Japan, japan…see, I told you I’d come back!

There was a day four years ago wherein I was in Fukuoka, Japan feeling all happy and thankful for the wonderful and very memorable experience my host family brought me… I was also feeling sad as I bade my goodbyes to the people I considered family for three weeks. I rode a plane that brought me to Haneda then rode the limo bus to Narita International Airport for me and my fellow exchange students’ flight going back to the Philippines. The cold Japan breeze hugged me goodbye as I entered the plane and, 5 hours after, I got greeted by the warm Philippine temperature. I was back home.

February 14, 2006…that was four years ago. I was in three places, was in two countries, rode two planes, experienced all the emotions, felt two extreme temperatures, and all that happened on the same day. 

May 1, 2010, this familiar scent greeted my sense of smell…and it brought me back to a place where I once had been four years ago. There were times wherein I chance upon that familiar smell as I go through my day to day life and, for a few seconds, I close my eyes, and I was back in Japan. Last May 1, however, as I filled my lungs with this scent to my heart’s content, I open my eyes, and I was in Japan, I blinked…and now, it was for real.

 from L-R (Me, Yelle, Ms. Mitzie) this was outside Kansai Int'l airport already.

We were about to ride the MK shuttle that would take us to Shimogamo Academy.

The sweet floral scent of Japan filled the air…how I wished I could take that scent with me back home so that each time I get a whiff, it’d bring me back to Japan. As I walked through the floors of Kansai, International airport, I still can’t believe that I’m back in Japan. But as we stepped out of the airport, the cold but surprisingly soothing air that welcomed us and the still lingering “Japan” scent were enough to tell me that I was really in Japan. It’s a dream come true! Thank you Ms. Mitzie for making this dream a reality. And I’m happy to spend this dream turned reality with the best Japan travel buddies, Karen and Yelle, and Ms. Mitzie of course! The drive going to our place was rather long but very interesting nonetheless. I kept my eyes open and savored the city lights, and the change of scenery as we pass city after city before finally arriving at Kyoto.

“Shimogamo Academy”… the engraving in the marble in front of the gate read. Of course it’s in Kanji and Katakana…I just guessed that’s what’s put there. Being greeted by very warm Japanese ladies and a very charming Spanish lady all bowing to us and house slippers all prepared for us was so Japanese! The staff of Shimogamo academy was so nice and warm. With all the friendliness they showed, the exhaustion from all that happened in one day, and the very soft futon, we all dozed off to sleep with excitement on what will come tomorrow and the days after.

Our super comfy futons!!

The following days came surprisingly fast but paradoxically long… This needs explanation. Time flew in Japan. Before we knew it, we were packing our luggage (all worried with the baggage limit with all the stuff we got to buy) for the flight the morning after. Yes, time flew…but we all agreed to feeling that the days felt longer than the one-day-is-twenty-four-hours fact. With all the places we’ve gone, all the things that we did, we still can’t believe that our trip was only six days. It felt like we’ve been in Japan longer than that.

I got surprised realizing that in those six days, I found myself in six temples, five shopping areas, two museums, one university, one palace, having early morning walks, getting lost twice (one was a night out in central Kyoto and the other one was during a morning walk), learning the tea ceremony, biking for three hours around Kyoto, laughing a lot, enjoying the ofuro, and enjoying every minute of my stay in Japan.

I loved being in Japan! The whole experience was definitely the highlight of my summer vacation!

And if you’d ask me, if I would want to go back to Japan again, I’m sure you already know my answer.

L-R Karen, Ms. Mitzie, Seiko-san, Me

 

Quick Update

New Lay-out

I was in high school when I was introduced to the html world. Unfortunately, I only got to learn the basics.  I'm a no-brainer when it comes to html stuff so thank you for pre-made layouts!! Thanks to yummylolly.com for the free template! I was in search for a japanese-looking template and this one is perfect for me...Simple, pink (my next favorite color) and has flowers :)

Update

I'll be adding more stuff soon! I'll be posting more blog entries about my recent trip to Japan and I think I'll do a little introduction about the Kyoto tour in this post. ^_^

Kyoto Study Tour '10: an Introduction

This tour got conceptualized a year ago by Ms. Mitzie Icasiano. She lives with my aunt in Tahilan (a study and residence center near DLSU-Manila) and they both are members of Opus dei. Now, after a year, my aunt told me that the study tour is finally pushing through. There were limited slots available and me and my three sisters got the three slots. Our family friend Karen got the one slot too. A lot of things happened, my sisters won't be able to make it, some backed out, leaving me, Karen, Ms. Mitzie and ate Yelle (a Tahilan resident and also an Opus dei member). 

So, we had to prepare for the visa. The requirements I prepared were: affidavit of support, the bank certificate of the one supporting me financially... I think those were just the ones. The other tour details were taken care of by Ms. Mitzie.

Board and Lodging: Ms. Mitzie coordinated with Shimogamo Academy (an Opus dei residence center in Japan) and the staff were very glad to accommodate us.

Food: 2 meals/day were also part of the generous accommodation of Shimogamo Academy. 

So, instead of paying for an expensive hotel, Shimogamo Academy was really generous for taking us all in with a very affordable fee.

Guided tours were courtesy of the "Good Samaritan Club." I'm not sure about this but I heard that the tour guides are actually students who volunteer to tour foreigners around Kyoto for free (or a small fee)

PAL was also the one responsible for flying us to Japan and back to Manila :)

This study tour was sort-of a "field trip" to Japan

Kyoto Study Tour Day 1 post coming up...

Back to the Philippines!

Yes! I'm finally back to the Philippines! And I feel both sad and happy about it and excited too!! I feel sad because I miss Japan oh-so-much!! (My luggage still smells like Japan) I don't know if it's just me but Japan has this certain scent. Somewhat floral and clean... I feel happy and excited because there is so much to blog about!! The six-day trip was a fun experience! And even if it was only six days, it felt like we were there for two weeks or more!! That is because we visited a lot of temples and places that we felt that each day was really long!!

The upcoming blog entries would all include the places I got to see, the things that I bought (and hopefully some reviews), everything that happened!! I'm still not sure how I'd do it, but maybe I'd make six blog entries for each day then make separate detailed entries of the places, and other things worth digging into. =) And of course, these are with pictures.

Anyway, I'll be voting in a while =) so this would be my blog entry for now.

I pray that those who will win this election would be worthy of their positions. Let's all pray for a better Philippines.

Here are a few sneak preview photos from my Japan trip! The first one was taken at the international manga museum and the second one was taken at the Philosopher's walk going to the Ginkakuji-temple. *You can click on the pictures for a larger view :)

Dream come true: Japan I’m coming back to youuuuuu!!

I got my Japanese VISA!! *jumps and dances* (I really don't know how to dance but this thing made me dance!)

It's been so long since I dreamed of going back to Japan. I went there last Jan 2006...It's been four years! And now, I finally had my dream come true (well, almost! Not till I get there yet!)

I got a Japanese Visa for a study tour I'll be joining this coming May. Four of us would tour Kyoto and get to have Japanese lessons there too! Ms. Mitzie, a friend of my aunt, is the one who organized the tour. This is her first time to organize such tour and I think it's going to be a success. She's planning on organizing another one again next year so those who are interested, tell me! =)

If you look at my pictures in my two visas, you'll see the year difference with how I look. I looked so young back then!

This was my old visa. I got this for an exchange student program.
(Sorry for the messy editing. I used only paint since it's the only
available photo editing program I have here in my laptop.)


This is a close-up of the visa's hologram thing.

And now, my new visa got me so excited! I loved the way it looks!

Again, sorry for the messy editing... Shame shame!
Look at the cute hologram though! I hope you can see the cute fan in the middle.

The whole thing is actually "hologramized" haha...

Another look. More holograms, see?


Here's a close up of the cute sakura hologram =)

Now I see the "kawaii" culture of Japan in this VISA. Why does the visa have to be this cute? I'm not complaining. Who would anyway? They're just too cute! One would love to get them without the intention of going to Japan! Kidding! Again, sorry for erasing certain information in my visa (you didn't get to appreciate the "whole" thing). Something in my mind tells me it's not safe to share those info to the world wiiiiide web. *wink*


So, here's how I got my Japanese Visa:
I printed out an application form from the Japanese embassy, filled it out and pasted a 2x2 picture
Attached a notarized affidavit of support from my aunt (She'll be the one sponsoring my trip)
Attached a bank certificate of my aunt
A birth certificate will be needed too but in my case, since I already had a previous visa, I need not provide them one.


I then submitted my documents to Ms. Mitzie, the tour organizer. She took care of all the other documents such as the iteneraries, the other details of the tour, etc. She filed the applications last march 24 and they granted it last march 25! Fast processing! We had to submit our applications to an accredited agency and they were the ones who filed it at the Japanese embassy since the embassy doesn't accept direct applications except for special people like (exchange students, diplomats, etc.) We didn't have to show up for an interview (I showed up for an interview for my exchange student visa) and the application in the embassy was free but we had to pay the agency 2,500 each applicant.


Anyhow, I'm all set for the trip! I got my visa and ticket, I just need to pack and gather energy and I'm all set to go! I'm soooo excited!

First post!

Yay! Yay! I finally got into the blogging bandwagon (what?!)

After years of thinking of starting a blog, I finally made one (all because of boredom). And I know I'll be bumming this summer. All my other friends are out jobhunting...and I'll be here bumming.

So, to start off, my blog's url says ureshiidesu which is japanese for "I'm happy."

and my blog's name is "happy-ness"

Happy. I had an interesting chat with a friend one time and we both were got ourselves into talking about genuine happiness... and so, I got into thinking what happiness means for me...and this blog is an answer to it =P

This blog will contain if not all, some (or most) things that make me happy :)

For sure this will include japan-related posts ( like 90% of the time? haha)...
...Travel posts
...About my friends posts
...Makeup posts
...Dog posts
...er random posts!!
...anything that pops into my mind post

There!

have a happy vacation everyone!!

here's how I look now: (proud and pleased with finally starting a blog)