Almost.

They leave in less than two weeks at this point. I am happy that I have chosen to stay a year. Since they are leaving so soon, they are trying to stick many weekends worth of activities into two weeks. I haven't gone with them lately because it's just too expensive and I can go next semester. Today we went to the park for a pick-nick!

Left: Carlos, Heather and Akane (not American)
Right: Raena and Jenny

I have been very good friends with them since coming here. Hey, Americans have to stick together in Japanland right?

I hope you enjoy your last two weeks, you Americans. I'll be sure to visit you guys when I return to the states. I'll definitely visit Raena because she lives in Hawaii. I want to go there! It was nice meeting you all! Let's be friends for a long time!

Foreigners and tourists = Toureigners. 

Today we went to a Cat Cafe in Oita-shi (Oita City). The name of the cafe was Nuko Mahi Cats Cafe.

It's a cafe and there are kitties that you can pet. 

Nuko-Mahi Cats Cafe

"LOVE ME."

There were maybe a dozen cats, all different kinds. They were all chill and just sat around. You couldn't pick them up and couldn't be mean. Only be nice to kitties. 

There were books and magazines you could read as well while enjoying the kitties around you.

It's a relaxing little cafe and the staff is really nice! I stayed for two hours enjoying the cats. It went by too quick. I want to go back!

Like most places, you take your shoes off and they provide slippers. I am used to this now.

 

"Will I get fed? I want food."

Deep in thought about food.

Kitty Feeding Time!

After that Jenny and I walked to a mall near Oita Station since it was getting late. We went to a restaurant and got Omurice (Omelet Rice) and Curry. Since we had time still, we went to an arcade and did Purikura, which is a very fancy photo booth. It's four dollars and they made you beautiful. Gets rid of blemishes, makes your eyes bigger and thus cuter, you can add stickers and make funny/cute poses. They are very popular and very fun!

All Globalinks students EXCEPT Raena
Left: Joseph (Connecticut), Raena (Hawaii).
End: Jennifer (Colorado)
Right: Heather (Utah), Carlos (North Carolina)

Studying. Look at those poor Americans. The boys don't actually study that much, they are lying. By the way the table is floor level and under the table is sunken in. Pretty rad. We don't typically study here because it is loud. All that studying is just for Japanese. JUST FOR JAPANESE CLASS.

We had two make up classes on this past Saturday. The second class was a calligraphy class which turned out to be fun. It's always funny to see a serious professor (my Japanese professor) start laughing and having fun with students. This is a mix of two classes, mine is actually only 20 people or so.

That's me, and that's the kanji for love. I just had to pick a hard kanji. It's hanging on my door now. Japanese class isn't always this fun. No. It's usually never fun. Japanese class is like a cat. I want to pet it and love it and make it my friend but it claws and scratches me and hisses and hates me.


What else have I been doing... 

I joined a club. We do community service events and basically are a bunch of silly people who mess around. Oh, and they only speak Japanese. A friend I met while going to Yufuin (see a few posts back) invited me to come and everyone is very nice. Maybe my Japanese will improve.

Here is proof that I don't just hang around with Americans. I'll be visiting his home prefecture of Nagasaki over summer break!

Selfie with Tsuguhiro (Tsuguuuuuuuu)

My bags are officially packed and probably over the weight limit. My clothes would have never fit if it weren't for space bags. I got my visa this past Friday (cutting it a little close, but I got it!) and all my finances and cellphone are set.

I looked through multiple sites to check for packing tips! Here is what I have compiled!

• Space bags to conserve space.
• Make many outfits instead of bringing lots of different things.
• Hand sanitizer and wet wipes/baby wipes.
• Vitamin rich drink mix like Emergen-C!
• Snacks! I am bringing a cup of almonds. Fit's in the side bottle pouch on my backpack.

• Most importantly... bring a picture of your family.

Globalinks sent me some cool and useful things! Most importantly, a passport case. It's big enough to put money, cards, my passport and other things in it. I think it's pretty cool looking!

They also sent three luggage tags which can go on my neat-o luggage (a few posts back). Lastly they sent a poster which can go in the bottom of my luggage for when I get to Japan. I'll use it like a flag and take pictures with it!

This blog will function as a travel log while I am studying at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Beppu, Japan from March '14 to February '15.

I think I would make an awesome Global Links Learning Abroad Correspondent because I love to blog travel photos, keep records of what I have done and keep lists (especially bucket lists) of what I want to do in the future. Everywhere I go I am always taking pictures with my digital camera or phone and always keep records of my trips.

I plan on keeping this blog throughout my entire stay and wish to use it to inspire other students to also travel abroad in the future. I especially want to come back and work with my home town's study abroad program to help high school students to go abroad. One major thing that was hardly shown to me when I took their program were pictures. There were no pictures or video of the town we were going and that prevented many students from having an interest. I don't want other students to feel left in the dark. I want them to be bitten by the travel bug!

Through pictures, video and posts every few days, I want to show these high school students how meaningful a study abroad experience can be. From language struggles, to beautiful landscapes, friends, food and music. I am especially looking forward to blogging whenever I cross off an item on my Japan bucket list, which will also be posted on this blog.

Since I am going to such a different country than America, I plan on logging new foods I try, places I go, and things I learn. If there is an opportunity to go on a trip, I'll take it and blog about it, when I meet new friends I will also blog about it. I hope to try many different things in order to fill up this blog. If I use pictures and notes I can keep track of everywhere I have been and I think that will help me learn the surrounding cities and towns in Japan.

Please follow and check back every so often! I leave near the end of March and come back early February!

~Anna