Birthday: 6-21-00

It's my birthday... and it's raining. I can't remember ever having a rainy birthday before, but this is Japan, and this is the rainy season. Ah well.. it seems really strange to have a birthday away from home and everyone I love. But my office co-workers took me out for a karaoke party this past weekend, and gave me flowers and a pretty necklace, so it's not too lonely. :)

Also on this past weekend, my supervisor took Michiru and I on a sightseeing trip, which was very nice of him. He drove us all the way across Yamaguchi-ken, to the famous Akiyoshi Cave, and then to Nagato, a picturesque town on the Japan Sea. We had a delicious lunch of sashimi in a restaurant right on the water, and then took a walk around this little island called Omijima- Blue Sea Island. It was so incredibly beautiful!

Ah- I just got a package from my parents, as I sit here in the office, writing this! Awww... thank you, Mom and Dad... wow, a birthday card and everything. That's so nice!

Anyway... as I was saying! The island was gorgeous, with cliffs overlooking the sea, and these interesting rock formations jutting out of the water just off the coast. We sat on the beach for a while and just gazed out at the sea. It was so nice. Yamaguchi-ken really does have amazing scenery. I felt really fortunate that we got to visit Nagato, as it would have been too difficult to navigate without a car. Afterwards, we drove back home, with a stop at Baskin Robbins on the way. Yum! My supervisor got a triple cone, but Michi and I tried to be restrained and got junior-sized double cones. I loooove Baskin Robbins. The funny thing was that my supervisor didn't know it was an American store. I guess there are so many Japanese companies that give themselves American-sounding names, like Lawson's convenience store, that it's hard to tell what's imported and what's not! Baskin Robbins in Japan has different flavours from the American store, though. Green tea, Chestnut, Red Bean, etc

The next day, we went shopping in Kokura, which is an hour south of Ube, on the island of Kyuushu. We went to an anime store (heeheehee) and visited Kokura Castle, which turned out to be really beautiful. I had never seen it before, as I usually focus purely on shopping when I go to Kokura. I was glad to get a chance to see it.

Last night, I got the biggest kick out of my favourite TV show, "Gakkou e Ikou," because the hosts (a hot boy band) went to America- specifically Las Vegas and California. It was so funny! They were playing this game called "Where are you going?" in which the boy band was split into three groups, and they had to ask random people on the street "where are you going?" and then go with those people, wherever they happened to be headed. They started in Las Vegas, and their goal was Santa Monica, but by the end of the show they were all spread out in different directions- one group was in Mexico, even! Anyway, all the places they ended up visiting were really familiar to me, so it was very nostalgic, but the most surprising part of all was that one group ended up in IRVINE!!! My college town. :D They were even at the shopping centre where I used to do all my grocery shopping, with Lucky's and Conroy's Flowers. I was like in shock... I couldn't get over the fact that Okada-kun, my favourite member of the group, was in Irvine, in front of MY grocery store, while I am in over here in Japan... talk about irony! *laughs* Anyway, it was highly amusing. ^^ I love that TV show... they need to make an American version.

Anyway, I guess I have babbled enough for now... I am going to relax and read the American magazine that my mom included in my package. Yay!

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