A Day with the Host Family

Sorry for being slow with updates (>.<) I'm currently in regular school classes now and you would think that's the cause of my slow updates, but truthfully I've just been lazy XD Since regular classes started I've actually have more free time =P Also, unlike during the summer/ILP not much has happened so it's kinda hard to update unless you guys want to know how I spend my days in my room infront of the computer lol but I won't. Anyway, enough of my ramblings. I will be posting more about what has happened since Kyoto (will probably won't be in order and I won't give specific days of when they happened cause I probably forgot lol)

Spending a day with the Host Family
On the Saturday after we got back from Kyoto I went to a basketball Parent/Child Showdown (Oyako Taiketsu) event with my host family. One of the sisters participates in basketball so that's why I went to one of these. By the way, if you don't know what this is it's basically an event (I believe they do this for every sport, not just basketball) where they event parents (or relatives, etc) to play against the kids. It's really fun! I fail at basketball, though XD but it's ok because most of the other people playing against the kids weren't that great either lol

Before we actually played basketball we played a game that's like dodgeball but with a little twist. We split into two teams just like dodgeball and the object of the game is to throw the ball and hit someone so that they'd be out, just like dodgeball. However, the twist is a few members stand outside of the play court on the opposing side. The people in the court can throw the ball towards one of their teammates outside and they can hit the opposing team. They however aren't allowed to move. They can only stay in one spot. Also, when you get hit by the ball you don't just go out and stand and wait to get back in, you actually become part of those people! Which makes the game harder btw since not only are you watching the front, but you also have to watch your back and your sides since your enemy is surrounding you! I really like this twist, though :) makes it a lot more fun and challenging!

After the taiketsu we went to an udon restaurant that's apparently famous around Tsuru (at least that's what I got out of what they said... I'm still working on my listening :P). We sat outside since the inside was already full. I also met one of my host family's neighbors who happened to be there, too. While we waited for our food I played around with my two host sisters. The restaurant was next to a rice field and the two sisters ran off and came back with some rice plants in their hands. For 15 minutes we picked out the rice grains from them lol The udon we got was so delicious! It was also my first time having cold udon since I usually eat it warm.

After lunch we went the host family's apartment.  I ended up staying there until 8 pm. I spent a lot of time playing with the kids :) We went outside and played with their scooters and bikes. I also played a little bit of basketball with my host sister in the parking lot. She kept saying how good I was, but all I did was kept the ball from her lol It was a workout though XD It was fun, though :D We also played around in their room where the old sister mainly showed me all her stuff in her desks. Kids are so cute :3 Oh yeah, apparently these two little girls aren't afraid of bugs like most girls I know XP They even have a kuwaga and kabuta as pets! (They're types of Japanese beetles). At one point we saw a dead bug that's been smashed into the wall and the youngest one plucked a wing off XD lol she wasn't grossed out at all! I was a little hahaha We also played with their 3DS where the eldest sister kept trying to get a picture of me, but I kept hiding my face haha but I finally gave in and just kept making weird faces which entertained her XP

So, I played with the kids for a few hours. It was tiring lol but fun none-the-less! Me, the sisters, and the mom (the dad was at work) went to the grocery store to get something to eat for dinner. When we went there the eldest sister took me to the snack aisle and told me to pick a snack. I kept saying how a certain snack was expensive so I didn't want to get it, but she kept telling me not worry haha I think she got annoyed because I kept saying that, but truthfully I kept saying it to troll her lol My host mom got okonomiyaki stuff which meant we were having okonomiyaki for dinner :3 It was sooooo delicious!

After dinner I went back to my apartment since it was getting late. They all came to see me off :3 which made me happy ^_^ That day definitely was one of my favorites. I had so much fun!