KIZUNA project @ Minami Aizu, Fukushima, Japan

It's really a miracle that the unexpected happened in my life. The wonderful things started with a merely simple thought of applying for the scholarship together with my friends ^_^ I still remembered that day when my best friend Kirrthana told me about this KIZUNA program when I still don't have any idea about what "student exchange" is all about @@ When we applied for the scholarship, all of us knew what little chance we have of being chosen thus I don't have any expectations or thoughts. The day before our state interview, I have a Prefect camp n on that night I didn't prepared much for the interview, which is quite guilty to say. One month after our state interview, I got a letter that says I'm qualified to the selection camp at Shah Alam. OMGG!!! I went frantic when I got the letter of course :D :D At the selection camp, there were so many super amazing out-spoken people that r absolutely better than me (=the suffer-in-silence type) :( So again, I have 0% of hope that I would get the scholarship. But once again, the unexpected happened.. I GOT THE SCHOLARSHIP!! :D :D :D I really cherish the chance I got. Really!!

1.12.2012 - 2.12.2012 : Pre-departure orientation camp

I became quite close with Su Ying & Faith. Dunno why. Just let it be ;) It's a good thing anyways :D :D Didn't take a lot of photos cuz didn't bring my camera. Took a photo using Su Ying's hand phone with Julius, the Germany guy who looks quite cute :P

Julius, Julius :D

3.12.2012 : 1st day in Japan

Couldn't sleep on plane throughout the night. It's horrible 0_0 I can't have food on the plane. Makes me wanna puke >< I was dizzy n had slight headache when I got off the plane. It was very cool in Tokyo. 2-5 degrees probably. The AFS staffs at Japan are very nice & friendly. They gave us tags with different colours & eventually we're divided into several different groups. Some of my friends got the chance to go HOKKAIDO!! Which were very lucky because it will definitely snow at there. I was chosen to go to Minami Aizu together with Su Ying, Faith & big bro Jazz ^_^

Close up of Fukushima prefecture ;)

Su Ying & me outside of Narita airport!! :D :D

Haha... Khalid the masked ninja xD

On the 1st day, they took us on a tour around Odaiba area.

Decks shopping mall

The beautiful scenery of Odaiba area I took from the elevator 

Had lunch at the shopping mall

Then, we had a lecture about Japan's water sewerage & water recycle system. They gave us some free gifts. 

The drain.. I think xD

Then, we spent our night at.. NIKKO HOTEL!! Whoa!! :D :D My roommates are Su Ying & Faith! Oh yeah! We're fated to be together  ^_^

Hahaha -_-

I found an emergency torch under the table. COOL ~.~

4.12.2012 : All about travelling

They gave us brief orientation at the stadium used for Olympics 50 years ++ ago.

The auditorium

Awesome structure of the stadium! :D :D

Went "underground" n took Shinkansen (Japan bullet train) to Minami Aizu. The "underground" is pretty awesome! :D

Going "underground" ;)

Awesome Shinkansen!! XD

The sky turns dark very quickly since it's winter. When we reached Minami Aizu's motel, snow actually greated us!! It was snowing n all of us were freaking high!! XD

Weird facial expression 0_0

We had snowball fights and it was really awesome. Seeing & touching the snow is what I wanna do for a thousand years. N finally, my simple dream came true in a way I didn't expected :)

5.12.2012 : Busy busy busy... XD

Meeting Minami Aizu's mayor :)

Bought some sourvenirs at the shop behind us ;)

Great background :D With my New Zealand friend, Melanie

Later then, we went to a warehouse n they taught we the whole process of rice inspection in Japan. 

Sugoi machine :D

We get to try how to use the machine

After that, we visited a junior high at Minami Aizu. They people there are really welcoming. They did some kind of performance to entertain us. Aw.. So nice :D

Cool performances

Then, my group went to the music class.

Their music class is quite impressive :D A boy beside me - Theodore couldn't really make the high-pitched part, so I gave a soft laugh. Then he said : "Look down on me larrhh u ><" I said I didn't mean that XD

Music class ^_^ I love singing~~

Got a picture with this cute girl named Aki. Theodore fancies her.. xD

We helped to do cleaning! :D

Have a creepy kindda effect >< But cool ~_~

6.12.2012 : Last day at Minami Aizu :(
Today we took something like a train (well it's a train XD) to somewhere in Minami Ai-zu. We saw a lot of awesome scenery through the window of the train. I've captured a lot but most of them are quite blurry because the window is quite foggy @@

The railway

BEAUTIFUL SCENERY I've captured through the window <3.<3

It's me in the train ;)

Later then, we went to the temporary housing area n listen to the experience of the people at a village experiencing earthquake during last year on 11th of March, that is the Japan Great East Earthquake.

The one standing is the leader of the temporary housing village

After the man told us the whole experience of the earthquake, I think he's kindda brave because he never give up on finding a new place for the victims of his village to settle down. Then, some ladies at the temporary housing area made some performances when we're about to leave. They played their traditional music instrument & dance their traditional dance.

Later, we went to have our lunch & I bought some sourvenirs at the shop at there. Then, we went to a mirror & bowl shop n we painted our own bowl/mirror. I chose to paint bowl :3 

The workshop we painted our bowl/mirror

Look at Theodore's "sotong" face!! XD

MY MASTERPIECE!! :D Nice right? XD

The next destination is - Tsurugajyo Castle!! Long long long time ago, it used to be where samurai live. It's like so.. WOW!

I love this pic! Credits goes to - MEEEE!!

We actually saw ourselves in the mirror! So creative :D Khao Fang & me ;)

 
This is actually the last day we're gonna spend together with my friends so it's like.. SO SAD :'( That night, we took a lot of photos with a lot of our friends but I can't post all cuz there r too many photos. So i will just post some :)

I totally love this pic, because "baby Theo" (Khao Fang just nicknamed him XD) is shorter than me!! :D :D

My dear roommates n me ^_^ (From the left: Khao Fang, me, Mary Woodworth, Melanie Nicholas)

Courtney's hair dye is so AWESOME :D

From the left : Su Ying, Thea Smith & me ^_^

Hahaha.. Bible looked a bit weird in photos.. But he's quite good looking in real life XD

Yeah.. This is the end of part one of my days spent at Japan ^_^ Part two is about the days spent with my host family n it'll be up in next few days. And one more thing, most part of Fukushima prefecture is not as dangerous as everyone thinks it is, meaning most part of Fukushima prefecture is already SAFE. People are just spreading harmful rumors about the whole Fukushima being effected by the nuclear power plant that was wrecked during the Japan Great East Earthquake 2011 @@ I would definitely go back to there someday as Minami Aizu is a famous place for skiing & skiing is one of the things I would like to do before I die so yeap, DEFINITELY GOING BACK TO MINAMI AIZU AGAIN!! Whoa!!! >_<

P.S. : Really miss you guys!! :'( Mary, Melanie, Khao Fang, Theodore, Zi Jia, Clinton, Owen, Mallory & all AFSers ><

Sneak peak : On the way to host family's house. Captured bu Khao Fang on the bus.. So dramatic right? XD 

~~Dramatic~~ Teheehee.. XD

Get ready for.. PART TWO - KIZUNA project @ Host family # Maebashi, Gunma, Japan!! :P :P