Wow, it has been a long time since i have posted a blog! It is because I no longer have easy access to the internet at my host family's house... but soon, I think they are getting it.

Up to date:
Recently, I have been pretty busy as it has been the Summer holidays and everone wants to do something! I have also moved host families.. the new host family has 2 sons, one my age (who I don't see much, as he is a Japanese Senior High School student) and the other is older and lives in Kyoto. The family is really nice, and the house is really close to school.
On Sunday, I helped out run an English class for little kids. We ran it at the top of a Mcdonalds store where there was heaps of little kids running around. First we all had to introduce ourselves in english and get the kids to (they were all really good at it) and then we did other activities (running around the lines of maccas, like names of the things you can put in a burger and also how to buy something and sell something). Later on, the little kids donned McDonalds uniforms and went downstairs to sell some burgers, and buy some using the english they learnt in front of the register (using tickets as money) and they also got to make the burgers too!!. It was all very interesting, but it got pretty tiring with all the little kids around. After that, I went off to a Fireworks festival with my host dad and mum, and also some rotarians. One of the Rotarians owned a boat, and so we were able to watch the fireworks from the edge of the lake. Seeing as it is now Summer holidays, there is pretty much a fireworks festival everyweek and so I keep getting invited to them (which is good!).

(More to write about later:
- The 2 week exchange students from America and Canada
- My summer holidays
- Mum and Dad coming to Japan)

Thats about it, as I have to go to club now, so I will write again later when I have time!

Well Mika has left, and now so has Franzi. On Monday Lalo will be leaving and Fernando will leave in less than a month... everyone seems to be leaving me!! However very soon there will be new exchange students coming, and that will make Mark and I the new seniors :D Today I was able to meet about 20 Americans and Canadians who have come to our school for a two week cultural exchange. We will be having a welcome party for them on Friday after the final assembly (which will mean the start of summer holidays, for about 1 and a half months). Also, Lalo and his parents came to Hamamatsu today to stopover before they go onto the next spot for their trip.
Today is the 3rd day of the 'Japanese Buddhist Commemoration of the Departed' (13th - 15th July). This means that on the 13th day, the spirits return to their houses for something (i am getting this off my host mum in Japanese) and so people light little fires out the front of their houses to light the way. Now it is the 3rd day, and so they light the little fires again (to show where to come next time?). Anyway, it was interesting to see many people lighting these little fires. As I was coming home from the city today, a weird man spoke to us and we didnt understand him... he was trying to speak english, and so we couldnt understand.. but before we tried to ask him to say it in japanese, he was getting off the bus quickly. We looked to our right, and saw a little festival at the Buddhist temple, and so we quickly got off to go and check it out. I think that was what he was talking about :S We took some photos, and saw some dancing and many people wearing kimono (or yukata?). Interesting day today :D

Tonight I had dinner with my first host family, my host family now, my next host family and rotarians from my club. We discussed things about me to the new hosts but we ended up not saying too much and just talking about nothing! The restaurant was very interesting, with cool floors with stones on either side inside the building, and a interesting japanese style table with a kind of hole around it to put your legs in, if you didnt want to sit the japanese style (sitting on your feet (which really hurts after a while)). It was getting to around 9:30 and people were thinking it was pretty late, so we went home.
Earlier in the day, I found two Engrish examples at a department store. One of them was a beauty salon (but mispelt as saloon) and also a sign that said 'OFF SALE' (as in relationship to 'ON SALE'?). Here are the photos. 'Saloon' 'Off Sale'

Well I feel bad for not posting anything for a while... Sorry, but I have been a little busy, and have also just forgotten :D.
Updates (Newest first):
- Today we had our school sports day, where everyone get involved in a tournament of each sport incl. basketball, soccer, table tennis and dodgeball. My class has chosen to play basketball. The bad thing was, if you lost in the first round, you were out for the rest of the day.. and that happened to be us as we played the team that came second as our starting opponents. At least we were able to then move around and watch other sports.
- On the weekend and Friday, I made my first record. The longest time to sing karaoke. On Friday, we went with people from school (as they had all finished exams and wanted to celebrate) to karaoke for about 6 hours... and then I was asked to come with some other friends on Saturday for another 5 hours. So all in all I was in karaoke for about 11 hours in 2 days! It was a lot of fun tho.
- We had exams on Wed/Thurs/Fri and so school was shortened to the 3rd period everyday. I only had one exam, and it was a Japanese Language Exam, and I think I did well, but I don't know my results yet.
- Mum and Dad will be coming to Japan on the 19th of September! And the Maroondah People will come a little bit before that too. Should be fun!

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