CHR Japan Trip 2008

Day 5 (November 16)

2008-12-30T15:59:00.001-08:00

Todays activity was to go shopping.I had changed all of my Japanese money to Singapore dollars.I had bought all the souvenirs I had needed.

Our first destination was the Manga Museum.The Manga Museum was interesting because the work of Mr Osamu Tezuka captures the audience's attention.I don't really like Astroboy but Mr Osamu has talent.

We then went to the fish market.I saw a weird crab that was spikey.It is not an ordinary crab that is sold in Singapore but it is larger than normal.I even saw a weird fish.Dan told me that it was a puffer fish.

We then went for shopping.I did not really because I got punished for making too much noise and not sleeping after lights out and going downstairs.After shopping,we went to see the Osaka's Castle.The Castle was extremely big.It was brightly lit and I ate my takoyaki infront of it.It was a magnifcent sight.Right after we had seen the Osaka's Castle,we left for the Hitachi Tower.The Hitachi Tower is tall enough to see almost the whole of Osaka.From the top,I could see that Osaka was very crowded and cramp.

This was our final night.We went back to the hostel and started packing everything because we had to wake up early in the morning.After packing,everyone went to have an early night.

Day 4(November 15)

2008-12-30T15:44:00.000-08:00

Today,we headed for Kyoto.Kyoto is also one of the oldest cities in Osaka.We went there to see the Kyomitsu Temple that an Emperor built a long time ago.

The place was crowded and busy with Japanese students and tourists.We had to walk uphill towards the temple.The temple was just as crowded as the streets.Our teachers told us to split in groups and told us to venture the temple ourselves.It was abit boring because there were the same statues just like the ones in Nara.I bought a %0 dollars hat in Kyoto.It was a nice hat therefore I bought it.

After Kyoto we left for Osaka again and went to tea museum.There we had tea and sweets.I had to drink the tea because I respect the tradition in Japan.Thus i dran the tea.

We then went back to our hostel to have our dinner and have an early night.

Day 3(November 14)

2008-12-22T03:18:00.000-08:00

On our third day, we went to the Peace Centre.The Japanese were not afraid to show what happened after and during World War 1 and 2.

What I saw was very disturbing.In the Peace Centre,there were photos of dead people.It was sad to see children die at an early age.There were even photos of children dead at an age of 3 to 7 years old.There were even photos of people missing some of their body parts.Until now,I still can't forget what I had seen.

After leaving the Peace Centre,we went to Neyagawa High School.We met and made friends with the Japanese students.They were very nice.Their class was so noisy but all of them were having fun.My group of Japanese taught me how to make a paper boat and a crane. It was quite interesting.I gave them the souvenirs that I had bought from Singapore.I could see smiles on their faces.Thye gave me their emails so that we could keep in touch.

We then had to perform infront of the Japanese students to show them the different cultures and traditions in Singapore.I felt abit nervous because there were changes made at the last minute but we still did our best.Our teachers were satisfied with our performance and so were the Japanese students.

The Japanese students and teachers invited us to a tea ceremony.It was abit interesting because it was very quiet.We ate a kind of sweet that looked like "pau".I am not very sure what it is called.The Japanese students then served us tea.I had difficulty drinking the tea.The smell was weird.But I managed to drink it in the end.

After the tea ceremony we left the school and headed back to the hostel.Our 3rd day had ended.

Day2(13 November)

2008-12-18T03:47:00.000-08:00

On our second day, we went to the Ageless Life Centre.The centre is built to help the older aged people in many ways.I felt that the Japanese cared for the elderly so much that they even built a centre specially for them.

One of the guides at the centre showed us the difference between a motorised wheelchair and a normal wheelchair.Lesser effort was needed when the motorised wheelchair was used.What i learnt when I was at the centre was that the Japanese created things that could ease the burden off the elderly people enabling them to enjoy life just like we do.The Japanese thought through hard before they made decisions.They even invented robots that could communicate well.I was quite impressed when I saw their works for the elderly.With their work I could really tell that the elderly were important to them.

Our final destination that day was Nara.Nara is on of the oldest cities in Japan.I was excited at the thought of going there.When we arrived at Nara,it was very cold but when I saw the deers roaming freely.I had forgotten about how cold I was.My teachers told me that deers were tame.This means that that they wouldn't kick or bite us at all unless we harmed them.Some of the deers were so disgusting.They urinated and passedmotion everywhere.Some of the deers stink really bad.Our main purpose was to see the temple in Nara.The temple was extremely big.The buddha on the temple was very big.I was surprised when I saw it.Lots of Japanese were present on that day.They were all there just to pray and get blessings.Seeing the number of people made us think how strong the culture in Japan is.

My friend and I walked around the Buddha from left to right.It took quite awhile.After walking round the Buddha,I went and bought souveneirs for my family.When I was going back to the bus,Gabriel and I got chased by deers.That was abit funny.

After leaving Nara, we went back to our hostel to have dinner and a nice long rest because we knew where we would be going the following day.

Day1(12 November)My Japan Trip

2008-12-16T04:06:00.001-08:00

When I landed in Kansai Airport,I was a little worried and afraid because I did not really know what Japan would look like.When I left the airport I soon realised that Japan was very cold at that time.
We went to the Momofudu Andu Instant Ramen Museum.We even had a tour guide and her name was Aunt Cindy.She was a very entertaining and she even taught us a few words in Japanese.What I learnt on the first day was how to say,`Konichiwa and Arigato Gozaimasu'.Konichiwa means hi or good afternoon.Arigato Gozaimasu means Thank You very much.These were taught by my friends and teachers when we were at the Ramen museum, it was very interesting to learn how the Japanese make Ramen for everyone.They even told us that we could decorate our own cups before they started adding ingredients into it.It was difficult for me to order food in Japan because I can't eat meat in Japan.Therefore whatever i ate was only seafood.I chose seafood Ramen and they started preparing it for me.They told me that the ramen could not be eaten after 1 month.It was interesting to see them prepare the ramen for me.In the end I had a bag filled with air and in it was my ramen.I did not want to open up my Ramen because I wanted to keep it as a souveneir.After everyone had their ramen,we went out for lunch.As I said, in Japan, it was very difficult for me to find the right food,for me and he even said that he could eat anything as long as I could find food that I could eat.From this I can tell that he is a very caring friend.All my friends were as caring as Dan and I appreciated it.
We went to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine next.The shrine was very quiet and breezy but there were quite a number of people.I notiiced that they were praying to their gods.From this I can tell that they respect their religion well.Aunty Cindy even showed us how the japanese prayed to their god for a healthyand prosperous life.There were alot of children at the shrine.They were from ages 3,5 and 7.They were blessed by the priest for good results,life and school.
We went to the Nagai Youth Hostel and checked in.This was the place we stayed for the 5nights.Our first day in Japan ended.
By:Karim

Back to School....... and my favourite part!!!!!!

2008-12-09T00:38:00.000-08:00

The Osaka Peace Centre was where the Japanese were honest in telling their past misdeeds. They showcased what went wrong and were neutral in their facts. They seemed to be apologetic and sincere in their response. We had to seek permission for any photographs taken.

It was a very depressing sight to witness and see many innocent people being brutally killed by the Japanese soldiers. It was a heartbreaking experience. We were allowed to roam around to continue snapping pictures of the scenery. Collecting fallen Canadian Maple leafs was a breeze as they were found everywhere on the ground.

We had our lunch at a local restaurant. The beef patty served was thick and juicy. The flavour just oozes out into your mouth and it makes you even hungrier for more. I also ate the sliced onions that were fried and a bowl of soup that has potato and beef inside. They tasted sweet and certainly gives you a sense of wanting more of this stuff.

We went to a convenience store for some desserts. I ate the Meiji's cookies and cream Ice Cream. It tasted very refreshing and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

We walked to the Neyagama High School. This was actually the HIGHLIGHT of the whole trip. I was really looking forward to meeting the Japanese students and interacting with them. We were welcomed into the High School by their principal and vice-principal. Before we could stepped into the school, we were told to wear slippers provided. We were brought into the conference room where the principal and vice-principal greeted us and told us the history of the school. We were also issued templates about the school, the subjects that the students take and the cost fee of just a year studying in the High School. We then had a tour around the school.

We went to see the principal's office and there were many ex principal portraits hung on the walls. The school was still undergoing construction ( upgrading ) and the school field were filled with many students engaging in a variety of sports. The toilets there were cleaned up by the students and it was relatively cleaner compared to our school toilet in Singapore. The school hall was also used as a Basketball practice ground. While we walked past the school cafeteria, Many of their students were seemingly excited by our arrival.

The students were decently dressed and they looked fantastic in their school uniform. The boys there seemed to be very rowdy and boisterous when they saw our arrival. They were allowed to keep long hair and they do not wear TAPERED pants. Meanwhile, the girls do not really wear heavy make-up and they seemed to be awestruck by our presence. I also noticed that whenever the girls walked past me, they looked very excited and amused. They would cover their mouth to contain their excitement and some even bother to greet us before flashing their trademark megawatt smile.

The english class that we attended was very interesting. We introduced ourselves and I was able to have a great time with the students. We were taught to fold Origami and also learn to play the Scissors, Paper,Stone game. I was particularly impressed with the students in my group that I was assigned to. They were very friendly and attentive. Although I am a quiet person, I was able to open up with full confidence. I was never bored talking to them as new ideas kept popping up my mind. There were two girls sitting beside me and I was not feeling nervous at all. The girl who sat beside me was very helpful and caring. She patiently helped me with the Origami and correct my pronounciation of the Japanese language.

The performance was a huge success as the Japanese students thouroughly enjoyed our performance. They cheered us on and this actually gives us a confidence boost. They even wanted to joined us along during the singing part. It was great fun performing for the Japanese students and they applauded our effort that we put in. We had some traditional dessert and Japanese green tea. The dessert was tasty and rich in flavour while the green tea was soothing to the throat. We exchanged gifts with their students and took pictures before saying goodbye to the teachers and students.

NARA NARA Sakura

2008-12-09T00:03:00.000-08:00

Waking up was a chore as it seems that the night went in a flash. The first destination was the ATC Ageless Centre. The Japanese were very courteous upon our arrival and took pains to address us. We were given keys to safeguard our personal belongings.

A tour around the Ageless Centre was started with many new and innovative equipments and machinery gadget which helps to aid the elderly people with difficulties. I was chosen to do a demonstration on wearing a green plastic casing that was strap tightly to my legs. It helps the elderly disabled to walk and it was very heavy walking around in it. I was told to walked up and down a flight of steps and a slope. It was very painful taking even a few steps forward as lifting up my legs was like lifting up a 5 kg sack of rice using both feet! I finally understood how difficult it must have been for these elderly people. Japan is renowned for being the country with the most number of elderly people. The inventors designed the equipments with thoughtful considerations and nevertheless, this would be greatly appreciated by those in misfortune.

We went to Nara for sightseeing. The temple was magnificent and gigantic when viewed closely. They were made mostly of wood solid wood which remain intact after many years. There were deers surrounded everywhere and we got the chance to feed the deers. The Japanese were very warm in their service and only do things out of good deed.

After dinner, we went to the nearby market to shop for some items and tried out some snacks sold at the sidewalk. I tried the Takoyaki ball and it was really pipping HOT ( it could have scalded my mouth ). It simply melts into your mouth once chewed upon.

Day One

2008-12-08T22:39:00.000-08:00

It was a long and tedious flight to Osaka, Japan. Sitting in the aeroplane was a pain to my lower torso but the thought of visiting a country that prides itself as a clean and efficient city ( and also highly advanced in technology) seemed to help me ease my pain and also brought me feelings of excitement.

Upon reaching the Kansai International Airport, I was eagerly anticipating a fun-filled six days in the " Land of the Rising Sun ". The people were very polite and welcomed our arrival with open arms. We waited outside the Arrival Hall where we were introduced to our tour guide, Aunty Cindy. She is a Singaporean but has since resided in Japan for 32 years. The driver was very helpful and immediately took the initiative to carry our luggage into the lower compartment. H then repeatedly greeted us and I gladly returned him the favour shown to me.

Our tour guide introduced us to Osaka and also the history of the place. I took the opportunity to listen attentively to what was being said. There are 4 cities that are part of Kansai and they are Nara,Kyoto,Kobe, and Osaka. The weather there was great and I noticed that when our bus was travelling on the highway, there were mid-length sound proof barrier everywhere. It was another long hour drive to our first destination, the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen museum. When we entered the Instant Ramen museum, there were many CHICKEN cartoon characters ( that appeared on the cup noodles and also various sizes that stood next to the cup noodles ) filling the museum to its brim. They were know for their cup noodles and seemed to be a favourite among the locals.

A tour around the Instant Ramen Museum followed and we got an opportunity to make our very own Instant Ramen cup noodles. Designing the cup noodle was tough as I had no idea on what to draw ( drawing the CHICKEN cartoon character with a variety of different facial expressions would be great but the thought of drawing one that looked similar to a McDonalds hashbrown turned me off instantly). There were 4 different types of soup from which we could select. After selecting on what I would prefer, the final product was packaged nicely and I was feeling elated from my successful completion of the product.

Next, it was lunch time. Due to a heavy breakfast taken aboard the plane, Benjamin and I went around to take pictures of ourselves and the surroundings. While taking pictures, passer-by even approached us to offer their help and this was a great surprise to us. I was amazed by their willingness and also their sincerity.

The shrine was the next destination. It was different from the usual temple where you pay your respects. Children as young as 3 were dressed in traditional costumes and being presented in the shrine to take photographs. This makes me wonder whether our Chinese tradition has been long forgotten since the Japanese are still very proud of their tradition.

Later, we went to the Osaka Life Saving centre. We experienced the different levels of earthquake magnitude. I was taken aback as I was unprepared by the forces thrown at me. Everyone held onto the metal bar tightly and all our palms became sweaty and sore. This has taught me that I should treasure the advantages of not having a single natural disaster in Singapore.

After a long day out, we finally reached the Nagai Youth Hostel which is just behind the majestic Osaka stadium. It was simple for me to put on the clean bedsheets and pillow casing and the toilets and shower rooms were relatively litter free. I was amazed at their toiletbowls as they had different functions incorporated like a seat warmer and one that extends out to wash your lower compartment of the body . If only we could have it in Singapore......... The food served at the hostel was so much tastier than what we have in Singapore.

Fifth day of japan trip

2008-11-25T01:39:00.001-08:00

Due to the unexpected rain,we changed our plan.Instead of going for an early morning shopping,we went to the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum.At the museum, i saw my favourite cartoon character,the Astro boy.It reminded me about a lot of my childhood memories.I was surprised by all kinds of museum which Japan had, they even had water museums.Just as the teacher said,every second will be history in the future.We cannot not go back to the past,but we can know it and even experience it through visiting museums.The other activities were all the visitations to museums.It was a huge and great colletction of meaningful paintings.And we also vistied the national museum at Ethnology.
I was curious to learn about many races and cultures .It was intersting .The different ways of living and traditions surprised me .I felt that humans are great.They can live in some poor conditions by adjust themselves to fit it.People could live in Ice land, in high mohtains and even in the desert.One thing i learned from it was: nothing is impossible if we are willing to try with our bravery and determination.
After all the educated activities,we moved on to the shopping centre, Chinchabashi.The group of us just looked like a small red dot in the crowd .Walking in the streets was like watching a huge fashion show.All kinds of fashion clothings impressed me .My friend and i happily enjoyed our two hours of shopping,and we bought back several big bags of souvenirs.
The night approached.We went to the Hitachi TOwer to enjoy the night view of Osaka.The street lights connected together to from lines which surrounded and passed through the whole city.It was beautiful.
Today was the last day of our journey.I thought that i really enjoy it and gained alot from the trip.Besides having fun with all my friends,I learned more and understand more.First thing to do after I going back to China is leanring and studying more about my own culture.we must never forget our roots and culture.

Fourth day of japan trip

2008-11-25T01:22:00.000-08:00

We woke up in the early morning,and drove to Kyoto.The first place we went to was Kiyomizu temple.The sight was amazing.The temple was surrounded by all kinds of trees in different colours.Leaves changed its colours as autumn approached.The stucture of the thousand-year-old temple was incredible.The base of the temple was formed without using a nail and it still stood there today
On the way to the temple, I saw three Maikos which was part of the Japanese culture.The girls wore the triditonal clothes,the Kimono and learned all the traditional skills.I was shocked by the fact that the Japanese miantained their culture and tradition till now.Although they are modern and well-developed now ,they never gave up their roots.I bought two Yukatas as souvenirs for my siblings,and bought the desserts for my parents.They not only sold their traditional products,they also spreaded their culture at the same time to let more people know and share the culture with them.That is what we should learn from them.
In the afternoon,we enjoyed the Japanese green tea at Sakai.I like to drink tea as it made me feel easy and calm.The art of drinking tea showed the patience and politeness that the Japanese had.It was not just about drinking a cup of tea

Japan Trip !

2008-11-25T00:41:00.000-08:00

Day 1

We reached Osaka Kansai Airport at around 8a.m. Before boarding the plane,I was quite scared that my motion sickness would affect my flight as I was taking the plane for the first time. After reaching,we went to wait for the tour guide,Auntie Cindy. Then,we went to take the bus to our first destination. I felt very cold the moment I got out of the airport.

We went to the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Musuem.
We started queuingup to collect empty cups with the seal closed.We started designing the cup.
Then,we queued up to put all the ingredients in.The best part I love the most was the designing part.

Next,we went to have our lunch and we have to order it through the vending machines.
It was the first time I did that to order food.I felt that it was a new experience.

Next,we went to the Daizaifu Tenmangu Shrine.
There is a bell there to ring for good rice harvest.

Next,we went to the Osaka City Abeno Life Safety Learning Center.
We went to the experience what will happen if there is an earthquake or fire.
It was another new experience.It was quite scary when we experienced the simulated earthquake.

Day 2

We went to the ATC ageless Center.
There were alot of applcances that the elderlys or handicapped can use.
I think that those people who designed these are really very kind as they thought about what the handicapped need.

We went to Nara City to walk around.We went to the Kiyonizu temple.
The temple was filled with deers when we were walking around.
It was the first time that I had close contact with animals.
Darryl bought some deer food to feed the deers.
The deers crowded around us when they saw the food.
I bought some amulets as soveniors for myself and my friends.

During the night,all of us went outside the hostel to shop there.
I feel that the Japanese were very polite as they would greet us when we entered and greet us again when we left.

Day 3

We went to the Peace Centre today.Some of the pictures are quite gross there.I felt quite sad to see both sides having dead casualties during the war.

Next,we went to Neyagawa High School for the exchange programme.I was quite scared to introduce myself but it was ok after that.

We were being seperated into groups. My group started by playing siccors paper-stone. Then, they taught me how to fold origami. I feel that they are very nice towards visitors. They are friendly and polite too.

I was feeling quite scared to perform for the japanese students but the performance was quite well done.

Next, we went to a tea ceremony. The sweet and tea are very delicious. The students there taught us what to do before drinking the tea. I feel that it was fun doing all those and learning at the same time.

Day 4

We woke up early today to take a long bus ride to kyoto.

Kyoto is quite big. I bought a few souvenirs for my friends.

We went shopping after walking around the temple. I bought some things for myself and for my friends. The shopping was fun. I enjoyed it alot.

We went to a shop to have the tea ceremony again. This time, the sweet is different. But it was still very delicious.

The weather was very cold and it made me feel very tired.

Day 5

We went to the national museum first. The artefacts there were very big and traditional. It was quite difficult to collect all these stuff of different traditions.

Next, we went to the Osaka castle. It was very grand. Though we could only see it from the outside, i still think that it was very beautiful.

The last destination of the whole trip was the Hitachi tower. It was 5 storeys high. I feel that it is very pretty as it enabled us to see beautiful sceneries from there.

I learnt quite alot about Japan in this trip! I feel that it was a meaningful trip.

Third day of japan trip

2008-11-24T22:55:00.000-08:00

After breakfast,we were off to Osaka international peace center,we walked around the museum aud observed the cases of causes of war.i found that everyone hope for peace in the world.voilence and killing cannot solve any promble.It can only create more troubles.All the bloody things and hatred had passed.Understanding and respect should be built along with forgiving relationships wif one another.
In the afternoon,we starded one school exchange program.We went to Neyagawa high school and join their english lessons.It was fun ,even though they did not speak english well,they still tried to communicate with us.After the lessons,we performed for the japanese students.Our fasion shows and songs went well.They enjoyed it,waving hads while we were singing.They welcomed us by holding a tea ceremony.We enjoyed the process of making tea,serving tea and drinking tea.There were many rules and ways to drink tea.Although Japanese tea was from china in the past, the Japanese developed it and passed the tradition from one generation to another.They were pround of their culture and willing to share with others.To be honest,Chinese did no treasured their cultures much in Western culture which most of chinese culture away.As a Chinese, i felt sad .
After the tea ceremony,we exchanged our emails with the Japanese students,and i made two new friends.They were friendly and easygsing.They asked many questions about Singapore where they were going to visit next year.I feld so happy to have make new friends in Japan.

My Osaka Experience!!

2008-11-24T07:49:00.000-08:00

I had lots of fun in Japan. The sky was beautiful almost everyday except for the last 3 days where it was dull and cloudy. I shall now type out a detailed account.

I arrived at the Changi Airport earlier than the designated time. I got there at 9:15pm. We checked in our luggage and I was so happy that I didn't have to lug my huge luggage around the airport. The time passed quite quickly and we were inside the waiting area to board the plane. I sat with Karim and Miss Leslie in the plane. I started freaking out when the plane was taking off. I have always been scared when planes take off. Anyway, Miss Leslie went to sit with someone else so I was left to sit with Karim. I couldn't stick to one movie so I watched bits and pieces of Hairspray, High School Musical 2, Sex And The City, 30 Rock, Powerpuff Girls, The Dark Knight etc. Karim was laughing frantically as he watched Bruce Almighty. The food that we got was very nice. I loved it. I drank cups and cups of apple juice. I did not sleep during the whole 6 hour flight.

We reached Osaka International Airport earlier than expected. We arrived approximately at 7 something. After chopping the passports and collecting our bags, we headed upstairs and waited for our tour guide. Once we stepped out of the airport, we all started screaming because the air was crisp, clean and so cold. The sky was cloudless blue. GORGEOUS. I was quite tired during the bus ride to the Ando Instant Ramen Museum so I took short naps in the bus on the way there. The museum was okay. We drew on our own cup noodle cups and then we chose what flavour soup we wanted and what dried ingredients we wanted in our cup noodles. We had lunch after that and Sam, Taufiq, Jac, Amar and I headed to a Ramen shop to eat. The soup was so nice. It beat Ajisen Ramen hands down. The thing that surprised me was that restaurants in Japan allow people to smoke inside the shop. After lunch, we went to the Dazaifu Temangu Shrine. It was located in the middle of the city area. To end the day, we went to the Osaka City Abeno Life Safety Learning Center. The center taught us the dos and dont's when experiencing an earthquake. We returned to the hostel at 5 something, which is 4 something in Singapore because by 5, the whole place was dark. The sun sets at 4 plus, which is 3 plus in Singapore. I roomed with Barathan, Dan, Karim and Taufiq. We didn't talk much that night cause we were all tired. We slept at 10pm Osaka time which is only 9pm in Singapore.

We went to the ATC Ageless Center the next day. I learnt an invaluable lesson - if money and greed are the driving forces behind a business, the business would most likely fail because only sincerety and honesty are the values that bring about success. I realized that because of all the inventions that were invented for the elderly in Japan. After lunch, we went to Nara. I had alot of fun there. There were deers roaming around the temple area and I had fun petting them. The temple was VERY nice. I took alot of pictures. There was a huge Buddha inside. The whole exterior of the temple was extremely breathtaking. It's so hard to describe it in words. It was just perfect.

The next day, we went to the Osaka International Peace Center. I felt that the wars that occured in the past were inhumane and scary because many lives were lost. I think it is important to maintain peace with other countries in order to prevent such unnecessary killing and violence. We finished walking around the museum earlier than expected so we went outside and I took pictures of the maple leaves and flowwers. The flowers in Japan are much nicer than those in Singapore. They are much more colourful. We had lunch at Neyagawa Shokudo. It was like a buffet where you had to go along the line and take whatever you wanted but when you got to the end, you had to pay for whatever you took. I ate salmon sashimi. Happy. I was pessimistic about going to the school because although I am outgoing and display a loud and extroverted disposition, I get shy and become an introvert when I am around people I have never met. I made four new friends in class. Mayu, Ayumi, Shoko and Yuri. We introduced ourselves and I found out that they were all basketball girls. Our performance was good too. We changed a few things last minute but everyone still worked it out. We also attended a traditional tea ceremony after the performance. I felt like the tea servers showed a tremendous amount of humility as they humbled themselves and served us tea.

The next day, we went to Kyoto. It wasn't planned so we had to fork out an extra 3500yen to go there. The temple that we went to was celebrating it's 1000th anniversary so it was really crowded. There were lots of shops along the way down the temple but the stuff they sold were really expensive. I bought teacups and some Japanese sweet deserts. We went to a tea house after lunch to drink tea again.

On the last day, we went to a Anime Museum. It was a museum of the creator of Astro Boy and Blackjack. There was alot of memorabilia and old comic books on display. Very cute. We then went to an international art museum. I got a few ideas for next year's 'O' Levels Art. We went to an artifact museum after that and in it contained artifacts from all around the world. It was very cool. It had the tuk tuk's from Thailand and the gembilang and stuff from Indonesia. There was also a replica of the Easter Island statues. We went to a fish market after that and I ate some scallops and salmon. When we got to the shopping district, Shinsaibashi, Sam and Jac went into a bookstore so Taufiq, Amar and I followed. When I went to the second floor, I freaked out. Beyonce's album lined the shelves! I picked it up and it was like a paper fake sample copy. I was sad and I headed downstairs after a while to meet Mr Chia. Mr Chia smiled away and asked me if I bought Beyonce's album. I said no because I said it was only a sample copy. He said that you have to bring it to the cashier and then they will give you the real copy. That is to prevent theft. I was so excited. I raced upstairs with Barathan and my heart stopped beating when the cashier took out the real one. It costed 1980 yen. We shopped around a little more and then we were off to Osaka Castle. It was already dark so I couldn't take many photos. Disappointed. Our last stop for the trip was the Hitachi Tower. We went to the top too see the whole off Osaka. It was very cool and I took many pictures.

The next morning, my whole room overslept. I rushed to get changed and gobbled down all my food. We were super happy because as we were walking to the bus, alot of smoke came out of our mouths. I slept in the plane on the way home. I watched parts of Wanted and Bruce Almighty. There was alot of turbulence and I was very scared. The plane kept on shaking and we were like free falling a couple of times. Scary. That feeling when your heart is hanging in mid air. We arrived home at 4 something and I took a taxi home with Barathan and Xi Yu.

Okay. That's it. I'm happy that I was able to make new friends from school and everyone was pretty okay. Gosh, I miss Osaka already. Oh well. It was really fun to be away from home for a couple of days, forgetting everything at home, leaving to an unknown. I guess that's what holidays do.

Goodbye.

Japan '08

2008-11-24T01:43:00.000-08:00

Day1,12November

We arrived in Osaka,Japan,after a long flight from Singapore. I felt very excited as it was my first time experiencing cold weather in the morning. I was too excited that I left my phone in the plane.
Aunty Cindy, the tour agent, fetch us from the airport. The airport was different from the one in Singapore. We must take a train to go to the other part of the airport.When we went out,it was cold even though the sun was shining so brightly.We took the bus and went off to the Ramen Museum.

I was amazed to see all the products hey have. As i know only one type of their product.After walking around the museum, we were allowed to make our own cup noodles.It was interesting.
For lunch,we went to a restaurant and dine like the local.The way we order the food was very different.There, we had to order the food from a machine and we will receive a receipt and we have to give it to the waitress. I had difficulty eating the food i ordered as it was my first time eating rice with chopsticks.
After our lunch, we went to Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.We gt to know about their culture and their history. On that day, we got to see children ages 3,5 and 7 dressed in their traditional costume to the temple.They were there because they want the priest to pray for their studies.
The last place we went for that day was teh Life Safety Learning Center.The things they have there are good for people to know what actually happen. We got on a machine that have different magnitude. We tried the magnitude that hit China recently.Eventhough we are all holding the handle at the sides. We felt like falling down. It was really scary. I sympatize the people who became the victims.
We then went to Nagai Youth Hostel to check in.I was in the same room as Samantha, Jacintha, Amarpreet and Xiyu:)

end of day 1

Day2,13November

We were asked to wake up at 7 am to wash up and have our breakfast.After that we get ready and took of to ATC Ageless Center.I did not expect much and thought that we were just visiting the older generation of Japan.
It was totally different from what i thought.We were showed what the older generation actually need.Some of us were allowed to try the equipments and we got to know why is it useful for them.The Japanese are really thoughtfull towards their people and try every way to help.
After that, we headed to Nara to see the Giant Buddha.In the temple there was a hole in a pole that was really small but i managed to get through it.But it was difficult. Alot of my friend had to pull me through.We were allowed to roam around by ourselves so i decided to feed the deers with Dan and Barathan. It was really funny. we got chased by the deers.
After that we went back to the hostel to rest.

end of day 2

Day 3, 14November

Today we were all very excited! We were excited because we wer going to Neyagawa High School that day.But before that we went to the Peace Center.
I find the Peace Center interesting but some times I just got gossebumps. I got to know what actually happened during the war and what they did.I'm just happy that the Japanese realised what they did and regretted.
After the Peace Center, we went to Neyagawa High School.We joined their English lesson and we were put into different groups. I made new friends quickly with them when we were playing Janken(scissors,paper,stone).The guys in my group was really friendly especially when I did not know how to do the origami and they helped out.
We later did our fashion show but we were expecting that we will do it in the hall but we were given a small room but we managed to do it.I'm proud of us.!
Later, we had a had a tea party with the students.I can see that Japanese really wants to keep their tradition alive and they are proud of it.
It was getting late, so we went back to the hostel.

end of day 3

Day4,15November

On that day we woke up really early as we all wanted to avoid the jam to Kyoto.Wa reach Kyoto early but there was still alot of people already there.Then i got to know it was the temple's 100th anniverysary thats the reason alot of the Japanese was not there.From this i know that the Japanese wants to preserve there history and let their younger ganeration know about it. When we were walking to the temple, we saw a few Geisha apprentice and we got to take picture with them.
After we look around the temple, we were allowed to do some shopping. I bought 2 greentea Japanese candy that tasted AWESOME.While walking around, we found Aunty Cindy adn told her that we're hungry.She brought us to a shop which sells noodles. I ate Tempura noodle. It was really nice.
When all of us had gathered,we took the coach and went to Saki City for a tea session.The place was mainly for family to bring their children to teach them about the tea session. Some times families go there for special occasions like anniversaries.
After the tea session we took a walk and went back to the Hostel.

end of day 4

Day 5,16November

The first place we went was the Anime Museum.We got to know the creater of Manga and it was the 100th anniverysary of the comic book.The things inside was really interesting.They showed us about the life of the author.
After that we went to the National Museum.The museum was really interesting.They collect all the artifacts from everywhere and put everything together.We could see all the different culture and what the country has.
We then went to the fish market and get to what they sell. The fishes there were very big the crad also. The crabs are 2 times the size of Singapore crabs. When we were there ,we were allowed to buy sushi. I bought the normal Salmon sushi. It was really nice:)
At night we went to the Osaka castle and took some pictures.The place was really interesting. There was a time capsule in there which is from 1970.This shows that the Japanese wants their future generation to know about their past and not allow thier culture to vanish.
After that we went to the HITACHI Tower. It was their 100th anniversary.I'm impressed with the Japanese as they have built the tower when they got to know about electricity. The tower is also known as teh second Eiffel Tower.We took afew pictures and headed back to the hostel to pack our bags.

end of day 5

* I think the trip to Japan was a really fun experience. I made new friends during the trip and got to know the culture of the Japanese people.

Well, reflection of the Japan trip.....

2008-11-24T00:19:00.000-08:00

Day 1

Today was the arrival of Osaka, Japan. I was really excited and looking forward to the activities that we were going to do during this trip. So, Aunty Cindy went to pick us up at the airport and head to the ramen Museum. When I knew that we could decorate our own cup noodles, I was really amazed. After we ahd finished decorating it, we queued up to choose the seasoning and ingredients which i wanted to add into my cup noodles. After that, I placed my cup noodle into a inflatable bag and tied with a sring so that I can carried it. Then, we went to a Japan restuarant to had our lunch. About 1pm, we reached the Daizaifu Tenmangu Shrine and we walked around that Shrine while Aunty Cindy told us the story and culture of that Shrine. I remembered that the toddlers of age 3, 5, 7 were to pray at that Shrine for their education and get into good university. About 3.30pm, we went to the Natural Disaster Museum. I didnt know that there was such museum. I felt great when i actually tried out the earthquake machine. I was already prepared before started so, I can imagine that those people who were not prepared, would really suffer a lot. After that, we went back to the hostel called Nagai Youth Hostel. It was quite a tiring day because I didnt really sleep on the plane. I was really impressed by their creativity of the museum they had.

Day 2

Today, we went to the ATC which can also called Ageless Centre. I was amazed of what they had invented for the handicapped and elderly people. Like the motorised wheelchair, specialised toilet bowl and the chair that allow elderly people to get up easier. There were also seal that they invented to accompany those elderly and handicapped people when they were bored. I find that they were very thoughtful. After that, we had our lunch in the same building. About 1 something, we went to Nara. At the temple, there were a lot of deers. the horn of the male deer was being cut off because they might hurt people that went there. I saw the Great Buddha in the temple and I heard that that was the biggest Buddha in Japan. I took some picture of it because I find it memorable. After that, when i went out of the temple, I bought some biscuits and fed the deers. We leave Nara at about 4 plus and reached the hostel.Then, we had a last rehearsal for our performance tomorrow. It was rather cold but a new experience of practising in a cold weather. It's quite fun actually. Today was still okay, not really tired. About the ATC, I hope that singapore can import those machine from Japan to Singapore so, the elderly can have a better life than now.

Day 3

Today, we went to the Peace Centre. There was about the World War 1 and 2. I saw some picture of how Japan treated the people of other country when they invaded that country. The scene of those picture was gruesome. I personnally think that Japanese are cruel. There were also some scene of how Germany treated the people of other country when they invaded that country. Well, but as days goes by, I think japanese people had changed. I like their character and politeness. After that, we had our lunch. Then , we went to the high school and we attended an ENglish lesson. we had chance to interact with them which I find it interesting. Then, we ewnt up to a room to perform. But I actually thought that we would perform at the hall and there would be a lot of people watching our performance. There was about 20 plus japanese students came to watch our performance. I was pretty nervous before walking in to the room. They actually did someclapping when we sang 'hoi! hoi!'. I think that it was very encouraging for us. i also think that they enjoyed our performance which was great. After that, we attended the tea ceremony that they were going to show us. It was quite a nice culture. I like it. The tea was still alright. Then, we went back to the hostel. Today was quite a fun day!

Day4

Today, we went to Kyoto. We visited Kyomitsu Temple and the scenary was really nice, the maple leaf was red in colour. I took some picture of the maple leaf. There was a lot of different type of God and I prayed all of them. I wanted to go to the water that symbolise happiness, health and wealth but there were too many people queueing up for the water. So, in the end, we didnt go. We took picture together with maco and also with the yumata. After that, we went for shopping at the same place then headed to a Japan restaurant and had my lunch. After that, we visited the tea museum. We had the same tea but their tea was thicker than the tea that was made at the high school. I think the cultural aspect should be the same as this tea ceremony didnt show us how it was done. They just served us the tea. I like the tea that was made at the high school. We seated there about 20 minutes and continue with some walk around that place. After that, we went back to the hostel. I was overwhelmed of what I had seen today. I missed out something, when we were shopping, we took a look at some stuff in the shop. I actually saw that the staff place it back to the original place neatly and cleanly. I like their cleanliness because they were disciplined.

Day 5

Today, we went to Manga Museum. The person that drew Astroboy was Mr Osamu Tezuka. I actually saw a movie of him. He drew himself and told us what happened when he was young. After that, we went to the National Museum and I saw lots of acient stuffs. I think those stuffs were from Egypt and Mogolia. I think those stuffs were the Red Indian clothings. After that, we went to the fish market and grabbed some food to eat. after that, we went for shopping. There was some reason that I couldnt go for shopping, so I had to sit on the bench and waited for other people until 4 plus. then, we went to Osaka Castle. It was really a nice place to visit. There was a capsule which was going to be dug out after 5000 years. This means I wont be able to see it. I think that it was to see how the things had progressed. Lastly, we went to the Hitachi Tower. At the top floor, I am able to see the bird's eye view of the buildings in Osaka. It was very nice. After that, we went back to the hostel. After the dinner, we had a short briefing and then we went back to our room and packed our things because tomorrow we would be leaving Osaka. TOday was a memorable day for me.

Back from Japan,Osaka

2008-11-21T03:18:00.000-08:00

It has already been 4 days since i came back to Singapore,but the memories etched in my mind seems as though it was just yesterday.I can still remember the places we visited and how beautiful Osaka was.Even the people in Japan are different from Singaporeans,they greet strangers they do not even know,unlike in Singapore.Well,enough of my little speech.It's more interesting to read about my experiences and thoughts.

Day 1(12 Nov 2008)

Upon reaching the Kansai airport,i noticed that it was a little different from Singapore's except for the train we took to the arrival hall.It reminded me of the sky train back in Singapore.We grabbed our luggage and waited for the guide to arrive and pick us up.The guide's name is "Cindy" while the driver is "Mr Nakajima".They were both really friendly.

Our first stop was "The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum".I really liked the museum a lot,they had exhibitions of different ramen noodles in all sorts of packaging.We even got to make out own special instant noodles.We had to disinfect our hands before taking our plain and dull cup for decoration.After decorating,we had to queue up to pack our instant noodles.First was to spin a wheel to ensure that the instant noodle sits nicely into the cup.Secondly,we had to choose between 4 flavour of soup,after choosing the soup we had to 4 ingredients that we wanted to add in.The third process onwards is more or less, packaging.

Our next stop was te Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.It was very peaceful there and i saw the kamikaze god.I dropped a slip of paper with my name and wishes written on it into a box,i also bought a few amulets.

Our last stop for the day was the Abeno Life Safety Learning Center.It was the frist time i experienced an earthquake and learnt what to do when there is harmful smoke.I also found out how much destruction can be caused during an earthquake and what to do when there is an earthquake.

As for lunch,we ate near the City Hall.We do not need to queue for the food as we had to pay for it at the machine and present the ticket to the counter while they prepared it.

The hostel was actually quite nice and i really liked it when I walked around outside and was able to see Japanese practicing dancing,singing,soccer...etc.

Day 2(13 Nov 2008)

we went to the ATC Ageless center.The area was like Singapore's Harbourfront.I saw the different inventions specially invented for the elderly and disable.I really liked the invention of the railing which could kill the harmful germs and bacteria.One of the best invention was something like an automated wheelchair.I fell that it really helps the elderly or disable to get to their destination faster and easier so it is better then the average wheelchair.However,what really made me udnerstand the advancement of Japan's technology was the robot.It understood what people said and it could even reply.Till now i had never seen a real robot like that in any other countries that i had visited.They even had a Hello Kitty version of the robot.I was actually amzed by the robotic seal,Paro-chan.Paro-chan was recognised as having very good therapeutic effects on people.How could a robot seal have such and effect on people?That,I am not very sure.

Then,we went to a temple in Nara which was filled with deers raoming around.I never knew that such a temple existed and i would not have believed it until I saw it for myself.It was alos packed with tourists and the locals themselves.Going further into the temple,there was a statue of the Buddha which was about 12 metres tall.There was also a pillar with a small tunnel.It was also said that whoever managed to pass through it would be reincarnated as a human in their next life with all their sins cleared.I also fed the deers with biscuits and they were very intelligent.Bowing and begging people for more biscuits,i had never seen a deer like that in the Zoological Gardens.being able to be in such close contact with the deers made me feel happy in a way.

We were taught ti greet people that we met and I actually enjoyed doing it as it was really different from Singapore.I liked the way they are so polite to one another,even to strangers.

Day 3(14 Nov 2008)

The weather was really good and the temperature was jsut right.We started our day by heading to the Osaka International Peace Center where lots of previous World War information and exhibits were.Las time,i always thought that the Japanese were very cruel to have killed so many chinese during the war,but after looking at the exhibits and documentaries,my tought changed.The chinese were not the only victioms who suffered during war.The Japanese were also affected and many Japanese were also killed.Thus,I have one conclusion and that is,maintaining world peace is very important.

The highlight of the day was the exchange programme with the students of Neyagawa High School.The principal and vice-principal welcomed us and gave a short speech before showing us around the school.We attended their Enlgish lessons and folded origami.I got to know the Japanese students in my group, although i did not really like it when they were being very careful when communicating with me,I would have preferred then to just talk more and speak their minds.

Next,it was iur turn to let them understand more of our different culture and races in Singapore.At first,I was quite nervous as I was afraid to read the words wrongly,since i was doing the translation,but i started to enjoy myself when i saw how the japanese students enjoyed the fashion show.They went along with us when we sang and it mdae me feel really happy.They clapped and cheered loudly,making me smile from the bottom of my heart.

The tea ceremony was a new experience for me as SIngapore does not have such a tradition.Maybe because i do not really eat sweet food,I felt that the sweet was a little too sweet.Although the tea was a little bitter,i actually liked the taste of it.

Overall,it was a really enjoyable day.

Day 4(15 Nov 2008)

We woke up really early today as we have to head to Kyoto.Kyoto was really different from Nagai.Nagai is quite quiet,with not much crowd around.As for Kyoto,it was a very busy place that was not only packed with people but it was jammed with cars.

Walking towards Kiyomizu Temple,we met a few maikos.I thought they were really nice as they did not reject our request to take photos with them.It also shows they take pride in what they are doing.Feeling proud of our own culture is what the chinese in Singapore lack.Howver,Singapore is still a young country,our history and culture cannot be compared to Japan's.

Just by looking at the entrance of the temple and comapring it with temples in SIngapore,i really feel that they Kiyomizu Temple is really a very sacred and important part of their culture.It shows how much they treausre not only their culture,but also their religion itself.

While shopping at the street,the Japanese really have good service and it left a very good impression in me.They did not hurry us while we did our shopping and left us alone to shop around .We did not really eat lunch except for some ice cream and a stick of mitarashi dango.I was quite embarassed when i bought the mitarashi dango as i made it harder for the man to count.I thought he may be disgusted when i handed him the coins but to my surprise,he did not.Instead,he accepted it gladly.

The last destination was Sakai.We had the chance to enjoy tea at the Sakai City tea House.The tea house was really traditional and it was named Shin-An.Just the existence of the tea house prove that the japanese want to pass down their traditions to the younger generations so that the Japanese culture will not be lost in the future.As the Nintoku's Mausoluem was very near,we walked there and took pcitures outside as we were not allowed to enter.The Nintoku's Mausoluem was there since the fifth century,it goes to show how long Japan's history is.

Day 5(16 Nov 2008)

Today's schedule was really packed.We first went to the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum.I saw all his past works and found out more about him.I also thought that he played a part in making their culture known to people of other countries,just by drawing manga as manga is part of their culture.

Next,we went to the National Museum.There were artifacts from all over the world,I saw the different implements they used.I do not need to travel around the world to understand people of other countries,it was like having the world at the palm of your hands.I really enjoyed looking at the replicas of the mongolian,Japanese and chinese houses.

For lunch,we went to the fish market.As we were craving for sushi,we went on a hunt for sushi.We stopped at a store selling seafood.The salmn sushi i ate was really fresh,different from the ones I ate in Singapore.As for the fish market itself,its also different fromt eh wet market in Singapore.The wet market in Singapore is dirty but the fish market we visited was clean.

The following was one of the best activity of the day.Shopping at Shinsaibashi!It was really crowded,it made me feel like i was packed in a sardine can.People were everywhere and i managed to buy a lot of things.However,the prices of some of the clothes,shoes and accessories I saw were quite expensive compared to Singapore,but i really enojyed myself.

Osaka Castle was a really nice place.The moats prevented assasins from intruding.It was also part of their history.The castle looked a little like a pagoda and it was a good experience as Singapore does not have any castle.Though we did not really enter the castle,the feeling was still great.

The last stop of the day was the Hitachi Tower,although i did not get the chance to go to the 101 tower in Taiwan.At least i went to the top of the Hitachi Tower.The view of Osaka at night was really breathtaking,but i was also able to feel tremors when I was up at the tower.I had never gone to such a tower before and it was my first,maybe even my lasy.

It was the last day of the trip,but i really experienced a lot of new things during the trip.Besides having fun,I also learnt and understood more about the Japanese culture and history.It was a really good experience.

Above was what we did and places we went.I really enjoyed myself.I miss the weather and the delicious food!Maybe even all of Osaka itself.

Mising Japan really badly!

2008-11-20T23:11:00.001-08:00

heyheyhey!Ever since i came back from Japan,i been really sad and disgusted by Singaporeans(no offence).The people there are so polite which Singaporeans lack.The public toilets do not smell if urine and the city is really clean.There are so sweepers to clean the streets.They keep the streets clean themselves.In Singapore,the government employs workers from Bangladesh,India and Sri Lanka to keep Singapore clean and yet Japan is still cleaner than Singapore.If only I could live in Japan.............

DAY 1
We landed in Osaka at 8am.First,we made our way to the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum.We took a tour of the museum.The activity that made me excited was making my own ramen!Not many people get to make their own ramen.We could design the cup.The people in Japan are really friendly.If only we Singaporeans could like them!We went to Daifu Tenmangu Shrine after lunch.It was really beautiful.Visiting Japan for the first time,i saw that the culture was very unique.We then made our was to Osaka City Abeno Life Safety Center.It really shocked me that the Japanese actually built a safety center for natural disasters.I experienced my first 2 "earthquakes".It was really shocking.The impact was really strong.At that moment,i felt sympathy for people who were victims of earthquakes.We then made our way to the hostel where we had a nice dinner.For the first time in my life,i slept before 10pm.

DAY 2
Getting up in the morning was really a chore as i was too tired.Furthermore,the weather was cold.All i wanted to do was to be tucked under a nice warm comforter.We visited the ATC Ageless center.It then hit me that the Japanese do their best to ensure that the lives of the elderly are made easier.After lunch,we made our way to Nara.We visited a shrine.There were deers everywhere.Even though the deers are not trained to be obedient,they did not pester or hurt anyone.When 2 of my friends bought food for the deers,the deers started to head in our direction.I was really scared.Seeing deers for the first time made me think of Christmas which is in about 1 month's time.Also,Jacintha took a bite of the deer biscuit thinking that humans could eat it also.When i told her that it was deer food,the look on the face was priceless!I was laughing so much!If only my camera had not ran out of batteries!

DAY 3
We headed to Osaka Peace Center.I realised that that the Japanese are really honest about what they did during the World Wars.To me,the Japanese really regretted killing many innocent victims.This act changed my view about the Japanese.We had lunch in a typical Japanese Restaurant.There were only chopsticks to use as utensils.I found it really difficult to eat.At one point,I tried to use my chopsticks as a fork and knife to cut the food.It was such a cultural shock and changes my view.In Singapore,I would normally use a fork and spoon to eat rice.But in Japan,the people use chopsticks to eat rice.I found it really difficult but i tried my best.After lunch,we had a school exchange programme.Before entering a building which is found in the school,we had to remove our shoes and wear slippers that had been provided for us.So that was how the Japanese kept their buildings and houses clean.I found this custom really weird but it was part of their culture.Minutes before entering the classroom for the exchange programme,i was hyperventilating and was really nervous.At first,it was really difficult to communicate with the students.But i eventually slowed down the speed of my talking so that the students could understand me.The students taught me how to make origami.no matter how hard i tried,i could not get the hang of making a paper crane.Making origami is one difficult custom which i will never get a hang of.Throughout the exchange programme,i was really nervous.My ears we burning and were red.We performed a fashion show for the students.They were "oohing" and "aahing" when each group came out wearing their traditional costumes.I was really nervous.There were butterflies in my stomach.I just want the performance to finish really fast!!While we were singing,they laughed and clapped along.They lifted up my spirits.We were then taken to a traditional tea ceremony.To tell you the truth,I hate tea.Not wanted to be disrespectful,i gulped down the hot tea.The students who made the tea did it with so much respect and culture.This shows that the Japanese really preserve their culture.I gave souvenirs to the students and took photos with them.

DAY 4
KYOTO!!!It was full of culture and tradition.We saw Geishas.They were really beautiful.The Geishas sacrifice their lives to carry out the traditional customs.They forgo the night lives and skimpy clothing and instead wear the traditional Kimono and make-up.The shrine was so beautiful!The shopping was really great.I learnt that the Japanese eat different types of sweets before drinking tea.I was really confused.There were also many different types of cups for drinking tea.We went to Sakai City.We experienced a tea drinking session.We were given sweets which were too sweet for me.Again,i gulped down the tea.No matter how many times i drink tea,i will still hate tea.NO OFFENCE:D..We then took a stroll in the park.The parks are so beautiful.If only we could find such parks in Singapore.

DAY 5
We first visited the Anime Museum.Even though i am not such a big an of Anime,it was quite interesting.Jac,Sam,Atiqah,Duane,Taufiq and I took cute pictures in a photo booth.At least,i could treasure the memories we had together in Japan.We went to the National Museum after that.At first,it was really boring but we then went to another part of the building.It was really interesting.There were artefacts of different cultures.We went to the fish market.It was better than Singapore's market which is smelly and wet.My friends tried some raw food.I did not eat raw food as i have never eaten raw food and also i was afraid that i would break out in rashes.We went to Dotoyeori to shop and eat lunch.It was exactly like Orchard Road in Singapore.It was filled with people.I really liked it.We went to the Osaka Castle later.The sun was already setting and it was getting dark.The lights were really nice.But sadly,we didn't get a chance to enter the castle.We were outside.We then went to the Hitachi Tower.It was like Japan's Eiffel Tower.For a minute,i felt that i was in Paris!The view was breathtaking.I do not have words to express it.!We made our way to the hostel.I didn't really feel like sleeping as it was the last night.My roommates and i had alot of food to clear,We did not want to bring the food back as it would take up space in the luggage.We stayed up late and had a mini-supper.That was the most memorable night!I truly enjoyed the trip to Osaka.

I could say that i fell in love with Osaka:D ..I also learn how to play blackjack..No more UNO cards for me!

2008-11-20T22:18:00.001-08:00

Man! I can't believe I'm in The Land of the Rising Sun (a.k.a Japan)!

DAY ONE/ICHI :

It was about 8 am/ Osaka GMT. I was ready yet excited to venture into The Land of the Rising Sun. I prepared myself back in Singapore to face the culture of this conservative country of Japan. I expected to see "childish" and "patriotic" humans ; as far as I know about the Japanese from reading those Manga comic books where all the characters are bounded in a world of unrealism.

The airport was too, to my dismay, plain and too "un-japanese". I thought everything in Japan would be high-tech and advanced. I was disappointed though. We met our tour guide, Cindy. She is a Singaporean but she married to a Japanese and had two grown-up children. I was amazed by her enthusiasm to share with us her knowledge of the Japanese culture and history.

Our first visit was too to Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum. Interestingly, we could make our own instant ramen and customize our cup noodles. We were greeted a lot of times "Arigato Gozaimasu". I felt important. The way they treated us here in Japan is very different in Singapore. All Singaporeans do or say is "Thank you - NEXT ORDER!!".

Next was a visit to a shrine located in the heart of the Osaka city. It wasn't a tourist attractionbut Cindy managed to lighten up the atmosphere. I was amazed by the beauty of the the structures. The place was tranquil and the air smelled oriental-ish. It is a wonder that such developed cosmopolitan country like Singapore is located in the south eastern part of Asia surrounded like old and homogeneous countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Phillipines etc..

Next we went to a centre called Osaka City Abeno Life Safety Learning. It was about safety practices during earthquakes. We stood on this machine. When the staff pressed the Start button, the machine shook violently like an earthquake. We had two tries. The second was with a magnitude of 8.4 and that was the magnitude of the Si Chuan Earthquake in China. Well, I felt very sorry for those victims. Here we are, in Singapore, enjoying (and taking everything for granted) the safe life without having to worry about facing any natural disasters.

Sumimasen, you're too kind....

DAY TWO/NI :

I learnt from my Geography lessons that Japan is an aging country. the numbef of seniors exceed the number of children and adults. That's why we were introduced to special facilities and equipments at the ATC Ageless Centre. These novelties (at least to the non-Japanese) are mainly for the seniors and the disabled. These inventions were "fantastically incredible". I realized that the Japanese are very thoughtful and caring bunch. They really respect the elderly, unlike in Singapore.

Their hospitality was excellent too. Like Cindy had mentioned before, the Japanese do not look at the amount of money they would make, it is the good services to the customers that matter the most.

Next was to Nara, to look at the majestic and (very) old temples, They were over a few hundred years old (when the ninjas and samurais are still around). It is absolutely amazing that the Japanese culture is still going strong even in the 21st century.

Kyoto's not bad either

DAY THREE/SAN :

I was getting very excited to meet the Japanese students. At first, we went to the International Peace Centre. They displays the life and times durinf ww2. Honestly, I loathes the Japanese for the war. I thought that they don't deserve any of these luxurious stuff like global recognition but after that visit, my feelings towards them changed.

After that, we finally went to Neyagawa Senior High School. I was so jumpy however, after the experience, well, it wasn't good enough. the studs were not engaging (unlike in Karimun). Talking to them could take days but they got very nice charisma.

after that, we had a tea ceremony in the teahouse downstairs. I felt a strange feeling of tranquility when I stepped inside. we were served with this kind of tea that smelled like seaweed and tasted like bleah! We were also served with this peach-shaped bun with sweet brown filling and it tasted like mooncake. I loved it. The studs that served us were very well-trained. I tried to imagine the Ah Lians from Singapore to serving us. It would be a fiasco!

Tomorrow's the last

DAY FOUR/SHI :

Today is the day we went to one of the oldest state in Japan, Kyoto. I read about it from a comic book. I was eager to find out what was in store for us since Cindy told us thatt we would definitely by amazed by the monuments and its scenery. We're spent half a day there.

I saw three geishas. I was so fascinated by it. I got excited and ran; along with Cindy, to greet them. They looked adorable in a classy way. Anyway, I bought a Yakuta and I think I'm going to wear it during Racial Harmony.

I'm going to miss you Japan ...... a lot!

DAY FIVE/GO :

We went to this museumwhich showcased anime stuffs. Not the Naruto kind of stuffs but those classic ones like Astroboy. I wasn't interested though.

Next, we went to Shinsaibashi. A shopping district equivalent to Orchard Road. The place was extremely packed and this time I got to see Harajuku Girls (a.k.a Female Freaks). They wore very eccentris stuffs. Their boots looked heavy and their hats looked like they can stuff a baby inside. I like their hair though.

The shopping experience was not that good because I was left with less than 2000 yen. I can't buy anything.

Anyway, I was depressed that we are going back tomorrow. I'm going to miss the friendly people of Japan, the extaordinary services, the unforgettable sceneries and the delicious food. Looking back to Singapore, we did not appreciate things and the things we do are careless and ingenuine. I'm quite ashamed.

More than just memories

2008-11-20T10:44:00.000-08:00

Coming back home to Singapore only made me realize just how different the situation and environment at Japan is. While there are lots of good things there, I guess...there are also just as many good things over here. Which is why, I'm glad to be back home, regardless of the hot weather etc.

Day One

We reached Kansai Airport after an exhausting 6-hour flight. Upon entering the place, I felt a mixture of emotions. There were butterflies in my stomach and I could feel myself getting giddy with happiness. I was in Japan!

A picture taken at the Instant Ramen Museum of Taufiq and I.

The Momufuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum was our first stop and it deserved to be. It showed us how passionate the Japanese were and made me start thinking the attitude of Singaporeans. Where was our passion? Did we even have any? Just one look at the faces of the Japanese working there showed me their passion and their love for what they were doing.

After our trip to the ramen museum, a few of my friends and I had our lunch at this ramen restaurant. The first restaurant that we had approached only took half of the whole group despite the fact that they had more than enough seats. We later found out that it was due to the fact that they did not want to turn down/disappoint their regular customers. Hearing this reminded me onc again of the Japanese's passion as they were not concerned or bothered by the idea of earning more money.

Photos taken at the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.
Our trip to the shrine showed me how religious they were. I realized that they are also very proud of their religion and also culture. We were lucky to be able to see a few Japanese dressed up in their traditional costume in the shrine. Throughout our walk through the streets, we passed by a few shrines. It was like as though the Japanese wanted to share every aspects of themselves(mainly religion and culture) with us.

Our last trip of the day was to Osaka City Abeno Life Safety Learning where we learnt about earthquakes. We were brought to a room that had a machine that could simulate earthquakes. Our first experience frightened me and most of my friends. The Szechuan one was really bad, even though it lasted only for 5 minutes or less. All of us were screaming our head off and clutching tightly onto the handrails. Experiencing it by myself gave me an insight into how the Szechuan earthquake victims felt and made me look at things in a new light. I felt fortunate and lucky to be living in Singapore.

At the end of the day, I felt really exhausted. Basically, being in Japan made me extremely happy. And this was only day one.

Day Two
It took quite some time for my roomates(Atiqah, Amar, Jac and Xi Yu) and I to fall asleep and so, we ended up talking all the way until 1am. Waking up in the morning was a real drag becaue all of us still felt tired. Nevertheless, we managed up to get up. Even as tired as I was, stepping out of the hostel and breathing in the cold Japanese air made me felt alive and refreshed. It was even better than coffee!

Top: Picture of Tau and I outside! Bottom: A specially designed toilet bowl to help the disabled/aged.
We went to the ATC Ageless Centre and I found out how advanced the technology at Japan is and also how concerned they were about their aging population. An example of the things that we saw there can be seen in the picture above! :)

After that, we had lunch at a restaurant nearby. Despite our communication difficulties, we still enjoyed our lunch. Eating at Japan exposed us to the various Japanese cultures.

Top: Pretty!
Bottom: The deers roaming around.

Afterwards, we transferred to Nara City and went for sightseeing. At the temple we visted, deers were roaming around freely. At first, it was interesting to see them but after a while, I got a little freaked out. On our way back, the deers started crowding around us so Jac, Amar and I started running like crazy. I knew that I learnt nothing from running away from the deers but at that moment, I felt really scared.

After returning to the hostel and packing up, we walked around the shops and cafes located opposite of our hostel. Seeing all the bright neon lights and enjoying the chilly weather made me feel really at peace. It even made me felt like not wanting to go back to Singapore because just the thought of the sweltering heat and scorching sun made me feel disgusted.

Day Three
Today was the day that I looked forward to most. We visited the Osaka International Peace Center and I managed to learn quite a lot of stuff there.

Top: Osaka International Peace Centre.
Bottom: Jac and Amar posing with one of the exhibits inside.
The subject of World War II was not unfamiliar to us as we have learnt a lot about it before in History/Social Studies but reading and finding out about the events through the Japanese's eyes proved to be interesting. The Peace Center was very informative and contained many pieces of precious war artefacts. I read a lot f anecdotes and watched videos.

We had lunch at Neyagawa Shokudo and it was an interesting experience. I really love Japanese food!

After our lunch, we headed to Neyagawa Senior High School for the school exchange program. This was the part that I was looking forward to the most. We arrived there and received a hearty welcome from the Principal and Vice-principal which made me feel somewhat appreciated. The school was not as modern as our own school but it definitely felt more "home-y". It was as though everybody was a family.

I was really nervous and my heart was beating extremely fast. The fact that the Japanese students were anticpating us made me even more nervous. My first encounter with a Japanese student was when one of them greeted me really warmly outside the classroom. I felt so warm and happy like as though as though some celebrity that I liked had given me a handshake or shot me a smile. I was at loss of what to do, and alarms bells were ringing loudly inside my head. At the same time, I was so excited at the opportunity of meeting new friends.

In the end, I was assigned to a rowdy group of handsome boys. It was hard to communicate with them because they knew very limited english but I still had a great time with the four of them. They were enthusiastic and very lively. It then dawned on me how friendly the Japanese were. It was a real pity that all of us didn't managed to take pictures with them but I'm glad that I managed to exchange emails with them.

Our experience at the Tea Ceremony further proved their friendliness, as they were extremely willing to take pictures with us.

Group photos! :D
On my way back on the bus, I thought about everything that had happened and felt really happy that I went to Japan.

Day Four
As a group, we decided to make a visit to Kyoto on the early morning of Day Four. Our trip to Kyoto was long and ardous but was worth it in the end. Upon stepping out of the bus, we were greeted with beautiful scenery. The whole street was bustling with excitement and so full of life.

We were also lucky enough to encounter three geishas n our way to the temple. Seeing them thrilled me because I have read a little bit about geishas and it was exciting to see them in real life. The geishas were frefined and polite just like the other Japanese I've encountered. Their hair and makeup were meitculously dioneup and every bit of their appearance spoke about the hard work and time put into it.

The three beautiful Geishas!
Our visit to the temple provided me with yet another opportunity to understand the culture and customs of the Japanese. It was also a nice coincidence that we visited the temple on it's 100th year anniversary.

The beautiful temple.
The temple was beautifully aged and it had a lot of visitors. Thinking about all the places that I've visited over the past three days made me think of our Singaporean culture and the way we react towards our own traditional customs. I was then I realized how we have been constantly 'rejecting' our culture/religion instead of being like the Japanese and embracing them with pride.
Our next stop was to a Tea house where we were given the chance to practice the skills we learnt during the Tea Ceremony in the Senior High school. After that, we headed to a park nearby to relax as we had finished our supposed activities for the day.
Day Five

Today was the last day in Japan and I was feeling optimistic about the intensive shopping that we were going to do. We headed to the Manga museum first and I managed to see many different pieces of art work. I was really fascinated because this was my first time going to a Manga museum.

Pictures taken at the Manga Museum.
Our next stop was to the National Museum which housed a collection of marvellous art works as well as artefacts. Even though I barely had any idea what the potraits were talking about, I still couldn't help but feel a deep love for them as there was some significance in the artwork and its history.

The artefacts held at the other building was much more interesting, as they had amny different countries' culture all together in one place. For example, the Mongolians, the Koreans, the Indians etc.

After our trip to the Museum, we headed to Shinsaibashi, a very crowded dshopping distract that had many interesting shops. Our alst two trips of the day were held whe the sky was dark and it was interesting because we have never gone out at night.

We headed to Osaka Castle. Even though we did not manage to enter teh castle, it was really nice seeing the lights and the beautiful scenery.

Picture of the Osaka Castle from far.

Our last trip was to the Hitachi tower, where we managed to get an amazing view of the city and an even amazing one if we were to use the binoculars.

Top: The Hitachi Tower
Bottom: Picture of Tau, Me and Jac inside the Hitachi Tower
Seeing all these made me felt like I belonged and was a part of Japan.

And just like Amarpreet, I think I fell in love with Osaka. :)

Back In Singapore (Jac Jac)

2008-11-20T09:27:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm glad to be back in Singapore. Japan was fun but sadly, it never felt like home. Maybe if I packed my family and friends in my luggage next time to Japan, then it will start to feel like home. I guess it's the people and not the place that defines the word home for me.

Back to the trip. Day 1, I remembered clearly was a refreshing experience. We reached the airport, headed to the Instant Ramen Factory, made our own cup noodles and then to the Daizaifu Tenmangu Shrine. It was a refreshing experience since Japan's weather felt foreign to me and the people there were much different than the locals. Our last stop was at the Safety Learning Center where we experienced the feeling of having an earthquake and had a wake-up call.

Day 2 wasn't as tiring as Day 1 because I managed to get some shuteye. We paid a visit to the ATC Ageless Center and learnt about how Japan deals with their aging population. Many interesting devices that tend to the needs of the eldery were introduced to us. Next up was the trip to Nara for sightseeing. There were lots of deers roaming around and it freaked me out a little because I have never experienced anything like that before. I ate deer food because I held the thinking that it was biscuits for us, people. Definitely a bad experience.

Waking up was a chore on Day 3 and our first trip was to the International Peace Center. I felt sad and sympathetic watching the videos of the mass slaughter and the texts about the war victims. We had lunch at Neyagawa Shokudu and the bus driver helped me out with the purchasing of my lunch and I'm very grateful. We headed to the school for the exchange programme next. Different groups were assigned to a class. While we were waiting outside the class, I could feel my heart beating hard against my chest. I had never felt this excited and nervous for such a long time. The wait wasn't long and we were welcomed by the enthusiastic roars of the Japanese students. We had to sit with the opposite gender so I was placed in an all-guys group. The guys in my group were real nice and shy (in my words, cute). We exchanged emails and spent about an hour in the classroom before performing in our traditional costumes. The performance ended up better than expected and the tea ceremony later made us feel at home. The whole day was real tiring but worth it.

The fourth day was the trip to Kyoto. We paid a visit to the shrine first before doing our shopping. I finished my souvenir shopping for my friends and got a few items for myself. I took lots of Polaroids with my friends and the place. It was a great experience.

The final day was alright. We went to the Anime Museum. It was nice to know that the Japanese are passionate in whatever they have or do. The place was filled up with Astroboy and Black Jack figures and it was filled up with all the anime cartoons that it didn't feel like a museum anymore. The following trip was to the National Museum. It was not as interesting since I wasn't interested in any of the display items except for Andy Warhol's artpiece. The time we spent there wasn't long before we set off for Shinsaibashi and then to the Osaka Castle. Lots of photos were being taken before we returned to the hostel.

Anyway, I'm keeping in contact with one of my sempais there and it makes the feeling of being at Singapore more surreal because everywhere I go, I'm somehow reminded me of some event at Japan or something that can be only found at Japan. I'd miss you guys.

second of japan trip

2008-11-20T06:01:00.000-08:00

We woke up at 8.00am on the second day.It was so difficult to get out from the warm bed, but i really felt the presence of autumn.
Eating breakfast, which was rice and chicken in the morning was strange for me .As i normally drink milk as breakfast.We visited ATC ageless center by coach. I was amazed by the advanced technology.The wheelchair was refitted with motor,the disable could use it more conveniently and easily.They just needed to push a button and the wheelchair would move forward or move backward.All kinds of movable toilet seats were incredible.The elderly and the disabled could enjoy their high quality of live and could live by their own easily.The ATC showed how the japanese care about their senior citizents,it also gave me a lot of ideas solving aging population.It was different from the knowledge from the text books. I could experience the difficulty of the elderly and handicapped people. we had our lunch at ATC i saw a group of girls at the table beside us in the restaurant.They wore uniforms but with make-up .i thought they should be high school students ,i became interested in the education in Japan.
After one and a half hour of journey by bus, we arrived in Nara and went to the Todaiji temple.It was brilliant.The temple has 48.74m high with two gold angles on top.The wild deers walked around with our visiters. They were friendly and cute.One of the deers could bow and it looked very funny.
We had our dinner at the hostle and took a walk in the park beside the stadium.Beside shopping, i observed more about the daily life of japanese .They ride bicycle to school or to work.The japanese were polite and kind.When i stood at the side of road ,waiting for the bicycle to pass, the people riding the bicycles bowed to me.When i walked across the japanese,they bowed to say'hello' in japanese to me,'komichi wa'

Japan Trip

2008-11-20T05:29:00.000-08:00

12 Nov 2008

Today was the first day of our Osaka Educational Trip.We arrived at Osaka Kansai International Airport.At 8.05am,we met Aunty Cindy at the airport.She was the guide.After that,we took the coach.to go to the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum.Where all of us wanted to go.Inside there,we followed Aunty Cindy to the place where we could make instant noodle for ourselves.I saw there were a lot of visitors.I think the Japanese love Ramen very much.We were broken into three groups.Our group members are Meng Qing, Dan,Atiqah,Barathan,Gabriel and I.We sat togetherand decorated our own cup noodles.My cup noodle was decorated by me at was not very well-down,though.Then,we went to stand in a queue to wait to put the noodle and condiments into our cup.I chosed curry,corn,shrimp,dry pork and kelp for my condiment.The workers of the Ramen Museum helped us to seal up our cup and I made a plastic ballon bag for my cute cup noodle.We would not have the heart to eat our cup noodle, so we went to the Japanese restuarant to have our lunch.That was our first meal in Japan.

After our lunch,we went to Dazaifu and visited the Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine.We prayed for good results there.And I bought three bells which were supported to bring happiness and luck.

Around 3.30pm,we went to the Osaka City Abeno Life Safety Learning Center.We experienced the earthquake machine.I was impressed with that .I felt mored as an earthquake had happened in Schuan in China.But the Japanese uses high-technology to control the effect of the earthquake.We checked into the Nagai Youth Hostel around 6.30pm.The environment around the hostel is very good.The young Japanese do their activities at the stadium.

Our dinner was sumptuous.We had Japanese Rice,fried chicken and salad.We also had dessert.After the dinner,around midnight,we went to sleep.

13 Nov 2008

7am,the temperature of the room is very low.I could not wake up from my bed.We had our breakfast at the hostel.Around 8.30am,we left the hostel and carried on our journey in Japan.During the 2 hours travel on the bus,I fell in asleep.When we reached the ATC Ageless Center,the officers of the center were very glad to see us.I was very surprised when I saw the motorised wheelchairs.When I tried thenormal wheelchair,I have some trouble that elderly and handicapped also experience.But the Japanese uses high-tech to help them.I think they will have an easier life when they use the high-tech machines.The Japanese cares about the old people lives and psychology.Their action makes us think about ourselves.We need to do some self-reflection about caring for elderly.

After visiting the ageless center,we had lunch before we went to Nara City.When we reach Nara City,we visited a shrine.There were many deers in the park.The Japanese thinks the deers can bring luck for them.They show a lot respect for the deers.Many students went to visit the shrine every month.They come here to pray for their result and study.Although the students are very modern,they are respectful of their religion and culture.

When we left the shrine,it was late.We went back to our hostel.I felt tired and hungry.We had our dinner and went to our rooms to rest.

14 Nov 2008

As usual,we woke up around 7am.We had our breakfast and continued our journey.The sunshine of the day was radiant and enchanting.The first place we visited was the Osaka International Peace Cente.I am from China,so when we talk about World War II,we always have negative view of the Japanese.When I visited the Peace Center,I still think like that.I think this kind of thinking is in our blood,brain and heart.The war was very terrible and it brought a lot of pain for the people.They were innocent,but they still lost their lives because of the war.So peace is very important.I felt depressed after visiting the Peace Center.

We had our lunch in a typical Japanese restautant.After that,we walked to Neyagawa High School to do the school exchange programme.That in an old and traditional school.I could smell the mildew when I walked into the buildings.The principal brought us to their meeting room to do the welcome speech.When we reached the building,we needed to take off our shoes and change into slippers.That is difference with other countries.That is part of their culture.We joined their English lesson.The students are very politely and smart.Although their English is not very good,they tried their best to talk with us.After that,we had our performence.I was very surprised when I found out we had to do the performence in the meeting room.That disrupted our old plan.But we still tried our best to do the performence.The Japanese students were enjoying our show and singing.They were waving their hands together when we were singing.

After the performence,we went to visit the tea club of the school.We had a tea ceremony.I am very interested in the tea ceremony of Japan.Although the tea culture is from China,the Japanese used another way to show respect in the ceremony.

After the tea ceremony,we exchanged email and took photoes with each other.They will visit Singapore next year.I hope to see them next year.

15 Nov 2008

We visited Toyto today,we went to the Kiyomizu temple.When I saw the view in the park.I felt amazing and suddenly I missed my hometown.The trees on the moutain changes red and yellow during the autumn,we saw three maicos on street.The clothes they wore are very beautiful.The Japanese proud for their culture.They are very modern,in another hand,they are very traditional.They never give up their traditional culture.I think we should look back and carry on our culture.There has many shops.I bought some gifts for my friends and parents.The Japanese is very mindful for their service.Aunty Cindy always say that in Japan,money can not buy anything.After visited the Kiyomizu temple.We went to the Sakai City Tea House,we experienced the tea ceremony again.Aunty Cindy said that the Japanese love tea very much.When we reach there,we saw a family in the room drinking the tea.They brought their children too.I can see the Japanese want to pass down the tea culture to their coming generation.That is the tradition of this country.

After we have drunk the tea,we went back to the hostel and took a rest.

16 Nov 2008

Today was our last day in Japan.Today would be a hectic day.Firstly,we went to the National Museum of Ethnology.When I went into the museum,I was very surprised that the museum collected a lot of artifacts from other countries.The Japanese not only emphasize their own culture,they also want to know and learn about other countries'culture.There were many different tranditional clothes and implements from different countries.

After visiting the museum,we went shopping.Everyone waited for that for so long.We went to Chinchabashi to take a look and I bought a lot things for myself and my family.

Oh! I forgot to mention the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum.In Japan,everyone know about Manga.This museum was established to give juveniles dreams and hopes for the fulture.The Japanese think the comic is not only for fun,that shows the Japanese hopes for peace in the world.

Around 6pm,we went to the Hitachi Tower.The night view is so beautiful.In the tower,there was a statue called Tsutenkaku.Today is his 100years old birthday.The Tsutenkaku can bring good luck for people.The Tsutenkaku has a happy smile on his face.He looks so peaceful.I think that is why Japanese think he is a good sign.When we went back to the hostel,I felt very exhausted.We started packing our luggage and rested early,because tomorrow,we will wake up around 5.45am.

first day of japan trip

2008-11-20T05:27:00.000-08:00

we arrived at Japan kansai Airport in the morning at aroud 8.00am.i was visiting singapore for the first time.i was extremely axcited.We took plenty of pictures.the temperature was quite low .The cool wind blowed on my face and chased away ,my tiredness.
The first place that we went to was Ramen museum. We made our own instant noodles and visited the procesof making a cup of noodles.It was interesting.i designed the surface of the cup by drawing three small cute cartoons.
At the lunch time,i chose the beef-rice set as my lunch .It was delicious.The rice was different from the rice i ate in Singapore,which was savoury.I got a little sence of what japanese tanditional food is.
The next station that we went was Dazaifu.We visited the Dazaifu Tenmanu shine.I prayed for my studies and my parents' safety.i brought several amulets for my family menber as souvenirs.
The most impressive activety was experiencing earthquake.Even though held the handle as tightly as i could, i could still feel like falling down.I could image how terrible the people would suffer during the disaster .It reminded me about the earthquake which happened in Sichan China recently. i think although we cannot avoid the disaster ,we can try to decrese the effect it can cause .i think Japan did it ,they invented the advanced technology which prevents disasters and keep people in safety.
After the visiting , we reached our hostel which was located in the Osaka Shiritsu stadium.called Nagai Youth hostel.We had our dinner there.The first night was boring ,as i was tired and went to bed early around 9.30pm. however,i enjoyed having firends around to sleep with me.We said 'good night' and good wishes to each other before we went to bed.I did nt feel lonely or scared.I treasured the rare chance to spend time with friends.

mengqing

BACK FROM JAPAN!!!!!!

2008-11-19T04:53:00.000-08:00

12 NOV 2008

After the long 6 hour flight freom Singapore where i hardly s;ept in, we reached Kansai airport at around 7.45am, I was soo very excited for i couldn't wait to see whwt was instore for us.The first site we visited was the Ramen Museum.It was also very cold eventhough the sun was shining soo very brightly. Upon reaching the ramen museum, I could smell the aroma of the ramen from outside of the museum also and it was even better smelling from the inside of the museum itself.Ramen was basically instant noodles just that they were better looking than those in singapore. We were told by our guide, aunty Cindy that we would be doing our own Ramen packing also, and it was quite fun actually eventhiugh i thought i was goin to be quite boring. After our exciting visit to the Ramen museum, we went to have our very first lunch in JAPAN.Their food were all very AWESOME but very filling at the same time. I also found out that the japanese people have very good manners and very good attitude, they would even help strangers that they really don't even know and thats a very good thing to do.So in the overall you could say that Japanese people are very caring respectful. After our very filling lunch we headed to the shinto shrine. It was a very interesting visit to the rather old temple which was located in the middle of the city. There were other different types of shrines in side of it and even though i did not pray to them due to my religion it was a rather nice cultural experience. The last site was the Natural Disaster Museum where we really got a awesome experince of a real EARTHQUAKE, i really loved the experience. After that it was back to our hostel.

13 NOV 2008

we started the second day with a visit to the ATC ageless centre. I thought that the visit was going to be a rather boring time but it turned out to be quite interesting and educational at the same time with all their unique designs of things to help the old in japan and make their life more comfortable and I am also thinking of using some of the ideas i got from the visit in my design and technology next year.

After luch we were off to NARA, a long way from OSAKA. It was a awesome site when we arrived there with soo many deers just wandering around not caring about the presents of us humans amongst them, it was soo surprising and they were very tamed.But the main attraction wasn't the deers but a 200 year old temple placed deeper inside of the area which was huge and beautiful. After visiting the interior of the temple, we were given an hour of free time where i decided to go feed the deers with the deer food which was being sold in the temple compound itself. It was fun but very irritating when u start feeding one the rest of the deers start surrounding u and just grab the crackers from your hands.After that visit it was already late and when we reached our hostel we had our dinner and had an early night.

14 NOV 2008

Today we first went to the PEACE centre close to OSAKA castel. It was a centre about the aftermath of the WORLD WAR 2 which was a rather sad war with lots of bloodshed of innocent people and also the regrets of the Japanese people on bringing the war to the world. After that very interesting visit to the peace centre we were off to have our very filling lunch.

Next we were to the place where every single one of us could not wait to go , the NIAGAWA school, we attended an english lesson with the japanese students there and then we had a cultural clothes fashion show where after we went for a tea ceremony and then we were back again in the hostel to have a night for tomorrow.

balthazar in japan!!

2008-11-18T20:12:00.000-08:00

Day 1: We reached Kansai airport in Osaka japan at 7am.I was so excited when we reached japan.The weather in japan is so nice and cold , it was a break from Singapore weather.Our tour guide aunt Cindy brought us to the momofuku ramen noodles museum which was very interesting.We got the chance to make our own instant ramen cup noodles.The Japanese food we had for lunch tasted very unique.We visited a shrine and the natural disaster center where we got to experience a earthquake first hand through the earthquake simulation machine. We also learnt about the aftermath of an earthquake and the natural disasters japan experiences.After which we checked into our hostel, Nagayi youth hostel to be specific. Thats about it for day one in japan ! (:

Day 2 : Its the second day of the japan trip. We started of the day by visiting the ATC ageless center. I was touched by the thought that the Japanese government actually care so much for the well being of their elderly. In the ATC ageless center i saw many inventions which enabled the elderly to live their life with ease, for example the battery powered scooter is a substitute for the wheel chair.After visiting the ATC ageless center we proceeded to Nara city to visit the 200 year old temple which housed the giant Buddha. In the temple many students had gathered to pray for their studies, not only that but i observed that they sell charm in the temple which told me that the Japanese are superstitious. The temple was also home to free roaming deers which was new to me because the only deer i have ever seen are at the zoological gardens.Soon after we retired to the youth hostel and called it a night.

Day 3: Third day in japan. We went to the Osaka International Peace Center.It was a war.While in the peace center ,i realized something war bring about bloodshed and that preserving the peace is indeed an important task. After that we moved on to Neyagawa city. Once there we had lunch and than went to Neyagawa high school which was a 100 years old . We also got a chance to interact with the Japanese students at the school in their English class . The Japanese students were very polite and hospitable. After that we performed a fashion show, where we displayed our multi ethnic diversity through a stunning display of traditional costumes, which the Japanese students enjoyed very much. After the fashion show we were invited to take part in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony . the unique tasting tea was nothing like i had ever tasted before in my life. Thats pretty much what happened in day three. (:

Day 4 : Today we had to wakeup earlier than usual as we had to go to Kyoto which was really far away. At Kyoto we visited the Kiyomizu Temple, as we were walking to the temple we spotted a three geisha s . I was quite surprised that they were not reluctant to take photos with us. The view of the temple entrance was mesmerizing, the temple was more than a thousand years old, this shows us how long the Japanese history is compared to ours.For lunch i ate oo dong (I am not sure how to spell it so excuse my mistake).After lunch we continued to a Japanese tea house, where we were given a chance to drink so Japanese green tea ( i think not to sure what th name of the tea was) which tasted similar to that which we were given at the tea ceremony in the school. On our way back to the hostel we visited a panchinko place , it was like the Japanese version of the jackpot machine. Those were the highlights of day 4 .

Day 5: We started of the day going to the Japanese manga museum instead of the fish market due to sudden change in weather .In the manga museum we learnt about the creator of manga Osamu Tezuka. We also got a chance to watch some of the creators famous manga , the philosophy behind every manga the creator created really impressed me.Next we went to the National Museum.There were artifacts from all over the world, i saw the different tools used by the people in the past to do all sorts of things . After that we went to the fish market where i got to try sahshimi which tasted nice ,it being the first time tasting sahshimi .Then we went shopping at one of the central districts of Osaka Shinsaibashi, which was extremely crowded , i almost got lost in the crowd it was overwhelming ,but despite that i managed to buy some mementos of Japan. We went to Osaka castle which was very majestic as it was truly a sight to behold. Then we went to the Hitachi tower which was one of the tallest towers in Osaka. It was the equivalent of the Singapore flyer the view from the tower was breathtaking and something i will never forget.

I take this trip as a learning experience, i have learnt much from this trip to japan and wish to share my experiences in japan with Singapore. Though i am happy to be back in Singapore a part of me still misses japan .... especially the weather and food in japan. :)

Japan Trip! We're back in Singapore!

2008-11-18T04:40:00.000-08:00

Day 1 - 12th November 2008

It has been a wonderful day. Last night everyone gathered together at Changi Airport in Terminal 3. It was my first time going to T3, so i was really excited and happy especially going to Japan with all my friends. Although i did not sleep well on the flight, i managed to get enough sleep. At 12 midnight all my close friends wished me 'Happy Birthday!', it made me really glad.

When i first arrived at Osaka Kansai International Airport, i was really fascinated by Osaka,Japan. What i heard about Japan is really true, for example, their eating habits, living in flats, food...e.t.c. Cindy, our tour guide, was real nice and friendly, it was fun having her as our tour guide.

Our first destination was The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum. We got to see the history of ramen and got to make our own ramen. We got to design the cup noodle, choose the soup and ingredients, seal it and pack it. It was a whole new experience, making it a really enjoyable one. For lunch we got to go and buy our own. At this shop we had to place our order at a machine and we also needed to press another button for coins. It was a totally fascinating experience.

Our next stop was the Dazaifu Tenmanga Shrine. It was my first time seeing a Japanese shrine. We got to see some statues of gods. We got to drink "holy" water, saw some kids celebrating a festival with their family and taking photographs. It was really cute seeing them all dressed up in their yukata and other traditional costumes. We saw lots of wooden blocks hung up on a wall with the people's wishes written on them. I heard of this before so it felt "cool" to see them in real life. I also got to buy some lucky charms.

The final destination for the day was Osaka City Abeno Life Safety Learning Center. I had never expected it to come true but we managed to experience an earthquake simulation, smoke rooms, safety procedures on what to do in an earthquake and got to see the aftermath of an earthquake in a town/city. It was fun although not, if it was real. Now i can really sympathise with those that have experience an earthquake.

After the trip to the Osaka City Abeno Life Safety Learning Center, we went to check in at the Osaka Municipal Nagai Youth Hostel. We had to take off our shoes and trade it for a pair of specially prepared slippers to wear in the hostel. Even the toilet had it's own slippers for us to wear. Everyone had to get their own locker keys, pillow cases, bedsheets to make our own beds. It is really different sleeping in a hostel compared to a hotel. Overall it was an interesting new experience. Being tired, after a long day out, everyone went to bed early.

P.S I love the Japanese meals at the hostel!. I also learnt to sayhello and goodbye in Japanese. I even learnt how to ask for the bill and i got to take some really nice pictures!

Day 2 - 13th November

Today, we woke up quite early and had a delicious breakfast in the hostel. Our first destination was the ATC Ageless Center. Everyone took some nice pictures outside before going in. We got to see the innovative ideas the Japanese have to cope with their ageing population. For example, they have convenient vehicles to move about in, chairlifts to go up stairs, move the elderly/disabled into bathtubs, lift the elderly into the car, chairs that help us to sit down on the floor, cups, forks and spoons that were conveniently made for easy use, special toilets and robots. For example the cute Paro-chan, a seal-like therapeutic pet robot.

Next, we went sight-seeing in a temple with lots of deers roaming about, which are said to have been sent by the gods to guard the temple. Most of the deers had their anthlers cut off for the safety of the people. At the temple, i saw lots of Buddha statues and his disciples. I saw a hole in one of the pillars with some elementary students crawling through it and it is said that when you enter through the hole you will be reincarnated as a human in your next life with all your sins cleared. We got to take lots of pictures and feed the deers. It was an overall good experience as i am a Catholic and do not really know the buddhist religion.

At night, we got to go shopping in the nearby stores and shops near the hostel. we got to shop at a 100 Yen shop! It was a whole new experience and i got to eat takoyaki, which was delicious. We got lost for awhile, while trying to find our way back to the hostel, before finding our way again, but it was a fantastic night walk and i had a wonderful time.

Day 3 - 14th November

Today, our first destination was Osaka International Peace Cenre. I learnt about the history of the war and saw some gruesome pictures which almost spoilt my day. It made me feel sorry for the victims but it made me more knowledgeable. There were lots of casualties and deaths. I also learnt lots of meaningful virtues about protecting our ecosystem.

Our next stop was the Neyagawa High School for the school exchange programme. Each group was assigned to a class. Each person was assigned to a specific group in the class. My group had four people and their names are Yuki, Moeko, Tomoki and Kanta. We each introduced our names, birthdays, favourite food, favourite sports and hobbies. I had to discuss a little about my country and play Jan! Ken! Pon! also known as Rock! Paper! Scissors!

I was taught to communicate with them as they were more used to speaking Japanese. Although we had difficulty communicating i could feel that the Japanese classmates i was with were very open and friendly. I could see that they were trying very hard to communicate with me and in the end, i also learnt how to fold origami. Learning the art of origami was unexpectantly fun as usually i do not like doing handicrafts yet i mangaed to make a Japanese Ninja weapon with could change into a ring! Cool right? Well at least i though so. As we were in a rush i was not able to get their email and their pictures. I soon deeply regretted it right after especially when i think of not being able to communicate with them again even though i really liked them and was starting to become good friends with them.

Afterwards we had to perform our fashion show and the venue was a small room which we had not expected. Regardless, everyone played their part and everything went unexpectantly well.

After our performance, we had a traditional tea ceremony. We ate a sweet snack shaped like a sakura leaf and learnt how to properly drink the tea from the bowl. It was a whole new experience and it made me feel so excited. I really appreciated the tea ceremony and the Japanese students showing their tradition to us and also spending time to make snacks and tea. Everyone exchanged email addresses and took pictures at the end of the ceremony.

Later when we went back to the hostel, we had dinner and the teacher brought some of us downstairs to the stadium grounds to take a stroll. It was really something different as the Japanese teenagers could hang out in groups and dance, skateboard, cycle, play soccer and squash. In Singapore, we are not allowed to do that at night. It was fun and trilling to watch them do their thing and practice while we also talked among ourselves alittle at the same time.

It got quite late and everyone headed back to the hostel for a good night's rest.

Day 4 - 15th November

Today, we woke up earlier to go to Kyoto which was not in our itinerary.

We went to the Kiyomizu Temple which had just reached it 1000th anniversary. The temple was built on wooden planks. There were no nails used. We must take into account their hard work, they have maintained it well. We also saw a love stone and statues and that made me think that they were quite superstitious. Also along the streets to the Kiyomizu Temple there were quite a few "maiko" or apprentice Geisha, wearing the traditional kimono.

They really must have it hard as i can't imagine myself wearing a tight kimono and the clogs, as i'll surely trip and embarass myself. Though i do find it impressive that they have managed to keep and continue their traditions even with the younger generation. It really showed how much pride and confidence they have in themselves, their culture and traditions. After spending 4 days here, i really respect their traditions and culture. The Japanese are molded into disciplined people with good character.

After viewing the temple, we got to shop in the streets. We managed to sample some of their snacks which were delicious. We also tasted some mitarashi dango and ice-cream. While shopping, the Japanese shop owners were very kind and polite to us which is really good service.
This experience was quite different from the temples we visited before as there were fewer people in those temples. This was fun and crowded.

Next, we went to Sakai City for some Japanese Tea. This time round i knew how to drink it properly so i found it wonderful. Also, their snack was different from the tea ceremony in school, but it was delicious.

We later walked around a park and took some nice photographs. Next we went to Nintoku's Mausoleum which was shaped like a key-hole. It was huge but we couldn't go inside which was such a pity. Especially when you think of how much history there is in there that you can explore.

Lastly, we walked around the streets near our hostel again and since we went earlier we got to see more shops opened, before heading back to the hostel to do our reflections and finally heading to bed.

Day 5 - 16th November

Today was a busy day. Our first destination was the Anime and Manga Museum or Tezuka Osamu Memorial Hall. I felt that i got to know the artist better. It was a fantastic experience as i am a fan of anime and manga.

Our next stop was the National Museum. We saw lots of portraits and artifacts. But personally i preferred the artifacts. It had shown me more about the way of life of the people of the past. All their different religions, clothes, footwear, tool, implements, music, food and housing. It was a really intriguing and educational experience. Since this was one of the biggest collection and variety of artifacts that i have seen.

We later went to a fish market. There were a variety of seafood and huge giant crabs. We got to snack there and eat sushi. After our snack we went shopping around the Namba area and Shinsaibashi. It was a wonderful experience to witness up close the crowded streeets of Osaka. I got to shop and buy lots of items. I felt tired at the end of it and i especially agreed with Ben when he mentioned that it was a real " shop till you drop" kind of experience.

Our next destination was the Osaka Castle. We got to take lots of pictures of it and the Time Capsule. It was getting quite late by then so we could not go into the Osaka Castle and instead rushed to our final destination of the day, The Hitachi Tower. At the Hitachi Tower, we got to take lots of wonderful pictures of Osaka City night view. It was really fantastic as we got to see a good view of the city at night.

After a long and tiring day, we went back to the hostel to have an early night and pack our bags to go home the next day.

Day 6 - 17th November

We had to wake up early to get to the airport for our flight. Today would be our last morning in Japan.

We took some more pictures with our liittle time left in Japan and said our goodbyes to our tour guide and bus driver. Everyone got to spend all their remaining money at the airport. I got to buy more gifts and snacks. I even got to buy some onigiri! It was really delicious. Before meeting at the gate and entering the plane.

In the plane, i got more sleep after our long and tiring trip. Though i wished it would be longer but it would also be more expensive. But i knew that i had enjoyed our trip and the memories i made there with my teachers and friends with forever be imprinted in my brain and heart of my first trip in Japan! I wouldn't have done it any other way if i could do it all over again.

Well with all that said now it's home sweet home to Singapore and all my family and friends!

Serene

Jac Jac Jac part II

2008-11-11T03:44:00.000-08:00

I haven't showered yet and my heart's feeling really active. It's thumping so hard, I swear! I'm super excited and nervous for tonight. I'm sure this trip would be real fun, I've seen it in my dreams and it's definitely something out-of-this-world. See you guys later and don't forget anything!

How very exciting

2008-11-11T00:05:00.000-08:00

Everybody's excitement and enthusiasm is making me even more excited and enthusiastic!

All of this feel so surreal. But I know it's not, so thank god!!

6 more hours until we're meeting there!
9 more hours till our flight!

:)

TONIGHT!-by Ateacar

2008-11-10T20:09:00.000-08:00

OMGOMGOMG!
We're flying off TONIGHT!
I'm super excited!:)

Terminal 3 at 10 pm:)

Nihon ga ikimasho!

2008-11-10T17:11:00.000-08:00

My heart could not stop beating. It thumped furiously as I awoke to the incessant ringing of the Casio alarm clock. Time-check. 7.00 am. 11 November 2008. I shrugged off the irritation of being awoken by the noise and got up. I walked to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror.

Osaka. Osaka. The first ancient capital of Japan. The land of the rising sun. The sacred land that experienced the first ever detonation of a nuclear bomb and endured the horrors of of its devastation as it took out the big cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The amazing thing. The Japanese took everything that the Americans threw at them. Today, they are the world's number 0ne economic superpower.

I spat out the remaining Colgate from my mouth and wiped my sweaty face. The anticipation of jetting off to Osaka starts to kick in. The rush of adrenaline flowed through my entire being as I could feel the goosebumps on my body. I got dressed and walked towards the door. I took one last longing look at the packed suitcase beside the door before leaving for work ...... ( to be continued)

Japan trip (:

2008-11-10T16:47:00.000-08:00

Its kind of tiring during the long rehearsals,but it was fun.
especially the part whereby duane and mr chia walk the catwalk.
i am excited about tonight's trip !
looking forward to it (:
hope everyone will have fun there,alrights ? :D

JAPAN TRIP !!

2008-11-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

i am so excited about the trip.
After preparing and reheasing , we are going to fly off tomorrow.
i hopo we will have a wonderful and amazing time.

let's enjoy our time in Japan and make more friends there..!!
(i am packing my luggage .haha )

JAPAN TRIP !!

2008-11-10T07:12:00.000-08:00

i m so excited about the Japan trip.
today is the today before we fly off,
i hope we can enjoy the trip together and have a wonderful time.
basically ,we already prepared for the reheaser for a long time ,
i think we can perform well for the Japanese student .

erm..let's enjoy the trip .haha!!

Japan Trip Prep

2008-11-09T20:59:00.000-08:00

The preparations were making me all busy busy since i also have my choir performance and lessons.However,it was fun and enjoyable.Just that i didn't really like the catwalk.Like a bamboo stick wobbling,haha that was what i felt.

I was also shocked to find out that i had to kind of translate in a way what Duane was saying,and when Serene told me that most of the script was in english i was stunned.Thinking,"Maybe i am suppose to read it in english too..."Ah well,whatever it is let's just wait and see.I'll blog more when we're back.

Osaka Mania

2008-11-09T19:17:00.000-08:00

It was a great honour knowing that I was selected to be part of the 18 students who will be visiting Japan! It is the school's first trip to "the land of the rising sun'' and I just can't wait for the time to come! It has been very hectic ( going through the rehearsal and the preparation for the trip) and there seemed to be very little time left. I had to search for the chinese male costume ( for the cultural fashion show) . Luckily, I managed to get the costume. Going through the songs were a breeze as we just had to sing together in unison. The japanese students will be putting up a culture performance for us and it is our duty to repay them the huge favour. This trip presents to me an opportunity to witness and experience the lifestyle and culture of the japanese people. The japanese people would gladly welcome our arrival and I must make sure that I feel a sense of fun and enjoyment! This trip could also correct my current misconception of the country and hopefully, I would be able to be able to bring back happy memories. I know that it was a mad rush going through the rehearsal as we only use the time after the exams to finalize on our performance. It would be a worthwhile experience if everything went smoothly and I hope that we will be mentally prepared!! We must not allow anything that could prove to be a massive blow to our confidence get in our way and enjoy performing for the Osaka students. They will definitely appreciate our effort that we had put in and I am looking forward to a funfilled afternoon at the high school!!!

The Adventures of Duance the jMagnificent (pronounced like Beyonce).

2008-11-09T19:16:00.001-08:00

I am super excited because we're leaving tomorrow! I can't wait to go there to take pictures because I love photography. I also love Japanese food like chawanmushi and sashimi. I hope that I can eat alot of nice food when I'm in Osaka. I'm also looking forward to the famous places in Osaka like the Osaka Palace and the shopping mecca - Shinsaibashi.

I also cannot wait for the school visit because I'll be the emcee for our school's performance. I have mixed feelings about it because I feel nervous yet excited. I hope that our fashion show will be awesome and that we will do our best and have fun. I don't think we need to be a certain standard because what matters most is that we have fun.

I also am interested in what the hostel will look like because I have never been into a hostel before. The cold weather sounds exciting too because Singapore is very hot hence I look forward to experiencing low temperatures. I hope that when I breathe out, smoke will come out of my mouth because I think smoke coming out of one's mouth is cool!

Goodbye.

GABRIEL/......

2008-11-09T18:59:00.000-08:00

I think this japan trip is going
to be a fun and enjoyable trip....
These few days I was thinking about
what to buy for the Japanese students..
I was excited...=/
nevermind...
after the trip I will tell u more about how I feel..... -.-
bye~~ shooooo~~~~

RimxD

2008-11-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

Japan will be very fun....
We will all having fun later in Japan because it will be fun
I know it for sure..I will have no regrets.
I remember the interview that I had with my teachers and I was excited when i was chosen.

I am going to love this trip to Japan
I think you understand how I feel...
lolxD
Bye Bye
Rim wrote this

PRETRIP!-by Ahteacar:)

2008-11-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

Woo! we will be Flying off TOMORROW!
I'm SUPER excited!

When i'm in japan,
I WANT TO...
Learn about thier culture there.
& thier life style there.

I feel EXCITED! to go on this trip because its my first time going so far
& i can enjoy WINTER! .
However i also feel SCARED to go on this trip because I HEVE FEAR OF PLANES:(.

To make the trip succesful we MUST!!!
COOPERATE!-YES WE MUST! haha
I think when we go out visiting other places,
We must listen to teacher's instruction? I THINK?

I have one difficulty that i will face there.
that is HALAL FOOD!
But i'm bringing ALOT of cup noodles and tidbits.
So i'll survive!
But i'm going to try their SEAFOOD!
Especially sushi! The one with salmon.

+++++ I WANNA SEE HOT GUYS? hahah\

donedonedone. BYE!

balthazar's japan pre trip thoughts

2008-11-09T18:50:00.000-08:00

japan trip is tmr !!!!finally the wait its over all the days of preparation is about to pay off .looking forward to trying the unique Japanese food.i want to learn more about their unique culture and their longevity of life ........whats the secret to living so long?????.I feel excited to go on the the japan trip and to meet the Japanese students.I fear the language barrier cause i have yet to learn the Japanese language yet........ yeah thats about it!

Pre-Japan Trip

2008-11-09T18:39:00.001-08:00

Hi to everyone who sees this!!!!

As the topic says i'm supposed to talk about my feelings before our Japan Trip and all.
Let's see.... it's been one week already of rehersals and tomorrow (11 or 12 /11/08) we will take off for JAPAN!!! I'm sure everyone is excited, can't wait to reach Japan!!! On... hehehehe. Well the one week of rehersals is starting to pay off and i think we are starting to sing better as a group together. There are lots of stuff we had to prepare and pack for the trip. But Yay!!! I was allowed to go on a shopping spree!!!

Overall, it's been a tiring week with all the singing, catwalk fashion show (Traditional) , shopping and packing. Time has passed soo quickly. I think that everyone really put in alot of effort (or not) but anyway everyone definitely did their part. (To all who are going for the trip: Let's have fun together and make it a trip to remember, pls take care me!). That's all that i have to say. Bye! Talk to you again when i'm back!

SeReNe

What the Awesome Sam thinks of going to Japan

2008-11-09T18:39:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe I'm actually going to Osaka. It is one of the coolest, most 'awesomest' country and it's my dream to go there. Going to this trip will strike off one thing from my life's list of things I wanted most to do! Now another twenty more to go..

I'm proud of being able to pass the interview, and excited to go to Osaka with my friends. This is not only a chance for us to bond/create new friendships but also a chance to expose ourselves to other experiences overseas.

I think there are a lot of differences between Japan and Singapore - like they have 4 seasons there, and it is more technologically advanced, not to mention, the awesome cute Japanese guys there. I'm awfully psyched to learn about the history and culture of Japan and actually take part in the school exchange programme.

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention about the rehearsals. They are very tiring. Period.

Cheers to cute guys, awesome Japan and going overseas with my best buddies! :)))))))

Taufiq Goes To Japan

2008-11-09T18:38:00.001-08:00

I am so excited for tomorrow!! After all these years of dreaming to go "somewhere further", I'M FINALLY GOING TO JAPAN!! I've packed for the trip 1 week ago. I've planned what to wear to the airport too. Mrs bought for me some chips and cup noodles and a wool sweater and a pair of wool gloves. She's trying to be nice to me but still, it's not going to work.

For the past 1 week and 3 days, we'd been rehearsing for a fashion show and practising our singing. We'll be singing 2 Malay traditional songs. BORE-RING. I'm going to wear Mr Chia's Zara shirt that is supposedly an Indian traditional outfit.

Gosh, man, I am really excited. WOAH!!! I'm not going to sleep on board the flight. Oh, and I'm going to fight for the seat next to the window with Amarpreet. And I'm excited to meet the Japanese students there. I drew a picture for them.

Last but not least, I'm going to miss my bed and my pillows and my magazines and some of my friends here. So there, ciao!

Jac Jac Jac

2008-11-09T18:38:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the day I leave for Japan. I am 1) very excited, 2) very nervous and 3) very tired (because I didn't get enough sleep). The rehearsals had been real exhausting because we had to dress in the traditional costumes, sing and catwalk. And plus, it wasn't only for once, it was everyday throughout the whole week of the step-forward program. So imagine putting yourself in our shoes, having to wake up early for lessons then staying back till evening or afternoon. But still, it's worth it in the end.

Hate to admit it but one of my main reasons of going there is to see if Japan has really cute guys and if it is really as good as I think is it. I hope that the flight wouldn't be as bad as Duane says (he said that when the plane goes up, it feels like you're facing Death in the eye).

Ok. These few days have been really busy and real tiring. Getting the appropiate wear and putting in the extra amount of effort but it was quite pleasant since it was with friends I felt comfortable with and I had got a special person to send me off. YAY!

MAN.I.AM TO JAPAN

2008-11-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

YAY!!! Tommorrows's the day 17 other students and I will be off to JAPAN!!!! well i'm really looking Fowards to their awesome FOOD there , you know, like the shashimi, shushi and especially the curry chicken rice which my sis told me to try , she said it's AWESOME!!!! I will be looking for a change in my , u know , like , in my character towards other's cause u know like japan's are like very serious in their MANNERS..... so u know could learn some additional manners..... And also change about myself is i want learn more about the AWESOME GOOD FOOD.

I feel very EXCITED to go on this trip because i've always wanted to go to a place like JAPAN. However, i also very nervous because of facing the japanese students we will be meeting
when we go there , not sure how i am going to be communicating with them..... well i'm really trying to learn some basic japanese words , dun want to feel very lost in translation when i'm there...

And good thing i'm going with people i know:)
Well not really looking forward to the COLD weather:):)

Amarpreet was here!

2008-11-09T18:35:00.000-08:00

Japan is really awesome.I cant wait to go to Japan which is TOMORROW!I am very excited to go to Japan.I want to learn about the culture and tradition.I never thought that i will be able to pass the interview and have a chance to go to Japan.The people are really nice(from what i heard).

I feel excited to go on this trip because i would be able to get to know more about my friends and bond with them.Also,we would be able to visit Japan in person instead of watching JAPAN HOUR!

Preparing for Japan was not a breeze.In fact,it was hard work!We had to sweat it out during rehearsals.If only you guys were there to experience it.We rehearsed everyday after school for atleast 2 hours each day!After being totally exhausted from doing all the math and science questions,we put up a fashion show and 4 songs.