, but being the day we declared our independence, I guess that also makes it America's birthday!(: I had a great time celebrating America's birthday yesterday in Japan with my family!

~Jane Claire       マジＬＯＶＥ１００％

*~Tokyo Skytree~*

Today, I flew to Tokyo with my host family to go shopping, sight-seeing, and to visit Tokyo Skytree!
I was supposed to be at school today to take a history exam, but my host mom and homeroom teacher said it was okay that I did not come in today....So we went to Tokyo instead! It was about a 45 minute plane ride from Toyama, and we arrived soon after 10am. After making our way through Haneda airport, we got on the Tokyo Metro! Tokyo's subway system is really complex and has many stops in the many districts, but with practice or previous knowledge, you can easily and conveniently make it to any stop in Tokyo! 

   After making switching a few trains and making it across town, we made it to the station at Tokyo Skytree! Tokyo Skytree is the worlds biggest tower. It reaches around 630 meters in the sky. From the top, you can see incredible views of the world's biggest city! Tokyo really is an amazing city, and it was absolutely incredible seeing it from the top of Skytree!! (: It was very difficult getting a picture of our family in front of Skytree, but the person taking our picture managed to do it!! ((He was literally laying face-down on the ground taking the picture in order to capture everything....Thank you kind stranger ;o;  ))

   Tanabata is coming up this weekend beginning on July 7th. Tanabata is the star-viewing festival in honor of the ancient Chinese folk-tale of the "Princess and the Cowherd." I know I have mentioned this before, but Tanabata is my absolute favorite holiday/festival! I am very excited for Tanabata!! Tokyo was in the process of being transformed for the festivities when we arrived in Tokyo! Tanabata is celebrated by writing your wishes on a slip on paper known as tanzaku (短冊). Then, people hang these wishes from trees~

   Even though it was raining, Tokyo was still beautiful and I was so happy and lucky to spend the day there with my host mother and host sister!! (:

~Jane Claire (っ･ω･)っ

Dreaming in Japanese o:

    I began yesterday on the wrong foot, starting when I said goodbye to my host-mother with いってらっしゃい instead of いってきます....oops. She's supposed to say いってらっしゃい when I say いってきます.... ohhwell, I corrected myself and she understood my mistake because I haven't been sleeping much lately(: haha

     Anyway, this small slip-up was actually weighing on my mind all day, because when I went to bed that night, I had a dream where I explained why we say certain Japanese phrases at certain times... I was explaining いってらっしゃい and ごちそうさまでした. Hmm, a dream soley about explaining something....not too exciting, right?? WRONG.

   The dream was entirely in Japanese!! I was explaining the Japanese phrases in Japanese!(: And the explanation even made sense ((I don't know...I was asleep))! Even since my host-sister has come home from America, I have been becoming more comfortable with my language ability. I am now at the point where I will unconsciously think in Japanese in response to something, like if someone asks me a question or I see something scary-- My response is immediately Japanese! (: And the fun didn't stop there~ When I woke up, in Japanese, i questioned whether that dream was really in Japanese or not(: haha. My host-sister and host-mother promised they would speak Japanese with me 90% of the time, and I really appreciated them being patient with me at first, because now I am finally comfortable with just Japanese!

~Jane Claire  ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ

Toyama Bike Ride

School was released early today at around 11:30 due to the students taking final exams~
    Everyday, Josh and I usually bike home. Because we had extra time today, I filmed our ride home!! (: I know I usually post pictures of the rise fields in Toyama, but today I filmed them!! I also love my town because it is a town, not a city, and this video shows just how small and quaint it is!(:
(( the video is rather shaky...sorry]: I was on my bike...))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DuJLxA-qy0

~Jane Claire <(ゝω•)~☆

Culture Shock: ぷりくら ((photo booth))

((okay not so much of a culture shock for me because I had done Purikura in the past, but...))

Purikura of me and my host sister from a few years back

     Purikura is a photo booth fad in Japan that is a popular activity friends do when hanging out. Purikura can be found anywhere from inside the 100yen store to any floor on the local gaming center. Purikura has something known as ･ﾟ☆Purikura Magic☆･ﾟThe photo booth corrects any blemishes you may have on your face and makes your face one solid, neutral color. The machine also makes your hair color lighter, your face rounder, and your eyes MUCH bigger. (: This machine is definitely stellar and out of this world~!
    After posing for about 6 photos in the booth, you have the opportunity to add stickers and write messages on the pictures.... Some purikura even come programmed with certain celebrities that you can pose with in pictures...
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB2RTHaOvPY ((a video about purikura))

It is all great fun, and anyone who has not tried Purikura definitely needs to try it~
*This has been one of those Why-don't-we-have-this-in-America- moments*

~Jane Claire <(ゝω•)~☆