01/07/10 Inuyama Inn evening - After I finished writing last night I attempted to read my materials some. I drank the complementary tea and sat back in the cozy chair and promptly fell asleep. I woke up and realized it was hopeless so I went to bed. I slept VERY well. The alarm in the bed board went off at 7 (when I set it). I got up and got ready and went down to breakfast at 8:15. Breakfast was a schmorgusbord of yummy. They had mostly Japanese food but some western stuff too. I ate only Japanese stuff except for the milk. I almost cried when I saw the milk. I hadn’t had it for over 48 hours and I was going through serious withdrawal. I drank four glasses of it!! I wanted to drink more but the one employee was looking at me funny so I capped it at four.

At 9 we all checked out of our rooms and loaded our stuff onto a charter bus that would be taking us to Inuyama. First, however, Satoshi Sensei showed us the train station and explained how to use it. I gleaned almost nothing from the hour tour but I was very awe struck from my surroundings and was having a great time just taking it all in. We went back to the hotel and got on the bus and began the hour long trip. Satoshi Sensei talked to us for half of it. We got to Inuyama and stopped at a convenience store where we could pick up lunch if we wanted it. There were so many cool things in there, but I couldn’t find any milk which freaked me out considereably. Where do you go to get it if it isn’t in convenience stores?!?! : ( The Inn was only 10 more minutes from the convenience store and we all got there and got our stuff and staggered into the lobby. We had an hour and a half before our orientation meeting began so we explored together, talked, and I happened to go into the bathroom. It was a traditional style one. Therefore the toilet bowl was in a hole in the floor. New and exciting experience there. :D The inn has hot springs and you can see the harbor and a castle from the windows. We had our orientation meeting and were inundated with info… Then immediately after two teachers came and we split into two groups and had our first Japanese lesson. My teacher was Koizumi Sensei and she was very cool. Class was 3 hours long with a 10 minute break at the half way point. Then we all went to our rooms. I am rooming with Tana (my friend from Rochester), Dorothea, and Melinda. The room is a traditional style tatami mat room. It is beautiful and we have a great view of the water.

I took my computer down to the computer room so I could connect it to the Ethernet cables and write some emails! Dinner is in about 45 minutes and I am psyched because we are all eating a traditional Japanese meal together. :3 I intend to channel a sumo wrestler and eat my weight in Japanese goodness.

I shall write again soon. 18:22 (Japan time)