Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji

Hey everyone,
Things here are great, as usual. Lots of things have happened this week.
First things: When Sarah and I hung out with Norihiro and his family he told us that his lung was hurting a little (Norihiro has lung disease called Pneumothorax, which causes him to have a collapsed lung sometimes. It's something that was discovered a few years ago and bothers him sometimes. On day to day bases he's ok but he can't run or do sports because of it). So the next day he went to the doctors to get it checked, better safe then sorry kind of thing. Come to find out it was pretty serious this time so Norihiro got himself planted in the hospital for a week. He went in on Tuesday and had an operation scheduled for Thursday.
I visited him three times in the hospital. The first time was before his operation, on Wednesday. I managed (somehow) to find my way from Ibaraki Shi to Itami Shimin Byouin all by myself. It is about a one and a half hour trip if that puts it into perspective for anyone. I had to take 3 trains and a bus . . . I'm glad Japanese people are so helpful with stupid gaijin (foreigners) like me lol. When I got to the hospital Norihiro wasn't in his room. When he finally showed up he had been walking around out of pure boredom. He looked SO pale! I quickly got him back to his bed and made him sit down. By the time I left he had a lot more color in his face and seemed happier. The next time I visited I went with our friend Hiroki in his car (no more crazy train adventures). We went on Thursday, the day Norihiro had his operation. I text him and asked if he wanted visitors or if he was too tired and he insisted he wanted visitors because he was bored. When we showed up he was fast asleep. The doctors had but three holes in his side so air could get to his lung and had put a camera in one of them during the operation to check out how he's doing. He had a lot of tubes running through him, one at his side to measure how much blood he lost, one in his arm pumping him full of meds, and one going to his . . . ahem. . . bladder so he wouldn't move for about 24 hours. I woke him up, as I knew he would want, and he talked to Hiroki and I. He insisted that he was fine and that the only thing that hurt was the catheter lol. Poor guy :( The next day I went to visit was on Saturday, yesterday, and he was up and about and very happy. Any time he laughed too hard or coughed, though, he'd touch his side but assure everyone that he was fine. He told me today that they should let him out of the hospital Tomorrow and that he'll be back to school on Tuesday.
Saturday the International Center threw a big party for the Exchange Students. They hired a band and had a bunch of food. Host families and other students were invited. It was a lot of fun. I got to hang out with many of the language tutors, mine and other peoples, that I don't get to hang out with all at once. At one point in the party everyone who attended was bunched together for a big group picture (There was easily 50+ people there). Daiki, one of Dan's language partners, is SUPER genki (energetic). He's hilarious and without a doubt one of the loudest Japanese people I've ever met. He only knows a little English. During the big group picture, he was standing behind me, he jokingly pushed me as if he was going to knock me over for the picture. After the pictures were taken I turned around and smacked his arm, insisting "Nandeanen?!" (What the heck?) He laughed and said "Sorry! Taleah, you're so sexy!" Which made a lot of people around us laugh. This only encouraged Daiki who then insisting again that I was sexy and then proclaimed that he loved me and gave me a huge hug in front of tons of people. I was so embarrassed I turned bright red! He's called me sexy before but never quiet so boldly lol. The party was a lot of fun though and I walked away with aching cheeks from smiling and laughing so much.
Sunday, today, I took a trip to Kyoto with some Elementary School Teachers. Momo Sensei, the school principal, has some kind of connection with Otemon Gakuin and so he takes some of the exchange students out every year. We ended up being a group of 10, 6 students and 4 teachers. Momo Sensei paid for everything (train tickets, taxis, entrance fees, lunch, and a treat) for 10 people! It was incredible! We went to Kinkakuji (the Golden Pavilion), Ginkakuji (The Silver Pavilion), as well as Kiyomizu Temple. I felt so spoiled and very happy to be able to go and meet them. It was a lot of fun. Ginkakuji is something in Japan I've always wanted to see. So when I first laid eyes on that stunning gold structure I teared up a little lol. I was so happy! It was incredibly beautiful! Of course, among all the Temples and Shrines are the wonderful Autumn leafs. I'll never get sick of looking at Momiji (Maple leafs). They are the best! :)
So, another week gone and I'm starting to realize time is almost up. I tell myself not to think about it but it's kind of like an awful gloom looming in the background of a peaceful day. So I hold firm to my dreams of living here someday and being an English teacher. I can't give up! Love and miss you guys. Talk to you again soon!