Last weekend Jon left from Japan. So sad!! We had a picnic for him Satureday night, but I was already tired before it started.

 

Friday night was my company's festival. It was a big festival, about 1500 people joined. I was one of the member that had to organized that and I was also a leader of the group that had to organized one activity (a race of tricycle) and a bingo game. We started preparing from early June, and last week was the busiest week!! I worked over everyday. (I went back from Canada at 9 pm on last Sunday and I worked next day. It was so hard.) On Friday I worked at the festival while my colleagues got drank and had fun. I also had fun with our members tho. It finished at 10 pm, I was tired, but we had to work next day to clean up the place and calculate the proceeds. I wanted to take a rest before I went to Shell's place, but I couldn't, so I was exhausted when I came there. aww too bad!!

 

I met Shell, Jon, Mike and Kyoko at Shell's place and went to Champ to have dinner. I really wanted to go that restrant, foods were nice, but I couldn't eat so much because of the fatigue. On our way to Himeji castle I drank an enery drink. I didn't know it worked or not, after that I felt better. (but still couldn't drink alcohol.)

 

We went to picinic place behind the castle, many people already gathered and were waiting for Jon with many candles. It was so pretty. He completely didn't know about the picnic, so he was very surprised. Even I was surprised many people were there. He has many good friends!! This time Shell and Kyoko baked a cake for him. It was yummy. And Jo gave him an album that all his friends, Jo, Shell, Steff, Reza, Silvia, Igor, Kyoko, Makoto, Mariko and I, were there. Jo chose pictures and gathered coments from all of us.( I couldn't send a coment to her before the picnic, so I wrote it there. hehe)  That was really nice!! Good job! At the picnic I met Jojo's sister Annette for the first time, but she already knew me. She had seen many pictures of me. So when we met, she called me "chichan!!". At the end of the picnic I realized Jo, Shell and Mariko wore funny t-shirt that had Japanese message "日本人彼氏募集中". I knew they bought it, but I didn't know they would wear it at that day. They headed to Tiger wearing that t-shirt. I thought "wow, they are brave." haahaa

 

 At Tiger we had some drinks. Jon found a poster of his leaving party that Makoto made. He looked happy about that. Then we went to Roxy. We wanted to dance, but badly the music was not good for dancing. We danced for a short time with good music, but soon we went back drinking. After Roxy some people had to say good-by to Jon. It was a sad time. Then rest of us went to ramen restrant, then Shell, Jon, Mike, Kyoko and I went back to Shell's place. It was already around 5 am, the sky was getting light.

 

Next morning I drove to Reza's place to pick Jon and Mike's stuff up with Jon, Mike and Shell. We had breakfast at Ryal Host, then went to bus terminal. Jon's friend Kaori and Reza came, and we saw them off. So sad time, but we were smiling. After that rest of us went to have some coffee, then Shell and I went back to Shell's place. We were exhausted. I slept but I couldn't sleep well, I was really really exhausted. ahhh, My busiest weekend was finally over. 

 

My flight was sooo long. I flew to Detroit first and then I had to wait next airplane for 7 hours!! It was so hard to stay awake after long flight, so I felt asleep on the chair at the airport. Then I flew to Halifax. It was almost midnight when I arrived there. But there was no one waiting for me!! Brady and Kazu, Brady's student from Japan, appeared 30 minites later. They thought my airplane would be late because Kazu's airplane was late for 45 minites. But I arrived at almost right time. I was happy to meet them, but I felt a bit sad before that... :( Kazu looked quiet happy to speak Japanese. But he had to leave from Canada next day, so we talked a little and said goodbye. It was wired Brady said hello to me but he also had to say goodbye to Kazu at the same time. I thought he must have had strange feelings. On our way to his hometown we talked a lot in his car, and I realized I can understand and speak English!! Recently I spend a lot of time with Shell and Jon, they can speak Japanese, so I talked with them in Japanese and I thought I no longer speak English well. ( I was lazy...hehe ) So I decided to talk with many people during my holidays in Canada.

 

<Dad's retirement party>

Next day was a retirement party for Brady's dad. It was held at a pretty lodge, many people came to say congratulations to him. Some people gave him a speech (It contained Brady.) and a big present. It was a nice party. I talked with many people, ate good food and played a mandline. (Music helps me all the time! It was fun.) I met his family there for the first time, and also met many his relatives and dad's friends, I was confused who was who. Some people met other students from Japan and were interested in Japan, so they asked me many questions. It was nice time, I wanted stay longer but I was still suffering from jetlag, so went back home earlier.

 

<at Brady's house>

 Next morning some dad's friends were at Brady's house with his family, so I was still confused. They taught me about Canada and around their home town by useing Canadian map. Before that acutually I didn't know where I was, it was a good information. That morning Brady cooked breakfast for us. It was good! Another morning his sister cooked, it was also nice! And all supper his mom cooked were delicious!! They are good at cooking. I really liked that. In Canada it was still light around 10 pm. I was surprised and my body clock was confused. We went out after supper, stayed up late and woke up lately every morning. Every day it started slowly, I could relax in Canada. About his town, seriously I need a car if I live there. Every house aparts from each other. They have a lot of land. Scenery was so nice, so I walked around his house sometime, but I couldn't go anywhere by myself.

 

<summer activities>

I saw a summer activity near his house, it was tubing. Some people were floating with a tube on the river. It looked fun, but that day it was clowdy and a little bit cold, so I didn't try that. But next day I did another summer activity. We went to a water fall in the forest and I JUMPED into the water fall!! The height was 4 or 5 meters. Sooo SCARY!! First I thought I couldn't do that becaouse it was too high and I had never jumped into the water from such a high point. And seriousely I didn't want to die there!! But I heard other students did before I came there and there were nothing to do except jumping. And I didn't miss Canadian summer activity. So I changed my mind and jumped. I was scared but it was FUN!! After jumping I felt I could do any difficult things. hehe Brady said it was easy. I think it was just for Canadian, not for me. But I did and enjoyed. YAY

 

<canoeing>

 Canoeing was the most interesting experience in Canada. Brady's dad is good at canoeing, he took me to the river and showed me nice scenery from the canoe. It was sooo PRETTY!! The surface of the river was quiet, refrected trees and sky. I felt the world became double. That pretty scenery spred 360 degrees. He explained many things about canoeing, history in Canada and animals lives in the river. I saw beavers showing off for us to hunt fishes, wild deer family and ducklings practicing how to fly with their mother. It was so nice. I enjoyed Canadian nature. Next day I went canoeing again with Brady. It was at 11 pm, dark, quiet and scary. I had so strange feelings. We could see a little light of cross on the top of the cherch and some little stars in the sky. It was completely different from yesterday's scenery. I paddled a canoe a little thinking about peron boat race training. I did well. I could move a canoe faster. hehe I really enjoyed canoeing. Now I miss it very much. But I don't miss bugs around the river. They were stronger than Japanese one and bit me a lot! They always anoyed me. I sprayed bugs spray. It was also stronger than Japanese one and really worked. haha (In Canada I saw TV comercials and I liked this phrase "This stuff really works!!")

 

<shopping>

Shopping is always fun for girls! I went shopping to Moncton it took one and half hours from the town with Brady's sister Kelty and their grandmother. I was so exited because it was the first time to see city in Canada. I bought clothes, make-up stuff and Canadian souvenirs. Kelty helped me a lot. She taught me how to order a sub at first food shop (I couldn't order by myself...) and looked for my size in the shop, it was extra small size or large KIDS size. I'm too small in Canada. haha And grandmother suggested some nice clothes for me. ( After I came back to Japan, I realized the shape of XS t-shirt fitted me. It's so nice. I should have bought more in Canada...) It was nice time, but it was the last day I could spend a whole day in Canada. I couldn't believe I would leave there soon.

 

After shopping Brady came to Moncton wearing silly t-shirt (see the photo) and drove to Halifax. On our way to Halifax I could see beautiful scenery. I didn't realize that when I went to his home town on my first day because it was in the night. I can't see such a wide view in Japan. That night we stayed at Brady's friend's apartment, I enjoyed seeing nice city view from the window and watching the TV show LOST and left for the airport in early morning. We waited for a long time to check in at the airport, Brady helped it, and we said goodby in front of the departure gate. It was second time to say that, so sad time.

 

After I came back to Japan, I felt HIMEJI IS A BIG CITY!! It's true! haha Thank you for showing nice things and driving for a long time to the airport. I really enjoyed in Canada. Thanks again!!