Hi everybody!!
Its been a long time and I haven't kept up with my promise of writing in this every week. I'm sorry I have failed you. I have some free time now so I will reeeeally try to write in this every week!
So I have switched families. There is a mother, father, younger sister, younger brother and grandmother. Its really fun to have this kind of setting. It actually feels like a family instead of just being housed by someone. They have two two-month old kittens. They are so cute!
So on Sunday I got back from my class trip in Kyoto. It was a lot of fun even though I didn't understand a lot of the stuff that we did. I didn't talk much (mainly because I wasn't in a good mood) but I listened a lot and that has really helped with learning the language. Here is the link to the photos ! http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150457029906147.422487.542111146&type=1&l=45d51a8f0c
The first day we all met at Tokyo station for 8:25. We got on our shinkansen (bullet train) and headed off to Osaka. On the train all we did was eat. Endlessly ate. We also played cards and a lot of people slept (because some students had to wake up and leave for Tokyo around 3 in the morning). When we arrived in Osaka we were met by a tour guide and brought to a bus. The bus took us on a short sight-seeing trip around Osaka. We were then given free time on a popular street. We met a popular comedian in the middle of filming a show. It was neat. I'll be on TV (maybe)! After our free time (which we spent eating more, taking purikura pictures and sight seeing) we all met up again and attended a stand up comedy show. As difficult as understanding Osaka's accent and Japanese in general is, I enjoyed the performance. It was really funny! But I did sleep through most of it. After about 4 hours of comedy, we got onto the bus again and were taken to our Ryokan (Japanese-style hotel) in Kyoto. Our room was wuite lovely. It had tatami floors and futons to sleep on. Supper was brought to us and my roommates and I ate together like a family. Once again I just ate and listened to whatever they were talking about. Its really frustrating being able to understand what is going on but even though you want to contribute, you just can't. You don't have the ability to do so. This is why I am even more determined to learn Japanese. That night after supper my friends asked me if I wanted to go to the bath. Little did I know that they meant the public bath. I was really worried and self conscious but in the end it was really fun. I thought of it very professional. Everyone just does what they need to do and then they relax in the bath together. It was a really nice and comforting feeling. After the bath every one just hung out in their friends room until our curfew. As we lied down in our futons, we talked about many things. I just listened nd enjoyed the noise until I nodded off to sleep.
Day two started bright and early with one of our level 2 representative saying "good morning" on the P.A.. Our breakfast was a very Japanese styled one with rice, miso soup, fish and an arrangement of vegetables. On this day we were going to a shrine to perform a dance. So we got on the bus and headed off to the shrine around 9:00. When we arrived at the shrine, we were taken to this storage area of sorts so we could organize our costumes and warm up. It was raining on this day so we had to perform on a stage instead of a field as originally planned. We went outside in our sports wear and practised on the stage until around 12:00. People we watching us practise and there was a foreign couple that was fixated on me. I say them later and just smiled and they smiled back. Though I now wish I had talked to them to say that they should watch our performance at 1:30. We put on our costumes and our make up. They were ridiculous to say the least but really interesting. Before we performed we were taken to a part of the shrine where Maiko (shrine priestesses) purified us with blessed water. After this a Priest took us to another place and blessed us (I'm not really sure but it felt very solemn). We also saw a lot of people get married at this shrine. Japanese weddings are so beautiful. I had overheard that it was a foreign woman and Japanese man, which was interesting. So we lined up for our performance and then the drums started. I was very nervous, as was everyone else but it went off without a hitch! Aside from the fact that I messed up a little but I don't think anyone noticed. Relieved, the performance ended and we took group photos. We all went an changed into our regular clothes and ate in the storage room (of sorts). We then cleaned up and left. It was a great day and was very fun! When we returned to the hotel we did the same thing as we did on the first night.
Day three started the same as the previous. But today was different, we were given a free day to go around Kyoto and sight see and shop. We left at 8:30 and caught a bus to the Kyomizudera Shrine. Here, there were many souvenir shops and rickshaws. I really wanted to ride one, but they were around $60 for an hour or something like that. We went to the shrine (at the top of a very large hill) and walked around. The shrines in Japan are just so beautiful. The nature there is so preserved and its like you are entering a totally different world within the busy city. After the shrine and buying lots of (heavy) souvenirs, we walked around the city where we ate and shopped. We ate cake, ramen, candy, more cake and more unhealthy food. It was great. When we returned to the hotel after being lost for about an hour we immediately took our bath. Then we had supper. After supper we were given free time to go about the city once again. It was really fun at night! My group ended up running back to the hotel because we didn't pay attention to the time. So tiring. Night was the same as the rest.
The fourth day was the day we were to return home. We got everything ready, said good bye to the wonderful staff and once again hopped onto the tour bus. I was under the impression we were to be going straight home but to my delight we went to a famous shrine! If you have ever seen a 10 yen coin then it is the shrine that is pictured on it. We took a class photo and were once again given free time to look around and shop. I, of course, ate a lot again. Lots of ice cream. I regret nothing. I bought more souvenirs and we returned to our bus to go to the station. On our ride there, it became eerily quiet. Everyone on the bus fell asleep. It was a nice change from all the screaming this class does. Before going home we went to a hotel by the station and were fed. Very white food. It was nice change! haha. We got on our train and relaxed. Once again everyone slept for a good bit of the ride. We arrived in Tokyo at around 4:00. I took my heavy luggage and headed home by myself (because I had lost my friend I was supposed to go home with haha) It was nice to just relax by myself. I like being in Tokyo by myself. I arrived home and immediately went to my room and collapsed on the bed. For whatever reason I was still horribly exhausted. That night (along with every Sunday night with this family) we went out for dinner. I had tempura udon. So yummy. I came home after that and went to sleep after skyping with the family.
All in all, it was a wonderful experience and I want to return to Kyoto and Osaka by myself (or with friends) one day soon.
