Promises Kept

10.6.07
I must say that my first day of vacation went pretty well. Lauren and I cleaned around the house because we both agreed that coming home to a dirty house was not something we wanted to experience. I wanted to write lots of interesting information this week, but as I said in my last entry, it was quite busy as far as classes go. I had to also pack today because we will be leaving the house at 8am to catch our train to Nikko.

Lauren and I went to Chiba on Thursday and walked around a bit before heading back to teach our classes at 3:15pm. We brought our lunch (onigiri or rice balls) and sat down to eat at an Starbucks outside café. Lauren went in to get herself a Mocha Java Frappacino while I sat outside and people watched. There was a little green grasshopper bouncing around a nearby table and a few pigeons poking around our table.

Yay for Chiba and yay for soccer!

Also on Thursday, Lauren and I went out for Hiroko’s birthday. We went with Harumi, Hiroko’s son who's name is Masato (Harumni and him were just married last summer), and Peggy. We had lots of fun and really enjoyed ourselves as we made okonomiyaki and monjayaki (a soupier version of okonomiaki). For her birthday Lauren and I got Hiroko a really cute little plant with small purple flowers and relaxing bath salts. On Friday, Hiroko told us that she used the bath salts that night after returning home from her party; she really loved them.

Me, Masato, Hiroko, and Peggy.

Maju in the background with edamame in the foreground.

This is my matcha (green tea) ice cream-"girl cement" style.

Speaking of baths, Lauren and I decided to use our bath tub for the first time this Thursday night. Baths here in Japan are very different compared to a western style bath. Before getting into the hot tub of water you must thoroughly clean yourself. After you are clean, then and only then do you enter the bath. Lauren and I bought a rose scented bath cube to add to our bath; I say “our” because rather than wasting the entire tub of water after each person is finished, multiple people use the same water. Why waste clean water? My bath was very warm and calming.

Yes, they have KFC in Japan. For just over 600 yen you can get soup,

chicken (with sea weed on it) and onigiri (rice ball). Good thing I don't eat chicken. :)

Hello Colonel Sanders!

Kate Devoe, this is my present to you, side-pony and all.