busy week, busy week!

The past couple of days have been really busy!

Wednesday, after my Japanese lesson with Yushiaki san and Saki san, we took the above ground JR train to Sasaguri city in Fukuoka Prefecture. In Sasaguri is the famous Nanzoin Temple with the largest bronze reclining Buddha in the world! The temple was beautiful and the Buddha was insanely hugeeeee!!

Thursday was my 23rd birthday and also my 23rd day in Japan. During my Japanese lesson, and self introduction to our teacher Tsuru san, my "Hajimemashite. Watashi no namae wa Olivia desu. Niju san zai desu. Demo, otoutoi nijuni sai desu."  "Nice to meet you, my name is Olivia. I'm 23 years old. But, yesterday I was 22 years old." went over really well. Tsuru san quickly figured out I was talking about my birthday and she was so happy for me! :) We also had a lesson with Watanabe san and with Sadatani san. After lunch, Kathy, a nursing student from the Philippines gave us a tour of the hospital where we met so many wonderful members of staff. I'm very excited to be working along side them soon. They were all very patient with us while we butchered basic Japanese sentences. For dinner, Samantha and I rode our bikes to Trial (surprise?) and ordered a pizza - no cooking for me tonight!

Friday was our last day of Japanese lessons.Our teacher was Komatsu san, the head nurse in the education department of the hospital. We then had a tour of the Orthopedic Surgery ward and got to visit the operating room on the same floor. We were told that if we have free time and are interested in observing surgeries we were welcome to come by (HOW exciting is that?). I hope to be seeing a lot of the OR during my time here.
We also had an orientation with Tamura san, the head nurse of emergency. She was really friendly.

For dinner, Samantha treated me to sushi for my birthday meal, so kind! Yano san told us about this sushi restaurant nearby to our house called Onoshou. Thought we'd give it a go.
The restaurant looked like someones house and was tucked in behind a bicycle shop. And also - the menu was entirely Japanese. -->
Thankfully, being the sushi fanatic that I am, I was able to communicate to the chef that makimono and sushi was great - and that miso soup and green tea were also okay. So he just made us something along those lines. And.it.was.SO.delicious!

They even brought me a couple of candles with dessert! We managed some small conversation and left quite full and very satisfied. I plan on going back!

Back at home, Samantha and I put my new toaster oven to the test and made a small birthday cake. It...was...excellent! Two layers of vanilla cake with a vanilla custard yogurt/strawberry jam mixture in the middle with whipped cream and icing on top. HELLO excellent Friday night. Delicious!


Here's to an excellent 23rd birthday spent in Japan!

Japanese words of this week:

Onaka ga ippai! = I'm full!