Keely's adventures

2007-05-01T12:00:00.000+09:00

On the Peace Boat we talked a lot about sustainable living and eco-friendly lifestyles. Since I've been home I've been trying to practice it! I've done lots of cooking from scratch, and spent hours gardening and landscaping, and today Emily and I built a little patio outside her window. It's a project that she's been envisioning and planning for awhile and today was the day! It was hot and sunny, but the corner where we worked was in the shade. First we leveled out the ground [with lots of help from Dad!] then put down some sand and laid the bricks. We used a pattern that Em found online, called "Flanders Weave." It is perfect because not only is it beautiful, but it is also named after one of Emily's favorite places, Flanders in Belgium.
Flanders is the Flemish [very similar to Dutch] area of Belgium. Belgium is an interesting country. It's almost like two countries in one, with a French-speaking area and a Flemish speaking area. Brussels, the capital, is bilingual. Cities have two different names. Anyway, Emily went to Belgium and lived there for two years. It is a beautiful place with amazing food, the best chocolate in the world [for example, have you heard of Godiva?], beautiful architecture, charming small towns and spectacular cities. It is definitely one of my favorite parts of Europe, and one of the nicest things about it is that it's not terribly crowded with tourists. It is still possible to walk around the streets and feel like most of the people around you are moving about their normal lives. Bustling cafes are filled with happy locals. Families walking with their dogs stop at the corner shop and buy a big paper cone filled with fries to snack on as they continue down the street. In Antwerp you can by perhaps the best waffles in the world, piled with "slagroom" [whipped cream] or fruit or chocolate... Yum...
Anyway, we built a patio in Flanders Weave style, using old bricks from a barn that burned down. They were old but they had so much character! They are not all the same solid color, and they are slightly different sizes. Best of all, we were able to re-use, and keep those bricks from just being "waste." Now they are a beautiful patio! :) We laid the bricks in the nice pattern, then we filled the cracks with sand, and made the corner SO much more attractive than it's ever been! Now THAT was a productive day! And I only dropped one brick on my foot... Now it's time to go shower and rest!

2007-04-30T12:22:00.000+09:00

Hardin County looks different from above! I knew that we had a great agricultural base, and I have always loved driving through long stretches of fields... What a beautiful place to drive!! But today Em and I got to fly up above it all... It was incredible to see how far the fields stretched, and how small the towns seem compared to all of the greenspace. It is the opposite of Japan... There the towns and cities are mostly crowded into spaces between mountains and along the coast...We are very blessed to have such great natural resources! And it's no wonder we build such big houses and drive such big cars...

2007-04-28T04:46:00.001+09:00

One unique aspect of life on the boat was "departure ceremony" at each port. When we left behind new friends or visiting family members the tradition was to throw paper streamers to them. If they caught them we would hold onto both ends as the boat pulled away from shore. They held us together for a few extra minutes. I usually helped collect the streamers after they broke to keep them from going into the ocean. Jovan, Rose and I then became the three-headed streamer monster!

2007-04-28T04:46:00.000+09:00

2007-04-27T06:14:00.000+09:00

I Miss My Bike

In my childhood, I rode bikes to play. It was fun! It was good exercise! My friends were all doing it. But that’s all I thought bikes were about. Fun. Turns out I was dead wrong.

When I moved to Japan, suddenly my bike was my main mode of transportation around town. (For out-of-town excursions there was my beloved, truly wonderful train system. I’m still waiting for America to catch up.) Of course I never my bike anywhere more than an hour away. It didn’t have gears and it had a basket on the front. It was what they called a “mama-chari,” more suitable for old ladies than for the Lance Armstrongs among us. But I loved it.

It took me to work and back every day, to my favorite park for hiking, to the beach when I needed a change of pace, and perhaps most importantly, to the grocery store. I am not a big shopper, but grocery stores are the one place that I can really blow a wad. I love food, and I love cooking. I could walk through a mall and not spend a penny [except at the food court] but I cannot walk out of a grocery store empty-handed. Lucky for me, my bike gave me the perfect excuse for portion control.

Granted, the first few times I shopped I was still in my US mentality… fill up a cart full of groceries and throw them in the car. That made for some interesting rides home. With my bike basket overflowing and a couple of extra bags hanging on each handlebar, it was harder to control where I was going. I came to admire more than ever the Africans that I used to see riding their bikes up and down mountains, loaded down with a hundred pounds of charcoal, bananas, etc. It was even more unbelievable to me when I later visited Vietnam and saw entire families sharing a bike. I will never begin to match them. But once I got used to the carrying capacity, I came to really enjoy the limitations of my bike, and of the hand-held grocery basket that I carried with me up and down the aisles. Furthermore, the ride to the store and back helped me feel better about the meals and snacks that I was carrying home. Now that I am back in Hardin County, I desperately miss those bike rides to the store. And I have some extra pounds that prove it.

2007-02-26T09:18:00.000+09:00

My voyage on the Peace Boat made several stops in a region previously unknown to me. I have known many people who were from or had lived in South and Central America, and even more who had travelled there. In fact, my grandfather and his siblings grew up in the Amazon region of Brazil! Because of this family history and because I had not yet travelled to South America, Belem was one of the stops that I most looked forward to. When we first discovered that we would be there for the new year, everyone was really excited! Where in the world would have bigger parties for New Year's?

Well, as it turns out, lots of places...

As we approached Brazil, we got more and more bad news... First, we were dropping anchor an hour upriver from the docks, and the ferries would stop running at 10 pm. Second, most hotels would be booked already by the time we arrived. Third, apparently Belem is not a safe place to be, and passengers were warned not to do much independent exploration. Finally, because it was a weekend and holiday, most places would not be open.

It was looking bleak. In fact, many of these points proved to be true. Even the tourist information bureau was closed, and the only tour agency open had ALL tours fully booked by Japan Grace, the travel agent arm of the Peace Boat conglomerate. So much for taking a trip to the Amazon rainforest... Well in spite of these setbacks we managed to have a pretty good time in the ghost-town of Belem at New Year's.

First of all, the Ver-O-Peso market WAS open. Although it was one of the spots flagged as "Dangerous," it was very interesting and full of life. I saw not nearly as many signs of danger as of poverty. There was a distinct line drawn between the people there in the marketplace and those on the other side of the high fences, coming and going from the brand-new ferry terminal and shopping center. Guards at the gate were experts at intimidation towards impoverished locals, but smiled sweetly as cruise-ship passengers came and went. They were the guards of the gates--the physical barriers--but there were other walls separating people as well. Those exist everywhere, but I felt them strongly in Brazil.

In the market itself we saw interesting fruits and vegetables that I'd never seen before and all kinds of spices and potions sold by women who a local told us are "witches." I'd love to go back and get some traditional medicinal recipes! There was also a "food court" and areas selling clothing, small electronics, and all of the other things you might expect to see in a developing country's marketplaces. New Year's Eve night a group of Peace Boat people were there, eating at various food stalls and chatting with the locals. We had tasty meat, potatos and vegetables for a very reasonable price.

Later that night throngs of people flocked to the port area for a fireworks show. The barriers were as apparent as ever, with marked difference in the people gathered in the market area and those at the port terminal. On one side people gathered with their families and sat on the ground, while on the other people came dressed to impressed and mingled indoors at the VIP dinner or outdoors along the riverfront walk. We walked through both areas. The port felt very safe and sterile and glitzy, but the market area felt ALIVE! It was full of playing children, amorous couples and people there to enjoy, not impress, each other. There was great people-watching potential everywhere, and the warm breeze off the Amazon made it hard to believe that it was really New Year's. Unfortunately we couldn't stay for the revelry, and that was the closest we came to getting a true taste of Brazil's party atmosphere.

The next day was so quiet it was surreal. We walked the deserted streets and everything was closed. Very few people were out and about. Other than the bright tropical midday sun, it felt much more like 3 am in a small town. Eventually as we rounded a corner we saw some children playing. The young boys were friendly and started trying their English on me. "Hello! How are you?" I really believe children are the greatest force for peace in the world. They are naturally open and loving. They can make friends with anyone. They see the true beauty and wonder in small things that I typically take for granted. It is impossible for me to see children in any country and not smile. ...And I don't think I am the only one...

Those boys were just the first wonderful children to cross my path that day. A few blocks ahead we came to a park. There were beautiful mango trees and just as we were passing a man had arrived with his two daughters. They had a couple of rocks tied to a long string, and they tossed one end of the string over a branch of the tree. Then they pulled back and forth, back and forth, shaking the branch until a mango fell down onto the grass. The girls laughed with delight and ran to scoop up the tasty treat. It was such a beautiful moment I felt blessed to share it with this happy family! I smiled and we walked on, but soon one of the girls came running up behind us, and held out a mango to us. I was humbled but thrilled at this act of welcome and generosity from such a small child who lived with so much less privilege than I do. But then again, what is real privilege anyway? They live in a beautiful city surrounded by the incredible nature of the Amazon, and they obviously have a father who loves them. That alone makes them very lucky little girls...

2006-12-20T23:34:00.000+09:00

2006-12-20T23:26:00.000+09:00

It has been a whirlwind trip through the Mediterranean! We spent a day each in Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Malta, and Libya followed by an overnight in Italy and a day in Spain. Each place was amazing and definitely had its own character. I can’t believe how many things I have seen and done in such a short time!! Jordan was incredible... I thoroughly enjoyed Petra... such a mystical and peaceful place! I can't describe the feeling of floating in the dead sea... I was rolling over on the water! Such great fun!! In Egypt we saw the pyramids and sphynx, and I made a trip to the market in downtown Cairo. Like last time, the market was my favorite part! It is so interesting to be there, where the LIFE of the country is. Being in Athens and Rome was like a living art history course. I saw so many statues and buildings that I had read about in school and seen many pictures of, but I was still awed by their beauty and their incredible size! I felt so small in St. Peter’s Bascilica! In Malta I had an unforgettable lunch with friends in a cafe overlooking the island, with Valetta and the sea in view. Incredible feeling!! I wasn't allowed off the boat in Libya, but some friends of a Libyan friend got on for a cultural exchange. We had a great time playing sports and chatting. I hope next time I can get off and meet some women as well! In Barcelona, Gaudi's architecture/ art was unlike anything I have ever experienced! Today we are stopping in Gibraltar. I have already seen the rock, and it looks just like all the pictures. Not sure what adventures I will find but I am sure it will be a nice day! Wishing everyone a great holiday season!! All the best!

2006-12-20T23:18:00.000+09:00

2006-12-11T06:13:00.000+09:00

It has been amazing visiting wonders of the ancient world! Within the last week I have visited Petra, the Pyramids and Sphynx, and now the Acropolis/ Parthenon in Athens. It is amazing to see these things with my own eyes, and imagine what life must have been like when they were built... What a rush!

2006-11-10T15:03:00.000+09:00

It is my second day in Vietnam! I am in Hoi An and it has been such a nice break from boat life. The food, the scenery, the smiles of people... these will be etched in my memory as I move on in this voyage and in my life. I will share some impressions from this time in Vietnam...

Money is a strange thing and value is so different from cost.

I am autmatically labeled as a tourist wherever I go!

People are very inventive when they need to be, and Vietnamese are GREAT at reading people. Selling is such a skill!!

Connections are everything in Vietnam. A man at a restaurant last night offered us a tour of his local fishing/ pottery village, and we brought friends along. It was obvious how intricate the web between people is, with each person contributing to the process, and each gaining something as well.

Life is on a different scale here!! We saw women who work all morning to make 500 roof tiles, and they only make $2 a day for all of them!

People are so kind and generous. I want to be more giving and loving!!

I was touched by a group of women, I think they were sisters, working together and singing as they made wontons... Apparently they supply the whole town with wontons, and they were DELICIOUS!! It was so sweet to see them working hard but with happiness and community! Nothing but smiles, laughs and innocently sweet voices.

We all have things to learn from each other, and I hope I can come again to Vietnam, to experience and be influenced by the gracious culture and happy smiles!

2006-11-10T00:55:00.000+09:00

Well I am one week into my Peace Boat journey and it has been great so far! Bonding with a great team of teachers has been one major highlight. Each member of the team is really nice and so incredible in their own way. It has been fun to work together and see how many ideas we can generate and how much we can accomplish!! It has also been fun to get to know some passengers onboard.

Among the Japanese passengers there is an incredible diversity of ages, interests, and personalities. The onboard activities are just as varied. Any time of day and at any part of the ship passengers are participating in events or creating their own. There are lectures, concerts, athletics, dancing classes, yoga sessions, spontaneous jam sessions, etc. It would be really hard to get bored!

Another obvious highlight has been ports... We are on our second stop--Vietnam! I really enjoyed it the first time I came, so I was excited to come again! I have not6 been disappointed this time either!! We arived in port early in the morning at Da Nang and were greeted by a group of dancers, and a "dragon!" It was a nice way to be welcomed to Vietnam!! Next a group of us negotiated for a taxi and made our way to Hoi An, a beautiful/ charming coastal town. We found a great hotel right away for a very reasonable price and then we were free to explore!! A little shopping, a lot of chats, a trip to the beach and several stops for food and snacks made for a great day!! Now I am looking forward to a good night's sleep and a fun morning tomorrow!! And of course I am looking forward to the rest of the voyage!

Next stop, Singapore... Ly-ann, hope you are ready!!

2006-10-23T15:38:00.000+09:00

It's been awhile since I posted. I had a great summer at home, visiting family and friends, working in the garden, cooking, and entertaining guests. I had a very special visitor come to Kentucky for about a week to meet more of my family and see where I come from. We visited the Kentucky State Fair, Mammoth Cave National Park, Natural Bridge, and Lincoln's Birthplace and Boyhood Home. We also visited Louisville and got to participate in the International Festival on the Belvedere. I was happy to see some old friends there. It was great to see how the festival has grown since the time that I worked there and helped to organize it. Louisville is a great city, and I was very happy to be there at such a nice time!!

Another highlight of the summer break was Thanksgiving dinner with my family. Since I will be somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean during Thanksgiving we cooked all of the traditional foods and had a big dinner in August! It was delicious and fun, and after eating we went outside and sat in the yard and talked. Hooray for great weather!! It was great to spend a lot of time outdoors this summer and fall.

The thing that made me feel oldest all summer was going to visit friends who had just had a baby! She is precious and they are as great as ever! Even tho I felt old, it was a great time. It was so nice to be with old friends again! We had fun at the Paducah Barbecue Festival and I ate way too much!

After a nice and meaningful time catching up with family and friends, I started my journey back around the world. I was very happy to stop and spend a week in the Portland area with my sister and brother-in-law. There I did some more great hiking, explored a bit of Portland and Vancouver, Washington, and came to better understand their lives there. It is always so rewarding to visit the home area of someone you love! Now when I hear them talk about their friends, their work, etc. I can put a picture with a name. Never undrestimate the value of seeing a place for yourself. Familiarity creates a bond, whether with a person or a place. I look forward to forging new bonds in the next few months!

After my time with Kate and Jon I flew back to Japan. Going from the airport to Tahara, I started to feel like I had never left Japan... It was a strange feeling, but nice to feel so at home! On the train from Toyohashi to Tahara I saw a friend/ teacher who I'd worked with, and we made a lunch date. Pretty much my whole time was like that, meeting people unexpectedly ["guzen"], and being involved in lucky coincidences. I was very happy that there was a jazz concert and a city festival, where I was able to see and talk with many friends, teachers and students. Another lucky coincidence was that my friend had an art exhibit that finished the day after I arrived, so I was able to go and see it! Beautiful stuff! I kept busy but spent really good time with friends! I also returned to most of my favorite places, and spent time showing the new English teachers around. It was great to see them so excited! I feel like the students are in good hands!

Some of the most meaningful moments for me were getting hugs from elementary kids, sitting on top of my favorite mountain, and watching the happy surprise on faces of old friends when they saw me. Probably my favorite outing was a painting session in my favorite park, followed by a super-fast lunch at a kaiten-zushi [revolving sushi bar]. It was so nice to be outside, to be with a great friend and to paint together! So happy and peaceful! I was sad to leave Tahara when the day came, but several friends saw me off. :) Then it was overnight bus to Tokyo.

I couldn't sleep terribly well but I was happy to arrive in Tokyo at 5:45 am. Not much was going on, but it was already daylight. You have to get up really early to see the sunrise in Japan! Soon enough I was off to orientation. Peace Boat Orientation was 4 days of training, information, team-building and just getting to know the people we are going to share a boat with for 3 months. I am really happy with the team and I can't wait to get to know everybody better! I know I will learn a lot from each person! I look forward to it! I am also really excited for a new kind of teaching experience! I can't wait to work on incorporating global issues into English lessons and to plan interest- related events!

So now it is one day before I embark on the journey of a lifetime! I can't wait to learn and grow, and hopefully share my experiences with everyone! I will do my best!!

2006-08-16T01:03:00.000+09:00

I am currently getting ready to go back to the US to spend time with family and friends, and re-learn English in preparation for my next big journey. All those in the US, let's try to get together!! Starting in November, I will be travelling onboard the Peace Boat as an English teacher for a voyage around the world! Many of my childhood dreams will come true and I am sure new ones will be fostered! I will make a complete circle around the world! I will see many countries for the first time, and go back to others that I have loved. I will have my first experiences in South America. I will have some great chances to learn/ practice some Spanish. I hope to meet up with some friends along the way as well!! I look forward to learning and growing so much! If you are interested in details, check out the site http://www.peaceboat.org/english/index.html Keep checking hear for updates as I prepare and go! And keep in touch!!

2006-08-05T01:02:00.000+09:00

Can't believe I didn't blog this... I was invited to a barbecue on the beach with lots of Tahara residents and... a whole group of sumo wrestlers!! Wow! It was fun, it was crazy, and the sumo boys did the cooking! :) It was fun to see lots of my students, to play in the ocean, and just to mingle with sumos! Never thought I would have had an opportunity!! One of them [the leader] was a retired former champion! He'd slimmed down and was just REALLY BUILT. Well it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately I did not take enough pictures. :)

2006-08-04T18:50:00.000+09:00

Wow! Time keeps ticking and the day that I leave my home in Tahara is coming closer and closer! I have been spending a lot of time packing and sorting. Sorting is kind of fun, because I run across so many things that bring back memories and help me to relive the time I've spent here, and to see how much I have learned and changed. What a great experience it has been to live in Tahara for three years! I am happy to have a Japanese home town now!

Another thing that makes packing a bearable experience is the help I've received from friends. Last night two of my favorites came over and were looking through my clothes that I decided not to take on with me to the next phase of my life. It was fun watching them look through together and decide what suited which better, and how they could use each item. They left with some nice "new" pieces for their wardrobes, and select items to share with other friends. It is nice to know that people I love will get use from my things, and hopefully they can remember me as they wear it! :) We had lots of fun eating dinner together and talking. After they left my upstairs neighbor wanted me to come up and look at something [she is packing to leave as well]. Well I went up and we started talking and ended up talking 'til the sun came up... Wow! We also did a bit of relaxation yoga to chase away the stress of moving. Then it was back downstairs to catch a bit of sleep before it got too noisy...

I woke up this morning to a call from my boyfriend, and that is always a nice way to start my day! :) Then I cleaned, did more packing, and talked with a friend who came by. She took some of my kitchen things, like cornmeal and some spring-form pans. While she was here I got a call saying that I was accepted to join Peace Boat as an English teacher! Hooray! I was so happy and relieved to have the question securely answered of what I am going to do next! I am really excited for the possiblities that this "job" holds. I am overflowing with ideas and questions. Most of all, I am happy to know that I will be coming back to Japan soon to start the voyage around the world. This way, as I pack up and leave I know it is not really goodbye. It is just "see you in a few months!" And THAT is the kind of goodbye that I like!!!! :)

2006-08-01T15:59:00.001+09:00

I had a fantastic weekend!! I went to Tokyo early on Friday morning for an interview with Peace Boat. It was a fun day of being with really nice people, learning more about the organization, and ...well... interviewing! I particularly enjoyed talking with one of the applicants who had flown to Tokyo from Oregon just for the interview process! She was really nice and enthusiastic, and it would be fun to be with her on the voyage. We had lunch together at a "Cambodian" restaurant nearby, and kind of made friends with the Vietnamese lady who was running the place. She was really sweet and cute, and she gave us free coffee! She had been to Texas and was happy when I recognized a Hanoi temple in a piece of artwork on the wall. People are really happy when you know something about their homeland! :)

After the interviews were finished we went to the Harajuku area and walked down Takeshita Dori. Lots of cute and interesting and crazy shops. A little bit of everything! Then we went to a shrine and walked through the woods that surrounded it. It was beautiful!! So peaceful! It did not feel like Tokyo at all! Nice break.

That night I went to an internet cafe to work out Saturday's plans, had dinner, and then went to Shiespa for the night. [see http://brave-design.com/works/siespa.html] Shiespa is a great oasis in the middle of Shibuya, one of the busiest parts of Tokyo. It is a women's only spa, and it is 9 floors high! The ground floor is check-in, where you can leave your shoes and pick up a bag of spa lounge clothes and towels. You can pay just to use the facilities during the day, or pay an extra overnight fee to spend the night. With the overnight fee, for just an extra 315 yen [$3] you can get a personal ...pod... for sleeping. It is a reclining chair encased in tinted glass, with a TV and blanket and a little extra space for keeping your things. It doesn't sound so attractive, but the surrounding ambiance is great, and with well-placed curtains and Asian-style lamps around the room, it is quite nice. I slept just as well there as I could have in a hotel, plus I had access to some great onsen baths and saunas!! And I would have spent more on a hotel!

Anyway, the basement floor of Shiespa has a small shop, the locker areas and "powder room" areas. From there you take an elevator or the stairs to reach other floors. On the first floor there is a hand and foot therapy area, the second floor had some restaurants, the third and fourth floors are "relaxation areas" where you can sleep in chairs or in the personal pod areas day or night. The 5th floor had more therapy areas and an open space, the 6th floor had an open space/ cafe and a sauna type room with hot floors. I don't remember what it was called. It also had a small room with 6 waterbeds and a videoscreen of splashing water, with quiet water sounds projected through the speakers. Very relaxing area! The 7th floor... I think had more therapy stuff/ massage area, something like that. The 8th floor had onsen/ public baths and a shower area, as well as an aromatherapy sauna. The 9th floor had an outdoor bath on the roof with a garden area, a footbath with a great view of the city, a cold-water bath and a traditional sauna. It was fun moving between the areas, all of which were very different and relaxing in their own way. It is a very popular place it seems, as it was pretty crowded everywhere. When I crawled into my personal bed-pod at midnight I was the only one in the room. When I woke up in the morning, though, it was all full! It is a great alternative place for women to stay after a night out in Shibuya, Tokyo!

Saturday morning I was up early, ready to meet my boyfriend for a fun day together! I had a few last soaks in the baths, and a last little session in the water-room. Then it was down to the locker room to get ready for check-out [by 9 am]. From there I went for breakfast, back to the internet cafe for checking mail and drinking some free beverages, and on to the station to put my bags in a locker. Next step was walking/ timing the paths between the station, the Indian restaurant, and "BunkaMura" where the show was going to be held. Luckily it was all pretty close, and very near Shiespa.

Then all I had to do was wait. I went to the Hachiko statue outside of Shibuya station. [Hachiko is a legendary dog who waited for his master outside the station every day, even after his master died... Hence he is the perfect symbol for people waiting for their friends, families, dates, business partners...] I was there awhile, because I always like to be early, JUST IN CASE he is early... I don't want to waste a minute! :) Anyway, he found me before I found him so he came up behind me. Nice surprise hug! :) Then we went to put his stuff in the locker, then on to the Indian buffet. Well we have not spent a ton of time together in Tokyo, but the times that we have spent, this place has become a bit of a tradition. The food is quite good, and not too expensive, just 1000 yen for lunch buffet! We walked away, satisfied once again... :)

Next stop, Bunka Mura [culture village] for the Chinese acrobatics version of Swan Lake. [see http://www.iht.com/slideshows/2006/01/03/arts/web.0301swan.php]. It was AMAZING! I am so happy to have a boyfriend with an eye for an interesting show, and the ability to plan a great date, even if he has to do it in Japanese! :) Well we got there and there were HUGE lines of people waiting to get in. It was a huge auditorium and the show was sold out. :) The show itself was really amazing and so cool! It included some of the most amazing things I've seen. I am sure my jaw was hanging open at times, and my palms were sweaty from being nervous for the acrobats. Never before had I seen people jumping and flipping from the top of one pole to another... Never again am I likely to see a woman doing ballet on a man's shoulder or head. Men in frog suits dancing on their hands, fabulous juggling tricks, unicycle riding, roller-skating swans, so many eye-catching mind-boggling tricks that I almost started to feel like it must be normal... I certainly wanted to try some of those things at home... At any rate, it was the best date EVER! Nice guy, great entertainment, got dressed up, nice food, good atmosphere, and just so nice to be together again!!! :) I am a happy girl!!

2006-07-25T21:49:00.000+09:00

My last day of school was wonderful! I had some fun classes with kids and the last period was a goodbye party in the gym, hosted by the 6th graders! It was really fun! They played some big games, like "draw Ms. Keely" where each class had a marker and a big piece of paper and they each got a turn drawing part of my face for 15 seconds, and then switched to the next person... It was really funny to see the results! Nice work! :) I want to use that activity some time... :) Another thing that they did was to make a huge board game. I rolled a huge die and the students would move x number of spaces around the gym... It was interesting! There were some spaces with penalties like "go back 2" or "lose a turn." Very creative party games for the whole school!! Then several kids gave speeches, and I gave a speech and I received gifts and flowers... It was really sweet! I actually managed to not cry, because I was excited to see my sister when I got home... It was so nice to have both of my sisters here for awhile and one of them for awhile longer... It is great to have room-mates that I love!!
The most amazing experience of the day, however, was part of my last class. I was playing "duck, duck, goose" with some very cute 3rd graders. I was just watching and enjoying when I noticed JUST how much the boy next to me wanted to run... He put his hands together, closed his eyes and started praying!! He prayed to God. He prayed for his prayer to be heard. He prayed to be goose! It was so sweet! He was SO sincere and so intent on his prayer that he didn't notice the little girl coming up behind him. She was walking along saying "duck, duck, duck..." and behind him she slowed down to an indecisive stop, cocked her head like she wasn't really sure what she was about to do and tentatively reached out to his head and said "goose!" His eyes sprang open wider than perhaps they've ever been, his mouth was gaping, his hands still in front of his chest... He was so surprised and happy that he didn't immediately get up. But when he did he had SO MUCH energy and such a HUGE smile on his face! He ran so hard and didn't even care when he didn't catch her. I am not sure, but I think maybe duck duck goose changed that little boy's life. He was glowing for the rest of the day! I knew that it was a moment to cherish as an observer/ teacher, and I was reminded of the value [and the sweetness] of childlike faith and hope. Later in the afternoon I was happy to receive a card from the boy's teacher [a great teacher!]. Inside there was a picture of me beside the praying boy, with just the approaching legs of the little girl. What a treasure!! A great reminder of both a beautiful moment and a life principle.

2006-07-21T13:06:00.000+09:00

Last week was a great great week! My sisters came to visit! My friends came with me to pick them up at the airport and we stopped at an onsen [spa] on the way home to soak in the hot tubs. Then dinner and home for bed. The week was packed. Here's the schedule:
Monday: We were up early for school at Kinugasa elementary. After school we went to a friend's house to try on kimonos... It was a great experience! Beautiful kimonos! Turns out the obi [belt] that I had on cost 10,000 dollars on its own! WOW!! Anyway, it was a very nice experience watching the process and seeing ourselves in kimono.
Tuesday: We went to school again, and after school went for a hike, then to dinner at a favorite restaurant, and followed up with karaoke night. Lots of fun, but I kined of lost my voice by the end of it.
Wednesday: School, then in the evening went to a JICA party... Japanese people and foreign visitors from all over... Interesting mingling! Government ministers from Iraq and Afghanistan, and other scholars from all over!
Thursday: School again, and a farewell party for me and the other English teachers who are leaving with members of the board of education... At an Italian restaurant!
Friday: Took a day off. We got up and went to Nagoya. After we bought sumo tickets we went next door to Nagoya castle then back to watch sumo for several hours. Afterwards we went to our friend's house in Osaka. My sisters met the baby! She is precious!
Saturday: We got up and went on a whirlwind tour! First stop- Nara Hotel. We had a posh brunch. Five courses of delicious Japanese-French food. Next was Todai-ji with the Great Buddha. From there we went back to Osaka to relax a couple of hours, then on to Kobe. We went for some snacks at the China town there. Then we went to see the longest bridge in the world! It was beautifully lit up with colorful lights, and around 9 pm they all went in rainbow colors. It was fun! After that we went back to Osaka for sleeping... Nice day with an old friend.
Sunday: We got up and went to the 100 yen shop and then to Kyoto. In Kyoto we met up with my boyfriend so he got to briefly meet my sisters as we had lunch in a revolving sushi restaurant and walked through Gion Matsuri to Kiyomizu temple. It was a great day in spite of some crowded streets and rain... After dinner at a ramen restaurant we came home and rested up for Monday.
Monday: We had planned a beach barbecue with friends but it was rainy, so instead we went to a famous shave-ice place at the end of the peninsula, visited the beach, and went to karaoke and dinner. It was a really nice time with super fun friends! It was a national holiday so everybody was free! We had a great time! After it all my younger sister had to pack up to go home!
Tuesday: Airport trip... We went to Toyohashi on the train... We met up with my Kenyan friend James and Japanese friend Ai on the train. Good timing! :) Then we took the bus to the airport. After check-in we went to have lunch and then to the airport onsen. It was interesting to watch a plane take off from the bath... After we said goodbye it was back to Tahara for French dinner with Japanese friends and another English teacher. Fun! Since then we have been a bit more relaxed, trying to work on wrapping things up. I will write a separate blog entry for my last day of school...

2006-07-05T17:58:00.000+09:00

Wow, I had one of the greatest weekends ever! After a really great party with friends from Tahara I had a few hours of sleep then it was off to Tokyo. There I met up with 2 amazing guys--my wonderful boyfriend and his older brother! We had such a nice time going around Tokyo, touring museums, walking, talking, just enjoying being together. :) I have not smiled and laughed so much in one weekend in a long time. :) The next day we spent some more time in Tokyo and then moved on to Kyoto. We had a walking tour of Kyoto and saw so much beauty and relaxed while getting to know each other better. Some highlights... 1. That first hug in a long time from my boyfriend and meeting his brother! 2. Karaoke in Shibuya... Lots of fun and good laughs! Worth every yen! 3. Lunch by the falls at Kiomizu Temple in Kyoto... Delicious, relaxing, and beautiful with clear air and great company! Perfect! 4. Shinkansen ride and watching the sun set behind Mt. Fuji! 5. Meeting up with a friend randomly in the streets between Gion and Kiomizu... Perfect coincidence!! 6. Eating at the kaitenzushi [conveyor-belt sushi restaurant]. 7. A special performance of a variety of Japanese arts. 8. Undying enthusiasm!
Well I came home exhausted but so happy and filled with smiles from a great weekend! What makes it even better is that I get to tour Kyoto again in two weeks with my boyfriend and my sisters!! Wonderful!! This weekend reminded me of some of the things that I really love about Japan!! And I realized again how lucky I am to have found such a great boyfriend with a nice family!! I am very happy!!

2006-06-26T22:07:00.000+09:00

Saturday was a beach party in town and I was up and out early in the morning to help prep and get people from the station to the beach. Well there ended up being a ton of people and a ton of food and the weather was perfect!! Everyone was really nice and we all just relaxed, grilled, ate... I tried surfing for the first time, only for a very few minutes, and I decided that it could be fun. Hmm... too bad I'm moving... There were plenty of nice chats, good laughs and it was all rounded out by a campfire and some fireworks. The stars were beautiful, the waves were pounding, and a big happy group of gaijin [foreigners] thoroughly enjoyed each other's company!

2006-06-22T17:48:00.000+09:00

It has been a great week! Monday night I had a long talk and tasty dinner with a good friend, and was reminded of the importance of close friendship, and openness. I am very grateful to all of my wonderful friends! I hope to see you again soon!!

Tuesday night I went to a fellow teacher's home. We first walked around the neighborhood, past the family garden, the family rice paddy, and the neighborhood playground. This area was Noda, which is part of Tahara but has a very different feel from where I live. There are rice fields everywhere, and the houses are larger and somewhat more spread out. I don't think there are any apartments in Noda. It looks much more like traditional Japan, and I suppose it feels that way too. I certainly felt like I had travelled a lot further than 15 minutes away! The house was very traditional, and beautiful! There were intricate wood carvings and beautifully painted sliding doors. The youngest son, a 5th grader, came home from school. He did his homework while we prepared for dinner. We washed and sliced vegetables for tempura. The grandmother came in and showed us her hands... her fingertips were purply red from the leaves that she had been chopping to preserve plums as umeboshi. She was so sweet and cute and friendly and had been working hard in the garden and preparing foods. It reminded me of my own grandmother and that made me very happy! Later she took me and showed me the amazingly ornate family shrine in the tatami room. Each morning she puts silver goblets of rice and a cup of water there for the ancestors. Each night she takes them up. The pictures of her own grandmother and grandfather were hanging on the wall above. It seems that she draws a lot of strength and happiness from this commemoration of her ancestors, and she sees it as her duty, since the younger generation is busy working and running the household. I can't help wondering if this tradition will persist... I also could not help wondering how my life would be impacted if I set aside time to commemorate and honor my ancestors every morning and night. I sometimes think about my heritage, but perhaps not enough. It is perhaps a bigger influence on me than I generally realize/ acknowledge... Anyway, we eventually ate dinner together, and it was so nice, eating vegetables from their garden, sitting across from the little boy, relaxing and eating together. I realized again the importance of family. Closeness. Consistency. I realized how much that is something that I have been missing sometimes. I am really looking forward to my sisters' visit! :)
The final event for the evening was calligraphy, taught by the little boy. He decided to teach me "ai" -love. It is a beautiful but complex character. He wrote it beautifully. Then he told me what to do, step by step. It was really fun, and we traded. Nice souvenir of a great night! What a nice experience with a very kind and fun Japanese family!

2006-06-17T22:56:00.000+09:00

Really good weekend! :) Friday night biked with a friend to MOS Burger, passing some beautiful and peaceful rice-fields along the way. The cool night air and the sound of the frogs with just a bit of fog made the atmosphere so beautiful and relaxing! It was a great time with a dear friend and a nice memory of Japan! I would not have wanted to bike there alone though. Very dark and isolated. Sat morning got up and did some laundry/ cleaning and then caught a train to Okazaki for ultimate frisbee. That was really fun, nice game with great people, except it was marred by a pretty substantial [and prolonged] rainfall. It didn't stop us from playing, but it made for a pretty cold and damp ride home. Oh well!

I had time to shower and change before going to a fellow-teacher's house for dinner. It was really nice and fun! The family has recently returned from Belgium, and we had lots of interesting things to talk about. It is funny how I can relate so well to them even though our "home cultures" are so different. There is something about having common experiences that brings people together... I hope that their readjustment to Japan is enjoyable! :) They are great people!

Sunday held less "excitement" but was a thoroughly enjoyable day. In addition to laundry and cleaning and other less-than-exciting chores, I did some activities for inspiration/ relaxation and clearing my head. First I tried a bit of yoga but realized I am still nowhere near an expert. I hope to learn more. Then I listened to a Bible study CD. It was interesting with some new [to me] insights... I talked to my sister as well, and that was great! It's been a long time!! Finally, I spent a few hours doing calligraphy and just letting my mind totally engage in the activity. Since I did that I have felt much happier and more relaxed about everything in my life! I think I have an artist hiding inside... or at least a wannabe artist. If I end up spending more time in Japan, I would definitely like to invest some of my energy in developing my interests in pottery, calligraphy and flower-arranging.

...flower arranging... Monday at school I was privileged to join the flower-arranging club after school. We had a good time placing flowers and comparing arrangements. Another thoroughly enjoyable activity for me. :) I love flowers. Working with them makes me happy. I particularly love taking a random bunch of flowers and arranging them to make something even more beautiful. That is what ikebana is! I think I am part Japanese!!

Today [Tuesday] was another great day. School was fun [again!] although it got REALLY hot [it has begun. :( ]. After school I tried to catch up on emails, and then I got picked up for dinner. I went to a very sweet lady's house and had a great time with her and her family! They live out in the countryside, with fields and rice paddies all around... It was such a peaceful and beautiful place! We took a walk and she took some fruits to her son's calligraphy teacher to share [someone had given her 2 bags full!]. She also pulled some carrots, picked a cucumber and 2 green peppers and many "shiso" leaves. Then we went back to the house and started preparing dinner. We made "tempura." It was my first time, and it was not as difficult as I thought it would be! It actually just takes patience. The process is rather simple. Well she prepared a huge feast! It was fun working together [until the grandmother pulled me aside to show me the family shrine, and then to show me the gardens and eventually she even sent me climbing up a spider-webby orange tree after some oranges to take home. What a cute and sweet lady! The son was really cute too! He had written out a "schedule" of events to take place around dinner, beginning with his own opening remarks, followed by a greeting by me, the polite beginning of dinner "itadakimasu", the polite ending of dinner "gochisosamadeshita," and a calligraphy lesson taught by Keisuke sensei. That was fun! He decided to teach me a very difficult kanji. "ai" = love. It is beautiful though! :) We had a good time painting together, and he was really good! :) We traded calligraphy as presents. It was so nice to be in a family atmosphere, to eat fresh foods, and to see/ experience a different side of Japan [although it was only about 15 minutes from where I live!]. I like the "inaka" [country] life! ...at least for one evening...

2006-06-15T21:19:00.000+09:00

On Sunday I went to glaze the pottery that I made with the Volunteer Interpreters group. I was excited to see how my pieces turned out! When I arrived at the shop I was happy to see my friends and surprised to see... a photographer. It turns out that foreigners making pottery in Tahara is a newsworthy event! Since that time MANY people have commented on the news article, asking me questions about what I made, the fact that I might give it to my grandmother, clarifying confusion about my name [the article listed me as "Brandon san" and everybody knows me as Keely], etc. It's been interesting. Apparently a lot of pepole really read the paper cover to cover!

2006-06-15T17:50:00.000+09:00

It has been an interesting week! Monday to Wednesday I went to Akabane Elementary school. At Akabane they now have the system of doing the same lesson plan for every class. That's fine, but I definitely have to tweak it to make it fun and appropriate for 1st through 6th graders! This week they wanted ABC song, a color dice game and color "karuta." Instead of the "traditional" ABC song, for instance, I did the march version with the older kids. I had them marching around the room and chanting after me... lots of fun. Lots of smiles. Much better than the sense of dread that filled their eyes when they first heard that we were going to sing an ABC song. Karuta, although simple, seems to be a favorite for many of the kids. Basically they listen to me and hit the card that I say. The fastest one wins or they do "jan-ken" (rock, paper, scissors) to break ties. It would be too boring not to play little tricks, so I'd throw in random words like "hippopotamus" or "banana" to throw them off. With the older kids I had them say something that is the appropriate color before they could hit the card. Very funny to watch. My favorite Karuta moment has to be from the 1st grade class. One little boy was so elated when he finally won a card [white] that he suddenly had to pee. He ran out of the room, card in tow, and the teacher ran after him to rescue it... When she came back the card was wet [with water, she assured us]. I love second graders! Another interesting moment was with the dice game. There was a huge colorful die made from a box, and I rolled it and had the kids cheer for a color. If they guessed it they got to sit down. Well all week it had landed disproportionately on the brown side. The teacher assigned each row in this class to a particular color. One little boy in "the brown row" was really not happy with his assignment and kept complaining and frowning. I thought "Well, soon enough he'll see that he's lucky." However, apparently his gloom was powerful, and the other kids' cheers and ostensibly prayers even more so. Roll after roll, the other colors came up, even colors that almost NEVER were rolled in all the other classes. I was stupified. Finally there was only the brown row still standing, and still it took a few rolls before brown came up. I wish I had a picture of the kids cheering and praying for their colors to come up. SO CUTE! But most of all it was a reminder to me that attitude really does have power to affect a situation. Maybe that was a lesson that I needed to be reminded of, albeit in a silly way. Two more exceptional things took place at Akabane this week. Now for the most bizarre/ surprising thing of the week... At lunch we all got slices of melon. Granted in the US this would not be so exceptional, but here, where melons regularly cost at LEAST $10 [much much higher in big cities]. Well we all ate our melon slices happily. This particular type was a honeydew with a thin yellow skin. I had just finished mine when I noticed that one little boy at our table seemed to be chewing much harder than should be necessary to chew the soft melon that we had been eating. Then I noticed that a chunk of the rind was missing. Yes, he was eating the WHOLE slice of melon. Some others followed along, and talked about how delicious it was. Others looked at them like they were crazy, and still others gave it a try and made horrible faces before spitting it back out. In what other job can you have working lunches like this?? I will miss these schools, the teachers, the kids, the crazy/ fun experiences that I have day by day. I feel blessed to have been an ALT in Tahara for almost 3 years! So unforgettable!

2006-06-11T23:11:00.000+09:00

The first time that I ever deeply questioned the quality of my own educational background, I was in the 5th grade. My family had moved to France, and the school was very different from Sonora Elementary back in Kentucky! Before I go any further I want to clarify that I received a wonderful basic education at Sonora, and I am extremely grateful to all of the teachers and faculty and my friends there who contributed greatly to my life. Because of them [and my loving, supportive and encouraging family environment] I enjoyed school and learning from the very beginning.
Regardless of the merits of my previous academic environment, I quickly realized some of its faults when I arrived at Morier, my school in Joue-les-Tours, France. First of all, there were some great perks in this French school that had been missing in the US. The most noticeable was "recres" or recess. We had plenty of time for freedom and playing throughout a day. As far as I remember there was a short maybe 15 minute break in the middle of the morning. At this time we would all run to the playground for games of tag, marbles, "elastique" [Chinese jumprope?], and chas-bisou [boys and girls chase each other and kiss the captor(s)]... In case of rain we would crowd into the ground-floor open area and watch the boys play round-the-world ping pong, talk and sing French dirty little kids songs. "Au claire de la lune, j'ai pete dans l'eau. Ca faisait des boules, c'etait rigolot. Ma grand-mere arrivait avec un couteau. Elle coupait mes fesses en million morceaux." [Please forgive the lack of correct accents and any improper grammar/ spelling]. I had always read about recess in children's books and thought that it was just another part of the fantasy world that often was represented in kid lit. Now in France I realized that it truly did exist, and perhaps had truly existed in the US in some place and time. I was sad to have missed out on it for so many years!! I did get to play catch-up though. In addition to the morning recess there was about 2 1/2 hours more of break time around lunch!!
Lunch. That was another perk at Morier. There were 2 lunch groups. The first lunch group would go straight to lunch and then have an hour and a half of recess. The second lunch group would play for an hour, have lunch and then have another half hour to play. Either way, you couldn't go wrong! Lunch itself was very different from the US. Cafeterias as well. We went in and sat at our assigned lunch table, with the same group every day. There was a rotation of who would perform "service." Those individuals would go to the kitchen staff and get bowls of food and table settings and bring them to the table. After cleaning and setting the table, they were responsible for serving the food in roughly equal portions to each person at the table. After eating they would scrape and stack the plates and take them back to the kitchen, and wipe down the table. Most days the food was very tasty, and even if it was not my preferred dishes, it was well-balanced and of high quality. My favorite was turkey cutlet with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. Truly delicious! There was also an amazing tomato salad with a lemon/ mustard vinaigrette that I have never been able to replicate or find elsewhere... I am making myself hungry!! Did I mention we also ate in courses? There was also always french bread to go with every meal and a pitcher of water. There was no slopping different foods into the appropriate holes of a cafeteria tray. I learned a lot about French manners and cuisine from those school lunches. I would love to go back there for a meal!! :) Needless to say, there was more learning involved in these rituals than in those of the average school cafeteria in the US. I also developed a great affinity for the French diet and eating customs.
Well aside from these perks there was also some academic excellence. It is very difficult to compare, but I am pretty sure that the level of math was higher in France. I left French school after CM2 [5th year] and was reviewing math instead of learning until at least 7th grade of my US-based home school curriculum. They also managed to teach me to do multiplication and long division of multiple-digit numbers in my head... I wonder if I can still do it... I wonder if everybody can do it... Anyway, I was impressed with myself at the time, haha!
Of course there were drawbacks too. Like the bathroom. There was a girls' side and a boys' side, but the wall down the middle stopped below shoulder-level, just above the row of sinks down the center of the room. I was too embarrassed to go to the bathroom at school for awhile. Nobody else seemed to think it was a big deal.
In spite of some major culture shock and missing many people and things from home, I had a great experience in French school! I am grateful for the brief part of my education that was French!

2006-06-10T02:14:00.000+09:00

It's been a very interesting week! At school meeting one morning the teachers spent about ten minutes discussing whether or not the kids should be allowed to wear their inside shoes into the gym for a typhoon/ typhoon drill, or if they should take the shoes off in the classroom and go to the gym in their socks, or if they should follow normal procedure and change shoes outside the gym and put their inside shoes in their personal cubbies... It's amazing how differences in culture create such different debates! I think it is safe to say that such a debate is not likely to take place in the Western world. It is perhaps important to note that the teacher who brought up the topic is married to a British man. Without such a cross-cultural perspective it's doubtful that anyone would have thought to question the normal procedure at all...

Thursday was an interesting day, deserving of its own entry. Oh well! I left Tahara before 6 am and in spite of grogginess I was looking forward to the day. Instead of going to school I took a holiday and went to Tokyo to the United Nations University [UNU] for an Africa Day Symposium. Nothing too eventful until I got to Tokyo and changed trains to go to Shibuya. There I experienced the most intense shoving and cramming of people in my life with the possible exception of a train to the Aichi World Expo last year. Unfortunately this time I was surrounded by strangers instead of being pressed against my boyfriend... It was incredible... people can really compress if they have to... Just when you think you could not possibly get any closer to the person in front of you another wave of hurried passengers push, push, push their way on and suddenly you feel that you are not as big as you thought you were... Soon afterwards I felt another first... The train left a station and just as it had picked up a bit of speed it slammed on the brakes. Well I really thought we were packed in as tightly as possible... but that jolt proved otherwise... I think we were tight enough that no-one actually hit the ground, but there was definitely a domino effect down the center of the train. I felt particularly bad for all the young ladies in heelstrying to keep their balance. From that point onwards I decided that maybe it was a good idea to hold on to a handle no matter what. After a few stops the train cleared out a lot and I actually even got a seat! Well I think I got to experience Tokyo rush hour. It was an interesting experience, but not one that I would want to repeat every day.
Well I made it to the UNU and settled in for the symposium. I met several professors from different universities and found out about some interesting programs! I also met a woman who is managing a JICA [Japan International Cooperation Agency] project in Tanzania! She was particularly nice! I think there is something about Africa that does something to a person's aura... I could feel that something in her... Well the symposium itself was interesting. A lot of ideas were exchanged. For being Africa Day, however, it was very... Western. The format was very typical with speeches, a panel discussion and time for questions. Some of the speakers had very insightful things to say, others provided less food for thought. Perhaps the best speaker was the president of Botswana. I appreciated his straightforward honesty and openness. If you are interested, check out the broadcast... http://c3.unu.edu/unuvideo/index.cfm?fuseaction=event.home&EventID=86
Well it was a great event, particularly for mixing with a diverse group of people interested in Africa, trade and development... I enjoyed hearing African perspectives on things, but I am curious how truly representative the opinions of leaders and ambassadors are of the people as a whole. I suppose it is normal, but it seemed that most of the questions remained unanswered... Possibly because they are some of the most difficult of our time... I think I definitely want to invest myself in some way in Africa. Creating jobs, community forums, improving the quality of life in some way. I see so much magic and potential and vitality there. There is so much to be learned and explored in the world. I hope I can be active in bringing people and ideas together to synergize!

Before leaving Tokyo I found a bookstore with an English section and bought a new collection of books. I read "Tuesdays With Morrie" on the way home. Good book. Interesting thoughts and some very concise wisdom. I hope to incorporate some of its lessons into my life. For instance, daeling with feelings by acknowledging them, experiencing them deeply and then letting them go, instead of repressing them. I liked the way that it showed the importance of love, and its primacy in life. Perhaps my favorite piece of wisdom was the importance of redifining for oneself what is most important, rather than simply buying into the culture and succumbing to the pressure to follow the "normal" or expected path.

Every event that I participate in and every new skill that I learn is one step forward in my growth and life path. I hope that I can make a difference in the lives of people around me, and through the ripple effect impact the world for good. I think every day I learn, every time I make someone smile, every time my mind is opened, I come closer to the life I am meant to live. Life is made of moments, and I should just live my best in each moment and make a difference in the lives I touch day by day.

2006-05-31T19:12:00.000+09:00

Today was a very interesting day! I had some classes, and they were pretty standard. I played outside with kids in every free moment, including some time practicing unicycles! These kids can fly around so fast it's amazing! Meanwhile I was sticking close to the bars that I could hold on to as I "rode." It was fun and with a little more practice I might be able to go forward for one full pedal without falling! Haha! I still have a long way to go!

Another thing that was different about today was cleaning the pool! The outdoor pools are not covered for the winter, and there is a thick layer of dirt and leaves and sticks all over the bottom and all around the edges of the pool... Basically it is one big muck-covered concrete hole. So the 4th 5th and 6th graders all went out with scrub brushes, sponges, squeegies and hoses and set to work... I helped out! Wow, it is not easy and it took several hours with everybody working, but the kids worked hard and sometimes even seemed to be having fun. It is definitely satisfying to see a dirty mucky area suddenly turn sparkly blue!

There was one more event that brought all the kids together to work for the common good... The 6th graders brought out the hundreds of cans that had been collected [easily 80% beer cans] and dumped them on the ground and everybody stomped on them and crunched them down flat. The noise was incredible! I remember as a kid I liked crunching cans after finishing a drink, but I had never experienced such a mass can-crushing before.

Still, the most surprising thing of the day had to be school lunch. Well I found out that school lunch was shrimp dumplings, rice, [so far so good] and sweet and sour... Whale! Wow! I couldn't believe it! What's wrong with sweet and sour pork? Chicken? It really was whale. I struggled for the longest time before it was time to eat, wondering what I should do. It is generally appreciated when I eat everything, because the kids are discouraged from pickiness and they have to eat everything. So I eat everything whether I like it or not. But this was the first time that I had to struggle with my conscience. Well I decided that it was too late to help this whale whether or not I ate it, and didn't make an issue of it. I assume it is not illegal or they would not be serving it all over town. SURELY it is not an endangered variety... I can only hope!!! I definitely stared at it for a long time before I could bring myself to take the first bite. Poor whale! It was not terrible, but it was pretty chewy. And black! I definitely would have been happy with just sweet and sour veggies. After lunch the vice principal asked me "what's the difference between that and a cow?" Well... I remembered the dogs hanging in butcher shops in Vietnam, and how I realized that it was just a cultural difference. Somehow whale seems different though... There are plenty of dogs and cows in the world... I welcome other people's thoughts... It is a complex and convoluted issue... I don't intend to make a practice of eating whale though.

2006-05-30T22:42:00.000+09:00

I have had some fun days at school! Monday was club day at Doho, so I walked around and observed several clubs... There was a club for goard games, one for traditional Japanese games, one for tea ceremony [I learned along with them], arts, crafts, sign language, cooknig and several for sports... Lots of fun! Today before school the kids all met outside and had a little mock sumo tournament! It was so cute and fun to watch! I got some nice pictures... There were some surprising upsets! Apparently sumo skills really do go far beyond size! Maybe it's not too late for me to be the next great one...

2006-05-28T18:36:00.000+09:00

Today I spent time with old friends, and it was a very fun girls' day! First we went to a flea market "AKA Free Market" Noda at Sante Park... There were lots of nice things to buy at great prices, and I was surprised by the variety of languages I heard spoken there! Japanese [of course], Chinese, Tagalog and English! It was fun! While shopping we got hungry so we decided to go to a cafe in Tahara. I ordered my favorite... A chicken sandwich on toasted bread... a mound of white meat chicken thinly sliced and topped with a delicious basil sauce, lettuce and tomatos. I will miss those sandwiches when I leave! I will have to try making my own basil sauce! :) Well we all had the same sandwiches, but were still a little hungry [we had a "betsu bara" which technically means "separate stomach" but in practice it means "there's always room for dessert!!"], so we went to the crepe shop next door. I got a strawberries and cream cheese crepe. We walked from there to the kite festival going on around the library. It was really nice walking through the area where groups were flying the kites, cooking food, watching, talking, and just enjoying the festival atmosphere. This was my third time to see the kite festival, but it was by far the best weather we've had for it since I have been here. It was a very sunny and summery day with JUST the right amount of wind. Considering they were forcasting rain I think we are really lucky! Possibly because my friends and I are all "hare onna" [sunshine girls] and getting us together creates an unstoppable force for sunshine!
At any rate it was fun talking with people [including plenty of my students], watching the competitors strategize and give orders to teammates [it was a kite battle!], and seeing the whole culture of the kite-battle world... I still can't figure out the techniques that they use [I am by no means an expert kite-flyer] but I know that they lace the kite strings with glass powder. My best understanding is that each team has a specific number of kites that they can fly throughout the competition, and the team that cuts the most kites down without having their own kites fall is the winner... Just looking at the kites is interesting. Some teams represent families. Others represent a company or organization. Toyota has a team [there is a factory in town] and so does City Hall. It is a very interesting festival that brings the community together in a unique way. Well after walking all the way up and down the line of team tents and vans we went back to the open space in front of the library and practiced flying kites of our own. It was fun but my kite was a bit broken and preferred to do donuts in the sky... Oh well! After some kite-flying time we took our "betsu-betsu baras" and drove to Toyohashi to get some famously delicious cakes at a shop there. Then we went to an imports store to get drinks and took our loot to a nearby park for a picnic... It was deliciously fun! I purchased a bottle of sparkling grape juice for all to share. As soon as we sat down a small flock of pigeons came to check us out... Apparently they could tell that we had brought food... We tried several methods to scare them away but nothing was working. Well when Elizabeth uncorked the bottle it was a major projectile-launching POP [it had not been chilled so the pressure must have been intense] and they all went flying! Perfect! We got a good laugh and we were left alone for at least five minutes after that. Only one particularly bold bird returned at all. After that we came home happy and satisfied from a nice relaxing day with great friends!

2006-05-26T18:49:00.001+09:00

I want to introduce you to one of my favorite places in Tahara

2006-05-26T18:49:00.000+09:00

come on in!!

2006-05-26T18:47:00.000+09:00

This is one small part of an amazing library!

2006-05-26T18:46:00.000+09:00

it's a multi-functional gathering place

2006-05-26T18:43:00.000+09:00

this way to the auditoriums, the TV lounge area, some classrooms and another exit.

2006-05-26T18:42:00.000+09:00

from the central area there is easy access to the library, the culture center, auditoriums, a gymnasium and many multi-purpose rooms... This building is a perfect place for community functions

2006-05-26T18:38:00.000+09:00

a beautiful garden courtyard provides a touch of nature that enhances the atmosphere greatly!

2006-05-26T18:35:00.000+09:00

this is a view down the hallway, with the TIA [Tahara international association] office upstairs and popular study/ meeting areas downstairs

2006-05-26T18:17:00.000+09:00

Life keeps moving and I keep growing... I am facing major changes in my life and it is exciting and a little scary at the same time. I have been debating for months about what path is the best to take, and I have had some doors close and some new ones open. I have tried to stay positive and am constantly on the lookout for new opportunities. Meanwhile I have kept in mind a few of my top options... Incredibly some great jobs have shown up on my radar- jobs which had not previously existed but I had dreamed of in my imagination... Most recently I have been amazed by the way that a potentially perfect path has fallen into place for me. I will definitely be able to have some travel time between this job and the next, which I hope to divide between visiting friends, exploring on my own and doing some volunteer activities. If I am accepted for the jobs that I want, I will be able to fulfill multiple dreams within the year! I am realizing how important it is to have imagination and faith, and what a powerful combination they can be! I have come to understand the phrase "If you can dream it, you can do it!" Now my challenge is to create bigger dreams and to act on them!

2006-05-23T21:53:00.001+09:00

The sky was full of battling kites!!

2006-05-23T21:53:00.000+09:00

I recently went to Hamamatsu's kite festival... beautiful kites, fun times!!

2006-05-23T21:50:00.000+09:00

I experienced Tokyo Disney Sea! Indiana Jones brings out the full range of emotions

2006-05-23T21:49:00.000+09:00

underwater playground

2006-05-23T21:47:00.000+09:00

Mediterranean Harbor area

2006-05-23T21:45:00.000+09:00

I don't think we're in Japan anymore Toto!!!

2006-05-23T21:35:00.000+09:00

6th grade acrobatics at the sports festival

2006-05-23T20:20:00.000+09:00

Over the weekend I had one more required Japan experience... I went to Tokyo Disney! There are actually two separate Disney theme parks there, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea. Because it is more unique we chose to go to Disney Sea. It was a very busy and exhausting but extremely fun day! We left home before 6 am and headed to the train station. We took the Shinkansen, which is the best way to travel in Japan if you can afford the steep prices... It took awhile to get to the theme park, but we were excited! Once there I was amazed by the detailed planning [and incredible amounts of money!] put into the place!! I also noticed the same phenomenon that I've always heard about but never quite believed... It is at least as popular for dates as it is for children! Well date or no date it certainly made for an entertaining day! In one amusment park it was possible to stroll through beautiful stereotyped recreations of a number of different world regions/ imaginary worlds... a Mediterranean town, a Central/ S. American jungle village, Middle-Eastern streets/ marketplace, an old style US seaboard/ NYC street area, a volcano and of course Ariel's own Mermaid Lagoon... We managed to ride almost every ride [definitely the most popular ones], and we saw two very interesting shows. The food was great too... I had some quite tasty fajitas and delicious coconut popcorn! Who can forget meeting Jiminy Cricket, Pinochio, Goofy, Chip and Dale [Dale played with my bouncy curly hair], Scrooge, a VERY convincing princess Jasmine and less identical but just as smiley Aladdin, funny monkey [he could sign autographs "Abu" too!], a rather disconcerting Jafar, and a couple of different [region-appropriately dressed] Mickey and Minnie!? Unfortunately because of extreme wind and a small earthquake we were unable to take a boat ride or gondola ride. At the end of the day we tried to eat at a nearby shopping center before catching the train back to Tokyo and then home, but to our chagrin all of the nice/ appealing restaurants had waits of about 1 hour because of wedding parties! I guess that shows that Tokyo Disney is a popular place for weddings as well!! So I ended up having ramen in the food court... haha! Overall it was a great experience and I would go again. I am glad that I went and enjoyed Disneyland Japan style! :)
If you would like to know more or are ready to plan your next vacation, check out the website: http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/tds/index_e.html

2006-05-18T20:56:00.000+09:00

Hello! Life is proceeding very nicely. I have had some really fun times at school. Now the kids are practicing for their Sports Festival. The things they do and the organization with which they do them are amazing. Sometimes it seems very militaristic. At other times much more like circus tricks. It is an amazing experience to see all of the kids working together and doing what I would consider stunts. Very athletic, very fun, and lots of team-building elements! Another interesting Japanese cultural tidbit is the "Radio Taiso" [?], stretches set to music which are broadcast every morning on national TV [was on the radio] at 6:30. The kids learn these stretches as part of their basic education and perform them at the sports festival. It is fun to watch them all stretching in sync. If you are going to be in Tahara on the 27th let me know, you can come to the "undokai" [sports festival]!

2006-04-26T01:02:00.000+09:00

This past month I have been travelling a lot! I have had two trips to Tokyo, one trip to Osaka, one to Kyoto, one to Kanazawa and one to Gero Onsen. I've also been enjoying some great weather for hiking here in Tahara. I had the pleasure of hosting friends from the US during the last week and we had a lot of travels and good times together. It was great to be with them and see and hear their fresh perspective on everything. I am so happy to have great friends! :) I look forward to more visits from others before I leave Japan. I also am realizing how much I will miss this place, miss my friends, miss so many things about my life here... I do look forward to the opportunities ahead of me though. I have a really wonderful life and I want to share it with as many people as I can! I also want to make the most of the time that I have left here!

2006-04-26T00:38:00.000+09:00

view from the teahouse, Ikenohara koen, Tahara

2006-04-26T00:12:00.000+09:00

tea ceremony class

2006-04-26T00:11:00.000+09:00

lamps at a Tahara shrine

2006-04-26T00:10:00.000+09:00

Ikenohara koen teahouse, Tahara

2006-04-25T23:58:00.000+09:00

cherry blossom viewing Yoyogi Koen Tokyo

2006-04-25T23:57:00.000+09:00

cherry blossoms: Ueno koen, Tokyo

2006-04-25T23:52:00.000+09:00

Gero Onsen- hot springs resort. It snowed!!!

2006-04-25T23:40:00.000+09:00

we stopped at a footbath

2006-04-25T23:39:00.000+09:00

ahhhh!

2006-04-25T23:38:00.000+09:00

Gero from above

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Gero's Gassho Village

2006-04-25T23:36:00.000+09:00

Gero Onsen, Cure Garden spa

2006-04-25T23:32:00.000+09:00

one of Tahara's best sakura spots

2006-04-25T23:30:00.000+09:00

Takigashira is full of beauty

2006-04-25T23:28:00.000+09:00

Takigashira koen, Tahara

2006-04-25T23:14:00.001+09:00

evening in the park: Kenrokuen, Kanazawa

2006-04-25T23:14:00.000+09:00

busy bridge: Kenrokuen, Kanazawa

2006-04-25T23:13:00.001+09:00

sakura in bloom: Kenrokuen, Kanazawa

2006-04-25T23:13:00.000+09:00

the beautiful Kenrokuen

2006-04-25T23:10:00.000+09:00

welcome to Kanazawa!

2006-04-25T23:09:00.000+09:00

lunch on the go!

2006-03-17T17:22:00.000+09:00

Today was a really nice day at school. I had classes that were fun, I got the English materials sorted and arranged and ready to go for next year, even made some new ones... The best part was after lunch all the kids cleaned and decorated for graduation... I helped decorate the classrooms for the 6th graders... It was fun drawing on the boards and the kids were excited to have English "congratulations" and rainbows... After that we all hung paper chains and flowers all over the rooms. Then the kids left and the female teachers made flower arrangements. It was really fun! I even got to bring a few flowers home... I was really sad to leave that school for the last time this year... I don't know if I will see all of the teachers again. In this area teachers don't choose where they work. The system is mysterious, but some group of people makes decisions about who will have what job. I noticed a lot of changes each year in April, and I missed the chance to say goodbye to some favorite teachers. It is really sad! The worst part is that the teachers themselves don't have any say in it, and they don't know until the last week of school! So as I imagined the possibility that I would not meet some of these teachers again I got really sad and tears came to my eyes. As I got onto my bike one made it to my cheek. I really will miss so many things when I leave Tahara...

2006-03-16T23:47:00.000+09:00

Today was a nice day. I went to a favorite school and had some fun classes. It was cloudy and rained off and on all day. Just as I was leaving school it was not raining so I was happy. :) I stopped at a grocery store on the way home as a few drops of rain started to fall again... Several kids were there buying candy and snacks after school. They called out to me/ ran up and talked... It was really fun! We compared our shopping items and laughed and talked a bit. I kept running in to kids throuhout the store and even when I went outside. As I put my bags in my bike basket two little boys yelled "Keely Sensei!" and then "ping pong, ping pong!" Apparently they really enjoyed our sports lesson the other day... :) I love these kids! I will miss these random encounters when I leave.

2006-03-04T00:47:00.000+09:00

Long time no post. Time has been flying past, and there is so much to be done! I am really getting into an online course I'm taking. I've been working hard on an evening adult class as well. Most of all I'm putting out lots of applications and feelers etc. trying to line up the perfect plan for next year... The next few months will be a time of so much decision making, test-taking and interviewing, combined with lotsof wrapping and saying goodbye... It will be sad to leave Tahara and especially all my wonderful friends! I will miss the kids especially! I hope to start documenting my day-to-day life a bit more in preparation for leaving. Today seems like a good day to start.
I was at Takamatsu Elementary. One of my favorite schools! At one point the principal came up to me and asked a question. He asked me how many syllables "spring" has in English. The answer blew his mind. He was reading about this concept in a book and thought if he heard a native pronounce it then he could understand. In Japanese each "letter" is a syllable and they don't blend sounds like we do in English, so the Japanese pronunciation would be "su-pu-ri-n-gu"- 5 syllables. Other highlights of the day include playing catch w/ some boys at recess, and playing Simon Says with the second . Lots of fun! Japan is a very interesting place to live!

2006-02-01T23:19:00.000+09:00

Today was the second week of my winter English conversation class. It was a lot of fun! Mostly the class revolved around getting to know each other, and we played my version of a "speed dating" game. I learned a lot about lots of students! It is a great group! I really look forward to getting to know them better!

At the end we asked if anyone had any questions, and one lady stood up. She started talking really fast and excitedly in Japanese. I couldn't understand what she was saying completely, but I thought she said they had all met before, and something about Tokugawa Iyeyasu [Japanese historical figure]... Turns out she told everyone that they'd all met before at a castle in Shizuoka during the Edo period... [All but me and the other teacher [foreigners]. ...Apparently Japanese and foreign souls are reincarnated separately...??] It caused some confusion/ awkwardness, but overall nobody seemed to take it seriously. I am really curious how this dynamic will play out throught the rest of the classes. But anyway, I am glad that the students seemed to have a really nice time talking and interacting, and I look forward to lots of great times ahead.

On a totally unrelated note, someone pointed out my use of unexplained Japanese in a previous post. Sorry!"Niku jaga" is Japanese home-cooking... Potatoes stewed with small slices of meat, carrots, onions and "konyaku" (which I think is made from "mountain potatos" and looks like grey speckled spaghetti-like gummy worms... allegedly 0 calories...), and flavored with soy sauce, sweet cooking rice wine, soy sauce and sugar. Give it a try! Good luck finding the konyaku! (No, you can't substitute gummy worms...)

2006-02-01T00:37:00.000+09:00

Outside De Pelgrom

2006-02-01T00:36:00.000+09:00

De Pelgrom in Antwerp

2006-02-01T00:32:00.000+09:00

Belgian feast!

2006-01-31T21:12:00.000+09:00

My last entry provoked some responses, and I feel the need to clarify. A dear Belgian friend gently reminded me that perhaps Boursin is not the world's BEST cheese after all... I have to say, it is definitely to be held in high esteem, and I place it tops in one category [creamy/ brittle cheeses]. Of mild and sliceable yellow cheeses, best eaten on french ...er... Belgian? bread... the best I've found is Maredsous- a cheese made by monks in Belgium. My first experience with this cheese was during a picnic on a lovely wildflower-covered hillside, I believe in the Ardennes, with my friends and my sister. [Just before the picnic we picked wild blueberries. Just after the picnic we took a drive to Germany. I had never been to Germany and we were pretty close, so we just drove into the very tip, said hello, and on through Luxemburg back into Belgium. Unfortunately for my friend's car, in the course of one of the especially sharp curves that we encountered the box of hand-picked blueberries tipped and they went rolling all over the back seat. Hence, I spent most of the few minutes in Germany bent over picking up blueberries off the floorboard... Memories!]. Since that time, no visit to Belgium has been complete without eating some [a lot!] of that cheese! Of course no visit to Belgium is complete without eating a long list of delicious treats. Waffles [two mouthwatering types with variations of toppings-my favorite is Brussels waffel with whipped cream], chocolate [world's best, I can hardly eat other kinds... which is possibly better for my health... BIG THANKS to my "source" who unfailingly sends me a box of Neuhaus pralines for my birthday and other special occasions], spkeuloos, raclettes, seafood, fries... In Antwerp, my favorite spot to eat is De Pelgrom... a very cool restaurant with uniquely romantic ambiance and fabulous food. If it's winter, round off your meal with a hot chocolate! Must be the world's best... But... don't take my word for it. Go see for yourself! Delicious! Lekker!!! I am making myself want to get on a plane and go back... I think there is no end of culinary delights in Belgium. Food lover's paradise! [Not to mention it is full of beauty, charm, history, culture, and best of all, really nice people! But that is for another blog.]

2006-01-24T15:33:00.000+09:00

It's a good week so far. Sunday was relaxing and a good time for reading, reflection and refreshment. I also had a nice dinner/ visit with a friend and neighbor. I made a Japanese home cooking favorite [apparently because I can make "niku jaga" I am ready to get married in rural Japan...]. We had really good talks. She's a great friend! Glad we ended up together in this small town in Japan! Monday was a fun day at school. Kids were great, and classes went really well. Today was another good day there. Lots of smiles and laughs!
Yesterday after school was nice. I went to Sportsbox for my regular Monday swim. I was feeling a bit tired so I did a slow 1 km and then hit the jacuzzi. After my exercise I was craving Italian so I went to the grocery store, and there I met another ALT [English teacher] who lives in town. He gave me a hug [very rare here in Japan!] and we talked and walked as I continued shopping. Turns out he's in a similar situation to me, searching for the best "next step" in life after Tahara... We decided to get together some time soon and talk. I came home and made a yummy dinner... Spaghetti with a meat/ tomato/ spinach/ eggplant sauce [mmm...], and asparagus rolled in bacon and cooked, and french bread with Boursin [the best cheese in the world, do yourself a favor and try it!], and the family favorite salad... As I cooked it crossed my mind how silly I was not to see if my friend had plans already, since I had all this food... So I called him up and we were on the same page. He came over and helped me eat, and we chatted. Nice time! He is a really nice guy and I learned a lot about him. We have some similar interests, it turns out, particularly centering around the developing world... Who knows, he might end up being a co-worker in another time and place. This experience reminded me to make more of an effort to get to know people and spend time together, even if our lives are very separate. The world is full of really nice people!!! Get to know a new one today!

2006-01-21T23:46:00.000+09:00

It was an interesting day. My friend and I went to Okazaki for an international festival, and to meet up with some friends for frisbee/ dinner. We ended up skipping out on the frisbee part due to threatening weather, and perhaps a streak of laziness... :) The festival turned out to be a lot of fun! The food was pretty good [especially a coconut dessert from Brazil!] and there was lots of entertainment, and a recycled kimono "free [flea] market." I got a gorgeous kimono for a pretty good deal! There were many nice ladies there who were kind and helpful. We hope to join more OIA [Okazaki International Association] events in the future.
After the festival we went to join some friends at "Peppers" [a local restaurant]. We walked back to the station, since it seemed the only chance at finding a taxi. We got into a taxi and asked the driver to take us to Peppers. He looked at me like I was crazy. So I repeated it. He repeated it and looked at me like I was crazy. This cycle continued for a little while. Then he asked me more questions. He was disappointed to find out that I didn't know any more info on the place either. Oops. So he got on the radio with other taxi drivers, who acted like HE was crazy. Next step was rolling down his window and banging on the side of his door to get the attention of other taxi drivers in the line-up. Their interactions mirrored those of the driver and myself. None of them knew the place either. They were amused though [so were we!!!!]. Finally the driver ended up lending me his cell phone to call my friend to get better directions! They chatted and he found the place no problem [after passing along the info out the window to his buddies]. Now THAT'S service!!

2006-01-21T20:52:00.000+09:00

went to Okazaki International Festival

2006-01-21T20:35:00.000+09:00

Our yards are being paved... I definitely live in Japan.

2006-01-21T10:08:00.000+09:00

Tokyo just as I'd always imagined...

2006-01-21T10:07:00.000+09:00

Tokyo is a fun place to visit!

2006-01-21T10:04:00.000+09:00

UNIQLO Ginza

2006-01-21T10:03:00.000+09:00

this is the Ginza area of Tokyo. It reminded me a little bit of the fashion section of Antwerp, only full of Japanese people... Notice in one picture the UNIQLO building... my favorite store in Japan! [besides grocery stores]

2006-01-17T22:18:00.000+09:00

For the past week I've been at a great elementary school... one of my favorites! I've played some fun games with kids, had lots of laughs, made lots of funny faces, and counted from 1-10... some insane amount of times... The joys of teaching English in elementary schools!! It really is quite fun! The kids are the best!! :) At lunch yesterday I was talking [and LISTENING] with a really cute little girl [in Japanese]. After about 15 minutes of non-stop conversation she asked me if I could understand Japanese!! I laughed. Then I asked her what language we were speaking... She wasn't sure... maybe... English? :) It's funny how some of the kids can't believe when they look at my face that Japanese could possibly come out of my mouth... :) Another great experience this past week was the class that I spent with the special class [some of my favorites!]. They came to get me, full of smiles and excitement. :) The smallest girl [who everyone loves for her bright personality] was especially happy, and just kept saying "nice to meet you" over and over. We played a human board game and had lots of fun! After school on Monday I joined the tea ceremony club for a cup of green tea and a bean paste sweet. I am really going to miss those when I leave Japan! There will be many things to miss, and among the saddest will be leaving the kids. From other past ALTs' experiences it seems like my last couple of months will be full of goodbyes. I hope to make the most of the time that I have left!!

2006-01-16T01:26:00.000+09:00

nice COOL swimming hole in the rainforest... just before I went swimming a group of students found a HUGE snake just up the hill from here...

2006-01-16T01:23:00.000+09:00

from the rainforest to the reef...

2006-01-16T01:20:00.000+09:00

Cape Tribulation area Far North Queensland Australia

2006-01-16T01:19:00.000+09:00

This bonfire at a local shrine was the place for people to symbolically let go of the past year and start the New Year fresh... the fire is fueled by last year's good luck charms etc. Other traditions include a thorough cleaning of the house, meeting with family, and making "mochi" [sticky rice cakes]. The following morning I went with friends to climb a nearby mountain and see the first sunrise of the year. It seems that not everyone follows the traditions these days, but many still do. I consider myself lucky to have experienced the low-key but meaningful traditional Japanese New Years.

2006-01-16T01:16:00.000+09:00

Christmas in the tropics

2006-01-16T01:12:00.000+09:00

Swimming lagoon in Cairns... great place to cool off and people watch!

2006-01-16T00:03:00.000+09:00

For the Christmas holidays a friend and I went to Tripical North Queensland. We dove on the Great Barrier Reef, relaxed on an idyllic beach, visited "the world's oldest rainforest," discovered some amazing restaurants, and soaked up the warmth that is currently so lacking here in Japan. All in all it was much like any other tropical paradise, but disorientingly developed and modern. I felt like I had arrived in a place that was part Africa and part USA. It was a strange sensation. I was disappointed by the fact that the tourist industry was not devoid of people out to make a buck [or a couple hundred] more than to introduce visitors to the marvels of their homeland, or even to protect the natural beauty. I was also surprised by the attitudes expressed by many of the Australians I encountered towards aboriginal people. Also shocking was the obvious and stark contrast in their economic condition. It reminded me of the deep south of the US [only I suppose it was the "deep north" of Oz]. Basically, though, I think Australian people are very laid back and personable with a ready sense of humor. Next time I go to Australia [and I sincerely hope there will be a "next time"] I plan to avoid the tourist track as much as possible. It would be a perfect place to rent a car with some friends or that special someone and follow my heart or my whims to create a great adventure. With beauty and charm around every corner it would be hard to go wrong!

2006-01-10T17:40:00.000+09:00

It is the New Year! It has been a time of intense introspection for me. Time to figure out which path to take for my next big step in life. The possibilities that lay before me seem as unlimited as the sky. I know also that whatever I choose will be rewarding and challenging with lots of potential to grow. So I am excited as I look to the future as an amazing series of days, each holding great new experiences and chances to learn. I look forward to the places I will go, and the people I will meet. I want to live each day as well as I can, sharing love and hope with the people around me. That is my path to success!