So basically, this was a horrible first day... actually just the first part was just really bad and I guess later, it got better. Alright so I'll start from the beginning. So after I went my separate way from mom and dad, I went through security... (all the normal stuff)... and the gate next to the one going to London was one going to Narita, Japan... and I was thinking 'I kinda wanna go to Japan' but while sitting and reading my book, I thought, 'well I'm going to London so I should be thankful'. And then because of daddy always asking, "I wonder who Natalie is," I started thinking that too and I couldn't concentrate and I couldn't read my book. I was in the last group to board the plane (although that's normal), and my seat was next to that place where they keep all the food and so I smelled hella nasty food odors wafting from the little window thingy there. The people next to me were always... doing stuff with each other and omg it annoyed me. And the person sitting in front of me was like... he had his seat tilted back. And you know how when it's meal time, we usually return our seats to the normal upright position? For the person behind us? Well that person didn't! And the stewardess even told him and the people next to him once but he still didn't raise his seat. The people sitting next to him did though. And the stewardess passed us again, and even though she sees that he hasn't raised his seat, she doesn't say anything! Even during the meal, he tries to lower his seat more. the whole time, I was just thinking, "no matter how much you push, unless the seat breaks, it's not going any lower!" but I couldn't say that to him so I just left t alone. Dinner was roast beef and ravioli. I didn't want to eat the vegetables that came with the roast beef so I chose the ravioli. Usually, I hate airplane food, but this was okay. It was better than usual. So next I'll talk about the stewardesses. I hated them. They wore too much perfume! Every time they come near me, I just smell this overwhelming amount of perfume... I felt like throwing up. And the way they talked to me was kinda rude. I don't like United Airline. Oh. And there was a light breakfast also. But that was this smallish, unappetizing fruit salad and a sandwich where the read had this blackish colour and there was ham and this really cheap looking cheese inside. I mean, I don't really like ham and cheese in the first place, but it looked too unappealing for me to eat. (I got hella hungry). And the movies they showed were all kinda lame. (the spiderwick chronicles, nim's island, and be kind rewind.) It might've only been with my seat, but I couldn't adjust the volume. I probably should've told the stewardess but it was too much of a hassle to call them so I didn't. and then I was supposed to say hi to the this girl named Natalie, who was on the same flight as me and was supposed to be sitting in 56A but when I looked, the person who was sitting there was this weird lady who was wayyyy older than me. Annnd right before we landed, I got a bloody nose... (But it stopped really quickly).

I got off the plane and when to Immigration. On the ASA (the program I'm doing) paper, it told me to tell the officer that I was a tourist and not a student (apparently I need a visa to study here). But then I got asked, "Why are you staying in oxford?" "why did you lie to me?" and I was just like "I didn't exactly lie, I'm just saying that I'm mostly here for the sightseeing and such but I'll be doing a bit of studying on the side. So it's not really lying." but eventually, I found out that if I had said, "student" from the beginning, I could've passed sooner, w/o a visa. So I got a held-up a bit...

So after that, I went out of customs and I waited for this car that ASA sent for us... well actually I was looking for the sign that said "ASA Kazeyama & Del Favero". But I couldn't really find it so instead, I started looking for Natalie. She's probably white, right? But there were a few girls who were white and waiting alone so I couldn't really tell which one was her. But eventually, Natalie found me (edit: probably b/c I was like... the only Asian there haha) and we waited for the driver guy together. But the driver still didn't come... so we went to the info desk and had them page the driver. We waited but still no one came so we went to info again and we called the Oxford ASA office and asked them what happened with the car and they told us that it might be traffic and that if the driver didn't come in the next 15 minutes, to call them back and they'd send a new driver. But the guy came, (finally!), and the reason was because he was picking up another pair of girls and got one of them, but they were waiting for the other one to come out of customs. What they didn't know at that time was that the other girl had changed her flight to a later one so he didn't have to get her. After a few calls, they found that out and came to get us...

The other girl's name is Kate and she's from Chicago. The driver was driving really fast and was changing lanes hella to avoid the "slower" cars. I saw a lot of sheep and cows haha. So we got to Oxford and there weren't a lot of people there (the group flight came later, during the afternoon).

So registration ended and we all went to our rooms. And then ate brunch. It was ... normal haha. I had cereal, peach yogurt and two bananas. They had a little field trip like thing set up for this place nearby with all these little cafes (edit: it's called North Parade... I couldn't remember it last time) at one but we had hella time till then so Natalie decided to go back to her room and take a nap (she opted not to go on the little trip), and Kate and I explored the Oxford campus together... and explore we did haha. And then we went back to our rooms. I charged my iPod and started writing this. And then came one o'clock and I went to the meeting place and there were a few people there. I though "huh?" for just a moment there (b/c there weren't a lot of people) and I waited with Kate and two girls named Lauren and Lindsey. Then an ASA staff person came and she told us that the group leaving at one already left. And I was just like, "whaaat? Even though it JUST turned one?!" (By that time, the guys were there too) so the ASA person was like "if there's this many people who want to go, I guess I'll just take you." and so we went. (We found out that there actually wasn't a group that went before us and that WE were actually the one o'clock group). And we met Anna and we had a small group walking together. We went to the small convenience store and I bought a Fanta but wow! Expensive!

When we came back to Oxford, Kate, Anna, and I went to the garden and chatted for a bit (it's a really pretty place). We were afraid of running out of things to talk about so we stopped and went back to our rooms till 4. (I was outside taking a few pictures though). (At 4 there was this Open Top Bus Tour [Double Decker bus] and we would be able to see London). So at we were supposed to meet at 4:15 but I went at 4 and there were hella other people there. I met some girls there too. And they were hella disappointed there were no English people in the program. I had hella jet lag and so I was tired (edit: I didn't get to sleep on the plane)... and I might've slept during the tour, but I don't remember. And then we came back and I went to my room and waited.

The room is a pretty nice size... about the same as mine back home. Two walls are this hella light shrimpy colour (edit: nvm it's kinda the same as the other walls) and the other two are white (edit: but actually kinda off-white). My room is at the corner of this building called Toynbee and so I have two windows and both of them have a pretty nice view. (You can see the garden). The curtains and carpet are ugly though... lots of stains... and on the chair too. There's one dresser and there's 5 drawers. and there's a small mirror on one of the walls but that's kinda creepy and scary so I kinda wanted to take it off... but it's nailed to the wall... anyways, the room's kinda messy but that's ok. The two windows make the room brighter too (just like at home). And Oxford itself is hella pretty.

Dinner was curry and lasagna and stuff. I had the lasagna though... I guess that's it...

So
Until next time?

あぁ～　今日は最悪な初日でした。まぁ　今日の前半だけが悪くて、あとは結構よかったかな。　んじゃ　最初から始めますよ～ん。お母さんとお父さんと別れた後、セキュリティーを通りました。ロンドンへのゲートが成田へ行くゲートの隣で・・・何か日本に行きたいなぁ～って気分になっちゃったけど、「んまぁ　ロンドンに行くからありがたいと思いなさい」と思いながら座って本を読んでいました。で、お父さんのせいで「ナタリーは誰かな？」と考えてて、気が散ってしまいました。それで本を読めなくなりました。飛行機を乗るのに最後のグループだったし（んまぁ　それは普通だけど）、席があの食堂のようなとこの横でまずそうな食べ物の臭いとかしてきたの。んで　隣の二人がイチャイチャしてて　あぁぁ～　むかついた。それと前に座ってた人が何か・・・椅子を下ろしたのね。で食事中とか普通椅子を上げるでしょ？後ろにいる人のために。でもあの人はあげないの！ステュワーデスにも一回言われてんのに上げないの、あの人の隣にいる二人はちゃんと上げてんのに。んで　あのステュワーデスがまた来たのね。まだ上がってないのを見えてるのに、何にも言わないのよ！食事中とかもう椅子をもっと後ろに下げろうとするの。ずっと「どんなに押しても、椅子が壊れなければそれ以上下がんないよ」といら付いて考えてたの。でもそれがなかなか言えなくて・・・ほっといた　って感じ。夕食はローストビーフかラビオリだったの。うちローストビーフと一緒についてくる野菜とか食べたくなかったからラビオリにしました。普段飛行機の食べ物とか大嫌いなんだけど、今回はまぁまぁだったかな。普段よりましだった。んじゃ　次はステュワーデスについてね。もうイヤだ！！ステュワーデスの皆香水付けすぎ！！私に近寄るたんびにもう香水の臭いがプンプンして・・・もうはきそうになった。で喋り方もちょっと失礼だったし。United　Airlines　嫌い。あっ！それと軽い朝食かなんかが出てきたのね。でもそれがさぁ、小さくてまずそうなフルーツサラダで、変な漕げた色したパンにハムとものすごく安っぽいチーズが入ってたの。ってゆーか、私ハムとチーズあまり好きじゃないから食べなかったんだけど、好きでもまず過ぎそうで全然食べませんでした。（すごくお腹空いちゃった）。見せてた映画も変なのばかりで（The Spiderwick Chronicles, Nim's Island,と　Be Kind Rewind）。　私の席だけだったかもしれないけど、音量がまったく調節できないの。ステュワーデスに言うべきだったかもしれませんが、そんなもんでステュワーデスを呼び出すのがちょっと面倒でやめました。　今言っとくけど、飛行機がTake-offした後、ナタリーの席の方に行ったのね・・・でも５６Aの席には何か変なおばさんが座ってたの。だからフライト中挨拶できませんでした。同着する直前に鼻血が出ちゃった（すぐ収まったけど）。

飛行機から降りて、Immigration　の方に行ったの。でASAの紙にStudentじゃなくてTouristだと言いなさいと書いてあるでしょ？だからそれを言って、「じゃどうしてOxfordで泊まるの？」「どうして嘘をついたの？」とか聞かれて、「別に嘘なんかついてないよ。」と言って、「Touringしながらちょっとだけ勉強するって感じなの。だから別に嘘はついてませんよ。」と言ったの。んで結局、最初からStudentだと言ってれば、もっと前に終わってた　って感じになっちゃったの・・・ちょっとHold-upされちゃった・・・（結局大丈夫だったんだけど・・・）。

そのあとカスタムズから出て、ASAが送ってくるつもりの車を待ってたの・・・　ってゆーか　ASA　Kazeyama & Del Favero　と書いてあるサインを探してたの。でもなかなか見つからなくて、しょうがないから代わりに誰がナタリーかを当ててみようかと思ったの。白人でしょ？やっぱり？でも一人でまってる白人の女の子がいっぱいいて・・・当てるの無理だった。結局は、ナタリーの方が私を見つけて、それであの運転手を一緒に待った　っと言う感じでした。でもなかなか来ないから、インフォーメーション・デスクに行って、ページしてもらったの。でもそれでも来ないから、しょうがないからデスクの電話を借りて、ASAのOxfordオフィスに電話して、車どうしたのか？と聞いたの。んでTrafficか何かが悪いかもしれないから、十五分ぐらい待って、それでも来ないようだったら、またASAに電話して、ASAが他の車を送ってくれるから　って。結局は来たんだけどね。遅かった理由は、私達を迎えに来る前に他の二人の女の子を迎いに行くつもりだったの。でも一人の女の子が内緒でフライトを後のに変えて、それを知らなかったから、運転手とあのもう一人の女の子がずっと待ってて、いろんなとこに電話したらしいの。んで結局違うフライトだったとわかって、やっと私達を迎いに来てくれた。

私とナタリーの他にもう一人車に乗ってて、名前はケートです。シカゴから来てるらしい。運転手のおじさんが何かすごいスピード出してて、他の車にぶつからないように、いっぱいレーン・チェンジしてんの。羊と牛いっぱいいた（笑）。Oxfordについて、あまり人がいなかったに気づいた。後で知ったんだけど、グループで飛んでくる人が皆もっとお昼過ぎに来るって。

Registrationとかが終わって、みんな自分の部屋に行きました。それでブランチも食べた。それも　まぁ　普通だった。私はシリアル、ヨーグルト（ピーチ味の）、とバナナ二本食べたよ～ん！一時に近くにあるカフェとかある道に連れてってくれるっていってたんだけど、それまで時間がメッチャあって、ナタリーが部屋で寝てると言って、行ったんだけど、私とケートは一緒にOxfordのカンパスを体験しようと決めて・・・んまぁ　体験しました。そのあとは自分の部屋に戻って、iPodをChargeして、この日記のようなのを始めました。一時ちょっと前に集合場所に着いたんだけど、人があまりいなくて、一瞬「あれ？」と思ったんだけど・・・ケート、ローレン、とリンジーと言う人と一緒に待ってて、ASAの人が来て、「皆もう言っちゃったよ」とか言われて、「えええぇ～？！一時になったばっかなのに？！」と言って、その頃には男子も出てきてたのね、だからASAの人が「行きたい人の人数こんなにいるんだったら、みんな私と行こっか」という感じで皆で行きました。（結局私達の前に出たグループなんかいなかったわ・・・）。そこで、アンナと言うASAの子に会って、一緒に歩いた。その辺であるコンビ二に行って、ファンタ買ったんだけど、うわっ！高っ！

Oxfordに帰ってきた後、ケートとアンナと一緒に庭の方に行って、そこでちょっと座って話してました。（すごい綺麗な庭です！）。話すことがなくなっちゃうから、途中でやめて、皆一旦部屋に戻って、四時までいました。（私は外でちょっと写真撮ってたけど。）（四時にDouble Decker BusでのTourがあって、ロンドンを見るって感じで・・・）。四時十五分集合だったんだけど、一応四時に集合場所に行って、他の人がいっぱいいました。（四時三十分まで出発しないのに、皆偉いね）。集合場所でハンナ、ジリアン、カサリン、とジェイミーという人に合いました。結構面白い人でした。他のみんなはイギリス出身の人がASAに来てないのにがっかりしていました。時差ぼけでメッチャ疲れてて、ツアーの途中で眠っちゃったかも・・・あまりよく覚えてない・・・んで帰ってきて、また部屋に戻って、待ってるって感じ。

部屋は結構ナイス・サイズ・・・かな？私の部屋と同じぐらいの大きさかな。二つの壁はなんかメッチャ薄いえびの色のような色　んで　他の二つの壁は白・・・部屋がToynbeeという建物の角だから、窓が二つあって、両方から結構ナイス・ヴィウー。（庭が見える）。カーテンはちょっと醜いけど・・・床のカーペットもugly・・・しみとか多いし・・・椅子にも。たんすは一つあって、５Drawerある。壁に小さい鏡があるんだけど・・・なんか気味悪くて/恐いから外したい　って感じ。とにかく、部屋は何か汚い・・・　でもいいよ。窓二つあって、結構明るいし。Oxford自体もメッチャ綺麗。

ご飯はカレーとかラザニャとかあった。私はラザニャをえらんだけどね。今日はこれくらいかな？

じゃあ　バイ　バイシクル！

edit: although i'm sure no one will bother, if you actually wanted to know what i'm talking about here and need me to roughly translate it or something... just ask. don't be afraid... i'm planning on doing it anyways for facebook or something...

soo... i'm still bored out of my mind here so i decided to translate the last journal entry hahaha. ahh~ i really have no life right now... it'll be a bit different though cuz it just sounds weird if i translate it directly...

・・・・・

'eyyy~
again, i have run out of things to do! uhh so i'm going to england the day after tomorrow but i haven't finished getting ready haha. but it's just a hassle/too much work and i don't feel like doing it. well, after the day after tomorrow, i probably won't come to JPA that often, if at all, (busy studying) but that doesn't really matter. no one will miss me anyways haha... T^T... (but kinda sad)

[Asami][麻美]

エイ～
またまたやることがなくなってしまいました！って言うか・・・明後日イギリスに行くんだけどまだしたくが終わってないのね・・・(笑）　でも面倒くさくてやる気が出ないって感じ。　んじゃあ　明後日からは多分JPAにあまり来ないと思うんだけど（勉強で忙しくて）んまぁ　それはどうでもいいでしょ。　誰も私のことをミスしないと思うから　（笑）・・・T^T・・・（でも何か悲しい）

[Asami][麻美]

So, I'm really bored and find myself too lazy to continue packing for my trip to England... which brings me to this journal entry. In all honesty, I don't care if anyone reads this because I'm just rambling and trying to pass the time, and also... truthfully, I'd prefer to write in Japanese right now but I'm too lazy to change the little language bar thingy to Japanese... rnrnI guess I'll just start talking about my trip to England then. I'm going to be away for about two and a half weeks and taking a few classes in England. I'm gonna be staying at Oxford and taking the SAT prep class and "British Justice: Crime and Criminology" (ooooh exciting...). I actually wanted to take photography or a class about the British Invasion (Beatles and such) but alas, I don't have a DSLR to use in the former and the latter filled up pretty quickly ... so I got stuck with my third choice. I also wanted to take psychology, but that class was only offered in the morning, and my parents wanted me to take the SAT prep class so I couldn't take it. Hmm... it'll be an interesting experience I'm sure. This'll be the first time I've traveled alone and stuck with a bunch of people I don't know. Yay! But dang! $2 = 1 pound... seems like the stuff in England might be a bit expensive.rnIt's been a few years since my previous (and first) visit to England so I'm pretty excited... even if it doesn't seem like it in this journal...rnrnUhh... I'm going to see the Dark Knight tomorrow! I'm hella excited for that. Fsho, fsho. I hear that it is absolutely amazing! My brother's watching it tonight though... hella jealous... And Heath Ledger! He died too soon. But I guess it doesn't matter b/c he's already gone and there's no bringing back...rnrnああぁぁ～　もう暇でしょうがないわ～！どうしよう～！　メッチャ退屈．．．rnrn[Asami][麻美]