Tasks, Presentations, Field trips and Parties.

Hello world,

Couldn’t update blog regularly as I was overwhelmed by tons of homework, presentations and other activities in the past month. I had things to do every day, sometimes I didn’t even know where to start as there were many things needing to be done. But finally, they are all over and now I can relieve and think about my trip on winter break. 

Well, in the last two weeks of November, we went to see Sumo as I mentioned in my last post. It was very exciting! Like you see your favorite football team play and enjoy every moment of the match. Can’t explain with my humble English, you’ve gotta go and see! I took a video but can't upload it on here :(

We also went to Fukuoka City Museum for our field trip. Nothing much except for the costume corner where we tried on costume of asian countries. There were Áo dài and other traditional clothes of Vietnamese ethnic groups but I tried the Korean one - hanbok. Another field trip was visiting shrines and temples in Hakata which is one of two downtown cities in Fukuoka. After that, two friends and I went to Canal City for lunch and window shopping. Around 5pm, we left for a Vietnamese restaurant in Hakozaki after meeting a Japanese girl in Tenjin. But none of us knew the way well so we walked around that area nearly 1 hour and found the place after almost getting lost. It was nice to meet Vietnamese there, but the food was not the one I expected. It didn’t look like and taste like the one I often eat. Anyway it was fine as I am in Japan, not Vietnam. But my friends seemed to enjoy their meals (the Thai girl ordered spring rolls with noodle, the Japanese girl ordered a set including Pho and spring rolls).

Me in Hanbok, with Indonesian friend

Doing fun

Posing with momiji in front of the museum

Phở Hanoi in the Vietnamese restaurant

Katsudon - deep fried pork with vegetable and rice - my lunch in Hakata

I saw my host family in late November and earlier December. There were only me and host mother in the meeting in November as her kids were busy with homework. She took me to eat sushi and visit Kashi and Hakozaki shrines after. Both of them were nice but I prefer the Kashi one. It took me time to walk around Kashi shrine, but I could see people life in peaceful surroundings and enjoyed lovely nature. In the meeting in December, we, including the host mother, her kids and me, went to botanical garden and zoo. I had much of fun with them! The kids were very lovely. They sang Arashi and Big Bang songs all the time on the way to the garden. I don’t know many Japanese songs but at least I could join them to sing “Fantastic Baby” by Big Bang, which was very funny. After having lunch at the botanical garden, we went to see animals in the zoo and played some games at a theme park which is located inside the zoo. I don’t remember exactly when I last played in a theme park, but I did do it again at the age 21 with those lovely kids, and I even felt asleep on the car on the way back. Ahhh, stay young!

with host mother in Kashi shrine

 

with host family's kids

At the theme park - forever youuuuung!

Botanical garden

There were a couple of parties held a past few weeks. With more than 100,000 yen we made by selling green curry and cookies in a school festival in October, WJC students and JD mate had a party with karaoke in Tenjin. After that, some of us went to see light illumination decorated for Xmas and New year before going back to the dorm. There were many people going to see and take photos with the illumination and so did we. We took lots of photos and really enjoyed it! It was another weekend I went hard!

with friends at the light illumination place

Light illumination

Last week WJC students held an early Xmas party as after Friday we will be on our own way for winter break. People cooked tons of food. 3 of Vietnamese students including me made Bánh cuốn (rolling pan cakes) and one made chiffon cake. Another night having fun and being full! Felt like I could get 3 kilos I have lost so far back. 
 

Xmas party with tons of food

I had a presentation in Japanese on Monday this week. The topic was about Fukuoka and Hanoi yatai. We were very worried about that presentation as we are beginners, our Japanese is limited and it is really challenging for us to talk in Japanese in front of many people whose Japanese is much better than ours. But we all did well.  Japanese tests were also finished yesterday and today. Eventually I get everything done! Now, it’s time to relax and go! Osaka and Hiroshima, here I come! 

After presentations

with teacher and classmates

Một người bạn đã viết cho tôi thế này: “Being away from home has it struggles but when you get home and look back on this time you will ask yourself did you live the experience to the fullest potential? Make sure the answer is yes”. Đúng thế, tôi yêu từng khoảnh khắc tôi đã và đang có ở đây, cho dù đó là vui hay buồn, tôi đều trân trọng vì tôi biết tôi không thể có được những điều đó ở những nơi khác. Chỉ có ở đây, Nhật Bản này, xa nhà, với những người bạn không hẹn mà gặp, với những cảm xúc ấy.