Hostfamilygeneralyolo

So where was I in the story.. Ah, yeah so we were in a train. Such interest. I felt kinda sleepy for half of the 1h journey so I was very shocked when jumping of the carriage I found myself in the middle of dozens of new people all bowing and saying hello. I met my LP (which I back then didn't know) and her daughter and then my hostfamily came to shake hands with me. We took a picture and then after some more bowing I left with my HF. They immediately after hearing just my greetings praised my Japanese which did feel nice.

Before going home for the first time my HF took me to Gifu's tallest skycraper, now was it 43 floors high? The view was awsome and they pointed at Gifus famous attractions such as Gifu castle! The mountains that circle around the city where still the best. I can't help but just wanting to climb them all.. Which is a lot.

Yap a real life mountain! These are EVERTWEHRE but it's hard to demonstrate that in one picture! That thing on the top is Gifu Castle. (you can get there by a.. a ropetrain.. You know those in alpine skiing places..? No?)

Me in my Japanese style room (I was so startled at the station I didn't take pic's at all)

The family's really kind and they're always asking are you okay with this and that, daijoubu ka daijoubu ka? I feel very lucky now to be in this family. And their 23 years old daughters cute, like the parents said me and she could be the same age. She comes here like three times a week with Sensei (I don't know why he is a sensei or what he does but everybody calls him sensei and he's really nice we talked about Silver Fang!) ((oh they came here just now back from the Tokyo dog show!))

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 Sorry for the interruption let me continue: So this was supposed to be like the hostfamily post but so many things have happened and I wanted to make them their own posts so I don't have much more to say. In general, we communicate all in Japanese and then if I don't understand then in English. They talk to me kinda easy japanese, which is good and I understand surprisingly well. But the times they talk to each other I'm all lost. XD But yeah, practising.

These are some shots of the Gifu city (that's all the material I have)

Everywhere's these small gardens owned by local people (etc. rice and persimons)

And then the only minus part this far has been that I get a bit homesick when I'm alone. I miss my friends to be more spesific. However, I feel even that will get better with time when I'll be able to get to know more ppl from here. It has been fun and Gifu's very pretty and I can't wait to explore more of it. Also my HF makes such an effort making me meet their friends kids so that I wouldn't have to be alone. It's really awsome.

And btw, sakuras are now at their best! Wait.. not sakuras.. Cherry blossoms, correct?

This was the situation two days ago!

Yah kinda boring post I know just general stuff but I'll get to the fun part.. soon!

Super exiting things coming up next:

Going to places
and
school

wow

Orientation and Hey I Am In Japan

Okay here we go, first post from Japan!!

So am yeah a bucket load of things have happened so I'll just try to tie 'em up somehow, okay? I'll start from the first day maybe that's the best. So we traveled a lot, first 9 hours in the plane which was a little late because they apparently had to switch a tire? Hardly any of us 14 Finn students got any sleep so we were pretty tired when arriving at the airport at 11am. The airport was huge and very clean and so pretty with it's big windows. Waiting for the bus we tried to drink mugicha - roasted tea from the vending machine. I could say it wasn't a big hit since everyone tried to get rid of their almost full bottles. (I received one for free and kinda like it now so thank you~!) It just needs to be given some time as my wise friend once (last evening) said.

 

up - this is the machine which from the mugicha was bought. It's in the middle, orange and yellow bottle and a blue sky. Yam yam.

It was rainy day that we landed in Japan. Our hotel was really nice but we had to wait a long time before receiving the room keys because we had to wait for students from other countries. Still, it was a lot of fun talking and making new friends. Also we went to a store wich we thought sold Big Bang (Korean band) stuff. Me and Suvi were really excited but then we were told that they could only be bought with points or something like that. Well, maybe it was good not to buy gifts to home at the first day since all of my bags were already at the point of exploding.

Omg I learned how to add a picture text thingy! Also Marika and Sini can be seen here, please follow their awsome exhange year blogs!

And in the morning we traveled. Waking up at 6.30 and leaving at 8 and arriving at 4. We stopped two times, one to eat udon (mine was curry beef udon) and it was so so delicious. In Narita we ate at the hotel bufee and there were so many choices but I loved their noodles and rice the most. It was fun to travel and talk with everyone I talked to. Everyone was sleeping at some point of the journey including me. My only Finn friend to come to Nagoya's orientation was Joonas and he kept reading a book about Roma the whole time. Somehow it made me glad I did study Latin in Junior High so I understood a bit what it was all about!

This is where our orientation was held! It had a lot of activity possibilities in it and some came to practise sports and some to study there.

 Orientation was helpful, to say the least. We spent there three days learning how to eat, how to make beds, studied Japanese and so on. Going to the bath, ofuro, was really relaxing but I would have really wanted to swim in the shallow pool! Too bad it's not allowed..

 

The best thing were the people. I learned the most about Australia and Amerika(and why not to go there!) It was really fun I can't believe I will not see them for a long long time. :/ Have a great time and try to survive from the coldness! (I fear for the warmer times it can be almost 40C it's like sauna and I don't even like sauna that much, help)

Also we had a talent show in groups and our twinkle twinkle little star would had been great if I wouldn't had forgotten all the Japanese lyrics! Also the japanese volunteers were all wearing dresses and dancing to us, it was awsome. Some also participated in the non-group but one person talent show and there were some great great singing and instrument playing! I asked if it was okay to sing Frozens Let it go and we all sang it together with me and Emony in the front! It was so fun, but my voice kept in cracking all the time cause I sang so loud. XD

Going to da shop 

 

 

 

And soon it was time to leave and us 4 Gifu people were the last. We even got to eat lunch which was curry. Gosh I have wanted to try that for so long! Did I already mention I love Japanese food? Well, I do! We went to the train station with taxi and the train took about 50 minutes to get to Gifu!

I don't have any pics from the station so here's just something

Me and Alii the Australian selfiepiccu

An awsome playground for kids!! I want to go theeeeere!

I am going to stop here cause this post is long as a.. long. I'll make a post about the host family later I am just going to tell you it is great to be here. And if you are an afs Japan student please tell me if you received the phone promised because I am quite sure my volunteer just forgot to give me mine. XD I'll get it soon though, so granny please don't worry okay?

Hour away from 13 days

Heya'll. Okay first of all: I am suuperduuoer tired right now. Second, I don't have anything to write about. Yeah, my host family seems really nice, I've been emailing to them and they have got all kinds of plans of what to do. I'm kinda excited and guess what! Now I rememberd why I am doing this, sorry for letting even the last of my viewers vanish for the ultimately boring start.. Hehe, oops.

  Up - awsome waterart board in Heureka, perfect for kanji practise.. But too pricey. Just here to distract you.

I'll be going to an ALL GIRLS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL. YES. At first I was that much shocked. Then I checked some of the schools clubs which where" BIBLE CLUB" and "GOSPEL CLUB". Luckily those where just the first two I opened from my schools website and found an art club (it was the last one) and such. So my panic went off a bit.

                        That's the school building.. Looks kinda cool to me.

Now I am totally okay with the idea and AFS even contacted me asking if this was okay. They apparently had had an exchange student who had refused to pray and caused a lot of trouble. I was just thinking if the exhange student wanted to have really hard time.. Maybe heshe was bored or sth.

And the school uni is kinda cute too. Plain but still some style.

And what kind of shopping I have made in advance? Well I bought boots, a not broken nightie and a turquoise travelling bag. Plus some undies and enough sanitary towels for the whole year (I heard those a almost impossible to find, at least suitables). And lotsa lotsa candy and Moomin/Marimekko stuff for the hosts and friends!

I am so busy I don't know how to make it all in time.. Oh, and I can be only 1 hour a day on computer so I might not be able to post too often.. Babuh Gn.


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 And last, I'm going to miss them so so so much.. Last pic creds to kheitaa katskubatsku already a returnee:
 http://banbangjpn.blogspot.fi/
 (thankkkyy uuu really muchooo...)