I'm sooooo tired....

Yesterday evening, I went out with my host sister for a year-ending-forgetting party, where you drink away the year's problems and prepare to start fresh. Everything's about starting fresh these days. It seems that every preparation we make is to end the year and start a completely different, new year. One not hindered by the mistakes of this year. I'm game.

The party was a lot of fun. The kids were aged 26-32 years old. I would never have called someone that much older than me a kid before I stayed with this family. I feel like Japanese thirty year-olds are much closer in age to me than Japanese 16 year-olds (who I have class with). I don't know if they're any more immature than American 30 year-olds, but I really enjoyed myself. They thought I was freaking adorable. In the elevator, I introduced myself to everyone and someone said "Kawaii!!!" (Cuuute!!!!) Everyone in the elevator agreed. I chuckled and said thanks and everyone was really surprised. "You understood that?!" Yes. I've been here for a little over four months! Come on now. Actually, I met one really interesting guy. He was born in New Jersey and lived there until he was 9, when he moved to Japan with his Japanese parents. After three years, he said he forgot all English he had known until he went to England, where he lived for maybe three years. He got fluent in English pretty fast, but spoke it with a British accent. He went to college and got a degree in international studies, where he interacted with a lot of Americans. He said he was a little embarassed to tell people he had an American nationality with his British accent and Japanese parents. Personally, I think that's awesome. So the point is, his English was beyond perfect. I didn't even know it until a few hours into the party. He told me that he's hosted many many exchange students and he's never heard anyone pick up the language so fast. And he told me that when he heard me say I haven't been studying for very long, he assumed that was just Japanese modesty and that I've been studying for around five years or something. Sweet! What a nice compliment! It made me feel pretty good. He asked me what was my motivation, as I've already graduated high school and have no intention of majoring in Japanese when I'm in college. What's my motivation?! Every time I have to ask someone to repeat what they said, I'm a little more motivated to study. Every time I start drooling in class because the teacher is talking to fast for me to understand, I'm a little more motivated. Every time I am frustrated that I can't get somewhere by myself because I can't read kanji, I'm a little more motivated. Motivation is surrounding me. I told him that I have no intention of coming out of this fluent in Japanese, but seeing as I only have a year, I'd like to get as much down as possible. The idea of a language is exciting. He hinted that fluency might not be impossible at this rate.

Personally, I'm pretty sure I won't be fluent. But I will be able to understand most everything I hear. And hopefully, I'll be able to read a little too. I'll be happy if I can talk with ease, without stopping and thinking as I'm talking. I don't want to set unrealistic goals, but I don't want to sell myself short either. But actually, I don't even need to make any long term goals. What I'm doing now seems to be working just fine (studying and listening).

Anyways, the party was fun. Everyone was drunk by midnight (except me of course) and after the party, we went to a bar and drank more (except me of course) at this amazing place that had a six-page menu consisting of different kinds of alcoholic beverages (and orange juice) and cheezy french fries. We finished around 3:00 AM, but the trains weren't running until 5:00, so we searched Osaka for a place to socialize (read: sleep!) for the next two hours. We finally found ourselves in a karaoke bar and everyone stretched out on the benches and fell asleep. I returned home around 6:45, went to sleep, and woke up around 9:30 for my hair cut. It was the most expensive hair cut I've ever gotten in my entire life. It was around $50 and included a shampoo, cut, and style. Same as what I usually get in the States for around $15. Actually, it's a really nice cut and I highly recommend coming to Japan to get your hair cut! It's the best cut I've ever got, and he even showed me how to style it. The longest layer goes to my shoulders and the shortest just above my chin. Very chic. I'm pleased with it.

So I went home, ate curry udon, and will now finally sleep. Good night.