Return to Business as Usual

Never thought I would be so excited to see Japan fall from the headlines and demonic scrutinizes of the international media. The triple-header tragedy of the quake, tsunami, and power plant melt down (these rumors were more exaggerated than anything I could ever have dreamed of) really put Japan in a bad emotional hole. To have so many things happen in such a short time put many people on edge, but what made that edge infinitely scarier was the flood of highly overly sensationalized news which read (from the point of view of this person living in Japan looking out) like the reporters were writing for ratings rather than to report honestly. HOWEVER, tragedy and sorry have flared elsewhere and the world has turned it’s eyes to other, fresher smelling, disasters in need of publication. The relief effort continues in the north. It greaves me to say that today they officially found the first American English teacher to perish in the tsunami. She was here with her family from Virginia (specifically Richmond I believe). My heart goes out to all those who have suffered losses.

Yesterday was a national holiday, and my friends Michelle and Kavita took the long weekend to really buckle down and get some ground covered on our 88-temple hike. Due to bad weather (and the fact that Michelle is a 5^th year jet leaving in 4 months, I can’t tell you how that saddens me!) we decided to drive various portions of the trek this time. Driving the longest parts gave us a very different experience of the temples. For one, it allowed me to take more time to photograph all the various nooks and crannies of the various sacred spaces we found. It was a wonderful trip filled with beautiful temple grounds, quite wild life preserves, and crowds of bus tour Buddhists praying for the victims of the recent disaster. We went to a total of 11 temples this weekend, and finished Tokushima Prefecture and are now well into Kochi. Kochi is the longest stretch of hiking with the fewest temples. I am really looking forward to it! Most of the hikes in Kochi are along the coast (and oh what a beautiful coast it is!)

The mood of Sakemura sensei (the man mentioned in my last post) has improved steadily as the power plant in Fukoshima begins to look more and more under reasonable control. Thursday of last week he surprised me by asking me to take a half-day and spend the afternoon with him in a professional potter’s studio who lives just a 50 minute walk or so from my apartment in a very scenic bay used to cultivate oysters. This potter has been in Kochi for 30 years, and was a professor of ceramics at the Tokyo institute for fine arts and crafts (it has a full Japanese name, that I am sorry to say I don’t remember, and the interweb lists three potentials.) His house, his work, his studio, and everything about that afternoon was just magical! After the tour we sat in his studio and sipped green tea while talking (all be it brokenly) about the difference between creating traditional forms and just doing open sculptural work. He told me he felt so connected to Japan’s tradition in ceramics that he had a very difficult time deviating from traditional functional forms. It was a wonderful talk. His wife speaks very good English, and is just a charmer. They then took us into their home for coffee, and many questions about America and how I was liking Japan. They also enjoyed telling me stories about their two gay cats. The day ended with her giving me recipes (I told her of my interest in cooking) for traditional Japanese pickled radish greens) and he even gifted me a bowl of his (which is ridiculously exquisite. I hope to make it back to their home to watch him work one day. Two weeks of no students to go. . . . in my battle for sanity I am still winning.

My love to all of you, and my thanks to any who worried over me (please do not mistake my scolding of the international media as anger with you all for caring for my safety). Be assured that I am safe, and very well. Things continue to move ever forward, and tomorrow the sun will still rise. Be kind!

More to come.

Thoughts for the morning, and a letter from a PA

Written this morning:

Sakemura Sensei is one of the Japanese gentlemen on the later side of middle age who speaks with me frequently. His slightly thinning hair is always combed back, his sport coats are not the flat black overly formal business suits of the other younger teachers at my school (he opts for the more scholarly tweed) , he smokes like a chimney, collects old books, reads poetry, speaks remarkable English, possesses vast knowledge of Japanese cultural traditions, and is refreshingly always honest and direct when we speak. He frequently asks me questions like, “Andrew, American politics. You, think they make sense? Always fighting. Why?” or last week on Wednesday, “Do you know Japanese nationalists? They want foreigners to leave Japan. I dislike their idea. How do they make you feel? Offended?” His delivery of these challenging questions is always afloat with a big smile and a slight chuckle. I have never seen him flustered, tired, or not busy about his job of being the office renaissance man of mystery and intrigue, until last Friday.

Today, upon walking into my teacher’s office I found most of the teachers bustling about their various red tape encrusted duties. They scurry through the morning meeting I never understand, and then they all dash back the their desk consumed by grading and rustling papers. Sakemura Sensei remains slouched at his desk, were you to casually walk bye him you might think he was napping. His eyes glued to his Iphone’s news feed. He reads for twenty minutes and then rises to heavily rub is hands about his temples. They shake with strain, as though he was straining to push the very thoughts from his mind. He turns to me and says, “I cannot see Japan’s future. If it was just earthquake, or just tsunami we rebuild easy. But all of this,” he looks about for the right English words. “All of this, maybe we cannot export from the north, we cannot repair because of radiation. I cannot help. Maybe Japans history there will stop. It’s unbelievable. We can do nothing.”

I tell him we can hope. I see him search through the English vocabulary he knows, and nod his head in understanding. He returns to his Iphone news, and looks to me and says, “Today I don’t want my job.” Some students come to the door and skip in, the other teachers about the office laugh, and the day continues on.

Japan is used to living with the threat of great disaster. Being one of the most geologically active areas of the world there is a constant potential for natural disasters. In 1923 the Kanto quake decimated the Kobe. A quake like it is predicted to happen every 70 years along those fault lines. Kochi itself lives in the shadow of the Nankai quake. Guessed to happen every 90 years (it would be an 8.0 or higher quake guessed to last for at least 100 seconds. The 9.0 quake that just occurred lasted for 150 seconds.) Their answer to this known fear is preparation (I have never seen footage of such organized, polite, and restrained evacuation and panic). This country has an amazing capacity to rebuild. Look to the scars of World War II – Nagasaki, Hiroshima, and Tokyo. Huge parts of these cities decimated by the fires of war. Now, each city thrives (this is a strange comparison but the best I can draw). To visit them is to look in disbelief that miles upon miles of city that was once reduced to rubble and ash. I have never doubted Japan’s capability to cope with tragedy on a physical level. They set about their work immediately. Rebuild and continue to live while remembering what was lost, but what of Sakemura Sensei’s unusual candidness with me. How do the Japanese process tragedy and loss as individuals? How well does consoling translate?

These are all things I’m still searching through. I like to think all the JETs are dealing with and looking for ways to cope with the tide of disastrous news and best provide aid to those in need in this country. At the moment donating to the Red Cross seems to be the first most helpful step. I have been told attempts to organize trips for the relief effort were shot down as bad ideas, and until a clearer path opens up the best and only thing to do is think of those in need. My classes are over . . . so I have free time. I have been following the news a lot. Keep Japan in your thoughts. Donate to the Red Cross Relief effort in Japan (I believe there is a way to specify I am still searching through those channels I will post a link once I find the correct ones to go through). In times of great disaster there must always be hope. Never forget that. Be kind, donate if you are able, and stay connected.

More to come.

Posted this afternoon by Steven (a P.A. who translated a fantastic article on the situation here)

Translated at 2pm, 15th March 2011

Based on info from the Science Media Centre of Japan updated at 2:48am, 15th March 2011

Japanese link: http://smc-japan.sakura.ne.jp/?p=956

English link: http://smc-japan.sakura.ne.jp/?p=830

The following is a summary of the topics mentioned in the original Japanese article, with references to the English article. I do not guarantee the validity or accuracy of the original information.

About radiation exposure

• Even if only a few dozen to a few hundred radioactive atoms are attached to the skin, Geiger counters are sensitive enough to detect it.
• The radiation levels reported to be released into the atmosphere right now is of no significant concern for wildlife/fish in the area. Many substances that release radiation exist naturally in nature.
• At this point, there is no significant contamination to vegetation and crops in the area.
• Right now at the No.1 Reactor the core is intact and it is releasing small amounts of radiation.
• Crops in the surrounding area will have to be tested for future consumption. However we need not be afraid of the food grown there if it were to be deemed safe for consumption. Normally we consume trace amounts of radiation in our food on a daily basis.
• There is no threat to surrounding fish and marine life at the moment.
• The process of radiation transferral for marine life are such: 1) first the small amounts of radiation has to dissolve into the sea, 2) it gets thinned out by the ocean, 3) then trace amounts may be ingested by the marine life. By then the effects would be miniscule.
• On the evacuation zone: please follow the guidelines issued by the government and local municipalities, and not to trust internet sources or hearsay.
• On whether it is safe or not in Tokyo: Fukushima and Tokyo are 200km apart, so taking into consideration exponential thinning out of radiation by air the farther it is from the center, there is no reason for alarm in Tokyo.
• At the incident on Three Mile Island similar to this one where the core stayed intact, the risk was contained within a 16km (10mile) radius
• For the exposed people in the area, a change of fresh clothes and washing hands and face with soap will take away most of the radioactive particles attached to them.
• In order to release pressure from the core reactor, vents have been opened and inevitably some radiation was released into the atmosphere.
• The level of risk is at “level 4” right now (level 8 maximum), but it means that there is no major breach of the core surface. Some radiation has leaked into the atmosphere, but not at a harmful level. At Three Mile Island the level was 5 and the evacuation zone at Fukushima is based on that higher level. For more information on International Nuclear Event Scale:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Nuclear_Event_Scale
• Iodine 131 is heavier than air, and if the wind is not strong it wouldn’t go very far. Half life is a short 8 days.
• Half life refers to the time it takes for the radioactive substance to reduce by half. Iodine is 8 days, Xenon 137 is 3.8 minutes, and Cesium 137 is 30 years.
• The shorter the half life the more radiation it emits in a short span of time. The longer the half life, the more stable it is and less radioactive. However whether slow release of radiation over a long period of time has any significant effect on health will have to be studied further.
• Xenon 137 has a half life of 3.8 minutes but can mutate into Cesium 137 which is 30 years.
• The reported number of people “exposed” only had minute levels detected on sensitive equipment. Their health is generally not at risk, especially after cleaning of their hands, face and clothes.
• Advice on evacuation: keep calm, and do not act alone. Because accidents can occur out of panic. At the moment the radiation levels around the plant are lowering, so no special measures need to be taken. To be on the safe side you may want to wear masks.
• Iodine 131 vaporises easily and can be absorbed into the body. However it is used in the treatment of thyroids and there has been no evidence in past treatments that it would lead to thyroid cancer.
• With the exception of iodine products labelled “stable iodine preparation”, other products should not be consumed as it may cause more harm than good.

About cooling of the reactor core and the recent explosions

• A hydrogen explosion occurred but the containment vessel (fourth wall) has not been damaged. Check out the diagram of the construction here:http://www.kepco.co.jp/bestmix/contents/16.html
• 
• Hydrogen gas is produced by fuel rods in the reactor vessel and leaked out, reacting with the oxygen in the housing around the reactor, causing an explosion. This is not the same as a hydrogen bomb explosion and is simply a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce water.
• The core is protected by 5 walls, explosion happened in the space between the 4th and the 5th, rupturing the 5th. Because the 3rd and 4th walls are intact, there is no major risk of large amounts of radioactive substance leaking into the atmosphere.
• The reactor is filled with nitrogen so it’s unlikely that a chain explosion can occur without oxygen.
• A “runaway nuclear explosion” that occurred at Chernobyl refers to out of control nuclear fission and is different to this situation. At Fukushima, the nuclear core has stopped operating, but it is still necessary to cool the reactor down.
• The Chernobyl reactor is based on the RMBK (Russian acronym) model and different to the one at Fukushima which is the BWR (Boiling Water Reactor). RMBK’s flaw is that if control rods are inserted output automatically increases and becomes unstable, eventually building up to extraordinary levels. The BWR does not have this problem, and will not increase output exponentially like the RMBK does.
• At Chernobyl there was no containment vessel and on top of that the core was damaged and exposed. The Fukushima Reactor is currently within safe levels, with the core and containment vessel still intact.
• At Chernobyl there was not adequate monitoring of the levels emitted and it wasn’t until cancer and other resultant harm was discovered that the extent of the disaster was known. At Fukushima continuous monitoring is being undertaken.
• There is no risk of the disaster seen at Chernobyl because the core is still contained and the nuclear chain reactions have stopped. There is no risk to surrounding countries as of now.
• As long as the fuel rods are fully covered with water the cooling can be sustained and there will be no risk of a meltdown of the core. There was an incident where sea water pumped to cool the rods was halted due to a lack of power to the pumps on the 14th March, but the water cooling process has resumed since then.

Based on information provided by Ryugo Hayano, Professor at the Physics Department of University of Tokyo.

Content is subject to change so please refer to the original for updates.

Updates plus more detailed explanation at the following links:

Japanese link: http://smc-japan.sakura.ne.jp/?p=956

English link: http://smc-japan.sakura.ne.jp/?p=830

Update

I had another post ready and written, but it seems rather unsubstantial right now.

A massive 8.9 earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan yesterday at 2. It sent a 10 meter high tsunami rolling towards coastal cities carrying away cars, homes, and lives. I am fine! Kochi has been on tsunami watch since yesterday. I live on some of the highest ground in my city, and it is also a major evacuation sight for the city. The photos and video being streamed are otherworldly. Destruction on a scale I have trouble comprehending. Your thoughts and hopes need to up north where the damage was so terrible. Japan is perhaps the most prepared country in the world to deal with a quake of this magnitude. This country’s response to this disaster has deeply impressed me, and my JET community in Kochi’s response, support, and constant contact with each other reminds me of how lucky I am to live with such a great adopted family. As I spent the night telling my friends all over Japan, stay warm, stay safe, and stay connected all my love.

Nude

Ok folks this one’s a doozey. So; strap in, get a beverage of your choosing befitting your time zone and mood, maybe a handful of salted almonds or some other munchy nibblings, and get ready for a read.

Last weekend was perhaps the most uniquely Japanese experience I’ve had to date. Five ALTs from Kochi forged out a chapter written in the book of my life to be forever told down the family line, a story of the mysterious and strange practices - of a culture from the other side of the world, a festival for purity and luck, and more than anything else - nakedness. The festival is called the Okayama Hadaka Matsuri (Naked Man for short ).

Check the link here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadaka_matsuri) for some more information. I signed up with Colin, Jon, Matt, and Jamie E. long ago, and had been doing nothing but reading about it, and getting progressively more and more worried over the distinct possibility that I could be trampled in what, for lack of a more refined description, is a 9000 naked man mosh pit. Why a mosh pit? Why naked? Why WHY WHY? Well. The best way to answer that is for me to recount my tale as it was experienced.

Phase one of naked man:

Ask other JETs you know from home about things not to be missed in Japan. First time hearing about Naked Man. Upon getting an e-mail about naked man attempt to get your friends to sign up for Naked Man, because no one wants to be naked and alone.

Phase two of naked man:

Spend two to three weeks chatting with friends about various tid-bits of information filtered through various sources of how crazy it will be. Doubt your decision to attend for the first time. Listen to horror stories from other JETs about wearing a fundoshi (the Japanese sumo style loin cloth).

Phase three:

Send in payment for naked man registration.

Phase four:

The week has finally arrived, you have hotels booked, your bus tickets arranged, and a ball of anxiousness and modesty bouncing about your stomach like a spiny peach pit accidentally swallowed whole. Despite the aforementioned nervous peach pit, traveling with friends goes well. Hotel bookings work, and suddenly you are on the bus nervously sipping on a beer, and tapping your fidgety fingers as you and your Kochi friends listen to the overly consumed chants of people still lingering a bit too much in the shadow of Belushi`s interpretation of Bluto Blutarsky.

Phase five:

Arrive at the event and spend about two hours walking about familiarizing yourself with the temple layout. Listen as you are told where you will be sprinting through cold cold COLD pools of purifying water. Watch the incredible taiko group in red uniforms and feel the rattle of the drums in your chest as you chomp down a stick of yaki niku (meat on a stick). [I would like to take this time to say that out of all the many snack, junk, festival foods in Japan (and not discounting my unyielding love for all forms of takoyaki, grilled onion pancake, octopus balls of joy) there is little more satisfying than a good kabob of well peppered beef or pork a drip in its own fatty juices and sweated soy sauce.]

Phase six:

Buy the dreaded fundoshi (roll of cloth to be wrapped about one’s privates for some semblance of modesty). So now, the event is explained in full just as we are about to walk into the changing tent. Listen as you are told that you will be competing for a “magic stick”. There are approximately 20 thrown out from the sealing of the temple at 10:00 as the lights are turned out. Before that happens hoards of mostly naked men will run a loop around the temple chanting, “Wa-shoi!” as they run. You will sprint through the previously seen waist deep purification pond, then up to the main temple to pray, then through the viewing section where you will have ice water thrown at you, pray again at second temple, then sprint out and through the streets, and repeat until the officials tell you to go line up around the temple. Once there you are told that the crowed will grow slowly at first until you are crushed, unable to put your arms down, unable to turn around, and unable to have much of any say as to where you go at all for the remainder of your night. Stare blankly when you hear that the crowed will potentially sway up to seven feet. . . once again ease away the thoughts of doubt swirling about your head, after all – you already bought the loin cloth.

Phase seven:

Awkwardly undress in giant makeshift locker room. Write your name, address, and phone number on identification card to be stuffed into your loincloth. Wait naked in line with fundoshi for Japanese man to help you put on the large cloth diaper.

Phase eight:

Real in horror as you are chosen to be the first of your friends to be wrapped into the fundoshi.

Phase nine:

Receive the worst wedgy of your life. I am talking lift you off the ground, take your breath away, OH DEAR JESUS that’s not going anywhere mother have mercy.

Phase ten:

Smile with vindictive amusement as your friends all receive the same atomic wedgy from hell that you just suffered through. Now, to your astonishment, you are ready to run the course and from here on out it’s all kinda gonna happen quicker than you will believe.

So you tear off through the gates into the February chill, and there are already chanting teams of Japanese men running about. With a Kochi, Kochi, Kochi cheer you see your friend give a quick, unsure, kiss to his girl friend (the others anxiously pat one another on the back and stare wide eyed), and then your off jogging in rhythm to chants. Your feet are less offended by running essentially barefoot on cement and gravel than you thought they would be. It’s a good pace, one you could keep for hours. The crowd cheers for you all. Hands extended out for high fives from the gargantuan white men, all pale and big nosed. You get to the purity pond, and the breath goes out of you as you plunge in up to your waist. And then it’s over. Out, pray, shower of cold water from fans, pray again, out and around the temple, and repeat! Again, again, and again! Seven, eight, maybe even nine times you all run through with the coolness of the water lessening with each pass, and your chants getting more and more vivacious. The temple starts to pack in, and you want a good spot away from the steps (they are steep and made of stone. You’d hate to fall down them as the masses heave). You think . . . this isn’t too bad. It’s like a rock concert. Then another wave of runners hits, and another, and another and like the sea it flows in and then pulls back, and with each swelling of this fleshy sweaty tide it crushes you a little more till you are forced to put your arms up for fear of loosing use of them, and you stagger on tip toes to keep from falling (even though you’re wedged in so tight you couldn’t fall were you to loose your feet). You maintain eye contact with your friends, and look about wide-eyed as you hear that there is still about an hour to go before they throw the sticks. So, you stand and sway, and sweat, and watch as the steam from body heat billows out from the epicenter of this man mass. (You take a second to think . . . oh god, gross!) Then the lights go out and suddenly there are tiny bundles of sticks flying. The pressure breaks as fights and shoving matches for the single big luck (big money) stick break out, and your feel your friend poke you in the side with something small and wooden and hear him say, “I don’t know if it is the one, but help me.” Friend shoves would be magic stick in loin cloth, you push him out avoiding agitated old crotchety men gnarled like trees with whipping leathery arms. He makes it out, and you return to the fray to search for your other friends, and then . . . it’s over. You dress, hug your other friends who just watched . . . and go home to your hotel room where you shower and just think, “ well damn”.

So that was naked man. The stick that my friend Carter got was a fake one, still lucky, but not worth any money. A team of older men came away with the big luck (40,000 dollar stick). It has all the feelings of a cleanse. The sweating, the difference in temperature, the hours of physical exertion, and the fact that the whole time you are discarding any sense of modesty or self-consciousness you had (because you are birthday suiting it all through the town and PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT IT!?) The younger Japanese men give you vigorous high fives, and you even get a few hugs. There is the sense that they are as freaked out by it as you were, and that even though you never felt like you were going to die . . . you wouldn’t really want to do it again. The older generation still looks at you with skepticism a bit. Perhaps a quick smile if you were to wave, like they are saying, “yeah, you can be here, but you are never going to get that lucky stick”.

And that was that, we returned home, and I went back to work. Tonight I’ve made a Chinese style steamed fish (thanks for inspiring me Michelle Wigs this thing was delicious at Chinese new year so I’m doing it again).

My days at school are still boring, and I am still reassessing what I want my time in Japan to be like, but over all I am still having a really great time. After meeting the other, very frat boyish, JETs from other prefectures I am so happy to be in Kochi with the family dynamic we have created, but I will save that revelation and pontification for another post. I think this one’s given it all it can give. Sorry I don't have any photos of me actually at Naked Man, but the photo of the crowd should give you some idea of exactly how packed it was. Lastly cherry blossoms are starting to come out.

More to come.

The Promised Garden!

Hello interweb minions, all . . . five of you? Maybe? I’m coming to you from the rainiest week we’ve had in a long LONG time. Grey skies, hard rains all day, and if I’m being honest the hardest week I’ve had in Japan (for reasons I shall not elaborate on). That being said, I’ve always felt blogs are not the place to rant, rave, vent, or talk overly about one’s sorrows and hard times. No one wants to read that. So, I will simply say that I’m so grateful for the joys in my life here in Japan, and quote Mr. Bruce Cockburn (can’t do it without winking in mom’s general direction), “I bin through the ringer but I’m ok.”

So! With that cheery precaution out of the way. It’s finally time for some garden pictures! For those of you who do actually read this blog, last summer I started to learn about gardening with my dad. We bought seeds, made cold frames, and did the whole 9 yards. It was an absolute blast. Watching it grow each day, spending quality time with the parental units, and also I may be a tad bit addicted to the sensation of pride taken when one can say, “Oh, all this food – I grew it!” Long ago I walked the fifteen minutes to the hardware/ home store and bought a small green house, some soil, pots, and winterish seeds: kale, spinach, radishes, and broccoli.

The broccoli has only just sprouted, the kale (which I am not sure is really kale despite what I’m 90% sure the seeds said) and spinach are fantastic, and the radishes are now huge sprouts (which I may have been eating on salads because I don’t really love radishes).

This tiny box of greens will hopefully expand come spring. I plan on adding a few tomato plants and some herbs. What with travel I can’t get too genki with the garden dreams, but to do nothing would cause me a far greater loss.

In other news, went skiing for the first time with Colin, Kei, Jamie E., Marie, Gabriella, and Jayka. We all stayed at a big riokan (Japanese style hotel) in Ehime and went to the Kuma (bear ha ha fitting) Skie Land. After a whole day of attempting each, snowboarding and skiing I was left batter and feeling much like I did after attempting to ride the JET community bike cold turkey through Kochi City last summer. Just imagine a real bear trying to ski. . . not a pretty sight – but pretty funny when he falls down laughing hysterically every 4.5 seconds. It snowed heavily, and the sight of snow really helped lift up my opinion of Japan winters. As stated winter without snow is no fun.

So all in all things are on the up I believe. I’ll pick back up, and continue to have a great time here with the family I’m getting ever closer to here in Japan. As one door closes new ones open. Forever beginning there is an end, and for every ending a beginning. The end is where we start from. Love with all your heart folks. More to come.

Food Fest 2.0

My, oh my it’s been quite a time since we last talked. It’s a fairly standard Monday night, and I’m still trying to catch up on sleep from a lengthy and late chat with the fam. This weekend was the second weekend in a row of huge dinner parties and frisbee playing (greatly enhanced by our current warm spell here in Kochi).

All my life I’ve been a winter person. Words like humidity, heat, summer, and sweat were always enough to send this guy cowering to shaded corners and the air-conditioned spaces. Yet here in Kochi, cold seems more inescapable than it ever felt in the states. Most notably missed is the snow! Winter without snow is like Snickers without caramel and peanuts. That being said I’ve pulled out of the slump I had slouched my way into for about two weeks there. Thanks to those who suffered through my complaints of snowballing doubts about my future plans or lack there of. Work is still almost intolerably slow. I only teach one class this week because of high school entrance exams. Time to face the boredom dragon once more, this time I’m ready. RIGHT! on to specifics of my weekend, and food and plant pictures! YES!

Right, so this weekend’s food fest was a Chinese New Year’s dinner extravaganza held at Steven’s home. Steven is one of the 4 P.A.s (prefectural advisor). It was quite the orgy of starches. Noodles, green onion pancakes, more noodles, dumplings, wontons, more noodles, shark fin soup (with noodles!), and a whole fish! The biggest surprise of the night were these delicious hardboiled eggs (I believe they are called tea eggs).

GOD THEY WERE DELICIOUS, and they look like something straight out of Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom ( you know the feast part in the palace with the chilled monkey brains and eyeball soup). Speaking of eyeballs, I ate a fish eye, it was quite creamy and rich, and while I am not going to order eyeball soup any time soon it was a good experience over all.

Post feasting we all played a rousing game of pictionary as well as every summer camp game I can think of. It was fantastic (made me really miss the Kingsley Pines crowd and those legendary white sands on Panther Pond)!

I was going to include the fabled mini garden in this blog post, but in all honesty it’s 11:30 and I am fading fast. Love to all. Thanks to crew from this weekend for a fantastic dinner and day.

More to come!

Ranting, grumble grumble grumble, no photos, written last thursday. . . better post pending.

Right. . . twenty minutes left of work on Thursday, and let me tell you it`s been a humdinger of a week! The third year students at my school are now officially finished with classes until graduation (so that is two classes a week I no longer get to teach), and the second year students have been gone on their school trip since Monday (half of them went to Korea the other half to Tokyo). This all amounts to me only having 4 classes to teach in the span of a week. . . Let me tell you there is an art to looking busy while feeling bored. This is by no means a skill of particular use, or a resume building talent to be honed. It is a reality for ALT`s all across Japan. Some ALT`s (like Ashley and Cat) have schools that actually seem to put quite the amount of work on them, and keep them very busy (I am sure there are others of you out there who are very busy JETs) But there are also many MANY friends who, like me, have maybe one busy day a week. The rest of your time can be spent as you like (within the office or school).

I was told on my first day of work that I can read while at the office. Unfortunately, the book I`ve been reading was enjoyable for the first 100 pages, but since has become quite the battle to get another 100 pages into and I still have 250 to go. . . gggggahhhhhhhhrrrrrr.

So in my days I read (both books and blogs), research fun things to do in Japan, research better ways to grow stuff on my tiny little balcony garden, look up new recipes to cook, read random articles on Wikipedia, and check my e-mail an inordinate number of times. Also go in and out of frustrating slums of researching potential future career options (which keep going back to weird combinations of professional potter, summer camp owner director, and community gardener). Down that path however lies damnation because it ends up snowballing into my brain getting stuck in the rut of feeling . . . undefined in long term goals. So, I try to avoid those days if at all possible. If you`re wondering why I don`t practice my Japanese . . . I do, sometimes. The course books I ordered have proven to me that, as I suspected, I MUST have a tutor, professor, teacher, or some otherwise instructorish person to guide my studies else I am left with virtually no drive to study anything but phrases I frequently hear.

This week has been spent looking forward to the weekend. It`ll be a busy one. We`re kick`n it off right by hosting a dinner party at mine. I used having folks over as an excuse to finally get my self back together and make my apartment clean enough for company. Every night this week I`ve been a whirl in the kitchen. Over 20 some hand rolled tortillas, two jars of pineapple salsa, jumbo vat of red bean and corn salad, and the meats need dry rubs tonight! Love prep work. . . keeps my mind from aforementioned snowballing.

Photos of dinner party will follow

Right! Officially quitting time, and I`m off to start my hike home. The best store to buy big cuts of pork (the kind one needs for making carnitas) is about half way between my apartment and the school, and no where near the train line. . . these boots were made for walking!

More to come!