Fun First Day

Boy, the weather is a bit different here than in Arizona! I knew it was going to be humid, but not THIS humid. It’s going to take a couple of days to get used to, but with my trusty fan, I think I can survive.

Our first full day was incredibly busy, and so much better than I was expecting it to be! It started off with a Japanese breakfast that was different than anything I’ve tried before. There were a lot more pickled vegetables than I was used to that early in the morning. I’m not quite sure what most of the food was, but it was delicious anyway!  

After breakfast, we got our first interaction with Kobe Gakuin University. It was incredibly beautiful, and the grass there was real! We toured the university and its library, then we learned a bit more about what the students do by entering a clean room and watching a compounding demonstration.

The most exciting moment at the university was meeting my pen pals, Risa and Yuri! Both were so nice and fun to talk to. Like us, it seems like they are really busy with studying for their exams, but I can’t wait to see them again at the takoyaki party later this week. I am so thankful that the university is hosting us for the time that we are here, and the welcome lunch was a great experience!

It was so fun exploring the Sanomiya area today, too! It was really nice getting to know some of the girls from the Phoenix campus better, and it was such a fun way to do it. Getting melonpan (my new favorite), visiting China town and a shrine were all so exciting!

I think the best thing of all today was the firework festival. Coming from a city which has relatively large pyrotechnic shows, I thought I knew what I was getting into, but I was wrong. This was the most awe inducing firework show I have ever seen. I think it really set off the whole mood of the trip: starting with a bang!

I hope that tomorrow’s sightseeing trip to Nara is just a great as today was!