Today the International Exchange club from Mishima went to Kobe. Since Airi is part of that club I tagged along. It was very interesting. Kobe is the city where many of the immigrants moved to so a large majority of it is ethnic (mostly Chinese I believe)
We all met at the subway station and shortly thereafter I got to ride a subway for the first time ever!! To be honest, I didn't like it. It made me slightly carsick...or well...trainsick :P
When we got there though it was worth it. First we came across an ongoing Matsuri. This was a flower festival and an entire street was blocked off so that hundreds of people could make huge pictures in the street with flower petals! The pictures were very ornate and really cool!
We also visited the historical house of some historical figure. I couldn't tell you whom this figure is though because everything was in Japanese so I didn't understand a word of it. sorry. Use your imagination.
The Islamic Mosque which we also visited was quite beautiful and one of the teachers bought a box of dates from the Islamic grocery store across the street. I was the only one who knew what they were (thanks mom) so I felt pretty smart. ;)
Then we went to some sort of emmigration center. This was very interesting! The presentation given to us by a nice old man I didn't understand but the exhibits all had English so by the time we left I had a general idea of everything. I believe this was the place where, many years ago, they trained groups of people to prepare them to emmigrate to another country, mainly Brazil but the emmigrants went many places.
We then continued on to China Town. I'm sure you can figure out what that is. We ate lunch in a delicious Chinese restaurant. And then visited a museum about China. After all this we still had a bit of time left so our advisers told us what time to meet up and we were let loose to go shopping in China Town. I had a great time!
To finish off the day, as me and Airi waited for her mother to come pick us up she took me to the arcade and I experienced the joys of Purikura!!! ooh yes, this is my new favorite Japanese thing. It is is similar to the photo booths at the mall except AWESOME! You get to choose the backround design and after the pictures are taken you go to another booth and you draw on your photos and label them! It is way fun! The sheet which you get at the end has all your pictures on it in sticker form so you have your own face-sticker! I love it! I mean, what could be better than my face on a sticker?!
Those stickers are fun stuff. Does Airi have a perm? Just wondering, her hair is very cute!
ReplyDeletePS: (Immigrate-Immigrant XD)
Unless they are leaving a country, then they are emigrating. :-)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your stickers!
ReplyDeleteno syd she doesn't that is actually a wig. she has TONS of wigs. and they are all really cute!
ReplyDeleteOh, I wasn't scrutinizing her hair that much, but it must be a good wig because I didn't suspect that at all! You should see if she'll let you try on a wig and take pics, I want to see a brunette Sarah! Also, are you signing in to MSN Messenger and Skype when you post these? Because I've been awake several times when it says you post these, but I haven't seen you.
ReplyDeleteyeah. i am always on skype when i am online. but not so much messenger.
ReplyDeleteand ok, i will ask her. ;)
It's been a while since I've been able to post, but it sounds like you're having a great time!!! I actually have a request... You know those hotels were the business men go to sleep while they're working? The rooms are basically little pods? You should go see one of those and take pictures. :P Anyways, I love you, and I miss you. Catch me on FB sometime so we can talk!
ReplyDeletehahahah i have never even heard of those. but sure, if i happen to come across one. i will take pictures.
ReplyDeletewa janpan is so fun!!
ReplyDeleteyou must have so much fun hah!!
ReplyDeletecooooool. !! i want to go there too
ReplyDeleteyeah kobe is gorgeous! actually, japan in general is quite beautiful!
ReplyDelete