死ぬほど暑くて、セミうるさくて、やっぱり日本の夏だね。
8月4日、9時ごろ、やっと日本に着いた。今、ホストファミリーと一緒に住んでいる。家族5人で、パパとママ、と二人子供（3歳男の子と8歳女の子）とパパのおばあさんがいる。この家に住んでいるのが好きで、みんな優しいし、毎日美味しいご飯をもらうし、子供たちと遊ぶのが楽しいし。子供たちはすっごくかわいい！よく、「遊ぼうよ、、メーガン」って言われて、断れない。または、日本人の家族と住むから、毎日毎日、いつも日本語を使わないとダメ。なので、日本語のレベルは絶対に上達すると思う。
The torii gate at the Yoyogi entrance of Meiji-jingu. Was lucky to go on a quiet day with not so many tourists.
ここでは、今はお盆だ。お盆と言うのは、日本で夏に行う仏教の行事。8月１３日から16日まで（または7月）、亡くなった人や先祖の霊をまつる行事んだ。それで、今日（8月12日）お盆の準備するために、ホストファミリーと一緒にお寺に行って、家族の墓を掃除して、花を置いた。一人ひとり、お線香を墓において、水をかけて、手を合わせた。これはホームステイしていない限り、経験できない日本の文化だと思う。すごく面白かった。（申し訳ないが、写真を撮るのは失礼かなと思ったから、このイベントに関する写真はない。）
ENGLISH:
A week has passed since I arrived in Japan
It’s so hot I feel like I could die, the cicadas are crying, without a doubt it’s summer in Japan.
The sunset a few days ago, the sky was amazingly beautiful and contrasted nicely with Tokyo’s skyscrapers.
Around 9am, August 4rth, I finally arrived in Japan. I am living with a host family while I am here, there are five family members; the father, mother, two small children (a 3 year old boy, and an 8 year old girl) and the fathers grandmother as well. I really like living here as everyone is super nice, I get delicious Japanese food made for me every day, and playing with the kids is super fun. They are so cute! They are always asking me to go play with them, and I can’t ever refuse. Also because I am living with Japanese people I have to use Japanese all the time, every day, so I am sure my Japanese will improve massively while I am here.
This was one of the meals my host family made for me. Including karaage, sashimi, takenoko rice and soup.
Here it is currently Obon. Obon is a Japanese Buddhist event held in the summer to worship and remember ancestors and people who have died. Usually from August 13~16, (but is also held in July in some areas). So in preparation for Obon, on Sunday 12th August, I went with my host family to a nearby temple and washed the family grave. And placed some flowers. Then one by one we put some burning incense on the tomb, poured some water over it, and put our hands together (like praying). I feel like this is an aspect of Japanese culture I could only experience because I am staying with a Japanese family, and it was a really interesting experience. (However, as I thought it might be disrespectful, I did not take any photos of this.)