The past summer, I spent a week in Komatsu City of Ishikawa prefecture, where I volunteered at a local high school & stayed with a host family. Little did I know that it turned out to be my happiest week of 2018!
My week in motion:
Some highlights:
Home-cooked meals
My host mom was a Michelin chef who can turn typical everyday dishes into gourmet delicacies (that also look super kawaii). I remember waking up to the smell of sweet, perfectly rolled tamago and freshly baked hokkaido milk bread (most effective alarm clock ever!), and coming home to the sizzing sounds of beef against curry powder and eggs. She even held a tea ceremony for me in the living room where she taught me how to properly whisk matcha (aIthough I still just dump matcha powder into my milk and use any cutlery I can find to stir).
Day trip to Kanazawa
Kanazawa, an hour drive/30min train away from Komatsu, is known as the "little Kyoto" with its well preserved historical neighborhoods, sites, and gardens. Yet the city also has a modern side, from the futuristic train station to the minimalist art museums filled with eclectic modern exhibits.
Students
One of the biggest highlights of the week! Despite my 0 Japanese knowledge at the time, I still somehow found ways to become friends with students in the class, roasting them all day while playing random games together. Everyone was so down to earth and cute, and a few boys even looked like they came out of some anime!!! I'm actually their #1 fan although they never study and just game & listen to kpop all day haha. One day after school, a bunch of us went to karaoke together and it was so fun to see the students getting lit! In the mere span of a week, they empowered me to become a more open and optimistic person, and I'm forever grateful for that.
Writing this post made me so nostalgic again...I remember crying out loud at the train station on the last day because it felt like being separated from close family & friends forever. Really really really hope to visit again in the future~