At the beginning of February the Center for Japanese Studies at Nanzan University arranged a field trip for all of it’s exchange students. We went to see Nagoya Castle and the recently reconstructed Hommaru Palace that is on the castle grounds.

It was a chilly 9 degrees centigrade that day and not everyone, including me, had bundled up appropriately. Just one of the many lessons I learned during my first month abroad. Even if it looks sunny and warm, it won’t feel like it due to the humidity. Because Montana is much less humid, it look a while for me to adjust to this very different kind of cold.

Before entering the grounds, our CJS guide broke us into groups each with it’s own tour guide. My group had an adorable elderly lady who spoke amazing English. When our group member told her that we could speak Japanese, she started…