I hate you Blogger

So, I know I was supposed to eventually post all the wonderful photos I took of the snow and ice sculptures at the Yuki Matsuri, but that isn't going to happen, and you can blame Blogger for that. Their editing program for pictures is so incredibly inconvenient and unpredictable, I'm just not going to deal with it anymore. First it was the video, now it's the pics. So sorry, but no more. Instead, I will be including the photographs in my presentations promoting studying abroad at CMU in the fall. I hope you come and see it; the photos are really amazing.

I am also sad to report that my spring break is pretty much over (weeps inconsolably). Yesterday, all of us exchange students had to take this semester's placement test. It was less stressful than last time, as I knew what to expect. I also felt much more prepared, since it had only been two months since my last Japanese class, instead of four months at the last test.

Afterwards, my friends and I went to Rappongi Hills to go see Watchmen in the theater. There are several theaters in Tokyo that show American movies, but we chose Rappongi because a) the theater is SUPER nice and b) they have the cheapest tickets for exchange students. Seeing a movie in Tokyo is usually ridiculously expensive- about $20 for one adult. But at Rappongi Hills, it's $18 for adults, $15 for students, and an amazing $10 for foriegn exchange students! All we had to do was show them our Keio student IDs and our alien registration cards. Huzzah!

By the time I made it home last night, our dorm's welcome party was about to start. About a third of Willing Setagaya's residents moved out, and though we will miss them, we got a lot of new students last week. Oddly enough, nearly all of them are from France or Scandanavia (Norway and Sweden). They are all very nice people, and I really look forward to hanging out with them this semester.

I especially hit it off with the four students from Paris; I took four years of French in high school so I was able to exchange a few greetings with them and follow a bit of their conversation (and they were kind enough to translate whatever they said in French for Maggie and me), and they were fascinated by my Texan background, even making me talk with an accent for them! None of them know very much Japanese, so I'll help them a bit with their Japanese and they can help me relearn a bit of French.

Tomorrow, I will find out what level I tested into, which will also determine which optional courses I'm taking- my plan is to take as many classes on the same days as possible so I have several days off a week. That way, it will be easier to continue at my internship during the semester.

I'll let you know what classes I'm taking as soon as I find out. Cheers, and Happy Easter!