Study Abroad in Osaka, Japan | Week Four - Eight

２０１６年２月１日 ➖ ２０１６年 3 月０６日

Total Spent this Month: ...Don't ask. ;3

So I tried my best to have weekly posts regarding my Study Abroad experience in Osaka....but I did mention in my first post that that probably wouldn't happen. xD So after my long overdue absence, I come to you all with a monthly update! Now I won't go into daily updates like my last few posts, but instead just summarize my month with pictures~ :)

The past month has been an adventure. I've finally gotten used to living in Japan and have adjusted to my new life here quite well.  ^_^ Things are still a struggle though; dying every morning in Japanese class, getting lost in the streets of Japan, missing my friends and family like crazy, but my emotional state has been improving. :) I'm still cooking a lot and trying my best to manage my spending (though...it's not really working...) This upcoming week actually marks my halfway point of my Study Abroad here! I've been here for 9 weeks, and I have another 9 more weeks to go! 

So let's just get into this post!

First on the list is this 100yen manicure I gave myself~ I really miss doing my nails, so I couldn't help but purchase some 100yen nail polishes and give myself a new look. :) I think it turned out super beautiful! And it reminded me of typical nail look that Japanese girls around Osaka have. ^_^

In early February, I got to go to an Elementary School in Osaka! It was incredibly fun! We introduced our selves, and got to sit in on a typical school day for a 2nd Grader. I wasn't able to get a picture of the students and I, but I did take a picture of the lunch, the (sort of classroom), and the arts and craft project I got to do~ Pyun Pyun~ It was so much fun honestly. It was like being back in elementary school myself! I've always seen Japanese schools in animes or videos, but to be able to experience it all was just the best. I really wish I could go back~

Fun Fact: 3 little boys also confessed their feelings toward me! Hehe~ :3 They were so cute~ ^_^

Another fun picture I wanted to include was a dinner I had with my roommate Shihori, her boyfriend, Ryuu, and my friend, Natsuko. :D Ryuu was really nice and paid for our dinner. We had your typical Osaka foods such as yakisoba, okonomiyaki, some weird takoyaki like balls, liver? (I think?) and fried rice~ It was so delicious!  Thanks Ryuu and Shihori!

This is the Shitennoji Temple in Osaka. I went here with Natsuko when we planned a trip to Tennoji, Osaka to go shopping (which I did~ ;). It was a nice and calm experience to visit since there rarely were any people. Unfortunately the temple was under construction so bleh. :/

Along with Shitennoji Temple, we went to Shinsekai! This is the view from Tsutenkaku Tower. Isn't Osaka beautiful? :) It was just so nice being able to see the sunset view from up top.

Here is the outside view. Tsutenkaku was inspired by the Eiffel Tower! Cool right? It was really cool being able to see it all lit up~ :) For dinner, we got to eat kushikatsu, which is a basically just skewered deep fried foods. Hehe~ ;) Delicious!  I highly recommend eating kushikatsu if you ever go to Shinsekai. 

Beneath the Tsutenkaku Tower, is actually a multitude of stores such as this Pocky one~ I wanted to include this picture because isn't it just so cute??? It's a heart of chocolate goodness!!!!

One thing worth mentioning is I visited the Asahi Beer Factory with the CET and international students from OGU. Honestly........that place is a dud. The only good thing was that I did get a nice nap when they played a video on how they make their beer. Hehe ><

I made my first trip alone to Kyoto. And boy was it one of the best days ever. I learned that day that I love traveling alone. :) This is Ginkakuji, the Silver Temple. It was so beautiful. 

This is just a random house I took a picture of while walking the Philosopher's Path after Ginkakuji temple. But I really love cute little Japanese houses like these. :) You never see places like these in Southern California or Hawaii~ <3

Traveling by myself means visiting any place I want at my own pace. After taking a taxi to Ginkakuji, walking the 30 minutes down the Philosopher's Path, I visited the Nanzenji Temple. At first I didn't even know it was the temple, but after seeing pictures on Google, I realized I made it! 

After Nanzenji Temple, I visited the Heian Shrine. I remember visiting this shrine with my mom like...5 years ago~ So it was nostalgic visiting this beauty again. 

Finally, at the end of the day, I visited Fushimi Inari, home of the 1000 toriis~ I met up with a couple of other CET peeps who were also in Kyoto during this time. (I didn't want to travel with them though~) Fushimi Inari was really cool. And Kyoto was just amazing! <3

Since I was in the romantic country of Japan, I wanted to do something Japanese-like hehe for Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day in Japan is pretty much a day where the girls give something to the guys. In animes and manga, I've always seen girls making little handmade chocolates so I decided to do the same~ It was extremely fun! Though my boyfriend wasn't there to eat the chocolates (he doesn't even like chocolates anyway xD), it tasted really good! :D

Finally, I got to visit my other college friend, Molly who's also studying abroad in Japan! Her class was visiting Fushimi Inari, so I met up with there~ (We were supposed to meet at Kiyomizudera, but I messed up stupid trains here....You learn something new everyday though~) We hiked all the way up to Mt. Inari, and boy...was it a hike up! The view is from the halfway point, and the selfie of me is at the top! :D It was honestly just nice to talk with Molly again and catch up. I miss my university in America...... ><

Toward the end of the month, I did calligraphy for the first time! If any of you can read Japanese, I did the one 3rd to the left. :3 It spells out my name in kanji! It was a fun experience, and I wish I could do it again. 

Recently, I went to Arashiyama and visited Tenryuji Temple. If you can see the man walking up to the temple, he was the person who gave us a lesson on Zen meditation. It was quite relaxing. We also got to see it's garden. It was beautiful.  I seriously cannot wait for Sakura blossom season at the end of this month! :D SO exciting!!!

Along with the temple, I got to see the famous Bamboo groves~ As well as saw the Togetsukyo Bridge. Arashiyma is definitely a looker during the Fall and Sakura Blossom season. So....until then, I'm waiting for the flowers~

Throwing this picture in because this Sakura and matcha ice cream tasted so gooooood~

Finally my last picture of this post is the famous Kinkakuji Temple. Lemme just say, this place was crowded. I can't imagine what it'll be like when it's Sakura season >< Along with the temple, Natsuko and I got lost on our way to visit Kitano Tenmangu where plum groves are blooming, so we didn't end up going. :\, We visited Fushimi Inari again (making that my 3rd time there in the past month!), ate some delicious Korean food and a delicious berry and chocolate parfait. My shoes also broke...literally in half! xD So I got to buy these gorgeous pair of black booties which will probably be featured in next weeks post. :3

Sooooo long post short, I survived 2 months in Japan! I'll be starting my weekly updates again as I reach my halfway point of my Study Abroad. March is honestly going to be one of my best. I've bought bus tickets to Tokyo for my Spring Break at the end of this month, and am planning a visit to Nara, the land of deer~. Stay tuned!

And Until next time, 

Be true and always be you, 

Love, Aimee

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