Good Things

• What usually happens with my brain is that when it hears English on TV or wherever, it sends me a little message saying "Hey! Pay attention! You know that language!"  Now it is starting to happen with Japanese... I can understand portions without actually giving it my full attention, so my brain sends me the "language you understand" alert and I think it is English, but then it isn't.  
• The same thing has happened during conversations with my host mom-- I'll be really confused about why she's randomly throwing English words into her sentences, and then realize that my brain is just confused by the Japanese words I know really well.
• I found a Russian text book in the library at school.  All the explanations are in Japanese.  It might be my favorite object in the whole world.
• I spent the afternoon playing music with Annika.  
• Annika is visiting my school this Tuesday!  
• At this point, I speak Japanese well enough that I can explain to my host mom that what is going on inside my head is entirely different from what I actually am able to communicate and that it is really hard.  It doesn't really solve the problem of feeling isolated, but it helps to have someone understand.
• Tomorrow is Valentine's Day.  Happy Birthday Dad!
• Recent words I learned:  Sea Otter- rakko, photosynthesis- kougousei, single-celled organism- tansaibouseibutsu.  Host fam and I have good conversations. :]
• My sister is in Kenya now!  She's the most awesome person ever.  Seriously.  Read her blog! Link: Molly's Ridiculously Amazing Life in Kenya
• That's all for now.  It's late and I have school tomorrow.
• I'll be more consistent about blogging in the future.
• I'm pretty sure I say that every time...