Small Conversation

Today in Elementary School during the break I decided to look around the school. Some students, seven, if I'm not mistaken, were staring at me, looked at my name card and, whispering 'ナナちゃん, ナナちゃん!"

Then I greeted them, "おはようございます!". Two of them ran off and the rest just stayed behind their friends' back. I squatted and gave my hand as a sign that I am friendly :p When they were still in the shy-mode, I continued to ask them, "何年生ですか." and one of them said, "二年生です。"

"Oh, a sign of good conversation!" I thought. Then they were starting to ask me.
"外国人ですか。”
"はい、外国人です。”
” ああ、そうですか。なんか、かおがちがうですよ。。。”
”あれ？”
”どこにからきましたか。”
”インドネシアからきました。”
”インドネシア?日本のちかく？”

And then suddenly I felt all of my vocabularies were gone. With simple words, I said to them.

"インドネシアは日本の下”, I said
”ええ、近くですよ。。”

I wanted to explain that Japan-Indonesia is not that near, but I lost the words! Then they all were starting to sit in the stairs and I followed them.

Some teacher greeted me in English, and they started to whisper to each other,
"英語、英語!どうして英語しゃべるんですか。。”
"わからん。。”
”ええ、英語と日本語が出来ます。。”

and they were giggling to each other, leaving me alone :'( Seeing the field full of students, I got up and ask them,

"じゃ、（あそこに）行こうか。”
"え?インドネシアに？”
"ううん、あそこ。(pointing the field). インドネシアに行きたいの？”
"うん。近くだから、行こうか。”

Surprised, I just laughed :p

Then the bell rang and they went back to class. Before going to the class they all shook my hand and gave me high five!

"Bye, Nana-chan!" said them loudly.

Ah, unfortunately it's just 10 minutes. Next week I will make more conversation with the students!
***

Translation:

ナナちゃん: Nana-chan, my nickname :3. 
おはようございます!: Ohayou Gozaimasu - Good Morning
何年生ですか: Nan nen sei desuka? - What grade are you?
二年生です: Ni nen sei desu. - 2nd grade
外国人ですか: Gaikokujin desuka? - Are you a foreigner?
はい、外国人です. Hai, gaikokujin desu. - Yes I am a foreigner.
 ああ、そうですか。なんか、かおがちがうですよ: aa, soudesuka. Nanka, kao ga chigau desu yo. - Somehow, your face is different (than us).
”あれ？” - Are? - Eh?
どこにからきましたか.: Doko ni kara kimashitaka? - Where are you from?
インドネシアからきました: Indonesia kara kimashita - I am from Indonesia
インドネシア?日本のちかく？Indonesia? Nihon no Chikaku? - Indonesia? Is that near from Japan?
インドネシアは日本の下: Indonesia wa Nihon no shita - Indonesia is under Japan.
ええ、近くですよ。。: ee, chikaku desu yo - Ah, that's near..
英語、英語!どうして英語しゃべるんですか。。: Eigo, eigo! Doushite eigo shaberun desu ka? - English, English! Why is (Nanachan) speaking in English?
わからん。。: Wakaran.. - I don't know.. (Hiroshima's dialect ^^ It supposed to be わからない-wakaranai)
ええ、英語と日本語が出来ます。。: Ee, eigo to nihongo ga dekimasu.. - Wow, (she) could speak English and Japanese...
じゃ、（あそこに）行こうか。: Ja (Asoko ni) Ikouka? - Okay, Let's go (there).
"え?インドネシアに？”: e? Indonesia ni? - Eh? (go to) Indonesia?
ううん、あそこ。(pointing the field). インドネシアに行きたいの？: uun, asoko. Indonesia ni ikitai no? - Nope, there. Do you want to go to Indonesia?
うん。近くだから、行こうか: un. Chikaku kara, ikouka? - Yeah, because it's near, shall we go?

Asobitai!

Asobitai Project! The elementary school student with the exchange student will be doing some activities together: planting sweet potatoes, harvesting onions and harvesting rice! Since I did not bring my camera, the photos taken by Motoki and Miyahara-san :D

First, planting sweet potatoes (May,11th 2013)

Nicolas, Ojii-san, Me

At this time, Ojii-san tried to speak Japanese with Nicolas, but Nico seemed lost in translation and finally I joined. But since my Japanese is also not good, I just tried my best to translate it in English. T^T I must study harder!

Me, Hyeon-Jin, Sang-Hee

Another Ojii-san explained to Sang-hee and me the proper way to plant the sweet potatoes 

***

Second, Harvesting Onions! (June, 1st 2013)

With the Elementary School Student!

After harvesting all the onions, we had a chance to took it home if we won at Jan-Ken-Pon (Japanese version of Rock-Paper-Scissor game) against the Ojii-san.

Gosia, was the first among the exchange student who won!

There were four students took a part in the JKP game, and we all won! Finally, every student who were there, about 11 people if I'm not mistaken, take 3/4 onions to home :D

***

Third, Planting Rice (June, 8th 2013)

Planting the Rice

Muddy and hot! The perfect combination! :p

Miyahara-san said that fortunately the rice planting was before the rainy season so that there were probably no leeches. But then Amine said he found a leech in the mud. Yikes!

In Indonesia our main dish is always including rice, but I have never gone in the mud and planting it. I just saw it and tried to play with the mud until my grand mother told me to stop. :p But after actually planting it, I just realized the difficulty that farmers go through. Planting the seeds, waiting them to grow up, harvesting it. The field in here is small compare to fields in Indonesia. Not to mention pest that caused the failing of harvesting. Hem...

Lesson learned: if you want to know what is patience, learn from the farmers

Golden Week - Kure Trip III

 This is the inside look from Yamato Battleship Museum. Since I didn't bring my discount card, I have to pay Y 500 to get in there T^T If you have the discount card, you don't have to pay :)

At first I was worried that I could not understand the explanation about Yamato Battleship and its history. But then the guide said that for the foreigner they have audio-set that will "explain" to you in English. They also provide that audio set in Chinese and Korean. So do not worry that you will get 'lost' in that museum :3 I walked around with that audio-set :D

Actually, in first floor, first room, there were history about the war, Japanese-life during the war, and many more, even a film, but I did not know what was the film about. Also, I went there on holiday, so much people in one room and I decided to skip the history part and went straight to the replica of Yamato Battleship.

Replica of Yamato Battleship

Then I walked in to the missiles part. That amazed me. The battleship, of course, brought a lot of missiles, but the pictures below weren't just any missile, it was suicide missiles!

2 person suicide missile

1 person suicide missile

There were also letter from the privates who took a part in suicide mission to their family. I couldn't read the letter, but it's just breaking my heart. But as people who love their country, I guess the family knew that was a must thing to do. 

Some missiles

***

That was the last part of Yamato Battleship Museum. Because I was separated from Sasa and Motoki, I decided to sit in front of  the replica of the battleship. While listening again to the audio-set, I looked through the replica. The war must be a hard time for Japanese. They had to sacrifice so many things, even their life in order to save the country. I myself can not imagine if I were i that situation. Almost everyday living in fear, hearing the sound of gun, and do not forget the Hiroshima-Nagasaki that was bombed.

"Heal the world, make it better place,

for you and for me and the entire human race..."

-Heal the World, Michael Jackson

Golden Week - Kure Trip II

From Submarine Museum, we went to Military Base (Japan Maritime Self Defence) in Ondo, Kure. This is a rare opportunity, since just the family of the marine could go there. Thanks to Motoki and his marine friend, Sasa and I could go there as a "family". Ahahahha.

But before reach the military base, we got the wrong information. We went to Kure District Headquarters, the office. And the Military Base is faaa~~r away from the headquarters. It's a mistake to go there by foot! It took maybe 45-60 minutes to go there, and also tiring! The road goes up and down and up and down again T^T And when we arrived there, the gate was still closed. So we decided to eat lunch first.

This is the view from a bench where I ate my lunch

We waited, like, 30 minutes and then entered the base. We had to register first. Since the family was Motoki, he did all the registration thing for us. Near from the registration place, there was abandoned submarine. It was so big that my camera couldn't get all the body of submarine in one screen.

Then we went in to a amphibian ship. The name is Ohsumi (おおすみ). At first I thought that the ship is like a ferry ship, because the middle of the ship was so wide.

Wiidee~~

This explain how the amphibian ship works

Salute!

There were so many ships in the military base :3

This ship is so big that I couldn't take the picture

By the way, do you see the flags at the ship? Those are called "International Maritime Signals" and each flag spells an alphabetic letters. 

Next destination was Yamato Battleship Museum.

This was the view. Kure was like, dead city, because it was the beginning of golden week. Shops were closed, and just a few cars in there. Just make a little louder voice, your voice would be heard from the other side of sidewalk.

candid!

Golden Week - Kure Trip I

Actually on the beginning of May, I got flu. I did not attend a class for almost one week full. I got fever and sore throat, and I was afraid I could not enjoy my golden week. T^T But thanks God I got better on Friday 3rd, so I could go to museums with Motoki and Sasa :D

It was a long journey. We went to three places, Submarine Museum, Military Base and Yamato Battleship Museum. Ah, actually four places, because the last one we went to eat at the mall :D

First, Submarine Museum. In this place we can see mines, missiles that used in the battlefield, especially in sea and also minesweeper equipment. It also shows the history how Japanese "cleaned" the sea after the war. They used some advanced equipment (at that time). To clean the sea, of course, it need some brave man, because you could die anytime if you failed to defuse the mines.

Submarine Museum

The History of Submarine in Japanese

An Example of Equipment Used in Defuse the Mines

Rifle!

One of Sea Mine

This one of many types of mines in the sea. This picture above is a type of mines that place in continental slope or basin and targeting the submarines. The picture below one of mine ballast. The mine was placed in continental shelf and targeting the ships that approached the land or port.

The Ballast

Before entering the submarine, we went to the replica of submarine in the same building.

The Multi-function Seat

Because the submarine is not spacy, everything in the submarine must be multifunction. Like the seat, the toilet, and also the layout of the submarine.

These are the example of everyday meal in submarine life

The Room in Submarine

The space is too narrow T^T or was it me that just too fat to be in submarine?

Something like control room

The Badge and Level of Marine

Marine Badges from Indonesia :D

to be continued...

Hiroshima Kashihaku 2013

"The National Confectionary Exposition is the largest confectionary fair in Japan, and is held once approximately every 4 years in various locations throughout the nation. Along with passing the history and culture of confectionaries along to the next generation, it also serves in promoting the confectionary industry and related industries, and invigorating the economy of the host area." -Kashihaku 2013 Website

Tada! The Hiroshima National Confectionary Expo was finally held in Hiroshima again after almost 100 years! So lucky for this spring-summer term I did not have to go outside Hiroshima for this big expo. ^^ We went there by walking from Hiroshima Station. Since it was weekend, there were so many people had the same intention: spent the weekend to go to Hiroshima Kashihaku.

The ticket!

Yeah, as you can see, the price of ticket is expensive, Y 2000. There was much cheaper ticket, for Y 1000 you could go in, called evening ticket. But since it only sold at 5 or 6 in the evening at weekdays, and there's no one would accompany me at that kind of time, I decided to go in a group.

I expected that I could try all the free okashii (snack) there, but, I had to wait for like, 3 hours just to get free snacks and bought some traditional snack T^T Finally we just go around and try some snack but not for free T^T

In this expo, there are so many snacks and candies from all over Japan, old and new ones. Unfortunately, as I said before, there were so many people, so I couldn't take good picture and explored all the regions that took a part.

Traditional Snacks :3

Some regions that taking a part in this expo

Many people >_<

 When we went out from the confectionary tour building, I supposed to get some free anko momiji manju. But the momiji manju was out of stock as it got in my turn T_T These three were lucky!

Sasa, Matsumoto, Amine

 I just bought this Lemon Ice Cream. The day was so hot it melted so fast!

 After filling our stomach with some snacks, we're going to theme park, where things shown there all made by sugar-y things!

Eat me? Eat me not?

"Welcome to our house!"

 And this is the most awesome!

Mini Miyajima!

Next: cake time!

It looked like the same, but actually there were, like, 10 stands for the cake, and each stands, if I am no t mistaken, contained 100 cakes!

***

At 4 o'clock, in the name of getting more free snacks, we went to Hiroshima Gas Stand to make waffles and hearing some safety instruction for using the gas. It actually just for the kids, but then all the exchange student try to cook. The explanation was in Japanese, we just understand by looking at the picture on the wall :D

Free waffles! Nyam

Meet The People of Candy Land! ^^

I wish I could get more free snacks T_T ehehehehehe :D

Flower Festival!

Hiroshima Flower Festival!!

Here comes the lovely flowers :3

Sasa and I went there because we had to present Indonesian traditional dances at HUE Stage. Actually that was my first time ever to dance in front of people. Our stages was at 6.20 pm, and since we arrived about one and a half hour earlier, we decided to take a look at the flower festival.

Mountain of Flowers

This 'mountain' was right in front of the main stage, where dances were presented by various groups from all over the place. One of them was Hiroshima University of Economics' dance club: Dance Razzle. That was wonderful performance! My jaw was dropping during the entire performance :p

広島経済大学 DANCE RAZZLE

Well, it was hot and we saw かき氷 (Kakigoori) :9 As the syrup, I chose blueberry and strawberry :9 After mixing the blue and red syrup, my kakigoori turned out purple! 

Before mixing. 

 There was also a stand for Kodokan Project, one of them was Indonesia Contribution Project and the were selling Indonesian handy craft, aromatherapy stick and candle. :3

Keita, one of Indonesian Project Member

Before the stage, we took a picture! By the way, I danced East Kalimantan's traditional dance: Burung Enggang (The Bird) and Sasa's was Tari Topeng (The Mask Dance) from Betawi (a tribe from Jakarta).

Me, Nicolas and Sasa 

***
After the stage, Sasa and me joined the others to went around the festival before going home. They were Shishido, Sangjin, and of course Nicolas. The price of snacks in the festival was quite high that we decided to go to restaurant to fill our stomach! :p it was another great day!

When will the other chance to walk in this big road?