Today we had a free morning, so I slept in, had breakfast with some of the team, and Skyped with Drew.
We had Japanese pizza (really good, but nothing like the American version) for lunch and then took the Yufuin no Mori train. Apparently, the train is a tourist attraction with beautiful scenery.
We returned to our host families and had dinner. Today didn't contain a lot of to-dos, but all of the travel wore me out!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Day 22
Today was a fairly laid-back day, although, I was still exhausted by the end of it. after breakfast with my host family (have I mentioned they have a dog named Suma who spent the better part of last night sizing me up?), we headed to the train station.
We took several trains today including the Shinkansen (bullet train) and the subway in Fukuoka.
The main feature of our day was to visit the Kyushu National Museum and a shrine.
We were able to spend a lot of time with the inbound GSE team leader and one of the team members. They are both staying in the hotel with us and will be joining us on our journey back to Oita tomorrow.
We took several trains today including the Shinkansen (bullet train) and the subway in Fukuoka.
The main feature of our day was to visit the Kyushu National Museum and a shrine.
We were able to spend a lot of time with the inbound GSE team leader and one of the team members. They are both staying in the hotel with us and will be joining us on our journey back to Oita tomorrow.
Day 21
To add to my vending machine comment from yesterday, I was told today that there are 5.5 million vending machines in Japan. Number one, I'm impressed that that number is actually known. Number two, that means the is one vending machine for every 20 people in Japan.
Today we were able to make our own perfume. Watch out America, I'm bringing back a one of a kind fragrance!
To add to the incredible experiences from this trip, we saw a dolphin show today and then we got to interact with the dolphins-- touch them, talk to them, and feed them. It was AMAZING!
I met my new host family tonight. They are very sweet people and, from the sounds of it, well travelled. I think they might be visiting Mackinaw Island after I showed my pictures from our 4th of July trip. :)
Today we were able to make our own perfume. Watch out America, I'm bringing back a one of a kind fragrance!
To add to the incredible experiences from this trip, we saw a dolphin show today and then we got to interact with the dolphins-- touch them, talk to them, and feed them. It was AMAZING!
I met my new host family tonight. They are very sweet people and, from the sounds of it, well travelled. I think they might be visiting Mackinaw Island after I showed my pictures from our 4th of July trip. :)
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Day 20
Today I left my host family for the Oita Toyo Hotel in Oita City. The day was filled with organizing and eating.
Jeff, Stacy, and I decided it was time to give Japanese McDonald's a try. First, McDonald's is not on every corner as it is in North America. In fact, we walked for 30 minutes to get to the closest one. The thing that Japan has everywhere that we don't are drink vending machines. They are everywhere and in completely random places..like in the middle of the country on the side of the road (typically where you would find a McDonald's in North America).
After our walk, we ordered food. In Japan, the combo meals come with a sandwhich (double cheeseburger for me), North America's 'small" fries, "small" drink, and six-piece chicken nuggets. After our meal (I am happy to report it tastes exactly the same as it does in North America), Stacy and Jeff ordered McFlurries. It took about 5 minutes and 4 workers to figure out what they wanted, but, at the end, they were very excited with the results.
For two or so hours after lunch, I tried to play tetrus with my suitcase. I have a 20 kilogram weight limit per bag from Oita to Tokyo...I may be getting close to surpassing the limit...we'll see. I do know that I came into this hotel with my two original bags, a shopping bag, and a box. If I can leave the hotel with the original two bags, I will be very pleased.
Tonight for dinner, I tried snow crab. It was delicious! I find it rather humorous that in North America, we eat crab with a hammer and butter. In Japan, they eat it plain and cut it open with kitchen scissors.
Jeff, Stacy, and I decided it was time to give Japanese McDonald's a try. First, McDonald's is not on every corner as it is in North America. In fact, we walked for 30 minutes to get to the closest one. The thing that Japan has everywhere that we don't are drink vending machines. They are everywhere and in completely random places..like in the middle of the country on the side of the road (typically where you would find a McDonald's in North America).
After our walk, we ordered food. In Japan, the combo meals come with a sandwhich (double cheeseburger for me), North America's 'small" fries, "small" drink, and six-piece chicken nuggets. After our meal (I am happy to report it tastes exactly the same as it does in North America), Stacy and Jeff ordered McFlurries. It took about 5 minutes and 4 workers to figure out what they wanted, but, at the end, they were very excited with the results.
For two or so hours after lunch, I tried to play tetrus with my suitcase. I have a 20 kilogram weight limit per bag from Oita to Tokyo...I may be getting close to surpassing the limit...we'll see. I do know that I came into this hotel with my two original bags, a shopping bag, and a box. If I can leave the hotel with the original two bags, I will be very pleased.
Tonight for dinner, I tried snow crab. It was delicious! I find it rather humorous that in North America, we eat crab with a hammer and butter. In Japan, they eat it plain and cut it open with kitchen scissors.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Day 19
Today we visited several hot springs...the `hell` tour! As we were walking through the first hot spring area, I mentioned that I found it odd that people just set up their homes in the middle of bubbling, steaming earth. I would think that would be a huge red flag to run away. :) Also, the smell. Oh, the smell! Our translator today referred to it as a `special` smell. I thought that was an excellent way to describe it. There is nothing quite like the smell of sulfur. To make it worse, everyone seems to steam their eggs on the hot spring steam, so it is double egg/sulfur smell!
We took our microbus (I will miss the microbus...it was a great way to sightsee and be able to talk to everyone at the same time) back to a hotel for a Rotary meeting. I am extremely proud of myself, I gave my first presentation entirely in Japanese. I am sure it sounded awful, but the fact that I tried it and completed it, is wonderful for me. By the end of this week, there should be three of us that will present entirely in Japanese (Jeff has been able to do it since the beginning and Stacy is going to give it a try at the next meeting).
After the meeting, we went to the African Safari Zoo. I was excited about it, but it completely surpassed my expectations! We took a bus shaped like an animal with cages on the sides through a large `park` complete with gates like we were entering Jurassic Park. During the entire trip, I had an Australian voice in my head explaining all of the animals to me (and overriding the Japanese tour guide). Each time we came to a group of animals, we were able to feed them with tongs that looked like scissors through the cage on the bus. We fed a lot of animals-- lions, goats, bears, giraffes, etc. I took a lot of pictures, but I am sure they do not do the experience justice. It was incredible!
Tonight, I had a little time to relax before my host grandmother made Chinese food. I feel like I am eating so much at this house-- I have probably gained back everything I lost when we first arrived in Japan! After dinner, the host grandmother and host aunt showed me how to do a Japanese tea ceremony.
We took our microbus (I will miss the microbus...it was a great way to sightsee and be able to talk to everyone at the same time) back to a hotel for a Rotary meeting. I am extremely proud of myself, I gave my first presentation entirely in Japanese. I am sure it sounded awful, but the fact that I tried it and completed it, is wonderful for me. By the end of this week, there should be three of us that will present entirely in Japanese (Jeff has been able to do it since the beginning and Stacy is going to give it a try at the next meeting).
After the meeting, we went to the African Safari Zoo. I was excited about it, but it completely surpassed my expectations! We took a bus shaped like an animal with cages on the sides through a large `park` complete with gates like we were entering Jurassic Park. During the entire trip, I had an Australian voice in my head explaining all of the animals to me (and overriding the Japanese tour guide). Each time we came to a group of animals, we were able to feed them with tongs that looked like scissors through the cage on the bus. We fed a lot of animals-- lions, goats, bears, giraffes, etc. I took a lot of pictures, but I am sure they do not do the experience justice. It was incredible!
Tonight, I had a little time to relax before my host grandmother made Chinese food. I feel like I am eating so much at this house-- I have probably gained back everything I lost when we first arrived in Japan! After dinner, the host grandmother and host aunt showed me how to do a Japanese tea ceremony.
Day 18
Today I went on the vocational day I was most looking forward to-- a visit with the faculty at Beppu University! I was able to sit in on an exercise physiology class, a nutrition class (today`s subject was Phytochemicals and Health), and a food preparation class. It was like I had stepped back into college-- the nutrition class even used the same text book used by Lansing Community College. The professor of the nutrition class was also my guide for the day. He lectured entirely in English and I am not certain if that was for my benefit or not.
It seems as though the qualifications for becoming a Registered Dietitian are very similar in Japan, however, the internships they have only last about 4 weeks before they can take their exam. I also found it interesting that the RDs are required to complete fitness courses as well-- I think that is excellent.
I tried fried oysters today. They were excellent! I also got to help prepare the meal the students were focused on in the food preparation class. They were very excited to have me and many told me they want to travel to the US.
Today, I only saw the rest of the team for about 1 minute. I did not like going the entire day without talking to them. It is amazing how I have come to rely on them to vent about the day, share stories, and speak English!
It seems as though the qualifications for becoming a Registered Dietitian are very similar in Japan, however, the internships they have only last about 4 weeks before they can take their exam. I also found it interesting that the RDs are required to complete fitness courses as well-- I think that is excellent.
I tried fried oysters today. They were excellent! I also got to help prepare the meal the students were focused on in the food preparation class. They were very excited to have me and many told me they want to travel to the US.
Today, I only saw the rest of the team for about 1 minute. I did not like going the entire day without talking to them. It is amazing how I have come to rely on them to vent about the day, share stories, and speak English!
Day 17
I am getting ready to go home. It seems as though each meeting with a mayor is getting more difficult and pictures are harder to smile for. I am also finding that (and my other team members have said the same thing) I am less willing to experiment with foods. I now know what I like and won`t like and I don`t even attempt to eat the things I didn`t enjoy the first time. There are two things that make my stomach flip flop without even eating it. 1- egg soup (affectionately referred to as `egg goo` by my teammates). Japan, I have found, has a love for eggs. I, however, will be taking an egg vacation immediately upon my return to the US. 2- the little golf ball cup full of kelp and yam (I don`t remember it`s name). I will spare everyone the description of what it tasted like. The best part of that food experience was, after gagging, looking over at Stacy and noticing the look on her face as she attempted to swallow it.
Today we took the Beppy Ropeway to Mt. Tsurumi. Between the moutin, the temple, and the shrine we visited today, I am quite sure I climbed about 400 stairs, but the scenery was gorgeous! At Mt. Tsurumi, we were higher than the clouds and it was amazing.
I met my new host family today. We had spaghetti and chicken for dinner and then my host mother and her sister took me shopping and out for ice cream. The host mother is a choreographer. I do not believe I mentioned my dance background in my bio, but it is a fun coincidence!
Today we took the Beppy Ropeway to Mt. Tsurumi. Between the moutin, the temple, and the shrine we visited today, I am quite sure I climbed about 400 stairs, but the scenery was gorgeous! At Mt. Tsurumi, we were higher than the clouds and it was amazing.
I met my new host family today. We had spaghetti and chicken for dinner and then my host mother and her sister took me shopping and out for ice cream. The host mother is a choreographer. I do not believe I mentioned my dance background in my bio, but it is a fun coincidence!
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