Toe - Key - Ohhhhhhh!!!!!!!! If there is any place you have to visit while you're in Japan, it would have to be Tokyo!  If you're looking to try to change up your fashion, Harajuku is the place to go!  If you're looking to have fun, Shibuya is the place to go!  It has everything, from the weird people to the weirdest things!

Before my trip to Tokyo, I decided to go to Hakuoh University's school festival, a place located in Oyama.  In Japan, school's all over hold a school festival once every year.  Students prepare their classrooms, build tents, show off their talents, and sell food!  I did a lot, seen a lot, and experienced a festival that beat my own school's festival.

Not too many days after going to Happocho and Kaikon no Sato, I set off on a journey to Tokyo.  Before then, a very good friend from Tochigi came over to visit me and sight-see Akita.  Since she could only stay over for a day, we spent that whole day going to Oga Aquarium, a place far far away from where my university.

The day after I returned from Happocho, I was sent to a farmer's inn by the name of Kaikon no Sato.  This experience was very eye opening!  We got to visit an Arts & Crafts Center, see all sorts of beautiful scenery, and do some harvesting.  It was very beautiful, and it was a blast to the past in Japanese traditions.

So about 4 weeks ago, I went to a town far north of Akita called Happocho.  I was sent with several other people to meet the townspeople and teach them English.  It was a great experience! I got to meet with a few middle school students, play with kids at a day care center, and sing to the older generation at an elderly home.  I even got to stay at a Japanese family's house. 

These days, I've been doing all sorts of random things.  Everyday is filled with something new and I'm always on the hunt to learn something new.  Lately, I've been learning how to cook.  Sometimes I would cook at my apartment, and sometimes I would go to my friends' apartments to eat what they're cooking. 

One of my friend's friends came over to Akita International University to visit Akita!  She was a girl from Keio University!  Kaori was her name, and we took her all over the place.  In two days, we went to the beautiful Mikaeri Waterfall, the majestic Tazawa Lake, the fun playground called Round One, and the delicious Kamakuraya Restaurant.  It made my weekend fly by real fast!

These past few bunch of weeks were filled with preparation for the school's festival.  Every student was either planning something, preparing something, or building something for the school festival.  Everywhere I went, there was somebody painting something, coloring something, or gluing something to another something.  That is to say, I was also very busy during our school festival.

Boy, has it been a while since I've written in my blog.  These past few weeks have been very very busy!  In fact, it was so busy, I hardly had time to relax.  Let's start with the "Shall we be friends" party!  There were performances from all sorts of people, face painting, and even a raffle prize give-away thingy.  They gave everybody who came a number, and the object of the game was to find the person who has the number.  If you found that person, the both of you would win a prize.  There were some good prizes.  They gave away microwaves, pillows, and all sorts of useful stuff.  Of course, I didn't win anything, but I had a lot of fun.  I stayed up until 2 that night!