Sushi Sundae

Olive

2011-07-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

This is a story about a little kitty named Olive.

This past Saturday Andrew and I had made a plan to go to the Raleigh Farmers Market I've heard all kinds of great things about it and was really excited to go. However on the way to Raleigh is Cary and in Cary there is a BIG Joann's Fabric store there and usually have great clearance deals so we stopped. Andrew not really being that interested in fabric decided to go next door to Pet's Mart to see if they had any hedgehogs for sale or cool fish. (We really weren't planning on a pet) After awhile he came and mentioned to me that they had (shelter) kitties there and that PAWS was looking for good homes for the kittens. He asked me if I would like to see the kittens. Who could really turn down going to look at kittens. So we did. And then we bought one. Needless to say that trip to the Farmers Market to get some tomatoes never happened but on the way we picked up an adorable kitten we named Olive.

She was a little shy and sleepy for most of Saturday.

She quickly made her self at home. I mean, she did have a pretty be day.

She picked herself out a nice spot on a shelf.

And then of course the Sunday nap.

In addition to all this Olive is the sweetest little kitty! She loves laser pointers, pouncing on feet and biting toes, snuggling, purring and chasing her tail (as any kitten ought to).

Welcome, Olive! =^____^=

I went to the NC zoo

2009-07-07T23:18:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning, a whole day to myself and thought it would be a great day to go to the zoo. I made a plan to swing into Asheboro NC Zoo 11:30-5:30 then over to Raleigh 7-10 Figure Drawing. I had an absolute blast! It was such a great day to myself. Plus I got family pass so I can go with the family free for a year and since I went on my own today I know my way around better and have enjoyed the animals all day long. I even drew a few. Anyhoo, these where my favorites of the day. I'll post sketches of them later on my other blog.

My garden sprouts!!!

2009-05-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

I'm just getting my edible landscape rolling and despite the set backs because of the squirrels, things are growing pretty good. Needless to say I'm pretty pleased. I'm just hoping the dear, squirrels and bunnies leave things alone for the most part. We'll see. I'm very excited about it though. ^___^

Nagshead Deep Sea fishing

2009-04-26T06:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went fishing for the first time ever. I'm totally sold. I had a great time and even caught my own first fish. We may have not caught a lot this trip but we for sure had a great time together and I hope I can do it again soon. I will want to catch a Tuna! While we were fishing we saw a school of dolphins (porpouise), a hammer head shark and a sun fish. The weather was beautiful and the ride was smooth.

Tokyo fling

2009-04-26T06:04:00.000-07:00

Our last little jaunt around Tokyo. We stayed in Ueno so we also enjoyed Cherry Blossoms there in full bloom. One of the days we stayed there we went to an Island, Odaiba and played around window shopping, visiting cats and dogs (cat park/dog cafe) and hanging out a bit on the beach. (We took really cool transit there.)
The bay-

A few of the funny things we found on Odaiba. ^___^

Last big trip in Japan - KYOTO

2009-04-25T20:46:00.001-07:00

Kyoto Station. This place was huge and had tons of levels.

Kyoto Tower at night-

Ok, I'm finally getting around to posting the pictures of Kyoto. (I'm now wireless and it feels soooo good to have my own connection on my laptop.) There's a good many few on facebook already but here are a few more to nibble on.
Ok, I'm not going to remember in great detail all that we did because I didn't make note of it but needless to say we has a great time and here are a few places we had the chance to visit.
After dropping off our bags and luggage at the hostel, we went out to see the Fushimiinari Shrine. This was one of my favorite places. I feel for it quickly.

The next day we headed into Uji, south of Kyoto, famous for it's teas and the Byodoin Temple which is on the back of the 10 yen coin.

We went to a variet of places in Arashiyama.
Arashiyama-

Monkey Park-Where you roam around with the monkeys freely. There are few rules though. Don't look the monkeys in the eye. Don't show them any food/don't feed them and Don't touch the monkeys. Then you take a little hike up the mountain and one can enjoy the monkeys as you go. One little monkey grabbed hold of my umbrella, I had to tug it back out of it's hands. Sorry monkey, I'll need that more than you.

At the top of the mountain on Monkey Park you can go inside a small building which is like a cage for you and from inside you can buy food for the monkeys to feed them. It also has a nice view.

Bamboo Forest-

****On our last day, we visited the Path of Philosophy (Popular during Cherry Blossom season) and ended the path at Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion-(under construction)

Nanzenji (Nanzenji- Path of Philosophy- Ginkakuji)

The Path-

Kiyomisu- Night viewing/Day viewing

Nijojo-

Ryoanji-

Shimogamo Shrine-

Tenryoji-

(Uji)Manpukuji-

It had been my dream for some time to see Kyoto during Cherry Blossom season and I can say I am quite content and satisfied about this last trip. We had a great time, ate great food and enjoyed the beautiful city of Kyoto.
On the train on our way out we saw Mt. Fuji too, which I've always wanted to see.

Tokamachi Yuki Matsuri (Snow Festival)

2009-02-24T23:20:00.000-08:00

This weekends adventure took us to Tokamachi. It's still in the prefecture but quite a bit south of us. It's actually not too far off from Nagano oddly enough. Anyhoo so we got a hotel in Tsunan a couple stops away from Tokamachi and thought we'd give it a run. We arrived on Saturday afternoon and had a little look around. The little country city was so cute up there in the mountains. All over in front of buildings or buisnesses they build different kinds of displays from lanterns in the snow, shrine offering of onigiri, snowmen (yukidaruma) of Anpanman, Totoro and Draemon it was really quaint in the city too.

Fun snow displays: Guess who and what they are (mostly Miyazaki characters).

Of course there where snow tunnels, walkways and sculptures too.

Then in the evening there was a big event! Each year they build a stage for a show out of snow. This was the 60th Anniversary stage. It was pretty nice. They had comedians, magician/entertainers, great live music and some other Japanese celebrities.

During the day we enjoyed a bit of a snowball fight and the people.

Tokyo-Chiba Weekend

2009-02-19T19:08:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Bridget and I took off a little early from school to go to Tokyo and Chiba. After finishing up school a little early we made our way on the Shink into Tokyo. We stopped in at Shibuya for awhile to have a delicious meal at a garlic restaurant and a little brows around.

Then we spent out first night in Akihabara at a capsul hotel. Ever since I've heard of these I knew I just totally needed to try it at least once while I was here, just to say I've slept in one. They are really quite nice I thought. Being that you get to crawl into this little pod that resembles a toasty little oven, I felt it quite safe and relaxing. We were like little buns in an oven. Also the bathrooms and shower rooms where really nice. Plus, lucky us, going on such an off season time, there where only a couple other girls on our floor so no lines for the showers or anything. It was great.

Then we headed out that morning for a train ride to Chiba to see some fuzzy felines at Nyanda cat park. The ride was beautiful and takes your through along the coast into the outskirt of the Tokyo and some of it's suburbs. The station was really cute too.

We finally made it to Nyanda!!!!! The kitties were soooo cute. We got there in the morning when most where still sleeping but a few where up and about and looking for a warm lap to sleep on. I was impressed. I kinda thought that mostly the cats would just run away. You know how cats are, they kinda come around for a lap or a pet when they feel like it, not usually when they are called or when someone wants them to. But these kitties as the got accustomed to you sitting around by them would let you pet them or climb up into your laps for a snooz. There was a cone headed kitty that was really sweet and a little grey one that sat on my lap as well as a little black and grey one. I layed down by the table by a few and one of course came to lay on my sketch book so I drew him. Anyhoo. They where really sweet. I didn't take these pictures by the way. These came from Bridget's cam. Enjoy the fuzzy love. I was in heaven btw. (the music was literally ACDC hits covered by meowing cats)

I drew a few while they where laying around or sleeping too.

Then we did a little jaunt to Harajuku the next day and went home. I got a cool green jacket with patches. We also had great sashimi

The last night we stayed just above Shinjuku. It was a cute traditional style Japanese place.

=^_____^=

Birthday

2009-01-06T23:16:00.000-08:00

I had a good time in Niigata with Bridget for my Birthday. We ate some really good food and celebrated with a Birthday Brownie outside Uniqlo. I got some Totoro stamps and stickers....and of course more purikura (which you can never get enough of.)

Tokyo

2009-01-06T18:38:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm finally getting this up. It's been nice because I thought I had to go back to school pretty much right after getting back from Tokyo(after the weekend of course) but it turned out I still have a couple days off from school and even got to stay home for my birthday too which was nice.
So, this is Tokyo and a little more. I'll back it up to the week before Tokyo. My big surpirse. I got a call on Tuesday from Matt asking about comming out the following weekend to visit Japan and being here for Christmas and New Years with me! Which I thought was really sweet to come all the way out here when I know how big his family celebrates the holidays and all, and how much it is to get here. I was really excited to have him come and get to show him around the prefecture,(my romping and exploring grounds) and play and eat good food. ^__^
So here's a few pictures from the start before Tokyo. I didn't take as many pictures this time since Matt was deemed the trips photographer and video recorder, so some pictures are borrowed from Matt. (Also Matt was much better about documenting these days on his blog so....mine may be off...needless to say he was also the trips scribe.)

But, one of the first day we went into Niigata to kinda putz around there and see some things. There's quite a bit of shopping so we did some browsing. We also met up with Ellen there for a bit to have a chat and hang out. It was really fun. Toward the evening there was a little plaza with lights. I think there was a raffle of some sorts there. Of course the Colonel was dressed up and ready for Christmas.

Monday was my last day of school before break so I headed off to school and Matt meandered around the city and took a bike ride. Meanwhile I finished all my classes in the first two periods and had the rest to hangout until it was time to go home. So I just drew pictures to pass the time since I was about to burst with excitment to get home and go play. Finally I got home and we went out for Takoyaki and did perikura pictures (the crazy colorful photobooth on steriods) It was awesome. Some of the perikura turned out funnny because I was wearing a green shirt that was the same color as the green screen so I was kinda invisible in the shirt area, I was just a head and hands. It was a great blast! I also got info about renting a car.

The next day we rented a car in Tsubame Sanjo, which I thought I'd be really wierd driving but actually felt quite natural like I have been driving on the left side of the road all along. I guess because that's how I've been riding my bike. Anyhoo we got a cute car and we went into the Yahiko area to see the Yahiko Shrine and then to the coast where we saw a big water fall and the Sea of Japan. We ate at a really nice Italian restaurant there overlooking the sea. Then we went into Teradomari to a big fish market. It was pretty rad. We ate little bitty crabs and hit up my favorite icecream place for Mango and (Matt had)Black seasame. Sooooo good. But by the evening it was getting cold. So we putzed around in the city and picked up some bread at the bakery for the next morning.

It was sooooooooooooooo fun to have a car.

We has an eikaiwa Christmas Eve party too. Oh, and we made Thai curry it was good and talked to our fams for Christmas a bit.

Then we ventured to Aizu-Wakamatsu for a couple days. It was snowy and georgeous! The scenery is absolutley stunning as always. CHO-SUGOKU-KIRE

After that we went to spend a little time in Yoshida....and then to Kashiwazaki(coastal city)

That was Yoshida, we just kinda putzed around and checked out the city. We ran into some cool graveyards there too. Then set off for Kashiwazaki. Pretty sure we both slept the whole way there. Weather was also really crazy there!

Next we where on to Tokyo with Bridget!!We started with some Korean BBQ and into Shibuya for a brows.

And Asakusa for the 1st of January.

Ok, I got a little lazy toward the end and just threw in pictures. I was getting tired. Heh. It was an AMMMMMAZZZZZZZZZZZINNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG TRIP! I loved it and had a blast!

YAY PURIKURA!!!

2008-11-29T06:32:00.000-08:00

I love purikura machines. Bridget and I had a blast figuring them out and playing with them.

Aizu-Wakamatsu

2008-11-24T06:11:00.000-08:00

About a week ago I saw an add for a steam engine train ride into Aizu Wakamatsu from Niitsu and thought it would be a lovely opportunity for a trip though the mountains and Fukushima Prefecture country side. I was quite right but much more in for a treat than I had expected. (Mostly due to people watching)
I left around 7:40am to catch a train north to Niitsu (50 min) and hung out in the station for about an hour writing Christmas post cards and catching up on some calendering and reading Orwell's "1984". It was great!
Then in rolls this amazing steam engine about 10:14.

The actual ride up to Aizu was about 3 hours long. It gave me quite a long time to just have some thinking time and enjoying the scenery time. It was really nice and I did some brain storming too for my book.
By the time we got to Aizu-Wakamatsu I only had a quick hour and 20 min to check the area out and snap a few shots of the Tsuruga-jo Castle before I had to head back onto the train to go back.
First off before we get there, the scenery was amazing and just absolutley gorgeous. The pictures do it no remote justice at all, I tried to take a few pictures but they where all blurring from the movement and from the drippy condensation on the windows and the smoke from the engine. I realised this was something I couldn't share easily. It was amazing and I love love love love love the Japanese country side!

Aizu-Wakamatsu and the Tsuruga-jo Castle

Yahiko day viewing

2008-11-16T01:38:00.000-08:00

Yahiko Koen during the day! Enjoy!

Yahiko Night Viewing

2008-11-16T01:02:00.000-08:00

Yahiko Koen at night! Enjoy!

Mizutaki and family

2008-11-08T04:40:00.000-08:00

Awww I had a lovely evening!!! Well, a lovely day for that matter. Tanabe-shimai took me to Nagaoka for a relief society meeting about finances....I didn't understand a word but after that we went to pick up her friend from the train station and made fun of the other gaijin walking around the station while we waited for her to come in. Then we went to a really cool art museum, had a delicious lunch and I zonked out on the way home. Then I rode home, grabbed a treat to bring to the Mizutaki party and was on my way. My friend Nogima, her daughter Sayuki and Nogima's nephew Yuse (sp?) came and a few others.
Mizutaki is a meal usually set up for a smaller group with a more intimate setting with your guests. In this case we wheren't down stairs in the church but on top, on the second floor where the rooms are smaller and there's carpet, it's cozier. The Elders had prepared two kinds of Mizutaki. First Mizutaki is made in a big pot! It's basically boiled cabbage, chicken, tofu, and assorted mushrooms. The other was a rendition of Mizutaki, but a Korean Kimuchi version (which was really good) The host pours a little sauce (soysauce/lemon/lime/rice vinegar) into the bowls of each guest. Then proceeds to serve everyone in turn. The meal was absolutley delicious! The Kimuchi Mizutaki was soooo good.
It was wonderful food and great company. We shared stories and pictures and had a great evening of chatting and eating (aka, my favorite things to do). It was awesome! And what I really liked is that I just felt like I was hanging out and eating and having a great time with family. You know that feeling when you are eating a warm meal all together and everyone is just chatting and enjoying is all. It was like that, like I was just with family.
It was such a lovely day!

My new hair cut

2008-11-07T14:50:00.001-08:00

Yahiko Chrysanthemum Matsuri

2008-11-03T02:02:00.000-08:00

Today is Culture Day and what better way to spend the day off than to go to the Chrysanthemum Festival in Yahiko! I first heard, rather read about this festival in May after climbing Yahiko mountain and obtaining a pamphlet about other events in Yahiko. I've been excited ever since. It seemed like a long way away but the day approached rapidly now that I look back. So here are a few pictures of the beautiful festival as well as the transitional stage of the fall leaves here in Yahiko Koen. In a couple weeks Yahiko Koen will be predictably at it's peak in color so there will be more of that to come as well. Enjoy the mums!
(These first ones are about the size of my head.)

There where also spidery ones a little thinner but the same width around.

Other mum types.

Also there was a huge landscape display all formed in chrysanthemums.

In the month of Novemeber Japanese people celebrate the ages of children 3, 5 and 7. So throughout the month of Novemeber you can see children dressed up.

Mums are also formed into tree shapes, shield shapes and of course if there's a plant in Japan you'll always find it's version in Bonzai mini.

The Yahiko Shrine at night.

Yahiko Koen Day/Night

Yahiko Koen

2008-11-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

This is the advertisement for the Chrysanthemum festival that's going on in Yahiko from Nov. 1-24. I'm really excited for it. I'd like to go tomorrow and every free day I have off for that matter. Plus, for this same time of the month the leaves in Yahiko Koen will be lit up. Cool.

Green Curry!

2008-10-26T02:19:00.000-07:00

I made Tai green curry, I found some green at a foreign store and coconut milk somewhere down the street! It's soooo good, the mushrooms where the best! I think I had to many goodies in there. Next time I'll go simpler, just chicken and mushrooms or nasu or green peas and onion.

Teradomari coast and Yahiko mura

2008-10-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

First, before I begin my story, "The persimmons are out!!!" How rad is that, these little orange guys are all over the place. This is the time for persimmons!!!

Two weekends ago my friend Nogima took me on a drive around to Yahiko and to the coast at Teradomari. Teradomari is a sea port and fishing city, this is where we left to get on the ferry boat to take us to Sado Island.
While driving I realised how close it really is to my house.
I decided I'd have to take a weekend to check out the area. It's getting to be Fall and I want to know of the great places to take pictures around here. This area is quite the prime for the prefecture so I'm really excited.
So, Bridget and I decided that with our 4 day weekend we'd spend a day riding around and exploring and building our mental maps of the area. I left on Sunday evening to go to her house. It's about a 30 minute bike ride. It's pretty quick since I can just take the highway all the way, practically to her front door.
All a giddy in the Fall air I arrived at her awesome apartment which was cute and Halloween ready. We made delicious home-made curry and rice which was absolutley amazing and got me in the mood for Fall even more. We then celebrated a little with a delicious treat from the bakery in Tsubame-Sanjo.

We lounged around and finally drifted to sleep comforable and warm in her tatami room =^_______________^=

The next day was a holiday. Yes another holiday dedicated to sports and health I'm sure they've got like 3 or more of those. Anyway, a day off is a day off and what better to do on your day off from sports and health than go on an all day bike ride. We finally set out around 8:30 that morning. We tanked up on banana milk, juice and the classic favorite tuna onigiri from the heavenly convenient store, 7-11.
We rode south west to coast, just north of Teradomari. It was amazing. We where both asking each other why did it take us so long to do this.
Stunning. My camera doesn't do it justice.

On our way we saw a museum and went in. It was a somewhat cheesy museum of illusion. I did get a kick out of this one painting that changed when I passed by. The first time I walked by it was a naked woman. Later I walked by it was the same woman but with a dress on. There were some kinda fun elements of the arts there. ^__^

Then we rode a little further down the road for lunch at a really yummy italian place called "Primavera". It was really good! My ke-ki was beautiful and oishi.

After lunch we rode into Teradomari to the famous fish market. This is the prime for sushi hunt. Everything is really good and superbly fresh, it all attracts quite a crowd. If you'd like sushi in a bento this would be you best bet and the freshest you've ever had, right out of the water.

Last but not least we rode to the top of the big hill that over looks the city of Teradomari(Sea port city). It was quite a long way up but a lot of fun to go back down the other side. It was absolutley stunning. (My camera doesn't do the scenery here any justice either.)

2008-10-08T01:09:00.000-07:00

kamo

I thought that the GBH on the deck was a wood carving until some lady got close to it to take a picture and I noticed it move and fly away. It was pretty cool.

Notice these MOMIJIES they are all green right now, in a couple weeks more or so I'll take pictures again so you can see the difference of fall. I'm really excited.

I also bought a Yukata at a second hand store for 500 yen, sweet deal. I want to use some of the fabric to make cusions and pillows and such and give my lame apartment a little more Japanese touch. The thing is beautiful though, I'm also going to bring some of it home. Who in the world knows what I'll do with all this fabric from Japan I've fallen in love with.

Sado Island

2008-09-16T06:12:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a special holiday for the likes of people like me (old). On the 15th of September it's 'Respect for the Aged Day' in Japan. We had off school on Monday so Bridget and I thought we should go to Sado since we hadn't been there yet. We reserved our ferry tickets about two weeks ago. Saturday morning I left my apartment at around 6:05, took a train to Yoshida to meet Bridget and headed south along the west coast of the prefecture to Teradomari. Now, neither of us had been here so we didn't have bus schedules and such and were a little lost at first. We walked out of the bus station determined that perhaps we could ask someone or ask a bus that stoped at the station next. Just then a very kind woman whom grew up around Tokyo, and was here for the fish market stopped to help us. She spoke wonderful English and told us that she was headed near the ferry port to get to the famous fish market of Teradomari (sashimi so fresh it's caught that day and served, like Wendy's burgers, never frozen). We got on the bus when it came 15 min later and chatted a little until it was time to get off. We walked up to the port to claim our tickets and get things settled so we'd be on time. We also meandered around a little. There was a strange dollop looking sculpture and took refuge there during a sudden rain.

We boarded with the rest of the tourists being the only gaijin. ^___^ The ferry took us to a port on Sado Island called Akadomari (south end of the east coast).

Once we got to Akadomari we found a bus schedule to find that they buses are really sporatic. It turned out we had two hours and fortyfive minutes till the next bus came to take us north west to our hostel or at least to the 'city'. (Sado isn't a very developed island.) So as we where figuring that out a nice Japanese couple appoached us and asked us where we were going. We told them that we where headed up to the Niibo or Sawata area. They stated that they where on their way up to Sawata too if we wanted a ride so that we wouldn't have to wait for the bus. WOOOOT!!! So we hoped into the car with out a second glance behind us at the port. The view was amazing!!!! Sado is so green and lush and the coast had a beautiful blue sea. We stopped at a few points along the way to take pictures.

Then the couple took us to a music festival going on for Sado Island resident. There's a special kind of music and cultural song from Sado and different age groups where competeing and sharing their Sado musical talent. It was really rad, wow, some of those kids can really wail!! Then they took us to a sushi restaurant near Mano Bay before dropping us off at our hostel. We stayed at a place called Green Village. It was cute.

Our land-lady at Green Village was nice she took us and another girl that was staying there to a Toki bird refuge and the Niibo Dam.

Then she took us to the Seisui-ji Temple: "Seisui-ji Temple was established in 808 when a Buddhist monk named Kenno visited Sado. Kenno pitied the local people for not being able to visit Kiyomizudera Temple in Kyoto, and thus decided to build Seisui-ji Temple in it's image. Its stage, a replica of that at Kiyomizu, was constructed in 1622. while Kiyomizu is afflicted with the hustle and bustle of Kyoto tourism, Sisui-ji's perpetual quietness makes for a peaceful visit. A lofty, tree-lined set of steps awaits your entry." (Sado tourism map)
This was actually my favorite place we went to on the whole island. Its wonder blew me away the pictures I notice hardly did it justice. If there where ever a place to be that seriously felt magical this was it. Actually in the graveyard the ground was covered with lush green spongey moss, the whole place reminded me of the forest in 'Princess Mononoke'.

It was amazing! Then she took us to...I think it's Nashinoki Jizo Shrine. (It's hard to tell now by my map)"A jizo is a stone image of a guardian deity for children. The principal image kept here is said to protect children from illness and to help recovery. Many parents bring jizo statues here for their children as these jizo undertake sufferings on their children's behalf. The number of jizo statues continues to rise into the ground".

There were zillions of these little jizo statues. Some of them with scarves or hood and others with bibs and such. Some of the jizo statues weren't of stone but simply a hello kitty doll or another character loved by children.
After our visits we headed in for the night after a really yummy dinner of tempura veggies. The next morning we decided to head out early. We got our bus schedule and where feeling pretty good and got there and where waiting and here comes the bus and there it goes. We where right there and it passed right by us! What! Later we found out you have to wave at the bus while you are at the stop so that it knows you want on. Well we where a little upset but decided to start walking toward Mano and hoped we'd catch another bus on it's way there. So on the way we took a few interesting pictures. Is this a crossing for a male and female penguin or for blind people?

Then we saw a house with a totaly blue blue blue roof. It was rad!

Then just as Bridget was taking a picture of a cat a car pulls up to us. A man pops his head out of the passenger side of the car and asks where we are going and if we want a ride. We tell him we are on our way to the fruit festival in Mano and they tell us to hope in. Again, without looking back at that hot road we were walking we jumped in. This guy was awesome, a total bohemian and knew like 6 languages it was great and we talked about traveling. He had been alll over the place it was cool to hear about his journeys. ^___^ He dropped us right off at the Fruit Festival.
There where apple contests and tastings and some kids from the local elementary where doing surveys so we took one in exchange for pictures. Cute Japanese kids!

After a little visit at the Fruit Festival we headed south to the Ogi Port to go on a Tarai-bune (wooden tub boat) The kind of wooden tub in Spirited Away that they use to get from the bathouse to the train station.

It was so fun. Rub a dub dub two gaijins in a tub! The cute little lady that drove our boat let me try and drive too, it's not as easy as it looks but it was so cool to ride one.

We finished off the day at the beach on Mano Bay. We headed back to Niibo where we were staying and at yummmy food there. The kind you cook on your own little grill thing. It was sooooo good and the place was soo cute and personal. They brought out meats and veggies to grill, it was yummmalicious. OISHI!!!

We polished off the day with a few treats and hit the sack.
The next morning we where ready with hands waving and caught the bus this time back into town to the beach at Sawata. This was the 'Respect for the Aged Day' so we thought we'd have fun and play at the beach like kids. ^__^ We also went out for a swim in the water and there where trillions of holes in the sand where the thin worm looking fish swim in and out of. We where out in the water about to our shoulders when a gazillion of them jumped up out of the water and back down into their holes. It was sooooo cool like this one moment amazing experience! Then we made sand stuff and played with Screamin' Me-me.

Whelp, after all that fun we headed back down to Akadomari. From there we got back to Teradomari by the ferry and took the bus to the station and then to Yoshida for a really yummy one last final delicious oishi meal.

After this weekend we decided that we like being old and that it was fun to celebrate it! ^____^

Niigata City

2008-08-27T03:06:00.000-07:00

When I got home I found out that classes weren't starting for a couple more days to I quickly planned a little trip up to Niigata City to see the aquarium and the newest Miyazaki film. This is the view of Niigata City, if you see the ocean out in the distance that's looking west from the building, if you look closley way out in the ocean in the haze is Sado Island. (I posted pictues of Sado some time ago) Beautiful huh?

This is the Bandi Bridge. A famous bridge in Niigata.

We went to the Niigata Aquarium. I liked the penguins best!

After the aquarium we went to go get some food and thought that for an adventure try a resturant that's not equipt with any english helps. I ended up with some sort of animals stomach mingled with pasta. Then as soon as we left we went next door to the ever loyal COCO Curry house (popular curry fast food)Then we hit up the theater for the new Miyazaki film. It was kinda a 'Little Mermaid' type story with no mermaids. It was soooo dang cute! I loved the cutiness. Also I thought that the 'traditional' textures that where added where really neet. It was so fun and really nice to get out of Tsubame.

My Bike

2008-08-25T01:03:00.000-07:00

Since John asked me again about my bike, here it is. I totally love this thing except for that the tires have popped on me twice. However it's very stylish with it's quaint basket and dainty bell accompanied with the night light and back platform. ^______^

2008-06-29T00:59:00.000-07:00

Whelp it was time for a break and time to get out of the Tsubame/Yahiko area. So Bridget and I left on the train to go norht to Shibata. We had a two hour lay over in Niitsu which means next time we go we can sleep in and catch the next train with out a rush. But we enjoyed catching up and honestly it's just really nice to get some gab time in.
Finally we made it to Shibata, it's a pretty city. We got out our maps and despite several gaijin moments and making several cirlces we finally got to the Ayami family castles in Shibata! I'll let the pamphlets tell you a little about it.
"Shibata city flourished as a castle town in the Edo Period and still has many cultural heritages...."
"Construction of Shibata Castle was started in 1598 by the first clan leader, Mizoguchi Hidekatsu, and was completed in 1654. After that, Shibata's plitics, economy and culture flourished. The Omote mon gate and Sumi yagura turret remain from the old days are are disgnates as important national properties. Th wall outside the turrets, called Namako kabe, is waterproof. The stone wall is made of regular piled stones in the manner of Kirimoihagi. In recent years, requests to restore Shibata castle to its original state increased. As a result, the Tatsumi yagura turret and Sangai yagura turret were restored in 2004".
After that we went to an amazing museum: Fukiya Koji Memorial Museum, I loved the work! It was so rad and just the time period in illustration that I love as well.
"Fukiya Koji was born in Shibata in 1898. He was a famous lyrical painter and he was also an active as an illustrator and poet".(His illustrations where sooo rad!)

There are also really neet gardens and a bunch of other stuff to see but we got pretty worn out walking all over trying to find some of the stuff. We'll just have to go back again...oh darn. YAY!

2008-06-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

This is the Maki Summer festival.
Briget and I decided to have our selves a little roam around and check out the parade. It started with kids from the surrounding middle schools playing their band instruments, then went to different children's groups of traditional dancing, on to adult traditional Japanese dancing. All the dances where neet. My favorite where the two guys that makes the head of the dragon dance, those are always amazing! There's an illustrative story that seems to unfold as he dances the head of the dragon.

When it came time for the fireworks a darling little old lady helped us, rather led us to the prime seating for the show. She's 80 years old, just as sweet as kittens! We talked for a little while but she left. She noticed that it was getting cold and neither of us had brought our jackets or coats. So she went back to her house and brought us two coats each, one to put on and one to cover our legs like a blanket! She was just the sweetest little lady ever! I love little old Japanese ladies!

Sports Day

2008-06-10T05:06:00.001-07:00

Today was totally sugoi! It was sports day so the students get to compete in different activities for the sports day title. It's like field day in elem. school but more crazy. What's really cool is that it isn't just judged on sports alone. Here are a few categories to give you an idea.
Tug of War, Costumes, Relays(running), Performance (team dance), Battle Horse, Conquerer, Obstacles courses, Storyboarding and some others. So Sports Day isn't just about Sports, it meets a wider group of interests and interestingly a huge amount of team cooperation and cordination. I was very impressed. The genk level was through the roof (I wish Sanjo could somehow pass on some of that genk to my other schools)
OK, so I won't bore you with all the details but I want to give a littler overview of my two favorite games that we are not so familiar with here in the US.

Battle Horse: This game is only for the girls on the teams. Just for the Ladies. Basically, Three girls are holding up one girl about to their shoulders. The three girls are the "horse". The one being held up by the horse is the rider of course and each rider has a bandana. There are about 6-7 horses per team a long with a captain. The horses ride toward the others and the riders try to take the bandanas from the other girl riders. Who ever has the most after a certai amount of time are the winners. However if the Captain's bandana is taken the game imediatley ends. So a blank is shot and all the horses charge across the field and the riders have at it with the other players. Talk about girl fight(cat fight) I mean arms winging and flailing and screaming and squeeling and pushing and shoving and all sorts of chaos it was absolutely fantastic. It made me want to play really badly. (But if I play I want to include mud somewhere in the game, like it's ok the throw it and try to distract other riders) Anyhooo it was sooooo hilarious to watch all the girls go seriously at it with their little white gloves on and all. I totally think we need to adopt this game.
Conquerer: This is a boys only game. It gets a little too violent for the ladies however from the looks of Battle Horse I bet they'd be a pretty fair competition integrated into the male teams. ANYHOOo. It's a boys only game. Which means that for Japanese guys you strip down to your little sport shorts and get fierce. Across maybe one half of a football field are the teams polls. A huge, thick wooden pole is held up by half the members of one team. At the top of this huge, tall pole is a flag. The other team is trying to get this down. So half of the team will try to protect their flag by protecting the pole and keeping it up and the other half will try to get the opposing teams flag. So again the shot is fired and they run at each other and straight into the grounds of the opposing team. But these guys are jumping on each other and literally crawling on each other to climb up the pole to get the flag. Some are so good at keeping the pole up that despite some one climbing the pole and trying to pull it down, the pole stays standing. Holy Cow this game was insane and the amount of injuries that came out of it where too many to count. I mean brutal, it was fascinating to watch the all out brawl and climbing and jumping on eachothers backs to get high enough over the opposing team to get to the pole and thus on to take the flag. Whaoo, it was really cool to watch. We should adopt this as well.
These where my two favorite to watch. There where tons of really cool things all day. The students did an amazing job and worked sooooo hard at putting it all together. Sports Day is completely and independently put together by the students and they did amazing. I had a blast today.

Plus I get to go to another Sports Day on Thursday, whoot. I'll bet Sanjo's the best though, nothing like a hardy game of reality like "Conquerer" and "Battle Horse".

2008-06-07T04:34:00.000-07:00

This is some of the cute fabric and ribbon-strip things that I got recently. Today I went with Tanabe and to visit another lady from church and she just so happens to be an ace of a semstress and has an two sewing machines in her studio in Higashi Sanjo. She said I could come by any time and use the machine!!! DUDE!! I'm sooo stoked. But I'll need to look into the stores in Niigata because there is only one here and it's pretty dang small, I may need a few more options. PLUS! I saw on display at the craft store here (Tokai) a cute little change purse basically make from a zipper and ribbon so I really want to try one of those out but heck no on my severe over priced ribbon with the pink elephants and bubbles (that is my ultimate favorite one, next to the houses and nesting dolls) Anyhoo I'm soo dang stoked I want to sew sooo bad!

Plus here's a little peak at my other little "activity" I've picked up with the spray paint. It's not necessarily good or anything just really fun and enjoyable. I don't really know what do to with them yet but I'm making a book out of a couple. It's just really fun.
Also this lady, is the prelim for a comic idea I have. I've got a basic little story planned out but the end is not really clear. I guess it's along the lines of Beatrice Potter if she where Japanese and me. That just got wierd, plus I might just throw some Khalo in there too because who does love Frida to death like me!

2008-05-27T02:29:00.000-07:00

Awww....I love Sanjo Highschool sooo much!!! My first years (sophmores) are do dang rad!!! I hate that so many of them will loose all that pazaz and zest by the time they are seniors. Anyhoo Sanjo is awesome. No school will get you genk-ed up for the week like Sanjo. I totally love the classes, they participate, they are active and lively and their whole attitude make it so easy to teach. I can play and joke around with them and be goofy and they are goofy back! It's awesome. Plus they are amazing at English! Mainly because of their attitude and the fact that they try. They made up their own dialogs today with their classmates and they are soo funny. Some of them went kinda like this:

A."What's wrong?"
B."I miss my dog"
A."For how long?"
B."Since forever."
A."That's too bad, you should drink water."

(Now, don't think they don't know what they are saying they know very well because most of them are hams and love to make the rest of the class laugh!)

A."What's wrong?"
B."I'm homesick."
A."For how long?"
B."Since I was born"
A."That's too bad, you should go home."

I also love to go around the room as they work in groups and make up funny dialogs with them. It's the best. These are the kinds of kids that in language class would find out how to say. "The monkey is on fire", or "Bite the greasy rat". This is what makes learning other languages so humorous. I try it a little in Japanese and I always get the best reactions from the students. I wish my other schools where as genki as Sanjo. I love to be the goofy clown in class, but when no one else plays along you just feel like an idiot.

Plus at Sanjo I get the occasional student that yells out: "I love you." (To which of course I always reply by yelling back. "I love you too".)

Satisfied Frog - What a nice weekend

2008-05-25T03:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm all set and genki for the week! This past week didn't go so hot so I'm changing attitudes for the new week. I'm moving over to the "chill" track line. I think I'm thinking about things (lesson plans and such) way too much here. I'm just going to put together what I put together and try to make things fun. I'm getting way to stressed out about such small things and it's making me really doubt myself so....this week will be different. In fact, I'm feeling different already.

This weekend was soooo awesome!

I went to the Tokyo Temple. (Forgot my camera -____-) But had an amazing time non-the less and a blast in the 4 hour drive to get there. WOW the senery and Japanese country side is amazing this time of year. It's like nothing I've ever seen before! I wanted to cry because I forgot my camera but I'll get down there again sometime. Maybe in August. I chatted with my little Japanese and slow English to the sisters around me and had a wonderful time getting to know them.

This morning I woke up to find my bike had a huge FLAT tire so I ran to the train station and had alreayd missed it so I called church and let them know that they needed to find someone else to lead the music that morning. I got there waaaayyyy late but I got there. Then I went home with Sister Tanabe. She's my Japanese mom. She calls me a sister misionary I call her my companion (we a visiting teachers) Anyhoo she invited me over to have lunch with her and her daughter and her daughters friend who happens to be a JET. So we had a great time yakin' in up with the ladies. Sister Tanabe made really yummy pizza and the JET brought yummy little variety cakes! It was so fun. Then Sister Tanabe droped me off near the pachinko where I met up with Elder SaSa and Gorton to go to a discussion at a members house. Mari is investigating the church. She comes to E-kaiwa (the english classes given by the Elders) I've met her and have visited on serveral occations. We had a great 1st lesson. Then Sister S. drove me home, she even sang me primary songs which was so dang cute! Anyhooo I had an awesome weekend and I feel a lot better about this comming week. I'm not gonna stress, I'll do my part, be prepared and just let the rest roll and take it's course! Whoo hoooo, I'm all genk-ed up and ready for a new week. I'm also excited too because we finally get paid at the end of this month YAY!!! I'll need to get my tire checked out too, good timing I guess.

kickin' it with the colonel

2008-05-16T05:14:00.000-07:00

I had to take pictures! As I rode to church on Sunday I noticed a KFC/PizzaHut so of course I had to come back to check it out and take picutes. Aimee Major mentions the colonels of Japan in her book "Japan Ai", and it's so true his hands really do look like hotdogs!

Seed

2008-05-09T04:45:00.000-07:00

Illo.Friday: "Seed"

Yahiko Art Museums

2008-05-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

Whoa today was pretty rad! So on my way home from hiking on Saturday I ran into one of the ALT's from my group and it turns out she's just a couple stops apart form where I live. I didn't even realise she( Brigett) was soooo close. So we decided to go to the Art Museums today in Yahiko. They were really rad the first one was ok but when I was there I found out that the next exhibit that's planned to come 7/16 is an Ainu exhibit. I'm SOOOO DANG EXCITED!!!!!!! So we'll have to go back. We where both pretty excited for that. The second one we got lost looking for it but finallly arrived. It was all this really cool Victorian, Art Nauvoo and Art Deco exibition! It was pretty rad. While I was there I got a few postcards with prints on them. I took them home and taped them up on my bare hospital walls. Then we went to the Yahiko shrine and found some yummy food and something for our staff members (as is costomary to do when you visit another city). It was fun and cool to actually have someone to hang out with. It was funny though because I thought I got a lot of stares when I meander around. We got a ton more stares when we are gabbering away in English together. It was kinda funny but it didn't make me feel as bad because I was distracted with someone else being there. We had a good time and even got a good laugh at the Yahiko deer. They are really short and fuzzy and we enjoyed watching people feed them potatos. They are kinda cute! I'm enjoying "golden week". I even got my laundry and ironing done. Then I swept the floor for dust bunnies and beat up my futon to fluff it. My sheets are still sitting out drying though. I don't think they will be ready till tomorrow since it's been raining.

Tomorrow will be the best day ever!!!

Rice, Yahiko Mountain, the view and the Park!

2008-05-03T02:52:00.000-07:00

So I was telling you all in a previous post that the rice season is on. Well here are a few pictures. They flood the field then plant little riclet babies in them. The little riclet babies are grown in big white green houses. Once they are started and the field is flooded they are ready to go. It's kinda cool when it's all done because the field looks like it has a green fuz glow. I can't tell you how beautiful the countryside is.

I decided to venture forth close to home and into the mountains on the west coast.
It was an awesome hike going up Yahiko Mountain!!!

At the top the view is amazing you can see a good chunk of the prefecture. At least my end of the prefecture. Then you can take other little side hikes to get to different look outs. I figured I might as well since I was already up there. At one end you can see the ocean and Sado Island. (I really want to go to Sado Island in August for break at least for 2 days or so. It supposedly has really nice white beaches and clear blue water.)I ate lunch up here and blew bubbles. A little boy came over and enjoyed chasing them and pointing at them as the floated around. I got quite a bit of sun today too. ^___^

Then you can do a little hike up to the other side where you can see southward on the west coast. Here you can see the mountainrange that kinda meaners along. This part was my favorite. Also here at this view is a shrine. I went to three mountain shrines. This one where the view is, the Yu shrine and the Yahiko shrine.
I tried to piece this together a little so you could get a better scale of view.

Then the Park, and the Yahiko shrine:I watched kids play in the water. I even got my feet in there!

At the shrine there where bonzai displays of different sorts. It was so rad!

Today was pretty rad. Then on the way home I saw another gaijin. So I got closer for a better look. Turns out it is a girl from my training group. We exchanged numbers and I'll probably go back up to Yahiko on Monday since there's no school so we can do see the art museums. Plus I think something is going on because I saw several banners with 5/5 on them. The rest was in kanji so I don't know what, but perhaps it would be a bad idea to be in a place where something may be going on. Anyhoo it was cool to find someone from my group. Turns out she's pretty close and she knows her way around Niigata City very well. I haven't been up there yet but would like to. I want to see the ocean again!

Today was a lovely day!

fasion

2008-04-30T05:38:00.000-07:00

These are a few fasions I spotted on the way home from school. And, for the record these are all in the exact colors that I saw them, it's all just as it is.

Those esmerelda green tights where completely opaque, they seem to also be popular in lemon yellow and ultra marine blue.

The girl in the middle was wearing control top panty-hose with her rolled jean shorts so you could tell the difference in fabric weave of her panty hose at about mid thigh. I thought it was kinda funny. (BTW: rolled jean shorts with black panty hose are very very popular, shorts are 90% always worn with hose.

Secrets:
I'm finding out a few secrets:
How do the school kids keep their socks up? They have sock glue. It looks like a glue stick they rub on their leg, then they pull their socks up over that.
How do they stay so white? They actually have skin whitening cremes here in the cometic department.
How do they squat so low to the ground an under control without popping an ankle out of joint? When they squat they turn their feet out ward and roll their ankles in so that it folds easier.

Just a few random observances.

Wrinkle

2008-04-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

IF:Wrinkle

just doodlin' I guess.

and it's extra ghetto because I took a picture of it since I have no scanner.

Gosen-Tulips

2008-04-25T23:54:00.000-07:00

Of course there's always a story.
This week some of my English students showed me pictures from the Bunsui festival last weekend that I missed. I was kinda thinkin it would be little, plus I missed the train. Then, after I saw pictures I was really really kicking myself. Then to make the matters worse (not really worse just thought it was) on Friday I found out that I had missed the Gosen-Tulip vestival too. That was supposedly held last weekend as well. Dang! So for the rest of the week I kept an eagle eye on the Tulips in the area. By Friday night I decided I would go to Gosen even though the festivals where over and probably the tulips where gone. Friday night I packed a lunch (save on money) so I packed some seaweed tuna rolls, peach jello, yogurt and my nalgene of course (I never go anywhere without it). I left this morning not expecting to see alot but I thought I would give it a try. After all, I had packed a delicious lunch and my bubbles to entertain myself if it didn't go so well. The train ride worked like clockwork. (I'm getting a little better at this.) When I got to the Gosen station I asked the station ticket salesman how to get to the tulip fields. He laughed and told me that I had missed the festival. (I began to doubt if I should have come or not.) Then he told me you have to get there by taxi! NO WAY, I thought, I don't care if it takes me 4 hours of walking. I'm donna see some tulips! So politley I asked him how to get there by foot. Again he laughed as said it's too far. How far I asked. He said over an hour. Oh, well that's cake, one hour isn't bad. So I got directions and headed on my way. (Even though he advised against it, he thought it was too far to walk). I'll admit I figured he knew more about Gosen than me so I was a little nervous but the morning was fresh and I had alot of energy and I was ready to see some tulips!

I followed his directions.

It took me 23 minutes. ^____^

The walk was gorgeous! The Japanese country side is so green. This week I've noticed more birds, bees, bats, bugs and everything about Spring it out and amazing!!!! Oh and there will be more to come on the rice fields. Yes, it's the time of year to flood the rice fields. I'm really excited. All the little streams and water holage on the sides of the road are now getting lower.

Anyway, here are a few flowers. This is what I first saw as I walked over the bridge!

Oh, and while I was stopped at Niitsu there was a cool, super old, really big, coal engine!

Although I missed the actual scheduled tulip festival, I'm glad I went today because they took down all the ropes that keep people away from the flowers and we where allowed to walk in between the rows and out into the middle of the fields! (Don't worry it really was ok, the field workers where all out there popping the heads off the tulips) Soooooo since I was there and decided I'd make most of the day of it I sat right down in the middle of the field (in a furrow of course) and ate my lunch! It smelled sooooooooo good! I enjoyed my lunch so well. It had been really windy the whole day but slowed down for lunch and long enough for me to blow a few bubbles while sitting in the field. It was incredible!

Primitive

2008-04-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

IF: Primitive

I always feel really old and primitive with my big dictionary and flashcards to study while I'm on the train to school. The highschool students are on their phones texting, studying (they have the internet on their phones of course and download their books so they can do everything from talking to others, researching and studying for school and homework. A lot of them have those Japanese to English electronic dictionary helper things. ( I have no idea what they are called) But every time I come into class all the kids pull them out.)
It's always kinda funny. I guess I feel dated.

Oops

2008-04-20T02:11:00.000-07:00

Oops! Sorry I missed the train to take me to the festival. Better luck next week in Gosen. ^_____^

School is Cool!!

2008-04-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

WOOOOWWWWW!! I can't believe two weeks has already passed since I started school! I'm so very pleased and blessed to report that school is going awesome. In my opinion anyway. I'm having a great time! The kids are really shy and look at me oddly most of the time but some classes are breaking out of that and it's great to see their progress. It's not easy to gain self-confidence in another language or find your voice in another language so they are doing great. I'm having a class on Tuesday choose items from a bag and make up skits. I'm excited to see how that goes in the future. I have great schools! I received such a warm welcome from all of the schools it was really nice. Plus, despite the shyness of the students they are all pretty good about saying hi to me in the hall. I have a hard time walking and getting around the school sometimes because of it...hee hee. They are fabulous and I'm really looking forward to more classes with them to see how they come out of their shells.
I'm loving the staff. We have awesome people here teaching! They are sooo nice and funny. There are a few teachers that I really enjoy speaking with and they are such a hoot! I really enjoy team teaching with them. I have a little handful of favorites to team teach with though. To be honest we have a blast and during the class we like to make jokes and tease the kids. Honestly I can't complain they are great.
This is about all I have to report on. Classes are going great and I might join up with the missionaries in their English classes to help out there. We had a class today that I helped out with and it was pretty cool, plus I get to see Sister Tanabes. Sister Tanabes is this fabulous lady in our ward, she's sooooo funny! She speaks English pretty well and we have a good time together. I actually went with her and her friend down to Niigata City to see Conference. She's a blast. Yeah all is good and there's a festival this weekend too so I hope to catch a little of it. We'll see what comes up.

"Hanami" (Cherry-blossom viewing) at Takada

2008-04-13T03:23:00.000-07:00

I couldn't let the Cherry-blossom moment to pass me by! (Seriously how often will I be in Japan in April!?) Still, I find it difficult sometimes to get around, especially if it's new and requires other maps than that ones I already have that my IC translated for me (applies only to school areas). I've been seeing advirtisments since I got to Japan to go to Joetsu City, Niigata for the Hanami, but didn't know where it was (even the google maps for Japan are in Japanese). I had asked around but some of the answers where vague. I tried a few places online and found one that is particularly popular this time of year with the Hanami and decided I would ask around and find out how to get to Takada.
I didn't need to look that far when just Thursday I found a map both in English and Japanese of the majority of the stops in the Prefecture stuck to the ciling of the train I ride to school. I scanned the names of all the stops and located Takada, and quickly changed my previous weekend plans of cleaning the apartment to spending the day surrounded by Sakura at an amazing Hanami! (good choice huh?)
At the start of the day I imagined it would be as low key as any of my other visits in the area in which I live. I'd go easily and come back the same, I'd be alone but at least would see the blossoms. As the day unfolded however, it proved to be not only a day to awe and wonder at the creation of the cherry-blossom but also of good hearted people! It seems regardless of culture, language and country we all like to have a good time, eat and enjoy the company of others and Japan would be the kind of country to welcome who ever to gather and enjoy life a little. (In a way sometimes when I travel the world seems smaller).

So the journey began! I knew it would take at least 2-3 hours to get there by train so I left pretty early, around 7 I believe. The ride to Takada was beautiful. I got the Yahiko Line which moves west of Tsubame toward the coast. I changed and got on the Echigo line with carves around the west coast and became mezmorised at the view: The morning was fresh, the waves crashed up on the rocks, there where fishermen out on boats and on docks bringing in fresh seafood and other ocean tresures, long beaches with run-off and little pools, the flowers, the trees, the ride over was worth the ride already!
Finally I made it to Takada! The station was totally decorated in Cherry-blossoms! I got out of the station and asked a man in uniform how to get to Takada Koen (park). He explained so politely and well in English that I could take the bus for 100 yen and it would drop me off at the park entrance. Then he gave me a map of all the other things to see and do in the city while I was visiting. He was so nice!
Here are a few pictures of the hanami, then I will continue the story.

The cherry blossom viewing is also kind of like a carnival/fair in that there are a loads of fun stuff for kids to do, there are games and prizes, bounce castles and jungle-gyms, there was even a haunted house! (I got a kick out of watching the reaction of the people walking out of the house)There was also a big pavilion set up for Kareoke and such. The festival is very set up for alot of fun and familyness. It's tradition that as a family you pack a big family meal and all the alcohol you can carry (not just drink) and put down a tarp ad blankets and everyone eats together under the sakura trees. This is done for obvious reasons, for family but also done traditionaly for good luck and for good family luck. Photographers also love to gather here, and families will pay them to take family pictures under the sakura. This is very popular!

And of course where there's people, there's food!

At a sakura festival you can also buy sakura products! They make everything from tea to icecream. The sakura flavor can be tastey but it depends on the product. The cherry "blossom" flavor tends to be salty with a burnt cinnamon taste. However the flavor that apparently comes from the petals is different. *shrugs* I don't know really well, all I know is that some sakura flavored products are really good and some are kimoi (nasty).The sakura icecream is to dye-for and is now close in the top slot to my favorite among the mint choc chip. Here at the festival chestnuts are also popular you can buy them roasted here like in the picture they also have chestnut icecream. It was soooooooooo good and nutty but so destinctly chestnut, I was really amazed! Yes, I ate two icecreams! I couldn't decided, so I got them both.
Everyone spends the day walking around, eating, taking pictures, doing fair activities or shopping in the city, but the most fun I saw were the families. I walked past, all of them gathered and having a great time together. I'll admit it made me sad, I wondered what I would be like to have all my family there and how much Aubrey would love the really cool rope jungle-gym and Abram would want to see everything and try a treat or two. It was a lovely moment to think for awhile. Then I said a little prayer I wouldn't feel so lonely.
Meanwhile the families and other groups are having a great time together they are waiting till the sky gets dark. When the sun goes down the lights come on, this is about the time that the lights against the cherry-blossoms look like a fire work show! It is beautiful and when I saw the pictures I took, I realised how little they hold a candle to the real thing. What an amazing sight!!!

Just a short while after telling myself I shouldn't feel alone I spotted a familiar face from the corner of my eye. It was DAVE! My buddy from training (we were team teachers together) So he had been dropped of my a JET friend that he made and was hanging out with a bunch of other JETS. We had a great time talking and catching up on all the news of the areas, schools and our first week. It was soooo fun! Plus these other groups of people (Japanese) heard us speaking English and came over to say hi and introduce themselves. Between their bad English and out bad Japanese we actually communicated quite well and had a good time hanging out the rest of the night with a bunch of random people. It was really good!
Knowing that the trains in my small area cut out earlier than the bigger stations I started out toward the journey of home. I finished taking pictures and set out back north. While at a major intersection of the tracks everyone got off. OH-NOOOOO, this was the train that was supposed to be going north however as it turns out it does not run north past 9:20, it was now 9:40! I desperatly made an attempt to the train conductor that I needed to get to X station. While all the passengers where walking past some one heard me say that I was trying to get to Tsubame. He stopped and told me where I needed to go. He and his friends had been at the festival as well and where headed home too but in a slightly different direction. One of them happened to be a train conductor and the rest of them where excellent English speakers! WOW! They even looked up online using their phones and wrote down for me what time I would be comming in on and when the departures and platform numbers where to get on to get back to at least Higashi Sanjo (only two stations away from home...as opposed to 2-3 hours away from home by train)WOW!Then one of them even looked up cab fares to see how much I would need to pay a taxi to get home from Higashi Sanjo, it turned out to be around 2100 yen. He told me I should just take a cab home from HS. I thought about how much I really had...oh about 500 yen. To be honest the original cost to get down there was double than what I thought so I didn't have as much "emergency money" and I should have. I though maybe I would walk even though that would mean I would probably be walking in Sanjo at 3 in the morning or possibly 4. Well, it was done, I thought that I'd figure it out when I get there. I thanked them a ton for their help and still had 50 minutes to wait till my train came. So I walked up to the bathroom. There was quite a line, which was fine I had a ton of time to wait. While in line, three funny girls caught my eye. I noticed quickly they wheren't speaking Japanese and figured they had come to see the festival as well. Although I don't know Chinese of course there was alot I could understand just between their gestures to one another, I could tell they where really good friends. The train came and I got on and waited, I wondered for a moment what to do about money. I thought I better take a moment and dig and see what I could come up with...I dug up about 720 yen which would get me maybe just outside of Sanjo. I prepared myself for walking. I put my bag away and put the 720 in my pocket. I felt like I should check my bag again although I just had. I hestitated, I was just in my bag. I figured it couldn't hurt. I dug around some more and pulled out 2 fresh 1000 yen bills. I don't know where they came from or what it was doing there. WOW. (I said a quick little prayer of gratitude for a Heavenly Father who has always got my back. I thought wow, someone must be praying for me, alot. Just as the doors where soon to be closing the three girls got on. One of them recognised me from the bathroom and waved with a big smile. Then they giggled to one another for a moment or two and decided to come and sit next to me. In all of my time in Japan this is the first time anyone has ever sat next to me. (Usually on a train I have this radius around me of space, people are more likely to stand in the middle of an ile than to take a seat next to me or even 2-3 seats away from me.)I think they asked me something in Japanese and when they noticed my hesitation they spoke in English. I found out they are from Taiwan and are studying Japanese in college in Kamo (Kamo University isn't too far from one of my schools) We spoke for while in English until I got off at my stop! It was sooooo fun to have someone to sit with and chat while on the bus. What a lovely evening! It didn't stop there, either! I got off at HS and got into a cab, I told the driver where I was going and how much I had. He told me he didn't know exactly how much it would be to get there but that he would guess that I had enough to get home. He started driving, I cautiously watched the meter of yen build as we got closer to home. I stared to try to tell him to stop when the meter got to the amount that I could pay him. He stopped at a red light, and cashed me out with the amount that I had. I started to get out of the car but he chortled and motioned for me to get back in. I'll take you home he said and he turned off the meter and drove me the rest of the way home for free.
Not only was the day a reminder of the beauty and creation in the festivities of the Cherry-blossom but also of people! Just good people in the world, and how something little can go a long way.

Squatty-Pottie

2008-04-05T05:23:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention that today was the first time I had ever used the 'squatty-pottie' (Japanese style toilets). It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I thought I would fall in or pee all over myself. But it's not bad at all. Don't be afraid of the squatty-pottie!

I heart Maki and Kamo!

2008-04-05T04:50:00.000-07:00

This morning I went to explore Maki a bit and to my surprise found a wonder of treasures! Maki is very close to the coast, it's country side and beautiful. Just over the mountains is the ocean.

All the kids are off the school!

I found a fun farmer's market place that was selling beautiful homegrown food! One of the little old ladys literally had fallen asleep with her head in her hands. The little old women like her remind me of the old Bolivian woman.

I met what I figured was a girl scout troop type group of the sort. I made a little donation to their boxes and they let me take a picture with them. Also this cute little man makes these filled pancake treats. You can buy them with creme in them (vanilla pudding) or with sweet bean paste in them.

I had to take a few shots of the flowers and a few cherry blossoms that are out a tad early.

Kamo is farther inland but beautiful countryside as well. Kamo has a beautiful park not too far from the station which is were most of these where taken.

Here's the school.

Kamoyama Park

I had a beautiful and quite an eventful day. I'm glad I was prepared! Kamoyama Park is a BIG park! You can easily take a couple full days to look around and go hiking. I did a little (as you can see). I'm excited to go back and explore more!

This weekend should be pretty lo-key. I have to stay in town to do immigration paperwork and such. But the following Sat. I'm shooting for Shibata! Yay! I love public transportaion!

Modes of Transport

2008-04-05T04:28:00.000-07:00

Friday morning I verntured out to try my shots at transportaion in Japan! My IC gave me maps and such to my 5 different school (3 of which I have met already). I didn't get so much lost as just ended up spending most of the day waiting for trains because I would either miss my train or get off at the wrong stop. However I did better today and made all the correct stop-offs at the right time. Yesterday stunk!

Although I received a schedule it was all in Japanese. After trying it on my own, I decided to ask for help. This didn't take much effort as the man (Tsubame train station ticket man) realised quickly that I didn't speak Japanese, nor did I know where I was going. He pulled out a schedule and wrote in English the stops I needed to get to (wrote over the Japanese)He wrote over the Japanese which columns where departure and arrivals and everything I needed to know. We didn't actually speak much at all. The Japanese aren't always really bold with speaking English although many of them are familiar with it, but they do really well writing English. And wasn't that a wonderful thing! So I got my way around today! YAY!

I'm really glad there's such good public transportation here, other wise I'd be stuck not getting out too far.

All kinds of mode are used here. Everything from vehicles to vespas and bike to buses and my personal favorite, trains!!!

The cute thing about bikes is that they all have baskets, either on the front or on the back or both!!! Where there is a bike there is a basket!

Cars are very small...I guess so they can fit in those really small streets! They are built more up than out and for someone from the US they may look a little un proportional than what we are accustomed.

Here's the train! I send many a minutes of the day here. Bring a book! Bring a sketchpad and pencil!

If you are wondering about the different color license plate.

White-standard size
Yellow-compact
Green-taxi

Tabe-te

2008-04-01T03:58:00.000-07:00

Since you all got the gran tour of Tsubame and a little bit of Sanjo, I thought I'd continue with a little info about food. Keep in mind this is only based off the little I know or have come to know. I'm sure in time I'll be able to expand this section as I am also interested in the culinary arts of Japan.

Food in Japan is really expensive, (everything is, and not just in Tokyo). I wish I could tell you that I eat sushi all day. But it's actually more pricey here in Japan than in the states. So all of you still in the states: Eat SUSHI!!!! Here's a little glimpse of the eating out prices.

At the Udon house a bowl will run you from 700-900 yen for a relativley simple dish(noodles and broth, probably a fish cake or chunk of tofu)($7.50-9.50ish US dollars)

If you go to a resturant an actual meal will cost you anywhere from 2100-25/2700, and that's usually a bowl of rice some meat and veggies of this or that combination and maybe a small bowl of miso soup....and a wet-nap for your hands. Each pack comes with a toothpick. (Seemingly they are big on toothpicks here.) ($21.00-25.00/27.00 US dollars)

Eating out is a little pricey. However it doesn't always have to be. Some of the best food comes from the this and that of creative findings. I have to say that I believe I am developing a knack for the food scoping.
Like Robyn can hunt a good deal I know where to find the good food, especially if it's a treat!

THIS is my favorite meal, yes even in Japan you can find a meal for 180 yen. (about $2.00 US dollars)Toward Sanjo is a busy bakery called "The Little Mermaid". Prior to my visiting Japan I never thought much about the connection of bread to Japan. Japanese MAKE GOOOOOOOD BREAD and pastries! The one that you see above I call the 'carb pod', when my Japanese gets better I'll ask about what it is and what it's called etc. I call it the 'carb pod' though because it's a long hoagie-esque roll, itallian bread style (like a Bolio but with a tougher crust) it's cut open and has potato stuffed inside (this potato is kinda like a potato salad but without the egg and such...and kinda like mashed potatoes with herbs, yeah, it's a breed of that)THEN, it's topped with three little pieces of ham and a drizzle of mayo!IT's sooo good!

Here's what makes it the best! Take it home and put it in the micro for 10 sec. Now that is realllly yummy! The bread gets all warm and squishy. They make alot of yummy things there. I thought I'd try a few others and show you how pretty their breads are.

The one on the left is a sweet bean bread (not my fav.) and the other is a sweet bean paste bread swirled around in the dough so it turned kinda green (VERY tasty!)

Today on my way to get a iron (which is was very blessed to find in my price range) I saw a really cute store with sakura all over it and cute and fancy and decorative, naturally I was drawn in! (Plus this is how I find everything in Japan since I can't read the signs, I go in and investigate). Of course...it was a bakery and tea house that specialize it beautiful desserts! Didn't I tell you I was good at this or what? So at first I thought I'd just take a quick peek around and leave on my way but a cute little lady came out bowing and very polite and served me REEEEEEAaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllyyyyy good tea (the best I've had in Japan yet)I think it was fig or something. I didn't really know but it was oishi (delicious)and it was served with a little snack. I'm not sure what that was either but it was tasty, and something of the figish flavor but not really powerful and seedy like a Newton. WOW, so I couldn't just walk out now. Oh ok, twist me arm I had to buy a piece of beautiful cake!

There where soooo many different kinds and they where all sooo fancy. I chose this one. The cake part of the dessert is kinda like mom's pepper biscotti (in flavor) but was a soft cake. The frothy stuff the cake is wrapped in is kinda like mousse. It's really light and fluffy (airy)it was mostly creme-y with a a very delicate chocolate flavor. It might look a little funny in the picture because I accidently droped it on the way home. However the woman packed it so nicley to go for me that there wasn't any big damage done to the cake.

Those are a few of the goodies I've scoped out and I'm sure there will be more to come. However...I have been doing some cooking of my own...

Since it's pricey to eat here I've also scoped out the deals at the grocery stores. Within the three grocery stores around my house I already know which ones have better what and for which price. One of my favorite deals are bean sprout!!! I throw them into everything! For a honkin' huge bag at the price of 55 yen, it's a no brainer. I toss it into what ever I'm making and add a crunch, it's good with egg, or rice or other veggies and tasty on top of salads. Now that I look at the picture I see that they are in both of the dishes I have made. So I figure with the money I save in that area I can trot on over to Sanjo and hunt out something new and tasty to try every now and again.

Getting to know the Niigata Prefecture and Tsubame/Sanjo

2008-03-30T01:09:00.000-07:00

This is Tsubame Station! This is where I'll be going everymorning during the week to get to work and different schools. YAY! Doesn't it look fun. I like trains!

Enjoy your cyber tour of Tsubame area!

Here are a few pictures of houses (and mee-mee in a phone booth). The houses vary quite a bit but for the most part thy still have those cool Japanese arch. roofing. The neighborhoods here are really cute, tight-knit and friendly feeling. Biking is also very popular here.

Here's a few shots form the bridge! Check out the mountains in the wayyyy background!

A few shots of the city. As you can see some of the streets are realllly small. The main roads are ok but outside those they get really narrow.

I love the old little streets full of flowers anywhere they fit! In the city where there isn't alot of land for flowers and growing, there are alot of little potted plants everywhere. I even found a cumquat plant!

Getting out of the city toward where I live everyone has little gardens! The Japanese are very handy/industrious and busy people. Even if the land is 3 feet by 4 they've made something beautiful out of it. There are these beautiful little Japanese landscaped gardens all over the neighborhood. I love going on walks to see them! Plus there is alot of (food)gardening here as well. Further out of the city the people may have a little more land and they really get into the gardening. I mean green houses and all. It's really cool, everyone gardens! And they garden anywhere they can too. I've seen some pretty creative ones.

2008-03-28T05:33:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a couple days. Thanks are going well. I've gotten settled in and learned a little more about Japan and the necessary navigations.

Banking is kinda cool and different here. Most peole bank at their local post office. Which sounds wierd to most of us who usually bank at a bank. But you can do all of your banking at the post office as well as pay bills there. You can also do that at 711 (You can't swing a cat without hitting a 711 here)It's also kinda cool because when you set up your account you get a little record book to which acts like a bank card as well and when you insert it into an atm and make a transaction the transaction is directly recorded to your little book by machine so that you don't have to go back and do it your self later, or pile up transaction reciepts. It's cool. Plus you can deposit or take out any amount of money. Yesterday I deposited 300yen and took out 61 yen (which is mere change in coins)Usually in the states you can't take out a lower amount than $20.

Well I've been checking out the maps, stations and busses. I actually bought a map yesterday. It's in Japanese of course but I recognise the areas based on their relative location. It's good though because I have another that matches up the same areas with transportaion. So now when I look up online things to do and what events are comming up I know where the town/city is and can easily look up how to get there. It's exciting. I took a look at some event comming up here.

Mid April-Cherry blossom celebrations and festivities
Endish April-Tulip show (fields and fields worth)
It's either June or July there's a big firework show in Nagaoka (which is pretty close...about 40 min by bus, south westish)Nagaoka is famous all over Japan for it's fireworks!
End of June-There's a huge music, Rock festival in Niigata city (40min North)The Fuji music festival.

I'm really excited to get better aquainted with the area. I'm soooooo lucky there's good transportaion here. Plus with so many close sister cities I can get around all over the prefecture at a pretty good price too. YAY! Plus school will be starting here soon. I get more and more excited as it gets closer. ^___^

My Japanese is makings small improvements. At least I'm starting to recognise the few words I know in a conversation....well sometimes, not everytime. It'll get better too as I practice but even just being here the past couple days and pretty much only listening a few things are starting to click. It's funny though because as I was talking to myself as I always do I said: arways instead of always. Oh no! Oops!

Well it's going great here. The more I meander and explore this area the more beautiful it is. I'll admit that at first I thought it was nice enough. Now that I explore I really am loving it more. It's growing on me fast. I love to look out over the bridges and I love all the little gardens all over the place and little rice fields here and there, and this cute little lady I met at the bakery.It's very nice I'm enjoying it more and more. I'll remember to take my camera next time on my journey so that you all can enjoy some of the views here as well. A gran tour perhaps.

Sanjo

2008-03-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

Monday was grocery food guessing game. Just because it has a picture on the package doesn't mean that's what it is...and vice versa...just because there isn't a fish on the package doesn't mean they don't try to slip it in there. I think I did pretty well with the exception of soy sauce. There are too many choices of dark liquids that could be soy sauce. I had to have someone find it for me. Not bad for a gaijin. Then I got home are realised all the instructions are in Japanese as well....Oh crud!

Today was explore the area day. I went eastish. I encountered berry flavored kit kats in celebration of the cherry blossom festivals comming up, bike shops, books stores up the wazooooo, and kitchen/cutlery place, a mall, a grocery store, the drycleaners(always good to know) and a craft store (with uber cute fabric of course) and a 100 yen store and a walmart-ish type place with a little of everything, and the fish market (misc.fish stores). For the record I didn't get lost and managed to do all that with out any knowledge of the Japanese launguage. All you need is arms and a face to get around, but it helps to know "please" and "thank you". ^_____^ My nose got too much sun and now it's pinky.

Yesterday I started my illustrated version of my journal. I know time will be tighter once school starts but it's fun recording the adventure this way...if I ever find a scanner somewhere I'll post a few of the pages. It has been enjoyable. I usually never have time like this to draw and piddle around. Plus, Mom would be proud to know that I got lots of veggies and have actually done some cooking. Last night I made Egg-fu-young...well it was my take and variation on it because I couldn't remember how to make it really. It was good ^____^ I'm also scouting out the best treats of course too.

Before I came to Japan people said that others would stare. I think I stare more at them than them at me. However today while I was looking dumbfounded at the Train station map, two high schooler girls where giggling and taking pictures of me with their cell phones.

The Nalgene bottle story

2008-03-23T04:59:00.000-07:00

OH, I have a kinda funny story. I use my nalgene bottle while I'm here because the water cups they give out here in Japan are so small. Water bottles themselves are quite small. If you go to a resturant or any place where they may give water, it is done so in 6oz water glasses. No joke (You can find the same complaint in "Japan-Ai". It really is like that! So there's never enough water, I lug my nalgene.
Ok, so I went to the 'bento' down stairs in the hotel and set the nalgene on the counter while I purchased some batteries. The cashier in oh-so Japanese tone, exclaimed: "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" (the eh sound accends in tone) "waaaaaaaaaaaater"..."eeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"..."water to driiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiink" (in same 'eh' tone) So of course her reaction cause other curious customers to look wide eyed at my nalegen bottle as well, and several gathered around to see it.
Later on I was taking a drink while seated, waiting for someone in the lobby. I got a lot of stares and head turns to watch me guzzle from the bottle. It made me laugh, they looked at me as if it where alcohol or something. It bewildered them terribly.

Tsubame-Sanjo

2008-03-23T03:17:00.000-07:00

Wow! Training is done! We cramed classes till Thursday and where given our teaching assignments. We where partnered up to teach a 50 minute lesson. We got our topics Thusrday night and I worked with my partner/co-teacher Dave (from North London)for several hours. We had great ideas. It really helps to be able to bounce around ideas. It seems some of the best come from the passing around of ideas and makeing small tweaks to them. Anyhoo, we crammed and colored, made charades and worksheets. Phew! Then Friday we were split up in groups and gave our lessons. I got some really good, actually alot of really good ideas from everyone and even though I was totaly nervous, I suppose it all played out really well. We did our lesson, got a pretty good critique, and I left near immediatley for the mall to brows 'Book Off' and get a Strawberry Crepe. ^____^ But first I had to have a check in with my trainer Jodi. I love Jodi. Now initially I thought that my weeks training score would not be high and just moderate or average. I thought this mainly because when we got our assessment score back mine wasn't so good. So I was nervous and a little reluctant to go right in and talk to Jodi but I did. I was a little surprised to hear that I had gotten a 'Superior' rating and was only 2 participation points away from making it a 'Master', only 5-6 'Master' ratings where given out to the 250-300 of us. Also on my skills assessment test I got a 100%, a grade that only 4 other people got. I was impressed. Then he told me that I was a good listener. (A compliment I don't hear often...usually I'm not really high in my listening skill). Needless to say I was quite pleased with the out come. ^_____^

My Group: This is about half of us.

After the big lesson I returned to pack and do laundry and get ready for the big day the next day. We where to meet in the lobby at 7:50. I finished packing and brought it down to the front desk where the 'Post' service is. The POST service is fabulous, it's like mail for luggage and other big things you can't easily tote around, you can send it anywhere in Japan uber cheap. (For those of you who have seen Aimee Majors book "Japan Ai" this is the service with the logo of a mother cat carrying her kitten). So wheather you don't want to carry your golf clubs on the bus because it's a nausance, post it. Luggage, post it. It gets there in a day or two. I sent mine off Friday night at about 10 at night. We left for Tokyo at 8 Sat. morning.
At my stop off the bullet train, Ms Komazawa my IC picked me up and took me to my apartment, got gas turned on, and internet set up to work in 24 hours. She also took me around to pick up a few things: Futon, dishes, laundry stuff and a few other odds and ends.

100 yen store is my best friend. (the dollar store)

This morning I got quite a bit of reading done while airing out my apartment. Japanese seem to smoke alot and I kinda knew my apt. would be a smokey one, my hotel room was too. It'w been very nice. It was really nice to sleep in too.

I meandered around for while to check out the area. I didn't want to go too far because I was expecting my luggage from POST to come. So I just went on a little walk, came home, did a little more reading and airing out the place. I decided I would take a little nap for an hour and heard a knock at the door, YES!!!!! My luggage, whooot woot! So, now I'm unpacked and ready to go.

Tomorrow Ms. Komazawa comes to get me to run more errands: immigration cards/bank/and to get a phone so that I can be in contact with interac.

A side note about Interac. At first I have to admit that in my mind it would be some old random guy to come and get me and that this would be kind of an out of the back of a truck buisness, maybe sketchy...I had my nervous thoughts especially because of what happened with the NOVA program here in Japan. But INTERAC is great! Training has been amazing! We've meet a ton of people in the company and they are all super awesome and GENKI like you've never seen a person their age. I am pleased to say that I am really excited about not only being in Japan but working under INTERAC. They have been very thurough in training and proceedure and preparing us for such a different culture. Giving us oppurtunities to teach and learn so much. The leadership in the company is strong and open. I feel comfortable talking to my MC or any of my area schedulers if I need anything and feel confident that they are there for me in quick reaction. This seems like a great company and I'm really excited to be teaching. I still have alot of my nerves about teaching especially High school but I'm sure they will smooth out in time.

Training has also been really neet in the sense of getting to know people from all over I love having classes with the mixed humor from around the world, and faces and accents. I've already made friends from all over. It's really fun.

Well here's a little apartment tour:

It's cute, I sleep in a little loft. ^_____^ I really like it.

I took some pictures of the pretty and festive Japanese food so you all can see what it looks like. Such presentation!

The scoop!

2008-03-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

Well tomorrow is finally Wednesday! Things are going so awesome here but at the same time I feel like I've been here forever! We've got classes for about 8 hours a day and then usually finish it off with a little trip to the mall at the end of the day.

Wow, where do I start.

Sunday we had policy classes.
Monday we confirmed assignments, met branch and team members (The people that take care of us!) got housing contracts and even paid for my first month and a half of rent. I also got hanken (A little stamp of my last name, it works like a signature). Then for dinner drank this mysterious tapioca peach drink.

it wasn't bad but it wasn't good either.

Tuesday went over class material. We did practice simulations teaching and drills and games.

This could all potentially be pretty boring but this is a fabulous place and company to be working with. Class it's self is practically stand up comedy! Jody our entertainer, I mean trainer, it awesome, not only funny but is really preparing us well for the real little Japanese world out there and I'm feeling more and more confident that despite all the social rules, I might have a chance. =^____^=

Funny thing about speaking Japanese because as you all know I don't know Japanese but more than a small handful of words which my mind has seemed to store under the "other language" portion of my brain, causing the problem of speaking Spanish on an occasion when naturally Japanese is more appropriate. However even then I may not even use the correct words at all.
For example: I went to pick up my key for my room, I did well to start with and even remembered to receive it with both hands and a bow, but then I opening my yapper and said loudly, "Gracias, ohayo gosai mas" (I'm sure I butchered the spelling but you all know what I said.) Now, in this circumstance the correct phrase would be thank you but no, I said "thank you" in Spanish and then said "hello, good morning" (greeting). It made no sense according to the situation. Latter that day again Gracias slipped when I got off the bus.

It's beautiful and amazing to be here! I'm stoked to get to my area. Apparently I'm just out side Niigata City but still in the prefect of Niigata and just on the verge of the country side. The ocean is just over the hill from my apartment. It all seams so beautiful and exciting and can't wait to explore and meet the kids!

Just as an ending note I feel quite fine here and safe and confident in the company to take care of me while I'm here.

One of the coolest things here that I have also enjoyed is meeting people from all over the world. My roommate Jessica is from London and so is out neighbor that I sometimes hang out with. We've got Australians, Irish, Scottish, British, American, there may be another European country. Anyhoo, it's really neet!

Well, I'm all in good health here and hope to hear that you all are also doing well. I'll write with more info later on training.

Saturday I leave at 7am for my area.

I love and miss you all

Narita!

2008-03-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

This is the hotel where we are staying. I've also included a few odd signs and stuff I've seen too. The dragon water thing is where you wash your hands with the holy sacred water before intering into the Narita Temple. ^__^

2008-03-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

This is the Narita Japanese temple in the dusk-evening. ^____^ Enjoy!

I made it to Japan

2008-03-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

Whelp. Here I am. I'm cheesin' it big time. All ready for my first day of training. I had butterflies all last night and kept dreaming about the classrooms in Niigata.
The flight was fine, and surprisingly enough my legs didn't get to restless on the 18 hours of sitting. I sure slept a lot though. I slept all the way to Toronto and from Toronto to Japan with the exception of about 2 hours when I watched "Enchanted". (Which I'm really glad I got to see and considered it quite a treat because that was the movie I wanted to see before I left...Brook said it was good)
Luckily I only lost one piece of luggage, which I hope turns up some time today or tomorrow. I met up with a recruiter from INTERAC and a few other teachers (just barely). Met my roommate, Jessica (London), then slept for another 9 hours. Whooot, I guess I needed some catching up to do on the sleep. Well, I'm heading down to breakfast here soon and see what we have. I'll be sure to post pictures and keep you all updated.

A few things about Japan:

-A+ customer service
-Heated toilet seats: I was pleasantly surprised this morning. =^____^=
-Everything is kinda miniature, they sure know how to get a lot out of little space.
-It feels funny driving on the other side of the road.

Well, that's about all I can say for now.

-Chao!

IF: Stitch

2008-01-16T09:07:00.000-08:00

Growing up my mom would always like to say: "Stitch it up, wear it out, make due or do without."....that's how this came to be.

Wedding

2007-09-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

Ron Paul

2007-09-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

-For Jordan.

Captain

2007-08-21T06:24:00.001-07:00

lower salmon-zion's-lake powell

2007-08-10T19:54:00.000-07:00

my last illustration project.....I'm done!

2007-07-16T09:23:00.000-07:00

Yellowstone with Tiffany, Chris, and Jordan

2007-07-09T21:36:00.001-07:00

2007-07-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

BFA These are still a little rough and out of order!

2007-07-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

2007-07-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

2007-07-09T21:12:00.000-07:00