Japan summer to fall transistion= 1 day

Kendra:

Sorry for Aaron's long absence...he can't use the internet here at school because he doesn't have a nifty little card that let's you get in and use it and all...seeing as how he isn't a student. But, he sends his hello's and all that.

Today we are both on campus because my zemi (think university research group/graduate program group but only much more closer knit, like they go skiing and stuff together) is throwing a welcome party for us today. I've met most of them and they are soooo nice! The vast majortiy speak some English so even Aaron can talk to them. What nice people. I'm going to have a super sweet time researching stuff with them. That `stuff` will hopefully be figured out soon.

I can not get a quotation mark sign to show up for the life of me. It's going to take me a year to figure this damn keyboard out!

It is cooling down here, rapidly. It went from sunny summertime to fall in, I swear, one day. We picked that day to go to the beach, Suma beach. They do not value their beaches here like we Michiganders do so it was kind of a let down really. Trash all over and just a general look of being neglected. But, there were TONS of pretty sea shells and the Pacific ocean was really warm and pretty. We didn't go swimming due to the fact that it was a grey and sunless day, but we went to a fishing harbor and saw Japanese style fishing. Very odd indeed. They use like 11ft long poles and do this weird bobbing thing with them and maggically pull out tons of fish. Weird fish. Really weird fish. And octopus. And eels. And whatever else comes out of the ocean. We climbed up an observation tower and ate tacoyaki which are little fried balls of batter and veggies with a nice piece of octopus in the center, taco=octopus. They were good. Really!

I opened a bank account which took about an hour. Way more difficult here than it is in the States. But, somehow I managed it. I also found a place that is selling cheap bicyles for about 9,000 yen, that is like $90 about. Cheapest ones I have found. Hopefully Aaron and I can both get one and we can cruise aroudn town with our cute little mama-chari (that is a bike that a mom uses, you know with a bell and a basket, but everyone here uses one. How else are you going to get all your grocieries home?)

Well, I am going to go find Aaron. He is wandering around my campus somewhere...