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HUGE OBENTO
Cost: 5000 yen (don't worry, I didn't pay for it... it was a gift)
Size: those are regular sized chopsticks... Time has been flying by, and it's really starting to hit me that I'm done with school and finals in two weeks, and I'm leaving Japan in four weeks. Just to let everyone know, I'm home the morning of May 31st. Bryton graduates June 1st!! Congrats Bryton. But anyway, I've been starting to write out a nice letter to my host family, figuring out my plans for my travels with bobby, making sure I go out with my friends as much as possible before school ends, determining my summer plans, and still going to classes and studying like a good girl should.
As the time to leave is drawing nearer and nearer, this feeling inside of me is becoming heavier and much more obvious than before. I'm really torn. I know I keep talking about wanting to come home, and also not wanting to leave, but I guess I'm really struggling with it. I've made so many friends here - both foreign and Japanese. I've gotten extremely close with my host family. I've immersed myself in the Japanese lifestyle. I've improved my Japanese more than I would have ever dreamed. I've found a passion inside of me to continue studying
Lunch...
Having lunch outside with Aya and Jonathan Japanese on my own. I have a greater appreciation for nature. I have an even greater love for food. I enjoy the freedom of traveling to nearby cities and the ability to do so relatively inexpensively and efficiently. The list goes on. How do I just pack up and leave after only five months? I've only just gotten started.
Actually, ever since I realized that there's only two weeks left for me to enjoy my time with my friends and host family before Bobby and I travel Kansai and Tokyo, I've been trying to do more and more. Let's see... It's Golden Week in Japan. So basically, nearly everyone is on holiday from Wednesday to Friday. And since I don't have school on the weekends - you know what that means! Holiday until Monday!! So on Tuesday, I got home early from school, so my host brother, Yuuya, accompanied me to the doubutsuen (doubutsu = animal; kanji for en = park) in Tennoji Osaka. That was a lot of fun - we had nice weather and the animals were gorgeous as you can see in some of the pictures. It was a pretty relaxing afternoon - and it was
Izakaya
Drinks and snacks at an Izakaya in Osaka with Max and Mayu only 500 yen to get in!!! Considerably cheap... I mean, the aquarium was like 2000 yen? (to make things simple, 100 yen = $1)
After the zoo, we went home, I studied a little, and Yuuya went to work. Dinner time came around, Naho (host sister) came home, and she wanted to go to a sento with Yuuya. Of course, I was invited along... though I needed some time to think about that one. A sento is simply a public ofuro/public bath. Yes, PUBLIC, NAKED, OTHER PEOPLE. As you can imagine I was going through quite a conflict. Okay, so, first off, the sento is separated by sex - females and males are very much separated. That was more than fine with me. Secondly, I'm in Japan... they're relatively open people. When or even where else would I get to experience something like this? Thirdly, I'm not really that open... SO, my biggest conflict was me being ashamed of being completely un-clothed in front of a bunch of strangers. At 11 that night, we jumped in the car and headed to the sento. Yes, yes, I couldn't pass up the experience. As embarrassed as I was, I had to
Penguins
Penguins getting fed at the zoo! go - I just had to. We get to sento, take off our shoes at the entrance and put them in lockers. Everything is very clean with typical Japanese interior design. There are a lot of people, probably because the next day is a holiday. Also, everyone is still clothed at this point. But my heart starts to beat like crazy. I'm just nervous and I just don't know what to expect. There's a huge lounge and restaurant area where there were people relaxing, drinking, eating, and just chatting after a nice bath. We buy our tickets (only about 500 yen per person), then Naho and I and Yuuya go our separate ways. We walk through a hallway and door and there's a locker room area where we are supposed to undress - there are people walking back from the ofuro area in all their natural glory as well as those like us who just arrived. I get a locker, and start to undress... this is where I'm just standing, thinking, 'WHAT AM I DOING?!?!' But Naho and I are both finally ready to hit the ofuros. I then realize that I forgot my small towel - I only have
my large towel to use for when I'm completely done and ready to get back into clothes. AHH! So I have to ditch my towel a little early, while Naho uses hers to cover up a little. GREAT. So, carrying our soap and shampoo in little baskets, first we get to the washing area and we sit on stools with a faucet and bucket in front of us and wash off. There was also a nice mirror in front of me in case I wanted to take a look at myself. (>_<) Naho finishes before me as I am enjoying the opportunity to basically hide all of me except my back. So she goes before me. When I finish, I get up, leave my basket where I'm supposed to, and walk over to the ofuro. This was actually a super sento. A typical sento will have a washing area, and one large ofuro that everyone shares. But this one, being super, there were about 5 or 6 good sized ofuros to choose from. I see Naho and go and sit with her - we talk a little about how comfortable I am with the situation. Thinking about it, at first
I was really embarrassed, but after realizing that everyone is basically the same, it was all okay. I was still a bit shy, but definitely not as nervous. The sento was overall extremely relaxing and quite an experience. I got to jump in several ofuro (each is about 3/4 the size of an average bedroom), even one with apples floating in them. That sento also had a nice outdoor ofuro, typical Japanese rock design - but extremely comfortable. The air was cold, but the water was HOT. After trying the different ofuro, I went into the sauna, but found it too hard to even breathe after about five minutes and went back to enjoy the ofuro for another ten minutes. Then grabbed my soap and stuff, went into the locker area, dried off, got back into clothes (I never thought I would have appreciated clothes so much), and went outside to meet up with Yuuya and wait for Naho to finish. I had a beer (it's typical to drink a beer or glass of milk after one is done... but since I went through so much stress, I allowed myself a beer). When Naho came out, we went home, and
I fell into a nice deep sleep.
Yesterday was Wednesday and I went to Nara with Bryan from UOP and Mayu, my speaking partner. I'll keep it short - basically we went and did the touristy thing, see the HUGE buddha - "Daibatsu". The temple is called Todaiji and it houses Japan's largest Buddha figure. We also walked through Nara park where there were so many deer! They just roam freely as they did on Miyajima island. There were many booths set up selling both food for humans and senbei (rice crackers) for the deer. It was more of a sit and practice our Japanese with my speaking partner kind of day. Rather relaxing, but VERY tiring.
Tonight I will be going to do all night karaoke in Osaka with Dawn and Bryan for my first karaoke experience in Japan. I will probably catch the first train out of Osaka (around 5?) to get home, take a nap, then go to my group meeting at 9:30am. How exciting! Anyway, hope everyone is doing well. Take care, and enjoy the pictures (sorry there are so few)!!
I'll write again soon! Oh and if you're reading this - and
Just Impressive...
I think this bird's wingspan was longer than I am tall... I know you are... you better leave me a comment (=_=😉... I think it's only fair that if I blog, you leave a comment... don't you agree? Hehehe, thanks everyone!
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MOM
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FINALLY
Alex, You experienced something that you will never experience in the United States. The ofuro is something really mind boggling, you think that everyone is looking but actually no one cares that is until you open your mouth and they find out that you are gaijin. Well soon you will be coming home and I guess I have to kick J out of the game room. Remember to see as much as you can because you never know when the next time you will be there. LOL :P Mom and J