Jab of Autumn

Hello, hello, hello one and all!

First off, a little musing for you.

Since about June, as I'm diligently walking to school early in the morning, I've noticed a single Japanese maple tree. It was bright red in midsummer.

When I pass it now, it has turned green, bright as spring. Have I found the fountain of opposite aging? Born elderly and dying as a newborn?

I have no clue, but it feels like a damn movie to me.

On a lighter note, I also saw my first pomegranate tree right next to that. Well, I always saw it, but without the fruit I didn't know what I was actually looking at. What a fine example of human ignorance. :)

So, onwards!

About the 'Jab of Autumn' - summer is now completely (and FINALLY I must say) over. There are chilly winds and flowing leaves and as of tomorrow all of us Kitako students are going to change into our winter uniforms, also we have finished our mid-term school exams (I made great effort with maths and Japanese mind you) and now has begun my final 3 months in the land of the rising sun.

I mustn't think like that! Snap out of it! Good. :)

And now 'my Jab' - I decided to take the 1st level JapaneseLanguageProficiencyTest. Oh my dear lord. I'm actually going to do it! In two months! And kendo tournament in a month!

YAY!!! :D

I must admit that I'm definitely a northern person - the chill of autumn and the smell of leaves has brought me my energy back and I feel like my 'old boney self again'. (Just a quote, nothing to do with my figure really. Come on, it's hallowe'en soon!)

I feel like I can do anything! Wahoo! Wish me luck and backbone to keep it up! (everything)

So I'll set sails to sleepland before I blow the computer up with my chakra happiness.

Hey hoyhoy!

PS Does anybody like Ranma? Or at least has heard of it?

Lots of hugs fo yuu!

Where have all the crimson red leaves gone? (They're yet to come.)

Oh dearest me, I've been away for too long.

Hello again and sorry for the absence!

I'm back at school after an amazing summer break full of 'The Japan' (sounds like champagne in my head for some odd reason) and for the blast off the week before last we had a sports' festival over the course of 3 days, which was a first for me. Usually it's only 1 day in my 'home school', but triple it and it's a lot more fun. There were no grades, no teachers critiquing, but teachers running! Yay! Loved it. We had a lot of games, hurdles, races, team challenges and so on.

But after that began the usual (as usual as it can be for me under the circumstances) school days with kendo and Kumon language study (only K and L left!).

As of now, it's week 3 from the last half of my exchange year.

Oh my lord.

Which brings me to the topic about the big plans I still have, which I also wanted to share on this blog for a long time -

I'm going to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) on December 5th, which will probably be in Miyagi prefecture in the capital of Tohoku - Sendai city. I'm yet to decide which level I'm going to take, but currently I'm between the 1st and the 2nd one, the former being the highest grade. I didn't consider it myself (I was rather between 2 or 3), but my YFU rep suggested me to take the challenge, but I'm really uneasy about even just thinking about it. 2 sounds nice... so what would it be?

But as for kendo, my teacher is determined to put me in a competition for newcomers (read: novices) in the beginning of November. I'm going to a kendo tournament people.

*edit* (I got to know that it's an open tournament, in which anyone who wants can join (including pros, shivering!) and that it's on 2~3 November.)

When I first heard about his plan I was in a state of utmost shock. I didn't know what to say or in what language I should say it. My friends were almost the same. They just clapped their hands with their mouths opened in amazement. The only thing I heard them say was 'sugoi' (awesome) or 'arienai hodo rakkii da bee' (You're a unbelievably lucky little bugger, aren't cha?).

But it's decided and today I heard the news that their ordering the tare (name flap) for me and all the preparations for the gear are already running. I just need to make my name into kanji so wish me luck as to not make it have a seriously weird meaning.

What am I going to do?! I'm really fired up for the match, but there's still some inklings of uneasiness left about the whole ordeal. I only have about a month and a half left for training (add that to the time I've been in kendo so far and you get around 4 months of practice overall!) and soon after the tournament I need to start giving my all for the JLPT test.

What a life!!!

Also the test is going to be just around my birthday as you might know, which makes it some sort of a present. A peculiar idea for a gift I must say.

I've already ordered and received some guide books and example questions but I'm quite at a loss about the levels. Well, just need to make it quick and permanent. I have a lot of teachers kind enough to give me some advice about it so I think I'm safe in all aspects.

I also need to go to the photographer's, but I think I should polish up my Shaggy mop-hair before that, which has taken over my face over the summer. It's quite ticklish and I have unbearable nose itches recently. Why am I saying it? Just for laughs ;) I don't want to turn into a Wookie either. Growl!

So that's that and no harm done, I'm sure. Just wanted to give a small heads up about my upcoming doings over here and how I've been keeping up.

Equals = EXCELLENTLY.

Merry goings to those over seas and high lands and a happy new school year!

Tschau pakaa!

Lots of love from Japan!