save the global warming,

we just came back from the sento. this time i used the sauna (the first time in my life btw) and one of the baths and i'm feeling soooooo relaxed and tired now. i just wanna go to sleep.

i've rather lost my appetite these days because of the cold and the stress and insomnia. i'm feeling exactly like in 2003, craving for sparkling mineral water and european food. ana and me went to starbucks at the kyoto tower today, ate cheese blueberry cake and macha frappucino, one of the yummiest things i've ever drank. alas we don't have that in europe!

today ana and me went to the kinkakuji (golden pavillion) and the ginkakuji (silver pavillion). i had already seen the kingakuji in 2003 and although the ginkakuji itself wasn't as impressive as the kin one, the gin's garden was more beautiful. afterwards we met with the others in the gion district and went to a restaurant. sorry this entry's boring but i'm tired and sulky.

ps: save the global warming? that's actually on a bag of a perfume dajana bought today. ...


kyoto

chûhai & burgers.

the day started off awkwardly with my host family. our relationsship is getting better but i still don't feel really comfortable around them, especially the kids can be very repellent. like this morning, when i loudly chanted "ohayô gozaimassssu" ("good morning") but they just ignored me. things like that often upset me.

since language classes started today, we first had a reception in the morning and had to introduce ourselves in front of everybody. unfortunately, they obviously only told the chinese students about it so most of them had prepared some fancy self-introduction and we german students just mumbled "yoroshiku onegaishimasu" and sat back on our chairs. we then had this placement test and i really screwed up, especially the listening comprehension, and ended up in the loser's class. well see, it isn't as bad as it sounds.

after the test there was a delicious buffet und we were put together in groups each with a german and a chinese student plus a japanese student as their adviser. my adviser is a very lively girl called naoko. she is the first japanese person here i could really get along well with. of course i really liked our tandem partners but naoko is always happy, always chattering and thus encouraging me to speak as much as possible in japanese as well. i didn't feel awkward around her when i talked in japanese like i do feel around everyone else...

after the buffet, we already had our first lesson. unfortunately, our teacher has such a shrill voice and annoying intonation, that i actually got a headache. then, just when i was sulking and distracted for a second, she asked me to stand in front of the class and let me introduce myself in japanese. i was completely caught off guard and could barely utter a word. that really sucked.

after university i was so frustrated i went shopping at uniqlo and saty, then bought some chûhai and a grilled chicken burger from mcdo, sat down at the river on my way home and just sat there till i had to go home.