Mike's

Here's a little plug for a great spot in Sasebo. After school (and the gym!) on Friday I hopped a train up to "Sas Vegas" for a Cheese Night (any cheesy music that is cringe-worthy) at Dazzle Puzzle. I ate dinner at this little place that Gill and I went to the last time I was here. Mike's Mexican - grrrreat! Really cute ambience, and excellent food. It's about as big as your pocket, but well worth the trip. Sorry for the delay on the guy who serenaded us - I promise that later this week.
(and did you send your postcard yet??? The mailbox is hungry!)

"...and it was THIS big...."

I finally found something in Japan that is actually too BIG for me!
Just goofin around in Huis Ten Bosch on my way home from Sasebo today. Make sure to check back tomorrow to see a video of the guy who serenaded us last night!

Yuki!

It's snowing! Wow! (just remember - I'm a South Florida girl) I am sorry the photo's not so good - I took it with my phone this morning, and I figured I should post this now before the novelty of snow wore off :)
(too bad there's not enough snow yet to make a snowman, "yukidaruma" though!)
This is in the garden here at Isahaya High School, Goshoin.

You KNOW that I wasn't gettin by this guy without taking advantage of the photo op!
(Kitty-chan - no other places to rub for luck, though, I checked!) (For the rest of you - you'll just have to visit the bull that is/was on Wall Street, NYC to see what I mean)
Don't forget to click on the title of the next entry to follow the link for the Tenmangu in Dazaifu.
(and have you sent your postcard/s yet??? Robin, sending a card from CO, is the winner for getting one here the fastest! I got yours today! Domo!)

Tenmangu in Dazaifu

This past weekend I was in Fukuoka, and taking the advice of a Fukuokanian (?), I took the short train ride down to visit Dazaifu. The weather had been bleak and cold, but a watery sun winked on for a few moments in the late afternoon, casting about some of its warmth. This site is apparently on the grave for the exiled Michizane Sugawara, who is also known as the god of literature and calligraphy (and knowledge, according one site I saw on him). Maki sensei told me that students wear a charm of this god for "luck" with their studies.
I really like how you have to go through several stone "archways" and gate and then down this pathway flanked by plum ("ume") trees and lanterns before you get to the temple/shrine (I have to get someone to tell me the precise differentiation between the two. I think this is the shrine, though). It seems to be the pattern for shrines I've seen all over Japan. Moving through these physical gateways seems to help one move through the inner, intangible ones to prepare the heart and mind for being at the actual shrine itself.

Dozo!

Well, here it is - a fresh daikon - my favorite veggie ("yasai") at the moment because it's so cheap ("yasui"). Carrots are currently a yasui yasai, so I have been cutting up both and snacking on them at school (an effort - mostly in vain - to stay away from the yummy pastries that keep taunting me).
"You eat them LAW???" ? One of the Japanese teachers was pointing to the bag of raw daikon and carrot sticks - "LAW?" - "Oh - OH - RAW - ah - yes - it's actually quite a popular thing back home!" I found this surprise and amusement - well - amusing, since the first time I was served daikon, it was cut up like I had done, but then some dressing was added and it was served on a plate. Maybe it looks funny for me to be eating these veggies like chips out of a bag?
Anyway - in the photo - daikons are larger than they appear :) You should see me lugging these home from the A-Coop on my jitensha. I guess the night we took the photo I didn't feel like lighting up the kerosene heater - because I'm wearing almost everything I own, there. The plaid thing is called a "hanko" (which is also the name of my official name stamp/seal - tho, of course, my name stamp doesn't keep me as warm) which is a very popular half-coat-quilty thing.

Posutokado

That would be "katakana English" for "postcard"! Well, I WANT YOU - yes, YOU to do me a big favor! The kids here are planning another culture festival, and we are doing something with postcards from the USA...so - get your cute self to the local "konbini" (aka - convienence store) or tourist trap and get a cheap, cheesy post card from your area. Feel free to get creative in your message, or just "The weather is here, wish you were beautiful" works, too (though, of course, I'd be the only one to get that joke since stuff like that is totally lost on the peeps here). Tell your friends! Make it a class assignment (I'm sure you can fit some FCAT objectives around a 'handmade postcard to Japan' lesson). Let's see how many states we can get to represent!
Mail it to:
Tracey Petruff, ALT
Isahaya High School
Nagasaki-ken, Isahaya-shi
1-7, Higashikouji-machi
854-0014 Japan

ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!

...okay...go on now...I'll be waiting with baited breath by the mailbox... ("baited breath" - yet another thing lost on peeps here - anyone know a good explanation of that phrase? Or did I just make it up?)

Trojan Cow

"Mo" - ("Moe" - as in the 3 Stooges Moe) - that's Japanese for "moo" apparently. Doesn't it look like a giant Trojan cow? I swear I felt like I was in some bizarre (well, that's gonna be redundant) Monty Python skit...Yes, the cow was big, but frankly, I'm surprised my hair fit inside, there - wow - how did they let me outta the house like that? No wonder the Japanese look at me like I'm an alien - I walk around with the sun shining out of my head :) Speaking of the blonde thing, tho - you should see me trying to explain the concept of "having a blonde moment" (you know - when I do something 'silly') to someone who's never even really seen a real live person who didn't have black hair...
PS - as a special treat, though I couldn't find the link to the Aso Dairy Farm in Kumamoto ken, a yahoo search did turn up this interesting link to Michael Jackson's beer hunter page...oh, go look - it's not what you think! Just click on the underlined title for this post.

Aisu kurimu

Yeah, that's ice cream - and yeah, that's a fire that I stood near to keep me from freezing while I ate the ice cream. I'm not going to give it up just because it's 40 degrees outside, now am I? It was a dairy farm afterall, and the cream was nice and fresh.
Tune in tomorrow to see Tracey eating ice cream inside a giant trojan cow...(I wonder how cows "moo" in Japanese? I mean dogs and cats speak a different language - dogs say, "wan wan" and cats - "nyan, nyan" - cows? ...I'll get back to you on that one)

The Almighty Daikon

Since coming to Japan, I've become much more aware of quantity/quality/price/season of produce. For instance, I typically pay about 280 yen/apple "ringo" (granted, it could almost feed a whole class of kindergarteners), snow peas seem to be about 15-20/200 yen and meticulously lined up like a pack of fresh pencils, strawberries "ichigo" are DIVINE and SO red, and the king of all the fruits is apparently the canteloupe, because I have never seen them for less than 1200 yen, and the other day saw one for 3,000 yen (I could go to Fukuoka for less than that!). I've heard that instead of bringing flowers to someone in the hospital, you can bring a cantaloupe. Hmmm. Anyway - Mikans (tangerine-y oranges), when in season, are "yasui" - cheap - 6-8 for 100 yen, but now they're up to 380. Daikon, as pictured here, however, are VERY cool. A mere 68 yen for a vegetable the size of your forearm (or whole arm - if you're Surinak-sized!). If you click on the link, you see that they are used in various ways, but I just made a marinated daikon & cucumber salad tonight that was quite good. The daikon in this photo are being dried so that they can be pickled (I hope!). And to the FMFPeeps - didn't Decker san have some kind of stuffed or dancing daikon? I'm picturing it in Kitty chan's hoteru room in a face off against Godzirra??? (Did I have too much sake that night?)

Onsen Onsen

Yep - once again - this is what I have to resort to for any kind of action around here. Sam and I had a short visit to Kumamoto City and relaxed at an onsen (which apparently is popular with pigs, too?). If you don't know what an onsen is, click on the title above. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, lemme "wet" your appetite: think hot, naked, clean fun. OK, well maybe not "FUN" fun, but it's definitely relaxing. And yes, I know some of you dirty little minds are wondering if any of the onsens are mixed - I've heard of them, but all the ones I've been to have separate areas for men and women. But I'll keep lookin... ;)

Did I mention that one of the big Japanese New Year's traditions is to go to the shrines and temples? It's funny, though, because as I was walking along the long line to ring the bell at this huge temple in Fukuoka (of course we couldn't wait until morning on the 1st, we had to go after rolling around in Tenjin for New Year's - 12:30-3:30ish am...), religion didn't even occur to me (it did occur to me tho, that I made up half the gaijin population there that night - as usual). My lessons this week included a bit where the Japanese students compared/contrasted (oh, no! that almost feels FCAT!) New Year's traditions in US and Japan, so when I read their homework, maybe I'll understand a little bit more. For now, it's mostly a mystery. However, I'm pretty sure that the little water bowls at the feet of the statue here are for this diety's cats.
Or dogs?
Speaking of - I need a little pep up here (I know I look genki in the pics - but I'm a really good actress). Please send me a favorite photo of your pet (esp dogs) doing something silly. Pet pics - that always perks me up. Arigatooooo -tsensei :)

Akemashite Omedettou Gozaimasu

That would be the equivalent to "Happy New Year" (this, of course, would be accompanied by much deep bowing). I've been away for a bit due to a "holiday" (took full advantage of the 3 days I had off around New Year's), and, frankly, I've been really down and out and didn't feel like pissinnmoanin much here. The holidays were just reeeeally difficult this year, not just because I wasn't home, but mostly because I didn't feel like "home" was the same now with Mom and Grandma both "gone". Fortunately, some of you were nice enough to send cards and a BIG thanks to Cathy and Dad for sending care packages. So, Dad, even though I can't get a hug from you every night, at least I can hug myself wearing that nifty robe you sent. And Cathy, of course I didn't eat ALL of the cookies...(in one sitting) - no really - I did share, and had pictures to prove it, but tragically I managed to delete all - ALL! of my photos from my computer (OH, NO!). And I've already read the book you sent and have passed it along to one of the other Japanese teachers of English (but we'd both like to know if next time you would be so kind as to send some of the Nora Roberts MEN, too, please?) Anyway - what was this picture? Oh yes - it was at a shrine near Kita Kyushu - they're little stone gods wearing bibs and wishes, and little handmade hats to keep warm. Or I could be making all this up. I have no idea. I had a massive allergy attack and so your guess is as good as mine here...

Scotchapanese Shortbread

Meri Kurisumasu! My KFC "rotisserie" chicken lunch and Christmas cake were a really big let down, so no pictures of them. In fact, I don't even really have any photos from my Christmas Eve party, because only 4.5 people came. It was still better than being alone, but I was a little sad that none of the neighbors were brave enough to venture over to my place. I was so looking forward to introducing them to mulled wine and Christmas cookies (thanks, Cathy! Oishii desu!) BUT, despite the fact that I had to be at school on Christmas, I made the best of it. After school (did I mention that this is winter holiday and yet the students are STILL here? I think they have special classes to prep for upcoming national exams) we went to the food lab and made hot cocoa (with marshmallows and choco Pocky sticks), eggnog, and did our best to make Scotch Shortbread. Mom must've been laughing herself silly watching us. I must say it's great to have eager students - I didn't even have to get my hands dirty! We've learned that the ingredients and baking sheets & oven are slightly different here, but the students all scarfed up the goodies anyway! I was also a big hit in the staff room later when I brought around samples of eggnog. Or maybe that was the brandy talking? Hmm...Cheers!

Bonenkai

A once in a lifetime performance here (thank God!) - here we are doing an "interpretive movement" for "Swan Lake." Gotta love Japanese parties. Yikes. Takaki Bunko's Bonenkai ("bone-en-k-eye" - the end of the year party) was Friday and, no - I wasn't even drinking (though I could have had all the Asahi and chuhai I wanted), but hopefully everyone else was.

Tea Cozy

As if dining all afternoon wasn't enough, Nakamura sensei and I still had time to kill before the Bon Enkai, so we stopped for a spot of tea at this little place called the "Tea Cozy" here. (yes, Chris, I did tell her about how they used the tea cozy in "Snatch" - and fortunately we didn't run into any squeaky dogs or overgrown diamonds) Brilliant architecture here - it was long, narrow, and high - and when we were inside it felt like we were on the underside of a ship. A vaulted yet, intimate space.

Fellow's

So for lunch on Friday, Nakamura sensei and I went to a nice little Italian restaurant on the Mediterranean...lovely! Well, of course it wasn't the Med, but it sure felt like it! What a view! The Japanese don't seem too keen on capitalizing on the excellent waterfront real estate here...but this place was quite the exception. We were pretty much the only customers, and we enjoyed a nice, long leisurely lunch. Bellissima! (Dad, you can have Giusy check that one for me)

Neko Christmas elves

At Takaki Bunko, my second school, the students had - their first ever! - Christmas Party. So cute! They had lots of snacks and sweets, holiday music in Japanese and English, a magic show, BINGO, and one of the students played "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" on his guitar (thanks to ya'll who worked on getting me the sheet music!) and everyone sang it in Japanese. At the end of the party, we were given poppers and on the count of san, the paper streamers exploded into the room. Of course, exactly 9.7 minutes later the students and staff had transformed the room back to its spotless and regular self.

Soji

Soji ("sow-gee") is one of the best things about the Japanese school system. When I go back to the States, I'm going to push for this! At the end of every day, the all the students clean the school - classrooms, staff room, bathrooms, outside sweeping, etc. FABulous! Of course, I get right out there and do it with them sometimes, to give them an opportunity to practice speaking English (and it always seems to delightfully surprise them when I pop up to help them clean - it impresses them almost as much as when I use chopsticks well). On the last day before Winter Break (which why it's a "break" I can't seem to figure out - since the students are all still here this week, too!) the students had an extended soji, and most were dressed in their PE outfits - ichinensei were red, ninensei blue, sannensei green. They just looked so festive and happy about cleaning, I just had to grab a few shots with them...
Of course not ALL the students are cleaning ALL the time - I always have fun going up to students who are lollygaggin and saying, "Are you working HARD, or HARDly working???" Talk about getting lost in a translation...

Omedetto!

The running team (ekidan) at our school placed 5th in the national competition on Christmas Eve...yay! Omedetto gozaimasu! Here is a video of the ouendan ("cheer" team) giving them a right proper salute at the award ceremony yesterday in the gym. Whenever I see these guys perform, I can't help but wonder what they'd say if they saw what American cheerleaders wear and do...

North Pole (Dancing)

Is this as Christmas as it gets? Sunday I was in Fukuoka and, after a brief snow, I was fortunate enough to go to a Catholic Mass in English! Though, I didn't see any Advent candles, and, if that was pink that the priest was wearing, "pink" must've been lost in the translation over here. Oh well. Better than nothing. THEN we went to a Christmas party sponsored by the Fillapino association - very genki people, but I think the party - a family affair - was held in a night club. Notice the pole (for - ?) in the middle of the dance floor there - oh, wait - sorry - in this photo the gang dancers in their camo pants are obscuring your view. Low tables that looked like dice, several bars, mirrored ball, and they even had the "Kill Bill" DVD on the monitors (fortunately it didn't get past the opening menu). Ohmigosh. Right. Well, then - ! I hope you all are settling into your Christmas routines alright; I know most of you - if you haven't already - are soon heading out of the office and into whatever festivities await you. I'll admit to having to fight a chilly depression that seems to be constantly threatening to sweep over me at almost every turn here - I just want to scream. But I know it's not the Japanese people's fault - they simply don't know Christmas. SO - I've decided to try to turn this wicked depressing energy back on itself and use it to plan a Christmas Eve open house at my little tatami apato. Won't be quite like my parties back home, of course, since I'm lacking most of the familiar ingredients for such an affair, but, I'll make do. I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, please send me warm thoughts and hugs (can't remember the last time I had one!). -txo

Bad Bamboo Monkey Bar

Just wanted to show you another angle of the "new do" - here I am with some of the wildlife at the most happening bar in Mizumaki near Kita Kyushu. Mikan chan here with some of the Bad Bamboo Monkey Bar's most (in)famous denizens, Logan and Yukie ("yoo-key-A").

Toki

(pronounced "toe-key") "Pottery" - Once again I generally had no solid grasp of the events transpiring around me, but instead of going to an onsen and out to dinner this bike trip, apparently someone knew this potter/artisan here - or maybe someone's mother knew his uncle, whatever. Everyone of course was very nice, and forgave any of the gaijin's misunderstandings. We helped the papa san put up a string of Christmas lights, took a tour of the artisan's studio, and had homemade dinner around some open fires out back. And for dessert - this was quite a big deal - tiny roasted Japanese sweet potatoes.

I loved how the people of Arita integrated their craft - pottery - into so many facets of everyday life.

Spot o tea

We stopped at this tiny place, ordered bread, then on the way back down from the mountain, stopped again to pick up the freshly baked loaves. I say we. I'm telling lies. I didn't really have a good grasp of the procedure, and was lacking funds, so I missed out on the fresh stuff - but I didn't miss out on the fresh mint/herb tea this little lady so kindly served.

Ride with a View

With views like this, why wouldn't I love it here?
(by the way, of course we then had to ride up that mountain there!)

but wait - there's more -

Lunch! Yum! I was so hungry after biking! Here are most of the dishes - but I think they brought out more after I took the photo. You can even see the little hanging pot over the pit in the center of the table. They put that there so you can cook your food and to keep customers from Florida warm. Oh - and yes, of course I had to take off my shoes and sit on my knees when eating at this table. I'd tell you what all the food is, but I have no idea...definitely did not taste like chicken.

Noren

I can't remember if I've explained "noren" before - it's that curtain that you pass through to get into a shop or restaurant. I always liked them, but even more so, now, since it reminds me of Mom (who's name is Noreen). Every time I pass through one now, I have a feeling that she's just brushed by me. Funny, since I had the distinct impression that she never wanted to come visit over here. But I guess she can go wherever she likes now without the hassle of having to go through all the security checks :)
This is the entry way into the little place we went to for lunch on the bike ride last Sunday.

Gao!

(that's Japanese for "rrrrroar!")
Keizo san and Tracey chan play nicely with the wildlife at the Porceline Palace.
(this is before Tracey san became Mikan chan - that fateful trip to the hair dressers occured after this photo was taken)

Tadaima!

"I'm home!"

Naborigama

It's...It's...It's Tracey's Japanese apato (apt)! So I've gotten much shorter since I arrived...actually for those of you who know I've been FREEZING in my apato lately - I can actually see my breath INside! - you know this couldn't possbly be my new home. (just a quick note about my place - thanks to a very kind colleague, I can now use my kerosene fan heater to heat the kitchen and living room - yea! - I just use the rest of the place to store all my meat and ice cream, and rent out the extra space to the yakusa to store their "extra" bodies).
Now back to the educational part of our program - a "naborigama" is a special kind of kiln - it's one long oven for pottery. In this photo it's hard to see the angle at which it goes up the side of the hill, but it was really amazing! Next to it was an ancient "pottery graveyard" (I forget the Japanese for that) - a place where the potters would smash their "messed up" pots. According to the sign, this kind of place held special value to archeologists who studied the layers of pottery to learn about the cultures who had been there.

Oh! It's a -

So this is a ski lift? alpine slide? long, covered bridge? carport for a s-t-r-e-t-c-h limo?

Porceline Palace

Here's the gang - of course not everyone was all organized in this shot, but at least you have some idea of who's in the group. This place was near/in Arita and was famous for its pottery. This building was quite a far cry from what I'm used to here -

"objects in mirror are BRIGHTER than they appear"

The good news: I found a hair salon - that was even close to my house. The other good news: I think the cut looks pretty good - especially considering they've probably never cut a gaijin's hair before. And now the really good news: if I don't light up a room with my smile, well, at least I can with my hair now. Dear, lord. I think it's orange. Obviously my concept of "streaks and highlighting" did not translate well into Japanese. I should have just stopped with the cut, but nooooo - had to try to get that grey outta my hair. Everytime I've looked in my mirror (which of course, if I stand up straight, only shows me my chin down to the top of my chest!) I just tell myself it's ok - it's like another one of Jennifer Garner's new Alias looks (only without her killer abs, etc.). Anyway. It'll grow. And I have hats.

Get a piece of this -

Man I miss making mosaics...K-san, look at these tiles...you would have a field day in this place - look how they put tiles on top of other tiles. Our bike ride this week took us to Hasami and Arita, known for their pottery. Absolutely awesome.

Test Ride

I never explained why, back in August, one Sunday I found myself standing in front of granny-underwear at the Hyaku yen (100 yen) shop after bike riding all day. Well, the short story is that I got involved with a bike touring group here, went biking with them in the rain, then, since we were going to an onsen afterwards, I needed clean, dry clothes. Ahhh...that's why I was lingerie shopping at the ultimate discount store. After the onsen these folks even treated me to a welcome dinner. They are totally amazing. Of course their English is about as good as my Japanese, so it's always interesting - I never quite know what's going to happen. But - it's basically like this - they pick me up, we drive to some cool location in Nagasakiken or Sagaken, ride our bikes for several hours, go to an onsen to clean up and relax, and then dinner. The link to the bike shop page is above (click on the title), and Taniguchi san, the owner, usually posts pics from the ride. If you scroll down to a page from August, you'll see a picture of me with Sam out in front of his shop. Oh - and yes, you'll notice they drive on the wrong side of the road here :)

Dogs Days of December

How cute is this? Okay, granted, he's not actually a real dog (that status is reserved for a dog weighing more than a cat!), but how cute is he? I will say one thing for him (it is a he? didn't really check) - he guarded the back of that car like a fierce beast! I saw this little guy when we stopped the other day along our bike ride.
And I thought I wouldn't see dogs here. The Japanese would give the French a run for their money.

Huis Ten Bosch

It's pronounced "House Ten Boss-u" according to a nice Dutch man working there. I decided needed a little Christmas, so I headed to HTB this past weekend (after I finished Book 1 of my Japanese language course, of course!). Weather was awful (thought of putting in another word, but don't know how young my reading audience is-), and I got reeeeeeally sick on some food I ate there. I SWEAR I'm not taking anymore nenkyu (I only get 20 days "off" a year - no summer, winter, or spring break - just those 20 days + a sprinkling of a few national holidays) - because the last time I did it was for a funeral, and now I was violently ill. Better for me just to be at work! Yikes! Well, anyway, the lights and decorations were pretty, but HTB is definitely lacking a key element...let me see...it's missing....oh yeah - that's it - it's missing a lot of Dutch people! But at least the place looked as lovely as it could in the London weather we were having (the photo in the post is the ONLY moment of sunshine I saw). OK, maybe I'm a little crabby now - hungry for lunch - let's see what Hokka Hokka Tei delivered today. I'll write more about HTB and it's alleged loveliness when I go back and see it -

Trimming the tree

I bet you thought I meant decorating a Christmas tree. Right. (Do they even grow here?) My "tree" this year is going to be - ahh - interesting to say the least. It may likely involve something I stole from the side of the road (is that still stealing?) under the cover of pre-dawn darkness...I'll post pics when it's done and "installed" in the apato. THIS tree trimming, however, I thought Papa san (and other bonsai gardeners - yes - sai - "sigh" NOT "zie" - I was sternly corrected on this when I first arrived. "Banzai" means "hurrah!") might enjoy the care taken to keep our school courtyard looking tip top (omigosh - did I just say "tip top"??? geez...I'll have the word police after me - ). Actually, I wonder what our gardener would say if I brought out some ornaments and began my own "trimming"...hmmm....

Shiitake surprise

So today when I walked by my little tatami shop friends, I said hello and offered them some of the omiyage I had gotten at the sumo tournament (these happened to be little cookies in the shape of sumo wrestlers - you'll have to take my word for it - they were cute. The cookies, I mean). I REALLY don't expect these lovely people to be giving me free stuff every time I turn around, but the lady just wouldn't let me go without several shittake mushrooms in my sack. Dinner was "oishiikatta" (delicious) tonight!

Tatami wa utsukushii desu!

As I walk to Yue train station each Thursday afternoon after a day at Takaki Bunko (my other school), I pass by these genki peeps making tatami mats. I'm really lucky to have a flat that has three tatami rooms - I love the stuff! Click on this post's title if you don't know what tatami is.
So one day I stopped and bravely tried out my Japanese, "Anata no tatami wa utsukushii desu", which - I hope - means, "Your tatami is beautiful." Whatever I said apparently pleased the lady and she came out and filled my hands with mikans - the local oranges. Yum. I just can't get over how cute they are - that guy there smiles with his whole body! :)

**** It Feels Good to be a Gaijin

That title is for those of you who've seen (or live) the movie "Office Space" - just sub out the guys in the field swinging the hammer and instead picture me - with bag of pastries swinging on my handlebars as I cruise through Isahaya on the Wahoo (that's my bike for those of you who didn't know). Yep. Certainly good to be the gaijin (foreigner). I go into a pastry shop and having only ordered - and paid for - ONE of these (the one with the strawberries) I come home to find that the nice man stuffed the rest of this nonesense in the box, too. And I thought the Japanese weren't into sweets and pastries...baka baka baka Tracey! (OK...going out for a run, now...)

Kamome

This is the inside of a passage way on the Kamome train, one of the Japan Railway (JR) lines that runs between big cities here in Kyushu. I've been told the Japanese on the signs says something about Holland, as the Dutch were the first foreigners here back when Japan closed itself off from the world. Directly on the left (it's too dark to see) is a little booth where you go to talk on your keitai (cell phone). How nice, eh? Come to think of it, I rarely hear people babbling on their phones anywhere (maybe that's because you only get 62 minutes for 5,000 yen/month!). PS - click on the title, "Kamome" and it will take you to the JR Kyushu link - the English one :)

Have a seat...

This is the interior of one of the cars on the Kamome line - the JR line that runs from Nagasaki to Fukuoka. It's not "first class" but it sure feels like it. (So, what do ya think, Berns? Personally, I like it even better than the Shinkansen. Just tell your mom that you need to come over here and check it out for yourself :) )

Happy Thanksgiving!

No, I did not have to have sushi for Thanksgiving this year! Thanks to the splendid hospitality of Tim and Machiko Huggins, whom I met through my bike touring friend, Taniguchi san, I was able to enjoy a delicious "American Thanksgiving" today. It was at the Huggins' chapel/home up on a hill in a town north of Nagasaki. Absolutely beautiful view down into the mountains and sea, and absolutely delightful food and company! I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to share this time with such warm-hearted people. After dinner we went upstairs into the living quarters and it was Christmas! It really felt like home. I think that Mom and Machiko san (she's the one in the photo with me here) would have gotten along really well. Well, I hope all of you share a wonderful day of food, friends, family, and football!

Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka

So many choices...so little time and little mawashi! (the silken loincloth).
Hey - I also heard that women are not even allowed on the "dohyo" (the platform thingy where they wrestle). So I guess Title 9 is not an issue here. One interesting point is that the mayor presents the winner with the prize. In Osaka, the mayor is a woman - hmmm...

A lotta love...

Just wanted to introduce you all to the new guy in my life. Met him at the sumo tournament - he's absolutely perfect - big and strong, quiet - a good listener, looks good with his shirt (and pants???) off, rich, has a WHOLE lotta love to give...so what's if he's a cheeky sort and a bit one-dimensional?

Lunch of Champonians

Ugh...I've definitely got a right proppa cold...but I guess it serves me right for staying out till all hours after the sumo tournament in Fukuoka this weekend. So...lots of tea for me and this wonderful stuff from Nagasaki called "champon". It's the closest I can come to getting chicken noodle soup around here...and for the record, I liked it much better before I looked it up and found out how it's made...

"orange you glad you checked the blog today?"

(groan)
SO I guess you can take the gator out of Florida, but just can't take the Florida out of the gator...
(alright, I'm going to bed now! Promise!)
See ya later arrigator!
(well - you HAD to see THAT coming!)

Aren't you the sweetest?

Ikiriki Shogakko (primary school) invited us (several local ALTs) to participate in their annual Orange Day celebration. Basically, it was like a massive field day at this park atop a hill overlooking Omura Bay. Each ALT was assigned to a group of students, and our only job was to play with the kids! How fab, eh? They were quite adorable with their random questions they bravely spoke in carefully rehearsed English (evidence of Graham's excellent teaching, no doubt!). Sorry I can't show pictures with faces (the kids couldn't read my photo release forms :) ), but here I am hoisting up someone who just KNEW that THIS was the sweetest orange on the tree. In this unique "field day" event the object here was to pick the sweetest orange - since this area is known for their oranges - the owner of the grove let us in for this activity. And how sweet the taste of victory - we scored 5 out of a possible 5.

Did Sam get trashed?

Well, I'm feeling under the weather (I think I'm allergic to school), but Sam's getting out at least. Here he is checking up on the nensei (students) who are currently engaged in picking up trash along the lovely Isahaya river. Faces have intentionally been fuzzed out to protect the innocents :) (um- yeah - it was just really cold out and I didn't take time to focus!). Sam wandered down to help with the clean up, but some of the nensei almost mistook him for garbage (sorry, UF mates!). By the way, I didn't hear anyone complaining about picking up trash, but that's maybe because they got out of 6th & 7th period and got to play in the water.