10.2.11
Yesterday was a lot of fun. We went to dinner with Misaki, Misakimama (Tsugiye) and Misakipapa (Hiroyuki) at a small traditional restaurant, Izakaya, about a three minute walk from my aunt and uncle's house. It is very traditional. You have to take off your shoes at the entrance and sit on tatami mats as you eat. Misaki and her mother were already there when Misaki's dad came and got us and walked us there. There were appetizers of ceasar salad and edemame (blanched soy beans). Starting when we sat down, a steady stream of amazing dishes kept coming. Somehow it all managed to fit on the table! There was sashimi, sanma (a fish about a foot long with very strong flavor, it is called "autumn fish" because right before winter it has a lot of fat to stay warm and is more delicious), tofu salad, eggplant with miso sauce, shitake mushrooms, enoki and asparagus wrapped in bacon, konyaku with miso on a stick (konyaku looks like grey jell-o that is taro paste) and other things that were...interesting. I had never tried a few the dishes before, one was beef tongue and the other intestine. I was pretty uneasy about it and despite the good flavor of the tongue...it grossed me out a little and I had to push to finish it. The intestine was such a small amount that it was only one bite - flavorful - then it was gone. I ate raw horse the last time I was in Japan... all I could think of was a cute pony and those large, glassy eyes. I decided I wouldn't do that again. But the Japanese say, a cow is cute too and you eat beef! Which is true and I feel a little guilty about it, but I guess that is what I am used and that is what they are used to and neither are wrong. So...no more beef tongue and no more horse. That's okay. My mom's friends are impressed that I love nato (fermented soy beans that are stringy with a slimy texture and have a pretty awful smell...at least that's what people say!), kimchi (korean pickle, I think, of pickled cabbage in hot peppers) and umeboshi (pickled sour plum). I have always eaten them since we can purchase them all in America, but even some Japanese do not like to eat it. It was great seeing Misaki and her family again. They are really kind and joyful (totemo genki desu!). They asked me to come see them again and I think I will. Misaki's major at her high school is English, so I might go with her for one day. Plus it is right in Kumamoto, city school! I showed them pictures of Elijah and they said, oh what a man he has become! So handsome! I like to show him off, for he is quite handsome:) Even last time he was here Ema's friend thought he was handsome (and then, he was still a boy). I miss having Elijah around, I have never been to Japan without him... and now that I am at my aunt and uncle's house it seems empty because Kazu is in college, Elijah at home and right now Miyako is still in the hospital...however, she is coming home Tuesday and this house will be more full. Of course, there is Nonta, the little dog. I don't know a thing about dogs but I want to say he is a doxen? Or something? Like a hot dog dog with brown and black, very small. He is a fierce gaurd dog, he barks endlessly when I come in until Ema or Makito-jichan comes in and comforts him. He jumps up on them and he licks their faces in glee.
As a side note for vocabulary I might be using...
Obaachan is Grandma. Ojiichan is Grandpa. Ojichan is Uncle (notice one less"i" making it shorter) and Obachan is aunt. You change all of the ending "chan"s to "san" when you want to be more polite. Using chan is more cute and endearing, used for family or close friends. So when I say Uncle Makito I just say Makito-jichan (it might actually be Makito-ojichan, but when said fast, you drop the extra "o").
Aftr dinner last night Misakipapa said I will go get some ice cream and meet you all back at Makito's house (Makito and Misakipapa went high school together and are good friends, as are Ema and Misaki, but Ema went out with friends to celebrate the sports festival). So Michael, Mom, Misaki and her mom all went back to the house and chatted for a bit. When Misaki's dad came in, he had two full bags of all kinds of things (iro iro na tabemono!). Chips, popsicles, mochi ice cream, yogurt, cream bread, chocolate bread, jell-o, tomato juice, apple tea- like he just went around the store grabbing one each of whatever he thought would be good. I ate the strawberry mochi ice cream. It was a thin layer of mochi (pounded rice, it's sticky and soft) with ice cream in the middle. I had never tried it before, but since I love both of those things, I thought I would like it and I definitely did! It was a fun night and I promised to see them after I go to my first farm in Kikuchi (near here).
This morning we relaxed before going to visit Miyako at the hospital. I think Miyako is so beautiful, because she really is. Even wearing the hospital gown and after days of being in bed healing, she was still beautiful. Makito-jichan said right after the surgery she had looked so white and tired but everyday it got better. I thought she looked a lot better and she was smiling and laughing and chatting with mom. We showed he the pictures from Ema's sports festival, which I think she really appreciated since she couldn't be there.It was very nice to see her and is good to know she is doing well and she will be home in just a few days. I will come visit again later and she will be here too.
My cousin Kazu is in college but he will be graduating in the spring. Mikayo and Makito are very happy because he already has a job working on trucks. Working with vehicles is his passion, so I am happy for him. I just learned he is 20...I should have known seeing as I'm 18, but wow! 20?? Though it is only two years away it sounds like such a big number...stupid, I know, considering that 20 is still young. My uncle commented how Kazu has a little belly now that he is not biking anymore...he has always been skinny and I'm sure he is skinny now too. Having a "little belly" here in Japan is what I consider skinny in America...so...I guess it is just perspective!
Today after visiting Miyako we went to Suizenji Garden in Kumamoto. Very beautiful. The trees in Japanese gardens impress me, for they are pruned very precisely like how you can see the pine trees on Japanese scrolls and paintings, they really look like that!
We ate lunch there at a little restuarant. I got Dangojiro (dumpling soup, though the "dumplings" looked more like udon noodles for giants, for the noodle was about an inch wide and very long). Michael and Ema got oyakudonburi (i think thats what it is called, but it is egg and chicken over rice) and Mom and Makito got zenzai, sweet bean soup with mochi-delicious! I love it too, but wanted salty food for the meal. I have seven months, I can eat zenzai many other times.
That is an odd thought. Comprehending seven months at this point is...impossible. I have never come to Japan for so long, and I am used to being in this mode where I'm constantly wanting to find the best gifts and therefore buy a lot of things. But since if I buy things now I would have to carry it for the rest of the time...I am trying to resist buying much. I bought a little fabric today, though. It is blue with pink poka dots and a print of rabit heads wearing different hats, the rabits are white. It is pretty funky. Mom said she would take it home and make me a pillow out of it. The rest I can keep for patches or something. Seeing all the fabric and yarn makes me want to really learn to sew. I can sew a patch, but I can't do anything neatly...I learned to knit a long time ago and made a never ending scarf (I didn't know how to stop knitting, or finish the piece) but it was an ugly thing because the number of stiches whent up and down and there holes were I missed a stich and all kinds of bad things. I aslo have no patience...mom, on the other hand, is one of the most patient people I know so she doesn't quite understand me for that.
We went to clean Ojiichan and Obaachan's ohaka just now. It is a decorative above ground tomb that you place the urns inside. You have one for the family. It is made of beautiful stone, Obaachan and Ojiichan's has a cross made of stone carve into the top. There is a platform to pray on and a step up with vases for flowers and a plaque that has something written. On the side there is a a space that currently has two pieces of stone set in it, one with Obaachan's name and the lifetime and one for Ojiichan's name and lifetime. There is room for more...I assume one day Mom will be there too. Part of her with me, if I am in America, and part of her there. We cleaned it with wet cloths and swept it. Mom bought fresh flowers for the vases. It looks very shiny and decorative with the colorful flowers.
10.3.11
Last night was a lot of fun because we ate and made dinner together and we stayed up chatting for a little while. Mom made spaghetti made with a base of ketchup rather than our noraml tomato sauce. There were also buns, nashi (Japanese pear), kaki (persimon), gyoza (pot sticker) and this traditionally Kumamoto food that is fried lotus root stuffed with hot mustard (it was...okay). Then we talked about all sorts of things, but mostly Makito told us about his past. He is very interesting and I learned different things about him. He loves mountain bikes and motorcycles and he is very good impersonating the sounds of motorcycles. He said when he was younger (and there were few motorcycles) he could tell what it was by the sound. He also built little model motorcycles from paper. He showed us one and he said that this wasn't even the best one. But it was very detailed and exact and definitely impressive. He also makes stickers having to do with mountain biking because he is head of a group now for mountain biking but before he started several other groups. One he wanted to start was the "health angels" which is amusing because in Japanese when you say it, it sounds like "Hell's Angels" (the famous motorcycle gang). He also talked about how he had participated in many running races in college and had done very well in many of them. But he told us one time that he had fainted because he was dehydrated. He told us when he was in middle school the teachers told him you shouldn't drink before a race and no matter what, as long as you believe you can do something, you can. He said he learned that that wasn't the case this one time because he was very dehydrated and he lost conciousness and fell during the race. He said that was when he realized that what his teachers said was not very true. He had other stories like that, like when he got hit by a motorcycle when he was standing on the side of the road. One thing that I found very interesting is that when he was young he believed he was bad at sports because he always recieved a bad grade since he couldn't play ball sports such as baseball and the like. And it wasn't until he started and biking and running that he realized that he wasn't bad at it. He is still very strong and athletic. You just have to find your place in the world...
Soon we went to bed and when I got up Makitojichan had gone to teach at the university and Ema had left at 4:45 am to ride her bike to school...AH! We walked around the town after breakfast. I went to the book store while Mom and Michael went on a walk. I was observing the variety of things they had for office supplies. It's incredible! Everything is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing. There were tape dispensers that looked like elephants and the binders were in all different sizes and colors and there were all different cute file folder holders. Just about everything was there! Pencil holders, picture frames, book ends...I have decided I'm going to go college shopping here, by another bag for check in for when I go home. I'm so excited to go shopping towards the end of my trip!!!:p
Then we went to a bridge that is covered in tiles that Mom's old ceramics teacher made. Very beautiful. There were the largest carp in the water below and Michael bought bread to feed them. After that we walked down the road to meet Mom's friend, Eiko. She came to America for Mom and Michael's wedding...years ago! But the restaurant was unlike anywhere I had gone in Japan, kind of a mix between Bead Paradise in Oberlin and a tradtional Japanese Restaurant. They sold different artsy products. There was a bag I really grew fond of, but decided I didn't need it :( It was good to see Eiko again, we usually only get to see her for a few hours for every trip. She knows some English because she used to teach English at a high school before she had children. I guess that place was very craftsy. The dishes used were mostly made by the woman who started the restaurant and I think the couple who do ceramics is where Keiko learned ceramics too. The room we were in was cozy with two high tables and a low one with cozy chairs and the walls were painted as if it were a Western place with pretty white and pink wall paper, flowers with vases and a window with a woman sitting at a table outside. There were curtains over the door and wooden bird cages hanging from the ceiling with ceramic birds inside. We ordered from a menu that had a pretty handmade cover in all different colors. They brought us hot tea with tiny little bowls with tiny little handmade cookies inside. Then we ordered the lunch special. Soon it came, amazing with many little dishes on a tray. Rice, tempura, daikon, miso and eggplant, chestnut, miso and pickles. It was delicious! For dessert there was a tiny little cheese cake (the width and length of my pointer and middle finger). They were playing all different kinds of music, first folky music, then traditional Japanese music (like the woman ...yodling? Maybe that is what it is called), then there was something that sounded European and then suddenly...Elvis! We think they played it for us since they knew we were Americans. It was fun, though, eating and chatting and listening to Elvis.
Afterwards we went back to Makito's house and I showed Eiko the photo album I brought with a couple pictures of graduation. She brought us Taiyaki ("Tai" is redsnapper), but it isn't fish. It is a sweet bread filled with sweet azuki bean paste in the shape of a redsnapper with details of scales and the eye. yum:)
Soon Makitojichan will take us to the station so we can take a train and then a trolly to near Hiroko and Keichan's house, for we will be there until Friday, when I go to my first farm in Kikuchi.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Catching up!
We went to many different places in so little time, it seems as if my mind might explode with all the beauty and awe. But first, I think I might write a little of the small details of Japan that I truly enjoy.
First is that the rice is a brilliant golden green color, and it is accented by a certain bright red lillie, Higanbana. They are planted along the road and they border many rice fields. They are goreous and delicate.
Then there are the bamboo forrests. Their tops look different in a mass, so the mountains covered in trees have a ripply look. When the wind blows it looks more like sea waves than anything else. Today it was rainy and so the mountains were clouded and the mountain tops faded in and out of view through the silver.
The tradtional farm houses are beautiful. And even the traditonal houses in the city are attractive with blue, green, red and grey roofs. The ones in the city have tiny little gardens, usually garnished with cute ceramic statues of badgers, cats, mushrooms and frogs. There are many ginko trees and some grow larger than any Ginko i have seen before. The cicados here make a raspier more rattling sound with more tones...that's not a very good description, but if you have ever seen a miyazaki film (and i'm thinking totoro would be the best example) then you should know the sound.
The streets are terribly narrow, and like in some other places there are mirrors to make it possible to see around bends and corners. But the cars are tiny to, easily half the size. Some could probably even fit in the bed of a good size pickup in America. Even the trucks, cement trucks, delivery vans- everything is smaller. There are delivery three wheal scooters that people ride. Scooters are more popular here than in the US because they can fit in narrow spaces and move through traffic. Bikes are also everywhere.
So are children in their school uniforms. Everyday that we visited a popular site or spent time in a large city, we were able to see hundreds of children varying in age. But the smallest have little blue shorts and skirts and white blouses and little yellow caps.They are the cutest. I think it is their voices. Japanese is such a cute langauge, with words like "pekopeko", "zaazaa", "bechabecha" or "mechakucha" and with their shrill voices and polite manners, it is undeniably adorable. Today we went somewhere and one young boy was taking a photo of another in front of the attraction. The posing boy made the peace sign and Michael, who was walking by, came in behind the boy and also made a peace sign for the picture. The boy who took the photo showed the other boy the photo with much excitement and ran away to their friends calling out "we got a foreigner in the photo!" It was adorable.
Yesterday we went to Miyajima Island to see the floating Torii. This was the start of our list of lucky moments. The island has more free roaming deer. The antlers are cut so they can rub on the trees, and there are so many people feeding them crackers, they don't really eat the greenery. I think they like ice cream though, because we were eating it and one came over and head butted her! We walked to the Shinto Shrine which is in a little cove behind the torii. The lucky thing number one was, the tide was higher than normal and had actually flooded the areas where we could have walked. It was mystical though, the bright red paint of the shrine and the water all over the wood floors. Like a city of water, all empty except for a few men in white robes standing in a shallow area to wait out the tide.Just the red paint, the white robes and shiny rippling water. After the water had gone down and before they let us walk through the shrine though, we saw the tail end of a traditional shinto wedding photo session. The bride was in a traditional Japanese kimono, thick, red and decoartive. With the tradtional wig, perfect and rounded with delicate ornaments. Her face was white and she kept her eyes down, she was so beautiful. Later on we got to see her again, this time in the white kimono and a veil. The husband was wearing a tradtional black kimono himself, and then man that was pulling their rickshaw wore a tradtional Japanese hairdo, pulled back and tied up. It was like a little step back in time. As they were pulled down the street people called out OMEDETOU! Meaning, congratulations. Soon we left, but I felt more peaceful to be in the presence of such beauty on the island.
We took a train back to Hiroshima station, then the shinkansen to Kumamoto where Mom's friend Hiroko's husband, Kei-chan (at least that's what we call him) picked us up. We went to his house on the outer edge of Kumamoto in somewhat of a country house. They have close neighbors but also room for a garden, so nothing like the crammed living style of the city where a lot of room is a three foot width around the house, if that. They let me stay in their daughter's old room, her names is Yuka. She is getting married in November. I am very excited that I was invited. Clara told me about her sister's wedding in India, and though I know it will be very different, I know it will be amazing too. Like in India ( at least from my understanding) people spend tens of thousands of dollars. Renting a kimono for the marriage photos alone cost a few thousand... but she is beautiful in normal clothes, I cannot wait to see what she will look like in the different wedding dresses and kimonos. She speaks english along with her brother Shin (pronounced sheen). The last time I saw him he was younger and had longer crazier hair and interesting clothes, but now since he has a teaching job, teaching english part time, his hair is shorter and he looks older. It's interesting what a hair cut can do! Today Keichan took us to a famous Aquaduct about an hour away. Here is lucky thing number three. They used to open the aquaduct often, but soon it became so famous that they realized it would be beat up too quickly, so now they only open it for people who pay (usually large tour groups). We went there, not expecting to see the amazing sight (it is a large stone bridge the makes a perfect half circle over the river. On either side of it are bamboo forrest and directly in front and behind are terraced rice fields. So the yellow of the rice, red of the lillies, the grand sight of the bridge, the silver sky, waving bamboo forrest-it is truly an amazing sight. We asked if they were going to open it today, because there were three or four groups of elementary children walking around chittering in their little uniforms and holding their different colored umbrellas and jumping in their yellow rubber boots since it was windy and rainy. The said they would be opening it at 11:30, which was only an hour away! I had wanted to go there since the time before my grandfather was in the hospital, he took Elijah, mom and me there. It was still beautiful. We walked around on various paths around it to pass the time. There is a large waterfall that the rivers run into, and the time before we were allowed to go down and be right by it...but now it is blocked, probably dangerous. I was sad, but there is still a suspension brdige that runs right in front of it so we could still get a good view. Then we went back tot he bridge and waited with all the little school children to open the gates so the water would come rushing out.It would come out perpendicular to the side of the bridge and spout out into the river below, but it was a famous view. When the man came and unplugged the holes, the water came spewing out forcefully. So impressive. I got shots from on the brdige and below. Michael filmed it and the audio, as soon as the water comes out, turns into children screaming in excitement. We were very lucky to see that...without paying about $100. After that wwe went to Kumamoto castle. I have gone a few times in my life and everytime is it impressive and beautiful.
Later in the evening, Keichan drove us to my Mom's brother's house in Uto. He was still teaching in the jyuku, but Ema, my cousin, was here and she showed us in. Soon Makito-jichan (mom's brother) came and we chatted. But I was so tired I had to come to the back room in the old part of the house (like where mom grew up!!) to relax. Miyako, my aunt, is in the hospital since she just had surgery...we will see her Sunday. I was glad to hear she is recovering well. Kazu, my other cousin, is off at college. Maybe I will be able to see him later when I know more Japanese. That would be nice.
For now I'm tired...
10.1.11
Today was a great day and it is only 3:30 pm! It didn't start out so well, though, only because it started at 6 am...And i know that 6 am isn't really that early...just for me since I became lazy over the summer:p
Then we went to Ema's high school high in the mountains, about an hour drive. Ema, though, rides her bike to school most days and it is 35 kilometers (21 miles!) and almost all up and hill and windy roads. Going there takes her 2.5 hours, she says, and she has to leave at 4:30am. But she said going home is fine because it is nearly all down hill. But...what??? 2.5 hour up hill before school at 4:30 am?? She is very strong and yet so small! Kazu, who is in college, went to the same high school and did the same thing. My uncle, their father, Makito is a serious mountain biker. He actually teaches mountain biking at their school, which brings me to the topic of their incredible school.
It is not like a normal high school and it is considered very unique. It is called "green life" and has three grades and a total of about 70 students, so it is very small. It is kind of an adventure and crafts school. They offer classes in sewing, cooking, wood craft, mountain biking, survival, forrestry, kayaking and other things of that sort. The school has a place for many kayaks and mnay mountain bikes, a green house, a place to grow fish, kitchen, gym, field, rock climbing wall and a stream that runs behind the school. Ema is taking mostly sewing and cooking. But what an interesting school! So every school has a sports festival around this time. Parents and people of the town come to watch and cheer on the students. Usually the festival has mostly different track events. However, since it is an outdoors school there are a few special events. So today we got to witness some very amazing things!
The festival opened with the three grades presenting themselves by marching in a circle with their respective flag. Green for 3rd years, red for 2nd years (Ema is second year, go red!) and white for the 1st years. There were a few speakers, then the flag of Japan and the school's flag were raised. Then the events began. The first was...a log cutting race! There three teams (for each grade) and each team had about 5 students and two guests, which can be members of the audience or teachers (basically everyone event had that). So Michael said he would participate for Red Team. The saw was about a foot or so long and the log about 5 inches in diameter. You had to run about 30 ft, saw a small chunk of the log off, and run back with chunk and drop it in a crate so the next person could go. At first, red team was not doing so well...but the more people that went, the fast they seemed to be! People were introduced as they were sawing, and Michael was introduced as "Mikerusan (MY KE RU SAN) from America!" The audience went OOOh! Everyone loves a strong foreigner (especially in a log sawing race). Michael became a Festival celebrity after that, I'm sure everyone was surprised to have an American come to this small school way in the country for the High School Sports Festival! The sports continued. Ema participated in several. One is the Three Legged Race, where the two people bind themselves to eachother and run. You have to be coordinated yourself and with the other personal. It was a little painful to watch some students struggle along and near tripping...however, Ema and her friend Fuukachan (foo-ka chan) were really good and minus a little trip in the beginning went fast and clean all the way to the end (the track was about 100 meters around, since they don't have much land, they cannot have a full sized track). She also was in a balancing event. Where about ten student from each group had to balancing on round platform about 2.5 feet in diameter. Maybe just 2 even...They all had different strategies to do this. Ema's group looked like they all held hands in the middle (or something) and balanced eachother our that way because some people only had one foot on the platform and others two. I saw another group had a few people on their shoulders to conserve space down below. I think they all made it (they had to stay balanced for 10 seconds).
She also participated in this one race which I will call the Fun Run. There were a series of obstacles and I think this one was the most amusing and hilarious. First your had to duck under a bar. Then someone gave you a slip of paper to tell you which costume you needed to put on. There were three boxes with different costumes (winnie the pooh, elementary school girl outfit, chinese dress, chinese"Shame" outfit with a pink wig and others). Then you had to run to a station where there were bowls of water. You had to get your face wet then walk to a table that had a shallow tubs on it. These tubs were filled with flour and had some kind of candy dispersed inside. You had to put your wet face in the floor and get a candy in your mouth. People's faces were white and they came over to the next station coughing and laughing, covered in floor and wearing hilarious costumes. Next you had to get a peice of paper that had a description of someone such as "Someone who thinks they are handsome" or "my most favorite person" or " a strong person". Then someone would have to come from either the students or the audience and the two had to run together to the next station where there was an umbrella. They had to open it and both run under it to the finish line. Ema won her section:) There was also a dance for everyone, which she did very well with. But since there are way more boys than girls at this school, there was a group of mothers who dressed up in their old high school uniforms (Miyako, my aunt, actually started that tradition a few years ago when Kazu was in school). It was all very fun and happy. Then there was a relay race for all the students. Ema ran and she is so fast! Apparently she is famous for being faster than many of the boys:p (maybe if they rode their bikes 21 miles everday to school, up hill, they would be fast too!)
Oh!I nearly forgot! There was one that was pretty incredible. There was a...maybe ten foot wall supported on a frame on the other side of the wall, about 3ft down, there was a platform where you could stand. The obejective was to run and jump and get one person to get over the wall and stand on the platform so they could pull others over. So a group of about 8 (several students, a teacher and an audience member) all had to get over the wall. It was impressive to see the kids pull themselves up and others, quite intense! Then after they all got over, they had to hold hands and run to the finish line. There were other events too, like tug of war and jump rope and one for all the mothers. It was called fishing, and people got poles with hooks and students set out different gift bags, so with the pole you fished for those items. It was fun to see all the mothers excited about it:) And I just remembered...there was another very interesting race. Each grade had to set up a tent, then make a flame using flint, enough so they could set off a large sparkler. Then one person on their team had to get on a mountain bike and ride it around the track, but half way there was a line about head hight with a small goody bag. They had ot grab it only using their mouth then cross the finish line...but it wasn't over! As soon as the biker crossed the finish line, they had to take down the tent and put NEATLY into the bag, only then were they done! The first years had a hard time making a fire, but it was definitely amusing. But the way they put up and took down the tents, they put our senior class to shame! For our "senior prank" we camped out in front of the school and we had about 10 tents...it took us quite a while to put them up. These kids could have done it in 10 minutes!
In the middle there was a lunch break and Michael pointed out that it was a lot simplar than in America. In America you have to set up tables and chairs and many trash cans and offer food even. Here, people all brought their own Obentos (lunch boxes) and blankets or mats for the floor in the gym. Everyone cleaned up after themselves and took away their trash- hassle free! Also, it was amusing to see about 50 people's shoes all set at the door of the gym, because in Japan you take off your shoes even when you go to school. The students have their own slippers but guests can just wear their socks. There are special bathroom slippers so that what is in the bathroom stays there. No wonder things can stay so clean! Plus I think that they don't have janitors, because the students clean the school, including the restrooms. It's pretty impressive, how dutiful the students are. The prepared tents for the audience to watch the festival and even shoveled sand and brought it to the places where it was wet to make it less so.
I wonder what it is that makes these students so behaved and obedient. I suppose it is the culture...or maybe that the schools cost money and you have to take entrance examinations to get into different high schools. This is also a tiny school, perhaps at larger schools you see more..."normal" high school behavior. I don't know. Parents are strict though too, probably more strict than the majority of parents in America.
There was an adorable baby girl who I was watching. She had a full head of loose curls and was in a little red outfit. She was very quiet and observant. During lunch she had a fan club and a father of a student said,"My daughter used to be cute like that too, those were the days." I feel that there are many comments like this in Japan, but maybe the direct translation to English makes it more harsh than it is in Japanese...
The sports festival was great, the time flew while watching it and it was amazing to see all the different events and talents of the students.
Tonight we are seeing Misaki and her parents who we call Misaki-mama and Misaki-papa:) Misaki and Ema came to America I think two summers ago, some of you might remember them. Misaki is attending a high school in Kumamoto, its focus is English. It will be good to see them!
Also, to Emily and Isabel if you read this...do you remember how we were talking about Man Man Pizza? I didn't find a Man Man Pizza specifically, but I did find a shop called Manman, it was written in hiragana and is technically pronounced "MahnMahn". I was in a bus so I couldn't read what it was for...but that's okay! I found a Man Man!:p
First is that the rice is a brilliant golden green color, and it is accented by a certain bright red lillie, Higanbana. They are planted along the road and they border many rice fields. They are goreous and delicate.
Then there are the bamboo forrests. Their tops look different in a mass, so the mountains covered in trees have a ripply look. When the wind blows it looks more like sea waves than anything else. Today it was rainy and so the mountains were clouded and the mountain tops faded in and out of view through the silver.
The tradtional farm houses are beautiful. And even the traditonal houses in the city are attractive with blue, green, red and grey roofs. The ones in the city have tiny little gardens, usually garnished with cute ceramic statues of badgers, cats, mushrooms and frogs. There are many ginko trees and some grow larger than any Ginko i have seen before. The cicados here make a raspier more rattling sound with more tones...that's not a very good description, but if you have ever seen a miyazaki film (and i'm thinking totoro would be the best example) then you should know the sound.
The streets are terribly narrow, and like in some other places there are mirrors to make it possible to see around bends and corners. But the cars are tiny to, easily half the size. Some could probably even fit in the bed of a good size pickup in America. Even the trucks, cement trucks, delivery vans- everything is smaller. There are delivery three wheal scooters that people ride. Scooters are more popular here than in the US because they can fit in narrow spaces and move through traffic. Bikes are also everywhere.
So are children in their school uniforms. Everyday that we visited a popular site or spent time in a large city, we were able to see hundreds of children varying in age. But the smallest have little blue shorts and skirts and white blouses and little yellow caps.They are the cutest. I think it is their voices. Japanese is such a cute langauge, with words like "pekopeko", "zaazaa", "bechabecha" or "mechakucha" and with their shrill voices and polite manners, it is undeniably adorable. Today we went somewhere and one young boy was taking a photo of another in front of the attraction. The posing boy made the peace sign and Michael, who was walking by, came in behind the boy and also made a peace sign for the picture. The boy who took the photo showed the other boy the photo with much excitement and ran away to their friends calling out "we got a foreigner in the photo!" It was adorable.
Yesterday we went to Miyajima Island to see the floating Torii. This was the start of our list of lucky moments. The island has more free roaming deer. The antlers are cut so they can rub on the trees, and there are so many people feeding them crackers, they don't really eat the greenery. I think they like ice cream though, because we were eating it and one came over and head butted her! We walked to the Shinto Shrine which is in a little cove behind the torii. The lucky thing number one was, the tide was higher than normal and had actually flooded the areas where we could have walked. It was mystical though, the bright red paint of the shrine and the water all over the wood floors. Like a city of water, all empty except for a few men in white robes standing in a shallow area to wait out the tide.Just the red paint, the white robes and shiny rippling water. After the water had gone down and before they let us walk through the shrine though, we saw the tail end of a traditional shinto wedding photo session. The bride was in a traditional Japanese kimono, thick, red and decoartive. With the tradtional wig, perfect and rounded with delicate ornaments. Her face was white and she kept her eyes down, she was so beautiful. Later on we got to see her again, this time in the white kimono and a veil. The husband was wearing a tradtional black kimono himself, and then man that was pulling their rickshaw wore a tradtional Japanese hairdo, pulled back and tied up. It was like a little step back in time. As they were pulled down the street people called out OMEDETOU! Meaning, congratulations. Soon we left, but I felt more peaceful to be in the presence of such beauty on the island.
We took a train back to Hiroshima station, then the shinkansen to Kumamoto where Mom's friend Hiroko's husband, Kei-chan (at least that's what we call him) picked us up. We went to his house on the outer edge of Kumamoto in somewhat of a country house. They have close neighbors but also room for a garden, so nothing like the crammed living style of the city where a lot of room is a three foot width around the house, if that. They let me stay in their daughter's old room, her names is Yuka. She is getting married in November. I am very excited that I was invited. Clara told me about her sister's wedding in India, and though I know it will be very different, I know it will be amazing too. Like in India ( at least from my understanding) people spend tens of thousands of dollars. Renting a kimono for the marriage photos alone cost a few thousand... but she is beautiful in normal clothes, I cannot wait to see what she will look like in the different wedding dresses and kimonos. She speaks english along with her brother Shin (pronounced sheen). The last time I saw him he was younger and had longer crazier hair and interesting clothes, but now since he has a teaching job, teaching english part time, his hair is shorter and he looks older. It's interesting what a hair cut can do! Today Keichan took us to a famous Aquaduct about an hour away. Here is lucky thing number three. They used to open the aquaduct often, but soon it became so famous that they realized it would be beat up too quickly, so now they only open it for people who pay (usually large tour groups). We went there, not expecting to see the amazing sight (it is a large stone bridge the makes a perfect half circle over the river. On either side of it are bamboo forrest and directly in front and behind are terraced rice fields. So the yellow of the rice, red of the lillies, the grand sight of the bridge, the silver sky, waving bamboo forrest-it is truly an amazing sight. We asked if they were going to open it today, because there were three or four groups of elementary children walking around chittering in their little uniforms and holding their different colored umbrellas and jumping in their yellow rubber boots since it was windy and rainy. The said they would be opening it at 11:30, which was only an hour away! I had wanted to go there since the time before my grandfather was in the hospital, he took Elijah, mom and me there. It was still beautiful. We walked around on various paths around it to pass the time. There is a large waterfall that the rivers run into, and the time before we were allowed to go down and be right by it...but now it is blocked, probably dangerous. I was sad, but there is still a suspension brdige that runs right in front of it so we could still get a good view. Then we went back tot he bridge and waited with all the little school children to open the gates so the water would come rushing out.It would come out perpendicular to the side of the bridge and spout out into the river below, but it was a famous view. When the man came and unplugged the holes, the water came spewing out forcefully. So impressive. I got shots from on the brdige and below. Michael filmed it and the audio, as soon as the water comes out, turns into children screaming in excitement. We were very lucky to see that...without paying about $100. After that wwe went to Kumamoto castle. I have gone a few times in my life and everytime is it impressive and beautiful.
Later in the evening, Keichan drove us to my Mom's brother's house in Uto. He was still teaching in the jyuku, but Ema, my cousin, was here and she showed us in. Soon Makito-jichan (mom's brother) came and we chatted. But I was so tired I had to come to the back room in the old part of the house (like where mom grew up!!) to relax. Miyako, my aunt, is in the hospital since she just had surgery...we will see her Sunday. I was glad to hear she is recovering well. Kazu, my other cousin, is off at college. Maybe I will be able to see him later when I know more Japanese. That would be nice.
For now I'm tired...
10.1.11
Today was a great day and it is only 3:30 pm! It didn't start out so well, though, only because it started at 6 am...And i know that 6 am isn't really that early...just for me since I became lazy over the summer:p
Then we went to Ema's high school high in the mountains, about an hour drive. Ema, though, rides her bike to school most days and it is 35 kilometers (21 miles!) and almost all up and hill and windy roads. Going there takes her 2.5 hours, she says, and she has to leave at 4:30am. But she said going home is fine because it is nearly all down hill. But...what??? 2.5 hour up hill before school at 4:30 am?? She is very strong and yet so small! Kazu, who is in college, went to the same high school and did the same thing. My uncle, their father, Makito is a serious mountain biker. He actually teaches mountain biking at their school, which brings me to the topic of their incredible school.
It is not like a normal high school and it is considered very unique. It is called "green life" and has three grades and a total of about 70 students, so it is very small. It is kind of an adventure and crafts school. They offer classes in sewing, cooking, wood craft, mountain biking, survival, forrestry, kayaking and other things of that sort. The school has a place for many kayaks and mnay mountain bikes, a green house, a place to grow fish, kitchen, gym, field, rock climbing wall and a stream that runs behind the school. Ema is taking mostly sewing and cooking. But what an interesting school! So every school has a sports festival around this time. Parents and people of the town come to watch and cheer on the students. Usually the festival has mostly different track events. However, since it is an outdoors school there are a few special events. So today we got to witness some very amazing things!
The festival opened with the three grades presenting themselves by marching in a circle with their respective flag. Green for 3rd years, red for 2nd years (Ema is second year, go red!) and white for the 1st years. There were a few speakers, then the flag of Japan and the school's flag were raised. Then the events began. The first was...a log cutting race! There three teams (for each grade) and each team had about 5 students and two guests, which can be members of the audience or teachers (basically everyone event had that). So Michael said he would participate for Red Team. The saw was about a foot or so long and the log about 5 inches in diameter. You had to run about 30 ft, saw a small chunk of the log off, and run back with chunk and drop it in a crate so the next person could go. At first, red team was not doing so well...but the more people that went, the fast they seemed to be! People were introduced as they were sawing, and Michael was introduced as "Mikerusan (MY KE RU SAN) from America!" The audience went OOOh! Everyone loves a strong foreigner (especially in a log sawing race). Michael became a Festival celebrity after that, I'm sure everyone was surprised to have an American come to this small school way in the country for the High School Sports Festival! The sports continued. Ema participated in several. One is the Three Legged Race, where the two people bind themselves to eachother and run. You have to be coordinated yourself and with the other personal. It was a little painful to watch some students struggle along and near tripping...however, Ema and her friend Fuukachan (foo-ka chan) were really good and minus a little trip in the beginning went fast and clean all the way to the end (the track was about 100 meters around, since they don't have much land, they cannot have a full sized track). She also was in a balancing event. Where about ten student from each group had to balancing on round platform about 2.5 feet in diameter. Maybe just 2 even...They all had different strategies to do this. Ema's group looked like they all held hands in the middle (or something) and balanced eachother our that way because some people only had one foot on the platform and others two. I saw another group had a few people on their shoulders to conserve space down below. I think they all made it (they had to stay balanced for 10 seconds).
She also participated in this one race which I will call the Fun Run. There were a series of obstacles and I think this one was the most amusing and hilarious. First your had to duck under a bar. Then someone gave you a slip of paper to tell you which costume you needed to put on. There were three boxes with different costumes (winnie the pooh, elementary school girl outfit, chinese dress, chinese"Shame" outfit with a pink wig and others). Then you had to run to a station where there were bowls of water. You had to get your face wet then walk to a table that had a shallow tubs on it. These tubs were filled with flour and had some kind of candy dispersed inside. You had to put your wet face in the floor and get a candy in your mouth. People's faces were white and they came over to the next station coughing and laughing, covered in floor and wearing hilarious costumes. Next you had to get a peice of paper that had a description of someone such as "Someone who thinks they are handsome" or "my most favorite person" or " a strong person". Then someone would have to come from either the students or the audience and the two had to run together to the next station where there was an umbrella. They had to open it and both run under it to the finish line. Ema won her section:) There was also a dance for everyone, which she did very well with. But since there are way more boys than girls at this school, there was a group of mothers who dressed up in their old high school uniforms (Miyako, my aunt, actually started that tradition a few years ago when Kazu was in school). It was all very fun and happy. Then there was a relay race for all the students. Ema ran and she is so fast! Apparently she is famous for being faster than many of the boys:p (maybe if they rode their bikes 21 miles everday to school, up hill, they would be fast too!)
Oh!I nearly forgot! There was one that was pretty incredible. There was a...maybe ten foot wall supported on a frame on the other side of the wall, about 3ft down, there was a platform where you could stand. The obejective was to run and jump and get one person to get over the wall and stand on the platform so they could pull others over. So a group of about 8 (several students, a teacher and an audience member) all had to get over the wall. It was impressive to see the kids pull themselves up and others, quite intense! Then after they all got over, they had to hold hands and run to the finish line. There were other events too, like tug of war and jump rope and one for all the mothers. It was called fishing, and people got poles with hooks and students set out different gift bags, so with the pole you fished for those items. It was fun to see all the mothers excited about it:) And I just remembered...there was another very interesting race. Each grade had to set up a tent, then make a flame using flint, enough so they could set off a large sparkler. Then one person on their team had to get on a mountain bike and ride it around the track, but half way there was a line about head hight with a small goody bag. They had ot grab it only using their mouth then cross the finish line...but it wasn't over! As soon as the biker crossed the finish line, they had to take down the tent and put NEATLY into the bag, only then were they done! The first years had a hard time making a fire, but it was definitely amusing. But the way they put up and took down the tents, they put our senior class to shame! For our "senior prank" we camped out in front of the school and we had about 10 tents...it took us quite a while to put them up. These kids could have done it in 10 minutes!
In the middle there was a lunch break and Michael pointed out that it was a lot simplar than in America. In America you have to set up tables and chairs and many trash cans and offer food even. Here, people all brought their own Obentos (lunch boxes) and blankets or mats for the floor in the gym. Everyone cleaned up after themselves and took away their trash- hassle free! Also, it was amusing to see about 50 people's shoes all set at the door of the gym, because in Japan you take off your shoes even when you go to school. The students have their own slippers but guests can just wear their socks. There are special bathroom slippers so that what is in the bathroom stays there. No wonder things can stay so clean! Plus I think that they don't have janitors, because the students clean the school, including the restrooms. It's pretty impressive, how dutiful the students are. The prepared tents for the audience to watch the festival and even shoveled sand and brought it to the places where it was wet to make it less so.
I wonder what it is that makes these students so behaved and obedient. I suppose it is the culture...or maybe that the schools cost money and you have to take entrance examinations to get into different high schools. This is also a tiny school, perhaps at larger schools you see more..."normal" high school behavior. I don't know. Parents are strict though too, probably more strict than the majority of parents in America.
There was an adorable baby girl who I was watching. She had a full head of loose curls and was in a little red outfit. She was very quiet and observant. During lunch she had a fan club and a father of a student said,"My daughter used to be cute like that too, those were the days." I feel that there are many comments like this in Japan, but maybe the direct translation to English makes it more harsh than it is in Japanese...
The sports festival was great, the time flew while watching it and it was amazing to see all the different events and talents of the students.
Tonight we are seeing Misaki and her parents who we call Misaki-mama and Misaki-papa:) Misaki and Ema came to America I think two summers ago, some of you might remember them. Misaki is attending a high school in Kumamoto, its focus is English. It will be good to see them!
Also, to Emily and Isabel if you read this...do you remember how we were talking about Man Man Pizza? I didn't find a Man Man Pizza specifically, but I did find a shop called Manman, it was written in hiragana and is technically pronounced "MahnMahn". I was in a bus so I couldn't read what it was for...but that's okay! I found a Man Man!:p
Thursday, September 29, 2011
9.29.11
My! it has been a little while since I have written, and I apologize in advance for the many typos i know i will have since I dont have much time and I have so much to write!
So I have been all over with Mom and Michael. We stayed for a week in Osaka with mom's friend and her husband. From there we visited several different cities. It is so easy to travel in Japan because of the amazing public transportation. Trains and buses rule here! Therefore we visited Nara by train and got to see the amazing Todaiji Temple. I have been there before, and it was equally impressive if not more this time. In the area, deer roam freely and there are stands that sell thin crackers for the deer to eat. It was very crowded but the massive gates that lead us to the temple make us look small and people are unimportant once you see the Buddha. It is so impressive with such detail and beauty. The guards stand on either side and they look very fierce. There is a hole cut in one of the giant support columns that is the size of the Buddhas nostril, and there is a 100ft line where people stand so they can try to crawl through the hole. Mostly it is for small children and the insanely thin Japanese women (which is most of them!) We walked about in the various shrines and other buildings before visiting the Museum there and feasting on Udon sold there in the park. Since I was still jet lagged, I was exhausted by all the walking. It is also hot and humid.
I feel guilty in the crowded trains if I have to hold onto a handle hanging from the bar on the ceiling, because I must lift my arm and be...stinky:(
The next day we went to the Burial site of the 16th emperor. It is the largest mound in the world. We walked around it for about 40 minutes then went to a museum about different findings around the tomb. It was interesting to see ancient Japanese artifacts. There was a model of the tomb, and it large and grey with cylindrical pieces stinking out that were red on the flat ends. Oddly modern looking.
Following the museum we visited a tea house where there was "traditional" tea ceremony. They served us little chunks of sugar that were supposed to balance the bitter taste of the tea. Keiko's bowl was black in the inside and I couldn't help but to think about the book Thousand Cranes we read in English class and how the main character had talked about the powdery tea residue reminding him of spring against the black inside of the bowl. Beautiful. Then we went to bicycle museum, that had all different bikes from the oldest to newest and the strangest. There were even the bikes of famous bike race winners and their jerseys. It was interesting to see the variety and evolution. Michael really enjoyed it, maybe he will make changes to his own bike after what he has seen! Who knows!
The next day we relaxed a lot more. I got to go shopping a little (YES!) and bought a couple things at UNIQLO, my favorite store! I aslo couldn't resist this adorable sweater at a little store and picked that up too...
Then we went to visit Keiko's friend who is a glass artist. We weren't expecting it, but she invited us to make glass beads. I have never seen it done and definitely never had the chance to do it myself. I'm not one who likes fire and it was a little frightening at first, but it was fine and I made five. Three plain yellow and two base turquois with different patterns. It was fun, but I don't think I'd be able to stand it for very long...it wreck my nerves! Then she started giving us gifts. It was ridiculous! She was so generous. She gave us women each a necklace then two glass dragons, cookies, Kaki (persimon) pudding and offered us tea and cake to eat there on the spot. It was so kind of her. Japanese people are so hospitable...it seems to over the top! But she was a very wonderful person. Keiko described her has "loud but with a kind heart". Here Japanese women are so gentle and soft spoken, it was a refreshing to hear her stern voice.
Mom and Michael then parted ways and went to meet Mr. Nakamura, president Takiya, which makes items for Art Museums. I stayed back with Keiko and Seibinsan. I went with them to see a new house that they might buy (they decided to move in!) and then we went to the super market and I got Apple juice (since it is the best here in Japan) and Keiko bought yakitori, which is differnt parts of the chicken on a stick and barbaqued. Later I found out the different parts happened to be...heart, liver, skin and cartiledge. It was good...but I prefer the "normal" chicken parts.
I have a lot more to write but I will wait since I will have internet access for a few more days.
Tomorrow I will write about the other places I went!
I hope everyone is fine in America:)
So I have been all over with Mom and Michael. We stayed for a week in Osaka with mom's friend and her husband. From there we visited several different cities. It is so easy to travel in Japan because of the amazing public transportation. Trains and buses rule here! Therefore we visited Nara by train and got to see the amazing Todaiji Temple. I have been there before, and it was equally impressive if not more this time. In the area, deer roam freely and there are stands that sell thin crackers for the deer to eat. It was very crowded but the massive gates that lead us to the temple make us look small and people are unimportant once you see the Buddha. It is so impressive with such detail and beauty. The guards stand on either side and they look very fierce. There is a hole cut in one of the giant support columns that is the size of the Buddhas nostril, and there is a 100ft line where people stand so they can try to crawl through the hole. Mostly it is for small children and the insanely thin Japanese women (which is most of them!) We walked about in the various shrines and other buildings before visiting the Museum there and feasting on Udon sold there in the park. Since I was still jet lagged, I was exhausted by all the walking. It is also hot and humid.
I feel guilty in the crowded trains if I have to hold onto a handle hanging from the bar on the ceiling, because I must lift my arm and be...stinky:(
The next day we went to the Burial site of the 16th emperor. It is the largest mound in the world. We walked around it for about 40 minutes then went to a museum about different findings around the tomb. It was interesting to see ancient Japanese artifacts. There was a model of the tomb, and it large and grey with cylindrical pieces stinking out that were red on the flat ends. Oddly modern looking.
Following the museum we visited a tea house where there was "traditional" tea ceremony. They served us little chunks of sugar that were supposed to balance the bitter taste of the tea. Keiko's bowl was black in the inside and I couldn't help but to think about the book Thousand Cranes we read in English class and how the main character had talked about the powdery tea residue reminding him of spring against the black inside of the bowl. Beautiful. Then we went to bicycle museum, that had all different bikes from the oldest to newest and the strangest. There were even the bikes of famous bike race winners and their jerseys. It was interesting to see the variety and evolution. Michael really enjoyed it, maybe he will make changes to his own bike after what he has seen! Who knows!
The next day we relaxed a lot more. I got to go shopping a little (YES!) and bought a couple things at UNIQLO, my favorite store! I aslo couldn't resist this adorable sweater at a little store and picked that up too...
Then we went to visit Keiko's friend who is a glass artist. We weren't expecting it, but she invited us to make glass beads. I have never seen it done and definitely never had the chance to do it myself. I'm not one who likes fire and it was a little frightening at first, but it was fine and I made five. Three plain yellow and two base turquois with different patterns. It was fun, but I don't think I'd be able to stand it for very long...it wreck my nerves! Then she started giving us gifts. It was ridiculous! She was so generous. She gave us women each a necklace then two glass dragons, cookies, Kaki (persimon) pudding and offered us tea and cake to eat there on the spot. It was so kind of her. Japanese people are so hospitable...it seems to over the top! But she was a very wonderful person. Keiko described her has "loud but with a kind heart". Here Japanese women are so gentle and soft spoken, it was a refreshing to hear her stern voice.
Mom and Michael then parted ways and went to meet Mr. Nakamura, president Takiya, which makes items for Art Museums. I stayed back with Keiko and Seibinsan. I went with them to see a new house that they might buy (they decided to move in!) and then we went to the super market and I got Apple juice (since it is the best here in Japan) and Keiko bought yakitori, which is differnt parts of the chicken on a stick and barbaqued. Later I found out the different parts happened to be...heart, liver, skin and cartiledge. It was good...but I prefer the "normal" chicken parts.
I have a lot more to write but I will wait since I will have internet access for a few more days.
Tomorrow I will write about the other places I went!
Friday, September 23, 2011
I think it is the 24th. 9.24.11
As we took off from the Cleveland airport I found the highway that Molly had driven us on just earlier that morning. Luckily it was a clear morning, for the most part, and I kept my eye on the highway looking for the familiar loop ramp onto the highway from Oberlin. I kept thinking maybe I had missed it, thinks look surprisingly different from above. Then I recognized the familiar loop, the slight turn onto E. Lorain St. Then I saw the red tile roofs and the vast silver dome of the indoor athletic feilds of the college. It was Oberlin! It seemed more like a moth eaten carpet of trees than the town I knew from the ground. But as we continued, the town became so small I could fit it in my palm. I`ve looked for it many times while flying out of Cleveland, that was the first time I have succeeded.
We are in Chicago now. Thirteen hours away from Tokyo. From there it is two hours to Osaka, our destination. There are many Japanese here at the gate, waiting to go home I can only assume.
We are in Tokyo now, have been for almost an hour. The flight wasn`t as bad as I feared it to be. Mostly because I busied myself watching Thor, Pirates 2, Kung Fu Panda 2 and Water for Elephants.
As soon as we landed, I could tell the difference. There next to airport and between the landing strips I could see the grasses right out of Japanese art and Miyazaki films. I could see a bamboo patch.
As soon as I stepped off the plane, i could smell Japan. I`ve always been able to smell the difference. Or sometimes in America I will get a wiff of what I consider to be `Japan`s scent`. It is a warm smell, maybe a little on the musty smell, like tatami matts and old kimonos. Whatever it really is, I love it.
Now I am at Keiko and Saibins house in Osaka. We got in around 8 pmI think...I stopped knowing about the time once we left Chicago. Keiko had made a dish called Oden. It has boiled eggs, noodles, meat, fish paste patties, wrapped mochi (and for those of you who have wacthed Spirited Away, do you remember the large brown sack-looking thing that the girls parents were eating when they were becoming becoming pigs? I think it was mochi wrapped in fried tofu...but I could be wrong...) and konyaku in a broth. She brought it to the table and you just pick out what you want. My favorite, konyaku and mochi:)
Then I took a very relaxing shower. Organized my belongings and snuggled into my bed. So soft and cozy. The smell of tatami matts. Keiko got new sliding doors and instead of blue and green rectangles like before, there is a delicate landscape painting.
I read a chapter of Evangelion 1, the books Qun recommended to me. So far so good!
I think it is Saturday in America...I hope the boys have fun at homecoming!
Today we are going to Nara. Once Keiko, Sabin, Mom and Michael get back from bird watching I can eat breakfast!!! yum.
We are in Chicago now. Thirteen hours away from Tokyo. From there it is two hours to Osaka, our destination. There are many Japanese here at the gate, waiting to go home I can only assume.
We are in Tokyo now, have been for almost an hour. The flight wasn`t as bad as I feared it to be. Mostly because I busied myself watching Thor, Pirates 2, Kung Fu Panda 2 and Water for Elephants.
As soon as we landed, I could tell the difference. There next to airport and between the landing strips I could see the grasses right out of Japanese art and Miyazaki films. I could see a bamboo patch.
As soon as I stepped off the plane, i could smell Japan. I`ve always been able to smell the difference. Or sometimes in America I will get a wiff of what I consider to be `Japan`s scent`. It is a warm smell, maybe a little on the musty smell, like tatami matts and old kimonos. Whatever it really is, I love it.
Now I am at Keiko and Saibins house in Osaka. We got in around 8 pmI think...I stopped knowing about the time once we left Chicago. Keiko had made a dish called Oden. It has boiled eggs, noodles, meat, fish paste patties, wrapped mochi (and for those of you who have wacthed Spirited Away, do you remember the large brown sack-looking thing that the girls parents were eating when they were becoming becoming pigs? I think it was mochi wrapped in fried tofu...but I could be wrong...) and konyaku in a broth. She brought it to the table and you just pick out what you want. My favorite, konyaku and mochi:)
Then I took a very relaxing shower. Organized my belongings and snuggled into my bed. So soft and cozy. The smell of tatami matts. Keiko got new sliding doors and instead of blue and green rectangles like before, there is a delicate landscape painting.
I read a chapter of Evangelion 1, the books Qun recommended to me. So far so good!
I think it is Saturday in America...I hope the boys have fun at homecoming!
Today we are going to Nara. Once Keiko, Sabin, Mom and Michael get back from bird watching I can eat breakfast!!! yum.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
9.21.11
Takachan is sleeping...she must be blocking out the light!
I am leaving tomorrow. Finally Japan is here, pretty crazy if you ask me. I'm packed and I have gifts ready for people in Japan. I made Ema (my cousin) and Misaki (Ema's friend and she is like family to us)bags with their names on it. Simple gift...I hope they like it.
Finally the sun is out! It has been raining all morning, grey, dreary...a typhoon is hitting Japan right now, but it is supposed to be done by the time we get there. Still, a little bit scary.
My Dad had a bunch of friends over last night for dinner as a get together before I leave. It was really nice with plenty of good food and company. It is nice when you know that there are people who truly care about you... I wont feel too alone in Japan since I can think of people here!
I will miss many people...and also my cats:) Most people have dogs in Japan, so I will miss my babies. Here is a link to a video I made about two of them... http://vimeo.com/27576166.
My other cat is at Dad's house, her name is Kitty (above). She is a very interesting cat...abandoned by a college student, Dad starting feeding her and she started coming into our house sometimes, then she was in our house a lot and sleeping with us at night. We named her Kitty...because we are a very creative family. After our last beautiful calico, Kiki, passed away it is nice having another crazy Kitty in the house to keep us company:)
Today, Elijah is 16. He has a great outfit for Homecoming plus a date! Tonight we are celebrating his birthday...and saying good bye. I cleaned out my room at Dads because Wen Chao will be staying there until Mom and Michael return. A house full of boys! I hope they will have a good time, I'm sure they will.
Molly is coming to pick us up quite early tomorrow to take us to the airport. Thank you Molly!
Then we are off to Japan.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
9.18.11
I only have three full days left in Oberlin.
Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday.
It has been interesting saying good bye to people, but in reality, I will be back in a blink. Everyone will be so busy, it might be like I never left!
I got together with friends all together for the first time since they started college (here in Oberlin). It was a lot of fun:)
I worked my last day of work on Saturday at the garden center. The girl who I "trained" the last couple times I'd worked was there and we finished up a few things. She is very wonderful and I think she will be a good replacement for me this fall. Though she is only 15, I am convinced she is secretly older, she is so mature! I will miss Locke's, it will probably be the best job I ever have. Chuck and Monica are absolutely wonderful, especially since they have managed to put up with me for the past couple years! I will hopefully be back to work in the spring:)
I went to the Bandarama in Avon Lake to watch the OHS marching band for the last time till next year. Elijah, my little brother, plays the bass drum. It is his first year, but he really loves it. It is fun to see him out there in the marching band uniform, too cool. Oberlin did very well, as usual. Since I'd never really seen other marching bands it was neat to see a few others there as well. A couple of the bands were twice the size of my graduating class!
Next week is homecoming week at the high school. It's been fun getting the boys ready for the dance, I wish I could be there to send them off and take embarrassing pictures...perhaps next year!
They are all so cute in their dress clothes:)
I am basically packed. Suitcase sitting on my floor filled with stuff. Well, since it's six months, I don't feel too bad about what I am taking. I have 4 shirts, one pair of jeans, a pair of quick dry pants, cardigan, fat sweater...one tank top...mmmmm I think that's almost it. I plan to buy a couple essentials in Japan, like socks. For some reason, Japan has THE best socks. They are not only cute and cheap, but also good quality. Awesome.
I was stopped while walking by someone who saw that I had an OHS sweatshirt on. He said "You went to Oberlin High?" I said yes, I graduated in the spring. "So you know my son..." We talked for a while. He asked why I was still here, I said because I'm going to Japan. He told me what an amazing opportunity this is, that I was blessed to have this chance to go to Japan and visit my mother's family and learn about my heritage.
Something about the way he talked to me made me feel...elated. Like someone just sucked all the worry and fear out of my future, leaving behind a beautiful, bright and very promising life ahead of me.
I hopped down the rest of the street, happy and reassured.
Everything is going to be OK. Even the bad will eventually be good.
I am invincible! My life is incredible.
Japan will be wonderful.
Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday.
It has been interesting saying good bye to people, but in reality, I will be back in a blink. Everyone will be so busy, it might be like I never left!
I got together with friends all together for the first time since they started college (here in Oberlin). It was a lot of fun:)
I worked my last day of work on Saturday at the garden center. The girl who I "trained" the last couple times I'd worked was there and we finished up a few things. She is very wonderful and I think she will be a good replacement for me this fall. Though she is only 15, I am convinced she is secretly older, she is so mature! I will miss Locke's, it will probably be the best job I ever have. Chuck and Monica are absolutely wonderful, especially since they have managed to put up with me for the past couple years! I will hopefully be back to work in the spring:)
I went to the Bandarama in Avon Lake to watch the OHS marching band for the last time till next year. Elijah, my little brother, plays the bass drum. It is his first year, but he really loves it. It is fun to see him out there in the marching band uniform, too cool. Oberlin did very well, as usual. Since I'd never really seen other marching bands it was neat to see a few others there as well. A couple of the bands were twice the size of my graduating class!
Next week is homecoming week at the high school. It's been fun getting the boys ready for the dance, I wish I could be there to send them off and take embarrassing pictures...perhaps next year!
They are all so cute in their dress clothes:)
I am basically packed. Suitcase sitting on my floor filled with stuff. Well, since it's six months, I don't feel too bad about what I am taking. I have 4 shirts, one pair of jeans, a pair of quick dry pants, cardigan, fat sweater...one tank top...mmmmm I think that's almost it. I plan to buy a couple essentials in Japan, like socks. For some reason, Japan has THE best socks. They are not only cute and cheap, but also good quality. Awesome.
I was stopped while walking by someone who saw that I had an OHS sweatshirt on. He said "You went to Oberlin High?" I said yes, I graduated in the spring. "So you know my son..." We talked for a while. He asked why I was still here, I said because I'm going to Japan. He told me what an amazing opportunity this is, that I was blessed to have this chance to go to Japan and visit my mother's family and learn about my heritage.
Something about the way he talked to me made me feel...elated. Like someone just sucked all the worry and fear out of my future, leaving behind a beautiful, bright and very promising life ahead of me.
I hopped down the rest of the street, happy and reassured.
Everything is going to be OK. Even the bad will eventually be good.
I am invincible! My life is incredible.
Japan will be wonderful.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
9.8.11
Okay. 2 weeks. Tomorrow mom is taking me to get my visa...my passport picture looks AWFUL! Too bad that will be on my visa as well. My eyes are half closed, my hair looks grey and I have the dopiest grin on...super duper.
I'm still collecting stuff to take. I'm throwing it in a laundry basket as i think of different things. A list would be good...luckily I can always purchase things there...but it's difficult to get in that mindset. The dilema I'm really having at this point is which bags to take. Which combination would be most efficient? I think I should pack everything in both ways and see what I like most after walking around my house and outside for 20 minutes or something.
In my spare time I've done some pretty cool things. I cleaned my room! The inside of my closet is empty enough to hide my laundry basket there. I cleaned out the scariest junk drawers ever. I had been stuffing things in there for as long as I remember! Besides melty cough drops it was pretty easy to tidy up. I cleared one shelf on my desk for my "sentimental things". Rocks, sticks, leaves and little things I've collected from different places. A round rock from our Senior Class Trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes (which was well worth all the pain and struggling it took to make it happen...), a cool piece of wood from work, an acorn from the Lake View Cemetery where Dad took us the day before we were leaving for the Appalachian Trail (first time). A mountain goat vertebrae that I found on a mountain top in Alaska, pebbles from Alaska and the Appalachian Trail. An old arrowhead from my grandfather's collection... you can get the picture. I'm a little silly sometimes...overly sentimental I'd say. But I'm still glad I've kept all the many items that I have now...it's nice to have things from different places, like instant memories...(that and photographs of course...I have a billion of those too). I went to drug mart and printed out 130 photos...for about $20. That was such a deal! Plus I'd bought an album there for $4.99 the week before. Incredible! I put them in the album. But then I took 24 out because I filled up this mini album I'm taking to Japan to show people who my family is and what my life is here. Maybe everyone will want to see it...maybe I'll never take it out. Either way, I can always have it to look at:)
I've also done a painting. It is of Gena smiling at me in the window seat of a bus with passing Denali National Park trees behind her. She is hold a yellow lollipop that matches some of the highlight colors on her face and the scenery. All very golden and rich with black borders-high contrast-super! My painting is...eh. I had to change the composition to fit the canvas...not so good anymore. Plus I can't get her mouth right...
This weekend I have a couple things on my to do list. PACK. And teach Wen Chao how to ride a bike, our exchange student from China. We went to Dale's and Michael bought a used bike for him. The man there saw that Wen Chao couldn't ride. He said "Doesn't everyone ride bikes in China?" Everyone except... Wen Chao apparently:) It should be fun, hopefully he wont get too banged up.
I'm still collecting stuff to take. I'm throwing it in a laundry basket as i think of different things. A list would be good...luckily I can always purchase things there...but it's difficult to get in that mindset. The dilema I'm really having at this point is which bags to take. Which combination would be most efficient? I think I should pack everything in both ways and see what I like most after walking around my house and outside for 20 minutes or something.
In my spare time I've done some pretty cool things. I cleaned my room! The inside of my closet is empty enough to hide my laundry basket there. I cleaned out the scariest junk drawers ever. I had been stuffing things in there for as long as I remember! Besides melty cough drops it was pretty easy to tidy up. I cleared one shelf on my desk for my "sentimental things". Rocks, sticks, leaves and little things I've collected from different places. A round rock from our Senior Class Trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes (which was well worth all the pain and struggling it took to make it happen...), a cool piece of wood from work, an acorn from the Lake View Cemetery where Dad took us the day before we were leaving for the Appalachian Trail (first time). A mountain goat vertebrae that I found on a mountain top in Alaska, pebbles from Alaska and the Appalachian Trail. An old arrowhead from my grandfather's collection... you can get the picture. I'm a little silly sometimes...overly sentimental I'd say. But I'm still glad I've kept all the many items that I have now...it's nice to have things from different places, like instant memories...(that and photographs of course...I have a billion of those too). I went to drug mart and printed out 130 photos...for about $20. That was such a deal! Plus I'd bought an album there for $4.99 the week before. Incredible! I put them in the album. But then I took 24 out because I filled up this mini album I'm taking to Japan to show people who my family is and what my life is here. Maybe everyone will want to see it...maybe I'll never take it out. Either way, I can always have it to look at:)
I've also done a painting. It is of Gena smiling at me in the window seat of a bus with passing Denali National Park trees behind her. She is hold a yellow lollipop that matches some of the highlight colors on her face and the scenery. All very golden and rich with black borders-high contrast-super! My painting is...eh. I had to change the composition to fit the canvas...not so good anymore. Plus I can't get her mouth right...
This weekend I have a couple things on my to do list. PACK. And teach Wen Chao how to ride a bike, our exchange student from China. We went to Dale's and Michael bought a used bike for him. The man there saw that Wen Chao couldn't ride. He said "Doesn't everyone ride bikes in China?" Everyone except... Wen Chao apparently:) It should be fun, hopefully he wont get too banged up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)