Did you say "HOT" Spring ?? (by Cecile)

So I would like to tell you my first Hot spring experience. My host family is taking me to a very nice private hot spring. My host sister Madoka announces me that the "Onsen" we are going to is a little stinky like volcano because it is natural from the mountain and it will be milky looking, but it is good for our health and skin. I can’t wait. Oh and she also warns me that we have to be naked and asks me if that is ok with me. Well..., I think so...; I mean I am always naked walking around at home, why not in front of tons of other women in a hot bathtub in a foreign country? They won't remember me, they won't put me in the paper right?
Masahiko (my host dad) goes to the men’s side, good..., I didn't dare asking if we would be separate because that would have made me uncomfortable.
After taking our shoes off at the entrance of the spa hotel we are now getting undressed on tatamis and putting our clothes into a basket. So here I am, all naked, like Madoka warned me. I am ok with this but I still will put my towel in front of me to hide my breasts because I feel different than when I am dancing naked in my living room on sunday morning.
We have to rinse our body first, and we are now sitting on a tiny little wooden bench showering and rinsing. Then off we go into the steaming hot water outside. It is beautiful! I am the only westerner here and the women are looking at me but I don’t feel they are wondering or judging, I only feel they are looking at me and thinking, "oh a tourist, let’s watch her getting her “derriere” burned!" So I step in with just one foot and ... ahhhhh.... it is soooooo Hooooooot, I already have to step out. I explain to Madoka and her mom that I really enjoy this but I will take my time getting into the bath because it is a little hot for me.
Everyone is deep in the hot spring up to their neck but I still have water up to my ankles only. Darn! I look like a fool standing here with my towel in front of me, everybody is watching the blond girl with the short hair who looks that she is not from here, hiding her breast like it's something different than theirs (they probably really want to see under my towel now that I made it so secret). Ok let’s go! 1, 2, 3… Nope, too hot! But I now have water up to my knees. Oh! That is too hot, I am getting out again, and oh great, now they can see my bottom of course because I turned around to go up the little stairs. Oh this is ridiculous, I have to get in. Madoka’s mom tells me that the water is cooler on the other side, away from the fountain source. "Ok, that sound’s good mommy, let’s go there Madoka!"... Ahhhhh, What do you mean it is cooler? Yeah like one degree, that’s all!. But here I have to go because I looked enough like a fool dancing around from one foot to an other with water only to my knees.
1…,2…, 3…. This time I’m in, Awwwwwwww, this feels great, ...and too hot, burning,... and great again and... awwwwww,... what a relaxing way of spending the afternoon. Cool (I mean... hot!), I like it! But I already have to take a little break from this lobster cooking water, so I sit on the rocks on the edge and keep my feet inside, and I feel ok doing that because other women are doing it too. Madoka reassures me by saying that this water is very very good for our health and our skin and it helps us to live longer. OK! I get back in I want to live longer. This magic steaming burning hot water better make me live at least up to a healthy 100 years old, i am telling you.