Ice Cream!

Since I don't get cow ice cream much in America I really enjoyed being able to have it all the time in Japan. It tasted the same, and most of the time I got pictures of me with the ice cream!

So just for you I am posting all the photos of me with my ice cream!

Japan girl

In the mall (they had about 5-8 different

ice cream shops right beside each other!)

In the mall.

The day I went to the theme park.

I had this on the way to the lodge.

The day I rode the horse (!!).

I had this for supper (this day we went to ride

the horse and see the farm).

The day we went to the water park.


On the way home from the theme
park/water park.





















We had this ice cream the day I went to the
guide dog school.



We got this treat right after my hair was cut.

At Denny's



Don't all of those pictures make you hungry?!?!



(the blog keeps placing the photos differently than I am telling it to, so the words aren't always with the picture... sorry!)

Service dog School

I did a post about going to the guide dog school, but never did one about the service dog school. I went there on the first day I was in Japan (not the night I got there, the next morning). It was in Tokyo where my host mother's sister lives. Since my host family lived about 6 hours away from the service dog school, their relatives offered to take us there in their car. I had a lot of fun, and they showed us some commands they teach the dogs.

I tried to load 2 videos but only 1 will work, she was showing us how the dogs learn to close doors.

Japan girl




Closing the door

The lady with the paper in her hand was

explaining how they teach the dogs (yes in

Japanese!)

This trainer was showing us how they train the dogs to pull wheelchairs and retrieve stuff for

handicap people.

Praising the dog.

Still here

No not Japan!! I mean on the blog,
I got back home Thursday night and have been feeding our new pig every 2 hours!!
I just want to let you guys know that I even if there have been no more posts yet I am still planning on doing more, just have to get my photos in order! So check back in a couple days and I hopefully will have a post or 2 done.
I had a blast in Japan and really want to go back, so if I ever do I will have to make a blog for going there again!!

Japan girl

Journal - even more...and more

Friday August 1, 8:40pm.
Before I update about today let me write about yesterday.

Thursday, July 31.
Well everyone was quite sad this morning, since we woke up at 6am we had a little bit of time before people left, the leaders in the lodge made a list of who was leaving when, I was leaving at 8:40am, but that wasn’t the earliest time, some people left at 7:30am. The other American (Courtney) wasn’t going to leave until 9:35. I got a lot more people to sign messages for me, and the LABO tutors that were in the lodge with me also wrote a message, both in English and Japanese! …and had good spelling. When it came time for me to leave, I gave everybody that was still there a hug, and said bye. I was told that C.C. would be on the same bus with me on the way home. Before I left Rieko and I ran to her lodge so I could get a picture with her. But when our bus left C.C. wasn’t on it. I figured out that she was on bus three, not four (which we were on). I got Riko to come to the back and play a game with us on the way home; it’s a hand game and a song. I learned the song at camp, but it’s not Japanese (Courtney taught it in our lodge). When we stopped for lunch, (around 12:30), it was not raining outside so instead of eating inside the bus we ate outside. I only ate half of my lunch since the other half I didn’t like. When we finally got back to where the bus dropped us off (near home, mother was waiting for us), but instead of going home right away we stayed and talked. I even taught the game I played on the way home in the bus to Rieko’s LABO tutor. She wanted me to write it down but I didn’t know how to spell it! But Rieko does know the song so hopefully she can teach some LABO kids. I took the LABO tutor’s hat right before I left, and asked if I could keep it. She didn’t know what I meant and thought I said something different so she said yes! I did take it home with me but only because I am going to see her this Monday, and she wanted me to write a message on it. Instead of going home, we went to go get lunch (since Rieko and I didn’t eat all of our lunch), we went to a mall, and found a MacDonald’s. I got a burger and fries (and a drink!). Afterwards we went shopping. I found a gift for my mother and brother, and also my little cousin. I even got them gift wrapped for free! Well I decided when I got home to go ahead and write down how much the things cost that I got today, but in the middle of trying to figure out how to spell something Rieko came in saying my friend is here. She decided to surprise us and drop by. So I stopped what I was doing (which I was happy about) and went downstairs. We played Jenga one time and then her sister knocked on the door. We let her in and she came in just in time for the game to be almost over (where you keep pulling out blocks and putting them on the top ‘til it falls) and it was getting ready to fall. It fell in a couple more rounds (on Rieko’s turn!). We then played Go Fish for a while. Then I taught the game that I played on the way home today. We had a lot of fun, but soon it was supper time, and they left. She said she had to go pack since she was leaving for Australia in a couple days. Pretty cool, I told her my friend went there last year and had a lot of fun. We watched Happy Feet tonight, it was great. I have never seen that movie, and was told that it was boring and I wouldn’t like it. But I loved it!! My host family liked it a lot to. I wouldn’t mind at all to see that movie again.

Okay now that I am done with yesterday I will update about today.

Friday August 1, 9:15pm.
Right after I ate breakfast today I went to email mother my journal so she could update my blog. I am planning on doing a post with pictures from camp tomorrow. I was told that we would be leaving at 11:00am today to go shopping. I still wanted to find a t-shirt with Kanji (Japanese letters) on it. Can you believe that in Japan there are like no shops that have shirts with Japanese letters on them!! I have gone to like every mall up to 30 minutes away, and looked in soo many stores! But we got lucky today, and before I tell you about that I will tell you a little story…
We were GOING to leave the house at 11, but didn’t really leave ‘til about 12! It was five minutes ‘til 11 so Rieko and I stopped watching Tom and Jerry (yes in Japanese, and it was one I have never seen!!) and went to go find mother. She wasn’t anywhere in the house so I said she might be outside in the office (where the computer is). Rieko went out to see if she was there and I went to the restroom. When I came out Rieko still wasn’t there, after waiting about five minutes I went out to the office (since Rieko’s shoes weren’t there I didn’t think she was in the house) to see if I could find her. When I went inside my host mother was there but Rieko wasn’t there! After my host mother (which I am just calling her mother now, in Japanese of course) finished what she was doing she came back inside and said lets go, I said “well were is Rieko??” She thought I knew where she was but I didn’t. So we went back outside to look for her; okay well mother went back outside, I stayed inside to look for her. Mother looked in the car (just in case she decided to what for us) and in the office, but she wasn’t there. She looked right around the house, but she wasn’t there, so she came back inside and helped me look for her, we looked EVERYWHERE for her, in the bathroom, the shower room, the kitchen, ALL the bedrooms, and anywhere else, including her grandmother and fathers room. But she was not there! I was kind of getting worried, and it was about 11:30, we called and called and called for her, no answer. WE went back outside and looked for her. We didn’t think there was anywhere else to find her. Mother went out to look in the office one more time, since we couldn’t find her anywhere else. I decided to get my shoes on and follow. By the time I got outside my mother was already in the office, but I walked quickly while looking around to make sure Rieko wasn’t just standing there. When we were looking for her inside I gave the idea that maybe she is playing hide and go seek, and is hiding really good! The mother just thought “well, I don’t know”! But she didn’t believe she was hiding, I was almost to the office and I heard a knock. It was coming from my mother’s car, I went over there and looked inside, and there was Rieko!! Well I got mother and told her, yes Rieko was playing hide and go seek. She thought we were just going to get in the car so she was just waiting, but when my mother looked in the car she didn’t notice Rieko so it just made looking for her even longer!! That’s the end, but on the way to the mall I made up a song just for Rieko…

Okay back to us at the mall:
We were walking down the mall and saw a shirt with Kanji on it, so we stopped and looked. I found the shirt I liked the most and bought it, also buying another one for a friend that gave me some money to get her a shirt with Kanji on it. The shirt I got myself had from 1-10 on it, with the number written in English and in Japanese. I thought it looked like the best shirt for me so I got it. The other shirt I think said “Good Luck,” there was so many shirts, and what they said meant nothing, so I was mostly just going for the best print. It’s not like anyone is going to know what it says in America!! After we were done in that shop I found a gift for my father, and found a nice gift for my friend. We went to go eat lunch; I got pizza, french fries and a drink, the same thing Rieko and her mother got, it was really good. We went to the 100 yen shop after we finished eating (and I finished my really good ice cream!). I found some more gifts to take back home. I decided to try to pack when we got back to the house, if you go to one of my first posts there is a picture of the 2 suitcases I took to Japan (not counting my laptop bag), well the big one (that was not a carry on) only has gifts in it and is already full! I didn’t know how I was going to bring everything home (my clothes??) without having to pay a lot. I told my mother, and she said come look at this, it was the suitcase Rieko used when going from America back to Japan. She had too much stuff so we gave her one of our suitcases. Well after looking in the book we found out that you can have 2 pieces of luggage not counting your carry-on and personal item. I called my chaperone to make sure. She said “yes, its okay but I would have to pay to get it shipped from here to the airport. Since LABO only pays for 1 piece of luggage. Well it would be 2000 yen (about 20 dollars), which I have enough money to pay that and it’s not that much. Definitely since my other option is shipping it all the way home. But my chaperone said that is what she just did since she couldn’t take another suitcase home with her because she doesn’t have one. So it cost her about 14,000, (140 dollars!) which is a lot more than just paying 20 dollars for shipping it. Mother gave me ink and 3 paint brushes for my mother today, (since when I told her I needed to buy some she said no its okay, she will buy it for me as a gift for my mother). And I was also given some other things to. I am planning on packing the extra suitcase tomorrow, and I am really glad since I don’t have to worry about not having room or being over weight! Since each piece can have up to 50 pounds in it! Well before eating supper Rieko came into my room and was joking and said do I want to go walk around her house and see things. I said yes since I would like to see her neighborhood. And she was quite surprised that I said that, she even said that we would walk right by her friends house (the girls that came over yesterday), so I said lets go to there house and knock on there door and surprise them! Well Rieko was totally thinking I was joking, but I wasn’t. If they surprised us and just came and knocked on our door, lets do the same to them! She said we could and I brought some gifts with me since I still have a lot left (and I have given away a lot). They were surprised about us and the gifts, I got some pictures with me and them, and then asked if they wanted to come to the park with us (I was joking since I knew they were probably busy since one of the girls leaves for Australia this Sunday) but they went and asked there mother, she said sure so we all went to the park. It was a really small park, but it had swings so I didn’t mind! After playing for about five minutes one of the girls had to leave to go back home and study, but her sister and brother stayed. We played for about 30 minutes, while I was swinging my friend’s brother was catching frogs (which Rieko DOES NOT like), and they were cute and tiny, he even put one in Rieko’s hair with out her noticing! …well at least until we told her of course. She was rubbing her hair like crazy, but the little frog soon jumped out and then went home. Me and their eight year old brother were playing around and I accidentally knocked him in a mud puddle. I didn’t get that dirty, and wasn’t hurt at all. I said I am sorry (in Japanese) and he was jumping around and playing again on the walk home.

Sunday July 3, 12:15pm.
Yeah it is really late! I have been up all night trying to pack, but will explain about that later right now I have to talk about Saturday, since I was gone over night and didn’t take my laptop with me, I still have to update.

So for yesterday:

Saturday July 2.
We left about 9 in the morning to go pick up Rieko’s cousin and Aunt (same ones that went with us to see the fireworks). We were going to their lodge, and since they knew where it was and where going to go with us we let them ride with us in the same car (makes sense, and saves gas!). Before going to the lodge we stopped by this place called something like “Sample foods” it’s a place that makes “real” looking food! They had a shop there, and were selling lots of cool things. We signed up for a class (me, Rieko, and her cousin) to make cabbage, 2 candles, and fried shrimp (or mushrooms). The cabbage looked soo real! I really wanted to eat it, but of course there were a lot of tags saying “DO NOT EAT” …and it was in English! It was a lot of fun to make the cabbage, and really neat how we made it. I chose to make a star and heart candle. Rieko was feeling really bad (I was told she had a fever) so I made her cabbage and fried mushroom for her. I am going to try and take the “food” home with me, and am hoping it won’t break. After finishing making the food and candles we left to go eat lunch (since being in that shop just made me really hungry!) I had a hamburger without the bun (that was the way it was served), and then Rieko’s cousin and I had ice cream (since Rieko was still feeling bad she didn’t have any). It was really good, and when we finished we went to a grocery store to buy food for tonight and tomorrow morning. I got a bottle of coke for the car ride home tomorrow. And some Japanese candies to take home (U.S.A.) for my family. When we left the store we headed for the lodge/cabin. Once we got there it was about 2:00pm. After unloading the car and putting things away Rieko’s Aunt said lets go play in the river, so I rolled up my Capris and turned them in to shorts. Once we were ready we got our flip-flops on and left (the river was right beside the lodge, so we just walked to it), it was REALLY cold and the rocks were slippery but since we had the flip-flops on it held on to the rock pretty well. Since Rieko wasn’t feeling any better she stayed out of the water and took pictures with her mother. I had to help Rieko’s cousin (I would be saying his name, but I don’t know how to spell it!!) cross from rock to rock (I went through the water since I made my Capri's really short, but he was small so the water was a lot deeper on him, and his mother didn’t pull her pants up all the way so she only walked in the shallow area). It was a lot of fun to climb on the rocks, and I picked him up a lot so he could get on the really tall ones. We went down the river until I saw a trail that would lead back to the lodge, so I started to cross it, with Rieko’s Aunt yelling “NO!” she was afraid I would get hurt, but I crossed it fine. Then had to cross back to get the cousin since the water was way to deep for him. On the way back over I was almost there, but I lost my balance and fell in! My whole entire bottom and back side was soaked! I got back up (really wet of course!) and picked up Rieko’s cousin, and carried him across with out tripping! By the time we got back to the house I was a little dry, but my back side was still quite wet (my shirt was like the only thing that dried). I took a shower when we got back into the lodge, and afterwards I put the clothes outside to dry. And so did Rieko’s Aunt, since I just happened to have thrown about 10 big rocks toward her while in the river! She got pretty wet! I packed 2 pairs of shorts in my bag, and since I got my first pair all dirty (the one I came wearing, I had to change into another one) and only had one left, for tomorrow. But after tie dyeing scarves, I took off my gloves and filled them with water, it got really, really full. And then I picked it up and I ended up dropping it and it popping right in front of me, I didn’t get that wet. Then I filled up the other one and put holes in 2 fingers, and pretended to milk a goat. It felt almost real; somehow I miss milking goats, I don’t know why but I do!
When I finally went to bed, Rieko’s cousin decided he wanted to sleep with me. I said that was okay, so he slept in the same bed, which was a pretty big bed. He slept on the very edge so I had most of the bed, (he is only like 6-7 so he didn’t take up much room).

Okay it’s about 1 in the morning now so I will write about yesterday (which is Sunday, but since its past 12 its now yesterday!). So good night

Monday July 4th, 6:05pm.
I will write about today later tonight, I am going to write about yesterday right now.

Sunday July 3.
We went to a farm today, it didn’t really look like one, but they did have animals, and I spotted the horses quite quickly! I was told that we were going to ride horses, the only horse riding I saw though was, well, boring. They had about 4 horses in the big fenced in arena, and you paid 1,200yen (about 12.00 dollars) to ride around it once, at a walk being led. There was NO way I was going to do that! I really didn’t want my host mother to pay that for me when I wouldn’t even like it. I don’t even like riding by myself at a walk. So I asked my mother if I could ride alone. I thought it was going to be a no, but she asked the person who works there about that. She said the only other thing they had was riding lessons, which you do get to ride alone, but the teacher is Japanese, so that would be wasting 2,000 yen (20.00 dollars) to take a lesson. We decided to go ahead and try it, and Rieko also signed up for one. It wasn’t going to be for another 2 hours so we went to wait in line for cow milking, my mother gave us 300 yen (3 dollars) to go and buy some animal food to feed the cows right beside the place you get to milk (since we were in the back of the line it was going to be a while, I guess no one there has ever fed a animal before, I was the only one putting the food on my hand and letting them eat it, sure my hand got a little dirty, but I am used to it! And all the other kids were throwing it at the cows hoping they would catch it in there mouth! Rieko was kind of doing that, I told her just to lay her hands flat and pretend she was feeding a horse (so they won’t bit you fingers) but of course she only had 1 piece left, but she kept moving her hand right before the cow grabbed it so it fell on the ground. Once we put the cups back we went back to the line, it was almost our turn, and by seeing how the other people milk, I can tell they have never done it before! Some people didn’t even know how to put their hands on. Once it was my turn I saw the bucket, there was about 30 or more people in front of us, and the buckets bottom wasn’t even covered! They were soo surprised at how I milked, and you know I haven’t milked a goat in almost a whole month!! But soon I had to stop, don’t want the cow to be empty for the other people! We went to go eat lunch since it wasn’t time to ride yet. I got a hamburger, fries, and a Pepsi. Rieko got the same thing as me, just a different drink. After finishing I decided to have ice cream instead of a doughnut. I guess I have had enough ice cream that my mother knows what flavors I like and don’t like! She just went up there got the ice cream and came back, and much to my surprise (well not really!) it was one of my favorite flavors, vanilla! By the time we finished eating, (we had to wait on Rieko’s Aunt and cousin). It was almost time to ride the horse, with about 5 minutes we hurried to the arena (they have 2, one for people taking lessons, and one for being led around). Once the teacher warmed up the horse, it was time for my “lesson.” I asked my mother if she could explain to him that I own horses and ride everyday, and since I am not Japanese him trying to teach me won’t help a bit. She told him that and he said that I can just ride around for 10 minutes (yeah that’s how long the lesson lasts!). He must be soo used to people not knowing the front of the horse from the back, he was really surprised at how I got on and I even knew how to steer the horse! I walked the horse for a little bit first so I could get the feel of him, then I moved him into a trot, a canter, and then a gallop, which everyone who was near by came closer to watch. I guess they have never seen a kid ride like that. I had soo much fun, I haven’t ridden horses for awhile, (I didn’t get to ride the day before I left like I would have liked to do). It was a lot of fun to change from a walk to a canter, everyone would either clap, or step even closer to watch! And all the kids standing in line for the horse ride that you are being led around were all watching! But my “lesson” was soon over. I think I gave the teacher a break; he didn’t have to tell me anything. Rieko was after me, and it’s been way too long since she came to our house. She didn’t even know how to get on the horse! She put her right foot up and somehow it didn’t work! She only rode the horse for five minutes, for the other half she was learning how to lead the horse, and pet the horse. She didn’t even go faster than a walk. But to her it was fun; I guess she will have to come back to America again so I can teach her the FUN way to ride…
After leaving the farm we went home, dropping off Rieko’s cousin and Aunt, then picking up Rieko’s father and brother since we were going out to eat with Rieko’s Uncle. (we had watched the fireworks at his house). I liked this restaurant the best, you didn’t order off a menu, you got to go and look at the food and decided if you want it, and could get as little or as much as you wanted. I didn’t know but my father ordered steak for me, so once I got back with a plate full of food I had yet another plate of food to eat! I got a couple potato wedges to try, and once I did I went back up and got a plate full of them! They were soo good, better than any I have had in America. For dessert Rieko and I got flavored ice. Mine was strawberry, Rieko’s was lemon.

FARM!!

Me on a Japanese horse!!

YEAH!! I was able to ride a horse!

At first I didn't want to since the only riding there was being led around an arena at a walk, and it cost 1,200 yen (12.00 dollars!!), but once my mother asked about riding alone we found out that you can take a riding lesson. Well we signed me and Rieko up for that, (it cost 2,000 yen, 20.00 dollars). Once it was time for the "lesson" I asked my host mother to explain that I know how to ride a horse, and I wouldn't understand him trying to tell me things since he is Japanese. He said that I could just ride for the 10 minutes (yeah that's how long the lesson lasts!). I think he must be used to people not knowing the bridle from the saddle, because when I got on, he was right there getting ready to help me, and then he was going to make sure I knew how to make the horse go. It was soo much fun, I let the horse walk around the arena first so I could get the feel of him, then I moved him into a trot, a canter, and then a gallop, but no sooner than I started my 10 minutes was up. I think I must have given the teacher a break, since Rieko's lesson was next, I got to see how he does them. Half of her lesson was just learning how to walk the horse (yes walk as in on the ground leading the horse), then when it came time for her to get on the horse, I could tell it's been too long since she has been to our house. She used her right leg to get on the horse, and once she finally did get on the horse she didn't know how to make it go. I think that must have given the horse a break, no running, just a person on top trying to make it go. But her time was up and she didnt even get to trot. Just a walk. She said it was fun, but to me walking is really boring! But yes for people who don't ride often, or have never ridden, a walk is great fun. I am soo glad I have gotten to ride a Japanese horse, even if it is just like riding an American horse...at least I have done it! Pictures below of my visit, I did talk a little more on going to the farm in my journal, and my mom will be posting that soon.

Japan girl

Guess we spent too much time with the sheep,
me and Rieko turned into one!


Me feeding carrots to a horse

Me feeding a carrot to a horse, which was really really wanting one!!

I went outside to feed a carrot to a horse that no
one was paying attention to.

Feeding a cow

Petting a cow



















And milking a cow!




I got ice cream before I went to ride the horse

Riding the horse!!

Doing a trot

And doing a canter

Feeding the sheep

Journal- yet more updates

Thursday July 24, 10:00pm.
Yeah it is late; I just finished watching Charlotte’s Web with my host mother. Since Rieko’s teacher was here (he comes every Thursday) she had to study. So me and my host mom watched one of the movies my host dad rented. The other one is animated, and I don’t recognize the name. I have seen Charlotte’s Web at the movie theater and really liked it, but it has been a while since I have seen it again, so I was glad that they rented it. When I woke up this morning I was told one of Rieko’s friends was coming over with her mother and sister around 10:00am. I asked which one, and was told it was the girl that was right in front of me (I know her name but cannot spell it!), and also she is the one that I traded slippers with the last day. (Since I was only going to be there for a short time I had to wear my host mothers slippers, for if she did need to go into the school for some reason. But the school slippers are way more comfy, so I traded slippers with her for the last day!). She is my best friend from school, and I have pictures of me and her, we also played card games, and the game where you take a piece of wood out of the tower, and try to make it really tall with out it falling! We each had a turn to make it fall! Her mother brought ice cream; I had one that was called sweet ice cream, and Rieko and her friends had green tea flavor (I have tried it, but do not like it!!), her mother had, I think, strawberry with condensed milk in the middle. I updated my blog today, it was only going to take a short time, but ended up taking really long, it kept spacing the photos really far apart, and when I would try to get rid of the space I ended up deleting a picture, and I even deleted a movie, twice! And the movies take a really long time to load! I finally got most of the space gone, but didn’t get it all. I didn’t go anywhere today, but my host mom went food shopping and brought home a big bag of Kit-Kats!! I had a couple, they taste the same as the ones in America, and I love them!! Well I am going to go ahead and stop writing, since Rieko is going to play a game with me, its really fun, and you keep putting monkeys on a tree that we build and when It falls over whoever’s turn it fell on gets all the monkeys that touched the ground, once all of your monkeys are gone you win.
Bye!
P.S. My fingernail fell of tonight, right after I took a shower, it didn’t hurt at all, and my new fingernail is already half way grown. (The finger I squished in the car door).

Friday July 25, 11:00pm.
Today I went to the dentist with Rieko, it was a nice place, and we had to take our shoes off at the door. And then we put dentist slippers on. Most of the time the places that provide slippers have them in a shoe cubby beside the door, this place however had a small machine inside at the door that you pushed the big button and out came a pair of slippers at the bottom!! Kind of like a drink machine, and then when you leave you sit the slippers on the top of the machine and they fall back into it for another person to wear! I got a picture of the “Slipper machine” and will be posting it on my blog. When we came back home Rieko got out and I was told that she had to stay at home to wait for her teacher to come, so my host mom was going to take me to a Kimono shop to buy a tie for my and another girl I got a Kimono for. It was a really nice shop, and they even had wedding Kimonos there! I finally picked out the tie I liked (and that went with my Kimono), so then we looked at the children’s Kimono ties, (they were silk). I ended up picking out a green one with a pretty pattern on it, I was told that it was silk (like all the others). After my host mom and I left the Kimono shop we went to a bakery. I picked out what kind of bread I wanted to eat for lunch, and my host mom also brought 4 pizzas. Then when we got home since Rieko was busy I was allowed to do email on their computer. Once I finished on the computer, I came out of the house and the car was turned on with my host mom and Rieko in it! I asked where they were going, they said to grab my camera and hurry since we were going to a LABO party (this is like my 5th LABO party!) but I don’t mind since I get to see all my friends! My friend that may be coming to America next year (if so I hopefully will host her!!!) was there, and afterwards Riko came!! Riko’s mother took me home, so I got to ride in a different car (and also spend time with Riko!). I think its funny how my really good friend Riko is so close to Rieko (I love Rieko, and now Riko is my friend too!) and their names are soo close to each other! Once we got home, at 10:30pm (we ate supper at the party), I watched some cartoons on the TV with Rieko and her brother. And then I went to write in my Journal and go to bed!! Camp is next week, and I am told Riko will be going (and Rieko will be going with me).

Saturday July 26, 11:27pm.
I just got home from going to see fireworks, I was told yesterday that we would go see some fireworks, (I don’t know of any kind of holiday, 4th of July has already passed!!). Rieko’s Uncle came over yesterday and drew a map of his house, I found out today he did that because he would be out of town tonight when the fireworks were going, so he offered for us and some friends to use the house and we can see the fireworks really well on the balcony, we even stopped and picked up food for supper before going to the house. We also brought my host mother’s sister, her little child, and a friend (we stopped by their house). I had to bring my Kimono and tie with me today (and Rieko brought hers), since it would be an event were most people would be wearing kimonos. But half way through watching fireworks the Kimono was kind of annoying to wear. So Rieko, another girl, and I all changed back into our regular clothes!! Of course I got pictures of us in the kimonos! They fireworks were from 6pm-9pm. We ate supper around 5:30; the fireworks were really loud, so some people stayed inside watching them from the windows. But me and 3 other girls stayed outside on the balcony with a tarp, and all laid down and watched them. The fireworks kept moving to different sides, so we had to keep flipping over! I got 4 movies of the fireworks, and some pictures (I got movies since it was dark out and the pictures weren’t turning out that good. For some reason, one of the LABO kids that was with us (around the same age as me), gave someone beside me a 100 yen coin, (1 dollar), she had no clue why, so asked if I could have it, she gave it to me, and the person didn’t even care! And then right before I left someone was giving a person money, so I said “can I have some?” and he gave me 10yen (10 cents, not that much but its something!!). So I left with 110yen! And I didn’t pay a single yen for it! We went walking around the town when the fireworks were going, (not a good idea), since they were still going it was crowed with a lot of people sitting and standing there watching them. But since there were people selling food it was really crowded on the walking path. It took us a whole 15 minutes to walk a 4 minute walk! When we were eating some snacks we had Coke and green tea to drink, since I don’t like tea I had coke. I wasn’t wearing my kimono (which was a good thing!), as the little kid we brought with us was playing in front of me, he suddenly bounced back, falling on me and knocking the glass (with it half full of coke) out of my hand, and it spilled all over my shirt and shorts (and of course the nice floor). We finished cleaning it up, (my shirt and shorts I so far don’t think are stained), and his mother told him to apologize (she had to tell him how to say it in English), he was quite sad, but got over it quickly and was playing again! He even ended up hitting his head on the table, not even caring! Once we were on the way home he was getting sleepy.
I can’t believe I leave for camp the day after tomorrow! And it’s for four whole days! I am not going to take my computer with me, so will have to do a lot of updating when I get back. Good night and I don’t know yet what I am doing tomorrow!

Sunday July 27, 9:14pm.
Well I found out that we were celebrating Rieko’s brother’s birthday today (he turned 17), his birthday was on the 24th (that I didn’t know), but we went out to eat today. They even bought him a dessert that said “Happy Birthday”…it was hand written, and in English! I don’t think I have said this before, but he went to America 4 years ago, so he and Rieko have both been there!). We went shopping today, we went to the mall, which had 2 pet shops, one was selling real pets, and the dogs there were too cute! If my real mother was with me I might have been able to convince her to let me get one…
But I picked out some different dog things, so I can give them to my friends who have dogs. We went to an ice cream place after that, but before buying the ice cream we saw a photo booth, (where it turns them into stickers, and you choose the background), I have never done that before; it ended up being quite fun! It had a timer, and when we were choosing our backgrounds it ran out of time, so then it got ready to take the picture, we moved just in time to make it in front of the camera, but Rieko was a little too short, since I was wearing my host mothers sandals (I like them a lot, and they have a little bit of a heel, so I was even taller for the pictures!!). Some of the pictures turned out really good, Rieko said we can go get some more (different booth so we can have a different selection). We went to the 100 yen shop next (but it was more of a Family Dollar store than a Dollar Tree since not everything was 100 yen). I found some Japanese playing cards (my brother asked me to get him some), and Rieko found the hand towels (we had to take a couple to camp), she picked out Elmo for me and her, but I don’t care much for Elmo, so I asked her if I could change it for Minnie Mouse (I liked it better) so she got Elmo and I got Minnie Mouse. I wake up really early tomorrow to go to camp; I think it must be a long drive since we have to leave so early. I am charging my camera, I am going to bring my camera charger with me, but don’t know if there will be a plug. I am all packed for camp, and have gotten the things that I didn’t have (my host mother is lending them to me), since I didn’t bring a flashlight, rain gear, or a water canteen. I have learned how to say “mother”, “I am hungry”, and some other words in Japanese today, I am learning lots of words, but the more I learn the more I forget the ones that learned first! I can’t remember them all!! But I can remember what “cool-great” is! I do miss my family, but am not homesick. Time has flown so quickly, I had a dream yesterday that I was leaving for America (not even getting all the things I was going to get in Japan), but really I only have 1 and a half weeks left. I am going to be pretty sad when I leave, but it is going to soon be a whole month since I have seen Frankie, all my animals, my house, well…and my family! Maybe Rieko can come back to America in 2 years. I am going to go to bed now, since I want to be somewhat awake for tomorrow. Update in four days!!

Thursday July 31, 9:00pm.
Okay I am back from camp! I did keep a journal there but it was on paper, so it will be like I updated it each day. I had a lot of fun, and if I came back to Japan again I would love to go there, and see some of the same people again!! Right now I am watching Happy Feet, and updating my journal at the same time!

Monday July 28th, 10:00pm.
Rieko and I left at 8:13am (yes her mother was driving), and then met some LABO people at 8:30am, since the parents weren’t going to drive us to camp. We were going to take a bus to camp with some LABO people. Riko was there with her mother (well her mother is the LABO tutor). The bus wasn’t that far to walk to from where we met, and it was really big, I went straight to the back and Rieko and I sat there with no one beside us! I didn’t bring any snacks with me, but the people beside me did. They shared with me, so I taught them games to play and songs to sing. The reason being I thought it might be 1-2 hours ‘til we get there, then I was told that it was a 6-7 hour drive!! I was bored for some time, we went though a whole bunch of tunnels, I decided to count how many we went through, they were always really long and also right after another. I fell asleep for more than an hour, but before that I counted 28 tunnels!! And I know there were a lot more. Since it was going to be such a long drive we were to bring lunch with us, we ate in the bus because it was raining outside. When we finally got to camp it was really crowded! I found out that instead of 4-7 people in our lodge it turned out to be more then 35! There were 16 lodges and each had more then 35 in them, that’s how crowded it was. Each lodge had too many people and had to send 2 people away every night to a hotel, and if there was an American with there host sister/brother then they always went, since most of the kids there were really little so they would rather let the older ones go. Well there was a girl named Courtney in our lodge with her host sister Junko, they offered to go tonight and me and Rieko would go tomorrow (I guess we will have to do rock-paper-scissors to see who goes the third night, since that is the last night then neither of us will want to go). We set up and take down tables for eating, so we have more room in our lodge. We do lots of activities. I was told that we had a meeting tonight for just the international kids. They told us what we had to do at camp and what we can’t do at camp. And then we had 10 minutes to talk to each other. They also had food there for us to eat. They said that if we are having any problems with your stay in Japan you were to tell them then. One person that was asked how her stay was answered with “I lost my passport,” she was joking of course, but she said she wanted to. So that must have been a good sign, since she wanted to stay. When we went back to our lodge we had to choose what activity we wanted to do tomorrow. We chose Team Challenge, I really didn’t know what that was but it sounded fun. Today was my first day doing public bath, though it was only me and my host sister it is still really different! If I wanted to shower alone I had to be last, and that was going to be really late at night (I am told public showers are used only at night). But they did have a lot of kids so they had a shower time in the afternoon also. Early today we exchanged name cards in our lodge; I got a whole bunch and have asked Rieko if I can buy a name card holder. I have made lots of friends. I have to go to bed now since I am told that I wake up at 6 in the morning!

Tuesday July 29th, 11:00pm.
Today was quite fun, we picked the activity Team Challenge yesterday; it was a really fun activity! Since it was raining outside we started by doing games inside, the activity had no one but Rieko and me from our lodge doing it, since there were 19 games to choose from and most people wanted to go hike, but I didn’t bring hiking boots since I really didn’t want to hike. I woke up at 6 this morning so I was kind of tired, but the games were fun! All the games inside were in Japanese so I didn’t understand them. After playing 1 game and not really understanding it, they were trying to teach me this rope game. I didn’t get it, until this Japanese girl stepped up and started speaking plain English, she sounded just like an American but I knew she was Japanese since she was making sure what the game was before she explained it. I knew just what she said and understood the game perfectly!! She stayed right beside me and Rieko when doing other games and explained each one of them; she was soo easy to understand! Then we noticed it stopped raining outside so we went to do activities outside. When we got to this really tall wooden wall that had a ladder on one side and just a wall on the other side. The girl (who I found out is named C.C.) explained the activity to me. We were to think of a way to get to the top of the wall, people would be at the top by climbing the ladder, and they would help pull you up. C.C gave the idea of picking the person up by their feet (she has done this before since she does cheerleading), they liked the idea so they then asked who wants to “climb” the wall, me and C.C both raised our hands. I went first. I took off my shoes and I got to the top pretty easily! So did C.C. Since it went so quickly we had time to let any more people who wanted to try do it. I tried to get Rieko to but she only wanted to help on the top. I ended up doing it twice so I could get a picture of me climbing it, then it turned out kind of blurry but at least I have pictures to show I did it!! I then had a couple minutes to talk with C.C, I of course asked her how she had such great English, and asked if she had ever been to America. Her answer was, “yeah I live there” well that was a surprise to me! So I asked how long and she said “I was born there, and this is my second time going to Japan”. I found out she is 12 years old. She’s really nice and I got her name card so I can write her some time. She lives in Nevada so I can’t visit her, but letters work for me!
We are going to do the bazaar tomorrow, I was told I had to price my items, but I don’t have price tags, and really don’t know what price to do them. So I am just planning on taking them to the bazaar and letting them figure it out. Me and Rieko were the first ones to get back to our lodge after the activities, we brought lunch with us (that I helped make this morning) so we didn’t have to wait to eat it with the rest of our group. We had 4 different kinds of sandwiches, orange juice, noodles, and some little balls that I didn’t like so I traded them for one of Rieko’s sandwiches that she really didn’t like. We have been practicing a play “The Sign on Rosie’s Door”. It’s a book and that is what the focus is this year, I even got to be Rosie! (She is the main character). I am going to go to bed now, goodnight!


Wednesday July 30th, 11:47pm.
I have learned how to play “rock, paper, scissors” the way Japanese do it. Which is really good since they use it for solving little things like if there is a couple extra something’s left over and half the lodge wants it. Like today, we had 2 bananas leftover, I didn’t ever like bananas but for some reason I really like them. So I wanted a second one. And so did everyone else. Of course I didn’t win, but I tried! I got knocked out on the first round, that is how good I am!! We had the bazaar today; it was the wildest thing I have ever seen. After every lodge was done setting up their tables they had someone with a microphone say that the person dressed up as Rosie had 100 pins that said “The Sign on Rosie’s Door, 2008” well when they said go EVERY kid ran to her, she was wearing high heels (since that is what Rosie wore in the story) so I was afraid she would get knocked down. She didn’t, I ended up not getting a pin, since I wanted to look at the tables by the time I got half way around the circle of tables it ended, and I walked over to Rosie she said all the pins were gone. But I got a couple things at the bazaar, including a name card holder!! It was made in Japan but has French on it, it was 10 yen (10 cents about) so instead of spending 500-1000 yen I just went with the French one, it had a little dog on it, and I really like it. It has room for 100 cards, I only have 30 in it so far. I put C.C’s card first so I could find it, since hers is in English and all the others are in Japanese.
After we got back to our lodge it was nap/bath time. I didn’t want to do either, so me and a couple other girls were sitting down being bored. Until I remembered I brought 3 game pads with me. One of which was tic-tac-toe, which even though is a 2 person game, it’s a lot easier to teach than hangman, or the other one I brought. And since they were all around 9 years old they didn’t understand very much English. But somehow I explained it right and they all wanted to play, I gave each child a number so when it came their number they could play; otherwise it would be one person getting to do all of it. I even got them playing so well that I couldn’t win! It was always “cats game” (were neither person wins), then they understood the game enough that I started “playing” with them. It would be “cats game” and I would say I got three in a row and write down “Allie won!” They all knew it was a joke, but sometimes not right away, so they were like “how did you do that?!?” But after a couple seconds they soon got it! I won (yes I really won, not just joking win!) the first 2 times, and on the 12 more times I played I didn’t win again!! Before nap time we did games, all pertaining to a story that was used for each year of LABO camp, like this year is “The Sign on Rosie’s Door”, we got to paint rocks with markers, but we first had to find a rock we like from the ground, it took me way longer than I thought it would since I wanted a flat rock. I ended up just getting the rock I found first since I couldn’t find a flat one! I colored it orange with pink polka dots, and wrote my name and the date on the bottom. We were told we can take them home. Right when I was getting ready to leave with the group I was with, Rieko’s LABO tutor came up and handed me a rock that said “Allie and Rieko, and friend on the other side” she also drew hats on one side. It looked really pretty and I put it in my bag to take home. We also played a game that there were about 20 cones scattered around a small field and our group and another group were going to do a game with them. First, our job was to keep all the cones up, and the other team was going to knock them down. We ended up wining, and then we switched and we had to knock down the cones. We won that time too! It was a really fun game. We then went to a place that we laid down on a tarp and the helpers turned on music and had us close our eyes, and when the music/story was done we opened our eyes. We were given a big piece of paper and a selection of markers, I found out that we were going to draw what we daydreamed, I didn’t daydream anything! So they told me I could just draw whatever I wanted, I would have but our group had lot of little kids that like to take a big part of the paper, so there was no room for me. So I just laid on the tarp waiting for them to finish. We did 6 activities all together, but a couple I don’t really remember what we did. The last one we did though was really fun. We were given a big hunk of dough that I was told needed to be split up so all of the kids could get some. We were to sculpture something, I don’t really know how to sculpture, so I just made a dress and my name “Allie.” The dough smelled really good, but I couldn’t convince the helpers that we could eat it. They said “No, it’s for making things.” I think it kind of smelled like the biscuit dough that I have made before at home, since I love eating that (well if mom is reading this just skip that part please, I don’t eat the biscuit dough, I just “try” it to make sure its okay before cooking it), I really wanted to try this dough, but I didn’t.
We then went back to our lodges since we were done doing the activities outside. We did more drawing when we got back inside, but just like I said before there were so many little kids that wanted to draw such big pictures I had to sit to the side watching. What we (they) were drawing was what they thought might be in Rosie’s room. Then when you were done each group in our lodge would make one of those things with the people. Our group did a bed, I was asked if I wanted to be a door, I said no I want to be the person sleeping on the bed. Of course I was joking since I knew the little kids couldn’t hold me, and I didn’t want to risk hurting someone, but they said okay and once the bed was made I laid on it, and it didn’t fall over!! All the kids were on their hands and knees with 2 people in the front being the bed posts. It was quite fun lying on the bed, but I didn’t get to do it again.
I taught the song “baby shark” to all the people in my lodge yesterday, and last night they had me write down the words for it. The time on my journal yesterday was so late, because I did the journal after I wrote the song. Since today was the last day of camp (all tomorrow is, is eating and leaving) we had a camp fire, all the international youth had to come to the front of the stage to sing a song for all the kids at LABO camp. We decided on and practiced the song yesterday night, I don’t know what it is called but it has to do with a Moose who likes to drink juice! All the kids did really good at it, and after some other people teaching Japanese songs we went back to our lodges, most people were busy with getting people to sign their hats and books, I signed a lot of hats(which I did in English and didn’t misspell anything!), and some books to. Rieko brought lose pieces of paper (what I used to journal on there) so she let me use some so people could sign it. But before I got 2 people to sign it, it was time for lights out. (which is time for bed) I found out I leave at 8:40am tomorrow, and am hoping to go and get a picture with C.C. before I leave. I am going to bed now, and I hope to get more people to sign and write a message tomorrow. Goodnight!!

Thursday July 31, 10:30pm.
I am stopping now since my hands are way to tired, Happy Feet finished about 40 minutes ago, I have never seen that movie, but it is really good!! And my host family really loves it too. I will update about today tomorrow. Night

Labo Camp!

Me and Rieko in our lodge/cabin.




If my updated journal isn't posted yet sorry, I am not really wanting to explain what I did at camp again, since I did a lot of explaining of it in my journal, so just enjoy the photos until my mother posts the journal! But once she does it will be posted on top of this post, not underneath.




I had a lot of fun at camp, and even met a Japanese girl who speaks great English! (I am saving the rest of the story for later, since its in my journal) her name is C.C.

Hope you like the photos,

I am told that this Sunday I will be going to see lots of animals, including horses! And my host mother said I might be able to ride one!

Japan girl

On the bus to go to Labo camp
My lunch on the bus














The sign that says "Labo summer camp"

Me and Rieko getting ready to do team challenge













We had to climb a wall, this is C.C
doing it.

This is me climbing it, yes its blurry but this was
my second time doing it so I couldn't do it again.
















This is one activity we did, all of us got in a circle
and placed our feet just so, then sat on each others
knees, it turned out to be quite neat!!
Some people from my lodge, and Rosie (the camp is all based around Rosie), I am right beside Rosie If you can not find me!














Me and some of my friends in my lodge.
Me and the 3 Labo tutors in my lodge (with Rieko)














Me and three girls from my lodge (with Rieko)
Me and my friend, with our lodge sign.














Me and C.C.