Today I got up early and had cold leftovers, not realising that the pot hadn’t been turned on yet when I got it. It tasted fine anyway. After that I went with my Host brother Rei and Kazunari to Enoshima Island. Its really pretty. We did a lot of walking and I got sore feet. I could see Mount Fuji in the distance, I tried to take some pictures but the weather wasn’t to good so Im not quite sure how the pictures will look (I couldn’t tell on my cameras screen.) I think I might go down there by myself on a clear day if I have the chance because the view of Mount Fuji was spectacular. Also I’m now scared of facing rush hour trains. Today at 11 O’clock, a pretty non-rush hour time. My train was packed to the rafters.
Anyway after that we returned home, Kazunari went to a friends house so I talked to my host mum for a bit then went and had a nap for about an hour. I then proceeded to spend the time until dinner watching Doraemon and A documentary on Sakura’s. It was interesting even though I couldn’t understand a lot.
For dinner my Host sisters friend came round. She was a really outgoing Japanese person. First thing after introductions she pinched my stomach to see how fat or thin I was. Non-the less she was nice and she made me laugh. Shes training to be a sushi chef so knowing someone like her can’t be a bad thing. After Satome left I helped do the dishes, I managed to create an amass of confusion when the dishwashing rack become full and I said (tried to say), the dish wash rack was full. It took a good 10minutes to get over it. I’m still not sure what we were confused about in the end.
lastly for the night I sat down and played “Doubt” with my family. Its rather much the same as “cheat” but a few different rules. We also discussed where Im going to stay when my Host mum and dad go off to Shikoku to see my Host sister off to uni. Anyway we decided that I would stay here with my Host Grandmother and Kazunari. Should be all good.
If you want pictures please visit my other blog
lifeinjapan.tumblr.com
I dont have the time to do blogspot uploads at the moment.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Kamakura
Today started with my host mothers birthday, the family seemed to do most of the celebrations the night before which was allgood. Anyhow I wished her happy birthday In the morning and ate my rice and Miso soup for breakfast. After that I played playstation with Rei kun before making lunch with Kazunari. We made spaghetti. It was bland. That’s how we described it in Japanese. After that me and kazunari took Lillip (the dog) for a walk.
When my host mum returned home she took me and my asuka to Kamakura to see Asukas old school while she gave a card to her home room teacher. Afterwards my host mum took us to a Pkrk/temple/shrine thing (おてら). It was amazingly beautiful! For dinner my host grandmother took us out to a sushi train restaurant. I’ve learned in Japan now that I auctually enjoy fish. It tastes completely different from fish in New Zealand. Also we had like over 50small plates stacked up. I wish I coulda taken a picture. I’d hate to be doing the dishes in there.
When my host mum returned home she took me and my asuka to Kamakura to see Asukas old school while she gave a card to her home room teacher. Afterwards my host mum took us to a Pkrk/temple/shrine thing (おてら). It was amazingly beautiful! For dinner my host grandmother took us out to a sushi train restaurant. I’ve learned in Japan now that I auctually enjoy fish. It tastes completely different from fish in New Zealand. Also we had like over 50small plates stacked up. I wish I coulda taken a picture. I’d hate to be doing the dishes in there.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Kamakura
Today started with my host mothers birthday, the family seemed to do most of the celebrations the night before which was allgood. Anyhow I wished her happy birthday In the morning and ate my rice and Miso soup for breakfast. After that I played playstation with Rei kun before making lunch with Kazunari. We made spaghetti. It was bland. That’s how we described it in Japanese. After that me and kazunari took Lillip (the dog) for a walk.
When my host mum returned home she took me and my asuka to Kamakura to see Asukas old school while she gave a card to her home room teacher. Afterwards my host mum took us to a Pkrk/temple/shrine thing (おてら). It was amazingly beautiful! For dinner my host grandmother took us out to a sushi train restaurant. I’ve learned in Japan now that I auctually enjoy fish. It tastes completely different from fish in New Zealand. Also we had like over 50small plates stacked up. I wish I coulda taken a picture. I’d hate to be doing the dishes in there.
Photos from Kamakura otera.
When my host mum returned home she took me and my asuka to Kamakura to see Asukas old school while she gave a card to her home room teacher. Afterwards my host mum took us to a Pkrk/temple/shrine thing (おてら). It was amazingly beautiful! For dinner my host grandmother took us out to a sushi train restaurant. I’ve learned in Japan now that I auctually enjoy fish. It tastes completely different from fish in New Zealand. Also we had like over 50small plates stacked up. I wish I coulda taken a picture. I’d hate to be doing the dishes in there.
Photos from Kamakura otera.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
First Full Day With Host Family
Hey everyone so today was my first full day with my host family. For breakfast we had left over Curry Rice so that’s like 3days straight of eating it. Anyway ofter breakfast I went out with my Host dad and Borther and helped them cut down some trees that were overgorwing, we then had a break and ate some Japanese type snack sweets. They were good.
This arvo my host mum recommended me and my host brother write diaries (mine in Japanese and his in english then cross check them) It’s a good idea. I think I’ll keep writing a diary in Japanese even when I’ve left this family. I hope I don’t have to leave them.
anyway for lunch I had ramen and for dinner tonkastu. Im enjoying the food. Im surprised I havent eaten any fish yet but I suppose that could happen anytime.
じゃまた、
Veiw From my Room.
This arvo my host mum recommended me and my host brother write diaries (mine in Japanese and his in english then cross check them) It’s a good idea. I think I’ll keep writing a diary in Japanese even when I’ve left this family. I hope I don’t have to leave them.
anyway for lunch I had ramen and for dinner tonkastu. Im enjoying the food. Im surprised I havent eaten any fish yet but I suppose that could happen anytime.
じゃまた、
Veiw From my Room.
Last Day of Orientation
Today was the last day of orientation. Great! I was so excited when I woke up in the morning and realised today was the day we would get to meet our host families. Anyway we went of to breakfast and then we went to go do our speeches and have a final lecture from one of the JFIE staff.
After that I went to Tokyo station with the other students to catch trains to our host families. I was the only one with the brains to purchase a suica. Anyway after maybe 40minutes I was at my host families house. They are so kind and nice. They treat me like one of the family It makes me really happy.
Anyway today my host family has taken me to see a shrine, taken me to the supermakerket and biked into town with my host brothers to buy a three pronged adapter for my laptop charger. I should really be taking photos because I can’t explain in words how amazing this place is!
After that I went to Tokyo station with the other students to catch trains to our host families. I was the only one with the brains to purchase a suica. Anyway after maybe 40minutes I was at my host families house. They are so kind and nice. They treat me like one of the family It makes me really happy.
Anyway today my host family has taken me to see a shrine, taken me to the supermakerket and biked into town with my host brothers to buy a three pronged adapter for my laptop charger. I should really be taking photos because I can’t explain in words how amazing this place is!
Day 2; orientation
Orientation day 2
Today we woke up at 7.15 to get ready for breakfast at 7.30 breakfast was pretty much a usual european buffet but also had a selection of Japanese style food. Throughout the day we had lessons in all aspects of life and language in Japan. Then later in our orientation groups we went down to the AEON mall in Chiba for some tasks and shopping. It was good.
I walked round the mall with a guy called sam doing not alot. We sorta wondered wound the arcade and into a surf shop where we found these clip-on roller blades for shoes. We spent almost a good 20minutes playing with them with one of the shop assistants who was pretty outgoing. I also feel weak because I had a massive choice of japanese food in the food court, but I choose Mc Donalds. Its not to bad because I got a teriyaki burger which is amazing. New Zealand should sell them.
After all that we returned to the hotel for a quick break and more lesson on Japan. After ive finished writing this Im going to start working on the speech that I have to write for tommorow. I have to write on why I want to be in Japan. I havent really got much idea apart from the culture, language and just cause its a cool place.
I am feeling a bit down because it feels like everyone here has atleast someone who they’re super close with, and yet through all my effort to try and make friends I still feel like “that guy who’s with us”. I guess my room-mate is pretty friendly but it’s not the instant best friend vibe every other “couple” seems to give off. It was also disheartening when one of the JFIE staff told me to stop looking so angry or I wont make friends. I didnt think I was looking to angry or anything. I was just waiting for everyone else to arive outside the restuarant Im not giong to smile at a wall. Ohwell, Im only here for another 12 hours or so before I leave to go meet my host family which Im super excited about.
Now to right my speech...
And here it is finished a whole less than 20minutes later..
みなさん、おはようございます、
私の名前はクリスで、十七歳です。ニュージーランドから来ました。日本に住んでいってながら藤沢市にすんでいますが、ホスト高校は座間市にあります。ホスト高校は座間総合高等学校と言います。日本語と日本文化が好きですから若いの時から日本に行きたいですよ！日本の文化はとても面白いです。も日本語を難しくて面白と思いますから日本語をがんばって勉強します。 日本にいる時に私のもくひようは日本人の友達を会ったり、日本語を上手話せるになったりする事がほしいです。
おねがいします。
Today we woke up at 7.15 to get ready for breakfast at 7.30 breakfast was pretty much a usual european buffet but also had a selection of Japanese style food. Throughout the day we had lessons in all aspects of life and language in Japan. Then later in our orientation groups we went down to the AEON mall in Chiba for some tasks and shopping. It was good.
I walked round the mall with a guy called sam doing not alot. We sorta wondered wound the arcade and into a surf shop where we found these clip-on roller blades for shoes. We spent almost a good 20minutes playing with them with one of the shop assistants who was pretty outgoing. I also feel weak because I had a massive choice of japanese food in the food court, but I choose Mc Donalds. Its not to bad because I got a teriyaki burger which is amazing. New Zealand should sell them.
After all that we returned to the hotel for a quick break and more lesson on Japan. After ive finished writing this Im going to start working on the speech that I have to write for tommorow. I have to write on why I want to be in Japan. I havent really got much idea apart from the culture, language and just cause its a cool place.
I am feeling a bit down because it feels like everyone here has atleast someone who they’re super close with, and yet through all my effort to try and make friends I still feel like “that guy who’s with us”. I guess my room-mate is pretty friendly but it’s not the instant best friend vibe every other “couple” seems to give off. It was also disheartening when one of the JFIE staff told me to stop looking so angry or I wont make friends. I didnt think I was looking to angry or anything. I was just waiting for everyone else to arive outside the restuarant Im not giong to smile at a wall. Ohwell, Im only here for another 12 hours or so before I leave to go meet my host family which Im super excited about.
Now to right my speech...
And here it is finished a whole less than 20minutes later..
みなさん、おはようございます、
私の名前はクリスで、十七歳です。ニュージーランドから来ました。日本に住んでいってながら藤沢市にすんでいますが、ホスト高校は座間市にあります。ホスト高校は座間総合高等学校と言います。日本語と日本文化が好きですから若いの時から日本に行きたいですよ！日本の文化はとても面白いです。も日本語を難しくて面白と思いますから日本語をがんばって勉強します。 日本にいる時に私のもくひようは日本人の友達を会ったり、日本語を上手話せるになったりする事がほしいです。
おねがいします。
Arrival and orientation
Hi Everyone, I’m writing this part of my blog from sydney airport as I now have a two hour gap between flights. So I guess when you guys read this post it could be long outdated but anyway I guess I mioght aswell write with my spare time.
Any way so far I’ve just landed in sydney airport and had my like ninth million “random bomb test”,
seriously everytime I freaking fly. But anyhow moving on form what I said just before I’m traveling with two other guys from NZ, sean and maha. Both of whom are awsome. Seans been on exchange like three times and so is like our chaparogne which has helped me to get to places on time.
Also it was quite difficult leaving I felt like crying because I could tell my parants were upset, but I wanted to keep a positive face on me, and not fly feeling sad. But happy. I will really miss my parants. I love them so much for all their support to me in making my dream possible.
Countless hours later.. Ive been awake for I have no idea how many hours now, its quite alot because I look like death. I’ll be going to bed when Im finished this and my roommate finishes what hes doing. But I’ll start recounting after I boarded the plane in sydney. Anyway we hoped on were served crappy airline and I had a joyfull 10hours of uncomftable non-sleep sleep. Also I’ve continued my stretch of being “randomly selected” for bomb screening. Can’t be too random seems everytim I travel i get pulled up. Maybe I just look guilty.
After arriving in Narita we were taken with about 30aussie students to our hotel and to a convenience store to buy lunch. I managed to find something that resembled chicken Im still not sure what it is though... I also bought some orange juice which tasted good and some lollies to eat. It costed me 550yen which is like $7 after that we spent two hours on a bus on a slow moving highway into central tokyo for a visit to Koishikawa shcool which was awsome it reminded me of when the asians do visits to our shcool. It was sooo much fun they took a for about a 10minute walk to a park which was absoluteky beautifull. We did a variety of other activities with the students. I did meet a very interesting character named “wackey” he was described by the students as “Hes our hero”. There is no words to describe this kid. On the way back we go to see Tokyo as it started to go dark, It was ana amazing veiw which i hope to see a few more more times during my stay here.
I was feeling a bit disheartened at the begining of the day because I felt like I wasnt really meeting anyone except for those who I’d traveled with, because everyone was staying in there groups who they travelled with and towards the end of the day everyone started to mingle with eacxh other.
Specially on the bus ride back from tokyo. We were sharing slang, I learnt alot of new words for variations of wogs. I was happy that I auctually knew what a wog was even if I disagree with the racism involved. It was an amazing day. I wish I’d taken photos today but I forgot to take my camera In all my tiredness. Ill see if someone else has some that I can nigger.
Lastly we were given our rooms and had dinner which was buffet, I had tonnes of Japanese style curry which was amazing and like 10 glasses of blueberry juice.
Just one not on the side Coke here in Japan is so much more bubbley than that In NZ.
Im still yet to go over a 1000yen. Go me.
Any way so far I’ve just landed in sydney airport and had my like ninth million “random bomb test”,
seriously everytime I freaking fly. But anyhow moving on form what I said just before I’m traveling with two other guys from NZ, sean and maha. Both of whom are awsome. Seans been on exchange like three times and so is like our chaparogne which has helped me to get to places on time.
Also it was quite difficult leaving I felt like crying because I could tell my parants were upset, but I wanted to keep a positive face on me, and not fly feeling sad. But happy. I will really miss my parants. I love them so much for all their support to me in making my dream possible.
Countless hours later.. Ive been awake for I have no idea how many hours now, its quite alot because I look like death. I’ll be going to bed when Im finished this and my roommate finishes what hes doing. But I’ll start recounting after I boarded the plane in sydney. Anyway we hoped on were served crappy airline and I had a joyfull 10hours of uncomftable non-sleep sleep. Also I’ve continued my stretch of being “randomly selected” for bomb screening. Can’t be too random seems everytim I travel i get pulled up. Maybe I just look guilty.
After arriving in Narita we were taken with about 30aussie students to our hotel and to a convenience store to buy lunch. I managed to find something that resembled chicken Im still not sure what it is though... I also bought some orange juice which tasted good and some lollies to eat. It costed me 550yen which is like $7 after that we spent two hours on a bus on a slow moving highway into central tokyo for a visit to Koishikawa shcool which was awsome it reminded me of when the asians do visits to our shcool. It was sooo much fun they took a for about a 10minute walk to a park which was absoluteky beautifull. We did a variety of other activities with the students. I did meet a very interesting character named “wackey” he was described by the students as “Hes our hero”. There is no words to describe this kid. On the way back we go to see Tokyo as it started to go dark, It was ana amazing veiw which i hope to see a few more more times during my stay here.
I was feeling a bit disheartened at the begining of the day because I felt like I wasnt really meeting anyone except for those who I’d traveled with, because everyone was staying in there groups who they travelled with and towards the end of the day everyone started to mingle with eacxh other.
Specially on the bus ride back from tokyo. We were sharing slang, I learnt alot of new words for variations of wogs. I was happy that I auctually knew what a wog was even if I disagree with the racism involved. It was an amazing day. I wish I’d taken photos today but I forgot to take my camera In all my tiredness. Ill see if someone else has some that I can nigger.
Lastly we were given our rooms and had dinner which was buffet, I had tonnes of Japanese style curry which was amazing and like 10 glasses of blueberry juice.
Just one not on the side Coke here in Japan is so much more bubbley than that In NZ.
Im still yet to go over a 1000yen. Go me.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Host Family And Last Days In Cambridge
Anywho I recently received my host family information, I'm to be living with the Goto family who live in Fujisawa city. They're a family of seven people this includes; Mother, Father, Three host brothers 10,16,20, host sister who's 18 and a grandmother living with them. Im not sure how where all going to fit in the house as Ive heard houses in Japan are often small. Im sure well make it. I know that Im to move into my host sisters room after she goes to university a week or so after I move in.
I called them the other night. I feel bad because I hear about everyone else having amazing conversations with their host families and understanding heaps. Mine was ok, I dont think my host family speaks much english, not that I tried to speak english on the phone. Im relieved though because my host mum was so kind and patient with me and repeated her sentences very slowy and waited for me to reply. I hope she doesn't think I'm handicapped.
From my host families house I've worked out that to get to shcool will take me over an hour everyday (one way). Firstly a 20minute walk to the station, 30-40minute train ride on the Odakyu Enoshima Line then either a bus ride or roughly a 30minute walk to shcool. I have a feeling I'll be picking the bus.
Moving on from the host family, the last few days have been very busy for me. Alot of packing and organisng has taken place. I've had a few parties (shared lunches at shcool), well auctually just two for Japanese class as we have two teachers and I love them both. I also went round to see my friend who gave me a present to open in Japan (I'm dieing to open it now) and tonight went out to dinner. I have to say its been an amazing few days but alas very sad ones.
I called them the other night. I feel bad because I hear about everyone else having amazing conversations with their host families and understanding heaps. Mine was ok, I dont think my host family speaks much english, not that I tried to speak english on the phone. Im relieved though because my host mum was so kind and patient with me and repeated her sentences very slowy and waited for me to reply. I hope she doesn't think I'm handicapped.
From my host families house I've worked out that to get to shcool will take me over an hour everyday (one way). Firstly a 20minute walk to the station, 30-40minute train ride on the Odakyu Enoshima Line then either a bus ride or roughly a 30minute walk to shcool. I have a feeling I'll be picking the bus.
Moving on from the host family, the last few days have been very busy for me. Alot of packing and organisng has taken place. I've had a few parties (shared lunches at shcool), well auctually just two for Japanese class as we have two teachers and I love them both. I also went round to see my friend who gave me a present to open in Japan (I'm dieing to open it now) and tonight went out to dinner. I have to say its been an amazing few days but alas very sad ones.
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