Well it's been a couple days. Thanks are going well. I've gotten settled in and learned a little more about Japan and the necessary navigations.

Banking is kinda cool and different here. Most peole bank at their local post office. Which sounds wierd to most of us who usually bank at a bank. But you can do all of your banking at the post office as well as pay bills there. You can also do that at 711 (You can't swing a cat without hitting a 711 here)It's also kinda cool because when you set up your account you get a little record book to which acts like a bank card as well and when you insert it into an atm and make a transaction the transaction is directly recorded to your little book by machine so that you don't have to go back and do it your self later, or pile up transaction reciepts. It's cool. Plus you can deposit or take out any amount of money. Yesterday I deposited 300yen and took out 61 yen (which is mere change in coins)Usually in the states you can't take out a lower amount than $20.

Well I've been checking out the maps, stations and busses. I actually bought a map yesterday. It's in Japanese of course but I recognise the areas based on their relative location. It's good though because I have another that matches up the same areas with transportaion. So now when I look up online things to do and what events are comming up I know where the town/city is and can easily look up how to get there. It's exciting. I took a look at some event comming up here.

Mid April-Cherry blossom celebrations and festivities
Endish April-Tulip show (fields and fields worth)
It's either June or July there's a big firework show in Nagaoka (which is pretty close...about 40 min by bus, south westish)Nagaoka is famous all over Japan for it's fireworks!
End of June-There's a huge music, Rock festival in Niigata city (40min North)The Fuji music festival.

I'm really excited to get better aquainted with the area. I'm soooooo lucky there's good transportaion here. Plus with so many close sister cities I can get around all over the prefecture at a pretty good price too. YAY! Plus school will be starting here soon. I get more and more excited as it gets closer. ^___^

My Japanese is makings small improvements. At least I'm starting to recognise the few words I know in a conversation....well sometimes, not everytime. It'll get better too as I practice but even just being here the past couple days and pretty much only listening a few things are starting to click. It's funny though because as I was talking to myself as I always do I said: arways instead of always. Oh no! Oops!

Well it's going great here. The more I meander and explore this area the more beautiful it is. I'll admit that at first I thought it was nice enough. Now that I explore I really am loving it more. It's growing on me fast. I love to look out over the bridges and I love all the little gardens all over the place and little rice fields here and there, and this cute little lady I met at the bakery.It's very nice I'm enjoying it more and more. I'll remember to take my camera next time on my journey so that you all can enjoy some of the views here as well. A gran tour perhaps.