I know I have not been around for some time nor made contact, but to tell  you the truth it is not as easy as it seems to find a computer here in  Osaka. My host family has a computer, but unfortunately it doesn't have an  internet connection. I called home once when I first arrived, but I did not  wish to be a burden on my host family (who are incredibly nice) and run up a  bill for them because I wanted to call home more often. Don't get me wrong,  I was dying to call home, and even though they offered to allow me to call  home I was not about to take their offer, that would be unfair and they have  been too generous with me already. They have taken me to many places and  have treated me to dinner on countless accounts.

So in order to fix my communication problem I decided to do the one thing  that would help me in fitting in a whole lot easier. I got a cell phone.  With a cell phone my parents, friends,�@family could call me whenever they  felt the need to and my host parents wouldn't be disturbed at all. Also it  came with neat features such as the internet and email for a real low price  too. I thought this was an offer that I could not turn down.

Getting a cellphone is something that I believe every exchange student  should do because it can help a lot with communicating with home when you  are sparce a computer and a telephone. Also when you switch host families,  you still have a method of communication. I agree that it was difficult for  me to communicate with the sales clerks at the shop, but they were so nice  in helping me out with the paperwork. Some of the things one needs is a  NameStamp, a Bankaccount, and something from City Hall that acknowledges  your residence in the city. My host mother was a tremendous help with this.  I cannot thank her enough.

Anyway, Now that I have blatantly advertised the Cellular Phone business, I  would like to tell everyone back home that the Japanese have been very  sincere with me being an American and their sympathies with the terrorist  activity back in the United States. I have been asked if I am taking it well  and it makes me feel better that they are not brushing off this worldly  affair. I am aware that it will affect them aswell in the financial  aspect,but there is no denying the comfort I was given.

Even though I am not directly effected by the events that have happened, I  was effected none the less and it did show in my outward manner. I was  notified of the actions by my girlfriend back home when she called me in the  middle of the night (it was the afternoon for her) to inform me that the  United States might be at war with an unknown enemy. I almost felt sick from  the overwhelming sense of emotion and confusion that overcame me when she  told me of the plane crashes and the casualties. It was great that I was  able to hear from my girlfriend and I would have been eccstatic, but this  news caused something within me to click. I was begining to wonder how the  rest of the world was viewing this and I began to read into the matter on my  own. I could not just sit back and forget such a pressing matter just  because I am in a different country. I asked my parents to inform me of any  news that might deem important.

On a different matter, I have been having a great time in Osaka, Japan and I  would never replace what has happened so far for anything in the world. It  is a great experience that I hope anyone would take the chance of traveling  to Japan when the oppertunity arrises. The language may seem difficult but  one will realize that they will begin to pick it up in a matter of weeks  once you catch on.

Japanese food, like they say, is small in portion, but I assure you, the  Japanese know how to eat their fill! I never thought it would occur but I  have had to tell my host mother that I was too full to continue eating on  several accounts. She didn't seem to mind too much, but there was a lot of  food left over because I did not eat upto her expectations.

As for school, people ask me if its any different, but to tell you the truth  it seems to be just like my old school back in Miami. Christopher Colombus  Catholic High School(all-boy school) has a striking resemblance to Kokoku  High (a Japanese Private All-Boy School). I feel right at home in all the  testosterone that would overwhelm many people, now if I just understood what  my teachers were saying I might actually have a better time and participate  more. But all in due time, I tell myself. I have the best Japanese teacher  around, My host mother. :)

Well, I hope that I did not write too much for the first time. Thanks To All
you Rotarians!

Signed
Frank