Nice quote

思いは言葉にしなければ分からない

It literally means that if you don't put your thoughts into words, people will not know what you think
This phrase was uttered in a Japanese drama I watched a few weeks ago called 蛍の光 (Hotaru no Hikaru)

I think it makes a lot of sense
And I'm writing it down now to remind myself of this fact

Last print club with Tienchi in Kagoshima?

That day, me and Tienchi were supposed to go out with Marie and Marie's mom for lunch
but I missed the train (lol)

So, I caught up with them after lunch for some coffee at Starbucks

Guess what we did after?
Yep, you got it. We went to Round 1 for bowling
Yeah, me and big mouth...
I wrote in a previous post that I thought we weren't gonna go bowling for while
...my bad

Anyway, this gathering was kind of a mini sendoff party for Tienchi cuz she's leaving next Monday and Marie and mom probably won't see her again before then.

Poor monkey...

Here's what Zhao and Tienchi did to my stuffed monkey when I wasn't looking...

Samurai Sam?

Mamma Mia!

Watched the movie musical Mamma Mia last night
As expected, it was a crazy fun movie with not much of a plot (lol)
Nevertheless, it was really pretty entertaining
I was also (pleasantly) surprised to find that I know most of the songs

Right now I'm reviewing parts of the movie
I'm keeping the movie file on my computer cuz the parts with the songs on the movie are heaps of fun :P

If you haven't watched it already, go watch it!

Bug alert

Uh oh
A mosquito just flew past

It's the first mosquito to appear in my room since I came here
but it's a mosquito nevertheless

Uh oh
I hope this doesn't mean I'll be seeing more bugs from now on

Huh?!

You know how you respond to something you don't understand or fail to catch with a "huh?"
Turns out it's an unconventional way of reacting in Japan.

I guess people respond with a 何 (nani, meaning 'what') or an ん (un, just a nasal sound detecting uncertainty) instead. "Huh" is reserved for situations when you're looking to start a fight.

People do a double take when I say 'huh' and suggest that I stop saying 'huh' to them.

I guess old habits die hard, though.
I'm still working on not sounding like a street thug. :)

Bowling (part 3): Could this be our last trip to the bowling alley in a while?!

February 23
So, we went bowling again.

First off, picture time!

Me and Babanisan
(His last name is Baba and nisan is an endearment that means older brother; he's funny in a weird way, or weird in a funny way... whichever works :P)

Me and Tienchi
(Tienchi's going back to Taiwan next week... and she's pretty much perfected her pouty face for photo ops :P)
Tienchi scored her highest at 220 points that day, btw

Zhao does not want to break his streak of having zero experience at playing bowling.
Instead, he took charge of the bowling bingo sheet we got.

Me and Ryoutaro
(Ryoutaro's the youngest in the group, but he's really nice and very mature... okay, sometimes :P)

Me and Youichi
(Youichi rarely smiles when taking pictures, so I guess I'm luck I got this one on film! ... or on memory, rather)

Me and Zhao
(Zhao is starting to loosen up these days, but some days he goes over and get too wacky... lol)

Me and Shiori
(Shiori just had her hair cut that day, which made her look a lot like Rino (her sister))

Another strike!

the "after" picture...

before all the bullying started :P

Everybody's getting a bit theatrical here...
We won the bags Tienchi is holding from bowling bingo, btw...

Nice stolen shot...
although Tienchi's radar picked up on the camera pointing at her...

Bowling (part 2)

This was our third trip to Round 1 in February. This was on the 14th. We went to the bowling alley after making cake and having dinner at Shiori's. (more on later posts)

The screen shows my highest score in bowling thus far: 117
I'm the second player from the top. I played under Trisha's name, though.

Another "Moon Light Strike Game" success story :)

The newlyweds: Shiori and Youichi

The girls!
(Shiori did me and Trisha's hair and makeup that day, by the way)

I like the multicolored balls...

That's Youichi in the pin suit, in case you were wondering :)

...and moi~

random shot...
pretty nice shot, though :)


Here's what a "Moon Light Strike Game" looks like


Trisha did not find out until too late that I was taking a video instead of a picture


Here's a funny video of Babanisan :P

More thoughts

Amidst the flurry of activity all throughout the month, I was left with little time to think. It was seriously one event after another to the point that I started losing track of dates and going to sleep when people are ready to get up.

But at the end of the day I realized that I've formed relationships with people, something I didn't think would happen before I came here. This blog serves as a chronicle to capture this year in my memory.

Sometimes I'm wondering if this year is just like an "alternative reality." I hope the dream lasts even after my trip ends.
(Yeah, it's half a year away but the first half of my stay is gone in a split second so I'm starting to freak out...)

Bowling (part 1)

For one reason or another, we're frequenting the bowling alley this month.
We usually go to this nice place called Round 1 where they charge around 2000 yen for 6 games.

Our first trip to the bowling alley in February was on the 7th. Trisha didn't come because she was either sick or running low on money, I forgot which. That day I went with Hiroki (top left, clockwise), Shinobu, Tienchi, and Hiroya (in the bowling pin suit)

FYI: You get to take a group picture in a bowling pin suit if you score a strike (or bowl down at least nine pins if you're either female or a child) during the hourly "Moon Light Strike Game" the establishment holds.

Our second trip to the same establishment was on the 11th. I got an inflatable bowling pin because I booked the reservation as a February birthday celebrant :P

By the way, Zhao just wouldn't go near the bowling balls. He insists on being a mere member of the audience.

I guess the giant pin looks kinda silly in public :P

:)

February...

Yet another friend has finished her exchange in Kagoshima and packed up her bags and left.
We sent Trisha off at 5.40am on February 21.

I do not yet know what to think and feel as I watch our number grow smaller; actually I did not really have time to sit down and think as we have been making the most of the time we have left together in Kagoshima to go out on trips and gatherings.

Which is perfect, actually.

I thought January was wild enough. February bags the prize.



More on February on future posts.

More print club!

Here's our first print club photo stickers with Shiori and the gang!

More about the day's events in upcoming posts!

Monkey business

101 ways to play with a monkey plush toy with stretchable arms:

1. stretch the arms (duh!)

2. put it on top of your head (hmm...)

3. put it on top of an inflatable bowling pin :D

4. strap it to the bowling pin (ouch)

5. hold on to it while you bowl (this bags the prize... lol)

6. strap it to your arms and kiss it

7. strap it to your water bottle

8, 9, 10... we're open to your suggestions! o(｀▽´)o

Press "play" for instructions on how to play with the monkey (that Marie gave for my birthday)



Hehe