remember how I was stressed in my last video about school?

...we are NOT doing that today!

[ Goodbye School, Hello Sendai ]

Today I'm going with my friends to Sendai

to take a break from everything

At the end of this video I'll give some updates about school

as well as a special announcement

but in the meantime,

I really just want to get to the hot springs

in Akiu, just outside of Sendai, Japan.

We're like the only WiFi network out here...

on the way up I'm editing a few videos

because weekends are my only chance to do it

so that's why you can see here,

I'm using the Ninja Wifi router that I normally use when travel.

They're offering a discount this month in May

If you use the code KC15

you can get 15% off.

So let's go and get to Akiu!

starting with some.....food!

Time for some mountain vegetable soba...

What is this? It looks like Asparagus...

Cheers!!!

Yeah, I don't know what they are...

They look like flowers!

Ahh, the clear air!!!

Hello, everyone!

It's so clear and beautiful out here!

Feel the air out here!!

Uh... where is this path going??

This is impossible!!!

Are you serious?!

It's a video!!

What??????????

I'm taking a video!!

OH GREAT. -_____-

The rocks are really slippery!

Sharp rocks at the bottom???

I do think so!!!

We have 13 minutes!!

13 Minutes to make the bus!!!

Let's do it!!!

We got 13 minutes!

Lets DO THIS!!!!!

Hey guys! Just a quick update!!

We just finished our hiking and

we made the bus, that was good.

We're staying at a really nice hot springs hotel

but we happened to notice a really nice ice cream shop???

A local ice cream shop that sells Taiyaki

I'm going to do a Q&A after the onsen

so let's talk then.

What are you doing?!?!

I was trying to get some aesthetic going on!

Was it me?

No, I just choked!!!

How pathetic...

How sad...

I looked up at Loretta and we just smiled.

Then I just died!!!

Alright, so much for that...

I got some black sesame ice cream.

This is supposed to be a student vlog!!

You know? Whatever - it's recess!

That's what we'll call this: RECESS, student vlog edition!

I deserve a break...

there's beautiful gardens and things...

I feel like this is an "Outfit of the Day".

This is my "fashion" for today.

("Did you get the timer working?")

Oh, it doesn't work!

Alright guys, I'm going to take some photos!

...and get in the onsen!

It's time to RELAX

Oh yeah... this looks good!

There's always trash in the background!

OK, here with the full on...

What is this called again?

("Haori!")

So I have my Haori and Yukata underneath...

...and it's ONSEN TIME!

Hey! Welcome back :)

We made it all the way back home

and that was such a refreshing trip.

I feel so much more human!

At the beginning of the video I said

I'd do some updates about what's going on at school

as well as a bit of a special announcement!

So I just want to quickly do that

before we close out this video!

OK! So I wanted to answer

some of the questions you've been asking me

and then afterwards I'm going to announce

the winners of the second storytime/giveaway.

Withh Japanese notebooks, and Star wars Schedule books.

While I pull that up... so as for school,

you can probably tell by the date on these videos but

I am pretty behind on editing!

It's because of the sheer volume of what's going on

I ended up taking 9 classes

and I"ll talk about that in my next video

but I'm behind and need to catch up.

So first question.... on Twitter!

"How do you study new Japanese vocab/kanji

while reading through grad school assignments?"

I'm obsessed with these FRIXION pens

they're erasable pens

and this one's tricolor, in black, blue and red.

which reminds me of some really old-school pens.

But I write my notes in black,

I use blue to highlight any major themes

and red is the color I use to underline words

so I can come back and study later.

I'll just underline it and come back to it later.

2: Are the independently financed foreign students

who were already enrolled and applied to the MEXT scholarship?

I made a video with my friend Taylor

and she was first independently financed (Shi-hi)

and she changed to MEXT(koku-hi) after being recommended by her school.

That's usually for when you're already in Japan.

3: Can I see a picture of a special place for you in Japan?

Something inpiring for me...

One of my favorite places in Japan is Kamo River

I used to study at Doshisha University in Kyoto

and when I lived there I would go to school

then I would go to Kamo River and hang out.

Watch the sunset and then go and do homework.

Something about being there by the river

and feeling like you dont need to talk to anyone is nice.

I said I usually walk about an hour to school

and you guys asked 4: Why Don't You Get a Bike?

I'm not trying to get to school fast...

I like walking because I don't have to go to the gym

Instead of going to a gym, paying for a membership and such

I don't even need ankle weights because my shoes are so heavy

so if I just walk to school I get my cardio work out

because I walk really fast, and then,

it's a good chance for me to get my thoughts together?

I'm usually running around all day long

from 8am until 10 pm

So those two hours there and back from school

are the only two hours where no one talks to me

and I can just think.

It's kind of like meditation. I just prefer to walk.

Also, 1 hour walking is not that much!

I mean, i guess it's two hours in a day but

that's not even the 10,000 steps you need in a day.

So, I dunno, I don't really mind it!

What camera and editing program do I use?

Canon 60D, it's just a DSLR

nothing extra fancy.

The editing program I use is Sony Vegas Pro...10.

Next question: What was I eating??

Everyone was like: "what is that WATER on VEGETABLES?!"

One of the easiest Japanese-style breakfasts is called Ochazuke

which means, to dump on green tea.

You have steamed rice, and whatever toppings you want on top.

Then you put green tea or dashi broth on top of it.

I don't like to use dashi stock so much

I like to use my chinese broth

which is the red can you maybe saw in the video.

I use a chinese chicken broth in all of my cooking

so I just make a quick chicken broth

and I had steamed rice, vegetables

with mustard, black pepper, and poured chicken broth over it.

Next: what am I studying and how did I apply?

I'm studying in graduate school,

getting my Masters in Business Administration

also called an MBA.

I applied through the MEXT Scholarship, which you can find out more about

in my video called "MEXT...Scholarship..."

Where did I get my skirt?

My skirt was from Forever 21, a few years ago

but they're selling skirts like that in Japan at G.U.

Uniqlo, and basically everywhere.

And the other question... was my cellphone.

I had a different cellphone in the video

but I broke it in the last video so this is the loaner phone

this is the loaner, but I think I have a Sony...Xperia?

It's not fancy, but it's cute, I like it.

So, that's all of the questions for now

If you have more questions, leave a comment,

or use #AskKemushi on twitter!

Let's move on to the announcement!

I wanted to announce the winners of the last storytime/giveaway!

By the time I upload THIS video, the subtitles should be

back on the StoryTime video

so you can watch it with English or Japanese subtitles and switch back and forth.

103 of you guessed the answers

and only 20 of you got it right...

So, there were only 9 people to choose from

the winner of the EASY version

and the question was - "What was I wearing?"

Answer: oversized Tshirt and some basketball shorts.

The randomly selected person from the easy answers

was HairSpired. Congrats to you!

Then, the 2nd person, who did the HARD answer

Asking, why did I mention my brother.

My brother is a doctor who inspired me to exercise

even if I don't know what I'm doing.

The person who answered that correctly - there were 8 of you

and the randomly selected person out of those 8

is TerryPhone

I really like your screen name!

So those are the two winners,

I'm going to mail you some starwars notebooks and CAMPUS notebooks

to help you with your studies!

It is a Sunday, and time for me to get back to studying

I did get a new mailbox so

if you guys want to send me mail, postacards or messages

you can now use my new P.O. box, written below this video.

I'll talk to you guys very soon!

So, thanks for watching to the end!

I'll see you guys in my next school vlog

and something else that's coming out this week.