May 17 U of C Field Trip to SKYTREE in the RAIN

It rained.  Only this day!!  We were planning to go to SKYTREE to see the view from the top, so this was indeed the day we wanted it to be sunny......ahhhhhhh!  I wonder whose behaviour was bad!?!?  Did any of our students come back too late, drink too much, or skip a class!?  Or maybe it's not because of the students....ME!?!?  What did I do??  (In Japan, when we wanted to have a good weather but had a bad weather, we say it was due to so and  so's bad behaviour.  If it's good, it is because of so and so's good behaviour!  Of course both jokingly, though!)

Anyways, since it was too difficult to reschedule our field trip (well, everyone is using every spare time to meet up with Japanese conversation partners, working on their research projects, and visiting places for their own interests), we decided to go have our adventure despite the rain!

Veteran train riders!



Our first  short stop was Akihabara.




Kawaii!

Kawaii???


Have you seen this one yet?


Anime pictures are everywhere in Japan.



We have arrived at the SKYTREE, but look at this!  SO CLOUDY!
We had to give up on going up and decided to go to the Sumida Aquarium instead!


Apparently one of the popular characters in Japan now.
ぐでたま (Gudetama)
I guess it is an egg.  Not just an egg... a very lethargic egg.
Japanese people must have very stressful and fast-paced busy life.
Well, you can click the website below and learn more about Gudetama.
Don't forget to check the movies there, too!
http://www.sanrio.co.jp/character/gudetama/


David C. Joined us!


Teaam U of C Photo


Then, the sky cleared up a bit...

But still sticked to the Aquarium plan.

We were getting REALLY hungry, so decide to have a bite to eat before going to the Aquarium.


A pair look!?


Sharing the sweets!


Food Art by Eddie


Light up SKYTREE  きれい！


Aquarium was interesting and beautiful!







s
Eels

Special kind of eels


Look at the name of this fish!  オジサン(Ojisan)!  Hahaha, poor fish!



I only have video clips, so I can't share with you, but Myles and Jeremy mastered Penguin Language and talked to each other (penguins and M&J).  It was amazing and I couldn't stop laughing!


The souvenir shop had so many cute things and it was so tough to say NO to yourself and your empty wallet.


Bye bye SKIYTREE!


It was a long night.  We encountered a sort of rash hour on the way and only two third of the people could squeeeeeeze into the train and some couldn't make it.   They had to wait for the next train and took extra to come back home.   It was a lot of fun, but everyone was very tired..... especially after finishing all their homework after going back.  One month is too short and you have to pack so much into one month.  Life here seems survival!