Golden Week

Last week I got several days off class as it was time of Golden Week, one of major holidays in Japan, so some friends and I went to Uminonakamichi, a seaside park where we saw many kinds of flowers. And here are some photos we took!

With Melisa

Melisa and Yuu

Me with the flower carpets

Lavenders

Blue flower, my most favorite one even though don't know its name. First time ever seen

The day after, Hoa and I were off to Kitakyushu to see wisteria tunnel as it has been in wisteria season and that place is the most popular attraction for wisteria in Kyushu. Even though we had to pay 1000 yen to see the flower, it paid off as wisterias were heavenly awesome! These photos prove that!

April's update

Hello, long time no blog :D.

My spring holiday is over and I got back to the school with classes and other activities, but still have lots of fun.

In late March, my friend and I went to MoMo Farmland where we saw cheery blossom and rode horses. Even though we had to walk for 1 hour from the bus stop, we did enjoy the farm with nice countryside views, animals and farm products.

Me and sakura

Sakura

Hoa was riding horse

In early April, WJC students had a field trip to Miyazaki and Yufuin. Miyazaki is a nice beach city famous for mangos but the mangos there are super expensive, around 3000 yen/each, so we ended up buying dry mangos and other snack made from mango. We also visited a park, shrine and walked to the beach after lunch in Miyazaki. Yufuin is a town located in Oita, where is well known for onsen. But it was rainy on that day and we didn’t have enough time so we just walked around, stopped by some gift shops and purchased stuff as souvenir or snacks. I’m happy that the school took us there as I don’t need to go in Golden Week when every place is full of people. 

At a park in Miyazaki

With new students Melissa, Sheron, Fen and Japanese JD Mates

Let's jumppppp!

All WJC students and JD Mates

I met my host family on last Sunday. They turned out to be host family of my friend in last semester. They are an old couple living in a lovely small house in Umimachi taking 40 mins by train from Fukuoka. They have 8 cats and every cat is big. The one impressed me the most in their house is the kitchen. It looks like they have everything in that place and I would spend my whole day in the kitchen like that. The host family was very inviting and friendly, the host mother is a great cooked. As I had told them that I wouldn’t eat meat on the day I meet them, the host mom made me Japanese vegetarian meals with tofu, stir fried vegetable with soy sauce and onigiri (rice balls) which were heavenly delicious. She even gave me and my JD mate breads that she made herself. We haven’t chosen date for the next meeting but I really want to see them again soon.

Meal prepared by my host family

 

Close up to the meal

The awesome kitchen

with my host family and my jd mate

On April 29^th, Egle and me went to Sasuguri to join a hiking event called Haru Ranman Hiking. The event is held annually and hundreds of people are interested in it. The event was very nice even though it was shorter that we though at the beginning but we both were happy that we did it as staying at the dorm was very boring. Taking part in the hiking, we were given delicious boiled bamboo shoot, did walking through a forest park and even did our own walk to some hidden temples in Sasaguri. After getting back to the dorm, we cooked some vegan meals together with tofu, kabochas, bamboo shoots and lotus roots.

 

one of the temples in Sasaguri

we found this flower everywhere on the way hiking

A breathtaking view of Sasaguri

Today people started celebrating Dontaku festival, one of three main festivals in Fukuoka. We also went watch the festival. It was very nice to see people prepared and celebrate the festival. People from the kids to the elderly wore traditional costume, did a parade, danced and did some rituals at some old shops. Everyone looked happy, which is the best thing of the festival.  

People were doing rituals at a traditional cake shop

One of three gods in the festival

This kid looked so happy!

And everyone looked happy!

Taking photos with the kids

My life has changed a bit since I lived here. Now, I eat less meat and more vegetable. I always eat loads of vegetable actually but it seems here I eat much more than I usually do at home as Japanese meat doesn’t taste good at all and I don't even feel the need of meat. Therefore, I ended up filling my tummy with food from plants and nature. At the moment I eat vegetarian foods at least once a week. I went through 4 days without meat and felt completely OK, so I decided to continue this lifestyle which helps me feel better and healthier. I and my friend who is a vegetarian sometimes cook vegan meals together, which is very fun as not only could we share food, discover more about vegan’s life, vegan meals’ recipes around the world, but we also could make heaps of unforgettable memories during our time studying overseas.  To be honest, Japanese vegan meals are amazing but young Japanese are crazy about junk food which is not healthy at all (I can understand though).

Cooked bun rieu but instead of using crabs, I used tofu. It tasted awesome!

Made vegan spring roll with Egle

Tomorrow I am going Uminonakamichi that is a seaside park with Melissa and her JD Mate. So excited for that as there are lots of flowers there! Will update blog soon when I have time!

Cheers :x