End of Exchange Program



B Class, post tears, hence the serious faces

At the last Kareoke session, everyone was crying. Crying into their conversations with each other, turning around to the next person, crying, seeing someone get up to leave for good, crying. And this was AFTER the farewell party, where students were crying on stage, host families crying in the audience, Sensei’s crying backstage…

I was tearing up myself, it was a fantastic end to an amazing year, and since then me and some of the remaining students have just been chilling around the Kobe area.

It was a week of lasts for everyone, last time in Ajisai room, last time clubbing in Umeda, last time everyone eats together in the refectory:

We had a pre-party party to take the edge off the following day's goodbye's:

Next day we got up early to go to Professor Tieryney's house in order to practice singing the song Suyun planned us to perform for our host families. There was a mini photo-shot outside:



At the party was a mini buffet, here's me enjoying it with my host family:

I'm not just saying it 'cause he's my host brother, he is seriously the
cutest japanese kid I have ever seen

Lindsey (our class president) had spent months learning this traditional japanese dance that she
performed for us at the farewell party

We sang the sukiyaki song* for our host parents, which really
 sparked off the flood of tears...

 And while it's not included, Ashley made a beautiful farewell video of everyone saying their good-byes and little comments on Japan - I will try and put a link up later but for the meantime you can check it out on my facebook profile, it'll be one of the videos I'm tagged in.

After the party, our last Kareoke section:

Alister and Ryan singing Micheal Buble for Larry

And that was that. Hopefully I will see them all again, they're a perfect excuse to go to Canada, Chicago, Hawaii, and of course again to Japan : )

I didn’t feel the urge to cry because I am still staying around for a few weeks, and also I logically knew that we all have facebook and skype. However, it is the end of an era of sorts, and I got so much out of this year – I’m gonna miss that.

Saying goodbye to the people you spent the best year of your life with is one of the saddest times of your life L

Up until the farewell party, everyone was kept busy with last minute essays, exams, thank-you notes and gifts and other practicalities (that I’ll list in case someone wants to use it for reference):
-Cancelling your AU phone if you were fool enough to chose that over Softbank ;-P
-Closing your bank account
-Sending books and clothes home
-Cancelling health insurance

And before you know it, you’re packing to go home. Nine months is nothing (ask any expecting mother).

Luckily I'm still around ;-) I spent some time in around Osaka, Okamoto and Sannoymiya, and time with my host family. I also went on a weekend trip to Kyoto to visit Robert (the german engineering student) near Lake Biwa , who is living in Japan from now on, and biked from Kyoto to Biwa lake with Ayaka! The day was so hot, I drank 5 bottles of water and had a huge cup of kakigouri (like a giant slushie) and didn’t go to the toilet all day. There was also the Kobe Festival with the remaining students. 

Now, onwards to Seoul!

Did I mention my host mum got me a birthday cake in May? :-D xx

Hokkaido Trip in Golden Week

Suyun, Lindsey, Caroline and me at Noboribetsu, Hells Valley

We flew cheaply via Peach Airline

"Aww, look at it! It's about the size of a kitchen!" - Lindsey, remarking on the airplane when we first saw it.
In reality it looks half the size as it seems on this photo.

A Road Trip on the Tracks: The PlanArrive at Chitose Airport, Hokkaido - Shiraoi (Ainu Museum) - Noboribetsu (Hell Valley, Bear Park and Onsens) - Asahikawa (Ramen and Brewery) - Daisetsuzan, Kurodake (Hiking in National Park) - Sounkyo - Biei (Flower field and Bike ride)- Nakafurano - Sapporo

iCafe in Sapporo

We spent the first night at an icafe near Sapporo station complete with all you can drink, free miso soup helpings and of course, all you can read in manga and magizines. Also came with free showering facilities, the choice of massage chairs/beds and an ice cream machine.

Lindsey chilling with a cup of coffee and Death Note

seperate little cubbies with sliding windows connecting them

We also did a little experiment concerning possible racism on a poor unsuspecting food place.

In Japan, unlike in the UK, food in train stations are actually pretty damn good. There was a 'food road' of sorts in the station where we ate an udon/egg rice dinner and breakfast (Suyun zig-zag stopping at every single place, never minding the prices of some), and at one point we paused to consider eating at a place and were shooed off by the wairtress, who said 'Sorry, full' - even though we could see 20 seats and about 4 people eating there.

Now, this has happened before when upon approaching a clam resturant they turned the lights off and waved at us no, only to turn back on again when we left. This time though, while we were eating at a place that wasn't discriminating, we thought to ourselves okay, let's mess with this girl.

Suyun passes as Japanese all the time by accident, so me and her approached the food place and checked the menu as if interested in eating there, as we had before. No one took much notice, we walked away. After us, Lindsey and Caroline went up and did the same thing.

The woman loyally did as she had before, and with her hands pressed together in apology said, "Ah, sorry, full."

The resulting conversation went something like this (translated from Japanese for your convenience):

L: "I'm sorry, what was that?"
Girl: Ah, is it just the two of you? Please, take a seat.
(Basically an 'oh, since you're are challenging me, you better come in).
L: Oh no, we don't want a seat. We are just looking at the menu.
Girl: Oh, that's OK then. If it was 4 people it would be difficult, there is not enough room.
L: Oh, not enough room.

And at this point there was even less people eating there than when we'd initially looked there.
Lindsey pointed at six empty seats in front of her.

L: I see. Clearly not enough room.

And aha, I wished we could have taken pictures.



Ainu Museum

Making Ainu material

this was too sad to watch - no room for the bears the Ainu had once worshipped

Those salmon hanging from the ceiling? Are REAL.

Felt like I was being watched...

A traditional ainu room with an Ainu descendant dressed as olden times Ainu

the Ainu village

we got special treatment for not looking japanese and invited for a free buffet
after this photo was taken

Noboribetsu

Hell Valley

smelt like eggs...was actually sulphur

getting ready for the best outside onsen ever

 There was also a volcano near by and a bear park that we could have visited, but we were traumatized by the poor caged ones at the Ainu village.


Daisetsuzan (base of Mt. Kurodake)
We got there via an hour and a half bike ride, giving half our stuff we didn't need to Suyun who went ahead to the next destination. We went with intentions of going on a hike, but were told we weren't 'mountain warriors', so it was impossible (and given, I was wearing trainers so it would have killed me).

We found the 'log room' and played cards all night with an Olympic skiier instead.

View from the youth hostel

The food was a definate plus - Caroline loves the red Hokkaido fish 'Hoke'

Lindsey's bad back

Feeling cheated out of a hike, me and the directionally challenged Caroline decided to at least try to walk the 40 minute bus ride to Sounkyo, where Suyun was waiting for us.

We realised that it wasn't 8km like the map said, but acutally 28km. We opted for the bus an hour into our trek. Fail.

We made it to Sounkyo Youth Hostel, the best place so far, so we stayed an extra night there. I turned 20 years old at this place ; ).

No one there but us and a guy from Barcelona

The bike ride to these pretty waterfalls felt great

We also wanted to try and find a big lake on the map, so we set off for the 6km ride in warm weather.

However, the tunnel we had to ride through to get there was SO COLD my hands went numb, not to mention dark and 5KM LONG. I felt like I hadn't seen light in years by the end of it.

See that immense block of ice blocking our path?
That's cuz the tunnel was cold enough to keep water frozen.

preparing my birthday ramen meal at the hostel

Concidering this day started out pretty grim, with everyone forgetting my birthday and abandoning me for the over-priced ropeway with only my Kanji study for company (thank you Calyx for the skype convo in my hour of need -_-), this day ended on an all around high.

Coming up was the place I'd most been looking forward to, advertised on all the leaflets and posters for Hokkaido...

Biei, Furano

This whole place smelt like flowers, because of the lavender fields surrounding the village.
Not dishearted by the shop keepers who said the flowers hadn't bloomed yet, we rented bikes for the day and stopped to look at the maps for lunch and to see where the heck we were going.

Drinking the remaining bottles of wine from my bday party

Probably not the best idea to down two bottles of red wine between us before setting off to navigate our way down country roads on bikes.

                                    

But we stopped by a park to take in the view, then Suyun and Lindsey went off to find the spot with the beautiful sunset, and me and Caroline(ignoring the words of the locals) rode off to try and find the infamous flower fields.

Expectations:

                                                       
                                                                
                                                                      Reality:

Hahaha. Ha. -_- fail.

So, we rode back in the dark.

We ate ramen, caught the late train to another youth hostel where tensions ran high in the group because of lack of sleep and the string of failed expeditions up until that point. We made awkward conversation with the middle aged men there, tried to ignore the sizzling argument between two of our members, showered, re-organised our stuff and slept.

Nakafurano

Next day we got dropped off by the owner in Nakafurano, where I literally sat in a cafe all day and dutifully studied for the Leeds exam.

I didn't do this just because I'm a dedicated student or because I was being anti-social, we actually spent the first half an hour at the information centre trying to find something to do, couldn't find anything that we could do, and gave up. Suyun and Lindsey went shopping for Omiyage and then spent 3 hours at the train station.

(This isn't to say that one shouldn't go to Nakafurano: it has white water rafting, hot air balloons, quad bikjing, a cheese factory and other stuff - we just couldn't because of wind/ the price).

Needless to say, no photos were taken this day. It was a pretty low point.

Sapporo
So we'd planned to finish off with a bang and go clubbing all night, see the main city, the sakura blossoming in the park, the night view from the mountain...

And despite the excaution, the numberous disapointments, the burdened of countless souvenirs, and the knowledge of havign gone over our travel budget, we might have gone ahead and done some half-hearted touring,

if it hadn't rained the entire day.

So, back to the iCafe to comfort ourselves with ice-cream and coffee and Korean dramas. Or in Suyun and Lindsey's case, more shopping.

...

...this was probably the biggest waste of money (for what we got out of it) and time (considering it was irresponsibly during the week before my big Leeds exam) that I have ever spent, but I'm just going to chalk it up to the mistakes of youth and learn from it.

Here's a copy-and-paste of Lindsey's timetable for anyone who may want to do what we did in a better season (just ignore the train times). Summer would be best for these activities, really. Or autumn for the pretty colours...still, if I was gonna have a sucky time, I'm glad it was with these people:

Hokkaido Trip Golden Week Plan by Lindsey
Arrive at Chitose Airport, Hokkaido - Shiraoi (Ainu Museum) - Noboribetsu (Hell Valley, Bear Park and Onsens) - Asahikawa (Ramen and Brewery) - Daisetsuzan, Kurodake (Hiking in National Park) - Sounkyo - Biei (Flower field and Bike ride)- Nakafurano - Sapporo

Total estimated cost: 57,000円 (includes all food, travel, lodgings, [with a little overestimation included] during the trip) (All train prices have been calculated for reserved tickets, if we buy unreserved自由席, the price is somewhat cheaper but we may have to stand if it's crowded.)

Packing List:

^hiking related^

Hiking Boots (preferably warm, no sneakers!)

Winter Coat

Light Jacket (breathable material)

Water Bottle (if you have a good one)

Power Bars

Socks/Underwear (avoid cotton, go for quick-drying materials)

Slacks (no jeans!)

Sweatpants

Gloves

Sunglasses

T-shirt/Tank Top

First Aid Kit (one person)

Toilet Paper (one person)

Matches/lighter and a few candles(one person)

Compass (one person)

Flashlight (one person)

Rope (one person)

Tarp/ground sheet (to serve as tent, one person)

Water-proof Coat/Poncho

Water-proof Backpack Cover or Plastic/Garbage Bags (bring several for various purposes)

Small Towel

Hat

^other^

Towel

2 outfits (non-hiking)

Cell Phone

Charger (one person)

Money (bring about 65,000円 to be safe)

Medicine (if you need it)

Hairbrush (one person)

Toothbrush/toothpaste (travel size for carry-on)

Shampoo/Conditioner (travel size for carry-on)

Soap

Other Hygiene Stuff

Camera/iPod

iPod Wall Charger (one person/Caroline?)

Gaikokujintourokusho and Passport

Print:    Boarding Pass

            Schedule

            JR Pass Uses/Restrictions

            Hotel Confirmations

            Maps (Furano/Biei, Daisetsuzan, Sapporo, Noboribetsu)

            Kurodake Lift Schedule

Contact Information:

Schedule:

            4/27    14:15 Meet at the big T.V.s in Umeda; 14:53 Osaka Station Track 1, JR Kansai Airport                                     Rapid to KIX (1,160円)

                        16:00 Arrive at KIX; 16:10 Check-in

                        17:20 Board Peach Flight MM109 to CTS

                        19:35 Arrive at Sapporo Chitose Airport

            4/28     ^^^8:30 Purchase JR Foreign Student Rail Pass at New CTS Airport Station (22,500円)

                        9:31 Chitose line train to Tomakomai, transfer, 10:08 Muroran line to Shiraoi (1,040円)

                        10:30 Walk to Ainu Museum (750円), about 15 minutes

                        11:15 Watch presentation on Ainu kotan and traditional dance

                        11:40 Explore the museum

                        13:49 or 15:05 Train to Noboribetsu

                        14:13 or 15:26 Arrive at Noboribetsu (350円), take bus to 登別温泉バスターミナル                                  (330円)

                        16:00 Check-in to 滝本 Inn (10,000円)

                        18:00-20:00 Dinnertime at Takimoto Restaurant

                        *Things to See/Do in 登別: Bear Park (5 min. walk), Historical Village, Hell Valley (地                             獄谷) (5 min. walk), Hot water swamp (お湯沼), Lake Kuttara

            4/29     7:00-8:00 Breakfast at Takimoto Restaurant

                        8:00 Bus to Noboribetsu Station (330円)

                        8:46 JR Suzuran 3 Ltd. Express to Sapporo JR, arrive Track 4 at 9:58, transfer, 10:03                          Track 9 JR Hakodate line to Iwamizawa, arrive 10:44, transfer, 10:54 Super Kamui 13                                     Ltd. Express Track 7 to Asahikawa

                        11:50 Arrive at Asahikawa (8,070円)

                        *Things to Do/See/Eat in 旭川: Asahikawa ramen, Ainu Kinenkan, Sake Brewery Tour

                        15:55 Bus to Asahidake (1,320円)

                        17:21 Arrive at Asahidake, check-in to Daisetsuzan Shirakaba-sou YHostel (6,630円)

                        ^^^15:05 Train to Kamikawa&&

                        ^^^15:49 Arrive at Kamikawa

                        ^^^15:55 Take Dohoku bus to Sounkyo (800円)

                        ^^^16:30 Arrive at Sounkyo

                        ^^^16:40 Check-in at 層雲峡Youth Hostel

                        ^^^*Things to Do/See: Skiing/Snowboarding at Kurodake, Hiking

            4/30     Hiking at Daisetsuzan, sleep at 黒岳石室 (maybe free? See below)

            5/1       Hiking at Daisetsuzan

                        Mid-afternoon Arrive at Sounkyo Youth Hostel (3,150円)

            5/2       7:45 Dohoku bus to Kamikawa Station (800円)

                        8:15 Arrive at Kamikawa

                        8:28 Sekihoku line to Asahikawa, arrive 9:47, transfer, 10:31 Furano line to Biei

                        11:08 Arrive at Biei (1,410円)

                        *Things to Do/See/Eat in 美瑛: Bicycle tours (200円 per hour)

                        18:20 or 19:13 Train to Nakafurano

                        18:48 or 19:38 Arrive at Nakafurano (530円)

                        ?? Shuttle to Akane-yado Hostel Furano## (4,125円)

            5/3       ?? Shuttle to Nakafurano

                        8:44 Furano line to Nakafurano (220円) or just walk there

                        *Things to Do/Eat in 富良野: Furano Wine Factory (open til 4:30), Furano Cheese                               Factory (until 5) with cheese/ice cream/bread/butter making experiences available##

                        15:46 Nemuro line to Takikawa, arrive 16:52, transfer, 17:00 Super Kamui 36 Ltd. Exp.

                        17:50 Arrive at Sapporo (JR) (4430円)

            5/4       17:20 Track 6 Airport 172 Line to New Chitose Airport (1,040円)

                        18:01 Arrive at airport, check-in

                        19:45 Board Peach Flight MM110 to KIX

                        22:15 Arrive at KIX

                        22:35 Nankai Airport Express to Shinimamiya, arrive 23:15, transfer, 23:22 Osaka Loop                       line to Osaka Station, arrive 23:39 (1,060円)

                        23:45, 0:00 Last train to Sannomiya from Umeda

top left