My visit to Japan(Part IV)..

In Shizuoka, I was hosted by two families. Both of my host fathers are members in Numazu Koryo Lions Club. Anyway, I spent my first five days in Nagoya during my homestay in Japan with other exchange students in a camp. I cannot recall the name of the place but it is on a mountain in Nagoya prefacture.

After the camp, the exchange students were seperated and being hosted by different families in different area. I was the only student being sent to Shizuoka where as most of them were sent to Aichi-ken.

I was hosted by たまきごと (Tamaki Goto). I call him ごとさん (Goto-san). It feels weird when you call someone of your dad's generation as if both of you are good friends. Anyway, during the second day of my homestay, he brought me to the Lions Club meeting at Numazu Tokyu Hotel. Talking about the hotel, the ammenities and services were superb, especially the food. The foods there is fantastic but too bad I do not have the photos with me right now.

Anyway, this the President of Numazu Lions Club. He is a very nice guy and he actually wanted to host me for a few days.

When he was giving his speech, I was totally clueless of the things he say. Out of sudden, everyone clapped their hands and the master of the ceremony (MC) suddenly called my name and I was like, "I am soooo sorry, I do not understand a single word from you guys. So, what do I need to do now??". I was standing in front cluelessly and then suddenly our national anthem, "Negaraku" was being played.

I was like, "Ohhhh, わかりました (now I understand..)". Initially, I was just standing there but the MC suddenly hold the mic in front of me which led me to no where. I was kindof being forced to sing. It was quite an embarrassing moment as I was singing alone and the most terrible part was that I am one of the worst singers in the world.

Then, I was asked to give a speech in Japanese. Luckily, I have been told beforehand about it and my host sister who studied in English Language helped me to translate the things I want to say into Japanese.

I translated the speech in the pronounciation form since I knew nothing about Japanese characters and currently, I still have the paper with me. The speech sounded something like this.

Minasan, hajimemashite.
みなさん、 はじめまして。

(Hi everyone)

Watashino namae wa Tan Jia Jian desu.
わたしのなまえは Tan Jia Jian です。

(My name is Tan Jia Jian)

JJ to yonde kudasai.
JJ とよんでください。

(Please call me JJ)

Watashiwa jyukyu sai desu.
わたしはじゅうきゅさいです。

(I am 19 years old)

Minasan oai dekite udesi desu.
みなさんをあいできてうでしです。

(I have no idea)

Dozo yoroishiku.
どうぞよろいしく。

(Nice meeting you guys)

After learning Japanese for 2, 3 months, finally I know some basic stuffs about japanese. I know what I was saying but due to my poor Japanese skills, the line " Minasan oai dekite udesi desu, みなさんをあいできてうでしです。", I have no idea what it means. *(If anyone know what it means, please do tell me..)

Then, we exchange souveniors. I brought some miniature building pewter products like KLCC and KL tower as a token of appreciation for them.

Then, all of us started to eat. While I was eating, a lot of people came to talk to me. Surprisingly, there were a few people who understands chinese. They are business people who travel to China constantly for business purposes and we communicated in Chinese. It was fun when you talk to them in your own, familiar language.

Then, there was a Japanese rockstar in the olden days I suppose, came out and sang us a few songs.

Then, all of us were mingling around and I took a lot of pictures with them. All of them were very nice and offered to bring me to visit their houses and the places around Shizuoka.

Then, it was the first time I met with my second host family. We talked a while and then I was being pulled over by some other lions. I felt like a VIP at that point of time where they ask me a lot of questions about Malaysia and my stuffs.

Not forgetting to mention, the Lions Club were very generous and sweet to us. They organized a skiing trip for all the exchange students in Nagoya.

It was sooooooooooooooo fun even though it was not my first skiing experience. I went to the expert lane with the third class skills with a Croatian guy who is a Ski-sensei. He brought me up and according to him, he will take care of me and I am flattered to say that I was the only student exchangee from Malaysia who tried the expert lane. Others were prohibited to do so.

The lane was extra steep and challenging. There were even a few trees in the middle of the lane. The adrenaline was rushing in my body at the maximum level when I was at the top of the hill because I know I might lose control and ended up smashing myself towrds the trees. For your information, I almost ski-ed into the jungle but luckily I managed to stop myself by falling sideway. Anyway, the 1km journey from the hill to the bottom was so dangerous yet fun. It suits well in one of my own philosophies, "To have fun, you must put your life at the stake." To put them into easier words, I am an idiot who do not mind losing my life just for the sake of having fun.

Anyway, a few friends and I did something fun at that night.

After finished bathing, a few of us got naked in the snow. As in real naked after taking the photo above, without any clothes on and, if I am not mistaken, for only 5 minutes as it was the furthest extent we can bare.

Anyway, the guy from the far right is the Croatian guy I mentioned before. The kindof plump guy on my left is from Australia whereas the guy at the far left is from Malaysia.

I will talk more about the things, or should I say, crazy silly things we did in the camp in other entry.