I put myself under a lot of pressure to come up with cool blog entry titles. I want to be considered witty and cool. But I should just let it go. Y`all know better anyway.
I wasn`t going to blog tonight, then noticed it`s been a whole week! And what a busy week.
Went to Fukushima, my home in Japan, last weekend. Like most small towns, it has hardly changed a lick in 7 years, and I`m so glad. It was SOOOO good to see it all again, a little like finding out a great dream I once had is actually a reality! I remember my time in Japan fondly but through a culture-shocked fog. I am glad that fog is finally clearing.
It was wonderful to see my friends again. They look exactly the same too, except for the kids who grew and the friend who`s fighting cancer and looks a bit haggard. I have come to the conclusion that I don`t just want to, I need to get over there more often. Some of the most precious people in my life are over there, and you can`t have a relationship without contact, though you can remain friends over a distance. I need to see them more. God willing, I`ll head over there yearly.
The kids blew me away. There was only one who I thought might remember me. She is 12 now. Her little brother is 9 and last saw me when he was 2. Their little sister is 7. Anyway, they welcomed me like I was a long lost aunt (same amount of enthusiasm I get from Simon, actually). One of the benefits of being a foreigner in Japan. People are quick to like you (usually).
Last weekend I visited my church friends. Was nice to fellowship with them again, and am encouraged by how much Japanese I know. That place was the site of a lot of hard days when I was just sick of not understanding anything or anyone, so it was good to go back and see how far along I`ve come. Still have a loooong way to go though before I can claim fluency.
Tonight I`m off to Fukushima again to visit my Japanese family and other friends I made through work.
This week was very busy. Y`all are going to get tired if you read this in one sit.
Monday I went to a nearby city to visit another English teacher I met on the train. She is finishing 3 years on the same program that brought me to Japan the 1st time. We just had a nice chat at a good restaurant she knows. It was interesting to talk to her. She`s a trained teacher who came to Japan out of university. She`s in a similar place in life to where I was 7 years ago. Therefore, interesting chat.
Tuesday some of the ladies who work in the office at the university took me out for a farewell dinner at an okonomiyaki restaurant. It`s a place where you sit at a table with a built in grill and prepare your own food. I`ve had okonomiyaki before, but only from a vendor at a festival. Anyway, delicious!! It`s a kind of pancake with cabbage in it and a variety of other delicious things you can choose. Then we went to a cafe that is known for it`s over sized desserts and finished off a parfait made in a juice pitcher. It was called "Never give up". I did, they didn`t. We decided we`ll go for the bucket-sized one next time I`m in Japan.
Wednesday night was a party with friends at an izakaya, a traditional Japanese bar. When you reserve a party room, you pay a set amount for all you can eat and drink, within a time limit. We were there for 3.5 hours. I think that we were cut off at 3 hours, though they didn`t kick us out. Anyway, that`s how Japanese party. They don`t often host big parties in their homes. Can`t really. It cost us $30. Worth every penny. Good food(except the raw horse meat and the octopus), good times. Can`t afford it all the time though.
Thursday, another izakaya with Diana`s friends at a place that serves killer wings. More good food, good times.
Friday, today, class party. I wasn`t quite sure how it would go, but we had a great time. There were a few drinks and snacks, and the students started coming at 11am and the party ended at 5:30pm. We played games, talked, and took a lot of pictures. I already got 3 emails from students, and it sounds like they had fun. Good.
So that`s about it. After school I packed then came to the internet cafe and now I`m off to catch the train to Fukushima.
Have a nice weekend.
1 comment:
Hi,
Sounds like you are having so much good fun. I am glad for you! It is hot in Winnipeg Kathleen tells me. Mom's vision is not what it was before but much improved since the bleed to where she can even read. I am so thankful to God for His mercy in this. I am trying not to stress out about all the things I should do and want to do. Today I keep sitting down at the computer to do our bookkeeping and find so many other interesting things to do instead (like read your blog and search google and explore ebay). I watched the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants dvd the other day. I liked it and plan to read the other two books in the series. Well, just thought I would say hello...still praying for you.
Susan
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