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Ali- Kansai workshop

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Kansai: Kobe (Ali)

Kobe Harbor
                My final stop in Kansai was Kobe. Originally, I wasn't supposed to stop in Kobe, but my Kobe host mother was having a workshop and asked the office if the visiting intern could attend. I am so happy she did! After attending the Kansai workshop for this year's Yearlong-sei and Seishounen on Sunday at the Osaka Hippo office, I went to my host mom's workshop.I think the goal of the workshop was to get members excited about going on homestays. At the workshop we heard from various Hippo members about their homestay experiences. Yearlong-sei and Seishounen also talked about where they were planning on going and what they were looking forward to. I was neat to hear everyone's stories.
Kobe Luminarie

             On Monday, I  attended a fellow planning meeting at the Osaka headquarters with my host mother (think it was for an event to invite non-hippo members to see what Hippo is like). We talked about what made Hippo special and how to explain Hippo to non-members. Having experienced both Hippo and Labo exchanges in high school, I talked about the differences between the two language clubs. Afterwards we met up with my host brother and had Udon. It was delicious! Then we went and did a little shopping.  I bought Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in Japanese. I want to challenge reading it in Japanese. However, I haven't made it passed the first page yet. (I've been busy! I haven't given up, I promise!!) When it got dark we met up with a former hippo member and went to see the Kobe Luminarie. It was beautiful! Over 200,000 little hand-painted lights were used to make this display. What is really neat about the display is that it is a memorial. In 1995, Kobe was struck by a huge earthquake. The Luminarie was created to bring hope to the people of Kobe and remember those who died. It was so popular that the citizens of Kobe asked for it to become an annual event. It now in its 18th year and millions of people come to see it every year. Afterwards, we went to get a bite to eat near the Shinkansen. It was my first time going to a kushikatsu restaurant. Basically they put different food items on skewers and deep fry them. Can't go wrong with fried food. (^.^)
When we finished, we went upstairs to the platform to welcome home a Hippo member that just came back to Japan from his yearlong in New Zealand.  

Eating kushikatsu
               On morning Tuesday, my host mother and brother took me to Kobe's Harborland. There they had a shopping mall right on the pier. I really wanted to see the ocean while I was there. From my host families mansion I could see the ocean, teasing me from the distance. Till the age of six I lived in Southern California. During that time I practically lived on the beach. Having moved to Washington State, to a small town five hours from the ocean, I take the the opportunity to visit the beach when I can.  With the ocean so close I just had to go see it. After saying goodbye to the ocean, we went to visit the Hippo member that returned from New Zealand. We tried Vegemite and listened to his adventures.  Poor kid had a rough start, he missed one of his connecting flights to New Zealand! He had to call his host family to tell them what happened. I heard from my host mother and brother that he used to be shy and didn't smile. I am amazed at how much he has changed after only a year. I wish more American kids would study abroad, it is a great opportunity. I think that the future of Japan is brighter because of students like Ka-chan.
 Welcome back Ka-chan!
                On Wednesday, I returned to Tokyo on the shinkansen. I had such a wonderful time. I really want to go back! Not to mention I want to try the chocolate roll cake (it's entirely made out of chocolate *drool*) my host father told me about... 








I hope to be able to see more of Japan and meet more Hippo members soon! 
Until next time. Bye Bye!

~Ali

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