IT'S NERISSA: Proud Jenesist 2.0

So you might or might not already know that i was selected to be part of the Jenesy 2.0 Trip in June. When our PT informed us about this trip, i thought hey, why not apply since i've never been to japan before. I never really thought of the chances i might be selected because for me, being selected for the trip be just an additional bonus. Close to a month later, i received a sms from my teacher telling us that we passed the first round of selection and that night after signing the form for round two, azra and i got an email saying it's confirmed we will be part of the trip.

Of course i was hella excited then again apprehensive since non of my close friends were going (i mean at that point in time, i wasn't very close with azra. I'm so glad we're like a lot closer now. Azra, you better agree we are haha) There were of course briefings and we were tasked to do shopping for souvenirs to show thanks to the japs. Pre-trip was fun i swear. But the excitement for the trip weren't really there even till the night of departure itself.

I did very last minute packing because till the very week of flying off, i still had CA submission so i was obviously occupied with that. Mom gave me the smallest luggage and i thought that was enough (but i quickly regretted on the first night in japan)

DAY1

My airport outfit. I was there 30 mins earlier and i thought no one would be that enthusiastic to be there earlier. Oh i was wrong. By the time i got there, almost everyone else were there and gathered together and i knew no one, except Azra. She arrived shortly after.

yay, dmc kiddos.

YAY XENIA

Airplane food horror. They served pasta passed 1am, i was about to cry. It tasted bad lol

We landed after 8 hours of flight.

and their handicapped toilet is so exaggerated. Looked more like a toilet lab i'm not even kidding. Very impressive nonetheless.

Had to check for free wifi as soon as we landed. Ms Clarice was so sweet she sent messaged us on twitter and this was the photo we sent her aww.

First lunch in japan. Was alright. Not very impressed since they are readily availably in SG anyways.

Bummed out that i'm not room mates with Azra. I thought we were going to be the best room mates being crazy in the room. But glad to be roommates with clara and ping still. Room was pretty and big and bed was big too. I love hotel beds cause they so soft and bouncy.

The only shopping we can do at our hotel area was grocery shopping. Got kitkats and biscuits cause japanese biscuits are yums

Cronuts (donuts and croissants)

OH YA, of course icecream i mean haagen daz icecreams were way cheaper too! Like the small ones were only S$3 what the hell right

Dinner at some jap restaurant. Not bad! We were sitting with the jap coordinators it was so awkward.

Xenia and her gang was running around taking selfies with the room people. So hello osaka group of people.

DAY2

Breakfast next day was alright. I'm not a fan of breakfast anyways. But their pancake was good!

I'm so bad with the names of places plus it's been more than 2 months since I'm back so i really can't remember the places we've been too.

The shades gang

And the clique in Japan. URGH I MISS SPENDING TIME WITH THEM IN JAPAN IT WAS SO FUN.

The place was so beautiful because it was just an empty space.

Touristy shot. It's so pretty right!!! (I mean the scenary ah haha)

Wishes board. The white ties at the bottom are bad readings. So if you get a fortune reading that is bad/negative. You tie it there and it's like you leave your bad reading behind. Something like moving on yknow.

Shopping at Asakusa street. First shopping trip we were all so excited. Asakusa sells a lot souvenirs and japanese goodies. I didn't really get a lot of things other than magnets and two fans if i'm not wrong. Not very cheap either.

Lunch! Azra is one happy girl with her food.

Table mates with Ping and Ignatius. Was awkward because it was my first time seeing them. Like i've never seen them around school before. Ok, tbh prior to this trip I was only familiar with Azra.

After lunch we headed to a small school for japanese lessons. 5 solid hours of just learning japanese. The thought of it scared me. But, i was pleasantly surprised how lessons were quite fun and interactive. It was very heavy but at least it wasn't boring to the point i was falling asleep. The jap class was to prepare us for homestay (super excited for it!!!!)

Back at the hotel lobby area for dinner. Fried chicken and rice and salad and fruits.

We wanted desserts and the cup of fruits weren't satisfying, so along with azra-san we roamed the supermarket and got icecream!!!

Bought all these and sat outside a bakery for good 2 hours just chitchatting. It was a good chat. Girl, more icecream session please. :)

DAY 3

Rised and shined pretty early. The earliest actually, at 5:50 jap time means 4:50am SG time... :(

went down for breakfast. I'm not a breakfast person, explaining the amount of food on my tray. But i love their waffles, it's so soft and spongy and fluffy. (fluffy is the right word, what is spongy lol...)

At the bullet train station and met the Osaka grp! Super hyped seeing the bullet train. It's the most talked about train ever the bullet train omg!!!!!11!!1!1!1!! And the japanese people are super particular with punctuality so their trains are on the dot at arrival times! (if it states 9:53 it will arrive at 9:53, super crazy)

waiting for the train to arrive we had free time to roam around

Lyrics to a jap song. It's something like 'home' everyone knows how to sing it, young to old.

(i'm vanessa part1)

Lunch was superb!!! There's udon oh hell yessssss

Singaporeans doing our thing.

It's a tourist spot so naturally there was a shop selling everything matcha. I bought a box of biscuit and chocolates, i wished i bought more tbh.

Shades gang and junwei doing the sai gang hahah.

Tea-ceremony and tour around their area. Wasn't too bad, it was quite informative at that point of time. Now you ask me what i learnt, i'll just tell you i can't remember anything.

Super very extremely sweet candy that we were all supposed to eat before tea was served. The reason we were told it was that sweet was because the tea will be bitter so it kinda blends out the taste. (does that make sense)

Notice Azra's bowl was different from all of ours. She special candidate, meaning she drank the one brewed infront of the guest by the main person. Ours were served from behind like made by others.

Visited this 1000 year old temple. It's built in the shape of a phoenix. I know you can't see anything from side view. But there's three parts to the temple can you see? Yes.

The centre part is the body, the sides are the wings.