Mono Lake Trip + Trenton Blows His Top

Well, I had a good weekend. Took a trip to Mono Lake. Would have been more of the same in Lynn and Soo had not come. But they came. *hin*



So then today I tried to send the people at Summer Abroad my itinerary for travel. I had listed the only flight I needed them to know, the one I would be arriving on. But that was unacceptable to them. They wanted me to send all of my flight information. When I learned this I became very angry. So angry that I actually yelled at them over the phone. I have never done that before. I spent all day figuring out why it hit such a nerve with me.

And in one of my classes today I figured it out. This trip represents freedom for me. It is my trip. Its success or failure depends on me. The fact that they wanted to watch me like a parent on every leg of my trip to check to see if I was OK I found incredibly insulting. This really is the trip that I am taking to prove that I am an adult, and I don't want them acting like a parent.

That said, I really would appreciate if people I love checked in on me from time to time. I just don't want my school treating me like a child anymore.

Grrrrr

I swear, planning for this trip has been nothing but trouble! First I buy tickets thinking I will have a job in China, only to have the whole tour be canceled, and now I just checked my tickets from Korea to Osaka and they have me flying out of Inchon. I'll be in Pusan. I specifically said Pusan. Darn it. I should have checked to tickets the moment I got them. Oh well. I'll call them tomorrow and see how much it is going to cost me. *Sigh*

In other frustrating news regarding my trip, I took my Japanese Oral Test today... I did not do nearly as well as last time I thought. I am perfectly confident speaking Japanese, it's just I also had two other papers due today in other classes and I worked till midnight last night, so I didn't get around to the review of the specific questions like I should have. It was quite embarrassing when I could not remember any of the questions from the last section. *Sigh*

Oh well, its actually not much to complain about, really. When it comes down to it, even if I did badly on my Oral Test, I am still going to learn to speak Japanese. And I am going to Japan...

I'm also stressed out for other reasons. My grandmother seeming sick being the most important of these. Another reason is I think I may have accidentially been rude to Lynn today.

Great Weekend

So this weekend I took Lynn to the Ranch. What a great day! I haven't had that much fun in a long time. Yeah. Well, that's preaty much all I'm going to let the public know. Great time. Ate too much. Obviously, we rode horses.

And the Bridge collapses...

But I am already sitting in a boat.

So, looks like Kohala's China tour plans fell through. I have no job, and no reason to go to China... Aside from the fact that I have already spent almost $2000 on plane tickets. So I'm gonna go anyway. I hate to sound cliche, but everything does seem to happen for a reason, since everything inevitably leads to something else.

To tell you the truth, I have always wanted to go on an adventure. I saw friends and family go off and travel on their own and I always said "I'll do that someday, when I'm ready". Well, why bother waiting?! If you start waiting you'll never really be ready. That's what I am telling myself now at least.

Well, this means I don't have to buy an expensive camera and worry about it being stolen. I won't have to carry too many valuables on me, a great relief since I will probably get robbed on this trip. I could just leave all my really expensive stuff in Tokyo and travel with the bare necessities.

I probably don't have to buy an insanely expensive backpack either. Ooo, and now I can take much more leisurely trips if I want to.

Mundane news

Asked my mom to purchase a backpack for me with her REI store credit. Thanks mom! Sorry everyone else for wasting your time with such boring news. Not like I forced you to read it, though.

I bought Tickets

I just bought my tickets for Narita. I leave the 7th of June and arive on the 8th of June around 4pm. The price diffrence from my old tickets to Osaka on the 24th: 30 cents. Of course, I also had to pay a $200 ticket change fee. And I still don't have a way to get to Shanghai yet or have any idea how I will get anywhere in China.

In other news, I really blew it yesterday. I was feeling a little less sick than I did on Tuesday, so I decided to go to 学生の日 to see Kira, Lynn and my class' skits. Stupid move. I feel terrible today. I may not be able to go to class again.

This trip is going to leave me broke

Plane Tickets + Train Tickets + Tarrifs + Gifts + Food + Hostels + Positively Gigantic Camera + Positively Amazing Bag To Carry Gigantic Camera + Clothes + Calling Card + Stuff I Haven't Thought Of = Broke.

Oh well. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

変な外人だよ。

Me and some friends on our trip to Japantown in San Francisco. Practicing for the trip. 

Me. The Bandana's because I don't know what to do with my hair. The Hand sign is called "Shaka". 

The background story...

I feel like one of the luckiest people alive.

Recently I have discovered some new ways in which I am extreamely lucky. The first I am not going to tell you about, but the second is this: I'm only 22 and I have been given an opprotunity to do one of my dream jobs. This summer I get to go to China as a photographer for a band that is going on tour! Then I get to hang out in Asia for 2 and a half months and practice my social skills and my Japanese!　すごい！中国と韓国と日本に行きますよ！

If you haven't realized it yet, my name is Trenton McManus (トレントン　マックマナス) and I am a student of Japanese (日本語の学生です). I come from Hawaii (ハワイから来ました) and am a student at UC Davis (UCデビスの学生です).

That should be sufficent information for now. Take Care 皆さん！