So Thursday, I officially started my classes and went to the Documentary Theory class in the morning. Sensei took attendance by calling out our names one by one like how it’d be done in America (except we say “hai” instead of “here”). And then he talked a little bit about a documentary that we would be watching, not like I understood all of what he said T_T The film is called 「怒りをうたえ」”ikari o utae” which means “sing/express the anger”. It’s a film about the political events that happened in the 1970s, and has to do with the struggle between Japan and US security pact and the occupation of Okinawa (Japanese demanded Okinawa to be returned) . When sensei asked everyone if they heard about or know about the history no one raised their hands (well I didn’t know either other than WWII and a little on post WWII US occupation). The whole work is super long though, split into 4-5 tapes and sensei mentioned we would watch all of it (going through little by little) , everyone was like ughh… It was pretty interesting, I never seen Japanese going public outrage and rioting. They showed scenes of major train stations like, Shibuya station, masses of people gathered all holding wooden planks and wearing helmets, they would be shouting, throwing rocks or lighting things on fire, and an armored wall of guards opposing them and breaking them up with a fire hose. After the films, Sensei wrote a couple names on the board of the groups of people that protested. I thought it unusual to not receive a paper syllabus, so I asked for one and he directed me to ask Mamiya-san to print one out for me, which turned out to be the page from their website O_o Seems like all the syllabi are online.

After lunch I had calligraphy class, the class was much smaller with a group of 10 or less people. Everyone had their calligraphy gear set in front of them with a sheet of paper, the ink stone, and the calligraphy brush. At the beginning of class Sensei would say 「起立して」”kiritsu-shte” and everyone stood up. Uhh okay I think I know what this is I thought –; then a representing students says,「礼！」”rei!” and everyone bowed, and then sit back down. Good thing I knew a bit about it or I’d have no clue @_@, although it was my first time really doing the Japanese classroom etiquette, similar to how we do the US pledge in American classrooms. Then sensei asked me to do my self introduction—eeep! So I stood in front of everybody giving my name, major, and that I’m a student from SDSU and a big 「よろしくお願いします！」”yoroshiku onegaishimasu!” *BOWS* and everyone applauded. Sensei passed out a handout which had photocopies of the original writing of Japanese proverbs, poetry, or something of the like. She would guide us through each kanji (chinese character) one by one. For the rest of the class, I felt weird just sitting there without the calligraphy equipment to follow along and watched over my classmates next to me. We did the bowing gesture again at the end of class, then sensei told me that I need to get a calligraphy set. I asked if I could buy it on campus, but they didn’t sell it there. Later we asked Mrs. Mamiya and she offered to go to the trouble of taking me to the store to buy a set, thank you so much Mamiya-san!

So Mrs. Mamiya takes me to a department store called Izumiya. And wow the Izumiya store is big, it felt like a Target but with more floors and more products there. I noticed her phone charm which had a Bleach character on it, Kuchiki Byakuya =P. She mentioned that her son loves Bleach a lot and watches it every week. We took a look at the calligraphy sets, which seemed to be intended for junior high or high school students =X Quality wise they were plastic, but i didn’t want to pay too much for something fancy so I decided on one that was about 2500 yen, which had everything I needed. I also needed to buy the special paper for it, a large thin kind of practice paper especially for calligraphy. Mamiya-san asked if there’s anything else I needed, and I thought about shelves I was planning to get (but would dare not try to carry by train and walk home =X) they had some there, which was 1000 yen for each, so I got two. I also thought about the kotatsu, the traditional Japanese table that has a heater on the bottom… and YES, it was my plan from the beginning to get a kotatsu once I study abroad here, well it is my dream thing to do, don’t make fun of me~ T___T Hmm they were kind of expensive though, when I talked with Nakamura-san, he mentioned that I could get one as cheap as 5k, but the ones there were 7k or more. Then Mamiya-san mentioned that she would let me borrow her kotatsu; she said she didn’t use it much anymore anyway and or in her words “Mamiya-san rental”. She mentioned she’d bring it over a little before winter time, and I said I was not in a hurry. Mamiya-san is too nice T___T so I am SOOO thankful, that she helped me out. Anyway, I ended up getting a ground chair for my future-borrowed-kotatsu (I feel much more comfortable sitting on the ground actually), and we also got a few groceries, well I only got melon cream soda =)

On Friday, I came by studio 3-F and George-sensei and a couple students were there working on stuff. So I got my hands dirty to help make the plaster, which Sensei says that in Japan they use something called gypstone, while in America they use a different kind of plaster for molds (stronger than plaster of paris) Sensei guided me through slowly combining the mix, I had to shift it in the water and combine it little by little until it was of a thick consistency. Then I helped apply it over the model, I had to be real careful applying it cause I had to poor it over thick enough on all areas and watch where the liquid would go without touching it too much (otherwise itd thin out) (I can see how that can be tricky each time since the model shapes tend to be oddly shaped). Later everybody moved to a classroom in a different building, we all carried some molds and models there. My classmate showed me this crazy animatronic monkey head, it was just the skeleton, so its dentures and everything were exposed. He’d mess with the switches for the radio controls (the kind for RC cars) and it’s eyes and mouth would move around, even making monkey noises O_O It was lunch time so I decided to get something from the bread store on campus.
I got kara-age meal bread (which had kara-age fried chicken, sauce, sausage and egg), and a churro (heck why not). It was the worst churro ever, stiff hard, and barely any flavor (the sugar’s there but no flavor from the actual bread). Kara-age bread was really good though =)

I came back to the classroom for the special effects seminar and Sensei asked me to do a self-introduction—eeep another one! =X For this class, everyone was halfway through their projects already, and I wouldn’t be able to do a work like everyone else, but I could still learn by volunteering to help out and going through all the steps and asking them questions. Sensei pointed out to a couple of guys waving over to let me help them out. They had a male bust base and a grip of clay in front of them. And my classmate tells me to slowly apply the clay to the chest area of the bust (using a concept art for reference, we were actually making a kind of breast plate armor). Once the majority was on and sculpted, he worked on refining it while I’d be a second set of eyes. I mentioned it looked a bit strange, well one side didn’t quite match the other, and Sensei came by later to confirm it =X I later talked to the gothic punk style girl again, her name is Mai. She’s able to speak English a bit, and I also met her friend Shiori. I asked how long the class was and the class can go on til super late =X as late as 8-9pm. But George-sensei mentioned I can stay until 4:30 or however long I want after that. So it was 6pm and I set out to leave. Just when I walked out Shiori ran out and caught me to ask for my e-mail (I don’t have a cell phone yet so I gave her my internet address and we exchanged).

Overall good experiences with classes so far ^_^

Later that day, I tried to boil water to make boiled eggs, but the stove suddenly crapped out =X I turned on the stove, and suddenly I hear a loud click and all the lights go off… which means the circuit breaker must have gone off. I could switch all other electric circuits on, except for the one that goes to the stove =X Hisano-san came by later to check it and said he’d call Leo Palace to send someone to have it checked, which I’m glad. I just have to hold out til then, thankfully Hisano-san brought a rice-cooker prior… I can boil eggs in that!

Saturday, I made the long trek on my own to the Daiso 100 yen store/dollar store and got covered my list of house and living things, such as chopsticks, cooking utensils, hand towels, school supplies etc. The store has soo much stuff. Of course the quality is cheap, cheap, but some of it’s decent enough for its purpose. This is also a good place to get souvenirs for the family/friends back home, (just dont tell them it was 100 yen=P ), but in all seriousness a few Japan-only things can be found here. One of the dangerous things about that store though, just because it’s cheap you’re more prone to buy it cause it is, and before you know it the total spending amount builds up and you’re buying way more things then you actually needed =X Yes, I wish I pinched my 1-yen coins on this one –; Anyway I had to carry my stuff back and the traffic patrol guard near the Osaka Geidai intersection says good evening to me which I reply as well. “You have quite a lot there dont you?” ahahah..

To be honest I feel like a visitor here (which I am) but to the point where I’m still in a bit of disbelief that I’m going to be here for a whole freaking year. Sounds pretty long, but Ryan and I were assured that once these classes get going it’ll go by, FAST.