Baseball: Waseda vs Keio

A lot of people stood in line to see the game

In the back Claudia (Switｚerland), Julia (USA), me and Cassandra (Taiwan) in the front

Claudia and I with the Waseda scarf showing our support

The Waseda cheerleaders

The Waseda team before the game

Who will win?

The score was 2-2 after the ninth inning! 　

Cheering for Waseda

It took 12 innings for Waseda to beat Keio (4-2)

The crowd in ecstasy when Waseda won

061029, Sunday

My friends and I went to Shinanomachi to see a baseball game between the two universities Waseda and Keio. It is a very famous game that is held twice every year. There has always been rivalry between Waseda and Keio so this is a game that every student at either of these universities wants to see. We had luck with the weather, it was shiny and rather hot. The two teams met yesterday as well and then Waseda unfortunately lost. Today's game started poorly, Keio got 2 points in the first inning. We had to wait until the fourth inning before Waseda got a point. The game continued and the score did not change until the eight inning when a Waseda player hit a homerun! Now it was 2-2 and only one inning left! It was so exciting and we all cheered as much as we possibly could! No one scored a point in the last inning so the game went on for one more inning but the score did not change. It was first in the twelfth inning Waseda was able to score 2 points so the game ended 4-2 to Waseda!! The game went on for nearlｙ three and a half hours. It was such a great game and we had a great time!!

　
　

B-day party

The b-day girl with friends

Making okonomiyaki

People enjoying themselves

061027、Friday

Since it is my ｆriend's birthday today a group of about 20 people went out to celebrate. We went to a nomihoudai and tabehoudai in Takadanobaba. There we did our own okonomiyaki (resembles pancakes but you put cabbage, shrimps etc in it). It was delicous! Later on we went to a pub.　

Party at Shinjuku

Swedes, Japanese etc

Shereen (New Zeeland) & Paula (USA)

Ayumi (Japan) got a bull's eye!

061021, Saturday

I was invited by my Japanese friend to a party at a restaurant/bar in Shinjuku where you can also enjoy playing games while eating and drinking. For instance we played darts and uno. It was really fun. I got to meet some Swedish people that I have met before but I also had the opportunity to meet new people :)

B-day party

The birthday girl blowing out the candles

Mateo (Italy), Aiko (Australia) & Sammy (Taiwan)

Lindsay (USA), Anastacia (England/Greece) & Pia (Sweden)

Italians, Japanese etc...

061020、Friday

Today is my friend's birthday so about 20 people gathered to celebrate her. We went to an Italian restaurant with a nomihoudai and enjoyed pizza, pasta, drinks etc.

Kamakura

Kamakura Bamboo Garden

Delicious macha tea

Daibutsu, also known as The Great Buddha

INSIDE the Daibutsu

Hasedera Temple

Statues

Enjoying coffe/tea and cake while admiring the beautiful view of the ocean

A perfect day for surfing

Enoshima (the island to the left) and Mount Fuji (in the background to the right)

061015, Sunday

It took me about an hour on the train until I reached Zengyou where my friends picked me up with their car. At first we drove to Kamakura Bamboo Garden where we enjoyed delicious macha tea while watching the beautiful view of bamboo trees. It was a bit chilly today so it was great to drink something hot. Actually, it was my first time to try this "whipped macha tea with foam". It was really good! Strengthened by the tea we continued to see the Daibutsu which is an enormous statue, 120 ton and 11 meters, of Buddha. The statue is hollow so we entered it! After this we continued our tour to Hasedera Temple and later on went to a restaurant where we enjoyed cakes and drinks while looking at the ocean. We all felt the influence of the ocean to make us feel relaxed. The weather got better so it was a good day for the surfers to enjoy sunlight and nice waves. Our last stop today was to admire the great view of Enoshima and Mount Fuji in the sunset. This day could really not have ended in a better way!

Male kenpo team fighting

Many hopeful teams gathered from different universities
(the Waseda team far to the right)

One of the Waseda fighters (to the right) doing his best

It can get pretty rough (the Waseda fighter on top)

Me, Marica & Tomoyo...eager supporters :)

061009, Monday

My kenpo friends and I went to Hiyoshi in Yokohama to watch the male contenders from Waseda fight. Today it was a team fight. Each university was represented by a team of seven fighters. It was really great watching! You tend to get a bit carried away due to the suspense :) The Waseda team did well, we ended up in third place!

Kenpo practice for women only

061007, Saturday

Considering the fact that we are only four women during kenpo practice we had a "women only" practice today at another university. Women kenpo fighters from other universities came to pratice together. This was my fourth time ever to do kenpo and today I had my first experience of a fight. Of course I had to fight against people with black belts, 2dan and 3dan haha. It was a new experience for me and let's just say that I have a thing or two to learn :)

Starting school...for real

061002, Monday

Today I started having my classes at school. I have just realized that this is going to be the toughest year ever for me! Japanese is a pretty complicated language so I have a lot of studying ahead of me. It is always difficult in the beginning and everyday I hear Japanese words that I have never heard before. Can you imagine how it feels like sitting in class not really understanding what the teacher is saying, nor be able to read the papers she is handing out? Like I said, this will most definitely be a challenge....

Global Festa at Hibiya Koen

Ruriko (Japan), Lindsay (USA), Francesca (Italy) & Hanna (Canada)

Delicious doner kebab from the stand: "The Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan"

Yakisoba
(fried noodles, which is a common festival food)

Claudia (Switzerland)

061001, Sunday

My friends and I went to a global festa at Hibiya Koen. We walked around and looked at the various items being sold in the stands. After a while we got hungry but there was no problem at all finding food. We could choose to have dishes from a lot of African countries. I had a delicious doner kebab.

Later in the evening my friend Claudia and I met up to have dinner (gyou don).

My first practice

060930, Saturday

Today I had my first practice at the nihon kenpo club. It was really cool and a lot of fun. I will definitely go there again!!