JAPAN: #1 Homestay in Japan

        How do you like my New Hairrrrrrrr omg so happy. 

But the over happiness did not last that long because my hair is fading from that really pretty orange to brown after a few wash. dammittttt. T____T

I am back from my M.I.A. I'm so sorry for being a Queen of M.I.A. I know it sucks leaving you guys hanging from my Japan blog post but anyway I guess you guys lost hope on me blogging about it but I am back! Forgive me for always using ''busy'' as an excuse every time I go missing lol but I'll still tell you the reason why I'm busy anyway . First of all, I am busy visiting colleges. Since many of you know that I am into Fashion Designing, I checked out some colleges which provide designing courses. It isn't just visiting that kept me busy, I started designing ( again ) and I have to study my Undang! ( but the truth is I slack a lot on that ). Anyway my dad gave me a due date to take my Undang test which is after Chinese New Year and before College/University starts. Die die for me. I need to plan out things well! Speaking of CNY, just like any hardcore people, is trying to perfectly fit into my Cny outfit. Hence, I tag along my dad to the gym during the afternoon/evening , so I guess that's where all my time is used on. Half a day gone just like that lol. If I don't go, I feel guilty at home. Really guilty and then I blame myself and I start eating because I am upset. ( It's the truth when I'm upset/ angry/ sad) . 

     Just last week, I was writing my report about Japan. If only I was writing it for my blog I could have finish posting up about my Japan post earlier. Anyway, the lazy me is going to cheat a little. I'll copy and paste some details from my report lol. ( Make Life easier ;)

  So after Tokyo, I sat the bullet train to Akita with Misako. The journey took us about 3 hours. We reached Akita at about 6.30p.m. I had a really really really ( I need to say it as many times as I could )warm welcome by my host families and lions members!  It wasn’t just one host family there but two of my host family was there even though they will not be taking me home yet. I really did not expect this and I was not prepared. All I did was smile and say Konnichiwa( hello ), Hajimashite( nice to meet you )… and bow and bow and bow ,,so on. My hair was a mess, I look horrible lol. 

 

Seriously, who does this ? Okay wait maybe there is just that it's my first time. I've got 'Friendly shock! ' So after all the pictures, exchanging 'Meishi' , shaking hands, bowing , smilling  and the awkward Japanese words, I left the station ( Omagari Station ) to my first host family place in Daisen-City. My host family are called ‘’ The Nakamura family’’ or should I put it as the Nakamura San’s?  They were really really really nice. I was really nervous for the first time meeting them. I was also afraid that I will have problem communicating! But actually, they speak quite good English even though sometimes they will be like ‘’ hold on,.. ( takes out the translator, types ) and continues on the question or what they were saying ‘’ 

This family have quite a musical background.  My host parent, the grandfather, Hideo Nakamura-san really love music a lot. Before he retire, he was a English teacher. (His English was not that perfect because he have not been speaking it much ) After he retired, he got involve with music a lot such as a conductor in an orchestra. So, throughout my stay, I have been exposed with many classical music which I was really cool. I'm happy and glad about it :) classical music and instruments are so niceeee. I even got the chance to perform spontaneously/ on the spot without practising with a guitar and sometimes piano (depending on what instrument they have at a specific location ) 

Super impromptu performance omg and I don't think I played well, it sucks D:  

This was the home of my first host family. ( you need to enlarge the pictureeee It's really beautiful to the maximum! )That big house isn’t a house. It’s a temple. Their house ( grey in colour) is in the very right of the picture. So it says that my host parent, grandfather is a Monk that is why there is a temple connected to the house. I was not expose much to any Buddhism maybe because they respect me that I am a Christian. Did I mention that in every temple, there’s always a Graveyard? This is one thing I’ve learn to know in Japan. On my second day in this house, I decided to take a stroll and take pictures around. And as I was scrolling my pictures taken, I realized that I live beside a graveyard. A graveyard! ! ! Did I ever mention my whole body got itchy once when I was really young when I passed by a graveyard ? It scares me. But the good thing was that it was not that scary because there was so much snow! What I could see was just stones with Japanese letters but I can’t read it anyway.  

The snow was amazing. It was my first time seeing snow right before my eyes and I even got to touch them! Fresh snow on ground are really light ! It was not as cold as I expected. Maybe because the houses have room heaters almost everywhere around the house. Though some night could get really cold, I am still enjoying the fact that I don’t sweat much. I need to embrace this coldness before I come back Malaysia to sweat.

Does this consider as snowflakes? I think I like cartoon snowflakes more ): It looks much more prettier like the one in Frozen omg. Maybe I have to just zoom in a little more /:

I’ve tried onsen ( hot spring ) in Japan for a few times. Twice with my first host family and once with my second host family. It was not that bad as I expected. It was actually really fun as long as you go in with a ‘’Japanese mind’’ by not caring about being naked with other ladies. ( haha) I'm not in the picture above but I was there alright lol. ( I'm the photographer )

How do you like my panda's? 

Lol it's not exactly mine. I did not make it on my own. Did this with Ayane :) Sigh, Miss her so much. 

So if you are in Japan, you must must must always try on their Traditional outfit:The sophisticated kimono.  And oh yes I got to wear it during the ‘’Christmas dinner and welcome Charmaine party!’’ lol really? Welcome Charmaine party? I feel so special. But I'm not lying, I am one special guest throughout my stay in Japan. 

This is the Kimono master's that helped me put on the kimono. I am super happy to have them on demo Taberunai ! I think having a kimono on everyday will help you loose some weight and you probably can't sit down so often lol. If you eat full, you probably can't breathe. okay wait joking, you'll just feel uncomfortable very. 

Some model poses ( hahahhaha) : 

 sideview

Backview

My face view lol 

and.. a little selfie: 

 okay done with those . haha

So speaking of the Christmas dinner and welcome ME party, I really had so much fun. My host mother plan to make me the ''star '' of that night. lol Everyone kept saying I look like a Japanese :3 Ohgoshdreamcometrue Ahahahhaha. okayyyy * awkward * 

 Look, I was giving a speech. First time in my life I was treated like I was some kind of ‘’ Datin ‘’ ( truth ). I met the Gabenor of Daisen City , Akita. He was also part of the Lion’s club in that state. He was really nice and we talked a lot. Everyone was extremely nice to me. Or could I just say that Japanese are very extremely nice people! 

 Looking back at this picture, It feels like I'm cutting a wedding cake , in a Japanese wedding (Lololol) 

This probably be the one and only time I get to sit in the middle in a formal photograph.

Above is All of the accessories stuffed in and on my hair. WOAH right?

 I really had so much fun with this family. I created a bond with this family and I know that it will be really hard to let go. ( That's why I cried when I left Akita city) ): I have activities everyday with my first host family. Basically, my everyday routine is going out, visit, play, eat and in the evening back home for dinner. I visited manufactures and factories . I also visited the old folks home! The difference between old folks home in Malaysia and there is that their place is so clean and cosy plus quiet. Maybe because the old folks are really, really really old about 90 and above? Some live to more than 100. Did I ever tell you I have observed that most Japanese people get's married at quite a young age and then have children. That's why most grandfather's and grandmother's in Japan are about the same age as my parents. ( close enough ) And the great-grandparents are about the same age with my grandmother/ Our grandmother!  One more fact that might blow your mind ( kind of ), you always think that Japanese drinks tea everyday like water isn't it? But the Truth is NO. They don't. They do drink tea but that is like 1 to 3 teacups per day. They prefer beverage such as beer, coke, juices, whatever sweet. Beer is very popular among the adults. 

Doesn't that man looks like a magician? Because he is lol. My host family brought me to his place for dinner together while watching his magic show. His name is Mr Bravo-san. They say that he's the most famous magician in Japan. I really don't know if that is a lie or not but I do see his face in advertisments and TV's. But that was because of his noodles. LOL He owns a Ramen shop. But maybe they know him as a magician through the advertisements? Anyway, I learned some few tricks/magic and was claimed that when I am back in Malaysia, I will be the next magician lol ( but not True, I suck haha )

This is the outside street/pathway of the Samurai House. During Spring, the whole street turns pink and many people will walk down this street . When I meant pink, it means Sakura's. omg I will go back during SPRING! I NEED TO SEE THE PINK FLOWERS ! Nobody walks her during winter ): It's too cold lol.

But anway.. I did  see Sakura flowers. 

In a tea cup. Probably preserved. This is use to serve as tea but no no it taste bad. Really bad /: worst than some medicine maybe?

The main entrance/ gate of the Samurai House.

The front porch of the samurai house. 

The garden of the Samurai House.

Inside the Samurai house today was a museum. History things like Soldier uniforms, guns, samurai swords, music.. ect. It was really cool!

They even have the old old old old camera's since ( realy really long time ago! ) Amazing.

So far.. 

No dolls beat the creepiness of Traditional Japanese Dolls.

I have used both of this pictures to creep people out at night during my stay lol. I sended this photos to my friends in Malaysia. haha

Tazawa Lake in Akita. It's super pretty and huge!

The mini shrine behind us. 

So while we were on the way to the lake, we stopped by a honey shop and I found this honey with a huge Bee inside. Seriously? Why a bee in the honey? D: isn't it contaminated? and.. WHY SO HUGE? lol

A sneak peak of the Christmas Elimination in Akita City. So pretty the lights :) 

Speaking of snow, I went skiing ! For the first time and it.. is .. very.. very.. Dangerous. I think that was the day I prayed so much during my stay in Japan lol.

I wore so many layers inside thinking that it'll be really cold but I made a huge mistake because I used so much energy and I was sweating inside /:

Sitting on the Cable Chair was fun! But my gosh, the ski was so heavy and it feels like my ankles are about to spit from my leg ._. 

So funnnnn I missss the snow thereee T_T

I had like 5 skiing teachers lol. They are the Lion's Club member from the Christmas party the other night. I went down the mountain 3 times! Can you believe it , I survived 3 times Thank God. The first time going down the mountain, I barely could breathe. I loose control twice and speed down the mountain ( twice!), I thought I was gonna die! Omg that feeling. The second time it was better, I took the challenge and completed it without problems. But the third time, I was doing fine until I don't know how I loose control and crashed into Snow. I thought I was gonna die too Thank God I didn't crash into the cable chair pole or trees. 

I even made Snowman for the very first time! It was so so so much fun but It was actually harder than I expected ( If it's a big snowman) . When you roll snow, more weight accumulates and yes it is really hard to roll it. haha But we still did it with the help of Ayane's papa :D 

TADA! Our '' Amos Tan look alike snow man '' ( my own joke ) 

Seriously I like the eyebrows, it's so cute hahaha , reminds me of Amos ( if you know him) ._. 

If not then it looks a little bit like a Schnauzer too :)

This was the night before I left for my second host home. One of their cousin joined us for dinner and we took crazy photos and had a yummy dinner :)

Before I end this post, I shall show you this place. This is a Wedding Chapel, the sides are made of glass and it is located in the forest ! Plus, it's winter hence it is a white forest! Amazing right? I went there to listen to some classical music of a violin and organ. The place was so pretty :)

Imagine white forest like this :) This was the outside of my first host home. 

So  this is the end of my post of my first family home stay.  For the next family, I will post up later. haha