A Tribute and Homesickness!

January 5, 2013

So, I don’t know how many remember the times when we were younger and would stay the night over at friends’ houses?!  Well having a younger sister I’ve seen them crying that they “want to go home”, they miss their mamas!
          Well for me that’s what homesickness is like but ten times worse!  I’ve cried myself to sleep for the second night.  I’m not sure I love my new host family, like at first its like a fairy tale then reality hits and its different!  I want to like them soo badly but for some reason I just don’t as much as my last host family!  I’ve been pretty homesick recently, and that doesn’t help with my family problem, and when I cry myself  to sleep, I whisper “I wish my mom was here, and telling me everything is okay, and hugging me!”  I miss her soo much!!   I knew one of the hardest parts of going abroad for me would be, being away from my m, she has been my role model and has been there for me!  We are so close and I want to say Thank you to her!! I really do say I wish my mom was here, like the girls at the sleepovers when they are scared.  The only difference is that they can see their moms that night if they go home or in the morning when they are picked up.  For me I have to wait until the end of July before I can run and jump in my moms’ arms!!  Although I can see her I Skype it is not the same as a physical hug.  I miss everyone so much but I miss my mom in particular.  I’m praying for things to work out with this family.  But in the meantime, I LOVE YOU MOM!! So much thanks you for always supporting me in everything I have ever done and will do, and for always believing in me.  Until that day that I can run up to you and hug you for real I will keep missing you! I can’t wait for that day in end of July!! Thank you everyone for your support!  So tonights post is a tribute to my Mom!! Love you!
 

 

The making of おもち！！ Specialty for the New Year!

                So today is December 30, 2012! Which means the New Year is coming around!  In Japan Christmas isn’t as big but, New Year is HUGE!!  I’m with my new host family who also happens to live in the country and I love it!  I have two sisters, one older, one younger!  They have very kind neighbors!! We had crab last night which is like a special food that they eat for the New Year!  My host mom is awesome!!  I absolutely love this family!   My host mom has been explaining each thing to me and if I don’t understand she’ll help me understand in English!   So the big reason I wrote was because I got to help make おもち read as Omochi which the Japanese tend to call it rice cakes! It was a long day I have lots of pictures! So I will explain as they come up!  ENJOY! J

Omochi is a product of rice!

 

This is the machine they use to get the rice to the right consistency!

 It was all steamed and that meant it was almost ready!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Lunch table was all set! Guess what we ate! 　おもち！！:D

 

 

 

 

 

That is what it looked like!                                                                             

 

 

 

 

 

This was another machine (you crank it by hand) that will push pieces of it out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There it is the first batch! That was coming straight from the yellow machine! J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They were putting pieces of it in Daikon (spelling?) and it had soy sauce with it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

From left to right; our neighbor, my host dad, my host mom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My host dad offered to take some pictures! From left to right; our neighbors daughter, me, host mom, and younger host sister!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neighbors’ Daughter, me and Host sister! J I’m learning! J

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flattening it and rolling it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Putting あんこ in おもち, instead of just “Omochi” it then becomes a sweet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ladies! J From left to right; Me, Host mom, Neighbors’ mother, neighbor, and host sister

 

 

 

 

 

 

おもち！！！ This is the final product!! These aren’t the sweet ones!!

 

 

 

 

This is おもち in soy bean powder with sugar! It is considered a sweet too! It was soo yummy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the daikon (spelling?) with soy sauce Omochi! It was good but a little spicy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is another picture of the plain ones but instead of eating it plain, you ripped it up and put it in the bowl behind it and then ate it! (In the bowl is soy sauce!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the neighbors’ daughter who will be going to Georgia  to college for 6 months! She speaks really good English! J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The picture below: This is the second batch! J

Here is another picture, of the second batch coming from the Machine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here it is! : P with the neighbors! J

 

 

 

 

 

The neighbors!! From left to right: Daughter, Mom, and Dad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

あんこ (pronounced unko) this is a sweet bean kind of paste filling we used!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The beginning of A LOT!!

 My host sister who is a year younger than me!

 

 

 

 

The Big おもち！ They are used like statues to wish good health and happiness in the coming year!

 

 

 

 

A LOT!!

 

 

 

 

 

Bean paste ones!! (The sweets!)

 

 

 

 

A LOT!

 

 

 

The machine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My host dad added some of these beans into one because we ran out of the bean paste!

 

 

 

 

 

Aren’t they PRETTY?!

 

 

 

 

CLOSE UP!!

 

 

 

 

 

In between we had to wait awhile and so the neighbors’ daughter was working on a flower arrangement piece for the house and I got to watch her! It was so much fun! And ended up so pretty!!

 

 

 

 

 

The berries were nice and bright and add nice color to the piece!

 

 

 

 

 

Still in the process!

 

 

 

 

 

The pretty white flowers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having fun with my camera!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again! : P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Again!

 

 

 

 

The berries! They were soo pretty!

 

 

 

 

Again!

 

 

 

 

 

Almost done!

 

 

 

 

 

Oh another batch had to go help!! Yes that is steam coming off it!! IT was extremely hot!!

 

 

 

 

 

YESS!! IT IS DONE!! AND SOO PRETTY!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last batch (I think!) SOO MANY!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neighbors’ Daughter!  Hahaha!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The neighbors’ mother! Making our “snowman” (that’s what it looks like!) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While we did everything the phones were left behind!! Can you imagine?! ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The soybean powder mixed with some sugar!

 

 

 

 

Our box of Omochi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lucky “statue” that I talked about before!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Neighbors’’ father doing the dishes! J

 

 

 

 

The hall almost back to normal! J

 

 

 

 

 

Well hope you enjoyed the pictures!! Sorry I haven’t been blogging! I will try to keep up! J That’s all for now! :) This only one of the many very special things the Japanese do to celebrate and bring in the New Year!! Hope everyone had a good Christmas, and hope you have a GREAT NEW YEAR!!