Alex E

Nov. 5

Sorry for the late post. I finally have internet access as well as time to blog! The plane ride was very long and tiring, but it was worth it! November 5th was the first day in Japan. After arriving around 5:00 pm at the Narita Airport, we spent what felt around 2 hours getting ready to start our experience in Japan from the exchange in money currency to getting out JR Rail Pass.The plane ride was very long and tiring, but it was worth it! The first thing that stood out were the vending machines! The airport was filled with them! A summary of the first day would be arriving at the airport, traveling to the hotel and sleeping!

Nov. 6

First day in Kyoto! We took an express train to get there. It was long and tiring just like the plane ride. 

A fancy looking train am I right?

For breakfast, we ate at the hotel's restaurant. It was a new experience and the first time I tried natto. I did take pictures on my phone, but they were not that clear....

Anyhow,  it was a great experience to be able to try new food and different takes on food. One noticeable difference in breakfast was how bacon was made and the taste. It is not the crispy and crunch taste, but a sweeter one with the texture similar to ham.

This day was the first time buying lunch, It was kind of frantic since we were trying to catch a train as well and I ended up with a mysterious bento box.

(This is the bento box of mystery)

I put on a brave face and ate all of the yellow stuff as well as the white meat-like bits, however, I did not eat anything else. I realize that I was not as open to trying new food as I thought I was. I also realized that I did not want to waste my money on food I would waste. I have to be more careful and less picky to what I choose!

After the express train and the initial shock from the beauty of Kyoto, we were off to K's House. This building was very unique to me. First off, the stairs only went to the second floor and the elevator had to be used to access the other floors. Also, the bathrooms were shared with other people staying there. I have never experienced something like this, but I grew to enjoy the number of bathrooms. There were hardly any waiting lines for the bathroom which made things easier! Sadly I forgot to take pictures of K's House so enjoy a photo from google images:

(Link of where I got the photo)

Here are some initial beauty pics of Kyoto:

(Worm's eye view of Kyoto Station.)

(A bustling street I saw while walking to K's house.)

(One of many small streets in Japan.)

For our first full day in Japan, it started off on an amazing foot! We jumped right into the beauty of Kyoto by first going to Tenryu-ji temple, then Iwatayama Sarukoen Park, then to the Bamboo Groves, and to finish it off at the Kimono forest! I have never seen such places in my life.

(Here is a picture of the Kimono forest.)

(A closeup of the kimono patterns.)

(A fountain with a dragon-marble display surrounded by the kimono displays.) 

Looking back now, it was like an out of body experience! Not going to lie, it was overwhelming initially because of the fact that there was little to no English in many places. None the less, I was happy beyond belief to be starting this amazing experience in Japan!

For dinner, we ate at a place in Arashiyama for a yodufu Buddhist cuisine. Even though it was hard for me to eat, after finishing all of it (except for the half of gray tofu thing left), I felt proud that I ate as much as I could without giving up!
Here's a picture of today's dinner:

(No matter the tastebuds, can we all agree that the display of the food is beautiful!)

 As I stated before, today was an amazing first full day in Japan. I wish to make the most of this time!

Nov. 7

Today started of with a long yet beautiful walk to Enkou-Ji. It took me a while to find out exactly what is so charming to me about Japan, especially Kyoto. I finally realized that it was the nice blend of modern and traditional buildings and landscape. Though times are changing, Japan sure knows how to keep parts of the past to emphasis the beauty of the country. I also enjoyed the small roads/alleys that are all around Japan. They really use up as much space as they can to hold that many people! 

Enkou-Ji was beautiful! Going back to the idea of efficiently using space, I was finally able to see a Japanese cemetery up close. I learned that it is common to have a single tombstone that holds multiple ashes of the late family. To me, it really shows the idea of unity and what family means to Japanese culture. Seeing how people lived back in the day was an amazing experience, I think  pictures would be better to show the beauty of this place. Sorry for the lack of photos of the cemetery. I am superstitious about taking pictures of them!

The scenery really complements the relaxed feeling that the temple conveyed.

During the first couple of days, I was so excited and overwhelmed by such new surroundings that I was not able to take take time to look closely at small details. One detail would be signs on the street or window. The fact that I was able to point out and define some of these words and kanji was a pleasant surprise! 

The next destination was Ginkaku-Ji. This temple was beautiful as well! I get the same relaxing feel I got from the last temple. This might be me assuming things, but Japan really enjoys relaxing sceneries that have natural ascetics to them. ...I hope that makes sense. The time and effort put into keeping these buildings and their landscape up to par is amazing to see. I think that resembles the idea of presenting oneself nicely. From what I have seen so far, people here in Japan are very kept together. 

For lunch, I went back to my old ways and ordered a Potato-nado and ice cream. It was worth every penny! Before coming to Japan, the picture in my head was that japanese people are very healthy 24-7 by having low fat/calorie food, but that is certainly not the case! There are lots of tempting desserts and fried goods here!

 (How could I resist this?)

(Or this?! It's mocha ice cream!)

 I really appreciate this opportunity to get to experience Japan for myself to actually make my own judgments and observations in person than from a picture of opinion from someone.

(Talk about not liking everything food wise)

Though we did not have a lot of time, from what I saw from Eikando, it is just as an amazing place as the other two places I went to previously today. It was cool to see people interact with a religious setting. It was very quiet and still. That is a contrast to the religious gatherings that I have experienced, which involve lots of singing and encouraging words from a priest. 

The tea ceremony was an awesome experience. I enjoyed being a part of a old tradition and have gained respect for people who specialize in performing such a task! It may look easy, but it is not! 

By the way, the green tea here is much bitter in Japan than what I have in America! It took me by surprise and my dislike for anything bitter made it hard for me to drink at first. However, she spent time making it so I did not want to  be perceived as disrespectful so I drank it all. This trip is teaching me that though i may not like everything I try, it is respectful to finish it and not complain.

Shopping around Gion-Shiko was fun, but I was being frugal and saved my money!

Sadly we missed our reservations to the noodle dinner we had planned. Talk about the important of timing! Even though we missed out on noodles, the dinner we had next was great! I am not a fish person and I was hesitant about eating fish, but the salmon I had was heaven, seriously! It goes to show that giving everything a try is worth it in the end! Though I did not particularly like everything I had for dinner, I was glad I was able to try new food! Not to mention, the lady who owned the place was super nice and gave us a small gift for our good manners. Goes to show that manners do matter! 

Going to Kodai-ji was an amazing experience. I had yet to see a Japanese temple lit up at night. It was gorgeous and very packed. 

Ok, today was a LOT of walking! My feet feel numb, but it was worth it! Today's theme seems to be perseverance. From food and drinks, to mental and physical strain from so much walking, perseverance was key! I enjoyed getting to see Japan close up than from a train that is going over 80 mph! My experiences today will be with me for a long time! 

Nov. 8

Today we left lovely Kyoto to go to another amazing destination called Kumamoto! It took a long time to travel there, but i had great snacks to feast on.


(My breakfast: cream filled mini waffles, multi-flavored fruit yogurt, and milk tea.)

Once we got off, I had my first experience riding a trolley...I think. It was a fun experience since I was use to taking buses and trains only.

(The trolley! I felt like I was in a Ghibli movie!)

 For the first time in Japan, we were staying at a traditional Japanese hotel with tatami mats an futons to sleep on. I was very excited to and thankful for this experience. At first I thought that sleeping only on tatami mats would be uncomfortable, but it wasn't! It was a completely different way of sleeping, but I can definitely get use to it!

(The girl's hotel room.)

 It goes back to saying how efficient and multi-purposeful Japan is! And I can't forget the cookies they had in the room! They had a very faint taste, but it was delicious! I was glad I decided to try them instead of leaving them on the table.
Kumamoto as a very interesting mascot, I felt like it is staring into my soul! 

(I mean look at it! Not only is it on key chains at towels, but on buildings!)

The weather was so nice today that I forgot it was November!
We went to a couple of destinations today, one being the Kumamoto Castle, the next being the former Hosokawa residence.
Kumamoto Castle was huge! The only words to describe it would be a sturdy fort! 


(This is what Kumamoto Castle looked like from the outside the barracks.)


(From inside the barracks.)

(It is much more epic in real life.)

(This picture is from the top of Kumamoto Castle!)

The people working there brought even more of a historical vibe for the most part...they did have a dance sequence, but that was very entertaining.

(I'm pretty sure there is a way to change the photo's position, but my editing page is in Japanese for some reason...)

(The entertainers.)

Not only did I enjoy visiting this castle, but I also enjoyed the learning aspect that came along with it! I was very thankful for all of displays that had english translations so I could understand what a piece was about! That made me wonder if museums in Chicago had that option as well. 



(I still have to finish this post, but I'll leave this post with this picture. One of the many quirky(and creepy) stores in Japan).

Nov. 9

It is getting easier to get up so early in the morning. It has been a struggle the past few days, but knowing that I am going to explore Japan today makes getting up easier! To start off our adventure of the day, we had breakfast at the hotel. It was a buffet type of breakfast similar to the first hotel we were at. I am still a little shy about trying new foods so I did skip over anything I that did not think looked appetizing.
For today, we went to Dazaifu, visiting the National Museum, Tenmangu Shrine, and Komyozen-ji. The museum was stunning! I was really thankful for the English translations of the descriptions which helped me understand exactly what something was and it's significance. The exhibit we went to did not allow pictures to be taken so sadly I cannot show you some of the artifacts that stood out to me. However, I can briefly describe my favorite, it was a large sword, I mean LARGE! Imagine a golden and sculpted oboe-liked artifact! It oozed luxury as well as a heavy feel...! See, pictures are necessary because my description did not give the sword justice...
Next, we went to Tenmangu Shrine, a historical ground packed with families since it was a holiday (In the Japanese culture, kimono-wearing 3 and 5 year old girls and their families visit the shrine to celebrate their coming of age). While learning about the significance of little girls wearing kimonos, I could not help to compare them to sweet sixteens. Both  'coming of age' ceremonies are held completely different! It was amazing to see that traditions were still going strong. Exploring the shrine, I found beautiful displays of flowers, and statues of oxen, a significant image there (Looked it up, and the shrine was build over a man named, Michizane Sugawara's grave. He was carried by an ox in his coffin). For lunch, we searched for food along the walkway to the shrine. I ate junk food, I regret one thing, not getting a drink to go with it. Oishii! 
We ended the night off with Komyozen-ji. This place made me want to go out and get myself a abandon shrine to fix up and live in. Simply, it was gorgeous. Though it was small, the landscape and the fading of the sun really captured the beauty and essence of this temple. The autumn effect of the trees were stunning as well. I wish I could relive the moments just relaxing in the corridors which looked out to the garden. Heck I want my own corridor looking out onto a zen garden! Thinking back to last year when I had my final where we had to plan out our trip to Japan, I would have missed out on so many temples and historical sights. Hopefully I will have the chance to visit Japan once again, and I will make sure to put not only this shrine, but much more on my itinerary. 
Randomly, we found a curry place to eat. Despite the appearance, the taste was delicious! I have never really tasted curry before and man, have I been missing out! To complement the curry, there were bookcases of manga to read as well! What a great way to end the night!

Nov. 10

Today started off with a long early morning departure from our hotel to get to Nagasaki. Man did I feel awkward at first to go here since I did not know if I, as an American should go there. Though I was not even alive when the atomic bomb was dropped there, I felt some guilt! This guilt did not go away for a while since our first stop in Nagasaki was the Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park. I have learned about the history during the time of WW2, but to actually be in a place that was once attacked so horrifically was a shock. Like many museums here in Japan, there were helpful English translations to explain artifacts and videos. Once artifact that stood out to me was the clock that stopped directly when the bomb was dropped at 11.02 A.M. It had an eerie feel to it; that specific time was a life changer for many, not just in the moment, but throughout years due to the lingering effects atomic bombs cause. 
Today, Nagasaki looks beautiful as it is surrounded by water, clean streets, and plants. Peace Park had all of these qualities listed above. I love the idea of a peace park, and how it had statues from other countries that were given as a gift/offering of peace to Japan! However, America did not have a statue which is not very surprising, but hopefully one day soon that will change! There was also a enourmous blue peace statue created by Seibo Kitamura which was planned out very thoughtfully, "The statue's right hand points to the threat of nuclear weapons while the extended left hand symbolizes eternal peace. The mild face symbolizes divine grace and the gently closed eyes offer a prayer for the repose of the bomb victims' souls. The folded right leg and extended left leg signify both meditation and the initiative to stand up and rescue the people of the world" via Wikipedia. I never heard of this park before, so I am grateful to have experienced it. From the fountain placed in ground zero, to the statues and views, it is a place to visit for anyone near Nagasaki! 
We went to Dejima next and got dressed up in traditonal kimonos. It was an amazing experience to be able to wear such beautiful clothing! If the clothing was not enough to make you feel like you were thrown back in time, the buildings here did that!
We did not go to the Art Museum due to timing, but we did make it to Oura Catholic Church! To go from a traditional Japanese feel to a western feel was very weird. The church was beautifully constructed and stood out compared to the modern and traditionally Japanese buildings surrounding it. Though I am not very religious, it was a splendid experience to get to see different types of buildings and religions here in Japan. Afterwards, we visited Glover Garden. Man, this is a place where I will visit again if I come back to Japan! The views of the city surrounding it as well as the water really made this place stand out! Not to mention, the variety of architecture was like nothing else I saw in Japan so far! Also, the escalators (don't know if they are considered that) there were very odd, yet entertaining! There were no stairs, but a flat surface that allowed us to ride up! Once again, koi ponds took my interest. I spent a lot of time with other trippers trying to pet them...I know it's weird haha. 
Glover Garden was yet another place in Japan that made me forget that it was November! The weather was nice and the insects and plants were still very lively! However, there were some Christmas decorations in the food court, but other than that, it felt like spring!
Okok, the garden was beautiful, but the star of the place was definitely the ice cream! It was a gift from out of this world!! I could cry thinking about it! Seriously, it was amazing along side everything else there! After, we had a pretty American dinner at Moss Burger. Though it was just drinks, fries and burgers, it did have a Japanese twist! Even restaurant look like they sell western food taste different in other palces! 
Yet another day of new adventures! Can't wait for more!

Nov. 11

Relaxation was the theme of today. The whole day was spent at Kurokawa Onsen where there were multiple onsens to bathe in. Talk about pampering yourself! Though I went to the onsen at the Wasuki hotel, this was a different experience. I was glad I had experienced what an onsen was like beforehand so I knew what I was getting myself into! We were able to choose three onsens to visit which was very hard since so many of them looked relaxing! One of the onsens had silver in it while another one was a sulfer onsen. I enjoyed the variety of onsens to choose from! Me and my skin were very grateful for this chance to experience not just one, but three onsens! At first an onsen can be very awkward, but that feeling goes away after the first experience in an one! The food here was delicious! We went to a ramen resturant where we sat and ate on a tatami mat! I could definitely get use to eating like that since it was very comfy! At the resturant, we were also able to conversate with natives there which was great practice!  
Did I mention how beautiful Kurokawa Onsen is? The traditional architecture and changing color of the leafs make for a memorable experience! I would have never thought to go to a place dedicated to onsens before this day, but that has completely changed now! 
Once again, I had burgers and fries for dinner, but also a piece of chicken! The restaurant was the equivalent of a Burger King in America. Though it was not my favorite dinner, I had a great time with the girls and the food was cheap!
This day was really needed with all of the walking and exercise we have been getting! My muscles were finally able to rest up. Until tomorrow, bye bye.

Nov. 12

Ahhhhhh! Today was the day I got to meet Kasumi and her family! It is also the day were I parted ways with my friends from the ETHS Japan trip! What made me apprehensive about this transition was the fact that I would not be with anyone who spoke English. However, it was a new opportunity to use my Japanese and I felt ready and optimistic about it! 

Before getting to the most exciting part of the day, we had to travel a LOT! It was back to back trains which left me a lot of time to sleep since I failed to go to bed earlier. These long rides keep reminding me that it was a bad idea not to bring my text books. Though they are online, I do not have access to them not the blog on the train. It is stressful knowing that time could be spent doing homework if I was more prepared! 

By the way, this is what I had during the train rides,

(This bear was everywhere in Kumamoto! Kuma means bear by the way! The Jagabee stuff  and doughnut were great!)

(The sandwich was much better than I anticipated! The peach water gives me life! It is my favorite drink so far just behind Pocari Sweat!)

Though the train rides were long, I enjoyed practicing writing in japanese as well as speaking. doing that made me wish I stuck to "nihongo dake" more often on the trip.

Here's a picture from the train ride:

 

When I finally met Kasumi, I was super happy, all my nervousness went away because she was so kind and nice to me. She even had a sign with my name on it when I got off the train! I met her family soon after and they are all kind. I spent most of the night getting settled and conversation with my host family! I was lucky to be hosted by Kasumi who speaks English well which helps me converse with her family easily, but I wish I spoke better Japanese. This is a wake up call to me, I have to practice and study Japanese a lot more in order to get to the level I want to be!

However, this is a double edge sword. She speaks English well, but one thing that I noticed is that she answers me and converses in English a lot. This temps I wish I had more opportunities to speak Japanese with her!

Nov. 13

Today was my first day at a Japanese school! Before getting to school however, I had to take a car, two trains, and a bus to get to school. It was a surprise to me that people spent so much time just to get to school! It was an eye opener since back home, it is not very common to spend about an hour to get to school each day, let alone, takes multiple ways of transportation. It shows their dedication to a good education!

Here are some pictures taken while going to school:

(Very rural, but it is a beautiful city.)

By the way, Kasumi is such a awesome person for dealing with my lack of knowledge with the Japanese language. 

The first experience I had in Kokusai Jouhou high school was the opening ceremony. Seeing how orderly the students are demonstrates the discipline and respect they have for not only their teachers, but peers as well; I admire those characters especially because I feel it will help me in life. 

(Here is the nice sign they wrote for us when we got there.)

The classes were very interesting, the teachers and students were engaging with one another, making learning and understanding easier for me. 

(I felt weird trying to take pictures in school, but I did take one of the element table during Chemistry.)

The way the students bow and thank the teacher before and after class continues to show their respect and discipline to others.

Since I was in class, I feel that pictures would be inappropriate to take, which explains the lack of pictures of the school. The school is nice, surrounded by lots of mountains and fields! I was uncomfortable because of the lack of heating throughout the building, but that makes me thankful for the heating system ETHS has. No more complaining about a slightly chilly or hot room at school anymore!

Today, we also had to preform our presentations to the students which made me nervous! Every time the kJ students visit us, they have a great presentation so I wanted to give them an amazing presentation as well! It went smoothly and everyone seemed to be engaged! 

However, before they could come, they had to clean their classrooms. That was another surprise today. I wish that ETHS had this as well because less people would litter around the school because they would have to clean it up!

Today was a great day, I am learning more about Japanese culture first hand, improving my Japanese, and had fun doing so.

Nov 14

Today I realized we are more than half way through with our trip. Insane right?! It was a wake up call to me that I should take in as much as I can from what Japan has to offer! 

Anyways, today was a treat that we received from sensei. Odaiba is a very unique place from what I learned while researching about it. Though the trip to Odaiba seemed like it was too short, that made me try to make the most out of my time. The first attraction we went to was the Ferris wheel. It was located in a place called Pallet Town!

 It was an awesome experience to not only see it in real life, but to ride it for free (because sensei paid for it)! The views from there are breathtaking! 

(Hate when my pictures turn out on the side!)

(View of the gondola behind us.)

(They shine of the sun on the water.)

(It was an amazing sight as I already stated!)

This place is right behind Kyoto for favorite places so far! From what I took from the conversation, my host family has never gone to Odaiba. That conversation with my host family last night made me realize that many people who live close by have not experienced many of the places I have went to. This makes me appreciative to be able to travel to such amazing places! It also makes me realize that back in Chicago, I have not experienced a lot of cool things there. Once I get back, I plan to explore Chicago!

Not going to lie, I spent a lot of time in the arcade with Melody. It was a amazing time playing games such as DDR and those scamming crane games! It was a weeaboo's paradise! I also tried Purikura with my friends which was always a dream of mine! I would love to relive my expericen at Odaiba!

(A classic, Dance Dance Revolution!)

(All of the little coin machines of memorabilia!)

(This is the scamming game I was talking about. It was addiction though!)

(Here is the Purikura we took. It made our skin brighter and lighter, eyes bigger, and added blush! Talk about a makeover! And please excuse my nail. It was once a smiley face until I smudged it...)

I was able to buy some presents for my friends and family which was good since they have been supporting me on this trip! I also bought my host family some treats since I learned today that it is a custom to buy a gift from wherever you have traveled. They have been a very awesome family to be with! Let me not forget, they make breakfast for me and pay for my bus fare! I am very grateful and I hope those presents show that!

Even though I wishes I had spent less time and money on those games, I do not regret it at all now! 

I also experienced a Japanese grocery store! It was actually very similar to ones back home aesthetics wise. Though I was surprised by the different variations of mushrooms.

This day was great, but I am now excited for a hot bath and a Japanese casserole dinner! 

Bye bye for now!

Nov. 15

I was finally able to kind of sleep in today! Woohoo! I also helped my little host brother play my Zelda game, he's adorable!

Anyways, it was a rainy day 

(besides the part of the day when it snowed..), but that did not stop me from having a nice day.

 Today we visited Urasa. First, we made soba noodles from scratch! I did not take many pictures there because of my soba covered hands. I have gained a new respect for people who make these daily at restaurants because it took a lot more effort than I thought it would! My arms are sore from kneading the dough! Though the hard work paid off since we were able to eat our creation.

 Even though my Japanese is not very good, the woman who was teaching us was very kind and patient. I wish I had her patience on a daily basis! 

While on the topic of this restaurant, I am really looking to buy a floor sitting table, they are becoming a favorite of mine, especially the ones with the heater under it!

Next on our itinerary was getting dressed up in a kimono, a spring one to be exact. It was another awesome experience with getting dressed up. Seeing how long it takes to put on a kimono still surprises me. I give major props to those ladies who helped us with getting the kimonos on! They are very swift and precise.The lady who taught us how to create soba noodle and Kasumi with her school work are also swift and precise, I need to know their secret!  Hopefully one day I can be able to have such characteristics! 

Back to the kimonos, I was thankful to be able to be able to wear them not just once, but twice! I would have never thought I would try on a kimono before the trip due to the fact that I never really wanted to have such an experience, but now I want to buy one!

The last place we went to in Urasa was a shopping center. I was finally able to go clothing shopping. There were so many things I wanted to buy, but I was too frugal to go through with buying a lot of them! I was still very thankful to have the opportunity to shop!

I am very shocked about how many people speak a decent amount of English in Japan. Kasumi's cousin, friends, grandpa, and grandma spoke very good English! I met them all today, and they were all very kind. I could not ask for a better host family! Ending off the night, I hung out with some of Kasumi's friends. At first, I felt awkward because of the language barrier, but that feeling quickly left. From the help of Kasumi (I am forever thankful for her and her translating she does!), charades, and my use of broken Japanese, I was able to talk to them and have a great time eating okonomiyaki while also snacking on a variety of snacks! It goes to show that a person does not need to be close to fluent to communicate with people who speak a different language!

Nov. 16,

Similar to yesterday, I was also able to kind of sleep in! I have also been going to bed fairly early this whole trip! Hopefully I will silt be able to do so once I get back...

My host family had plans for us today and it was amazing! First, we did karaoke. I was very scared at first because I can not sing for my life(And not to mention, Kasumi's is a great singer)!! I was happy I did not coward out of this opportunity though because I had a great time! I was able to read/sing along some Japanese songs that I did not know, and sang some English songs for fun as well! And of course we sang "Let It Go"! Frozen is very popular in Japan as well. Back to the karaoke, I hope there is one near where I live because I am addicted to it! I was too concentrated on singing that I forgot to take pictures....

Next, we went to the mall. Finally, I was able to spend money on clothes! I also almost finished getting presents for people back home. There were so many items I wanted; it is very tempting to buy everything in those stores! I was glad I was frugal the ought the trip so far so that I could splurge on some stuff since the majority of stores in the mall were pricey! I also noticed how important fashion is in Japanese society. Kasumi was talking about how important first impressions were in Japanese society which makes sense why fashion is important to them. I found that there were many weird English words used on shirts and for shop names. I remember one shirt that had the word "really" printed on it, and there was a store named "Grand Sac". It reminds me of the random Chinese lettering people get tattooed on them.

I am very grateful for Kasumi and her family's generosity. They paid for all of my food, karaoke, and a piece of clothing of my choosing! Let me not forget, they are very kind and patient with me and my poor Japanese!

For lunch, I had a BLT from subway. Even though I can get that in America, it did have a different taste, specifically from the bacon. It is interesting how the same meal can differ from county to county. This is also true about restaurants. When I had dessert at Baskin Robins (known as 31 in Japan), the flavors were chosen according to popular food like mocha or red bean which are not available in American Baskin Robbins. 

I had another opportunity to  try Purikura. Like the last time, it was very fun! 

For dinner, we ate at a restaurant where you cook the food yourself at the table with a built in stove...I'm pretty sure this type of restaurant has a specific name, but I cannot remember it...

I had a few "challenges" there, one was eating a scallop, while another was eating a clam. However, I was prepared and willing since the last week was filled with food "challenges"! I even ate cow tongue! They told me it was cow tongue after I had a couple of pieces, which freaked me out, but it was not bad at all! I am glad I am becoming more open to new foods I have yet to try!

The trip is quickly coming to a close, but it is not the end yet! I will make the most of the days remaining!

Nov. 17 

Today we were back at the school visiting classes. But before heading to school, I had my usual hearty breakfast made up of bread, yogurt, milk/water, and a persimmon fruit. However, looking back at my posts, I did not mention what I have been eating for breakfast since the home stay, whoops... Since I rarely have enough time in the morning to eat breakfast back home anymore, this was a nice change that I want to keep even if that means I have to get up earlier. Like Kasumi told me this morning, breakfast is the most important meal of the day! 

I also misplace my glasses this morning which freaked me out! However, Kasumi and her family were very nice to help me look for them, I am very thankful for that!

At school, it was just as fun as the last time I was there. I was able to interact with multiple students in Japanese as well as pick up on a few learning ideas in class (especially in math). I did however, find it difficult to stay focused at times due to the language barrier which led me to draw A LOT! But to my defense, one class had us draw a pacifier based off a poem!
In English, I was able to be of an assistance for one! I even got to explain what "high as a kite" meant since it was used in an example! Weird right?!

Anyways, I am glad I was able to experience a Japanese high school once again! 

After school, I headed off to tea ceremony club with Kasumi and the trippers. Since I had the opportunity not only once, but twice with being a part of a tea ceremony, I felt more confident in my skills! Like usual, the tea and dessert tasted great! 

When the tea ceremony started, it was still light out. It lasted only for a short time, yet it was dark out once it ended! I noticed that it gets dark earlier than it does in Evanston. It throws me off because I think it is much later than it actually is.

For dinner, I had salmon and unlike the last time I found out I had to eat salmon, I was looking forward to it! It was great! I also made an onigiri for the first time! It was not very hard which is good since I want to make some when I get home! 

Even though I do not understand a lot of what is being said in Japanese throughout the day, I have noticed that I am picking up on words I know more often now in conversations. Also I am learning a lot of new words. As they say, experience is the best teacher! I can also say that I have been thinking in Japanese a lot more than ever before! I can't believe this trip is almost over, it has been an amazing experience!

Nov. 18,

Man, I can't believe this trip is almost over! I have had a great time in Japan, so much that it will be a bittersweet goodbye tomorrow morning! I was glad I was able to spend it with my friends, new and old!

Just a warning, this post will be filled with a mixture of random observations and reflection on my trip...

Now that I wrote that, lets talk about the weather! Japan has some crazy weather! In some places, a sweater can keep a person warm, but in other places around Japan, it is freezing cold  and snowing! Here in Niigata, it has been raining non stop!Yet, it isn't as cold as Evanston right now! 

Also, I  noticed how I could see my breath in my room at times yet I never felt like it was freezing. Steam would also be visible way before I would consider the water to be hot! I think it is because of the altitude, but I am not 100% sure about that. 

Also, I have learned to be wary of bath tubs here! They are much deeper than they look and the floor outside the bath is much higher than it looks. You have been warned!

Since I am on a role with writing off topic, I would like to mention how the students here are very hardworking! Even on trains, they have a textbook in their hands reading it! It seems that they use their time wisely all the time! Hopefully their time management skills will rub off on me (since I have yet to do homework...)!

Similarly to yesterday, we spent our day at school following out host students. However, unlike yesterday, i got to try judo at gym time! Man, it looks an sounds painful, but I enjoyed the opportunity to try it out! I also got to go to art class where we drew on masquerade masks! The art teacher was very kind and I enjoyed being able to converse with her about Chicago and ETHS. 

The one thing that messed with my last day here was the solo last minute speech at the end of the day. I sure did screw that up, but that only encourages me to work on speaking Japanese without preparation more often! After  my horrific speech, I was able to forget about it since there was a farewell party for us! It was great taking pictures, hangout out with new and old friends, and indulging on delicious Japanese food and drinks! Not to mention, the amazing magic show that a student preformed for us! It was memorizing! As a last hurrah, we did the "Cha Cha Slide" and sang songs! i will truly miss it here in Japan! The people I have I countered here have been very polite, generous, and kind which only added to this amazing experience! 

For dinner, I went to this amazing sushi place where the food passes by the table on a conveyor belt! You can't even imagine how excited I was to actually be in that restaurant! I have gotten to the point where I do not care to know what I am eating, but will give it a try. I am glad I have started doing that because then I would not be freaked out from where it comes from! Today, I had crab soup and octopus! I did not find that out till later, but if I would have known that earlier, I would have probably be less willing to try it!
Since today was my last day, I spent a lot of time with my host family. I could not ask for a better one! They have treated me like one of their own. I am glad I was able to meet such an awesome family and I hope to keep in touch for a long time!
  Oh yeah! I was also able to go on the roof of the school, just like in anime hahaha..! That is where I saw a stunning and vivid rainbow!

Like the beautiful rainbow I saw today, the trip has to end somewhere!

Well, my last full day in Japan has been packed with memories I hope I never forget! The idea that this might be the only time I am in Japan makes me cherish these moments even more! 

More pictures coming soon!

Not sure what is going on with the font size/color, I still trying to fix it...
and still need to proof read...