I'm back!  Finally got my pocket wifi today, so yay, I have internet again!  Not that there is too much to blog about right now.  Mostly I am getting used to classes and life in Sapporo.  Although next week everyone gets some time off due to a Japanese holiday known as Golden Week.  My host family is throwing a welcome barbecue for me in the early part of the week, and then I will probably travel somewhere around Hokkaido for the rest of the holiday.  Two kids in my group are even going to Korea, but that would be a little too much for my budget!  I am still trying to get used to how much I stand out here.  Two little kids on the street once played rock, paper, scissors to decide who would go up to me and tell me their name in English! I have even caught a girl in the cafeteria trying to take a photo of me and my friend, that was really weird.  However, to tell the truth I kinda want to take pictures of some of them, because of the really bizarre and interesting fashions I keep seeing.  It's like I stepped into a world of fashion models and lady gaga.  I went to one store the other day called "Donkihote".  It was an interesting experience.  It was like Vegas and Walmart combined into one store.  For the fashion section of the store, let me put it this way: It was like stepping into the Capital of Panem from the Hunger Games.  I saw eyelash extensions with large pink feathers and glitter, nails(spelled neils) with cameos, jewels, and glitter, hair dyes of all colors, and colored contacts that make your eyes look rounder(put them on me and I would look like my fish!). I was having a bit of sensory overload!  In other news, I went to Shin Sapporo the other day, had my first Japanese doughnut, went to the aquarium(kinda sad), and shopped at a huge shopping center.  My friend and I actually got lost at one point!  The group and our host families spent the day in the nearby town of Otaru, that was fun. We finally received our cell phones, which are flip phones.  Everyone here has flip phones and phone charms are incredibly popular!  I bought a hello kitty one for mine.  Also, I have also been to Odori twice now(downtown Sapporo) and I will be going there for Karaoke tomorrow!  I hope to be updating and blogging more frequently now that I have internet. In the meantime, enjoy these pictures:
Easter Morning

It says Easter in Katakana. 

We finally got cell phones!

Worlds cutest doughnut!

Maid Cafe!

Otaru, a coastal city near Sapporo known for its canals and historical buildings. 

Kitty!

I wish I could have bought these, but they were a bit out of my price range.

When you come to Japan, the last thing you really expect to see is an exhibit on Venetian art. 

The Sapporo TV tower in Odori

Harry Potter!

Proof that Japan is not perfect.

Green Chapel

Im dreaming of a white Easter...

Well, Easter was very interesting this sunday.  Not only was there a foot of snow outside my bedroom, but I also got to experience a Japanese church service at the Green Chapel.  It was interesting to hear traditional easter songs that are sung in my church being sung in Japanese!  The sermon was the hardest to get through though.  It was an hour long and I couldnt understand any of it!  The people at the church were pretty nice though, and invited me to lunch and tea.  Afterwards I took the bus for the first time, and went shopping at Oyachi station.  I found out that my shoe size is the largest in Japan, a LL.  apparently anything over 8 is considered to be an extra large shoe size, so I had trouble finding any boots.  Oh well.  The people here are pretty nice, although some of the older people have glared at me for some reason, while others simply stare.  Some students will approach me simply because I am a foreigner, which is a strange feeling.  The children at the church especially are fascinated by how I look.  I dont think they have seen many blue eyes, because they kept saying that my eyes were really beautiful.  Very sweet, but I am not used to that kind of attention.  It makes me much more conscious about my actions, because of how much I stand out.  My host family is really sweet.  Okaasan (host mom) calls me Abby-chan and is more motherly than my actual mother.  When she found out that I didnt have any gloves, she went out and bought me some and insisted that I wear them.  She has me take out the trash in the morning, but gives me little else to do.  I have offered to do laundry and the dishes, but she refuses.  They started out with making me American type food, like pancakes and corn, but have gradually eased me into Japanese dishes.  Although yesterday morning I was offered toast, yogurt, salmon, and fried chicken for breakfast!  They are really sweet though, and I get along with them well.  Finally, this is my first week of classes and they are pretty interesting but also overwhelming.  I had to buy 5 different Japanese books and I have quizzes everyday.  If homework is incomplete(such as a blank answer), the entire homework is rejected.  They are strict, but I am hoping that my Japanese becomes better because of it.  My other class is American Culture, which should be pretty easy.  Today we learned about George Washington!  Sorry that this blog is so long, but I have been having trouble finding internet, as the campus is no longer wireless.  I found a school computer I can use though, and I hope to update more regularly.  またね！

Arrived in Sapporo

Finally made it to Sapporo after spending a night in the airport.  It wasn't too bad, as the airline gave us sleeping bags, water, and ritz crackers.  Our flight the next day was almost canceled due to a snowstorm, but the plane landed safely in Chitose airport.  The last couple of days have been really awesome and stressful at the same time.  I have been in situations before where no one spoke English, but never where I had to remember so much etiquette.  For example, we have to wear special slippers in the bathroom, but nowhere else.  I have to hand money over with both hands. I can't pour my own drink, I have to give it to someone else to do it for me. Even with so much to remember, it has been really cool to experience everything.  By the way, I have pictures:
Here is the gorgeous weather waiting for us when we arrived:

 These are Alaskan Mountains, so pretty:

 Display of yummy foods at Oyachi Station:

 Dear Lord, the cuteness!!!

 I thought the English was pretty funny:

 Cute socks:

 This reminded me of Levi ;)

 This was a DVD of Napolean Dynamite, or in Japanese: Busboy.  Don't know where they got that from.

 Harry Potter!  I love the katakana lighting bolt

 Anpanman car!

 Coolish ice cream in a bag. 

 Cherry Beer:

 Soba:

 Mmmm, coffee in a can....

Hope you enjoyed the pictures, much more to come!

First Night.

Well, I made it!! sort of.  The plane ride was pretty long and turbulent but I got to see some beautiful Alaskan mountains.  Unfortunately, when I finally arrived in Tokyo, I found out my flight to Sapporo was canceled due to strong wind.  The airline has scheduled us to fly out tomorrow at 10, but we have to spend the night at the airport.  Not going to be fun.  Still, I am here and this is a unique way of starting this adventure! 

Received My Visa

こんにちは！Well, I guess this is as good a time as any to start my blog.  As you may or may not know, I was supposed to study abroad in Japan last year, but couldn't go due to the tragic events that occurred in March.  But I was given another chance and will be ready to go this April!  I will be traveling to the beautiful city of Sapporo in order to study the Japanese language and culture.  I just received my visa today, and am one step closer to beginning my journey!