About Me:
My name is Yoko. I am from Japan, but this year I am an exchange student at the Academy. I like singing karaoke and chatting online with my friends from home.
Favorite Quote:Man is a genius when he is dreaming.
- Akira Kurosawa
Mochi Ice Cream
Interests:Ping pong, video games, painting, baking
Archives:
April 24 2009
Mochi
Mochi is a Japanese rice cake and is one of my favorite snacks, but I guess it's not as common here in America. Other than mochi ice cream, my favorite way to have it is as dumplings in shiruko (sweet red bean soup). Alexi tells me that Americans don't eat beans for dessert, and when they make mochi they like to add things to it like coconut milk and butter. I've never had it this way before. So strange.
It was a little difficult to find all the ingredients we needed. Maya took us off-campus to a special grocery store to get mochiko and azuki beans. She says her favorite desserts are made with chocolate. Maybe we will make this next time?
posted by Yoko
April 10 2009
Hanami
I love spring. This year I am so homesick because I am missing the hanami, the tradition of viewing spring blossoms. All over Japan there are beautiful sakura (cherry tree) and ume (plum tree) blossoms, and everyone picnics and walks among them. During hanami we contemplate mono no aware, how beautifully temporary life is, because the flowers only bloom for a brief time and then wilt.
They have a National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. where they have cherry trees from Japan that have been there since 1912. The festival is going on right now. Commander Omni said we might even be able to take a field trip there this weekend.
It makes me sad that there are no cherry trees here at the Academy and that we must travel for hanami. I will ask Commander Omni if we can plant some. I want to share this beautiful tradition with the Academy.
posted by Yoko
April 6 2009
The Attack
During the attack I was so confused. Everyone was running around and Commander Omni and Maya were trying to keep people organized at the Academy. My English is getting better, but when people talk very fast, I have trouble understanding them.
I didn't know where I was supposed to be so I just followed Alexi. She stayed very calm, which helped me keep calm as well. Together we found all of the first-year cadets and directed them to the Cafeteria.