Hey Everyone
I am in Hiroshima now and am having a blast. We are going to the bomb museum tomorrow and I am so excited, it should be great. Around noon we are leaving for Hamamatsu, where I will have to do my presentation. I am almost done organising it and will finish on the train tomorrow.
Today we went to an island that is designated as one of Japans 3 most scenic sites. It was beautiful and relaxing I had fun. Yesterday I went to Kobe and it was amazing, I visited the earthquake meomorial and museum it was crazy to see the devistation and to be able to see how much they have rebuilt.
We will be in Hamamatsu for 2 nights then on to Tokyo until the end of the course which will be Tuesday. After that I am on my own and will be heading to Kuyshu. I am so excited and am feeling more confident by the day that I can do this. It is going to be a blast, I already have over 1200 pictures, so we will see how many I end up with. I think that my camera and backpack were the best investments that I made for this trip as I am fine walking with my bag full and heavy, unlike most of the class.
I will be sending postcards in the next couple of days so if you would like to recieve one please email me your address and I will try to get one off to you.
Miss you all, love you and God bless.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Kyoto
Hey Everyone
I am now in Kyoto, it is huge and exciting. Today we travelled to Uji, the sister city of Kamloops, where we met the mayor and took a tour of the gold Buddha and temple and a tea factory, as Uji is the tea capital of Japan. It was amazing. We also went to Nara, the oldest city in Japan, and saw the great wooden Buddha, it is the largest in the world.
The place that we were supposed to stay at last night, tonight, and tomorrow night (here in Kyoto) has a bed bug infestation so they made other arangements for us however, it means that we are changing inns daily rather than being stationary for three night. Oh well.
Tomorrow we have a free day and I am not sure what I am going to do yet. It would be nice to explore Kyoto, but I am a little afraid I will get lost since it is so big and I definately do not want to stay with the group since I am getting rather irritated with them for a number of reasons. Tom is going to Kobe, one of the major ports in Japan, so I think that I might go with him and learn something as well as sightsee. I am discovering that I am not much of a tourist type traveller, I am sick of temples and castles already and I want to learn about the places and see the non-tourist side of things rather than just the tourist attractions. My other option for tomorrow is returning to Uji (and possibly Nara) and exploring them a bit more since we did not have much of a chance to. One thing that I would really like to see is a museum in Uji, that I have no clue how to spell it, but it is a dedication to the first novel and novelist, who just happens to be female, ever. It is the 1000 aniversary of the book this year so there is many special events occuring.
I am doing very well and am enjoying myself very much. Those that I am with are starting to get on my nerves but I think the day away from them tomorrow will really help with that. I am hoping that most of it is just the result of too much time together in such a fast paced atmosphere. I had better go now since I have to get some writing done and I want to have a shower and get to bed. I will post again when I can find a computer (some places, such as this one, have a computer that we can use and if not there are internet cafes). Well I will talk to you all later. God Bless and have a great night. Miss you all.
Oh yeah Happy Victoria Day.
I am now in Kyoto, it is huge and exciting. Today we travelled to Uji, the sister city of Kamloops, where we met the mayor and took a tour of the gold Buddha and temple and a tea factory, as Uji is the tea capital of Japan. It was amazing. We also went to Nara, the oldest city in Japan, and saw the great wooden Buddha, it is the largest in the world.
The place that we were supposed to stay at last night, tonight, and tomorrow night (here in Kyoto) has a bed bug infestation so they made other arangements for us however, it means that we are changing inns daily rather than being stationary for three night. Oh well.
Tomorrow we have a free day and I am not sure what I am going to do yet. It would be nice to explore Kyoto, but I am a little afraid I will get lost since it is so big and I definately do not want to stay with the group since I am getting rather irritated with them for a number of reasons. Tom is going to Kobe, one of the major ports in Japan, so I think that I might go with him and learn something as well as sightsee. I am discovering that I am not much of a tourist type traveller, I am sick of temples and castles already and I want to learn about the places and see the non-tourist side of things rather than just the tourist attractions. My other option for tomorrow is returning to Uji (and possibly Nara) and exploring them a bit more since we did not have much of a chance to. One thing that I would really like to see is a museum in Uji, that I have no clue how to spell it, but it is a dedication to the first novel and novelist, who just happens to be female, ever. It is the 1000 aniversary of the book this year so there is many special events occuring.
I am doing very well and am enjoying myself very much. Those that I am with are starting to get on my nerves but I think the day away from them tomorrow will really help with that. I am hoping that most of it is just the result of too much time together in such a fast paced atmosphere. I had better go now since I have to get some writing done and I want to have a shower and get to bed. I will post again when I can find a computer (some places, such as this one, have a computer that we can use and if not there are internet cafes). Well I will talk to you all later. God Bless and have a great night. Miss you all.
Oh yeah Happy Victoria Day.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
on the other side of the world
Hey everyone
All is going well in Japan, I am having a blast. We left Tsukuba Friday morning and drove to Kasatsu, a hotspring. Along the way we learned about many differnt towns and villages that we passed through and stopped at. In the evening I got to experience first hand a public bath, nude. It was great so relaxing and hot. This morning we left Kasatsu and drove to Joetsu (on the coast of the Sea of Japan). We are in a traditional Japanese inn meaning that we will be sleeping on the floor on futons with all the girls in one room and the guys in the other. The inn is situated on a man made lake that is so beautiful. Along the way to Joetsu we stopped to see Mt. Asama and went to the museum to learn about the eruption in 1789 (I think that is right). It was amazing but also slightly depressing since so many died in the eruption. Tomorrow we head down the coast to Kakagara (not spelled right at all) once we arrive there the Japanese masters students that we have been travelling with will leave us to go back to Tsukuba for class on Monday. We will then be travellling on the bullet train, so excited.
I am loving every minute that I am over here and trying to experience as much as possible. I am starting to get a little annoyed with many of the other students who seem to think that this should be a vacation and a sightseeing trip rather than a course. There are a couple with us that feel the need to complain about every little thing. So if you could pray for strength and wisdom to know how to respond to them that would be appreciated.
I am learning so much about Japan, the culture, and myself. I am very glad I am able to come on this trip. Love you all and miss you. See you soon. Take care and God bless.
All is going well in Japan, I am having a blast. We left Tsukuba Friday morning and drove to Kasatsu, a hotspring. Along the way we learned about many differnt towns and villages that we passed through and stopped at. In the evening I got to experience first hand a public bath, nude. It was great so relaxing and hot. This morning we left Kasatsu and drove to Joetsu (on the coast of the Sea of Japan). We are in a traditional Japanese inn meaning that we will be sleeping on the floor on futons with all the girls in one room and the guys in the other. The inn is situated on a man made lake that is so beautiful. Along the way to Joetsu we stopped to see Mt. Asama and went to the museum to learn about the eruption in 1789 (I think that is right). It was amazing but also slightly depressing since so many died in the eruption. Tomorrow we head down the coast to Kakagara (not spelled right at all) once we arrive there the Japanese masters students that we have been travelling with will leave us to go back to Tsukuba for class on Monday. We will then be travellling on the bullet train, so excited.
I am loving every minute that I am over here and trying to experience as much as possible. I am starting to get a little annoyed with many of the other students who seem to think that this should be a vacation and a sightseeing trip rather than a course. There are a couple with us that feel the need to complain about every little thing. So if you could pray for strength and wisdom to know how to respond to them that would be appreciated.
I am learning so much about Japan, the culture, and myself. I am very glad I am able to come on this trip. Love you all and miss you. See you soon. Take care and God bless.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
First Message From Japan
Hey Everyone
So I have made it to Japan. We arrived at 4pm local time yesterday which was about midnight BC time. By the time we got to the BC time. By the time we got to the university where we are staying until Friday morning and had something to eat it was 10pm local time so about 6am BC time and we were ready to crash. Everything has been great so far it is 12:15 Wednesday right now and we are heading to lunch. Then will be exploring the Tsukuba area (we are staying at Tsukuba University) this afternoon. So far the jet lag has been fine, hopefully it will be fine for the day.
It feels very much like Vancouver right now as it is raining and is damp. I am absolutely amazed at the amount of green space there is around as well as the amount of bicycles. We have not been to Tokyo yet so I have not experienced the big metroploitian areas yet. Tsukuba is like a suburb of Tokyo and we will be leaving Friday for the mountains and then onto the Sea of Japan so I will experience rural Japan. I am looking forward to it.
Hope everything is going great with all of you and I will keep you posted as to what I am doing. Talk to you later. God Bless.
So I have made it to Japan. We arrived at 4pm local time yesterday which was about midnight BC time. By the time we got to the BC time. By the time we got to the university where we are staying until Friday morning and had something to eat it was 10pm local time so about 6am BC time and we were ready to crash. Everything has been great so far it is 12:15 Wednesday right now and we are heading to lunch. Then will be exploring the Tsukuba area (we are staying at Tsukuba University) this afternoon. So far the jet lag has been fine, hopefully it will be fine for the day.
It feels very much like Vancouver right now as it is raining and is damp. I am absolutely amazed at the amount of green space there is around as well as the amount of bicycles. We have not been to Tokyo yet so I have not experienced the big metroploitian areas yet. Tsukuba is like a suburb of Tokyo and we will be leaving Friday for the mountains and then onto the Sea of Japan so I will experience rural Japan. I am looking forward to it.
Hope everything is going great with all of you and I will keep you posted as to what I am doing. Talk to you later. God Bless.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Off to Japan
Well I am leaving tomorrow morning for Japan, so excited but nervous as well. Keep me in your prayers and I will be praying for all of you back here in Canada. I will post as soon as I can once I arrive in Japan to let you know how the flight went and how I am finding Japan. For those of you in Maple Ridge I am thinking of having a get together Thursday June 12th in the evening but will confinrm and give you more details later. If this night does not work for you we can get together at another time. Love you all. Have a great night and God bless.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
things are progressing
So I almost have everything ready for Japan just have a few more things to pick up then I can start to pack the actual bag. I am a little worried that I do not really have a plan for the week that I am on my own, which is not like me at all. But I will work on it more today so that I can book accomodations otherwise I am not guaranteed a place to stay, even hostels have to be booked (didn't know that).
Things are going good here in Maple Ridge connecting with family and friends. It is so weird to think that I have been gone for four years, it does not feel that way at all. It will definately be a big adjustment if I move back here when I return from Japan, especially since my room is being used as the storage room and I am living out of a suitcase and a laundry basket. But hopefully this will change if I am back for a while. I am hoping to be able to set up my computer once I am back so that I can start on my paper, since my parents do not have MS Office on this computer. So hopefully my mom will get in a clean sweep mood while I am away and sort through all the stuff that is in my room. She organized the books today in the living room so that they are easier for the kid. Now if I could find a way to make it seem like cleaning the paperwork on my desk benefits him then it get done now. I won't hold my breath though, any suggestions.
Well I should get ready to go into town and spend more money that I do not have, oh well it will be worth it in the end.
Take care and God bless.
Things are going good here in Maple Ridge connecting with family and friends. It is so weird to think that I have been gone for four years, it does not feel that way at all. It will definately be a big adjustment if I move back here when I return from Japan, especially since my room is being used as the storage room and I am living out of a suitcase and a laundry basket. But hopefully this will change if I am back for a while. I am hoping to be able to set up my computer once I am back so that I can start on my paper, since my parents do not have MS Office on this computer. So hopefully my mom will get in a clean sweep mood while I am away and sort through all the stuff that is in my room. She organized the books today in the living room so that they are easier for the kid. Now if I could find a way to make it seem like cleaning the paperwork on my desk benefits him then it get done now. I won't hold my breath though, any suggestions.
Well I should get ready to go into town and spend more money that I do not have, oh well it will be worth it in the end.
Take care and God bless.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
On the move again
So I am in Maple Ridge for a week to finish getting everything ready for going to Japan as well as deciding what I am doing after I am done the stats and reports for SL when I return. I am getting super excited but also a little nervous - am I ready for this? Well ready or not here I go. For those of you who are in Maple Ridge I am busy on Wednesday night but other than that I have nothing planned thus far until I leave on Monday so let me know if you want to get together and what day and time work best for you.
I leave Monday around 2pm for Japan and will be back in Canada June 2 around 2pm. I will be returning to Kamloops either the following Saturday or Sunday.
Take care for now, and God bless.
I leave Monday around 2pm for Japan and will be back in Canada June 2 around 2pm. I will be returning to Kamloops either the following Saturday or Sunday.
Take care for now, and God bless.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)