The last post in Maryland

Today is almost the last day in Maryland. I’ll write about yesterday first. In the morning and Nina’s class, I participated in an online chat with Hiromi, Kana, and Ai. It was hard to read and write quickly but fun. I’ll participate in chatting in Japan too! In Heather’s class, we saw a picture (A man and a little boy was talking and I thought the little boy was asking something to a man wearing police officer costume.) and thought what we wanted to ask them. All the questions and answers were unique so it was interesting! After the class, Heather gave us letters and gifts. I was really impressed by them. Thank you Heather! We had lunch at the Stamp Union and had a tour a tour of the Prange Collection at Hornbake Library. I didn’t know about the Prange Collection although it is really important collection for Japan. I’m interested in the war and literature so it was amazing! I want to know about it much more. Then I met Mike and went to the Terp Zone. We bowled and it was exciting! After that we went to the supermarket (Thank Mike and Nikki for your long way driving yesterday!) and I bought souvenirs and several things for myself. I had dinner with Nikki, Mike, Kyoko, Tomoya in the Chinese restaurant and I ordered the Wonton Soup. Nikki had the same thing (we are “sisters”), it was great but too big for us; there are about ten wontons! After having dinner, I played golf with Ice, Grass, Kyoko, Hippo and Nikki. The course was amazing and I enjoyed playing. (But I was not good) In front of the golf field, there was hill. We went up and rolled from the top to the below. It was so amazing!! When I went back to the hotel, I had a chance to meet Sachi and Nadav again yesterday. I was so glad to seeing them.

This is my last post in Maryland. In this trip, I met many people and they were all nice. Especially, Nikki, Mike, Joe were always with us and they made us and our trip amazing. I don’t want to leave them but I’m looking forward to seeing them soon. Thank you, everyone, Nina, Heather, AGU members and all the people I met here. I’ll try to keep posting in Japan. I’ll enjoy my last day.

Last day in D.C

This day was the last day in D.C. In the morning, I took two classes and in Heather’s class, we communicated each other about several topics; movies, books, foods, Shone& Chris and gifts. I talked about Harry Potter with Emily and we were so excited! After having lunch at the Stamp Union (the pizza was great!) we went to D.C by metro. My new metro ticket works well so I have comfortable metro riding now. In D.C, we visited the Capitol Building. I didn’t know I can enter the Capitol Building so I was surprised and excited. There were many amazing arts inside and it was really beautiful! To tell the truth, I don’t know about Japanese capitol clearly so I didn’t understand the different between American capitol and that of Japan. I have to learn about it. Then we visit the White House and went back to Collage Park to having dinner, the Middle Eastern food. It was the first time I had the Middle Eastern food but it was really good! We met two of Joe’s friends and I talked with them at the QI lobby. They were really nice and I had such an enjoyable time. I want to talk with them much more! Now, I’m so sad because I have to leave Maryland in two days…

Cookout!

This day was also a wonderful day! In the morning, I took the Blogging class and visited the Voice of America. I am interested in news management so the presentation was interesting for me and I thought I want to know about the VOA much better. Then I went to have lunch with Nikki and talked about the relations including the cultural different between the United States and Japan. I learned many different cultures in this trip and it will be to my benefit. We went back to Collage Park and I visited Nikki’s apartment. I wanted to visit there so I was glad. It was beautiful and colorful; I want to live in such an apartment! We met everyone in the QI lobby at 5 and visited Nikki’s house. Nikki’s house was really amazing and also her parents (and Yogi&Tori) were very nice. I had a delicious dinner, played basketball, chatted, played cards and so on. It was such enjoyable time! Thank you so much! Today is a last day to visit D.C. I want to enjoy visiting with everyone!

Great weekend!

Last Thursday, we went to the IDB and listened to Japanese worker’s presentation. I didn’t know about the IDB clearly so their presentation was interesting for me. I had a chance to enter the meeting room and took pictures. The meeting room was really beautiful and I enjoyed pretending to be a staff member there. Then we went to the zoo. Because I really like animals I had an enjoyable time. Especially, the hippo was so cute! I want you to show my pictures. After that we went back to College Park and played volleyball. I’m not good at playing but it was so fun! I want to play volleyball well. Next day, we went to Baltimore. Baltimore was such a nice town! First, we visited AVAM and saw very unique pictures and arts. I really liked it. I wanted to have more time to see them. Then we went to a restaurant and ate delicious crab cakes. There were a lot of people, who wore Japanese animation costumes; I was surprised but glad that Japanese culture is popular among American people. After that we went to the baseball game (It was the first time I saw the major baseball game) and I was really excited all the time. Next morning, I waked up at 8, met in the lobby with Nikki, Senpai and Hippo and went to jog to the lake. I was a member of the Track and Field club when I was a high school student but I couldn’t run well. I felt disappointed so I decided I will run one or two days in a week in Japan! The lake was very beautiful so I’m looking forward to going again and having dinner there. At the evening, we played volleyball again. Everyone became better players (expect for me) and we had exciting games! Yesterday, we visited to D.C and saw many famous memorials like the Washington monument and the Lincoln memorials. At the Lincoln memorials, Nikki taught us a few games and we played them. It was a little difficult for me but so fun! I want to play again. Then we went back to College Park and some of us went to the supermarket (I really like the American supermarkets!) with Mike and bought the basketball. At the night, I visited Steve’s house and had a good time with Jeff and Steve who are students of the University of Maryland and learn Japanese. We played games and helped their Japanese homework. I thought that Japanese is so difficult and I have to learn correct Japanese. Everything I met in last weekend was amazing for me! Thank you, everyone!

The Newseum&Playing Cards

My 6th day in Maryland, we visited to the Newseum in D.C and it was really interesting for me! Especially, the history of the journalists was the most interesting for me. Despite the dangers that they face, they work very hard to get great pictures and articles. My view of looking articles and pictures was changed. Then we went to Chinatown and I walked around with Nikki. At the coffee shop, Nikki told me how to play “Crazy Eights” which was the name of the cards game. It was fun! We had dinner at the Chinese restaurant and we ate Orange Chicken, fried rice, Beef with Broccoli and vegetable noodle. Our waiter who served water for us was nice man so we could drink a lot of water. After the dinner, we went to shopping and went back to the hotel. Then we played cards with three of Nikki’s friends. At the beginning, we played “the mafia” and it was really exciting! I couldn’t be killer but I could be the angel and the cop. I want my friends in Japan to know that game. Then we played “spoons”. I was also excited! Nikki and her friends were so nice to us all the time. Thanks a lot!

Mint Chip Ice cream!

Yesterday we went to eat the ice cream which is famous in the University of Maryland with Marie, Shania, Nina and Heather. I ate Mint Chip and it tasted great! And Shania gave me a spoon of Fear the Turtle, it was also delicious! After the lunch, we took Dr.Hallion’s class; it was about the history of American diplomacy. Marie taught us so clearly and it was interesting for me. I think I want to study more about American history which is different from Japanese history. And also I thought I should study Japanese history harder because I can’t explain my own history to people who are from other country. Then we divided in two groups and I went to the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City with Mike, Joe, Shania and two of Joe’s friends. (I also wanted to visit Nikki’s apartment. It was really difficult choices for me!) I enjoyed shopping and talking with them. They were very nice and I had an enjoyable trip yesterday. However I have a problem when I ride on metro. My weekly ticket often doesn’t work well. I don’t know why… I’ll try again today!

The Kennedy Center

The fourth day in Maryland was also a great day! I took two classes in the morning, Nina’s writing-reading class and Heather’s listening-speaking class. After the class, I met Maryland students who study Japanese. I had lunch and talked with them. They know a lot about Japan and they had zeal in studying language. It acted as my stimulus! Then we played pool and bowling. It was such fun! I want to meet them again. At 4 o’clock, we met with the mentors at The Quality Inn and went to the Kennedy Center. The Kennedy center was so beautiful! I went to the terrace with Nikki and saw the beautiful view of D.C. And some of us tried spicy candy there. Nikki and Mike said it tasted good but I couldn’t try it… I want to try it someday. Then we went to a sushi bar and ate sushi but I made mistake in ordering and I couldn’t eat sushi. But it was interesting! It was late when we went back the hotel but it was really great day yesterday! (Cockroaches aren’t scary for me now because we have insecticide!)

Such a nice day in Alexandria and Georgetown!

The third day in Maryland, I went to Alexandria and Georgetown by metro. Georgetown is an old part of the city and many buildings attracted me. Houses were colorful and so cute! (I want to live in such a house someday!) We walked around Georgetown with Mike and he took us to fine restaurant, interesting variety stores and bookstore. I ate crab soup and salad in the restaurant. Those were so nice! After the enjoyable trip, we rode the boat to Georgetown. The boat ride was also great! We took many pictures on the shuddered boat because we could see many beautiful views. Joe told me about the things we could see. In Georgetown, we enjoyed shopping and I got nice shirts. After the shopping, we had long way walking with Joe and Mike and we saw Georgetown’s views. We everyone were so tired from a lot of walking, we had a break in the restaurant. I went to Chinese restaurant called Panda Café with Mike and ordered Chow Fun. It was so nice but someone’s dishes were too spicy for them to eat… In the restaurant, Mike spoke so great Japanese! I want to speak English better. I was so tired but enjoyable day in Alexandria and Georgetown! Thank you for every staff, especially for Nikki, Joe, Mike. (In the night, I met cockroach in our room...)

My first day in Maryland

Hi! I’m Saaya, Aoyama Gakuin University International Economics student. I have cousins in the United States so I visit America many times but I had no chance to visit Washington and Maryland. I arrived in Maryland yesterday and this is my first trip to East Coast. So I am a little tired from the long flight but so excited now! Yesterday I saw the White house and many other famous buildings which I saw on TV in Japan through the bus window. It was so beautiful and I’m looking forward to seeing it again. I talked with mentors Mike, Joe and Nikki on the bus. Maryland staff were all kind. I want to communicate with them more on this trip. After a rest at hotel (It looks comfortable.), I went to Potbelly with Nikki and some of AGU members and ate delicious sandwiches and shakes. I want to enjoy my trip and tell what I did in Maryland to my family and friends in Japan.