After a quick last breakfast at Inuyama, the IES group headed back into Nagoya to Nanzan University to meet our homestays and such. I was, surprisingly, the first to meet my okaasan. And she is exceptionally lovely and kind.

She drove me back in her car to our house and here is the basics of my homestay as it stands. I live in an incredibly convenient area of Nagoya. My train station, Ozone, is 2 minutes walk from our house, and we have a huge shopping mall not too far away, as well as the Nagoya Dome, which is a huge baseball field for the local team, the Chunichi Dragons.

The house itself is an apartment/loft with three floors, the first being just the entry room, the second having my Mama’s work area and my older sister, Shizuko’s, room. The third is my room and the kitchen/living room. I adore my room. It’s large, roomy, open, with a high angled ceiling, air conditioning, internet access, and a regular bed. So far, the language barrier definitely stands, but my family has been very supportive so far, patient, and willing to explain or repeat phrases, though I know i’ll catch on quickly enough.

They took me out shopping yesterday, which was a lot of fun, and I got treated to lunch, which was a meal of hamburger. Not in the American traditional style, however, but a sizzling cutlet with bean sprouts, noodles, rice, and an egg. It was delicious, though my family ate their portions incredibly fast while I barely finished mine. I got plenty of stares in the mall, though I suppose is natural considering that I may be the whitest person around in my area, but despite that, my Mama allowed me to pick out a rice bowl and tea cup as homecoming gifts.

After spending a while unpacking and getting acquainted with my room, it was time for dinner around 8:00, which consisted of a summer udon dish, eaten cold in iced down soy sauce, and more tea. One thing that I especially adore about my family is that they love tea as much as I do and are willing to provide whenever I need it, which is lovely.

So now i’m here. I’m in Nagoya. No longer a tourist, but a resident and student. I’ve worked all morning to update my facebook and my blogs, and now it’s time to study my butt off. Let’s go, Japan.

Location: Yamada, Kita-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi, Japan