Hiroshima in Pictures

Looking from the park out into rebuilt Hiroshima.

An installation of artwork.

One of the first pictures I felt comfortable taking in the memorial park.
Truly a heavy trip.
Initial feelings: overwhelmed and guilty. I felt like I didn't deserve to be there, like I had no right to be there. I don't feel like there's a lot that I can say about what it felt like seeing the preserved evidence of the bombing. It was horrific. I've got this really odd pressure against the front part of my ribcage that started up as soon as I started reflecting on how I felt in my body being there.
Listening to the atomic bomb survivor talk was wild. This woman had so much energy and such a desire to communicate with us. Really reaching out and laying her soul bare for us. The reflecting pond and the flame they keep burning.

Right after you leave the first part of the park, there's a beautiful rose garden. The flowers were really lovely. This is Joanna enjoying the blossoms.
The trip wasn't all heavy and melancholy. The whole group took the ferry over to this absolutely breathtaking place called Miyajima. Its like Bali Hai from South Pacific, or something. Mountains right next to the water is truly magnificent. Probably one of the most beautiful days I've had in Japan.

Tomoko and Courtney on the ferry to Miyajima, the beautiful island next to Hiroshima.

Friends! Andrea, Maria and Fede.

Miyajima.

We live dappled lives

My darlings, if you could ever find it in your hearts to forgive this wayfaring wench for her long hiatus from the interwebs, she would be most appreciative!

(got the title from my philosophy professor- he just came up with it last class, roughly half an hour ago :)).

Nihon, ah you crazy, idiosyncratic, thoroughly incomprehensible yet intensely enjoyable place.

I have been doing quite a few "balances del anio" this past week. I cannot believe that I have 11 days left here. The last month truly snuck up on me. If you can picture a month pouncing, simply insert me into that image in your mind's eye. :D

I feel so blessed and really elated that I chose to come to this place and happened to fall into the company of so many truly wonderful people. Some famous dude once said that its the people you meet in your life that you remember, not the places you meet them... or something like zat. True story.

But, enough of this melancholy hogwash- on to the funzies!!!

Since I last chatted with all you lovely people (read: wrote at you), I have been to Kobe to see several billion art installations, approximately. It was cold and rainy in Kobe but it is a tres jolie place- the guidebooks liken it to places in Europe. We had some dericious food in Chinatown, because clearly, that's what I came to Japan to do, and discovered the Hello Kitty of China: GOOD EVENING PANDA! Panda most assuredly trumps Kitty-chan (sorry, Aki, please don't write me up! <3).

Panda-flavored hand sanitizer, for all your... oh.

My good friend Amanda spearheaded the voyage to Kobe, including the lodging in a cozy hostel called Kobe Dears Backpacker House. If you're in the area and need a place for la noche, or a few weeks, check them out: http://www.kobe-dears.com/english/index.php

(mention my name and you stay for free NOT!)

And now for my dear Charlie. This is where I grovel. Charlie, I am a flake and a truly awful person. I don't bring housewarming gifts for your ryoushin and say I'm coming to tea ceremonies and then don't show up. I know, I know, よるされへん、or however you say it, but you knoww that I loves you, and am still waiting for Fly Honeys to confirm my friend request.

To my dear Okaasan of the United States of 'Murica (that's you, Mama): the above outstanding gentleman is the reason that I was able to see a tea ceremony in Japan. He may dominate in the speaking of the Japanese, but am vastly more talented than he when it comes to folding tea napkins. NOT to be taken lightly. Really.

HARD to FOLD! I sat and had a lady watch me fold the napkin for what must have been 45 minutes, and I still didn't have it down. Veryfrustrating, at first. Gives a whole new meaning to "throw in the towel". More like "weep on the tea cloth."

Our big end-of-semester project in Spoken Japanese manifested itself in a skit dedicated to the one, the only, Godzilla-san. Shimotani, our fearless teacher, was so tickled I nearly offered her our sock puppet, except that it was my sock... and it is a very nice sock, a Costco synthetic wool blend...

The point is, Godzilla, we love you man, so this one's for you. Cheers.

Claire Kovarik, my one, my only, my こいびと, I am nothing without you. Thank you for putting your hand on my head and cooking me thanksgiving dinner and letting me sit with crazy people while waiting for the bus in the absolute middle of nowhere because I am directionally CHALLENGED! I do rove you, desperately.

In Kobe, on a tour of le harbor and several art installations IN THE BAY!!! GASP!

Wonderful people from left to right: Timmy, Joanna, Claire, yours truly.

Lots of love and good energy for all you readers and thanks for all the comments- they make me feel loved and inspire me to keep posting!!!

Ah, sweet domesticity

I've spent the day being disgustingly tidy, and I love it. The room got vacuumed for the first time in I will not tell you how long, with Dar Williams and Chris Martin as my cheerleaders- thanks guys! Domestic goddesses represent! Mom, Dad, Tana- do you remember that bumper sticker?

Having the outer part of your world makes the inner feel so much better! C'est vraiment jolie ca.

Halloween was quite lovely- I was a gypsy and had a lovely time stealing people's wallets. I should have figured this out a lot earlier. Much more efficient than withdrawing money. :D

But really, I was a gypsy. It was sweet- did not purchase a single thang. Another guy from my seminar house went as Jack Sparrow and may or may not have landed himself a Japanese wife as a result. He was the toast of the town, thanks to my scarf (he couldn't have done it without me). Okay, so actually its not my scarf, its Kindra's, but please, guys, let's not get so TECHNICAL!

<--So I have ridiculously cute friends. Right? Right. Left to right: Haruka, gypsy, Yui. <3>Other updates in my life: its raining, so that's nice. The sound of rain is quite lovely, yes. A group of us went out for Indian food last night and it was quite tasty- I will not say it was Sitar-quality, for fear that my father will disown me, but it certainly delivered. The rockstar-of-the-night award goes to Maria, who dealt with the fact that Indian food comes three ways: spicy, nose-blowingly spicy, and feel it the next day spicy. Maria does not eat spicy food, and will be feeling it for the next week. Way to try everything babe! よくできました！(good job)

This is Lucas, aka Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow. I take credit for three of his braids.

Must now get on to editing lovely papers for lovely school! Sending lots of love to all of you, my faithful readers!

ITS ALIVE!!!!!

私のコンピュータはALIVEです！(Watashi no konpyuuta wa alive desu)！！The mac lives! Thanks to the apple extended protection plan (thank you Daddy!), I was given, get this, a brand new hard drive FO FREE. Yes, these words are true, this is not some fabrication of a down-on-her-luck college student. I did not pay a cent, AND, the young man who helped me both days at the Apple Store was quite attractive. Never does hurt if the hired help has a pretty face!

^This is my "rejoicing-in-the-computer-lab-because-my-computer-lives" face. I like the vistory fist, personally. :)

I got to explore a little bit of Osaka while the computer got fixed on Tuesday and passed by a few infamous "love hotels" which have three different prices listed according to particular customer needs: rest, stay, and the extremely utilitarian "service time". Please see below.


Other lovely sites included the well-known Doutonbori street, where there are many (you guessed it) STORES, where you can blow all your お金 (okane, or money)<-- I'm learning kanji, can’t ya tell? There are lots of bright lights and beaucoup de gens, and to be honest the effect is rather overwhelming. Never thought I'd feel overstimulated, but that was the feeling I was walking with in Osaka.

On Sunday, after dropping said computer off at the Apple store (kind of like dropping off someone at camp... not really), I scooted up to Nara and joined some friends there who were shrine and temple-ing. While on holiday in Nara, I met Bambi, and his entire extended family. They say hello.
Nara is famous for its deer population and for this reason, in addition to its shrines, temples and lovely location, it has become a tourist destination for Japanese and foreigners alike.
Maybe we could get people to pay money to come check out all our friends in the dingle. I knew there was an undiscovered market economy in Longmeadow!

Margaux Frank, blogging live from Hirakata, out!

A problem that non-vertically-challenged visitors to Japan may encounter: the architecture of Japanese fitting rooms!!!

It has now been a week since my last post, roughly. Let's write!

Class is going well- I'm in the computer lab right now and have just finished my chapter 3 and 4 test. I think it went alright! I bought myself some fly new pencils at the hyakuen shop (100￥shop), and they write like butta. I think they gave me special powers. :)　I'm headed for Osaka today and shall pay a visit to the Apple store, where the computadora is currently on vacation. The Apple store is located in a particular store, where the computadora is currently on vacation. The Apple store is located in a particularly ritzy area of Osaka called Shinsaibashi, so I'll be droppping a few thow on some heirloom jewelry as well... NAHT. I shall instead be thrift shop hunting and generally exploramacationing, as one must when one makes said voyage to yonder city.

This weekend I am Hiroshima-bound with a lovely bunch -- quite international at that. The poster children of Kansai Gaidai's Asian Studies program, if you will. Germany, Canada, Colombia, Italy, 'Merica, England, Scotland, Japan- represent-shimashou!

It promises to be a sobering and informative experience. To be honest, I don't truly know how I'm going to feel when I arrive. I've been told you can feel it in the air that something awful happened there.

Its starting to get a mite chilly here now, which gives me great reason to rejoice. I've been sporting the occasional pair of leggings and strut around campus in my beautiful purple gold-streaked scarf, courtesy of ma soeur (love you Tana) who never fails to dress me so that I look like a million bucks.

Though I have to say, there is something about the tee-shirts here that is quite profound.

The shirt reads: "Hope springs eternal in the human breast."

Now tell me, where in America would you ever find something so poetic, yet decidedly hip?

Many thanks to my model, Amanda Tobin.

今、おなかがすいた、だから　ひろごはんお　食べます！またね！　

^Now, I am hungry so I will go eat lunch! Later!

Must be heading to the cafeteria now to brave the swarms of hungry Japanese students. A tout a leur!
Hope all is well at home and wherever you all find yourselves in the world. Lots of metta!

Love,

Margaux

Back by popular demand

Please excuse the long gap between entries, dear fan base.


My darling computer has been under the weather and I am enthusiastically NOT diving into the firey pits of technological warfare.

I'm having my techie friends do it instead.

Since I last wrote, I have ridden several buses, a Hello Kitty ferris wheel, and a plethora of trains. One particular combination of said modes of transportation brought me and several friends to Tokyo for Silver Week, which is a fairly recent addition to the Japanese national holiday roster.



We had, how do you say, a blast. We saw several temples, rode up tall skyscrapers to see the entire city (both at night and during the day), saw the Tokyo Tower- essentially a takeoff of the Eiffel Tower, and became quite adept at navigating the Tokyo metro system, considering we were there less than a week.








-->
Having Hello Kitty (affectionately known as "Kitty-chan" in Japan) narrate a ride on a large ferris wheel proved to be excessive stimulation.
Odaiba, in addition to boasting a large shrine to an infantile feline, is also the location of Marine World in Japan. Its funny, you see because Odaiba is actually an artificial island... that the Japanese made... because they didn't have enough islands? Ah the mystery. I will take it for what it is! And then Wikipedia it. We had a lovely time.

<--We stayed in a hostel! This was my bed! Left to right: Andrea, Maria, and me.
Asakusa was by far my favorite place. The Sensoji Temple was a MADHOUSE, but very pretty and we took LOADS of pictures. Maria left no possibility unturned and was very unapologetic about her shashin toru (that is, picture taking. Monacle, monacle.) We paid a lovely visit to the fish market, where we nearly became grease spots dodging the oil drum vehicles the workers drive to transport fish. I took a few pictures. We followed a 70-year-old fellow out of the maze of fishy peril and decided that the aquarium was a perfectly suitable place to see the fishies sans escalating blood pressures.
Pictured above is an example of how one lays down the law in the fish market.

Team Tampa Takes on Tokyo (and I tag along).

Subtitle explanation: the people I went with all go to school in Tampa, FL. I couldn't resist the alliteration. :D
Our fearless leader, Maria, is map queen and Tokyo Tower aficionada. Wali was our Japanese bauss and will dominate anyone at Kareoke. Watch out. Travis is going to live in Akihabara someday and open a legitimate American bistro, and Andrea is our mama duck and will keep everyone happy, pacified and beautiful, so help her. I contributed to the trip by getting on the wrong bus coming back from the bathroom on the way back. In my defense, it was four in the morning, and I can't read.

Group Picture in Akihabara (left to right): Maria, Andrea, Travis and Wali

There is no way anyone could ever hope to see everything Tokyo has to offer, even if you were to live there your whole life, but there is most assuredly something there for everyone! Let me know if y'all ever need maps- I've got lots!

Lots of love and picture-taking peace signs,
Margaux

Stuff I've done

Went to Japan

Found a geisha

Drank some precious water

Saw some temples nbd.

Took some pictures

Went to college

Ate some candy

Ate some octopus tentacles

Learned some Japanese

Made a friend

Bowed a lot

Ate some food

Used a long-drop toilet,

didn't fall in.

Made a peace sign

juice bah

Burned my dinner

Ran into a pole

Bathed in electric water

Called my dorm father "Mother"

Watashi no denwa bangoo wa

Hahaha, you actually though I was going to tell you my phone number, DIDN'T YOU?!

It's taken a little while, but contain yourselves America, and other countries reading this, because there are SHASHINNNN!!! (pictures). :) I'm sitting here with my friend Haruka and we are going to show you Nihon in a few sweet pics! Enjoy only!

Quick post: yesterday we went to Kyoto- first experience with Japanese trains (Wheeee!) and navigating the system of densha (trains). Kyoto has incredibly beautiful temples and I really didn't know what to expect when we got there but I loved it!

I'll be back, never fear. The food continues to be excellent: my current favorite are the rice balls: onigiri- oishii (delicious)!!!!!

So there’s this chocolate here that is ridiculously tasty. It’s practically a drug. As chance would have it, this particular brand is called Crunky. I do not tell lies. Photographic evidence.

I can only describe it as a Crunch bar with an identity crisis and hope that you can understand. If you say wakarimasen (I don't understand), I will sadly sigh and make a note to bring some home so you can all experience this culinary joy. Speaking of home, hi Mama and Dad! Thanks for the great letter and all of the emails. Its good to know you care.

Holy Monkeys. I went to a sento last night, which is a Japanese spa. Spas are very different from the states in that they cost $5 to get in and are like neighborhood hangouts for the people in the area. Sentos are phenomenal. You go to the locker room- guys and girls are separated- strip down to the buff, then go scrub down for all you’re worth at this row of sit-down showers. You’re required to shampoo as well because of the risk of transfer of germs/ bacteria/dirt. If you don’t, the ladies WILL get up and complain and you WILL be a culturally insensitive poop head. You rinse off all the soap and shampoo and then embrace the wonder of the sento. There are three tubs filled with various degrees of hot water, a cold tub and… one with an electrical current! This is not a joke. The ladies who come to these spas come and hunker down in the electric tub for minutes on end. The frightened gaijin (us), on the other hand, squeal upon dipping a finger into this water. The Japanese women there were smiling and laughing at our yelps of surprise and motioning encouragingly. Side note: People here are SO helpful, in my experience, will always go out of their way to help you. It takes getting used to, but it is a crazy experience and apparently very good for relaxing your muscles. I feel a little sore today, but just as if I’d lifted yesterday. The cold tub is probably my favorite. My friend Joanna and I held our breath and dunked ourselves completely, then liked it so much that we stayed for about ten minutes. Very relaxing. We were hypothesizing that the water is mentholated, because your breath comes so easily and feels remarkably fresh. It’s awesome.

Joanna and me awaiting our debut on the Nihon no densha! I have two fingers... she has three fingers... we haven't quite got the peace signs down. Give us a week, onegai shimasu (please).

MISF- out!

Love to all at home and in the world.

Konnichi wa!

Ogenki desu ka?

All is well on my fifth (?) day here in Japan, meeting lots of really lovely people and seeing beautiful things! I have a speaking partner now which is tres exciting, and I have met a bunch of people who speak Spanish! Its crazy, really. I'm picking up words here and there and everyone is very encouraging and extremely helpful. I have my own entourage of cheerleaders! I pay them, but don't tell anyone, ok? Thanks.

The food is muy delicioso, though stuff be pricy here. I'm very aware of how much money I have and intend to spend. On our first full day here in Hirakata we went into the downtown area where they were having a local festival. It was pretty cool- several rock/punk bands played, including one called "Baby Smoker," not kidding, and this hilarious pantomine group. These guys are true scholars, I tell ya.

I have purchased a bicycle and she is exquisite. She is the color of sora (sky) and has a sweet basket, which I suki quite a lot. Suki, bee tee dubs, is like. :D I had a very pleasant experience walking to the bike store with one of my RAs. We tried out several bicycles and filled out paperwork- none of which I would have been able to do without Kaoru's help. The owner of the shop was curious as to whether I apply sunscreen daily and I said yes, asking Kaoru's help to translate the key word white. My aka-chan (baby) efforts were appreciated, and I got called "kawaii," which means cute. Great success.

I shall be posting pictures soon and apologize pour le delay, but have no fear, they shall appear!
For all you good folks who do not frequent the devil(!) better known as Facebook, here is my address. I would love to hear from you!

Margaux Isabella Frank
c/o Center for International Education
Kansai Gaidai University
16-1 Nakamiyahigashino-cho
Hirakata, Osaka
573-1001 Japan

Oyasuminasai (good night- because none of you should be awake over there right now),
Margaux <-- Pronounced the same as grandchildren in Japanese (Mago).

zee countdown

I have three days left aux Etats Unis. That's crazy. It's also less than a week. Yeah, I know, math- I do it sometimes. I've been practicing some hiragana so hopefully I won't fail out of Japanese for toddlers. My aspiration at this point is Japanese picture books. The kind without any words. If I can read those, I'm golden.

The weather has cooled down considerably in jolly old Mass- thank you Yaweh, for your many blessings. Nothing further to report, except that y'all should check out the movie Saved!. It has Mandy Moore, and I won't say another word about it. I've got a girl crush, that I cannot deny.

Go well into the world,

Margaux

testingggg

Hello! Welcome my house!
I shall be sporadically commenting on my experience in the land of the rising sun. This is my first entry, fyi. Watashi wa Margaux desu, for all those biddies out there who don't know me. For those who do, howdy and thanks for reading! Hopefully soon all this will be produced in kanji, so no one will be able to understand it! Most excellent.

It is hotter than blazes in darling Longmeadow right now and I look forward to even more harrowing experiences with humidity on the other side of the Pacific. Bring it, Hirakata.
That be all for now.

To all you lovers- enjoy the sultry summer night and keep it classy!

Margaux-san