Here we go!

Here we go!

Life is funny I'm a Latin American Studies major, yet I find myself in Japan ready to embark on a research project with five other UWEC students. We're studying teaching congruent EFL (English As A Foreign Language) within the Japanese culture. I don't intend on teaching or living in an Asian country but God asked me to add the TEFOL (Teaching English As A Foreign Language) certificate to my academic endeavors during my time in Nicaragua and Costa Rica last summer. I wasn't too happy with His (suggestion) because I really didn't care to add more time in school to "my plans" but God made it clear (in a nice way) that He didn't want me to cheat the people I'd some day advocate for by sending me without all the necessary tools. It would take me way too long to catch you up on how I ended up part of this research group (five beautiful young women) but I have chosen to believe that my heavenly daddy will use it for good. 

I got into Osaka after almost 24 of traveling and I'm grateful for a safe and uneventful trip. My group arrived in Hyoto today and I am spending my first night in our little dorm apartment with two of my roomies. Needless to say we are already dear friends and have shared from our hearts to the point of tears but don't worry they're good tears. Earlier today we explored a mall (yes, I know big surprise huh?) and shopped for our food at a grocery store. It was great fun because we didn't know what half the things we bought were but we're all ready and willing to explore new things which makes for a great segue.

The bathrooms in Japan are very different from the ones we're familiar with back home. I am going to have great glutes when I get back home because the toilets here are very low and to the ground which means that a person has to squat in order to use them. Most of them also have a baday feature ( this I like) 

The toilet is also kept separate from the room you shower in (more on that later) but my fave thing is that most of the toilet seats are heated :)

Anywho, it's super late here because they're is a fifteen hour time difference. Most of us were in danger of falling asleep in our dinner ( and yes I do mean it literally) on our first night here. I will do my best to keep you posted (for those of you that are up for some entertainment) as much as possible and hopefully I will post some pictures too. I'll be away from my family from the 2nd through the 20th so please feel free to lay lots of luvin on my family while I'm away. Sayonara : 0

Araceli