So since our kitchen got renovated, new stoves were also installed! I was really excited to use them, yet hadn't paid much attention to them. But when came time to cook for the first time, I was told that my old pans would no longer work on these stoves. They had brought IH stoves (induction heating), which only work with IH pans (which have a special bottom to allow the heat to transfer). I was NOT impressed.

That night, I used my friend Miguel's pan, but the next day I set out to buy my own. Shotaro came to make sure I didn't buy the wrong one. I must say that these pans are not giveaways. They were quite expensive, and I believed it was in my best interest to buy two of them. But at least I had received a pan from the Iwasa's and the Brazilians so I technically never bought my own in the first place. I also took the time to get a better knife to cut vegetables since it was really bothering me and getting dangerous to cut anything.

I ended up getting two pans of my favourite colours. Check 'em out!


Now, when I came to use the stove, I also found out that you can't lift the pan. I had learned from watching my roommate how to stir a pan with the flick of a wrist, and I quite enjoyed it. It saved me time, effort and sometimes having to wash and extra spatula. But now, as soon as you lift the pan off the stove, the heat shuts off.

In other words, my cooking style was forced to change, but I guess it's not too bad. Here's some examples of what I have done so far with these bad boys.

This next semester has now already started. The first week was very easy for me. I had studied ahead of time and most of it I already understood. This gave me time to study extra on my own time with Miguel. We are studying an extra textbook on vocabulary which is made in such a way that we study a certain amount of words per day, take a small test, and do that every day till the 7^th day where there is a test of the past 6 days. It went well for the first week, but this second week has been too busy and we didn't get very far.

Besides that, our listening class is probably the hardest since Miyagi sensei seems very determined to force our ears and minds to adjust to the Japanese language. Nishiyama sensei is quite kind and gentle, and teaches us in a such a simple way so that we can all understand. Yamamori sensei is just as she was last semester, nice, clear, and funny!

I'm really going to push through this semester, because I think if I get to complete the extra two textbooks I'm studying as well as the course, it will go hand-in-hand to benefit me in everything. Already, some of the vocabulary and kanji I studied are coming up in class.

With that being said, I also plan on going hard in judo practice. I really want to rejoin the normal practice, which I have started since the beginning of April, but I'm still quite scared.

Finding a balance and working hard is what I plan on doing during this next semester. Here I go!

On Monday April 6^th, after my morning practice, I went to my guidance class, during which we purchased the two other textbooks I need for class. After that, we were free! Since we already knew the rest of the information, we didn't need to attend the other two guidance classes. And so Miguel invited me to go to the sea with him and Shingo. I wasn't too sure I wanted to go since I did have a practice later that day, but in the end I decided to go.

We all grabbed our bike and headed out to a part of Hiratsuka (the city where I live) that I had never seen before. There were still sakura which made our journey there and back gorgeous. After about a 30 minute bike ride, we arrived at the beach. There were a few people surfing in wet suits. This day had been the warmest day since the end of winter, and so those crazy for the waves had taken the chances to get out there. Miguel had brought a bathing suit, but I had not. But it was really warm, and so not too long after that, Miguel, Shingo and I were all jumping into the waves. This was my second time seeing the ocean in my life, and my first time here in Japan.




I don't know if it was the accumulated stress, or the pressure or being responsible all the time but after about 5 minutes of playing in the waves, I lost myself in the moment. I can honestly say I became a child again, jumping into the waves and letting them carry me back to the shore. I laughed, and laughed, and screamed, and laughed again. Miguel and Shingo were there with me, being smashed by the strength of the waves. I think the waves just helped me wash away the big stress I had been carrying for a while. In that moment, I felt free, which is something I had not experienced in a while.









We ran down the beach, climbed up the side of a small creak leading to a river, started a sand fight and ran some more. Finally, we washed ourselves off, and headed back to the Kaikan. I really have to thank Miguel for that because he always takes me on these odd excursions, but I enjoy them very much. It's something that I wish I could do more often, but going there once was a great experience.

Japan is widely known for its traditional culture, but also for its weird culture. There are many odd things embedded within the culture that a lot of people actually enjoy. For example, in the convenience store, there are porn magazines for sale. I still can't quite wrap my head around that. There's also a lot of odd anime, manga, and TV shows magazines.

Now, since a while, there had been talk of going to what they call "Chinko Matsuri". "Chinko" means penis and "matsuri" means festival. So in other words, there actually is a Penis Festival here in Japan. Now, I have no interest in this kind of thing, but many of the students were going and asked me to come along. In the end, I decided to go see this side of the Japanese culture. This was April 5^th, the weekend before school started.

I learned that this actually happens to be the most popular festival among the foreigners in Japan. Once we arrived at the station, which was near Yokohama, the streets were already filled with people, mostly foreigners. Even the train had been filled to the walls. It was raining, so we ended up buying umbrellas there. We then headed to the starting location of the festival, and waited in the midst of hundreds of umbrellas and cameras for about 20 minutes. Then it started. They carried out three huge penises while shouting words of encouragement. We all just laughed so hard!



After that, Valentina and I wanted to find ourselves some candy, and so we got in line. After about 15 minutes of waiting, I came out of the shop with a bag of sexual part shaped candies. Just watching people eat these was really hysterical.

It was getting quite cold, so we headed back to Yokohama, where we had planned to eat at a Chinese buffet! This was my third time here in the Chinatown of Yokohama, but my first time in an all-you-can-eat restaurant. Jokes, laughter, and smiles accompanied us while we ordered and ate many different dishes!




We headed back about one hour and a half later, still laughing about the day's adventure.

After the placement test was taken, I was invited to join a group of students going over to the Odawara Castle to see the Sakura! I didn't have any specific plans so I joined in. I had never been to Odawara, which is actually the last station of the Odakyu (Odawara Kyuko) train line, (the only train available from Tokai). I had actually never even gone in that direction, which is the opposite of when going to Tokyo. Wait, I did once go to the next station by accident since I had stayed on the train too long.

But anyways, around 1 o'clock, we were all off to Odawara. By "all of us" I mean me and about 15 other international students, including a lot of Italians. I spent most of my time with Nnadi, my Nigerian friend. Mai, who is half Israeli, half Japanese also joined us after a while. It was a nice relaxing time, and it was really beautiful to see this all with Sakura.

I didn't really want to approach the new students just yet, so I kept my distance that day. But besides that, it was good experience.

Just like the semester before, all students studying Japanese have to take a placement test in order for the teacher to understand how much Japanese they know, and then create appropriate classes for everyone. Now, me having studied throughout most of the spring break, I had high expectations. My sister herself had managed to jump 4 levels while studying here at Tokai. With this is mind, on April 2nd, I took the test which seemed much easier than last time. I don't think I did my best; I was a little distracted and out of it that day.

During the month of March, Miguel and I had decided, after a few discussions, that we would like to do some exercise together. We ended up with a few choices, and one of them was wrestling. Miguel, being crazy, dared to fight me in the Kaikan's backyard.

Miguel and I had a few matches, which I enjoyed for more than one reason. This was exercise, and at the same time I could practice judo which would help me come back from my injury. I must say, Miguel is quite brave, but there is no way I would lose to him. I threw him a few times on the ground, sometimes being dangerous due to the fact that Miguel has not done judo, and does not expect certain movements.

After this first time, we invited Chipa to join in. He accepted and one day, we were all out in the back of Kaikan, pushing each other around. Now Chipa is much stronger than Miguel, and probably stronger than me, but he still has no experience in man-to-man combat. He got me down once or twice at first, but then I got the hang of his style and to his surprise, made him fly all over the place.

Why is this important? Well like I say, I could "practice" some "judo" without being watched or judged by everyone else. Also, when fighting Chipa, I really felt his strength. I mean, he's 10 kilos heavier than me, and he plays rugby, which made him quite hard to push around. But I still stood in there, and managed to find a way around it. Now yeah, it's not a fair match, but it still gave me a little boost of confidence and also showed me that our biggest enemy is ourselves. I think it's time I overcome my own fears.

On March 25^th, almost a month ago already, I was able to attend the Tokai University Graduation Ceremony.

Now just to give you a little background on the Japanese culture, first of all, most students have a set time of 4 years of studies, with the first semester starting in April, the second one in September. They do this for four years, and as long as they passed all their courses, most of them all graduate at the same time. Also, it is very common for some people not to attend their own graduation ceremony. Some of them have already found a job and are working hard or being trained.

This day was a very special day. I would say that about... 80% of the friends I have made so far in Japan were now all graduating on this day. This meant that it would most likely be the last time I see them before I head back home. So I packed up some of the organic hand soaps I had brought from Canada into little packages, making one for all of my friends. I also printed out and framed a picture for Chipa and Anzu, who were the ones who helped me the most since I've been here.

Now I actually had to attend two ceremonies. Since they all had to graduate on that day (but there were too many students to fit the gymnasium), they needed to separate the arts and the sciences students. And still, the room was filled! First up was Chipa's graduation. He graduated from the Architecture Department. I watched the ceremony which lasted about 1 hour. Gift where given to those who excelled, speeches were made, a video was showed and it was then time to leave.



After that, I gave Chipa his gift, and he headed off to his department to receive his certificate.

Two hours later, I headed back to the gym to attend the art's ceremony. But this time, my friend Kenta who was a staff at the dorm, invited us to go down with him. Being a little crazy, four of us who aren't graduating headed with the graduating students to watch the ceremony from a student's perspective. It was quite funny, and it didn't bother anyone. Since I won't really be graduating from Tokai, this gave me the opportunity to know how it feels to graduate from a Japanese university. Besides that, the ceremony was exactly the same.


After it ended, I had to chase down all my friends to take pictures with them and give them gifts. They all had to head to their departments, so it was quite interesting to try and spot them out of the hundreds of students coming down the road. Here they are, all dressed up for the ceremony!







*I didn't get a picture with all of them since some of them took it on their phone and still haven't sent them over...*

Most of my friends were graduating from the International Department, so I followed them there, and ended up listening to the last speech they received from their teacher. I must say, it really felt like I was graduating. Many of them actually asked me if I was haha!

Random but funny, the judo guys that were graduating saw me at one point, and asked me to take a picture with them. Most of them had never spoken to me before, but I don't mind. I just don't think I'm never going to see that picture since I don't have them as friends on Facebook.

But yeah, after saying goodbye to everyone one last time, I headed back to the Kaikan. That night, we had a supper to celebrate Chipa and Kenta's graduation and departure from the dorm.



Feelings:
 - First, most of my friends are going to leave, which makes me quite sad. I had really built this family atmosphere with all these friends I would come across on the university campus. Many of them had helped me at least once and I was really thankful for them.
 - This means that next semester, I get to start "anew". Since most of my Japanese friends are leaving, this makes me anonymous again. Not a bad thing I guess.
 - Every single one of them said that their four years had gone too fast and they wanted to stay here. All I could think of, is how fast my own trip had gone so far, and it really just made me scared that I wouldn't be able to accomplish all my goals within the remaining time.

One thing you might notice, and that I also noticed that day, is that most of my friends are girls! Well, what can I say... haha, no I did not do this on purpose. It is because most girls' Japanese is quite easier to understand, and they actually teach me Japanese. Also, guys in Japanese simply approach me to have "international experience", and so I prefer to keep my distance, although I believe I might change this for this next semester, but we'll see. ;-)