Happy days in Toride

So, we have now arrived in Toride.
I’m feeling very good about this city. The theme is City revatilization (I’ve given up on spelling that word correctly, I’m sorry), wich is my favourite from last year. So far it’s been very interesting.
Today we went on a small tour in the town. I visited a pickle factory. Beeing staff, I usually sign up last, so the participants can have the first pick. I don’t particulary like pickeled stuff, so this would no doubt be my last choice. But myself and Cody (my prod.co-ordinator) just signed up at whatever was left as usual. He got the old style lamp factory.
But the pickles were fun!

They actually make it all by hand. This was the main office, out of three stores. The neighbouring store was a sake store. When they pickle stuff here, they put vegetables (or similar) in the waste that comes out from making Sake. So the two stores exist in perfect harmony with each other.
I learned a lot, and was very impressed that they did it all by hand. They had 5 ton “barrels”, wich they emptied by stepping down in it on a ladder, equipped with boots and a shovel, digging their way down to the bottom.
It also turns out that this kind of pickles have about 5% of alcohol in them.
They told us they have a lot of school visits, and the children who goes too crazy on the free samples sometimes ends up with a really red face.

Hmm..

And it was the best pickles I’ve ever tried in my life, no doubt.
(but pickles are still not my favourite, I mind you)

Otherwise, we have 6 new members coming, as this is the start of the second period.
5 of them have already arrived, including 2 Danes, 1 American girl (who is Faith’s cousin, for those of you who know her), one dude from Turki (did I spell that correctly? It’s “tyrkia” for those of you who speak Noregian) and one Swiss so far. The swiss is by the way Cyrills friend from last tour. (kudos to him, he got two people on the tour. Her, and his former hostsister; Rie-chan)

The Turkish guy is fantasticly awesome. He’s only 19, but seems brighter than myself. He’s full of humor, has clever comments and he’s been to Norway. I’m looking forward to learning from him, I know extremely little of his culture.

They’re working hard to catch up with Arigatou Evento stuff, and I’m working even harder to make sure they actually do so.
I’m currently only missing one soloists, but with the current set we can make it through one more event. It’ll be good.

My hostfamily here is also awesome. I don’t know what I’ve done, but this tour has only been great families. The current one is the parents (Hiroyo-san and Takao-san) plus a daugther at 15. (Megumi-san)
Not only is my hostsisters name easy to remember because it’s the same as my Japanese teachers, but she really likes manga and tv-games. She even has the same favourites as myself. (Final Fantasy VII and Fullmetal Alchemist)
She had a PS3, but her mom threw it out as she sometimes played all night.
They’re full of humor and life, and it’s a great energy to come home to. They even have a dog here, that I get to “help” walking every day.
Tomorrow we are making kites together, along with the program.
I can’t wait.

My current hostfamily

So, biggest problem right now; stuff ordered from Norway that should’ve arrived a week ago are still not here. EEEH?!
That’s one thing, but the fact that I’m leaving for China in under two weeks is what really conscerns me. Both because I don’t want to leave this tour, I feel like my job is halfdone. It will probably go pretty smoothy after this evento, but still. I don’t like passing work onto others, and I’ll probably never see most of the people on this tour again.
I hate that feeling. But I will see some of them again, and that helps.
Eeh, lots of feelings.

Nothing like being alive I guess.

BUT; that’s all for now!
I’ll write you later when I get the chance.
For those of you who haven’t seen it; check out the brand new fancy poster for the coming Dragonball movie by the way.
I saw the news on the tv this morning. Gotta love the japanese morning shows!

In other news, I can now upload photos, as you might have noticed.
So; my last hostfamily!:

And a good picture from Personal day in Shinjuku

Yoshis friend, Acchi, myself Amanda and Kioko, a half Japanese half Mexican girl we`ve been hanging out with.