Winter Preparations

Since the weather has cooled down I've had the chance to do some different indoor things in the area. In the last few weeks I've seen a few art exhibits/shows, visited many small random bars in Nagai and done a bit of shopping. It is kinda interesting how interested in fashion I've become. It really has become evident to me how convenient all of the above activites can be in Japan when you have a car and the know where to go. Last weekend Liam and I drove to Niigata city in the next prefecture to check out the Jubilee exhibit of background paintings from the famous Japanese animation films by Hayao Miyazaki. The artworks (mostly small water colour paintings) were absolutely stunning. The vibrant pictures reminded me so much of places I've seen in Japan. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos.

We did manage to sneak a photo in front of some amazing prints in a different exhibit.

Enjoying the brightly light pet bottle recycled christmas tree decorations in the city. Kinda a conundrum though, using recycled materials but using unnecessary lighting. Although the Christmas light decorations do put an extra bounce in my step so I'll take an eco friendly decoration anyday!

I noticed as the weather cooled and Japanese people have been hard at work preparing for winter in a different, particular way. Even though the winter is not as harsh and snowy as Canada in Yamagata people definitely take care to make sure they are ready for the snow to fall. Now if it just WOULD FALL ALREADY! I've got my snow tires on, heaters in check, the wooden snow fences cover the shrubbery and trees, the snow gaurds are on the sides of the roads. Everyone is ready for the snow! Check out the pictures below. It sure is interesting how well they take care for snow but if only the houses were better prepared against the bitter cold. (i.e. central heating or insulation)

As you can see in the distant mountains there really is not much snow up there. We have had a lot of precipitaion the last while but the temperature just needs to drop 5 degrees in order for the snow to stick. In the meantime, not being able to snowboard has allowed me to begin packing and preparing for leaving. It's really unfortuante that a year goes by so fast and just as I'm really settled in Nagai, Yamagata, my Lesley job and my friends I have to up and move. Especially during the holiday season. The upcoming change and good bye looms in my mind and I can't say I'm especially excited to let this adventure, this life in Japan go. I've really come to embrace the different lifestyle and understand so much about this culture. Already some goodbye's and lasts have begun. Here Takako and I are at our last French cooking class.

Two of my favorite people helped me do some crucial clothes packing and took a few items off my hands. Below me, Hikari and Takako modeling 3 dollar Giant Tiger tank tops. Oh its going to be sad to say good bye!

October....A BLUR!

OCTOBER....was a FAST month full of changes as summer finally ended. It began warm and sunny and throughout the month continuted that way. Here I am at the kindergarten Imio Kai festival. In October I noticed that the changing season, though beautiful and eventful was one of the most difficult months. I think it has to do with just that, CHANGE. Japan is a very seasonal place so a lot of things change especially foods you eat and activities. This was hard for me because I was just getting used to summer things. Not to mention after mom left I had to decide about whether to stay in Japan longer or go home. The mixture of cooling temperatures, work annoyances and food cravings from home led me to choose not to renwe my contract. A decision I know is best but it still sucks to know this adventure will soon be over. That said I'm trying my hardest to make the most of fall in Japan!

Here's what I got up to in October:

Tanbo Rice art in Yonezawa. This what the field looked like before we cut it down.

A sweet lady who was really skilled at cutting rice. I tried my best to copy her techniques. I found the monotony to be relaxing, and in general it eneded up being a lot of fun. I think I got pretty fast and good at it too!

Working together to finish. Japanese people are hard workers and they expecially know how to work as a team. Once finished we enjoyed a delicious meal of Imoni in the hot sun.

A view of the rice fields surrounding Nagai. The empty space is sad but it means there is delicious rice to be eaten and room for snow to fall!

Takako in Kimono after performing a tea ceremony for Nataniel and It. This was the third time I participated in tea ceremony in Japan and the best yet I think!

After the tea ceremony Nathaniel and I biked up to the dam to look at the autumn colours. Such a Gaijin-Japanese thing for us to do. Go look at natures pretty colours on bike! It was a long and exhausting ride up the mountain, but after coming out of the tunnel viewing the scenery sure was worth it

Halloween party at Michiko's school.

Carving the biggest pumkin I have ever seen!

The final product at our Haunted story Chatroom party! I read stories and showed pictures about Fort San Sanatarium. That freaked out my adult Students.

Here we are in Costume. From top left to right. Norihiko as a dinosaur, Chikako as a witch, me as a rock star, Alex, Yoshi as a black cat and Michiko as a lady bug!

Run Jump Play!

It's Wednesday after a four day weekend and suprisingly Kingergarten was alright today. Its funny how some days can just be like that. After only 40 minutes of being there so much had happened. My morning began with throwing kids up and spinning them around (that is my morning exercise), playing chase kelly like 5 times with two little rugrats who never leave me alone, doing some sort of junken (rock paper scissors) game walking on a block maze, realizing 5 girls were pretending to be rabbits in a cage then barking like a dog I scared them and lastly just before prayer time I shared a small moment of joy with a few boys looking out the window and pointing at the snow which now exists on the mountain tops. To me that was real special because I lead the boy to the window, stood him on the stool and pointed and said "yuki". He then called some others and they all took turns looking at the snow and then jumping off. Admiring snow somehow turned into a jump off the stool game....kids have a one track mind run-jump-play!

The long weekend sure was great. We went to Nikko and had a random drinking night in Nagai. Later this week I'll post some pictures up. Now that its the begining of November I realize how fast October went I have not made one post about it. I have less than two months left at my job. That thought brings out excitement for travelling and of coarse the inevitable sadness of leaving, oh what a condundrum.

Mom's visit!

Honeymooners and Matsushima

The countryside was especially nice when Mandy and Rodney came to Yamagta to visit. Their first leg of a real honeymoon! I'm glad the weather somewhat cooperated. It was a bit cool, for them much cooler than the heat wave and humidity of Aichi-ken. But deep in the mountains of Yamagata the air was cool and dry. We were able to do many outdoor activities! A bbq by the temple in Shirataka, bike around and get lost on the little mountain roads, a road trip and birthday chat room celebration. Mandy was especially overjoyed with all the wild animals around. It seemed as if she had been surrounded by cities for the past year!

Below were the ducks we saw at a nearby fishing lake. They were so cute and I was amazed at how white they were even though the lake they were swimming in was not that clean.

My favorite photo of the weekend. Rodney, pondering life, rice growing and leaving Japan. Okay, I can't read his mind but that is what I'd been thinking about if I were perched on a bike in this scene. He was probably day dreaming about his lovely wife!!

Below my second favorite picture. Mandy and Rodney on a bridge to one of the islands in Matsushima. That day we took a boat tour and treked around on two different islands. It was great to get away from the mountains and rice fields. See the ever so breathtaking views of Matsushima. "matsushima, oh matsushima" so beautiful words can't even describe.

Finally pictures from the poser birthday party Lesley school threw for the students to celebrate everyone's birthday in the autumn months. I think it literally consists of most of us, (Chikako, me, Takako, Norihiko and of coarse our special guest Mandy who celebrates on Sept. 24th. (I hope that's right!!)

Here she is blowing out the candles of our chocoltate cookie ice cream cake! You can't buy this in Japan so it makes for a good in between classes project! Taihen!

Omagri Hanami

The weekend after I got back from Cambodia I went to a firework festival in Akita, the prefecture just north of Yamagata. I have been so busy catching up that it has taken this long to make the post. Omagari festival is said to be ichiban/THE BEST firework display in the country. It is hard to say if this is true, but the 700,000 people that showed up tells me that it definitely isn't the worst and probably up there in popularity in Japan.

It was difficult to find a spot to sit because on arrival we realized you could pay and reserve seats or go super early, tape down your mat and leave to reserve a free seat. We had done neither of those. Luckily being foreigners and looking confused some people offered us a small spot that we were able to squeeze in. From there the show began. They had some sort of event that happened in the daylight where fireworks shot parachutes in the air and people would run around catching them. This was almost a bigger hit to the Japanese people than the actual fireworks themselves.

Finally the sun went behind the mountains and the REAL show began. It lasted for three hours consisting of displays with music and one grand final display at the end. It was amazing!!

When it was over we were exhausted and covered in ash. Because of all the people we had to line up for our train 1 km away from the station. Getting on the train we were pushed and everyone was packed in like a can of sardines. Crazy way to end the day.

Thai

By the time we got to Thailand there really wasn't time to go anywhere but Bangkok. I was okay with this because we had just spent four days at the beach. It was time to do some serious shopping and a bit of sight seeing in the big city. We were fortunate to stay at two different hotels with swimming pools. I forgot how much of a fish I was, so I was happy to get in as much swimming as I could.

We visited a pottery village and sweets bakery shop a bit out of the city. It was the worst pottery I have ever seen. Every piece was similar wiht the same simple shapes and style of paint strokes. It was a little disappointing for me and I didn't buy anything. I did purchase a bunch of sweets to take back for people in Japan. Even the cookies weren't that delcious. It was unfortuante!

I enjoyed some time by myself inside this temple. It was peaceful just peering up at the good sized Buddha. Even though not in prayer, it was nice to be in the presence of the beautiful icon.

Reclining Buddha! One of my favorite things to see in Asia...giant Buddha's! This one ranks nubmer two to the Buddha in Toadiji temple, Nara Japan.

Lastly, Good-bye Rob and Jon I'm back to Japan Land! The travel home including a bus, overnight plane, two train rides and a car ride took a total of 18 hours. I was exhausted but headed to work anyways!