October Wrap-Up

Can you hit the jackpot just for buying a soft drink at home?

When you use Suntory soft drink vending machines, you can be a big winner. When you buy a drink the numbers start rolling, and if you hit three sevens, you get the jackpot: a free drink.

I have yet to win, but the landlord always comes up behind me and cheers, "当たって！ナナ、ナナ、ナナ！" (Hit it! Seven seven seven!).

Why bring this up? I've had a tough past week.While taking my daily run, I tripped over something in the dark and deeply scraped my legs. Since I also sprained my ankle running last month, I've come to the conclusion that I need to stop running outdoors and try out the treadmills at the gym. Luckily, NUFS has its own gym open for students.

On top of that, I finally caught the cold that was going around. The only good thing was the vocabulary I learned to describe my symptoms and read medicine bottles. (Guess what the word for runny nose is? 鼻水 [hanamizu], literally nose water.)

My point is in spite of this, my friends and family cheer me on anyway, no matter what it is I'm going through. They inspire me and help me make it through.

October ended with NUFS' University Festival, and naturally, Halloween. 

University Festivals are unique to Japan... or at least, my college in Hawaii never had anything like this. Different classes, clubs and sports teams set up their own booths to raise money for activities. It's a really big deal, and not only students attend, but everyone in the town.

More under the cut!

All the decorations were hand made by students. There was cheap food, from yakisoba and taiyaki, to french fries and churros...

... All served with a smile.There were also yard sales, skits and games. There was a tea ceremony workshop, hosted by the Sadou club for a mere 200 yen. The NUFS acapela choir group, La Voix, even put on a free concert!

It was a fun weekend, and Saturday couldn't have been a better day. The sun was bright but the air was cool, and people flocked around in costumes, fueled by the anticipation of Halloween.

There were even a few lolitas in the crowd! I was wearing Merry Making Party with my pink wig, so we managed to meet each other. One girl even gave me a cookie! I had so much fun meeting new people.

Sunday was rainy and miserable, unfortunately, and hardly anyone went back for the second day. Since it was a good day to stay indoors, my friend and I went to take Halloween purikura.

I wore a Metamorphose mini cape with a black blouse, h.Naoto BLOOD skirt, and a Raven in my hair. I was going for Egar Allan Poe's 'The Raven'.

Then Monday, of course, was the day I was waiting for... Halloween! I got all dressed up in my lolita witch outfit and had my Trick-or-Treat tote in tow. 

But in spite of the costume enthusiasm on Saturday, I was the only one actually dressed up for Halloween! To humor me, or maybe out of pity, my sensei gave me a piece of candy. It was my only score of the day.

And so ended my second month in Japan. Time is flying by, and so are classes! I can't believe we are at mid term all ready. It feels like we only just started the semester. 

As one month ends, another one opens with promises of adventure! This weekend I am taking a field trip to Hiroshima; a journey that promises to be both inspiring and sobering. I look forward to seeing the shrine and wild deer, but a knot forms in my stomach thinking about the Atomic Bomb sites and Museums. 

To new experiences, vocabulary, friends and opportunities, Cherie.