English Learners Club(ELC)

Monday, July 15th 2024

After a night in a hotel near the international airport, and then a seaplane and boat the next day, I finally made back to this small, cozy, and amazing island.  This trip might be the last time though, it's too far!

The restaurant served mainly Mexican food tonight, and I was looking for something spicy with beans, but I was too tired and ended up eating something else.  During the evening information session, about 20 guests were listening to the explanation in Italian, and only the two of us were listening to it in English.

Later on, the staff gave us a lecture in English and Italian while showing a video of the ocean at the bar. We couldn't understand anything, so we both ended up dozing off!

Tuesday, July 16th 

We immediately swam with sea turtles and sharks!  It was marvelous!!  I found a sea turtle and told my husband it was a big one, but he disagreed and said it was small...  “What a party pooper!  Let’s be positive!”  I thought to myself.  Every night from 9:30 pm various events are held at this resort.  Today there was a live show and a quiz. They play the first part of a song, and you have to guess what song it is.  There is a TV program in Japan that does a similar kind of thing, and I knew some of the songs because they were from famous movies or shows, but there were a lot of competitive guests, and they all shouted the right answer before the host pointed to them.  It sounds like this would be annoying but everyone was friendly and in a good mood so it was actually quite hilarious.

Wednesday, July 17th 

Early morning is the best time for snorkeling!  We woke up early, ate breakfast, relaxed for a little while, and then headed straight to the ocean!  Oh, how happy I am!  I was able to find a spotted eagle ray which is my favorite marine animal!!

We were feeling a bit tired from being out in the sun all day, so instead of going to the bar after dinner, we went back to our room to relax for the evening.

Thursday, July 18th

After dinner, there was supposed to be a dance show performed by the staff on the beach, but it started raining, so they changed it to a karaoke night at the bar.  Nobody likes rain when they are on vacation, but because it is the rainy season the island isn't very busy, which is nice.  It’s always better to look on the bright side!

Friday, July 19th 

I had a lot of fun singing karaoke last night.  The Italian guests seemed to always be out talking on the beach and at the pool, and playing music in front of the cottages, and to be honest, I thought they were a little bit noisy.  Buuuuuut because they were so outgoing and high-energy the atmosphere when I sang karaoke was fantastic.  Since this morning, they were all greeting me with a big smile and saying "ciao", which made me really happy.

Among them, there was a beautiful couple with lovely smiles.  Today there was a Maldives-themed event, and the dress code was Red (Rosso), and when I said to the wife of this couple, "That's a nice red scarf”, her husband said, "Thank you, and I came here with a sunburnt RED FACE on for today!”.  This joke made us laugh, and my husband and I became fast friends with this couple.

Saturday, July 20

I completely forgot my earlier thoughts about this being too far and my last visit. I've fallen so in love with this island that I even asked the manager, "Which season do you think is better for us next year, dry or rainy?"  Two staff members even remembered us from before. How sweet!  

Sunday, July 21

I learned the phrase "tutto bene" from my new Italian friends, which means "いー感じ" in Japanese, "All right" in English, and "Rangaru" in Maldivian Dhivehi. The disco night where we danced on the sand carpet tonight was absolutely "tutto bene."

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Last month, I rode the Hokuriku Shinkansen for the first time. I was visiting my mom in Fukui, and for the first time, I could take the Hokuriku Shinkansen directly there. The Hokuriku Shinkansen has been operating since 2015, but initially, it only connected Tokyo and Kanazawa, leaving my hometown, Fukui, out of reach. However, this March, the line was extended to include Fukui, making my journey much more convenient. 

 When I was in elementary school, I remember my dad telling me that someday, a Shinkansen would come to Fukui. I waited and waited, and after 30 years, it's finally here. Accessing the Shinkansen from my hometown in Fukui was quite a hassle, requiring several transfers, which caused the journey to take almost five hours in total. Now, I can travel directly from Tokyo Station to Fukui, which not only reduces the number of transfers, but also shortens the travel time to a little over four hours. Having fewer transfers makes the journey much less stressful. 

Once I arrived in Fukui, I was greeted by many dinosaur statues because Fukui is famous for dinosaurs. The city has one of the world's top dinosaur museums, which I'm very proud of. I enjoyed seeing the large dinosaur fossils displayed at Fukui Station, and the moving Tyrannosaurus monument was really cool. I also noticed many new and fancy cafes and shops near the station, an area that used to be quite desolate. It was heartening to see my hometown rejuvenating and filled with positive energy. 

I'm looking forward to visiting Fukui more often now that it's so much easier to get there. Additionally, there are discounted tickets available until next spring, making it even more appealing to travelers. Although I'm not sure if I'll be able to visit Fukui within the year, I'm certain I'll go back next May, as that is my annual tradition. My first experience on the Hokuriku Shinkansen was wonderful, and I was happy to see my mom, brother, friends, nephews, and niece.

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