2.28.08
Thursdays are always a challenge for me. This is mainly due to the ages of the children in my classes; just about all of my students on days like today are between the ages of 5 and 9 (with some exceptions). Most of them are just being introduced to formal education and their behavior tends to be very unpredictable and energetic.
Anyway, I wanted to mention something that made both me and my student-I had to explain it to him before he understood-laugh today. I usually spend the first few minutes of class going over the weather, time, and how my students are feeling. Today rather then saying "I am great!" when asked "How are you doing?", my student exclaimed loudly, "I am grape!". He was so enthusiastic about being a grape.
It should be noted that enthusiasm for English is a great thing! And yes, I wholeheartedly agree that I could possibly be saying that simply because of my current working position. :)
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Matcha Ceremony
2.25.08
Today my Japanese class took a field trip to a local Japanese garden. Some of us even had the opportunity to participate in an official matcha ceremony. Matcha is a warm, bitter, thick green tea that is famous in Japan. According to an observation made by Jon Newman when he visited over winter vacation, matcha is one of the three most popular flavors in Japan. The other two are sweet red bean and of course rice in all its various forms.
Traditional matcha ceremonies last about 45 minutes and the instructors or women giving the ceremony are very deliberate in their movements. Each strict movements not only has a purpose but also adds to the "performance". The people participating in the ceremony (those drinking the tea) must also respond with utmost respect. It is very common to bow when receiving the tea and when giving it back. Bowing also occurs at the beginning and end of the ceremony. I learned some bowing basics as well as how to turn the match bowl. You turn the bowl clockwise before taking a sip of the bitter, bright green tea. This is done because you want to protect the decorative front of the bowl that is left facing you when the tea is first brought over to you. Since the bowls are perfect circles, it can be difficult to distinguish which is the front. When I went home Monday night after work, I discovered that the matcha bowl I purchased in Kyoto does in fact have a distinct face. You learn something everyday!
My Japanese Class
My Japanese Class huddled around our matcha ceremony instructor. She is wearing a light pink kimono and I am standing to her right.
Two of my Japanese teachers! From left to right: Nakamura-san, me, and Tomomi-san.
This little girls mother is a member of my Japanese class. She loved looking into the pond and shouting "Fish! Fish!".
Walking around the Japanese garden while enjoying the beautiful day.
Today my Japanese class took a field trip to a local Japanese garden. Some of us even had the opportunity to participate in an official matcha ceremony. Matcha is a warm, bitter, thick green tea that is famous in Japan. According to an observation made by Jon Newman when he visited over winter vacation, matcha is one of the three most popular flavors in Japan. The other two are sweet red bean and of course rice in all its various forms.
Traditional matcha ceremonies last about 45 minutes and the instructors or women giving the ceremony are very deliberate in their movements. Each strict movements not only has a purpose but also adds to the "performance". The people participating in the ceremony (those drinking the tea) must also respond with utmost respect. It is very common to bow when receiving the tea and when giving it back. Bowing also occurs at the beginning and end of the ceremony. I learned some bowing basics as well as how to turn the match bowl. You turn the bowl clockwise before taking a sip of the bitter, bright green tea. This is done because you want to protect the decorative front of the bowl that is left facing you when the tea is first brought over to you. Since the bowls are perfect circles, it can be difficult to distinguish which is the front. When I went home Monday night after work, I discovered that the matcha bowl I purchased in Kyoto does in fact have a distinct face. You learn something everyday!
My Japanese Class
My Japanese Class huddled around our matcha ceremony instructor. She is wearing a light pink kimono and I am standing to her right.
Two of my Japanese teachers! From left to right: Nakamura-san, me, and Tomomi-san.
This little girls mother is a member of my Japanese class. She loved looking into the pond and shouting "Fish! Fish!". 
Walking around the Japanese garden while enjoying the beautiful day.Saturday, February 23, 2008
Sayonara!
2.23.08
As of today I have officially been living in Japan for 6 months and 4 days! I have a few interesting things to report since last week's post.
Today Lauren and I will take the train to the airport, where we will say goodbye to Minsoo. I'm a bit sad that one of my best friends here in Japan is leaving, but I know that I will talk to him in the future. Goodbye are always a little easier knowing that you will hear/see the person at some undetermined point in the future. I have a feeling that Minsoo will be a famous CEO someday. When that day comes I will look back at my blog and say, "Yay! I knew it!".
Look at all that luggage!
Even though his cart says "Welcome to Japan", Minsoo is doing just the opposite. He's on his way back to Seoul, South Korea. (You can see the black and grey skull scarf I gave him for the holidays.)
Just before meeting up with Minsoo, both Lauren and I were stopped by a Japanese police officer who asked for our identification cards. We didn't actually do anything wrong; it's common for police officers in Japan to randomly request a form of valid identification from you, even if you haven't done anything wrong. Lauren first warmed me about this when I arrived in Japan so I was slightly less nervous then I would've been without the warning. The officer was very nice and it didn't take him long to take down the information on our gaijin cards.
The past three days have been rather warm days despite the sweeping gusts of wind that nearly throw people (including Lauren and I) off their bicycles. As we were leaving work today, Lauren and I definitely spotted a Rolls parked in front of our school. I can safely say that I have not ever seen a car like that parked out on the street.
Tomorrow (Sunday), Lauren and I are going to Yokohama to go sight seeing and also visit one of her friends from college. It should be fun and hopefully I will have some pictures to post when I return.
I also wanted to mention that I made a reservation to go to the International Symposium on Global Warming and Biodiversity in the Makuhari Messe Conference Center on March 9th (10am-5pm). There will be numerous speakers and sessions concerning global warming issues. :)
I spent a good 10 minutes watching the lights of this ferris wheel in Yokohama.
Random Side Note: Lauren, my apartment mate, has also decided to start a blog. You can view her blog by clicking here.
As of today I have officially been living in Japan for 6 months and 4 days! I have a few interesting things to report since last week's post.
Today Lauren and I will take the train to the airport, where we will say goodbye to Minsoo. I'm a bit sad that one of my best friends here in Japan is leaving, but I know that I will talk to him in the future. Goodbye are always a little easier knowing that you will hear/see the person at some undetermined point in the future. I have a feeling that Minsoo will be a famous CEO someday. When that day comes I will look back at my blog and say, "Yay! I knew it!".
Look at all that luggage!
Even though his cart says "Welcome to Japan", Minsoo is doing just the opposite. He's on his way back to Seoul, South Korea. (You can see the black and grey skull scarf I gave him for the holidays.)The past three days have been rather warm days despite the sweeping gusts of wind that nearly throw people (including Lauren and I) off their bicycles. As we were leaving work today, Lauren and I definitely spotted a Rolls parked in front of our school. I can safely say that I have not ever seen a car like that parked out on the street.
Tomorrow (Sunday), Lauren and I are going to Yokohama to go sight seeing and also visit one of her friends from college. It should be fun and hopefully I will have some pictures to post when I return.
Updated 2.25.08 with pictures from Yokohama:
Lauren and I enjoying the comfortable seats of the Sobu Rapid Green Car. The Green Car is actually part of the regular train but you have to pay a little more for the atmosphere-the car has nicer seats, and is warm and quiet. Many people take the Green Car when they are traveling long distances like we did on Sunday.
Yokohama's Cosmo World Amusement Park at night.
Lauren and I had a nice relaxing time at this bath house. We were there for about two hours soaking in the warmth and relaxing after a trying week at school.
Lauren and I enjoying the comfortable seats of the Sobu Rapid Green Car. The Green Car is actually part of the regular train but you have to pay a little more for the atmosphere-the car has nicer seats, and is warm and quiet. Many people take the Green Car when they are traveling long distances like we did on Sunday.
Yokohama's Cosmo World Amusement Park at night.
Lauren and I had a nice relaxing time at this bath house. We were there for about two hours soaking in the warmth and relaxing after a trying week at school.I also wanted to mention that I made a reservation to go to the International Symposium on Global Warming and Biodiversity in the Makuhari Messe Conference Center on March 9th (10am-5pm). There will be numerous speakers and sessions concerning global warming issues. :)
I spent a good 10 minutes watching the lights of this ferris wheel in Yokohama.
Random Side Note: Lauren, my apartment mate, has also decided to start a blog. You can view her blog by clicking here.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Ueno Zoo!
2.17.08
One of my dearest friends, Minsoo, has decided to return to Seoul, South Korea. Therefore, in an effort to spend as much time with him as possible before he leaves, Lauren and I thought it would be a great idea for us all to take a field trip to the Ueno Zoo. The only other zoo that I have visited here in Japan is the Chiba Zoological Park. The Ueno Zoo was a little bit older than the Chiba Zoo but it was still very nice. We didn't have a chance to see everything at the Ueno Zoo so I will have to go back when I have some time. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day in Ueno.
As we were walking towards the entrance of the zoo we saw this man playing a traditional Okinawan instrument called a sanshin. His playing was so beautiful (see the video below).
It was really interesting to watch how the elephant ate his hay; especially because of the nimbleness of his trunk. The movement reminded me of creek water rushing around a rock caught in its path. The elephant would wrap his trunk around the hay and then whack the hay against the iron bars of his cage. After he did this he would only eat half and then move onto the next piece. I thought he might be hitting the hay against the metal in order to soften it but I wasn't sure.
Even those it was a little cloudy and cold, these flamingos were as bright and cheery as ever!
Here are three snakes (one is not pictured) all cuddling with one another.
Time for a nap?
Frog notes at the Ueno Zoo
Of course I had to take a picture of the Japanese cranes.
I could not believe how close I was able to get to this alligator (crocodile?). It was a good thing their was a big, thick piece of plexi-glass between us.
Note: Please watch this video even though the image is off to the side. In the end, the sound is all that really matters.
One of my dearest friends, Minsoo, has decided to return to Seoul, South Korea. Therefore, in an effort to spend as much time with him as possible before he leaves, Lauren and I thought it would be a great idea for us all to take a field trip to the Ueno Zoo. The only other zoo that I have visited here in Japan is the Chiba Zoological Park. The Ueno Zoo was a little bit older than the Chiba Zoo but it was still very nice. We didn't have a chance to see everything at the Ueno Zoo so I will have to go back when I have some time. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day in Ueno.
As we were walking towards the entrance of the zoo we saw this man playing a traditional Okinawan instrument called a sanshin. His playing was so beautiful (see the video below).
It was really interesting to watch how the elephant ate his hay; especially because of the nimbleness of his trunk. The movement reminded me of creek water rushing around a rock caught in its path. The elephant would wrap his trunk around the hay and then whack the hay against the iron bars of his cage. After he did this he would only eat half and then move onto the next piece. I thought he might be hitting the hay against the metal in order to soften it but I wasn't sure.
Even those it was a little cloudy and cold, these flamingos were as bright and cheery as ever!
Here are three snakes (one is not pictured) all cuddling with one another.
Time for a nap?
Frog notes at the Ueno Zoo
Of course I had to take a picture of the Japanese cranes.
I could not believe how close I was able to get to this alligator (crocodile?). It was a good thing their was a big, thick piece of plexi-glass between us.Note: Please watch this video even though the image is off to the side. In the end, the sound is all that really matters.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Losing Your Wallet in Japan
2.15.08
Before going into the details of what I have been doing for the last few days, I wanted to send a "Congratulations!" to the New York Tau chapter of the Tau Beta Pi Professional Engineering Honor Society for achieving one of the most prestigious awards at this year's convention in Detroit, Michigan: The R.H. Nagel Most Improved Chapter Award. This nation-wide award is bestowed each year to a select chapter. By clicking here, you can see the official press release from the 2008 Convention; we are mentioned in paragraph six. I was reminded of my chapter's accomplishment when I saw the most recent President's picture in the quarterly magazine that my mother sent me a few days ago.
This past week I have been spending five to ten minutes of each of my lessons discussing the American version of Valentine's Day and how it compares to the holiday in Japan. Here in Japan Valentine's Day is the one day of the year where girls are encouraged to give gifts to the one they love/like/have a squish on. One of my older male students explained that Japanese women are are/were traditionally taught to be very reserved when it comes to relationships involving the opposite sex. Besides Valentine's Day, there is another day in March called White Day. On White Day a guy who received a valentine on Valentine's Day will return his gift times three to the girl he loves/likes/has a squish on.
Whenever I told my students that both American boys and girls give each other valentines, they looked up at me with faces of complete and utter surprise. In addition to telling them about the different practices, I taught them all how to make a heart by folding a piece of paper in half. The all enjoyed decorating their own Valentine's Day cards.
I was meant to have an 8pm lesson tonight; however, it was canceled at the last minute because my student wasn't feeling well. I was disappointed that I couldn't teach but after what happened next I was relieved for the extra hour of time to correct the problem.
Earlier that day, I met Lauren at the Starbuck's near the station so we could do some of our work while enjoying the warmth of the cafe. Little did I know that I would leave my wallet on the bench when I got up to return to work. Because my student didn't show up at 8pm, I had the opportunity to run to Starbuck's to ask if my wallet was still there. If I had my lesson, the cafe would have been closed by the time I would've realized my wallet was gone; shops usually close around 9pm. I ran all the way there and just as I was about to ask for help, one of the baristas who had just finished her shift recognized me. She asked me about my missing wallet and went into the back room to retrieve it. I bowed very low (I told Lauren about this later and she laughed at me for bowing so low) and said thank you in Japanese. On my way back to school I checked my wallet to make sure everything was there. To my relief, nothing was missing. I have a feeling that would rarely happen in America, but I could be wrong.
If I ever get a dog, it might have to be a Shiba Inu (the name means "small dog" in Japanese ). I always see them prancing around school and the park with their owners. One of Lauren's older students has one and he is so cute.
2.16.08
Today was the first day I helped Sally with her pronunciation. I was rather nervous considering I have no background in speech pathology but the lesson went really well. As long as she practices every day her pronunciation will get better. If I could get her to pronounce her K's and G's correctly before I leave to go back home. Wouldn't that be a dream come true for her as well as her teacher (me)!?
I went on a field trip by myself today to Kasairinkaikoen. I rode the giant ferris wheel and then spent quite a while walking around the park near the station. The whole experience was really peaceful and relaxing after a hectic, but enjoyable, week at work. I saw some of the first plum blossoms of the season!
I stopped for a few minutes to walk along the beach overlooking Tokyo Bay. The sound of the salty Pacific waves beating upon the shore was accompanied by both the shouts of children playing and the faint beat of reggae music--a DJ was playing for a group of people in the park.
Before going into the details of what I have been doing for the last few days, I wanted to send a "Congratulations!" to the New York Tau chapter of the Tau Beta Pi Professional Engineering Honor Society for achieving one of the most prestigious awards at this year's convention in Detroit, Michigan: The R.H. Nagel Most Improved Chapter Award. This nation-wide award is bestowed each year to a select chapter. By clicking here, you can see the official press release from the 2008 Convention; we are mentioned in paragraph six. I was reminded of my chapter's accomplishment when I saw the most recent President's picture in the quarterly magazine that my mother sent me a few days ago.
This past week I have been spending five to ten minutes of each of my lessons discussing the American version of Valentine's Day and how it compares to the holiday in Japan. Here in Japan Valentine's Day is the one day of the year where girls are encouraged to give gifts to the one they love/like/have a squish on. One of my older male students explained that Japanese women are are/were traditionally taught to be very reserved when it comes to relationships involving the opposite sex. Besides Valentine's Day, there is another day in March called White Day. On White Day a guy who received a valentine on Valentine's Day will return his gift times three to the girl he loves/likes/has a squish on.
Whenever I told my students that both American boys and girls give each other valentines, they looked up at me with faces of complete and utter surprise. In addition to telling them about the different practices, I taught them all how to make a heart by folding a piece of paper in half. The all enjoyed decorating their own Valentine's Day cards.
I was meant to have an 8pm lesson tonight; however, it was canceled at the last minute because my student wasn't feeling well. I was disappointed that I couldn't teach but after what happened next I was relieved for the extra hour of time to correct the problem.
Earlier that day, I met Lauren at the Starbuck's near the station so we could do some of our work while enjoying the warmth of the cafe. Little did I know that I would leave my wallet on the bench when I got up to return to work. Because my student didn't show up at 8pm, I had the opportunity to run to Starbuck's to ask if my wallet was still there. If I had my lesson, the cafe would have been closed by the time I would've realized my wallet was gone; shops usually close around 9pm. I ran all the way there and just as I was about to ask for help, one of the baristas who had just finished her shift recognized me. She asked me about my missing wallet and went into the back room to retrieve it. I bowed very low (I told Lauren about this later and she laughed at me for bowing so low) and said thank you in Japanese. On my way back to school I checked my wallet to make sure everything was there. To my relief, nothing was missing. I have a feeling that would rarely happen in America, but I could be wrong.
If I ever get a dog, it might have to be a Shiba Inu (the name means "small dog" in Japanese ). I always see them prancing around school and the park with their owners. One of Lauren's older students has one and he is so cute.
2.16.08
Today was the first day I helped Sally with her pronunciation. I was rather nervous considering I have no background in speech pathology but the lesson went really well. As long as she practices every day her pronunciation will get better. If I could get her to pronounce her K's and G's correctly before I leave to go back home. Wouldn't that be a dream come true for her as well as her teacher (me)!?
I went on a field trip by myself today to Kasairinkaikoen. I rode the giant ferris wheel and then spent quite a while walking around the park near the station. The whole experience was really peaceful and relaxing after a hectic, but enjoyable, week at work. I saw some of the first plum blossoms of the season!
I stopped for a few minutes to walk along the beach overlooking Tokyo Bay. The sound of the salty Pacific waves beating upon the shore was accompanied by both the shouts of children playing and the faint beat of reggae music--a DJ was playing for a group of people in the park.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Thank You!
2.11.08
Although I was awfully tired when I woke up this morning, I knew there was a lot that had to be accomplished. I had received two package receipts while I was at work last Friday so today I had to take the bus to the central station to pick them up before Lauren, her mom, and I went to Odaiba. I was thoroughly surprised by the sizes of my packages when the postman came walking out from the back room carrying my two boxes. He asked me in Japanese if I would be okay carrying them out of the post office. I just nodded and said it was fine. I couldn't wait to get back home and see the myriad of goodies from America.
My mother and my grandmother couldn't have timed their packages better; I had planned to do a mini lesson on Valentines' Day in all my classes this week. Their packages full of Valentines' Day goodies were a hit with all my students as well as myself. Today, I ended up passing out American Valentines, Hershey's Kisses, and stickers to all of my kids. Even my boys let out cries of approval--unfortunately in Japanese--when I offered them Valentines' Day stickers. When I passed out their Valentines' at the end of class they politely bowed and said "Thank you".
Classes were fun today.
In other news, Lauren and I stayed up late last night looking for places to spend we have off in April for Japan's Golden Week Holiday. We were thinking of going to Guam but decided we wouldn't have enough to do when we got there besides spending all our time on the beach. Instead we're thinking about going to Hachijyo Island. There seemed to be many interesting things to do and see: waterfalls, circular stone walls built by convicts during the Edo period (1600's to late 1860's), silk kimono weaving, glow-in-the-dark mushrooms, snorkeling, seeing sea turtles, the possibility of renting a bike to ride around the island, and of course the warm weather. :)
Random Shout Outs: Thank you Mom and Mom (M&M?) for the packages! I love everything you sent. However, since Lauren is not particularly fond of peanut butter, I'm sorry to report that I will have to eat all of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups by myself. It will be very difficult but I have confidence in myself. ;)
Although I was awfully tired when I woke up this morning, I knew there was a lot that had to be accomplished. I had received two package receipts while I was at work last Friday so today I had to take the bus to the central station to pick them up before Lauren, her mom, and I went to Odaiba. I was thoroughly surprised by the sizes of my packages when the postman came walking out from the back room carrying my two boxes. He asked me in Japanese if I would be okay carrying them out of the post office. I just nodded and said it was fine. I couldn't wait to get back home and see the myriad of goodies from America.
My mother and my grandmother couldn't have timed their packages better; I had planned to do a mini lesson on Valentines' Day in all my classes this week. Their packages full of Valentines' Day goodies were a hit with all my students as well as myself. Today, I ended up passing out American Valentines, Hershey's Kisses, and stickers to all of my kids. Even my boys let out cries of approval--unfortunately in Japanese--when I offered them Valentines' Day stickers. When I passed out their Valentines' at the end of class they politely bowed and said "Thank you".
Classes were fun today.
In other news, Lauren and I stayed up late last night looking for places to spend we have off in April for Japan's Golden Week Holiday. We were thinking of going to Guam but decided we wouldn't have enough to do when we got there besides spending all our time on the beach. Instead we're thinking about going to Hachijyo Island. There seemed to be many interesting things to do and see: waterfalls, circular stone walls built by convicts during the Edo period (1600's to late 1860's), silk kimono weaving, glow-in-the-dark mushrooms, snorkeling, seeing sea turtles, the possibility of renting a bike to ride around the island, and of course the warm weather. :)
Random Shout Outs: Thank you Mom and Mom (M&M?) for the packages! I love everything you sent. However, since Lauren is not particularly fond of peanut butter, I'm sorry to report that I will have to eat all of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups by myself. It will be very difficult but I have confidence in myself. ;)
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Quiet Time at Home
2.10.08
Although today was going to be a "bum" day for me it turned out to be quite productive. I had to go to Tsudanuma to pick up some craft supplies for class tomorrow and I also wandered into Starbuck's so that I could get some reading done. I got a large portion of my reading done and then I decided it was about time to head back home.
Since Valentines's Day is quickly approaching, Lauren and I wanted to do some fun activities with our classes. I've spend the past hour or two looking up information about why we celebrate this holiday and it's really quite interesting. If you want to check it out you can go to the History Channel's Website: click here.
Valentines' Day is celebrated a little bit differently in Japan. Only the girls will give presents to the boys they like. If the boy likes the girl in return, he will then return the gift three-fold on "White Day". Last week I asked a few of my students if they were going to give valentines and I was surprised by one of my five year old students who said she was going to give a valentine to two boys in her class. She is so cute.
Along the same lines, I told that same student about the tooth fairy this past week because she walked into class without her two front teeth. I heard about it later from her father who had his first lesson with me this past Saturday. He told me that his daughter came home asking if she could earn some money by putting her tooth under her pillow. Her father then explained to me the Japanese customs for loosing a tooth. If you loose it from your lower jaw, you are supposed to throw it on the roof for good fortune. If you loose it from your upper jaw, you are supposed to throw it under your house (all traditional Japanese houses are raised 6 inches for off the ground) for good fortune.
Although today was going to be a "bum" day for me it turned out to be quite productive. I had to go to Tsudanuma to pick up some craft supplies for class tomorrow and I also wandered into Starbuck's so that I could get some reading done. I got a large portion of my reading done and then I decided it was about time to head back home.
Since Valentines's Day is quickly approaching, Lauren and I wanted to do some fun activities with our classes. I've spend the past hour or two looking up information about why we celebrate this holiday and it's really quite interesting. If you want to check it out you can go to the History Channel's Website: click here.
Valentines' Day is celebrated a little bit differently in Japan. Only the girls will give presents to the boys they like. If the boy likes the girl in return, he will then return the gift three-fold on "White Day". Last week I asked a few of my students if they were going to give valentines and I was surprised by one of my five year old students who said she was going to give a valentine to two boys in her class. She is so cute.
Along the same lines, I told that same student about the tooth fairy this past week because she walked into class without her two front teeth. I heard about it later from her father who had his first lesson with me this past Saturday. He told me that his daughter came home asking if she could earn some money by putting her tooth under her pillow. Her father then explained to me the Japanese customs for loosing a tooth. If you loose it from your lower jaw, you are supposed to throw it on the roof for good fortune. If you loose it from your upper jaw, you are supposed to throw it under your house (all traditional Japanese houses are raised 6 inches for off the ground) for good fortune.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Dinner Parties and Snow
2.3.08
When I looked out my window this morning this is what I saw!
Big Fluffy Snowflakes
At first, we were skeptical about using our microwave to bake cookies despite the multitude of our friends that assured us it would work. Thank you Lauren for using your expert Japanese reading skills in order to figure out how it worked. Afterall, it was her that did most of the work; all I did was discover the "oven" had a hot element inside. In the end, we were thoroughly impressed with our Japanese microwave/oven. The Japanese think of everything; especially, when it comes to saving space. Why have two separate appliances when you can combine them into one!?
Yum! American chocolate/m&m mini chip cookie bars made in Japan. Now I just need some milk. :)
I like anything when Moomin is on it; except for this frozen Kewpie Mayonnaise that was stuck under an ice stalactite in the back of our fridge.
Meet Mr. Snowman! The snow was ideal for snowman making so I couldn't resist. Lauren was also determined to make as many American snowmen as she could, but only ended up making two because she wasn't wearing any gloves. :/
Interesting fact: Snowmen in Japan are only made from two snowballs (head and feet) while ones in America are typically made from three (head, stomach, and feet).
You can see the tree leaning on my my one story, ranch house. In the left hand side of the picture you can see the roots of the tree sticking up into the air.
A view of the fallen tree from the front of my house.
My poor house from the inside. We needed a new roof anyway...
Last night Lauren and I had three our girl friends over for dinner. It was really great to make dinner, talk, and have fun with friends. Azusa brought us a delicious New York Style Cheesecake that she made from scratch. She loves to cook and bake, just like me! Everyone else chipped in with the fish, fried potatoes and salad; it turned out to be a really yummy dinner. After dinner, Lauren and I taught Azusa, Sayoko and Aya how to play Spoons!
(The picture of us is on it's way.)
Lauren and I are spending our one day off this week relaxing at home. As you can see by my blog, I have been trying to catch up on my posts - I just posted 4 times in one day!
When I woke up this morning at 9:30am and looked out the window I was very surprised to see that it was snowing! I went into my room to do some Yoga and then opened my window to see what it was like outside. Since Lauren and I sleep in the living room to save energy on heating the house, I almost ran in and jumped on her but I quickly decided against this idea. I let her sleep until 10am and then told her the good news! We were both so excited.
Seven hours later and it's still snowing! I think when Minsoo comes over for dinner we're going to ask him to go out and build a snowman with us. Right now we're making cookies in our microwave that supposedly doubles as an oven. We can see the red hot element inside, but to be honest, we're a little skeptical about the whole thing. As Lauren would say, "It looks questionable to me!". On a cooking related note, Hiroko showed Lauren and I how to use the hot water system in the kitchen this past week. Up until now, we have been boiling water on the stove top and using it to wash dishes because we thought the system was broken. I can't tell you how convenient it is to have hot running water. The things you take for granted! :)
When I looked out my window this morning this is what I saw!
Big Fluffy Snowflakes(The next five pictures were added on 2.9.08.)
At first, we were skeptical about using our microwave to bake cookies despite the multitude of our friends that assured us it would work. Thank you Lauren for using your expert Japanese reading skills in order to figure out how it worked. Afterall, it was her that did most of the work; all I did was discover the "oven" had a hot element inside. In the end, we were thoroughly impressed with our Japanese microwave/oven. The Japanese think of everything; especially, when it comes to saving space. Why have two separate appliances when you can combine them into one!?
Yum! American chocolate/m&m mini chip cookie bars made in Japan. Now I just need some milk. :)
I like anything when Moomin is on it; except for this frozen Kewpie Mayonnaise that was stuck under an ice stalactite in the back of our fridge.
Meet Mr. Snowman! The snow was ideal for snowman making so I couldn't resist. Lauren was also determined to make as many American snowmen as she could, but only ended up making two because she wasn't wearing any gloves. :/
Interesting fact: Snowmen in Japan are only made from two snowballs (head and feet) while ones in America are typically made from three (head, stomach, and feet).My mother sent me some pictures she took during the snowstorm in Buffalo, NY this past week. Because of the strong winds, one of our old pine trees feel right over onto our house. Some of the pictures that my mother took are below.
You can see the tree leaning on my my one story, ranch house. In the left hand side of the picture you can see the roots of the tree sticking up into the air.
A view of the fallen tree from the front of my house.
My poor house from the inside. We needed a new roof anyway...American Visitors
1.28.08
Today my Japanese class was so exciting. I spend the entire 2.5-3 hours on my way back from Shizuoka studying Japanese on the bus. I just started chapter three in my text book which introduces present tense verbs. While I was in my class, I was able to come up with and speak several complete sentences for the first time. As I was leaving class, one of the volunteers approached me and asked me in Japanese where I lived. Because I was actually able to understand her, I was able to respond back in Japanese! She then went on to ask me how I come to class and I told her, again in Japanese, that I come by bicycle. Being able to communicate in Japanese, even if it was only for a moment, filled me with happiness. If one of my students were to ask, “How are you feeling?” right then and there, I would have pointed to the Garfield poster in the classroom and said, “I am excited!”.
1.29.08
Leah and Alex arrived at the Narita Airport on January 28th so Hiroko and I made plans to meet them both for lunch at an Italian Restaurant near school called Charinko. It was good to see them both and talk about home, school, and life in general.
Leah, me, and Hiroko after lunch at Charinko (Alex, Leah's husband, is taking the picture).
After my classes, Lauren and I were both invited to meet Lauren’s mother and her friends (American friends that are living and working here in Japan) at the Bubba Gump restaurant near Shin Kiba. I hadn’t ever been to the chain in the states and it was quite amusing. Not to mention, Lauren’s mother’s friends where a rather silly bunch. Kirby, a Texan man in his fifties and husband of Cleo, works in Japan as an engineer. He wears a cowboy hat wherever he goes. He gave me some advice about life and music; he told me that I should go listen to some Chuck Berry tunes. Cleo, a trendy lade from L.A., was a good friend of Lauren’s mother and wife of Kirby. There was Steve, a Louisiana man in his fourties, who worked along with Kirby. We talked about what it was like to live in Japan as well as what it was like being a engineer here. Terasawa, a Japanese man in his fifties, was also a engineer and co-worker of both Steve and Kirby. We had a few laughs and joked about how living here in Japan can be an adventure at times. Even though we got home pretty late, my time had been well spent.
Earlier that day Lauren’s mother had gone with Cleo to a Washi paper shop. She showed us some of the things that she had made and I was thoroughly impressed.
Weekend Get-away to Fuji
1.26 to 27.08
On January 24th, I came home from work to a house filled with good smells and great people. Lauren’s mother flew into the Narita Airport today and will be staying for some time—she will be in Japan for three weeks and will stay with us in the Tokyo area for two of those three weeks. Minsoo, who had picked her up from the airport while Lauren and I were working, had also decided to stay for dinner. We all chatted and enjoyed the evening together.
Lauren and I always joke about how we were separated at birth. We have a lot of things in common, including the fact that are both of our mother’s are basically the same person.
On the morning of January 26th, the three of us—Lauren, Lauren’s mother (Julia), and me—woke up bright and early to catch a rapid train into Tokyo. Our destination? We were going on a short weekend trip with Hiroko and Peggy to Shizuoka! The Shizuoka prefecture is famous for none other than Mount Fuji. Before meeting up with Hiroko and Peggy we picked up some food and eki bentos for the 2.5 hour bus ride. On the way there I was lucky to have two seats to spread out and enjoy the scenery passing my slightly tinted window. It was so interesting to drive through the highways of downtown Tokyo on a bus since I usually either take the train or walk on foot. As we got closer and closer to our final destination, there was a distinct change in weather and scenery. There was much more open space, greenery, and snow (a good 6 inches/12 cm on the ground) outside of the city. Lauren and I also noticed that the spacing of the homes reminded us of American style neighborhoods.
When we got to the Fuji View Hotel, we checked into our room and explored the area in and around the hotel. Our room was a little hot, so we decide to go exploring outside. Lauren’s mom didn’t stay outside long but Lauren and I enjoyed the snow and quietness of the great mountains surrounding us. Lauren built a snowman and I decided to find the walking path that went along the lake behind the hotel. It was so quiet and peaceful walking along the path. I looked out at the lake encircled by gigantic mountains and could hear the water splashing against the rocks in rhythmic patterns while the sound of screeching hawks echoed in the distance. Nature is wonderful.
Hige looking out the window as we leave from the Tokyo Station.
The back entrance of the hotel after my lakeside walk.
This is what I saw as I walked around the lake behind our hotel.
This is the view on January 27th from the balcony of our hotel room. I woke up, opened the curtains and saw this breathtaking view of Mt. Fuji.
Evidently, John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed at the Fuji View Hotel in 1978. I wish I knew what the question mark inside of Mt. Fuji meant. :/
The whole gang from left to right: Peggy, Julia, Hiroko, Lauren and me.
Waiting to leave Shizuoka from the train station.
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