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Day 8!!!
The first thing my homestay Mom and I did today was go the the bakery for breakfast. Then I rode with my friend Michael and his homestay family to the supermarket. We picked out the things we wanted to eat for lunch and went to this park. I don't know the name of the park but we got dressed up as samurai. My two friends Michael and Andy also got dressed up in the authentic outfit. We all got to hold a real katana, and after that we had lunch. Andy and her homestay family dropped of Aoi and me at the mall. Aoi is the granddaughter of my homestay family. We all went shopping and took some pictures in a picture booth.
Later on after Andy left with her homestay family Aoi and I went back to my homestay house. The homestay family I was staying with had invited over the rest of the family and we all just sat around and talked. I played with the little kids and one of the little girls gave me a picture. I lost it at the house but she had drawn a picture of me and put my name on it in Japanese.
Later on after Andy left with her homestay family Aoi and I went back to my homestay house. The homestay family I was staying with had invited over the rest of the family and we all just sat around and talked. I played with the little kids and one of the little girls gave me a picture. I lost it at the house but she had drawn a picture of me and put my name on it in Japanese.
Day 6 and 7!!!
Day 6 was the best day of the whole trip for me, because on day 6 we got to climb Mount Fuji!!! Before we got to Mount Fuji we picked a couple of green tea leaves, drank some green tea, and ate some fried green tea leaves. We were running late so we couldn't stay long at the green tea farm.
When we arrived at Mount Fuji it was very cool and foggy. I almost didn't climb the Mountain at first but I knew that I would regret it so I ended up climbing it. We started at the 5th station and climbed to the 6th station. We traveled to one of the craters and climbed back down. It was so amazing!!!! Once we had reached the crater, we sat inside of it and the man who took us up there told us to listen. It was so quiet up there that you couldn't hear a thing! I mean it was nothing but silence!!!
Day 7!!! We met our homestay families on day 7. My delegation was split into 4 groups with one leader in each. Then we were dropped of group by group to meet our homestay families. My homestay Mom was 61 but she was very nice. I also had a homestay Dad who was 62 and a homestay brother who was 32. I never talked to the 32 year old but they all were very nice. They gave me a very nice room with a bed, loveseat, desk, bookshelf, and a fan.
Later on that same day my homestay Mom and I went to a party where I saw two of my other friends and there homestay families. The party was fun and after it had ended my homestay Mom and I went back home.
When we arrived at Mount Fuji it was very cool and foggy. I almost didn't climb the Mountain at first but I knew that I would regret it so I ended up climbing it. We started at the 5th station and climbed to the 6th station. We traveled to one of the craters and climbed back down. It was so amazing!!!! Once we had reached the crater, we sat inside of it and the man who took us up there told us to listen. It was so quiet up there that you couldn't hear a thing! I mean it was nothing but silence!!!
Day 7!!! We met our homestay families on day 7. My delegation was split into 4 groups with one leader in each. Then we were dropped of group by group to meet our homestay families. My homestay Mom was 61 but she was very nice. I also had a homestay Dad who was 62 and a homestay brother who was 32. I never talked to the 32 year old but they all were very nice. They gave me a very nice room with a bed, loveseat, desk, bookshelf, and a fan.
Later on that same day my homestay Mom and I went to a party where I saw two of my other friends and there homestay families. The party was fun and after it had ended my homestay Mom and I went back home.
Day 4 and 5!!!
On day 4 we left Hiroshima and took a ferry to Myajima Island. At the island we saw the Shinto Shrine. On the island there are a lot of deer and they aren't afraid of humans! So when I went to the island I actually got to touch the deer! I took some pictures with them too! After the island we got on the Bullet Train and went to the Nagaragawa Sports Plaza. Its also a hotel with Japanese and Western style rooms.
After we got settled in we walked down to the river and watched these men use Comoran birds to fish with. They put a small metal ring around the birds throat, this keeps the birds from swallowing the fish. Then they tie some strings around the birds body to keep them from flying away. Once all of that is done they dress in the traditional outfit and let the birds fish. Thats all that happened on day 4!!!
Day 5!!! So day 5 was more eventful than day 4. First we went to an old village in Takayama. The village had this beautiful pond with coy fish and a swan. We got to feed them and everything! Then we walked around for 30 minutes and went back to the bus. Once we had finished with that we got to explore the marketplace and I saw some very interesting things. Our guide Naoko gave us 2 hours to walk around and buy things.
We made rice cakes and saw a museum later on after the marketplace. Once we had arrived back at the museum and saw a man do some more Comoran fishing. I got to touch the birds and took some great pictures!!!! After he left with his birds we saw a drum show inside. The people who did the drum show had little kids about 8-13 in the show too!!! I was amazed because they also had two other little girls who appeared to be 6 and 7 doing it also!!! I couldn't film it because my camera was going dead, but I did take pictures of it.
After we got settled in we walked down to the river and watched these men use Comoran birds to fish with. They put a small metal ring around the birds throat, this keeps the birds from swallowing the fish. Then they tie some strings around the birds body to keep them from flying away. Once all of that is done they dress in the traditional outfit and let the birds fish. Thats all that happened on day 4!!!
Day 5!!! So day 5 was more eventful than day 4. First we went to an old village in Takayama. The village had this beautiful pond with coy fish and a swan. We got to feed them and everything! Then we walked around for 30 minutes and went back to the bus. Once we had finished with that we got to explore the marketplace and I saw some very interesting things. Our guide Naoko gave us 2 hours to walk around and buy things.
We made rice cakes and saw a museum later on after the marketplace. Once we had arrived back at the museum and saw a man do some more Comoran fishing. I got to touch the birds and took some great pictures!!!! After he left with his birds we saw a drum show inside. The people who did the drum show had little kids about 8-13 in the show too!!! I was amazed because they also had two other little girls who appeared to be 6 and 7 doing it also!!! I couldn't film it because my camera was going dead, but I did take pictures of it.
Day 3!!
Okay so on day 3 we left the Rihga Royal Hotel and took a four hour bus to Hiroshima. We had lunch after we got there and then we went to a museum and watched a video about the atomic bomb. The video talked about when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and about the damage it left behind. It showed us pictures of people who suffered burns and lost there loved ones. The video was very sad and after it had ended we got to walk around and take pictures of everything. The museum was very nice and it had pictures and models of the Atomic Bomb Building. The Atomic Bomb Building is the last thing standing from the bombing in Hiroshima. The museum also had posters and some items on display. I will be putting up pictures of those artifact on here too.
After the museum we went and saw the peace memorial bell, and everyone got to ring it. Then we walked to the Atomic Bomb Building and took a bunch of pictures. We also got to see the statue of Saki and her paper cranes. Saki is a little girl who got leukemia at age 2 from the bombing and before she died she wanted to make 1,000 paper cranes. She died but before she died she made about 1,300 paper cranes. There is a statue of her holding a huge paper crane in Peace Memorial Park.
After the museum we went and saw the peace memorial bell, and everyone got to ring it. Then we walked to the Atomic Bomb Building and took a bunch of pictures. We also got to see the statue of Saki and her paper cranes. Saki is a little girl who got leukemia at age 2 from the bombing and before she died she wanted to make 1,000 paper cranes. She died but before she died she made about 1,300 paper cranes. There is a statue of her holding a huge paper crane in Peace Memorial Park.
I'M BACK!!!!! Day 1 and 2
So I'm back from Japan everybody!!!!! I had a wonderful, extraordinary time!!!! There were a total of 37 kids in my group, and all we did the first day was take 3 planes to Osaka, Japan. We drove to Kyoto where our hotel was. The name of our hotel was the Rihga Royal Hotel. The next day my group and I went and saw a traditional tea ceremony at a Buddhist temple. The Buddhist who lived there at the temple talked to us and we got to ask him questions. Next came the part where we got to sample some green tea. The tea was made from powder and it was very bitter. Before we drank the tea we got to eat a sweet bean filled dumpling. I didn't really like it but some of the other kids did.
After the tea ceremony we met another man who took us to see the Ninja Temple. It was huge! There where six buildings that were all connected to each other. Inside of the buildings there where four main rooms. Each room was there for a certain reason. Like one of the rooms was strictly for the wives and concubines of the temple. The only man allowed inside of the room was the owner of the temple.
Once we had finished the tour of the Ninja Temple we went and saw the Golden Pavilion. I took some awesome pictures of the Pavilion and the other temples! But I forgot some of the tour guides names but the only name I do remember is our guide for the whole trip. Her name was Naoko. Well that's all we did on Day 1 and 2!
After the tea ceremony we met another man who took us to see the Ninja Temple. It was huge! There where six buildings that were all connected to each other. Inside of the buildings there where four main rooms. Each room was there for a certain reason. Like one of the rooms was strictly for the wives and concubines of the temple. The only man allowed inside of the room was the owner of the temple.
Once we had finished the tour of the Ninja Temple we went and saw the Golden Pavilion. I took some awesome pictures of the Pavilion and the other temples! But I forgot some of the tour guides names but the only name I do remember is our guide for the whole trip. Her name was Naoko. Well that's all we did on Day 1 and 2!
THANK YOU EVERYBODY!!!!
Hello everyone!!! I am writing this post to tell everyone that I have finally reached my goal. I will be leaving on June 20 and will be returning July 4. Thank you everyone who donated and helped me to get to this point. I will be sending postcards to you all from Japan and I will also be taking a lot of pictures. When I return I look forward to telling you guys all about my trip!!!!
Pre-travel Writing
Before I go on my trip to Japan with People to People, I would like to say thank you to everyone who gave me money. I am anxious to go on my trip, but I am a little scared at the same time. I have never been away from my family for a long period of time. Thank you once again to everyone who has given me a donation, and I really appreciate it. =]
Civic Woman's Club
Last Thursday, I went to the Civic Woman's Club for a leadership meeting. There were kids from four other schools, including my school THS. The panelist had people come in and talk to us about issues that we have at our schools. We learned CPR and they provided us with lunch. The last activity that they game us was to write down some problems that we have at our school and solve them. I got to miss a whole day of school and I really enjoyed it.
Senior Beta Club
Yesterday, I was inducted into the Senior Beta Club. I am content with my decision to join because my grades are very good, and this membership can benefit me favorably in the future. Having found out that I have to keep my grades up to stay in the club is another challenge that I face with determination. I look forward to being Senior Beta of 2009.
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