Carlon
Blog About Me?!
Day by day オプデート
Arrival Day
We land at the Airport and my heart fills with exited for I could not wait to leave the plane to breathe in what I believe would be the most cleanest air in the world. The people, the signs, the organization, respect/formality, unity, and the overall environment was all an awe to my eyes as I began to walk out of the plane and patrol with my friends thought out the train stations. As we arrive Youth Hostel I felt disbelief that I had finally made it into japan as I look out the windows of the 18F. In the same day I also get experience a Japan Onsen... Which is a steamy hot bath that soothes the body after periods of relaxing in it.
Day 1
Breakfast was amazing, it was nothing like I had experienced before, including various types of foods like miso soup, or tonkatsu and rice with tatto which were all very delicious . After that we headed out to the Meiji shrine where we walked through gate of emperors At the shrines I saw one of the "pray's there that read "Dokdo is Korean territory!" by Korean. I found this quite hilarious instead of writing a pray to the shrine someone wrote a political statement . After that we did some exploring around town, in which we meet l a group of Japanese students that helped me shop as well as show me around. For lunch we went deeper into the city and then we had some back ally ramen. At first it was a bit sketchy but I later found out that everyone there was very friendly and had great cooking skills. Dennis's group was in charge of where we go so we went to the Miraikan National Museum for about 2 hours. We meet another group of Japanese students that we talk to for about the duration of the time dancing, laughing, and taking pictures.
Day 2
Breakfast was amazing as ever this time I tried the beef consume instead of the mise soup, however the mise soup is a lot more better. The next stop was Waseda University, and that is where we meet Micheal. After that was explored some more and decided to take a picture around a very tall governmental building. Taking that picture was actually very fun because we tried to make a hadoken. When we were done we went up to the top of the building in which we bought some horse meat and dried squid. The horse meat was not as bad as I thought however it a bit chewy and hard. For lunch we went to Denny's and that was by far the best meal I have had since I got here. The menu from a Denny's in Japan is nothing like one in America, in fact they have menus that are better than some top rated restaurants. I ordered curry and rice with watermelon and lemon soda. Next stop was garden that had an ancient shrine composed primary of gold. While there I managed to take a picture with on of the priestess which was pretty cool. We finished off the day by going to the Sky tree which is biggest building in Tokyo. There we took more pictures and relaxed, but this time looking over Japan had me thinking about it's progression awe.
Day 3
This time breakfast came with bacon, and I decided to switch back to miso soup from that soup compose. Today was the best day of my life going to Zao Onsen on a 4 hour train ride. On this ride I was seated next to a Japanese hafu that I started to talk to 30 mins into to ride. After I got to knew him I found that that he is a major crypto investor. For the rest of the trip I asked him to teach me all that he knows or can teach me with the time that we had about crypto currency in Japanese. By the end of the ride we exchanged LINE and took a picture. As we arrived to the town I smelled this strange scent of egg, and as I got closer and closer the egg scent got more distinct are I realized that it was sulfur like what I had in Trinidad's pitch lake. The dinner we had tonight was absolutely lavish. There was plates after plates of delicious food that never stopped coming. We ended the day off by relaxing in an onsen flit with sulfur from sulfur deposits in the mountain.
Day 4
The breakfast here was amazing, like nothing I ever had before, I had 3 bowls of rice that I could not stop eating because it was so amazing. Every single meal made with the greatest care and hard work. After that we went out to explore town and see if there was anything interesting. We ended up going to the top of the mountain to for snowboarding that we saw from the bottom of the hill. As we approached the mountain where we saw people snowboarding and skiing we also saw a ramen shop. There we had lunch and the started to explore around the mountain some more, have snowball fights, before we decided to go back in. Later this same day we to come carts into the biggest mountain there to see some snow monsters, which were a spectacular phenomenon, except for the reason that it was too cold so I could enjoy the view of the snow monsters without having to go inside for heat. We then returned home to another lavish dinner.
Day 5
Staying up all night with Bennett and Dennis had me tired for the morning however. I got ready and went off to breakfast. After breakfast we went on a hiking trip to a mountain on a shrine. Dennis and I had a challenge to see who can get to the top of the mountain to see the beautiful sight it had to offer. After we got to the top we are stunned by the beauty it had to offer, however because of that we had more time too relax and chill out. However we went up and down the mountain twice because we had missed out on certain aspects and places of the mountain. While exploring the mountain we witnessed an avalanche before us just as we were about to climbs some steps, thankfully we we not unfortunate to be covered by the snow that fell off the roof of the shrine. For lunch I assembled a group composed of Bennett, Max, Jose, and Trotter, and then we went out to a ramen shop to eat lunch. There I tried eating a fired shrimp ramen, When we returned we had a couple of hours to ourselves so we relaxed in the onsen the we worked on our presentations until we feel asleep.
Day 6
Everyone all got up with excitement to meet our host families especially me. Hurrying to get myself together to leave because I slept in two different room so I had to get all my stuff together in one. Due to this I was the last one to get to the breakfast table. Over the past days Trotter and I had made very good friends with the waiter, Jin, and it had broke my heart to know that we were leaving him. However Jin went through the trouble of writing each one of us a good bye letter. The ride to our Host families took about 4 hours. When I arrived at the train stop I instantly got out and ran to my host family. I was the first to find and give my family a hug and we left quickly after. The ride to there house was about 1 hour. During the entire trip I talked to my brother mom and dad about a lot of random stuff and the conversation never ended. Approaching the house we swung into ally surrounded by snow 6 feet tall and rode down there for about 1 min to get to the front of there house. After I got settled down my dad took me out to dinner at what he said is Niigata's best やきにく bake meat shop. There he told me about his job and we talked about hobbies and interest while grilling beef and pork over the mini grill we had in front of us. We then when home and I gave them the candies I carried in my suitcase from America and the picture book. The picture book was not really useful for creating conversations because I had already talked about my life so much that the picture book was just pictures of what I had talked about. My brother and I then went to sleep at 1:00 ish.
Day 7
I got up today excited as ever as today was officially the first day that I get to spend with my family and because I was promised a surprise that day. I brushed my teeth and went to the kitchen to see my mom cook breakfast, which was very exciting see her cook such a big meal in the morning for us. After she finished cooking I could wait to eat the feast she had made, having breakfast look more appetizing than restaurants. Next on the list the finally revealed the secret they had been waiting to tell me, which was that we were going snowmobiling. So after we suited up and snowmobiled into the mountains. After we went out to lunch and I order curry ramen shortly after I finished I started a conversation with a couple girls behind me and then took pictures with them. My dad then decided that we should go to a public onsen right before we headed home. After we went home I worked on some homework and had dinner at home.
Day 8
Waking up as early as 5am for school to catch to train. After my and my brother, Towa got on the train we ate breakfast, onigiri there. After we got of the train we took a taxi to school which took about 20 mins. Arriving at the school made me so giddy, as I couldn't wait to talk to the KJ. My friends and I were were then lined up on the stage of the basketball court/ auditorium where we stood in front of the entire school. We were then introduced by the teachers and given presents by a group of KJ that were formally lined up in front of us. The teachers assigned us KJ to follow throughout the day so that we can experience the classes. It was very weird to see that the students never switched classes rather the teachers would come to them. After school had finished my family and I had went to a restaurant for a full family get together. There I also ate shabu shabu for the first time. Finally I returned home took a shower and went to bed.
Day 9
Waking up 5am for school again but this time we are even more late than yesterday because of the absurd amount of snow compliment. Today in school I ended up falling asleep along with my friend and brother because of the lack of sleep we had. In total we had about 4-5 hours of sleep that day. One of today's highlight were when we went to calligraphy class and painted kanji with the teacher, there I made 3 more friends that I exchanged LINE with. After school had finished Towa and I had came straight home because my Mom said that she had prepared a party with the neighbors for me. Soon after she had said that I saw ours neighbours walking through the door with tons of japanese soul food. When everyone was ready we got together and then started eating. I had a great time that night, I talked with more people and learned some japanese jokes.
Day 10
Got up early this morning at 5:00 but this time I had to go to the train station to take the train by myself. There I took a train to Useda Highschool to meet up with the students we have been messaging through schoology the entire year. By the time we arrived We were put into groups based on the one we were given from Schoology and my group had all girls in it. I meet this one girl named Tomomi and from the beginning of the trip to the end we talked to entire time. First we went the school to put our stuff down then we went to a mall and arcade to have some fun. In the Mall there was a puppy shop that had puppies on sale for the equivalent of 1000-2000 US dollars, but they were super cute. After the mall we all went out to eat at a Sobe restaurant and then back to the school. At this point we were all starting to catch feelings because of the short time we had together but we all made good bye cards for each other.
Day 11
Woke up not too excited for what this day had to offer because I was more excited to talk to the KJ more. However today we were going out to South Uonoma. The tour guide said that this town was modified to attract more tourist since Niigata was losing its popularity. The town was remodeled off of the edo period, and had a very big Hakkaisan (mountain) in the background. While there we visited a very expensive Ownsen that looked like it had some history behind it given it’s old architecture. On our way back our tour guide brought us a Japanese candy that looked like chalk but it was a famous mint candy. After school I decided to talk with some more people before Towa meet up with me.Not long after we took the train home and I went out to eat with my family at an italian meat restaurant.
Day 12
It’s Friday…. I am not liking the feeling that the week is almost over, however today me and my group are preparing something special for the KJ this Friday. On the way to school I eat my breakfast on the train again but somehow everyday my Mom manages to make breakfast so tasty. When I arrive in school my team and I immediately get to work on our presentation for Friday. When it was time we went to a relatively big classroom where my peers presented for the first half of the day. Surprisingly the KJ also prepared a presentation about Japan for us too. My team presented a dance team at the end of the day in which we also taught the a dance we made up too. After the presentations I gave a speech to the KJ along with 5 other people and after school we had even more fun with the KJ arm wrestling, doing push-ups contest, and more dancing. My brother, Dad, Mom and I then we to one of the best onsen in the area for an overnight stay to enjoy our last day together.
Last day... Day 13
Waken up by my Dad taunt me in my sleep around 7:00 in the morning. My family and I then got up and we went off to breakfast. At breakfast I eat as much as I can eat and as many new stuff so that I could say that I experienced everything in Japan. After that we packed our stuff up and went off to the train station. During the ride there I talked with my family about how its like in Chicago, and they telling me about how someday soon they will visit me. I grew more and more sad the closer we got to the train station and so did they. When we got there all the Host families and Evanston students all took pictures together. While taking one of the pictures that included the Evanston students my little brother ran into the picture calling my name to sit on my lap. Just before my class and I left off I gave my mom and dad a big hug, because I knew it was going to be some time before I can see them again.