Grace Hopper Adventure!

Grace Hopper (1906-1992):

an American computer scientist and United States Navy Rear Admiral. She developed the first compiler, conceptualized the idea of machine-independent languages, and popularized the term "debugging". 

In honor of this spectacular woman, a women in computing conference is now annually in different locations each year. MSU WIC (Women in Computing) has a group sent every year. I wasn't confident enough to go last year, so this was my first year attending. Safe to say, I was extremely excited for such an amazing experience. 

This year's Grace Hopper Conference (GHC) was held in Minneapolis, and not being that far from Michigan, we decided to do the 10 hour drive there. Tuesday morning, we set out, stopping along the way for a few snacks, then arriving around 8pm that night. Gas station snack were not enough substance for our group, so shortly after checking into the hotel, we ventured out for food. Searching yelp for places still open, we found a cafe called the Hard Times Cafe, after eating our delicious food (I had biscuits with mushroom gravy, yum.) and chatting for a while, we returned back to our hotel for some rest as it would be an early morning.

Due to our little amount of sleep (2am-630am) and dislike of waking up, the people in my room ended up running a little late with respect to the rest of the group; however, we still got there with enough time to get our badges and find seats for one of the first keynote speaker, Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and author of Lean In.

After some very motivating speakers, most of our group decided to hit the career fair to talk to companies/grad schools and get all the cool swag that was available. For anyone who has been to a career fair, this might be a little different from what you're used to. Imagine a room with around 100 companies who all are looking for your profession and are trying to convince you to come work for them by bringing lots of really cool things (one place was even giving out free manicures!). 35 resumes, 10 new shirts, two bags full of free things later, and a much better idea of my future later, I felt my work was done. Granted this was across the three days of the conference and intermingled with amazing panels and interesting speakers. 

One of the nights of the conference, we found ourselves with a little bit of free time, so a group of us decided to venture to the Mall of America. 

Wanting to save time, we went straight from the conference, which meant that we were dressed in business wear still.

 However, this did not stop us from riding one of the indoor roller coasters that can be found at the mall of america. (The picture to the left is half our group buying tickets for the roller coaster shown below) Despite being indoor, it actually went quite high and fast, so we really enjoyed ourselves. 

After checking one thing off our bucket lists, we decided to wander around the stores a little. After walking for over 30 minutes, we did a half circuit of one floor.  Now, as a shopping loving, I was completely fine with the sheer number of stores; I only wished that we had more time (and money) to spend. 

I did end up buying a can of matcha from Teavana, not due to the rarity of the store, but due to my constant desire to buy some. Otherwise, I stayed strong and didn't buy anything else! :)

I was rather tempted by the notebooks on the left though; the art style was beautiful. If not obvious, these were found at the disney store. 

We stayed until the mall closed, then went to recharge in preparation for the last day of the conference. Trying to go out with a bang, the conference ended with a giant party hosted by Google and Microsoft with lots of deserts and glow sticks.


Everyone in our group was reunited and caught up after our hectic week by going out for dinner afterward (even though it was already around 11pm). Stories were told and laughs were shared, but soon we found that it was time to return to our lodging and get some sleep to prepare our for another full day of driving.  

The drive went much as to be expected, the only things truly worth noting was stumbling upon the full madame butterfly opera on the radio and stopping in Chicago for Chicago style deep dish pizza (specifically the "Lou" at Lou Malnati's). We all arrived home safe, happy, and very exhausted. Overall, it was a fantastic trip and one I hope to be able to experience again! 

Until next time...
:D

Hisashiburi!

As the title states, it's been a while: Two years of school, a summer in California, and a roadtrip across the US later, here I am!

 I am not the best at posting at regular intervals, so I've always fallen off while trying to record my life, whether it was a diary growing up or a blog while traveling. This time I will try to keep to it, not for anyone else but for myself.

After a summer of realizing that I still have a lot to learn and feeling upset about the current me, I resolved (with the help of my very motivated roommate, Charli) to work toward being the person I want to be. It is still a work in progress, but I am now going running more, being more conscience about what I consume, and trying to concentrate on learning more. Saturday, I ran the furthest I had ever run just because I felt like I could keep going! I really want to sign up for a 5k soon, so I can commit myself to actually training for it. Ganbarimasu! *^*q




Also on Saturday, I went to my friend, Matt's "Hobbit Party".  There was a lot of super delicious food and several of us dressed up!

I dressed up in Merry-esque fashion, as Charli and I were planning on going as Merry and Pippin together, but due to a baby coming earlier, she went home to offer her congratulation instead.

The pictures included were taken the following morning in my rather messy bathroom, but I was rather proud of my outfit (which was almost all thrifted for less than $10!).

After feasting, there was some alcohol involved. Most of us ended up falling asleep slumber party style on the floor watching hey arnold. Overall, it was a very fun night!

I get to see two of my favorite ladies (Ktea and Nat) in a bit, so I have to jet, but expect a post again soon! :D

Who would like to guess what I did today?!?!!?

If you said, “read then went shopping with Katie and Ashley!”, then you’re wrong. That was my initial plan when I woke up; however, not exactly how the day played out. Let’s back track a bit, my Okaasan, Sano-san, had to go to Otsu, the capital of Shiga Prefecture and sister city to none other than Lansing. She would be leaving in the afternoon and wouldn’t be back until pretty late at night, so she would prefer me to be out doing something in instead of in the house alone. Completely understandable. So I applied to my dearest friends to go traveling, but they were busy, so I applied to not-so-dear classmates, but no one wanted to travel this weekend, since we had a midterm on Friday. To be honest, I didn’t want to go anywhere either. I was content with a lazy weekend (still with SOME activities), so I asked Katie and Ashley if I could join them in their Saturday plans. Their host parents were taking them to the nearby mall, which was pretty close to the train station. So, we planned for me to just walk and meet up with them, then do some shopping around 6pm.

Okay, here’s what actually happened. I left my house around 4:30 for the train station, since I hadn’t ever been to Hikone station, had to park my bike, etc.  Katie and Ashley had checked the schedule for me and there was a rapid leaving for Maibara at 5:20 and 5:50, from there I could continue on the train to Nagahama. Overall, about a 20 minute train ride. I got to the station at about 510, figured out which ticket and thought I was in luck since I would make the 5:20 train. First delay, the trains toward Maibara were all delayed 60-80 minutes, but there was one coming around 540 again. So I took out my book and waited. Shortly after I got on said train, I got a phone call from Katie telling me that at Maibara, they often make people get off the train then get back on half of it, so they don’t need to use the full train. “Follow the crowds” Okay, sounded simple enough. So we get to Maibara and absolutely everyone gets off the train. But I was ready, I got off too and started following where others were going.  For some reason, no one ever got back on this train though. I mean no one, I looked in each car as they passed. But instead, people were making lines to get on the next train on the EXACT same gate. So I got on the next train with everyone else. Unsure if it was right, I asked the person next to me “Nagahama e ikimasu ka?” (Is this going to Nagahama?) But he looked confused and said he didn’t know. Well, it would make sense for him to not necessarily know. Who memorizes every stop on a train? Okay, I’ll just assume this is right since I don’t know what I was supposed to take otherwise.

“It will be about 3 or 4 stops.”

So, I waited, and waited, and waited. But for some reason the stations must have been spaced very far apart. It had been at least 10 minutes and I hadn’t seen a single station. That’s when I began to get really suspicious, but there was nothing I could do, I would just get off as soon as possible and turn around if I could. Another 10 minutes. A ticket inspector comes by to make sure no one is riding free, and I realize that my ticket is completely different from theirs. Mine is just a 230 ticket (about $2.75) and theirs have the airline ticket look to them. I begin to panic. What do I say? I don’t want to get in trouble to riding the train free, or get fined. 

I managed to stumble through explaining to the ticket inspector that I just wanted to go to Nagahama with a terrified look on my face. He was very understanding, and wrote a note on my ticket, and then spoke very fast Japanese in which I caught “next station” and “can talk with ___” so I figured I should just ask an attendant at the next station and turn around. 

Now the red dot is where I started, and the blue line is where I was TRYING to go. The yellow line is where I ACTUALLY went.....

Safe to say that when I got back to Maibara at around 8:30pm...., (where Katie and Ashley were waiting for me so I didn't get more lost) the shops were closed, and I saw my friends for about 5 minutes. I felt so bad that they missed out too due to my fail. :(

When I got back, I went for a walk, and if it wasn't for perfume's happy music and pride and prejudice being wonderful, I probably would've ended the night on a foul note.

Oh Home Sweet Home?

Yet again, I find myself staying somewhere without internet, so I’m not even sure when this is get to be posted! :/

Today I moved into my host family, or host mother rather, since her husband and children moved to America years ago. In fact she was living in Ann Arbor from about 1986~2005. Now before I say anything else, let me say, my host mother is one of the most interesting people I think I have ever met. Since she’s lived in the states, our first day consisted of quite a bit of English while she was explanation her day-to-day activities, rules, political discussions, etc. I can’t even begin to explain her job, she was telling me in English and it was still complicated. She is a coordinator of sorts, and involved in everything. In fact tomorrow I’m going to help her out at a comedian show that she’s volunteering at. She is a very active member of the community to say the least and as a result on good terms with the Shiga Prefecture government. (A prefecture is about the equivalent of our state). I must say she’s pretty awesome.

Anyway, I got here by bicycle riding after a car, which initially sounds terrifying until I realized that Kimura-san (the woman in charge of homestays and my ride) would be driving a bit stopping somewhere then continuing (she was very sweet about the whole thing and since it was hot out at one point stopped and got me something to drink and told me she wanted me to stay hydrated).  The goal of this ride was for me to know the area/path better. Unfortunately, once we entered suburbia Kimura-san got a little turned around… But eventually we found the correct house. So all’s well that ends well.

My host mother is semi-vegetarian, since she doesn’t really like meat and fish much anymore, and eats mostly vegetables and tofu. Which if you know me, should know that I have absolutely no problem with that! :3 After talking and dinner and such we went for a short walk since she drinks coffee every morning and just ran out of beans ;D However, the store was closed, we did go to a cake shop though, I can’t remember the name, but totemo oishi katta desu!

It’s still very early, but I think I’m going to call it a night (in which I mean continue reading Pride and Prejudice). So mata ne!

Hamlet

It's been a while, but I think it's about time for another post. I'm done with my first week of classes, and that caused to come to the realization that I should re-take 200 level instead of continuing on with 300 level here, or I will die.


"To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;"

This words have been echoing in my head this entire week. Now it made just 
be me, but when a soliloquy regarding suicide is constantly playing in your 
head and as the amount of sleep you are getting each night dwindles down more
and more, it's typically not good. So I had to swallow my pride and weigh out
the pros and cons. I'm still letting the decision sink in, but the more and more I
think about it, the more right it feels.

However, there are other things going on, such asssss KARAOKE!!!!! :3 As a
birthday celebration, I'm finally going to Karaoke tonight! I'm really excited, 
and I'm sure some pictures and /possibly/ videos will be posted afterward. But
until then there isn't much more to say at the moment

音楽 (O-n-ga-ku) means music!

“Now the wheels in my head have been turning, since I looked at that loony, old man. See, I've promised myself I'd be married to Belle, and right now I'm evolving a plan!”

An idea formed in my head recently, and the above lines started playing (quite fittingly). For the rest of my stay here in Nihon (and maybe after depending on how lazy I get), I’m going to choose a band a day to listen to for the majority of the day. Now this may seem random and unrelated form everything else thus far, but I’m lazy so I need to want to write about my days. I may not do an entry every single day, but at least more often. This will also make me listen to other bands outside of my defaults. Which I really need to…... There may be some throwback days, who knows. This is just the intro. You’ll hear more about it soon! Also, today was the first day of class! I did my homework for basically all of Sunday and a lot of this morning, and was still not quite ready for that. However, I now know what to study most, etc.  Kanji class seems really hard, but I think it’s going to be my favorite, shocker I know. I might get to find out about my homestay today which I really want, but is going to be so much work :/ All I can do is hope for the best! Anyway, I have another class in 10 minutes, so that all for today! :)

And so the journey has begun!

Earlier today I arrived in Japan, I will be here for the next 72 days for a study abroad! Originally I was supposed to arrive yesterday in Nagoya and then take a bus with my friends to Tokyo; however, mother nature did not seem to think that was a good idea and delayed my first flight so much that I missed my connecting flight and had to try again the next morning. Also, a change of plans was necessary since I missed my bus and needed to find a way to Tokyo myself. So I planned to fly into Tokyo and then navigate my way through the subway system to the other side of town to meet up with my friends (Katie , Ashley, Rory and a new friend Tory), drop off my bags and go straight to a concert.

After a long plane which sadly did not have very good in-flight movies and so instead consisted of pokemon, Agatha Christie, and J-pop, I arrived ready to face the trains, but I had a message from Rory telling me that he would meet me at the airport. However, that didn’t exactly happen and he asked me to go to Narita Station to meet him instead. The one thing he did not realize-there are two Narita stations. Hence much confusion ensued.

Eventually we made our way to our hostel, dropped my bags off, changed and headed to the concert, slightly late but making decent time.  Shortly after this I realized that Rory did not know where the concert was actually, so quite some time and several wrong turns later we finally arrived to one of the most bizarre concerts I think I will have go to. I really can’t even begin to describe it, but here are very tidbits-LOTS of crowd surfing (the singer, guitarist, and a woman who had lost her son to suicide-random yes but very touching), a woman with a baby….yes at a rock concert, she at least put headphones in his ears tho….., dismantling the drum set (while the drummer is playing still) and moving it into the audience then moving the audience on stage (while Rory and I participated in), the lead singer being much too close to me….., etc etc. Overall, unforgettable. AWESOME first day!!! (errr night?) ;)