Homestay at Sagamiono

Last saturday went for the homestay program. Keiko-san and Kitagawa-san came to TIC to bring us to the station.

That's Kitagawa san with Indra in the train

Once we reached the Sagaimono Station which is about 40mins from central Tokyo, I saw my host family...holding a placard with my name.... nice..... There's Hiroko-san (L), Aki-san and her daughter Hikaru-chan.
Indra & my host family is at the same place so we were bought to the home of Hiroko who's the leader of the "Hippo Club". Hippo club has been around for about 20 years in many pasrts of Japan and the members join it to learn other languages and culture not from a teacher but by hosting people from other countries. So I was surprise that a lot of them knows how to greet me "Apa Khabar" even the chhildren. One of them has stayed in Malaysia before with a host family.

Tea time after the introductory session and games time.

The ladies and children of Hippo Club. Guess what action we are making? I requested all of them to do this action for my camera....hehe
My host family....Aki-san, husband, Shinobu-san and 6 years old daughter, Hikaru chan playing a japanese card game. And they call me Foong-chan.... hehe. In Japan, you call an adult's name and end it with"san" and for children, it's "chan" so I guess I'm still a kid! haha and Hikaru calls me "onesan" elder sister.
Back of thier house, 3 stories, quite narrow, below is 1 guest room, 2nd floor is the living, dining & kitchen....and top floor is the entire master bedroom.

Dinner...what else to eat but sushi!

Have to show this. This meat is taken from the fin of a fish. Texture is like jelly fish...crunchy... I like it. So does Aki-san.
Fresh Blueberries!! Akisan and Hikaru-chan went to pick(dun think they are "self-plucking"! hahahaha) it in the morning before meeting me at the station........told them never eaten fresh ones before.....

The guest room where I slept...

Japanese Breakfast! Rice, grill fish, miso soup, salad, fried egg, sweet potatoe salad and this sourish seaweed thingy.

When to a museum nearby.....replica of a traditional Japanese house. I've seen it a lot in Japanese anime....like in "Inuyasha"......

Sending me off at the train station! Only stayed 1 nite. Had to return to TIC on sunday.

Indra's host family and mine......really didn't want to see us go or the other way round!! hahahahahahahahahahahahaha Had a great time! tiring but wonderful experience......