One final and one paper down. One final and three papers to go! Tomorrow I get to see a sumo match with my study abroad program exciting. 

Today I walked around Yoyogi Park for a bit. I was trying to find this big flea market going on (which the internet told me was in the park but it was actually across the street from the park), so I just walked around the park for a while. The sun was bright, and it was a nice afternoon. A lot of people where there. I really love Yoyogi Park because so many people gather there for so many different reasons. This one guy was making huge bubbles (he was also there when I took my brother to the park and he let us make some!), some people were practicing dance, some people were practicing instruments, some people were doing sports, some people were walking their dogs (so many pretty dogs!), and the list goes on and on. I can't wait for it to get warm again so I can actually enjoying spending time outside again. Anyway, I enjoyed walking around for about a half hour and then I figured out where the flea market was, but it was near its end so it wasn't that exciting. I was thankful I got to take a nice walk though.

When I got home I tried to work on another paper, but the cold weather has really been getting to me. It just makes me so tired. I got some work done, but I really wanted to finish it today...oh well...

Once my host parent got home from work I had a really nice talk with my host mom for about an hour. She had been gone working in Nagano since Wednesday, so I hadn't seen her for a while. Since I was tired my Japanese skills weren't too great, but we talked about a lot of stuff. I told her I am seriously interested in working in Japan after I graduate, and she told me she will have her friend look into jobs for me since she has a lot of connections apparently. She also told me they would have a room for me so I could stay with them again if I come back. When my host family says things like that to me I feel like they really mean it. I mean, a part of it could just be to be nice, but I really feel like my host family views me as a part of their family. And to me they are my second family. I'm really glad I got a great host family. Obviously they aren't perfect; but I am thankful for them. Sometimes I do get a little home sick here though. It's weird to think that after I graduate I won't be able to go back home for the summers and just do absolutely nothing and rely on my parents. Becoming a real person is scary. 

Also, though I've always known this, being here has made me realize how bad I am at keeping in touch with people who I don't actually physically see. There are people that I don't really keep in touch with now, but who I really do cherish. But there is only so much I can do in a day you know >_<