Autumnal Equinox

9/23/2010
When I woke up this morning, my host sister and her two adorable children were still here. I went down for breakfast, and ate with my host sister, and we talked and watched tv together for a while. Then I went to get ready to go out, and on my way out, I stopped to say bye to Miyu and Taiki. My host mom was trying to get them to say bye to me, Taiki did, but Miyu just stood where she was and stared at me with a finger in her nose. It was hilariously cute. At least I didn't make her cry today :)
Because it was raining, my host mom drove me to Kida station (the previous plan was for me to walk), and I went to Ichinomiya station to meet my friends. I got there 30 minutes early, however. I went looking for the post office, because I was told that I could withdraw money there, and I was down to about 15 yen. But I couldn't find it, I went to where Kiara had told me that it was, but I didn't see it, so I awkwardly turned myself around, and went back to where we were supposed to meet. I waited there for about 5 more minutes, and then Lizzie showed up, and we decided to go try to find the post office together because she needed to withdraw money too. It turned out that I had to go down this sketchy looking hallway to get to it. While we were at the ATMs, Carter came in too to withdraw money. So then the three of us went back to the place where we were supposed to meet everyone.
Once Kiara had arrived, we went to the department store in the station to buy a gift for Sami's family. (We were going over to Sami's house). We got a very nice looking box of cookies. Then Candace showed up, so we went to the bus stop, and waited for the bus in the rain.
Sami lives in the country, there are a lot of rice paddies, like... a lot. Anyway, so we got to Sami's house, which is huge! It is connected to the clinic where her host parents work, and it is so pretty and big! She has two dogs (Hana and Midori) and they are super well trained! We had a lot of fun playing with them. Well, I mostly just watched while other people called them and stuff, I still have a teency bit of that old fear of dogs left in me. But it was fun.
After Marius showed up at Sami's house, we mostly just sat around and talked for a while. Then we decided to go to this mall called Apita. They told me that it was a department store, and I guess it is, but it definitely seemed more like a mall to me. We ate lunch there, like as soon as we arrived. And then we went and did purikura! This was my first purikura experience, but I had really been looking forward to it, like since I got to Japan!
Purikura: Purikura is like a photo booth, but it's really big (we had 7 people, and we all fit), and there are weird lights that make you look paler, and make your eyes look bigger and rounder, (and it made the guys look kind of like they were wearing makeup...). And then after all of the pictures are taken, you go around to the outside, and you decorate the pictures on this screen thing. You can put sparkles, and animals and funny hats, and words, and the date, and hearts, etc. the list goes on forever. And then they print out, and they are stickers, so (after you cut them) you can stick them on your cell phone, etc. I put like three on my cell phone. haha. It was a lot of fun!!!
After that, we walked back to Sami's house, but we went to far (I think), and we turned into the rice paddies, but it's like impossible to see where there is a path where one can walk within the rice paddies, so we just sort of wandered in the right direction, but we kept having to turn. It was basically just like going through a maze, but when I suggested that, everyone wanted to punch me in the face. (they were really exhausted, and frustrated about getting lost, and I was trying to make it seem fun. haha, never a good idea).
We all road the bus back to Ichinomiya station together (except for Sami, of course, she stayed at her house), and then said goodbye. I rode the bus back to sukaguchi, but this was my first time to ever return this way by myself, Javier is usually with me. I went up the stairs around the thing, and down the stairs, like usual, but I ended up on a different platform. I was super confused, and had an Annie freak out moment. Luckily I had a quick solution, I called Javier, and that wonderful person actually picked up the phone, and helped me out! And he didn't even laugh at me for messing up (even though I go the same way home everyday....)!
Anyway, when I got to Kida station, my host dad came to pick me up, which was very nice, especially considering how tired he is. He just came back today from the hospital, he was there for the last three days taking care of his friend. In the car he told me how his friend was doing (not well), and as always, after explaining his friend's condition, he told me to be careful.
When I got home, we ate dinner immediately. Everyday my host mom has brought out the umeboshi from mizutani sensei, and she always laughs when she does. One positive thing about these umeboshi is that I will never forget the word "suppai" (it means sour), because that's what my host mom always asks me when I eat them...
Also, there is only one more left! Only one more day! unless Mizutani sensei gives me some more... They're really not that bad with rice, but I usually have to eat them by themselves... and omg... suppai!