What a Fantastic Week in Japan!

Hello friends and family!
Wow, I seriously can't express how great of a week I've had! I had so much fun! But first, the bad news I'll try to keep this short: Louis, the French guy, got himself an adorable Japanese girlfriend named Ayari. She is one of the language tutors and we all really like her. When we were in Fukui Louis cheated on her with another Japanese girl named Shizuzu, who Dan (one of the Aussie boys) wanted to date. So, after about a week of Louis hiding it and lying to Ayari and Dan, the truth came out. The crap hit the fan and now many of the exchange students here aren't friends anymore as they're all mad at each other. Dan hates Louis and Shizuzu for lying to him. Louis hates Sarah for not being willing to keep his secret about him sleeping with another girl. Sarah doesn't want to be around Louis or Shizuzu because she doesn't like the way they treated Ayari. So all kinds of stupid Gaijin (Foreigner) drama that poor Sarah got dragged into. I mostly stayed out of it, other then standing on Sarah's side and supporting her in telling Louis to come clean. So there's a lot of tension among the exchange students, which is tough because we're always stuck together. So that's that.
Well, now the good news :) Wednesday I went to Nara with Norihiro! It was so much fun! We went to Nara park which is famous for having deer that are used to humans. They were everywhere! Norihiro bought some crackers to feed them and ended up being chased. We climbed on a bench to avoid being swarmed and one of the deer got so impatient for the cracker it bit Norihiro's leg three times. I laughed so hard! Norihiro cussed the deer our, swearing in English that the Aussie boys taught him. It was hilarious! We also went to Todaiji Temple which is the largest wooden building in the world. It has a HUGE gold platted Buddha inside that is almost 200 feet tall. It was so amazing! While we were in Nara I promised Norihiro that if I came to Snow College I would show him around Utah. He put his application in to do a foreign exchange to Snow College this month. Possibly, if he passes, next Fall he will be at Snow College.
Saturday I went to Kyoto with my Language Partner, Akane. The first time she helped me with Japanese one of her friends Inatomi (we call him Tomi) came because he wants to improve his English. So Tomi and I met at Ibaraki Station and went to Kyoto to meet Akane together. Akane had one of her best friends there, Eriko, so the four of us hung out all day. It was so much fun! Akane has really good English so she's so helpful with keeping me involved and informed in all the conversations. Tomi is hilarious! He's the character type where you can tease him endlessly and he just takes it with a huge grin, agreeing to whatever negative thing you say about him and laughing. He is quick to admit his own perverted character traits lol. Akane treats him like a little brother so their friendship is really good and funny to watch. Eriko almost immediately made me feel comfortable. She's really a combination of Akane and Tomi so she's very considerate and funny at the same time. We went to Kiyomizu Temple which was amazing! It's this huge wooden temple with a stage built overlooking a large hill. There are a lot of Momiji (Maple trees) around it so it was very beautiful. Tomi has previously made jokes that he and I are going to be married someday. So while in Kyoto he brought it up again. He asked if I would marry him so I asked if he would buy me a kimono. He agreed and I agreed to marry him. It was so funny because, without missing a beat, he said: "Ok! Lets go get a hotel!" in English lol. We all laughed so hard! I refused to get a hotel and said that he had to buy me a kimono now, and we couldn't get married for two years (we need to finish school), and we can't sleep together until we're married. Tomi insisted that my rules were difficult but agreed to conquer them. Akane threatened to cut off our friendship if I married such a crazy man as Tomi lol. Needless to say, the whole day was hilarious. I smiled and laughed so much my face ached when I returned home. I know Akane had a lot of fun too. She is planning another activity for the four of us.
Today, Sunday, Norihiro invited Sarah and I to come to his house to have lunch and meet his family. His parents, Yamamura San, were so kind. Neither of them speak any English, besides simple things like Thank you, but they were so attentive to both Sarah and I. Sarah has really good Japanese so she can carry a conversation easily (She's studied for about 4 years now). I was so nervous that I didn't say hardly a word during lunch lol. It's nerve wracking to try to eat with proper Japanese manners and speak Japanese. Norihiro kept looking at me and smiling, trying to urge me to speak, but I couldn't find the courage lol. After lunch we, Norihiro's parents, Norihiro, Sarah, and myself, went to Mino no Taki, which is a large mountain with a waterfall. We drove up a winding canyon which reminded me of Utah and got to see a lot of changing leafs and a really beautiful waterfall. They also took us to Katsuo Ji Temple which is just a little further up the canyon. Katsuo Ji Temple is known as "The Temple of the Winners Luck". We went at night and it was so beautiful! I tried to take pictures but my camera is no good :( It was so wonderful there though. They had lights and lanterns going around the ponds and in the trees as well as soft Japanese instrumental music going. It smelled of incense and the visitors were praying so they were ringing the bells and gongs in the distance. The whole place had the most peaceful wonderful feeling! After the temple his parents took us our for ramen. The whole day they payed for everything, which made both Sarah and I feel bad, but Norihiro insisted it was fine. They even bought Sarah and I little Daruma dolls (A doll for granting a wish and bringing good luck. It also is a symbol of determination and never giving up.) at the Temple's souvenir shop. They even drove us back to our stations instead of letting us just catch a train. They were absolutely so wonderful and kind! Norihiro has three brothers so I think it was very fun for his mom to have girls in the house :) Something really funny: Norihiro's family call him Nori (He's the baby of the family), which was really cute to hear. When we went to leave the house one of the neighbors, an Obaachan (older woman) was outside talking to Norihiro's mother. When she saw Sarah and I, two good looking foreign girls, she praised Norihiro. But the way she did it was so funny! She kept complimenting him but she called him "Nori chan" which is a very childish sounding name. It gives off the impression that he's 7 years old. She said it many times while teasing him about us (I couldn't understand all of what she was saying). Norihiro looked extremely annoyed, while trying to be polite. It was so funny! So I called him Nori chan later as a joke and he insisted I shouldn't call him that, and called me Taleah sempai (upper classman) lol.
So basically my week was amazing. I saw so many beautiful things in Japan, some of which are National Treasures and on a lists of places in Japan that are must sees as well as very protected. I absolutely love Japan! My time is starting to run short and I can't imagine what I'll do when I return to America. . . no offense anyone lol. All I know is, I might just marry Tomi in order to stay! lol He's crazy enough he might actually do it if I explained it was a business arrangement ;) Just kidding Mom! Don't send anyone to collect me.
I love you all and miss you like crazy! Hugs and kisses!