Hello! My name is Chai.
This is my first blog on this website.
When my fiancé invited me to come to Japan, I was nervous at first because I had never been to any other countries aside from my home country, the Philippines. However, I was also excited to meet his family and friends and see the beauty of his hometown.
I had a lot of "what if" thoughts in my mind about what it would be like when I arrive in Japan, especially since he couldn't fetch me and could only wait for me at the airport. However, I had to go because all my documents were ready. I just needed to be mentally and physically prepared.
When I arrived in Japan, I stayed in Jiro-san's "Sky Tea House," a hostel he owned in the countryside of Yame. The house was located in the mountains and far from the city. The house has a scenic view and a very clean river nearby. It also had all the basic amenities and a good wifi connection. I enjoyed the company of other guests; we shared stories and ate together. However, I struggled a lot with the autumn cold (as I came from a tropical country.)
Luckily, Jiro-san then decided that we travel around Kyushu for 5 days, and some of the places we went were not so cold. So we were able to enjoy our 5-day fast-paced travel. We visited different temples, waterfalls, and seaside parks, trekked on mountains, and even witnessed real volcanic activity. Every night we went to different onsens (hot springs) for our bath.
That was my most awkward first experience in Japan, getting into the onsen naked. Fortunately, there are onsens with private rooms and separate male/female areas, because it would have been more embarrassing for me to go to a mixed-gender onsen.
After our 5-day travel, we went back to the Sky Tea House, and there was a local festival in the village the day after. They had singing and dance performances featuring folk and modern songs, and food stalls selling local food and drinks at a cheap price. At the festival, I met Jiro-san's neighbors, friends, and other villagers. They were all nice, very polite, and hospitable.
Anyway, I enjoyed the festival, and I never thought that they also have a gathering similar to the Philippines. What amazed me the most was that after the gathering, there was no single piece of garbage found in the field. That's real discipline.
After my Japan trip, I realized that it's probably nice to live and experience all those things every day. The beautiful sceneries of nature, the clean and pollution-free environment, healthy food, rich culture, and great qualities of people where everyone you meet will greet you no matter who you are and what clothes you wear. (Based on my own experience as a tourist).
My first travel abroad was great, and I'm indeed grateful to all the people I met.
To Rhum, Kimmie, and the Romanian family - I hope to see you all again someday.
To my big monster (Jiro-san), thank you so much for the wonderful and unforgettable experiences on my first time in Japan. Special thanks to your mom for letting me borrow some of her clothes and for cooking delicious food for us.
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