So, let me just say, I love ferries!! :)
You can walk around and sleep and meet lots of people. There are food places, you can get fresh air or stay inside. You can even take a bath play games... etc. The only thing is that it takes longer than a plane, but it is cheaper! :) Since I have problems sitting for long periods of time, I was so thankful that I took the ferry :)! I also got to take pictures and even better, got lots of fresh sea air :)! Kimochii ( such a great feeling) . Akie's mom had made me a lunch box (bento). It was so professional looking and delicious. She had made it while Akie and I ate breakfast, it was really kind of her, she treated me like her own. <3!! I also ate the banana bread that Enna had packed me <3! Wha... I can not say how thankful I am to God because he provided so many things, and people who care. But I know it is because he cares the most that He always looks out for his children.
Upon sunset, we were about to arrive in Busan. The ferry took about 5 hours from Fukuoka to Busan port. We were greeted by a Korean flag near the port. Finally made it! On the way off of the ferry, I met a girl who spoke only Japanese and Chinese, she and I talked while we waited to get off the ferry. She was very kind. It was pretty awesome actually, especially since she was a foreign student in Japan as well and around the same age. :) One of the 1st interesting things that I noticed when we got off the ferry was that the escalators were not stairs... but ramps! :O! .. such a good idea!!
After customs, we parted our ways (after exchanging information) and MJ was waiting with her mom to pick me up at the dock. <3!
Mj and her mom were very kind and we all went out to eat at a buffet. The food was overwhelmingly abundant and also was very delicious! I got to try so many Korean foods at once. WOW! I didn't even know until that moment that Korea had their own mochi. I thought that only Japanese people made mochi. But in Korea they have many kinds and they are filled with healthy foods :O! I was so startled!~ :)
After finishing dinner, we headed back home and meet up with Mj's dad. Later we all took a walk :)
It was funny because her mom asked if I wanted to go on a run with them and I got SO excited!! But what I found out later is that she meant to say walk. :P! Mj's mom was so kind, the entire time we could not communicate at all.. but she still tried to understand.. and I asked MJ to translate, but I think that it became to tiring :/. Whaa!! even with Akie's mom, sometimes communication was an issue. (this became a common theme the entire trip :(... )
After the walk (which Mj and I got to talk about a lot, praise the LORD for that too, it made me think and realize a lot of things that I miss out on a lot of times because while going though things you cant see them, its not until afterwards or even talking about things out loud that you see.. oOOoOo I see what God did there :)!! ) (BIG SMILE)
SLeeping time... wait.. shower 1st!
SO .. shower time.. and MJ explained to me how to use the shower. So.. ok okokk.. it looks the same as other ones.. okk.
But.. once I had to use it..... it took me a good.. 5-10 minutes to figure out how to turn it on!!! :O! It was a bit different than I had expected. :P. Note to self. Stop being a know it all and shutting my brain out to the instructions being given!!! ( whaaa.. it happens at work too some times... :((( .. sigh... will I ever learn? ) .. ( WHO knows.. ?? :P )
So after trying and trying... I finally figured it out.. ( I was too embarrassed to ask MJ again... ) . So .. shower.. MISSION COMPLETEDD!!! .. Next quickly Facebook and .... SLEEEPING TIME.. we have to get up early in the morning :( .. because we have to catch a train to Seoul. :)
before I knew it, it was wake up time?? !!! Arienaiyo ( unbelievable)
Saturday, April 27, 2013
ADVENTURES IN: KOREA - Pre-departure
Reminiscing since I did not diligently follow up with the blog after Korea :(!
On my way, out of Beppu it felt odd. For the 1st time I was traveling alone. Well alone in the sense that it was something that I had begun to plan and not something planned for me. Heading for FUKUOKA to see AKIE then the following day heading to the port to catch a ferry for Busan, South Korea!
Fukuoka: After the long and tiring bus ride, I finally made it to my destination in Fukuoka where Akie and her mom met me :)! Yokatta (thankfully). Her mom drove us to a restaurant to get breakfast. It was really cute it looked like it was made from natural stone and the food was really yummy. It was a bit strange to me since everything was made out of waffles!! Have you ever had a waffle sandwich?? :O! Yea... !! but ... it was really yummmyy. Also I didn't realize until afterwards that Akie's mom had asked me to pick things I thought looked good, because she bought them as a souvenir.
After lunch time, Akie's mom dropped us off at the station so that we could go sight seeing and shopping. OUR MISSION, find something that we both would have (like a friendship braclet, accessory) which would be identical.
Problem is... It was a lot more difficult than I thoughtttt!! It was hard to find things we both agreed on or once we did... my price limit was waayyyy wayyy picky :( . Whaa!!! SOoooo mendokusaiii nee (so troublesome )
SO ... we concluded after a stressful day of searching... I will get something when I go to Korea (since it is much cheaper there) . Since Japan prides its self on quality, low cost only goes so low.... But one thing I like is that most of their products (jewelry) is made in JAPAN! Also... Its so strange because the manikins look sooo real!! and.... the name of some of their shops.... umm.... well ... lets just say... I am sure no one understands the words that they put... :O!---but it lead to some funny experiences.
Talking all day with Akie, we switched from Japanese to English all the time. My brain hurt a bit, I am sure hers did too. Sutauchisuruna was our most common phrase used (don't suck your teeth at me). When we would get frustrated or think a lot.. we would naturally make the sucking teeth sound. I didn't notice but Akie did 1st, then from there.... it became our joke/ thing.
It was fun! A bit tiring( aloott) but really fun. Later Akie and I went to her Fav. restaurant, for RAMEN!! (Fukuoka is famous for its ramen) Yummy!!
After finishing, her mom picked us up and took us home, where her little cousins were waiting for us. They were soooo cute! :) The little ones wanted to practice their English with me but became really shy. Akie's brothers where there too and her father. They were all so very kind! It was a fun night. I was so worn out. But then ... ofuro ni haita ! ( I got to take a bath and relax) HAJIMETE!!! (for the 1st time that I got to take a bath that wasn't public :)! It was so relaxing an so nice. I felt so special to have such an experience :D!
In the morning, woke up early and wanted to help Mrs. Aoki (Akie's mom) cook, but I woke up a bit late so I only could help with a couple things... I am so surprised. Her mom wakes up at 5 am to begin cooking, and she keeps cooking till 7:40ish. Now that is stamina. Since a Japanese breakfast consists of multiple side dishes that = a large amount = a lot of preparation. But so delicious!
I learned how to make misoshiro (miso soup) and also an egg rolled omelet :) .
After breakfast, Akie went with me to exchange currency and also to the ferry port. It was hard leaving. Over the past month she really has been a blessing to me. When the Toisan died, she just listened, even if she didn't know what to say.. she was just there. I really feel close to her. So .. time to go to Korea.
The ferry really feels like an adventure. Everything is in Japanese and Korean. Well.. Korean zenzenwakarimasen!! ( I can not understand at ALL) .. but Japanese... it was nice to hear since I was familiar with some of the words. It feels strange being a girl and traveling alone. I think it surprised others too as the men seemed confused why I went everywhere by myself, especially being a gaijin ( a foreigner) . :P
On my way, out of Beppu it felt odd. For the 1st time I was traveling alone. Well alone in the sense that it was something that I had begun to plan and not something planned for me. Heading for FUKUOKA to see AKIE then the following day heading to the port to catch a ferry for Busan, South Korea!
Fukuoka: After the long and tiring bus ride, I finally made it to my destination in Fukuoka where Akie and her mom met me :)! Yokatta (thankfully). Her mom drove us to a restaurant to get breakfast. It was really cute it looked like it was made from natural stone and the food was really yummy. It was a bit strange to me since everything was made out of waffles!! Have you ever had a waffle sandwich?? :O! Yea... !! but ... it was really yummmyy. Also I didn't realize until afterwards that Akie's mom had asked me to pick things I thought looked good, because she bought them as a souvenir.
After lunch time, Akie's mom dropped us off at the station so that we could go sight seeing and shopping. OUR MISSION, find something that we both would have (like a friendship braclet, accessory) which would be identical.
Problem is... It was a lot more difficult than I thoughtttt!! It was hard to find things we both agreed on or once we did... my price limit was waayyyy wayyy picky :( . Whaa!!! SOoooo mendokusaiii nee (so troublesome )
SO ... we concluded after a stressful day of searching... I will get something when I go to Korea (since it is much cheaper there) . Since Japan prides its self on quality, low cost only goes so low.... But one thing I like is that most of their products (jewelry) is made in JAPAN! Also... Its so strange because the manikins look sooo real!! and.... the name of some of their shops.... umm.... well ... lets just say... I am sure no one understands the words that they put... :O!---but it lead to some funny experiences.
Talking all day with Akie, we switched from Japanese to English all the time. My brain hurt a bit, I am sure hers did too. Sutauchisuruna was our most common phrase used (don't suck your teeth at me). When we would get frustrated or think a lot.. we would naturally make the sucking teeth sound. I didn't notice but Akie did 1st, then from there.... it became our joke/ thing.
It was fun! A bit tiring( aloott) but really fun. Later Akie and I went to her Fav. restaurant, for RAMEN!! (Fukuoka is famous for its ramen) Yummy!!
After finishing, her mom picked us up and took us home, where her little cousins were waiting for us. They were soooo cute! :) The little ones wanted to practice their English with me but became really shy. Akie's brothers where there too and her father. They were all so very kind! It was a fun night. I was so worn out. But then ... ofuro ni haita ! ( I got to take a bath and relax) HAJIMETE!!! (for the 1st time that I got to take a bath that wasn't public :)! It was so relaxing an so nice. I felt so special to have such an experience :D!
In the morning, woke up early and wanted to help Mrs. Aoki (Akie's mom) cook, but I woke up a bit late so I only could help with a couple things... I am so surprised. Her mom wakes up at 5 am to begin cooking, and she keeps cooking till 7:40ish. Now that is stamina. Since a Japanese breakfast consists of multiple side dishes that = a large amount = a lot of preparation. But so delicious!
I learned how to make misoshiro (miso soup) and also an egg rolled omelet :) .
After breakfast, Akie went with me to exchange currency and also to the ferry port. It was hard leaving. Over the past month she really has been a blessing to me. When the Toisan died, she just listened, even if she didn't know what to say.. she was just there. I really feel close to her. So .. time to go to Korea.
The ferry really feels like an adventure. Everything is in Japanese and Korean. Well.. Korean zenzenwakarimasen!! ( I can not understand at ALL) .. but Japanese... it was nice to hear since I was familiar with some of the words. It feels strange being a girl and traveling alone. I think it surprised others too as the men seemed confused why I went everywhere by myself, especially being a gaijin ( a foreigner) . :P
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