PA & MA IN HACH

19TH OCT - 25TH OCT

Time really flies! Before i know it, Pa & Ma came and they left! Was looking foward to their visit ever since they decided on their US tour. Picked them up at Hach station ard 645pm on 19th Oct. They had a long trip, all the way from Singapore to US and now Japan. Mama had many stories to tell about her interesting encounters during their US tour. I brought them to a restaurant located below the station for dinner. Pa & Ma were sooo sick of American food so they were happy to have some Asian food! I ordered some rice, miso soup and some meat. We decided to try the local cuisine so I ordered horse meat too! It looked like beef but was very tough…We also had hotate (scallop)　[ほたて] . After dinner we caught the train to Konakano and dragged all the luggages back to my small apartment. Once we reached my home, Mama unloaded stuff that they brought for me… Interestingly, they even brought toiletries, tissue boxes & toilet paper rolls that they have collected from hotels during their US trip! They thought I would definitely need these stuff so they have been collecting them at each hotel they stayed in the US! Haha, I have such cute parents! They were really exhausted from traveling so soon enough, they went to sleep. I let them have my bed in the loft while I slept on the mattress on my carpet in the living/dining room. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz….Was sleeping soundly until I was woken up by really loud snoring… Alas, it’s Papa’s signature snoring that I missed for 2 months! It was sooo loud that I couldn’t sleep… :(

The next day, we woke up early to have breakfast (kaya bread! Yummy!) before setting off to Hach station to catch the bus to Lake Towada. We met up with Jaslyn’s 2 friends, Lay Lian & Ooi Ling, who were also on a holiday here. They came from Gerard’s house and now they also wanna go Lake Towada to sight-see. Since we were going the samw direction, we went together. The bus ride was 2 hours. Enjoyed really beautiful scenery along the way. Also passed by Oirase Gorge… There were many old people strolling along Oirase Gorge who were taking photos with really professional-looking cameras (complete with tripod stands)! Wow, is this what old jap folks do when they retire?
Soon we reached the Lake but we were early for check-in to our hotel. Thus we had lunch first, then went to sit on the boat cruise around the lake. Was pretty chilling at the Lake! Mama did not wear enough thick clothes so she was freezing… Papa felt fine... Maybe coz he has lots of fat to insulate him from the cold! Haha! We took a leisurely stroll along the lake and enjoyed the foliage, what the Japanese term as kouyou ［紅葉］. Such a beautiful word…
After we checked into the ryoukan［旅館］, Kor Kor and Wendy still haven’t arrived. We were all very worried that they might have missed the last bus from Hach… However we were relieved that they finally arrived later. The hotel staff helped by fetching them from the bus terminal coz I told them we were expecting my brother to come via bus. So thank God they made it. Then we happily had a family dinner together – Japanese style! The food was good! Needless to say, the presentation was absolutely beautiful... The next day, we did some shopping before heading back to Hach. Kor Kor & Wendy had one more night to stay in Lake Towada so I bade them farewell.

Next morning, I brought Papa and Mama to Hokuryo’s Culture Festival. Murakami sensei decided to issue me a taxi ticket instead of making us take a bus to Hokuryo as he said it would be tough on my parents since they are old. Hee how nice!
When we reached, Ito Kochosensei was very hospitable. He let us sit just beside him, as the VIPs! There were performances put up by students of all the three grades. It started with a “Momotaro” play in English by the 1^st graders, followed by a presentation of Good Job week by the 2^nd graders and lastly various performances like dances & plays by the stars of the Culture Festival today – the 3^rd graders. It was their last Culture Festival so many of them were moved to tears! I always wondered why Japanese students seem to cry so easily… Anyway, it was very enjoyable. Papa and Mama got to talk to some 1^st graders and they seem happy to engage in a conversation with them. Some 3rd graders also brought us around on a school tour where many students' works were exhibited in classrooms.
After the performances ended, we left Hokuryo for Cino by taxi. Then we went shopping around Downtown and headed to Lapia to buy groceries for dinner. We bought sushi, sashimi and crabs! They all tasted really fresh! I was stuffed! I was lucky man coz usually I will not have such a sumptuous meal!

The next day, I decided to bring Papa & Mama to Hasshoku Center since it would be too cold to visit Tanesashi Coast or Kabushima.. However I didn’t know there was a direct bus to go to Hasshoku Center from Muikamachi bus-stop so we took a train to Nagashirogane train station and walked there. Unfortunately it started raining and the wind was especially strong today. Poor Mama looks like she was freezing… I felt quite bad. Papa seem ok though. Maybe coz he has lots of fats to keep him warm?!? Haha..
We had a warm meal at Hasshoku Center and Mama started her dried goods shopping. Papa tried out his bargaining skills there and I became quite irritated. Told him people in Japan don’t have the habit of bargaining… Plus this is an indoor market but not a flea market. I managed to buy a nice handbag that costs only 500yen! Very cute! We took a bus back to downtown then we went to Piado by Nanbu bus. Chanced upon 2 Hokuryo students at Jyuusannichimachi bus-stop and we took the same bus. Shopped at Piado for some time before walking to Lapia to buy dinner again. Had　yet another sumptuous dinner!
Had to work today but luckily I was assigned to visit Shimamori JHS. Shimachuu JHS’s JTE, Ms Nakamura is always well-prepared in her lessons and shows great enthusiasm during classes. Thus it’s a joy whenever I get to go Shimachuu. This time, Papa and Mama tagged along to do a school visit. When we reached, Shimachuu’s staff gave us a warm welcome. Ms Nakamura explained the day’s lesson and I was pleasantly surprised that she involved Papa & Mama into the lesson plans for all the classes. I thought having Papa & Mama at the school would cause a hindrance but she cleverly incorporated them into the lessons. I was really grateful as Papa and Mama had lots of fun interacting with the students, like answering questions about Singapore and giving out stickers as rewards for class participation! Furthermore, Papa & Mama were invited to stay for lunch as well!
Later at night, Papa told me that if JET would not mind hiring a 60 year old man, he would apply to be an ALT! Haha!

The next day, it was time for Papa & Mama to return to Singapore. I walked them to Konakano station, carrying bags and bags of stuff that Mama bought. Heh, was a gd trip for them and I can finally sleep soundly tonight... hee hee