Another week is gone...maybe its been two. The days and weeks are starting to blend toegether and I have lost all sense of reality. My body mind and spirit are all off in different directions and I find myself floating around Aizu once again. I am not grounded....this is making my Kyudo practice increasing difficult- a martial art that demands complete balance in body and mind.
Amongst my daze I am still enjoying everyday life. On Saturday we attended the Tohoku Free Blades Ice hockey game! Now hockey isn`t exactly popular in Japan but the bleaches held about 150 people and the place was packed! They has the music selection down to a tee- with many of those cheese 90 rock hits we all love to here in those ten or twenty minutes intervals between plays, there were horns, drums, numerous other noise makers and of course the chants including- GO....LETS....FREEBLADES! We tried to start our own chant (lets go Freeblades, lets go) and correct their grammar but the Japanese fans wouldn`t have anything to do with it- hee hee. In all honestly, it was much funner saying it their way anyways (funner was used intentionally to illustrate the humor). However, we did manage to successfully execute the wave. It took the entire game and one drunk Japanese man to befriend us but with only 8 minutes left in the game we managed to have the entire arena complete a `the wave` or in Japan I like to say `Tsunami`!
While at the game I couldnt help but think about my cousins and Grandfather- such avid hockey fans, what i couldnt do to have then join me in Japan, after all the everyday things we take for granted at home seem to have a whole new meaning in this strange land.
Then on Sunday night I hopped on a train and joined a few guys for a game of basketball. There were about sixteen players, and of course I was the only girl. I don`t think I will every tire of the stunned look men seem to get when they see a girl show up on the basketball court. I swear was I was running down the court with some sixteen year ninja:s- lightening fast and with some serious basketball skills. Luckily three of them were on my team. I would like to think i was once that fast, but i doubt it. It has been about a year and a half since i had last stepped on the court and I was once reminded of the freedom that it offers; the complete trust in your instincts with no time to ponder, debate or analyze your every movement... If only like was more like a
basketball game
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Monday, 6 December 2010
Nanaimo Bars
I have turned to Christmas to lighten my mood these days. Christmas baking and downloading christmas carols are the focus of my attention. I even dared to download good ol' kennie G and Aaron Neville Albums reminiscent of my adolscents...the sounds I once loathed have now become comforting in this strange land. Of course, there is still some reggae, hip hop, pop, and funk being thrown into the mix, after all, it's still me we're talking about ;)
This year, while in Japan, is the first year I have successfully created Nanaimo Bars! Brad claims it is due to his proffessional help...which I won't deny nor do I care, because it worked!
2 hours in the grocery store searching the shelves, trying to decipher the mixture of Hirigana, katakana and kanji symbols of unfamiliar packages, speaking broken Englishese and the help of the most wonderful and patient Japanese women i have met, we managed to find all the ingredients and head home. With no measuring devices (oops), crushing graham crackers in a bowl with the bottom of a ladle and and playing macgyver with dishes to create a housing device of appropriate dimensions- its done!
There is still something to be desired about moms perfectly cut squares and chocolate that lay so flat on the top you would have thought it has been flat ironed BUT my version is just as tasty and somewhat resembles those delicious squares I look forward to 11 months out of the year.
Mission accomplished.
This year, while in Japan, is the first year I have successfully created Nanaimo Bars! Brad claims it is due to his proffessional help...which I won't deny nor do I care, because it worked!
2 hours in the grocery store searching the shelves, trying to decipher the mixture of Hirigana, katakana and kanji symbols of unfamiliar packages, speaking broken Englishese and the help of the most wonderful and patient Japanese women i have met, we managed to find all the ingredients and head home. With no measuring devices (oops), crushing graham crackers in a bowl with the bottom of a ladle and and playing macgyver with dishes to create a housing device of appropriate dimensions- its done!
There is still something to be desired about moms perfectly cut squares and chocolate that lay so flat on the top you would have thought it has been flat ironed BUT my version is just as tasty and somewhat resembles those delicious squares I look forward to 11 months out of the year.
Mission accomplished.
Friday, 3 December 2010
Dark days and Random Thoughts
The days are getting shorter and the weather is getting cold. I leave my school at 4pm each night and the sun has already set and the last of the light fades behind the mountains as I walk up the stairs to my apartment. The autumn sun shines on the weekends to lighten the mood but the weekdays are overcast with cloud and rain making the weeks drag on. I lay in bed at night restless, listening to the wind howl as the rice paper shiver in the breeze coming through the walls.
I feel like my emotions imitate the weather patterns. When the sun is shining I frolic in the autumn leaves and take in the scenery around me with a smile on my face but when the clouds come down i feel a heavy weight on my shoulders and my thoughts turn darker. When talking to a friend this week they described me as a relaxed and level headed person. I snicker at this thought since I am the most emotional person i know. Yet, this is not the first time someone has perceived me as completely opposite to how I feel inside. Maybe i should become an actress....
This week i have struggled with my emotions. I feel one way but i know I should feel another for various reasons and have decided to be stubborn and just fight with myself for days. I have exhausted myself emotionally and after going to Kyudo practice tonight I am now physically and mental exhausted as well. I have opened a bottle of acidic Japanese wine and cocooned myself into the flannel blankets beside the heater..the hail has just started to fall and I the wine is maybe my cheeks rosy and my head light.
I have been in Japan for 4 months.
This is just another part of the adventure i remind myself as I take another sip. i am not worried. Just when i think I have had enough Japan always makes me smile.
I feel like my emotions imitate the weather patterns. When the sun is shining I frolic in the autumn leaves and take in the scenery around me with a smile on my face but when the clouds come down i feel a heavy weight on my shoulders and my thoughts turn darker. When talking to a friend this week they described me as a relaxed and level headed person. I snicker at this thought since I am the most emotional person i know. Yet, this is not the first time someone has perceived me as completely opposite to how I feel inside. Maybe i should become an actress....
This week i have struggled with my emotions. I feel one way but i know I should feel another for various reasons and have decided to be stubborn and just fight with myself for days. I have exhausted myself emotionally and after going to Kyudo practice tonight I am now physically and mental exhausted as well. I have opened a bottle of acidic Japanese wine and cocooned myself into the flannel blankets beside the heater..the hail has just started to fall and I the wine is maybe my cheeks rosy and my head light.
I have been in Japan for 4 months.
This is just another part of the adventure i remind myself as I take another sip. i am not worried. Just when i think I have had enough Japan always makes me smile.
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Osaka
This week has been one full of travels, new adventures, FOOD and fun! Did I mention FOOD!
After three days in Osaka with Brad I headed to Fukushima-shi for a mid year conference. And of course what would a mid year conference be without a tour of the Asahi Brewery Nomihodai style (all you can drink) and Yukiniku Kohitsuji (grilled lamb) before a night of dancing with 60 of your new closest friends.
But before we get to that, Osaka. Beautiful Osaka.
On Thursday Nov. 11th Brad and I jumped on a night bus from Aizu Wakamatsu at 6pm and reached our destination in Osaka at 8am Friday morning. The 14 hour bus ride was excruciating...
insert by Brad
"the polythythmic duallng pair of the indian men... we could have done without, but I have to admit while they were sawing logs, or more like clear cutting the sacred landscape of our peacful midnight run to Osaka, it sounded at times like two old friends finishing each others sentences in an unconscious latenight conversation...or an organic dream machine whose synchronized engines, puttering away, could somehow be tethered to these two individuals through an invisible telekinetic drive shaft. However annoying it was, at least it kept me from falling asleep and missing the subtle nuances (4:40am) like how a small bump in the highway could change their melody, rhythm, or even give a quiet pause before, like a precisely placed crash cymbal crescendo, being violently kick started again by the imploding human necessity for the constant oxygen intake, at the very least I know at least two people are able to get some sleep on this bus ...
and then a delirious vision...
A pair of bobbily headed Jabba the Hut dashboard ornaments, heads back, mouths wide open, with their fat tongues flapping loosely covering the hole like a drain plug in the kitchen sink, all the while the familiar pulsating sound of a hibernating two headed brown bear emits from the seats behind me
...light is creeping in through the velcrowed curtain, morning is here - ohiyou gozaimasu Kyoto (6:32 am)
end of insert
Osaka itself is a beautiful city! It is known for its food and although you can get much of the same cuisine throughout Japan, Osaka is known to have the best of the best. The city even has its own motto "kui-daore no machi" which literally translates to "eat til you drop".
We are lucky enough to have two amazing friends- one was born and raised in Osaka but lives in Canada and a member of a foodie blog here in Japan. Her husband, is a Chef de Partie at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel- Both love food and found all the good places to eat without the high prices. And just to make things better, they were here to visit and share in all the mouth watering goodness that Osaka has to offer.
Some of the things we ate, just to name a few include: Takoyaki (succulent octopus dumpling balls with octopi in the middle and then loaded with mayo, sauce, nori and fish flakes on top- all I got to say is don't knock it til you try it!), Okonomiyaki (you will have to look this one up), fugu (puffer fish), Otoro (raw tuna belly) and many different types of delicious sushi, and the infamous Kobe Beef. Now, I could talk about food for days- but what I want to talk about is the Kobe beef.
Kobe Beef- sweet, fatty, melt in your mouth Kobe beef....Better than one could possibly imagine. Who knew beef could taste that good! Raw, seared, covered in egg, eaten with kimchi- every bite of my 16oz portion of Kobe Beef tasted better than the one before. We were served a variety of cuts including the temple and tripe of the cow and I would have gladly eaten more had it been available! This beef was grade AAAAA level 12 of 12 Kobe Beef (Canda only has AAA) - Just to give you an idea of how tender the meat actually is- the number of "A's" that follow signify the fat marbling. And the best part- the owner of this small restaurant goes directly to the farmer himself and fills his order for upcoming week. One more reason why I love Japan.
In between all the eating, we also visited the Osaka Kaiyukan (Aquarium) which is famous for housing a pair of whale sharks. The aquarium itself is worth seeing however, Brad and I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that we had seen many of the exotic animals in the wild during our travels- "Oh look a Capybara" (the words largest rodant), "Oh yeah we saw that while hiking in the Amazon- next", "oh look Parana's, yeah, we went fishing for those in South America too- next", "oh look, whale sharks! wait, didn't we swim with those in the gulf of mexico on our honey moon?" The four story aquarium spiraled around one main tank and was surrounded by 14 smaller tanks that exhibit marine life in 15 regions found in ring of fire. It was fantastic, but nothing can compare to the real thing. LOL.
We have been very lucky in our lives. Now, i think the travel bug has officially set in, i have seen some things, but all i can think about is everything still left to see- so many places to go and things to do.
We then preceded to ride a 112 metre Ferris wheel and view Osaka from the top. I hate Ferris wheels but I can say the view from the top was amazing, I am thankful the seat was encased in glass and I am also very thankful my sister was not there to rock the carriage like she always does ;)
Next Sky Gardens- more heights, another great view, but no more gardens......I payed 700 Yen to stand on the top of a building.
Of course we couldn't miss out on seeing the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan -Shitennoj Temple and the Osaka Castle. There is something so intriguing to me about seeing the old contrasted with the new. These building have been destroyed numerous times throughout war and natural disasters but the Japanese people value the presence of these buildings and rebuild each time without modification or alterations while the modern world encroaches around them.
Lastly, but certainly not least, we traveled down Doguyasuji (aka. Kitchen Street). Personally, I think this is the best concept of a street EVER. The theory behind it is if you travel from one end to another you would have everything you need to open your own restaurant. It is conveniently located next to Dontonbori (the restaurant district). We picked up a couple toys for our own kitchen at home and Brad drooled over some knives that are made by the same family that has been making Samurai swords for the last 2000 years.
All this packed into three days-Needless to say we will be making another trip soon;)
After three days in Osaka with Brad I headed to Fukushima-shi for a mid year conference. And of course what would a mid year conference be without a tour of the Asahi Brewery Nomihodai style (all you can drink) and Yukiniku Kohitsuji (grilled lamb) before a night of dancing with 60 of your new closest friends.
But before we get to that, Osaka. Beautiful Osaka.
On Thursday Nov. 11th Brad and I jumped on a night bus from Aizu Wakamatsu at 6pm and reached our destination in Osaka at 8am Friday morning. The 14 hour bus ride was excruciating...
insert by Brad
"the polythythmic duallng pair of the indian men... we could have done without, but I have to admit while they were sawing logs, or more like clear cutting the sacred landscape of our peacful midnight run to Osaka, it sounded at times like two old friends finishing each others sentences in an unconscious latenight conversation...or an organic dream machine whose synchronized engines, puttering away, could somehow be tethered to these two individuals through an invisible telekinetic drive shaft. However annoying it was, at least it kept me from falling asleep and missing the subtle nuances (4:40am) like how a small bump in the highway could change their melody, rhythm, or even give a quiet pause before, like a precisely placed crash cymbal crescendo, being violently kick started again by the imploding human necessity for the constant oxygen intake, at the very least I know at least two people are able to get some sleep on this bus ...
and then a delirious vision...
A pair of bobbily headed Jabba the Hut dashboard ornaments, heads back, mouths wide open, with their fat tongues flapping loosely covering the hole like a drain plug in the kitchen sink, all the while the familiar pulsating sound of a hibernating two headed brown bear emits from the seats behind me
...light is creeping in through the velcrowed curtain, morning is here - ohiyou gozaimasu Kyoto (6:32 am)
end of insert
Osaka itself is a beautiful city! It is known for its food and although you can get much of the same cuisine throughout Japan, Osaka is known to have the best of the best. The city even has its own motto "kui-daore no machi" which literally translates to "eat til you drop".
We are lucky enough to have two amazing friends- one was born and raised in Osaka but lives in Canada and a member of a foodie blog here in Japan. Her husband, is a Chef de Partie at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel- Both love food and found all the good places to eat without the high prices. And just to make things better, they were here to visit and share in all the mouth watering goodness that Osaka has to offer.
Some of the things we ate, just to name a few include: Takoyaki (succulent octopus dumpling balls with octopi in the middle and then loaded with mayo, sauce, nori and fish flakes on top- all I got to say is don't knock it til you try it!), Okonomiyaki (you will have to look this one up), fugu (puffer fish), Otoro (raw tuna belly) and many different types of delicious sushi, and the infamous Kobe Beef. Now, I could talk about food for days- but what I want to talk about is the Kobe beef.
Kobe Beef- sweet, fatty, melt in your mouth Kobe beef....Better than one could possibly imagine. Who knew beef could taste that good! Raw, seared, covered in egg, eaten with kimchi- every bite of my 16oz portion of Kobe Beef tasted better than the one before. We were served a variety of cuts including the temple and tripe of the cow and I would have gladly eaten more had it been available! This beef was grade AAAAA level 12 of 12 Kobe Beef (Canda only has AAA) - Just to give you an idea of how tender the meat actually is- the number of "A's" that follow signify the fat marbling. And the best part- the owner of this small restaurant goes directly to the farmer himself and fills his order for upcoming week. One more reason why I love Japan.
In between all the eating, we also visited the Osaka Kaiyukan (Aquarium) which is famous for housing a pair of whale sharks. The aquarium itself is worth seeing however, Brad and I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that we had seen many of the exotic animals in the wild during our travels- "Oh look a Capybara" (the words largest rodant), "Oh yeah we saw that while hiking in the Amazon- next", "oh look Parana's, yeah, we went fishing for those in South America too- next", "oh look, whale sharks! wait, didn't we swim with those in the gulf of mexico on our honey moon?" The four story aquarium spiraled around one main tank and was surrounded by 14 smaller tanks that exhibit marine life in 15 regions found in ring of fire. It was fantastic, but nothing can compare to the real thing. LOL.
We have been very lucky in our lives. Now, i think the travel bug has officially set in, i have seen some things, but all i can think about is everything still left to see- so many places to go and things to do.
We then preceded to ride a 112 metre Ferris wheel and view Osaka from the top. I hate Ferris wheels but I can say the view from the top was amazing, I am thankful the seat was encased in glass and I am also very thankful my sister was not there to rock the carriage like she always does ;)
Next Sky Gardens- more heights, another great view, but no more gardens......I payed 700 Yen to stand on the top of a building.
Of course we couldn't miss out on seeing the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan -Shitennoj Temple and the Osaka Castle. There is something so intriguing to me about seeing the old contrasted with the new. These building have been destroyed numerous times throughout war and natural disasters but the Japanese people value the presence of these buildings and rebuild each time without modification or alterations while the modern world encroaches around them.
Lastly, but certainly not least, we traveled down Doguyasuji (aka. Kitchen Street). Personally, I think this is the best concept of a street EVER. The theory behind it is if you travel from one end to another you would have everything you need to open your own restaurant. It is conveniently located next to Dontonbori (the restaurant district). We picked up a couple toys for our own kitchen at home and Brad drooled over some knives that are made by the same family that has been making Samurai swords for the last 2000 years.
All this packed into three days-Needless to say we will be making another trip soon;)
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Dilema
This weeks delima is a conflict between empathy and professional responsibility.
While teaching this week, I was shocked at how many students sleep during class time (and not just during my classes). It is astounding! Some try to hide the fact that they are napping by opening their book and propping their head up on their hand to imitate a reading stance while others make themselves comfortable and sprawl out on the desk- one student even used his jacket as a pillow.
However, what surprised me most was the teacher's response(s); some gently nudge their student(s) as they walk by, some do the typical teacher maneuver and calls on the sleeping student to answer a question while the entire class snickers as they wake from their slumber and look around dazed and confused. But more often than not, the teacher(s) just ignores it- plain and simple.
I have asked numerous teachers about this "problem" and have been told by all about how hard working the students are and have been told in great detail about the students rigorous schedule; between waking up, traveling to school, club activities, travel home, and homework. Often, students are only left with 5 or 6 hours to sleep before repeating this routine not only five days a week but six, sometimes seven!
Initially, my nurturing, empathetic side feels for these poor kids- this exhausting, monotonous life style that is ingrained into Japanese society- these poor kids, they have no choice! Then, my professional and disciplined ultra ego steps in and starts to get angry as I look at all the drooping heads in my classroom, those lazy eyes that can barely stay open. I feel it is very rude to sleep when I am teaching. I feel it is disrespectful- as if the students are telling me, whatever I am teaching is not important enough for them to feel the need to pay attention.
I can't help but wonder, in a society that values balance- zen- how did things get so off balanced? Students are sleeping in their desks, teachings are sleeping at their desks.....I see no balance between work and play- there is only work.
So as an ALT teaching in a Foreign country, what do I say to my students? Last week I assigned sleep as homework- lol. I told my students, "You have 7 hours of sleep for homework tonight" (did I mention sarcasm is not understood nor appreciated in Japan). "You sleep at home, not at school, ok? "
Was I the one being rude?
While teaching this week, I was shocked at how many students sleep during class time (and not just during my classes). It is astounding! Some try to hide the fact that they are napping by opening their book and propping their head up on their hand to imitate a reading stance while others make themselves comfortable and sprawl out on the desk- one student even used his jacket as a pillow.
However, what surprised me most was the teacher's response(s); some gently nudge their student(s) as they walk by, some do the typical teacher maneuver and calls on the sleeping student to answer a question while the entire class snickers as they wake from their slumber and look around dazed and confused. But more often than not, the teacher(s) just ignores it- plain and simple.
I have asked numerous teachers about this "problem" and have been told by all about how hard working the students are and have been told in great detail about the students rigorous schedule; between waking up, traveling to school, club activities, travel home, and homework. Often, students are only left with 5 or 6 hours to sleep before repeating this routine not only five days a week but six, sometimes seven!
Initially, my nurturing, empathetic side feels for these poor kids- this exhausting, monotonous life style that is ingrained into Japanese society- these poor kids, they have no choice! Then, my professional and disciplined ultra ego steps in and starts to get angry as I look at all the drooping heads in my classroom, those lazy eyes that can barely stay open. I feel it is very rude to sleep when I am teaching. I feel it is disrespectful- as if the students are telling me, whatever I am teaching is not important enough for them to feel the need to pay attention.
I can't help but wonder, in a society that values balance- zen- how did things get so off balanced? Students are sleeping in their desks, teachings are sleeping at their desks.....I see no balance between work and play- there is only work.
So as an ALT teaching in a Foreign country, what do I say to my students? Last week I assigned sleep as homework- lol. I told my students, "You have 7 hours of sleep for homework tonight" (did I mention sarcasm is not understood nor appreciated in Japan). "You sleep at home, not at school, ok? "
Was I the one being rude?
Monday, 1 November 2010
Universal Language
Did you know the "thumbs-up" is not a universal symbol? LOL
As I was teaching a lesson today I was worried about all the blank looks I was getting from the students- there seemed to be more than usual. I started to wonder if I was blabbing away for my own good? I panicked. I flipped through my mental roll-a-dex of teaching strategies... As a quick survey, I asked my students to give me a `thumbs- up` if they understood the passage we just read, a thumb to the side of they understood a little bit, and a thumbs down if they didn't understand anything. I thought it was a logical solution to the language gap. Well, the kids just sat there staring at me wide eyed, not moving, and definitely not showing me their thumbs. I stood there looking back at them just as confused.
*side note *
The Japanese classroom is not one for interaction. In most cases it is merely listen and regurgitate, a skill they are extremely good at. My paranoia about a non responsive class was relinquished last week when i observed one of the Japanese teachers at my school ask a question IN JAPANESE and still receive the same reaction- sit and stare without batting an eye...lol.
Finally, after the teacher said something in Japanese the thumbs slowly started to lift. Although I was able to distinguish what percentage of the class understood what, I felt completely deflated- why wouldn't they respond? Are they really that shy? Am I speaking to fast? It my lesson that boring!?
After class my JTE (Japanese Teacher of English) shed some light on the situation- the kids don`t know what 'Thumbs up mean'! I really was speaking a foreign language. HAHAHAHAHAHA.
In Japan the thumb and index finger create a circular shape and the other three figures stick straight up to signify `OK`. I am so naive. I just assumed the `thumbs- up` was as international as 'the finger'.
Note to self- never take the little things for granted.
As I was teaching a lesson today I was worried about all the blank looks I was getting from the students- there seemed to be more than usual. I started to wonder if I was blabbing away for my own good? I panicked. I flipped through my mental roll-a-dex of teaching strategies... As a quick survey, I asked my students to give me a `thumbs- up` if they understood the passage we just read, a thumb to the side of they understood a little bit, and a thumbs down if they didn't understand anything. I thought it was a logical solution to the language gap. Well, the kids just sat there staring at me wide eyed, not moving, and definitely not showing me their thumbs. I stood there looking back at them just as confused.
*side note *
The Japanese classroom is not one for interaction. In most cases it is merely listen and regurgitate, a skill they are extremely good at. My paranoia about a non responsive class was relinquished last week when i observed one of the Japanese teachers at my school ask a question IN JAPANESE and still receive the same reaction- sit and stare without batting an eye...lol.
Finally, after the teacher said something in Japanese the thumbs slowly started to lift. Although I was able to distinguish what percentage of the class understood what, I felt completely deflated- why wouldn't they respond? Are they really that shy? Am I speaking to fast? It my lesson that boring!?
After class my JTE (Japanese Teacher of English) shed some light on the situation- the kids don`t know what 'Thumbs up mean'! I really was speaking a foreign language. HAHAHAHAHAHA.
In Japan the thumb and index finger create a circular shape and the other three figures stick straight up to signify `OK`. I am so naive. I just assumed the `thumbs- up` was as international as 'the finger'.
Note to self- never take the little things for granted.
Saturday, 30 October 2010
Homesick
It has been a rough week. The weather has turned EXTREMELY cold, my body is using all its energy to fight off the flu and on top of it all, I have started to experience the first pangs of being homesick. Maybe it's the change in weather and the dark sky that is making me miss the comforts of home...
I have turned to food as a comfort and I have to say it is doing the trick! This week we have warmed our souls with squash and apple soup mixed with garlic and ginger and served with a side of grilled cheese sandwich; mixed mushroom (you should see the variety of mushrooms in season right now!) green onion and Beemster cheese ( I almost squealed when i saw thing cheese) omelets with grilled tomato; and braised pork belly topped with demi served beside kabuka squash and seared scallops. Most of this was washed down with some red wine- hee hee. All created on only a 2 burner stove and no oven. Not bad eh? Oh the joys of marrying a chef. With meals like thing, I am certain I could travel anywhere in the world and be ok. Suddenly the homesickness has faded away...well until I am hungry again ;)
.
I have turned to food as a comfort and I have to say it is doing the trick! This week we have warmed our souls with squash and apple soup mixed with garlic and ginger and served with a side of grilled cheese sandwich; mixed mushroom (you should see the variety of mushrooms in season right now!) green onion and Beemster cheese ( I almost squealed when i saw thing cheese) omelets with grilled tomato; and braised pork belly topped with demi served beside kabuka squash and seared scallops. Most of this was washed down with some red wine- hee hee. All created on only a 2 burner stove and no oven. Not bad eh? Oh the joys of marrying a chef. With meals like thing, I am certain I could travel anywhere in the world and be ok. Suddenly the homesickness has faded away...well until I am hungry again ;)
.
Finding Similarities
Alright everyone, its another addition from Nikki's Japanese journal! I feel that this weeks entry is very special- it is full of insight, experience and "holly crap i am in japan" moments. lol. enjoy.
Kyudo- Japanese Archery. This is what i have decided to study here in Japan. My sensei asked me, "Why did you pick Kyudo?" and the only thing i could say was, "Kyudo picked me". For what ever reason, this was the marital art i wanted to try it. I had never seen it done, i knew nothing about the martial art itself, but for whatever reason, this was what i wanted to study while here in Japan.
As per usual, i find myself liberated and excited about playing a sport. Different land but same feeling. relaxation, excitement, a challenge. I love Kyudo- at the end of each session i find my body completely exhausted but my mind clear and calm (this is very rare for me!). My sensei is an adorable older man by the name of Yanagihashi Kosei, . He speaks VERY little English and I obviously speak no Japanese but we some how manage to communicate through actions and a few very funny drawing on the chalk board. The dojo (name of Kyudo building) is my sanctuary. The building is an ancient looking traditional Japanese building settled on the castle grounds. It has three walls and the fourth side is open to the target range. The targets are 28m away from the shooting point and only 36 cm in diameter. Between you and the target(s) is this perfectly trimmed lawn and a zen like garden that surrounds the range. When you go and retrieve your arrows you walk through the garden and reflect on your kyudo experience.
During my first lesson, it was raining- the sound of the rain on the roof, the strum of the bows, the hitting of the targets....it was magical. That night i felt very Japanese.
Oh, and I must mention this very important moment- one night at practice my sensei took me on to the range to shoot at the targets for the first time. However, he walked me down to the target only 5m away but that detail is not important ;) hee hee. Anyways, as i was setting my self for the shot (side note: there are seven steps to shooting the arrow) I set my arrow on my knee and clear my mind. Sensei is standing in front of me to check my posture and when i set my bow, i can see his face between the bow staff and the string- the fact that I was standing in a Japanese garden, the gentle face of this old Japanese man, the leaves falling from the trees....a slight smirk crosses my face and sensei says in a somewhat stern voice "clear your mind". This was my " i am in Japan moment"- maybe with a very more adjectives thrown in :)
After only 5 lessons i have been told i am a "very good student". Sensei beams with pride as other comment on my "beautiful form". I feel relieved I have shown them I am worthy of learning their culture. I feel like I am apart of something in Japan. I am not a foreigner trying to fit in. For the first time in Japan, I feel comfortable in japan and have something in common with the people. I am not seen as an ALT teacher, I am not seen for my blonde hair and green eyes...i am not seen as different. I am just another member of the kyudo club.
oh and this Friday- after only my 6th lesson- I HIT THE TARGET! from the full 28m range! As i was leaving i joked it was beginners luck and sensei put both hands on my shoulders and said something very sincerely in Japanese. I bowed graciously at his words and walked away wondering what he might have said. As i was leaving one of the girls from the club followed me out and whispered, "he thinks it's no luck, its real"
*sigh*....... i love japan
On another note- this week my school hosted and English Conference. Enlgish teachers from all across the prefecture came to watch me and other teachers teach, then gathered at the cultural center for some seminars- most of which where in Japanese but apparently it looked good for my school to have a white girl sit with them (hee hee) so i sat through about 2 hours of Japanese lectures and nodding my head like i new what the hell was going on. BUT it was great to be able to communicate with other teachers because- THE ALL SPOKE ENGLISH- YIPPEEE. lol. Anyways, turns out i was very popular- I actually new a few of the teachers at the conference because of working at three different schools and judging a speech contest and I had met a couple younger teachers at the various parties JET has been having. So that was great.
But while i was at the conference i took some time to do some people watching. I find the Japanese people have mastered the art of looking very busy when in fact there is very little to do. It is humorous to watch 13 teachers (no exaggeration) run around and look completely frantic only to set up 2 tables and 5 chairs.....haha
Other than the English teachers, the cultural center is an open space that offers a variety of activities, one activity is apparently a walking group for elderly men. As I sit in a corner and observe the interactions between men i recognized something similar between people in Japan and Canada. I make a mental note: I am starting to adapt. A friend once told me when first arrived was all i would see is the difference between here and my home country (completely true) but slowly your will start to see the similarities- HALLELUJAH!
What i saw where a couple of men doing some warm up experiences for their big walk. It was interesting how some of them did very traditional (for lack of a better word) Japanese movements, reminiscent of martial arts- maybe from another time in their life. Some, did typical athletic stretches and the third group....are where the similarities were found. for this group, this was social hour. This was one eclectic group of men- let me explain:
One guy was extremely tall and had a shiny silk bomber jacket on with "Paris Tour" scrolled across the back, another guy had a complete comb over and polyester track suit on and the third guy was wearing jeans (very unusual in japan especially for the older generation) with crooked rotten teeth. LOL.
They all had crazy Japanese energy drinks in hand and where laughing and making jokes. I imagine they are friends from high school and did the same thing while standing in their high school hallways.
So where is the similarities you ask.....after writing this, i am starting to wonder myself. But while i was sitting there it was exciting to see similar of human behavior between people in Japan and people in Canada. Maybe it sounds silly to you, but when you live in a different country and every move you make, the sounds that come out of your mouth sounds strange (even when you are trying to speak Japanese) and even your clothes screams DIFFERENT. it is pretty awesome to see people acting the same as you. Actually, all i wanted to do was walk over to those three Japanese men and say, "see, we're not so different".
Kyudo- Japanese Archery. This is what i have decided to study here in Japan. My sensei asked me, "Why did you pick Kyudo?" and the only thing i could say was, "Kyudo picked me". For what ever reason, this was the marital art i wanted to try it. I had never seen it done, i knew nothing about the martial art itself, but for whatever reason, this was what i wanted to study while here in Japan.
As per usual, i find myself liberated and excited about playing a sport. Different land but same feeling. relaxation, excitement, a challenge. I love Kyudo- at the end of each session i find my body completely exhausted but my mind clear and calm (this is very rare for me!). My sensei is an adorable older man by the name of Yanagihashi Kosei, . He speaks VERY little English and I obviously speak no Japanese but we some how manage to communicate through actions and a few very funny drawing on the chalk board. The dojo (name of Kyudo building) is my sanctuary. The building is an ancient looking traditional Japanese building settled on the castle grounds. It has three walls and the fourth side is open to the target range. The targets are 28m away from the shooting point and only 36 cm in diameter. Between you and the target(s) is this perfectly trimmed lawn and a zen like garden that surrounds the range. When you go and retrieve your arrows you walk through the garden and reflect on your kyudo experience.
During my first lesson, it was raining- the sound of the rain on the roof, the strum of the bows, the hitting of the targets....it was magical. That night i felt very Japanese.
Oh, and I must mention this very important moment- one night at practice my sensei took me on to the range to shoot at the targets for the first time. However, he walked me down to the target only 5m away but that detail is not important ;) hee hee. Anyways, as i was setting my self for the shot (side note: there are seven steps to shooting the arrow) I set my arrow on my knee and clear my mind. Sensei is standing in front of me to check my posture and when i set my bow, i can see his face between the bow staff and the string- the fact that I was standing in a Japanese garden, the gentle face of this old Japanese man, the leaves falling from the trees....a slight smirk crosses my face and sensei says in a somewhat stern voice "clear your mind". This was my " i am in Japan moment"- maybe with a very more adjectives thrown in :)
After only 5 lessons i have been told i am a "very good student". Sensei beams with pride as other comment on my "beautiful form". I feel relieved I have shown them I am worthy of learning their culture. I feel like I am apart of something in Japan. I am not a foreigner trying to fit in. For the first time in Japan, I feel comfortable in japan and have something in common with the people. I am not seen as an ALT teacher, I am not seen for my blonde hair and green eyes...i am not seen as different. I am just another member of the kyudo club.
oh and this Friday- after only my 6th lesson- I HIT THE TARGET! from the full 28m range! As i was leaving i joked it was beginners luck and sensei put both hands on my shoulders and said something very sincerely in Japanese. I bowed graciously at his words and walked away wondering what he might have said. As i was leaving one of the girls from the club followed me out and whispered, "he thinks it's no luck, its real"
*sigh*....... i love japan
On another note- this week my school hosted and English Conference. Enlgish teachers from all across the prefecture came to watch me and other teachers teach, then gathered at the cultural center for some seminars- most of which where in Japanese but apparently it looked good for my school to have a white girl sit with them (hee hee) so i sat through about 2 hours of Japanese lectures and nodding my head like i new what the hell was going on. BUT it was great to be able to communicate with other teachers because- THE ALL SPOKE ENGLISH- YIPPEEE. lol. Anyways, turns out i was very popular- I actually new a few of the teachers at the conference because of working at three different schools and judging a speech contest and I had met a couple younger teachers at the various parties JET has been having. So that was great.
But while i was at the conference i took some time to do some people watching. I find the Japanese people have mastered the art of looking very busy when in fact there is very little to do. It is humorous to watch 13 teachers (no exaggeration) run around and look completely frantic only to set up 2 tables and 5 chairs.....haha
Other than the English teachers, the cultural center is an open space that offers a variety of activities, one activity is apparently a walking group for elderly men. As I sit in a corner and observe the interactions between men i recognized something similar between people in Japan and Canada. I make a mental note: I am starting to adapt. A friend once told me when first arrived was all i would see is the difference between here and my home country (completely true) but slowly your will start to see the similarities- HALLELUJAH!
What i saw where a couple of men doing some warm up experiences for their big walk. It was interesting how some of them did very traditional (for lack of a better word) Japanese movements, reminiscent of martial arts- maybe from another time in their life. Some, did typical athletic stretches and the third group....are where the similarities were found. for this group, this was social hour. This was one eclectic group of men- let me explain:
One guy was extremely tall and had a shiny silk bomber jacket on with "Paris Tour" scrolled across the back, another guy had a complete comb over and polyester track suit on and the third guy was wearing jeans (very unusual in japan especially for the older generation) with crooked rotten teeth. LOL.
They all had crazy Japanese energy drinks in hand and where laughing and making jokes. I imagine they are friends from high school and did the same thing while standing in their high school hallways.
So where is the similarities you ask.....after writing this, i am starting to wonder myself. But while i was sitting there it was exciting to see similar of human behavior between people in Japan and people in Canada. Maybe it sounds silly to you, but when you live in a different country and every move you make, the sounds that come out of your mouth sounds strange (even when you are trying to speak Japanese) and even your clothes screams DIFFERENT. it is pretty awesome to see people acting the same as you. Actually, all i wanted to do was walk over to those three Japanese men and say, "see, we're not so different".
Thursday, 26 August 2010
New Sights, New Sounds
Brad and I ventured out on our own for the first time to explore the city. We walked for hours in every direction taking in the sights and sounds- the constant drone of the Sacade (Simi) is something to ponder. If you focus on the sound of one single insect I would have to classify it as annoying but with thousands of Sacade singing in harmony the frequency becomes soothing and something you don't hear unless wanted. Having said that, they are giant cockroaches flying around looking more like birds and I wonder how is something so ugly though of as so mystical and beautiful in my mind...Simi (see- mee) or samurai insect they call it.
As we wondered around town we stumbled across numerous rice fields sporadically throughout the town- the same as you would find community gardens in Victoria. As we wondered through one rice field trying to catch frogs, houses and mountains framing the florescent green fields we were caught in a torrential downpour- a warm rain that caused steam to rise from the ground beneath us. I looked at Brad while a smile on my face and arms reached to the sky "It doesn't get any more Japanese than this"
On our way home we found a local Yakatori (chicken skewer) restaurant for dinner only two blocks from our house- every part of the chicken served on a skewer and grilled to perfection. It will be the 5th Street Bar and Grill of Japan.
As strange as this place is, there is something vaguely familiar. It is comfortable here.
As we wondered around town we stumbled across numerous rice fields sporadically throughout the town- the same as you would find community gardens in Victoria. As we wondered through one rice field trying to catch frogs, houses and mountains framing the florescent green fields we were caught in a torrential downpour- a warm rain that caused steam to rise from the ground beneath us. I looked at Brad while a smile on my face and arms reached to the sky "It doesn't get any more Japanese than this"
On our way home we found a local Yakatori (chicken skewer) restaurant for dinner only two blocks from our house- every part of the chicken served on a skewer and grilled to perfection. It will be the 5th Street Bar and Grill of Japan.
As strange as this place is, there is something vaguely familiar. It is comfortable here.
Friday, 6 August 2010
The Arrival
Surprisingly, I felt settled during the ten and a half hour flight from Vancouver, British Columbia to Narita Airport Japan. I felt relaxed, ready to take on whatever was about to come my way. The calmness felt strange...I have grown accustomed to the high and lows of my own emotional roller coaster- this sense of tranquility has me confused. I tried to embrace the calmness and reminded myself to listen to the language of the world- i must be on the right path- everything to this point has been so easy. Maybe it has been so long since I had traveled down this "path" that i forgot how it feels. Maybe I was never on it until now?
"My dear friends and Family, clearly you will be missed- however, the possibilities and opportunities this move is bound to provide overcomes my sadness and has filled me with sheer glee, excitement and anticipation. " Journal entry August. 31, 2010
I wonder what life in Japan will be like:
Will I be able to understand anything?
Will the country meet my expectations (they are set extremely high at this point)
Will I come back to Canada?
Where will be go next?
Will my hard work and passion compare to the dedication and pride that is instilled in the Japanese people?
Will I be successful?
After three days in Tokyo attending countless meetings, seminars and banquet receptions I traveled four hours by buss to central Honshu, got in a car with a lady I met fifteen minutes prior (who speaks limited English) and drove another hour to my new home- Aizu Wakamtsu, Fukushima-ken. My first night was spent in her families house with her inlaws, her sixteen year old daughter, ten year old son and her husband- non of which spoke any English and I, of course, did not take the time to learn Japanese....her husband kept trying to speak to me in Japanese always expecting a response and looking increasingly displeased each time i could not give one.
It is a funny thing not to understand a single thing that is going on around you...Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk down the street and not be able to read a single sign, to nodd and say "hai" at least 20 times a day even though you don't have a clue what you just agreed too. Unable to eaves drop on the conversation(s) going on around you even if you stare directly at the people? Move to Japan.
Each day i get up and get ready for work; I do my hair, I pack a lunch- I do everything the same as in Canada but the fact of the matter is, there is no purpose to my movement. i am going through the motions pretending i know where I am going and what I should be doing but they are only actions. Most days I am not even sure my feet are touching the ground. Its like I have just moved to the other side of the world where everything is upside down and I haven't been flipped yet.
"My dear friends and Family, clearly you will be missed- however, the possibilities and opportunities this move is bound to provide overcomes my sadness and has filled me with sheer glee, excitement and anticipation. " Journal entry August. 31, 2010
I wonder what life in Japan will be like:
Will I be able to understand anything?
Will the country meet my expectations (they are set extremely high at this point)
Will I come back to Canada?
Where will be go next?
Will my hard work and passion compare to the dedication and pride that is instilled in the Japanese people?
Will I be successful?
After three days in Tokyo attending countless meetings, seminars and banquet receptions I traveled four hours by buss to central Honshu, got in a car with a lady I met fifteen minutes prior (who speaks limited English) and drove another hour to my new home- Aizu Wakamtsu, Fukushima-ken. My first night was spent in her families house with her inlaws, her sixteen year old daughter, ten year old son and her husband- non of which spoke any English and I, of course, did not take the time to learn Japanese....her husband kept trying to speak to me in Japanese always expecting a response and looking increasingly displeased each time i could not give one.
It is a funny thing not to understand a single thing that is going on around you...Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk down the street and not be able to read a single sign, to nodd and say "hai" at least 20 times a day even though you don't have a clue what you just agreed too. Unable to eaves drop on the conversation(s) going on around you even if you stare directly at the people? Move to Japan.
Each day i get up and get ready for work; I do my hair, I pack a lunch- I do everything the same as in Canada but the fact of the matter is, there is no purpose to my movement. i am going through the motions pretending i know where I am going and what I should be doing but they are only actions. Most days I am not even sure my feet are touching the ground. Its like I have just moved to the other side of the world where everything is upside down and I haven't been flipped yet.
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