Damn.

I never thought I'd be doing so much report worthy crap that this blog would start to become oppressive. Demo, ganbarimasu ne.

So where did I leave off? Oh yeah. The host family. They kick ass, even for Japanese people. I actually don't see all that much of my otoosan (father), since he works early and late and forever and he's tired when he gets home and just sort of falls asleep in front of the soccer game or something. But he's been cool whenever I have talked to him. And he likes sumo, which is clutch. The host okaasan (mother), though, is totemo ii (highly dominant, to translate loosely). She's definitely the most hyperactive 60-year old I've ever met. High pitched voice. Speaks Japanese...quickly. Loves sweets, just like any good house wife. Amazing cook. (As an aside, the food here has been really amazing, though I never really know quite what I'm eating, since I've never seen it before and I certainly can't read any labels to find out what it is. It's been a fun adventure.) Understands a fair amount of English, which is clutch. Perpetually laughing, probably most of the time at me. Take five, and think about what a Japanese host okaasan would/should be like, and you've got her. She's fantastic.

The house is cool too, because it's nothing like a western house. First of all, when you enter, there are strict rules about where you can wear shoes and where you can't. In all Japanese houses, there is a step up when you first enter, which marks the boundary between where shoes must be worn and where they must not be worn. In Japan, there's a huge distinction between uchi—inside—and soto—outside. Just look at sumo. You lose when you step outside. Anyway, my bedroom is pretty awesome, too. In most Japanese houses, the guest room is the best one, and this house is no different. It's built in the middle of the garden, so I have awesome views of plant dealies from my windows. There's no bed, so each night I pull out the futon, which consists of a couple of mats that I throw on the floor, and each morning I fold it all back up and pack it in the closet. And this isn't weird here, you know? Everyone does this every day. Bathrooms are crazy here, too. The toilets all have a million buttons, and I have no idea what they do since I can't read. Plus, they aren't usually in the same room as the shower/bath, which is also crazy. The shower is typically just a hose, and it doesn't reach very high, which could be because Asians are short, but could also be because you aren't supposed to stand up in the shower. It's come up more than once among the exchange students, and none of us seem to know.

The homestay has really been awesome so far. It's a great feeling, being thrown into a situation so totally different from anything you're used to, even though it's of course difficult at times. Fortunately for me, I got the awesome host parents who have been hosting exchange students for a decade now, so every cultural and behavioral error one could possibly commit has been commited by one of those students, somewhere down the line. I've certainly made my share, but I'm learning at lightning speed.