Japan!

by Tiara

Two weeks ago the Japanese class went to Tokyo, Japan. Fortunately, I am a member of that class. This trip was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. In the beginning, everyone was hesitant about staying with host families, but in the end we didn't want to leave. The best part of the trip for me was staying with a host family. I was so nervous the first night meeting them, and I was contemplating if I was going to like them or not. But as the week went on, I got comfortable with them and they grew on me like a second family. My host family had 8 members in the house: Akane my host sister, Shota and Takuya my host brothers, Junko my host mother, Masayuki my host father, Akane's great grandmother and grandparents. They had a big house that contained 5 rooms, so I was comfortable.
For meals the customs were very different from average American families. My host mother always ate last after everyone because she was so busy moving around making sure everyone had food, and if anyone needed anything, she got it for them. My eldest host brother had cram school every night so he always came home late, and when he did, my host mother would quickly prepare food for him so he could eat right away.
Showering was also different. They didn't have a shower inside; it was outside but I didn't mind... as long as I got to take a bath I was good. When I got into the shower room, they didn't have a shower head holder, so I would have to carry it and hose myself off manually. They kept telling me I could take a bath in the tub full of hot water but at the end of the day, truth be told, I was too lazy.
My host family was so nice I grew to love them and when I had to leave I ended up crying. They always tried to please me more and more each day, always going out of their way to do things for me which of course I greatly appreciated. Turns out we had more in common than I would have thought. They were big soccer fans. My host father was even the captain of his own club soccer league. I got to practice with them once during the first week I stayed there. It was an overall amazing and life-changing experience. Japanese people take things more seriously than we Americans, and they also appreciate life in every way possible and always try to make the best of it.