All of this legit Japanese food is too much for me to handle.

I've been so bad about this the past few weeks! It's already been a week since I last updated and it only feels like a few days. Time here is absolutely flying by. And not like a plane, like a rocket or something. I've already been gone from home for 53 days. FIFTY THREE DAYS. That's five tens and a three. I've never been away from home for this long and I had no idea how okay it would be. Not that I don't miss my family and friends, I do! But there's just been so much to do and take in here that I've had almost no time to think about home. It only just struck me the other day that it's been almost two months since I was in my own house. 

I'll get to the good stuff now (good...? Interesting...?). I left off after the ぶんかさい (Bunka Sai) my school had last week. Not sure if I mentioned it, but after the festival my entire class went to a restaurant to celebrate the fact that we were DONE and to say good bye to a boy that was moving. It was very emotional for everyone because of how tight-knit they are. Not sure if I've mentioned this either, but my class is so attached because they've been together for almost two years now and they're together for most of everyday. It's pretty much a second family for everyone so having someone move away is like having that family ripped apart. I wasn't really sure how to react since I'd only been here a little over a month so I wasn't that close to him, but it was still sad to see everyone else so upset. Anyway, I'd post pictures but they're all embarrassments to the people in them. :P

So anyway the next two days were days off from school to recuperate from the festival. On the 8th, my family took me to a park where we played badminton and threw a Frisbee around for a bit. I think I had a breakthrough that day with my two youngest host siblings, because after playing badminton with them, we ended up interacting (I won't say talking because most of our conversations are pretty one-sided; I kind of just laugh apreciatively and nod a lot) for the rest of the day. 

After playing at the park for a bit, we all headed off to...... get ready for it.....




ONSEN! Ahhhhhh so exciting! And the perfect way to unwind after the play and everything. This onsen was a lot bigger and more modern looking that the 道後 (dogo) onsen in 四国 (shikoku). Nevertheless, it was just as enjoyable. This one had an outdoor onsen as well, which was probably my favorite part of the whole place. Obviously there were hedges all around, but it was really nice to have a combination of cool air and hot water. I stayed out there for most of the time we were there. 

After the onsen we went home to pick up おじいちゃん (ojiichan) and　おばあちゃん (obaachan), and then headed off to eat sushi. Oh my gosh, best day ever. Ordering sushi and having it brought to your table in Japan isn't as common as it is in America, and most people prefer going to the conveyor-belt ones anyway because they're loads cheaper. It's interesting how the kids here are totally unphased by the moving sushi but then there's me totally freaking out about how awesome it is. 

That pretty much sums up its amazingness in one picture. This sushi restaurant was different from the one I went to the first day I was here in a totally awesome way. The first one I went to, you ordered the sushi and it came out for you to find and pick up off the belt. This one, however was (I think) all-you-can-eat and you just took whatever you wanted off the belt. ZOMYGOODNESSS HEAVEN ON EARTH. When my host mom told me I could take any I think a teeny part of me died of happiness. They had the weirdest sushi, too. Some were sashimi, and they had squid or some fish with cheese broiled on top. I had corn sushi (yes, I was interested as well). I like corn and I figured it couldn't taste that bad. I was correct! It was, in fact, delicious. The other cool part about this one is that there was a little shoot that you slipped your dishes into as you finished your sushi. The kids WERE NOT floored by this. What has the world come to?

The day after that wondrous one my host parents took me to eat ramen. I fangirled a little bit when I walked in because of how legit it looked. And the RAMEN. If you're ever in Japan, find somewhere that sells ramen and eat it. It's the best thing you will ever eat.

It came with gyouza and rice, but I thought the ramen was the part y'all should be focused on. That's pork, I believe seaweed and green onions. Tasty stuff right there. I burned my tongue pretty badly but it was totally worth it.
This weekend was much less eventful. Yesterday my host mom and two youngest siblings walked to a corn maze (yes, I live enough in the country that I am within walking distance of miles of corn). We ended up giving up on trying to find the exit and worked backwards. 

Today, at 8:30 am (why, God, why?) my host parents and siblings and I all went to a museum in downtown Kumamoto where we got to see a presentation in the planetarium on stars. It was so awesome; we were in this huge room with a rounded ceiling where the stars got projected. I know there's a name for it I just can't think of it. I'm happy to say I got the gist of what was being said for the part of the presentation I was awake for.....

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I fell asleep. It was the morning, I was in a dark room in a super comfy chair under the "stars" and I couldn't help it. Sue me. It was wonderful. :)

That's pretty much it for the highlights of my week. Next weekend I'm headed off to Nagasaki for some AFS thing, so tune in for that next week! (I sound like those promos at the end of a tv show telling everyone to watch next week's episode. Blogger, what have you done to me?!)

-Ellie