Weather recovered! Silver Pavilion embraced us!

Nasty rain stopped so we could get back to the original schedule now though not completely clear sky for us!

After having lunch around the Silver Pavilion area, we had a nice view from the mountain in the Silver Pavilion garden.

We walked through the Philosophers' trail to get down to the main street where we could catch a bus to go home!

Nice re-beginning of the afternoon excursion!

Nasty Rain today so we greeted 1001 Bosatsu Statues!

It is the first and probably/hopefully the last day of annoying rainy day today.  Instead of visiting the scheduled Silver Pavilion, we went to Sanjusangen-do to greet 1001 statues!

Before getting to Sanjusangen-do, we had a short lunch break in Kyoto University area.

We are planning to visit the Silver Pavilion tomorrow!

Flea Market and the Golden Pavilion

The weather is still quite comfortable in Kyoto and cool wind from time to time refresh us.  25th of the month is the Tenjin Flea Market at Kitano Tenmangu right in front of the school.

So many people are gathering this monthly event and we, as if avoiding this event, went to Ritsumeikan University to have lunch together.

After lunch we walk up to the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji-temple) to enjoy not only the golden pavilion but also giant bonsai boat, carp in the pond, and white snake mounds and the original tea house before finishing up.

We will be heading to the Silver Pavilion tomorrow to compare and contrast with the Golden Pavilion!

First Day at School and the Rock Garden!

Everyone got to school on time on the first day this year, which is a good start!  After placement test, everyone enters his/her tentative class while teachers are assessing for first few days.

We took a group photo for the beginning of the program and went to the first excursion place, the Rock Garden (Ryoanji temple). through Hirano Shrine and Ritsumeikan University where everyone experienced first college cafeteria for lunch!

Real hot and humid Kyoto weather has not attacked us yet but soon!

Study Abroad Japan Group safely arrived in Kyoto!

Without any problems except some turbulance in the air, GTS group this summer landed in Kansai International Airport last Saturday.

On Sunday yesterday, each student practiced his/her commuting from the host family with some problems,
which was anticipated before actual beginning today!

I am hoping that everyone comes to school on time (I am writing this just an hour before their coming to school).

Kyoto weather is exceptionally well now but I know it will get hot and humid soon!

THE Adventure begins!   Stay tuned!

We will get to the Rock Garden (Ryoanji Temple) after having lunch at Ristumeikan University Cafeteria!

About to leave for Japan for COD Summer Study Abroad!!

Wow, one and a half month has quickly passed!!  In the meantime, we had a orientation weekend for the study abroad to be ready for getting to Japan in a couple of days.  

Thanks to whatever and whoever have been working for foreign exchange, the dollar value goes up about 35% since the last summer program, which enabled us to get to Hiroshima during the program.

Last two weeks during the first half of June, GTS was working in Salt Lake City for AP Japanese Scoring as one of the leadership and exhausted for a while and now I am beginning to be ready for Japan Trip!!

COD is now preparing CHINA Study Abroad and I might help the establishment of the program with other language faculty soon.

Fall Registration is open and Fall classes are:
Japanese 1100 (Culture and Civilization, not a language)  6-9pm on Thursday
Japanese 1101 (First Semester of language)  10-11, 11-12 Mon-Thu; 5-7 Mon/Wed; 7-9 Tue/Thu
Japanese 1102 (Second Semester of Japanese)  1-3 Mon/Wed
Japanese 2201 (Third Semester of Japanese ) 7-9 Mon/Wed
Japanese 2252 (Fifth Semester of Japanese ) 5-8 on Tuesday

Spring Break Japan Trip will be 3/21/2014 through 3/30/2014
Summer Study Abroad will be 6/20/2014 through 7/25/2014 (Tentative)

Academic Year 2012-2013 ended!

Finally number of the survivor of Japanese 1101 is still unknown but about 22 students seem to survive out of 44 students (at the beginning of the Spring semester). 

Well, 50% survival rate is very usual and I do hope those who pass with the letter grade of A or B would continue on to the second semester in Fall 2013.

Summer study abroad students seem to be 11 this summer, which is rather a small group yet an interesting group to go!

Students this summer is a bit luckier as the value of US Dollar has been going up about 30-35%!

We will be able to visit Hiroshima during the trip fortunately!