はじめまして！

はじめました！グシエレズです。どうぞよろしく。おげんきですか？ノオトルダムのいちねんせいです。なんねんせいですか？ New Jersey の　Jersey City からきました。

Okay, well. I'm Massiel, though a lot of my friends call me さくら, which is にほんご for cherry blossom. It's my favorite flower (and not to mention a rather stereotypical anime name...it's what happens when you make friends based off of interests when you're ten!) I'm originally from Jersey City, New Jersey, which is just across the river from New York City. Before they started building up my area, I could see both the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty from my bedroom window.

I became interested in Japan when I discovered Sailor Moon when I was ten (though I obviously was unaware that it was an import.) Between that and my parents getting me a computer, my love for anime skyrocketed to the point that for three years in a row, I went to anime conventions - specifically, Otakon (I don't do things small scale) - and cosplayed. If you want pictures, I'm sure I can find some, though I haven't in about two years now...yes, it was that recent. I'm not that much into anime anymore, though I still have quite a bit of DVDs/boxsets with me on campus if anyone's interested. I've switched from watching things like フルットバスケット　and るろうにけんしん to reading books with titles like "The Asian Mystique" and "Japanamerica." I'm really much more interested in the culture now rather than the exports, but I'm excited to be learning the language on top of being at Notre Dame.

I hope this project goes well and that I'll be able to communicate more effectively in Japanese as the year goes on. :)

じゃまた！
さくら

earworm: "Grace Kelly," Mika