In Oceanview, one really cool place I found is this aquatic center they have on the north side of town. Most of the time, when I go swimming, I go to the pool at the fitness center on campus. It's OK, but it's just one normal rectangular pool. The aquatic center though has these fun water slides. Flume slides I think they are called. You climb up two flights...
In the summer after my sophomore year at Oceanview U., I got a message from a guy I used to know, Yoshi, back in Japan. Yoshi had slender eyes and a deep tan, but a broad smile that made you want to smile too. He was the life of every party, but I mostly knew him from swimming in high school. He was one of the best swimmers on our school's team. I swam for t...
Hi again. It's me, Emi. Sorry It's been so long since I've written but I kind of had a busy summer, and then it was back to school. Things have settled down a bit now so maybe I can start to bring you up to date. So much has happened I hardly know where to start. I guess I should go in order. There's one story I haven't told you about last winter, before I...
It was summer in Oceanview, and the day of the big fireworks show was fast approaching. I was pretty excited actually. When I lived in Japan, we always used to go to see the fireworks show on Zaimokuza beach near my house or Katase Shirahama near my Aunt Sachi's place. It's a big thing, and tons of people come down from Tokyo just to watch. Fireworks make it...
I think this all happened in the autumn of my freshman year at Oceanview U. in California. I was living in a home stay with an American family, Loretta and her two kids, while my best friend, another Japanese girl named Satomi, was living on campus in a dormitory. Satomi was not really a party person, but maybe she just hadn't gotten into it yet. She's a rea...
Hi, it's Emi here. So much happened over the summer, I don't know if I'm ever going to get around to telling you everything, but anyway, I'm going to try. I guess the biggest news is right at the end of the summer, Ryosuke and I rented a car and took a trip down the coast for a couple of nights. It was our first trip alone together, and so we did a whole bun...
Last summer when I was back home in Japan, I got a call from my Aunt Sachi, inviting us to come over, and go swimming at the beach near her house. Nice! I was really looking forward to getting out, and enjoying the sunny summer weather. I've always liked Aunt Sachi. She is only a few years younger than my mom, but she is pretty lively and funny. She sometim...
At the beginning of term in Oceanview U., California, my best friend Satomi told me she was planning to take an anthropology course. I went to the first few classes with her to see what it was like. It was kind of interesting. In one class, the prof talked about how anthropologists tell the difference between people from different parts of the world, using t...
The weather had turned warm in Oceanview, California, so up in my room, I packed away all my sweaters and coats, and got out my warm weather clothes. I had miniskirts—pink chiffon or scruffy blue denim, and halter tops—colorful beaded or wispy white cotton. The one thing I was missing was a decent summer nightie. I did have a couple pairs of long-sleeved bo...
It was August, and I was back in Japan visiting my family before university started again in the fall. Japan hadn't changed. My dad was still off at work most of the time, but my mom seemed happy to have me back. She took me into town to go shopping. While we were there, we ran into our next door neighbor, Mrs. Tanaka, and her son, Takuhiro. When I used to...