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Sorry for the lack of posts.
Only just managed to fix my internet yesterday night.

Last post was the night before my first day at Tachibana.
Maybe I'll type out some sections from my journal. Later.

Right now I'm in bed - students just finished the last exams yesterday and we have 3 days off.
My class can be considered as the top class in the grade - the 'top' classes get winter vacation lectures. (?) The teacher responsible for my exchange at the school said I do not have to attend school during that period. But I told her I want to...I don't know what I was thinking. 1.5 hours of maths, science, history etc classes. Actually I do, if I don't attend those classes, I go to school for only just a bit over a month. I want to spend more time with my classmates rather than lounging at home. Oh yeah, I have do maths all over again. It's on a whole different level. and this is the ichi nensei (equivalant to Year 10 in Aus). I got 10/50 in my first maths exam. *facepalm

On my first day at school, doing the self-introducory speech was one of the most nerve-racking experiences I have had so far. and it wasn't like I had something difficult to say in my speech. Basically my name, where I came from, why I came etc. I had to do a speech in front of the staff during their daily staff meeting - all the teachers including the principal were there. Apparently it was well done, - but then, maybe it was because they didn't expect much from me. xD

A second speech was done in front of my class. My hands were shaking even more during this speech. But there was this guy in the class, Hiroshi, he had a big smile on his face. Made me laugh, and calmed me down a bit. I've managed to memorise everyone's names. Students run up to me, tell me their name and ask me what their name is everytime I see them. T_T I've been improving lately - been passing those random tests.

I did another speech yesterday in front of the whole grade and all the teachers in the school hall/auditorium. (It's huge. Looks like a place where orchestras would perform in) I got told that I was going to do a speech literaally 5 mins before the actual assembly. T____T Three Japanese exchange students that went to Australia for a year returned and I thought it was only them that were doing the speeches. I practiced with them on their speeches and then the teacher comes up and tells us that we have to leave for the hall soon. - said that while looking at me as well. Luckily, I've met most people from the grade already, thanks to my HR teacher, so they know who I am and probably noticed that I'm not a 'speech' person.

I like my uniform here better than the one in Australia. Though the short-waist jacket is...
Oh, sports. Totally different from Australia. We are running marathons and up those long staircases of shrines and temples built on top of mountains. x___x but its all good fun. My PE teacher is kind, likes to torture us and see us suffer. ... Lol, though he did let us jog slowly for bit because I was like TIME-OUT.ONEGAIII.

There haven't been any big problems with my host family yet. Thankfully.
I try to help my hsot mother as much as possible. She works for 6 days a week. and I can tell from her hands that the work is not easy. I prayed for my host family when I went to a shrine in Fushimi Inari.

You always see a person sleeping over here. On trains. In classrooms.
Sitting on a train, five minutes later, you might find a stranger leaning on your shoulder, asleep.
Oh, trains. They are as packed as rumoured during the rush hours. On one of my first days to school, my jacket got stuck between the doors but the door opens on the other side on the train station I wanted to get off at. =____=  Had to drop everything and yank the jacket out. *chuckle*
My Asian face doesn't make me stand out as a foreigner. but my actions definitely do. I've gotten lost so many times I've lost count - and it's always to somewhere thats like an hour away from home by train. Thanks to all the students' kindness, I am always tagging along with someone now.

I am really grateful for being able to meet certain people during the exchange so far.
I cannot thank them enough.
These people have changed me, although they mighnt realised.
I've said things, done things, that I would not have done in Australia.
I don't want to leave yet. I want to come back for university - if I make it.

Argh, results in 5 days.
I'm going to be in Tokyo Disneyland/Sea in 5 days.
= =
I know, great timing.

That's all for now. The post is all over the place - just writing as the thoughts come.
Oh Bich, I've read Clockwork Angel for 2 times now. (Y)
Hope you guys have a great time! Stay safe, get tanned, and take a lot of photos!

I'm learning something new everyday here.
My fortune told me to persevere.
Fighting!