So... you want to know what I've been up to?

Okay, then, here goes!

I haven't written a good post in quite a while... despite my new year's resolution :) So, that means I've got some catching up to do!

First off, by popular request, I have some pictures:



Ha ha! Guess who \(^o^)/ Yep, this is Ilhwa. He's been in a couple of the pictures already, but now he is officially named! I'm sure there'll be more, but just so you all would know!

Well, since the last post, I have finished classes, made my presentation, had my friends visit, started a new part time job, and finalized my spring break plans! Now, a little more in depth...

I did some exploring around where I live, and there were these particular earthen mounds that always interested me. They are outside of some apartment buildings near my dorms, and I really wondered what they would look like from a higher perspective, seeing as how they looked like massive prehistoric reptiles from the ground... so I went up a couple floors of a local building, and this is what I saw!



Kinda cool huh? How'd you like to wake up to these every morning :)

Anyways! I also made a trip to a local "natural garden". This is basically an extremely beautiful traditional Japanese garden, and let me say, it was EXTRAORDINARY! But, to get there, we had to ride on the subways, and since I never ride these things back home, I thought I could show you guys a little of what they're like.



Now as for the garden, not only were we able to walk around the beautiful outdoors, but there was also an opportunity to have traditional green tea and sweets, soo good! Here's a taste of the amazing gardens, even though pictures can't even come close to the real thing!




And, possibly one of my favorite pictures of all time...

This place was unforgettable, and I sure hope I can go back someday! Another place I got to visit was on one of the study trips we had with my program... to a Toyota plant! We learned all about how they made the cars, and all that good stuff... I can't say I was extremely interested, but it was pretty cool to see some of the cars up close.




After this trip, it was really time for me to buckle down with some work. The semesters here in Japan are quite different than what I am used to. In Japan, the first semester of the year is in April, and the second starts in October. In between the two semesters, there is about a 1 month break, and that means that almost all of my final papers and reports for this past semester were due in the middle of February. I had 8 papers to write in total, each over 2,000 words. YUCK! Especially since I really don't like writing! Besides the papers, I had a Japanese exam, and I also had a mid-way oral presentation about the independent project I am doing (work in my laboratory). Needless to say, I procrastinated, and then had to spend many a night up late typing :) Oh well, everything got done, and well if I may add! And I even had time to have a little Valentine's Day fun :) Ilhwa and I went out to a very nice dinner, and after that he surprised me with the most beautiful present!




So CUTE!!! How did he know exactly what to get me? Geez... and all I got him was a new belt and some Ferrero Rochet chocolates...

After finals and all, there was only about a week before my boyfriend had to go home to Korea (he was only doing the half-year program) and so we decided to make the most of it! We took a day trip to a place called Beppu, which is maybe 2 hours from Fukuoka itself. Now, this place is famous all over Japan for its wonderful Onsen (Japanese hot springs)!!! I love onsen! Ilhwa and I got there, went to a beautiful onsen, and had one of the best days ever!



After that onsen, man! I felt like I never wanted to use my muscles again! They were soo relaxed! Perfect thing to do right after finishing a hectic semester!

Oh! I almost forgot! I also started another part-time job! I am working one day a week at an elementary school near my university as a guest teacher. Each week, I teach a certain English subject. One week will be about the names of colors, the next will be about learning a new English song, and generally just the best job I could have ever hoped for! I work with about 8 kids, from Kindergarten to 5th grade, and they are just the most adorable things you have ever seen! I don't have pictures just quite yet, but they'll be coming soon!

Before Ilhwa went home, we had a great weekend together, just having fun, and of course having romantic dates and all that jazz ;) Here's a quick peek:




It was absolutely stunning! Sadly though, I had to go with Ilhwa to the airport last Monday, and see him off to Korea! Not to worry though, I'll be visiting in Korea very soon!!! Just 2 more weeks, and I am TOTALLY excited about that trip!

Right after Ilhwa left, I spent some time with my friends that came to visit from America! WooHoo!!! It was totally awesome! I took them with me to the elementary school I work at, and I also took them to Fukuoka Tower, Oohori Park, and a famous shrine. Besides that... of course we had to go to Karaoke!!! That was a total blast! I don't have pics of everything yet, but here are some that I do have:


We had all kinds of songs... From Korean to Japanese to English...


To Spice Girls to Backstreet Boys... What a night!


Karaoke has got to be one of the greatest inventions ever, and it's only great when you do it asian style! I highly recommend that everyone give it a shot at least once!!!

Here are also some shots from that shrine I mentioned... the plum trees are in bloom, and that can only mean that the cherry blossoms are comming soon!!!!





One interesting thing... there was a trained monkey outside the shrine... Cute, but at the same time sad...


We also got to have some great meals together, one of which was some really tasty Korean Barbecue food. Ooo, just thinking of it is making me hungry!



It was a great visit with my friends, but only too short!

So, as I am sitting here trying to figure out how to end this post, I guess I will end it with one of the most amazing things I have seen. Did I mention that the weather here in Fukuoka is crazy? Yes, it is. Fortunately, my life was made just a little happier when one day it happened to snow. No, scratch that, there was a blizzard! However... just a little later that day... well, you can see for yourself. The first picture was taken at 10am, while the second was taken at about 4pm... Enjoy, and that'll be all for me this time! Tons more to still update you on, so stay posted!

A little bit of Japanese humor...

For those of you that know a little Japanese:

I was watching TV just a minute ago, and a certain commercial came on...

The commercial features an old man, and he is just constantly eating pieces of seaweed. He shoves one in his mouth, and then another, and just keeps doing this over and over. I really had no idea why this old man was eating pieces of のりover and over... but then at the end of the commercial, a picture advertising Nishitetsu Bus's new "のり放題" bus card came on, and I almost DIED laughing :) Oh Japanese commercials!

For everyone else:

Now that I have a little more time, expect a lot more updates!!! \(^.^)/


~Whitney