Roslyn

It's my birthday day after tomorrow. Weird. It doesn't feel like it at all. I'll probs just be in my room talking to people back home for most of it. Maybe go for a run in the evening.

Not the norm for an American's 21st b-day, that's for sure. haha

Whatevs. I'm not so hep on the idea of puking my brains out on my birthday anyhow.

But, before any of that, there's practice tomorrow night. I'm still sore from Sunday. I practiced so much even my fingers hurt...and not because of blisters; that's a whole separate category of pain. This is probably the point where most onlookers would wonder, "Why does she love this so much???"

I realized this year that really don't do well without taiko. I didn't know it would be such an addiction when I started it. Last semester was probably one of the darkest I've had in a while. Of course, there were ups, but the downs were pretty far down there. Having taiko doesn't take the down parts of life away completely, but it makes them a whole lot less down.

I can't tell if it's the act of actually playing the drum, the camaraderie from playing and sharing the experience with other people, or just having something to do that demands a lot of time; but whatever it is, it makes me happy.

What doesn't make me happy is remembering that I have to have 2 wisdom teeth on the top removed after I get back home. Definitely not looking forward to that. Not in the least bit.

That's it for tonight. If I don't have something up on my b-day, I'll be sure to post after Yosano this weekend.

Speaking of, I have to bring something that represents where I'm from-- food, pictures, whatever. I have no clue what I've got that's representative of where I'm from. If you have any ideas, please let me know via comment or otherwise! Thank you!

Love until later,

Caitlin D.

There Was No Thief

I should be sleeping right now, but I was struck with the urge to write.

Tsuyu (梅雨), or Rainy Season, is starting in Kyoto. It's been raining almost non-stop for the last week and there's only more on the horizon. It wouldn't be bad if it wasn't muggy on top of rainy. The humidity is killer. I'm in for a loooong summer.

School is moving along. Classes are usual.

I registered for Fall 10 at UCR. I'm really liking my schedule. I only have classes on Tuesday and Thursday and they don't start till almost 1pm! Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I can split up my hours with Mary. It's looking like a good quarter. Hopefully my classes aren't too killer. I'm taking one upper division Japanese culture class, one lower division Japanese culture class, and two education classes that count for elective credits in my Linguistics major.

I've been really homesick lately. I'm not sure I've really stopped missing home throughout this whole year. Of course I've had tons of fun, but I miss the people back home.

I suppose I'm just doing my best to do everyone proud.

Taiko is going well! I'm learning some pieces to perform at 新人公演 (shinjinkouen).　新人公演 is a debut performance for the newbies they have every year. I'm excited. I'm practicing my butt off to make sure I'm ready.

I have my 5本 fue ordered. It should be here in a week or so. Until I get mine, すみ lent me his 5本 to practice with. Very kind of him. I'm also going to order a new pair of ちゃっぱ for 川柳! I'm suuuper excited about that. They're all mine until I go home to practice with. I'm going to learn how to play them from ドン and then rock John's Second Song like none other. WOO!

There's a number of big things planned for the next few months:

-My 21st B-day is next Wednesday. Not much to say on this one. I got my package from home. It's the only present I'm getting this year and that's fine. It was too wonderful. I opened the box and just started crying. My parents sent me 3 cards. One was from my dad. It was a Barbie Princess 3D card. You know those little plastic 3D cards that if you scratch them they make this funny sound? I used to love them as a kid--called them "scratchies." Apparently my dad just couldn't resist. I mean how much more prefect could it get-- Barbie, scratchies AND princess? Well, because he liked that card, my mom had to do one of her own too. Thought a serious one was necessary. But then they didn't want it to seem like they were divided, so they did a card together, too. They make me laugh.

-Next weekend I go to Yosano in the Kyoto countryside to learn to plant rice. I get to spend a night with a host family, too!

-The first weekend in June is a beach weekend trip with Taiko. We get this place on the beach and run and play taiko and hang out for a weekend. I can't wait for that. The pictures from previous years are really beautiful.

-In July I'll be going to see Spitz in concert in Kyoto. Yup. That's right. SPITZ. I can't believe it either. I'll be doing this one 一人暮らし (hitorigurashi; all by myself), but that's okay. It's close by, so I don't have to go searching for it in some completely foreign city,

We should really start getting on the Fuji trip. We haven't planned anything. Between the tons of taiko and school, I've been kinda unmotivated on the travel front. Gotta get that 川柳 flag up the peak though!

At any rate, I miss you all and August is coming soon! Just another 2 months and change. It's all downhill from here, baby!

Love until later,

Caitlin D.

Sequel to the Letter

Golden Week Update!

Sorry I haven't posted in almost a month. I'm terrible, I know.

Anyway, Golden Week is coming to a close. For posterity's sake, I'll explain Golden Week to everyone:

Golden Week is a week of Japanese holidays all strung together. The entire country gets these days off. The main holidays are Showa Day, Constitutional Memorial Day, Greenery day, and Children's day.

Doshisha let out last Wednesday and we start in again tomorrow, Thursday. It was a mildly eventful holiday for me. Originally we'd planned on trying to get to Okinawa during this week, but then decided against it. Several people warned us that travelling during Golden Week is rather hellish. Everyone has the same idea, "A week off! Let's run and play!"

So instead of galavanting off to the southern Islands, we stayed put in Kyoto. I spent most of my time watching Battlestar Galactica, but I did do a few cool things.

Wednesday night I tagged along with Jen and some Aussie and New Zealand girls to get my dance on at World. That was a creepy experience. I no longer feel the desire to go clubbing. Between losing the people I came with, getting hit on and then insulted by some creepy French dude, and having to walk home in the windy cold rain, I'm done. Clubs are gross. All I wanted was to dance, but there are too many wanton and desperate people looking for attention. It ruins my mo-jo.

In lieu of clubs, I'm thinking of going to more lives in Osaka and around to get my groove going. Thursday evening Jen and I went to see From Monuments to Masses play at club SUNSUI in Osaka. It was amazing. Four bands played that night: MIRROR (Japan), LITE (Japan), Worrier (Wisconsin), and From Monuments to Masses (San Fran/NY). Save for Worrier, they were all fantastic. I haven't stopped listening to LITE since the show. After everyone had played, Jen and I went and introduced ourselves to the guitarist of From Monuments to Masses. He was really sweet. We had a great chat with him. He was all surprised when we started speaking English to him. I think he was rather happy to have a fluid conversation with someone. We talked for a bit about where the band is going and their tour, then got pictures, and said goodbye. It was a great evening.... even if I was partially deaf in my left ear for 3 days after. :)

Friday to Sunday I didn't do much at all. I did get my room scrubbed, vacuumed, and dusted from top to bottom. I also managed to pull a muscle in my neck during the process. That consequently made taiko practice a no-no. I've been dying ever since. I NEED my fix of taiko. If I don't get it, I start to go a little stir crazy.

Monday Asako from ILP came down to Kyoto. She stayed with a family friend. She, Jen and I went out to Nara for the 1300th anniversary celebration of the capital being established there. It was pretty fun. Not a whole lot to do. Some craft booth people wrangled us into making paper airplanes. I watched. They were super excited to speak english to us. Though, the woman opened by telling us her ex-husband was from New York. She said it once, then said it again with emphasis on the EX part. Not so sure how to take that one....

At any rate, I got some super good pictures on the Nikon. I can't wait to see how all the photos turn out. I'm going to wait until I get back to the states to develop them all. It's going to be so much fun sitting down and going back through all the photos and remembering the days I took them.

Tuesday was a loss. I've been super homesick lately. I lost all motivation that day. The homesick is still here... getting worse, in fact, but I can't just lay around anymore.

On Wednesday (yesterday), Jen, Robert (a fellow from London that lives at Maison), and I took a trip to Costco. I got cookies, salmon, ground beef, and lettuce. All the essentials, and more accurately, all I can afford.

JASSO decided that they were going to lump together April and May's distributions and disburse them on May 15. I currently have ¥1168 in my bank account (that's about $10) and ¥2000 in my wallet (that's about $20). If I really had to, I could take some money out of my American account, but I really don't want to convert that stuff if I don't have to. So I'm living as a pauper till the 15th. I'm not sure I can make it till then. I have got lots of food, but transit to taiko is expensive and I have bills to pay.

AHHHH

And that's all I've got to date. Classes start in tomorrow. I hope I didn't forget a test or some major homework or anything...

Guess we'll find ouuut!

Love until later,

Caitlin D.

p.s.- I'm getting the hug tally going again. I'm gonna need lots. I could use some now, but since none of you are actually in Japan, just send some Believe my way. Please and thank you!