熱いね...

 "Atsui ne" - It's hot, isn't it? (A phrase I hear constantly, & say constantly.)

Yea, it's hot. I swear once I'm home I'm never underestimating the power of AC ever again. I have AC here, but it's so expensive. Tell me why I have to pay $50 a month already for just the electricity of 1 little room in a boarding house (and don't give me that 'hot water' crap. I take short showers and am otherwise not using my hot water). I'm afraid to find out how much I'll have to pay if I have the AC on all the time... No wonder Japan is so eco-friendly. Energy is expensive!

I do sleep with it on, though. Otherwise it is way too much... Today will 85F with 90% humidity. So it feels like walking in a children's pool, if you catch my drift. And when it does finally rain (because it will), and you don't have an umbrella, you're fucked. Because you're not drying off for the rest of the day - it is far too humid. (Unless you turn on the AC. There's a "dry air" function. But again, expensive!) I have to change my clothes everytime I come home from classes. I am running through my laundry detergent so much faster.

That umbrella comment - you don't really notice how amazing umbrellas are until you come to Japan. I know in America, yea you hold an umbrella a couple times if it's raining. But Japan takes it so much farther. For example, you can find an umbrella to buy almost anywhere. Anywhere. There will be baskets of umbrellas for sale in restaurants, bars, furniture stores, wherever you might be. 95% guaranteed. They're cheap too. About $5 for one of those cheap clear plastic ones. (Although they fall apart if the wind is blowing too hard.) The International Office at my school lends out umbrellas to borrow if it's raining. Very nice. Also! A lot of girls walk around with an umbrella even if it isn't raining. They're black parasols that block the sun from their skin. Nifty.

Not to mention all the umbrella accessories. Stands for your umbrella outside every establishment & home (always). And little plastic "condoms" to cover your umbrella - they keep all the water in so it doesn't drip on the floor. If you don't want to leave it outside. Japan is very safe, however. Rarely someone will steal your umbrella. They will if they get mistaken which one is their's - or if they're an asshole and just want to take it anyway. But still very cheap to replace.

I wish the AC was as cheap as umbrellas.

Omg, why am I talking about umbrellas?!

Noo-sensei and Sano-sensei visited Kinjo yesterday. They just wanted to make sure we're still alive. I was so nervous beforehand because I expected them to go crazy with the Japanese talk, and they would in turn be very disappointed in my improvement. But they didn't =D They were very nice. (Actually, on the contrary, CIEP told me that I was one of the best students, and Noo-sensei was proud to be my teacher~ Aww.) But anyway - I feel a lot better about getting the credits for 302 I need. Now all I have to worry about is getting WVU to take some of my Kinjo credits as "analytical" classes.

Oh god. Don't get me started on WVU's graduation requirements. I swear, I have taken nothing but GECs and Major-Required classes my entire college career (30+ credits each year, only 1 or 2 BS classes) and I still don't know if I'm going to graduate on time. Their GEC requirements are way too much. Seriously.

But enough about that. I could talk about the speech I gave Tuesday morning, but I am a little embarrassed lol. It's a huge problem I have when talking in front of large audiences. I am not nervous - I repeat, I am not nervous. But my body (yes I'll say it) my body betrays me. It starts shaking uncontrollably. My heart isn't even beating fast! I used to sing in front of 500+, maybe 1,000+ people (although shaking). I am fine with public speaking. Honest to goodness. But I can't seem to stay still. It's really annoying!!

I couldn't read the paper because I was shaking so much, so I had to fold it against my stomach and read downward. Ugh. Such a proper speech giving stance, right? But my pronunciation was super. CIEP director told me I spoke so fluently! =D Happy. (Granted, I had a lot of help writing the speech from my Convo Partner....)

But okay that's enough. Took me 30 mins to write this post, jeeze. What's wrong with me. I have to go to class in 20 minutes. Better get ready.

Oh did I mention it's hot?