osaka/kobe!

hey all! this past weekend i went to osaka and kobe with my friend sayuri. we had a good time and walked a lot! we left saturday morning and got to osaka in the afternoon. we ate okonomiyaki(like a pancake with vegetables...i dont know how to explain. you can see in the picture of me eating something) and takoyaki (bread balls with octopus inside)

we walked around and saw some places, then we headed to kobe. when we got to kobe, we went to the harbor area. it was fun. we walked all around, went into some shops, and then we ate some good indian food. we went to our hostel (japanese hostels are so stinking nice and clean) the next morning we got up and went to Kitano. this is a city where some of the first european foreigners moved to in japan. there are all these european style buildings up on a hill. its so interesting to see the mix of europe and japan. we walked all around then we went to china town. there we ate lunch, and looked in some stores and waked aorund. we also saw a famous temple (its recently famous since a japanese comedian and his wife just got married there)

we were so worn out from all the non stop walking that it was nice to finally get on the train to go back to nagoya. oh yeah i forgot. when we were heading back to osaka to take the train, we had to get on the subway. well there are lots of people in osaka and my friend made it on the subway and i didnt. i wasnt worried, i knew where i was going...but the look on all the japanese peoples faces that thought i was being seperated from my friend (and i was left lost in the city) was so funny. they were so surprised and worried! haha ... i just told my friend to wait at the station and id get on the next subway.



so far this week has been pretty good. yesterday i had a 30 min conversation with an old guy at my gym. i understood a lot and was able to respond...even if i didnt understand every word. i was so happy... the only reason the conversation stopped was becasue i had to leave to make it to work on time. then today i spoke with some other people. its nice. im trying really hard and its helping me to be motivated to study....but i need to find a class...i think that would help me the most at this point.

its stinkin cold outside. seriously....it was spring like a few weeks ago...now it feels like the middle of winter! come on spring....come back!!!!!!

ok well ill post some pictures from this weekend..