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.

Happy Harroween!

Trick..or Treat? I'll let you decide! Well, it seems this holiday isn't totally lost on the Japanese! I happened upon what appears to have been a pumpkin carving contest at Dejima Wharf in Nagasaki City, or is that really my date for the weekend...hmm...so what's the REAL story here??? I'll let you use your imagination, since I'm not one to kiss 'n' tell :)

Amazing Grace

Well, there's no easier way for me to say this then to just say it. After battling (and I mean battling) cancer for about a year and a half, my Mom finally closed her eyes one last time and "went home" on October 3. During those last difficult days before her passing I had been working on getting myself out of Japan and back to South Florida, and although I was not able to be physically there with her then, I know she felt the love of all the people who were able to be there. Thank you if you were one of them. Knowing that you were there, holding her hand, telling her stories, smuggling in chocolate, bringing her flowers, (even taking care of the wildly spirited Gretchen for Dad!) knowing that you were simply THERE was a great comfort to me, half a world away. As most of you know, I was home for a little while, and during that time I tried to collect as many hugs as possible, since the Japanese are pretty "hands off." If anyone can figure out how to email or snail mail hugs to me here in Japan, please do! At both the visitation and the funeral I was so touched by how many people from so many different aspects of our lives were there to show their support. Thank you if you were there - there's something to be said about "strength in numbers" I think...And, speaking of the funeral, I don't know if I'll ever be able to hear "Amazing Grace" again without a stash of tissues close at hand.
So here I sit, halfway around the world again, surrounded by a people, a landscape, a culture still so foreign to me, yet, on the edges of my horizon, I feel Mom's strength, the warmth of her pride and love for me, and I know, somehow, we're all going to make it through this...
I hope you smile at the photo I chose - it's one of my favorites. I believe (and Papa san will correct me if I'm wrong) that it is at Chapman Falls, where he proposed to her once back in (well, whenever you proposed the first time) and then again - with a huge, gaudy ring from consignment shop - when we took our last family trip during the summer of 2004. I'm really glad she said "yes"...
t
xo

Bunkasai 2006

Here is the entrance to Isahaya High School's Bunkasai (one of the several festivals here lately) - "Bunkasai" is a cultural festival, and I was amazed at what was offered at the one hosted by the "Kanko" (IHS nickname) students. The students practiced their routines and performances well into the night each evening after school, and though they must have been tired on the day of the festival, you'd never have known it to see them!

Carrie Oakie

Oh, yes...definitely two of the next contestants on "Japanese Idol" there...
This is my first time doing karaoke in Japan, and I think the first time doing it since Project Graduation (that would be high school grad) with Danielle, Bob, and Cara! Dawn's thought bubble reads, "She reeeeally needs to keep the day job!"
(Sorry I've been outta touch...between festivals, typhoons, and family "fun", I've been a little ahhhh...distracted.)

Sam went on a field trip with me to Nagasaki City, which is about 20 minutes away by train. The purpose of my visit that time was to find a bike store so I can get a good mountain bike since I couldn't bring mine from home. Funny how things work out, though - because if I HAD been able to bring my US bike, I might very well have missed out on meeting Taniguchi san and his little (bike) touring group! I even had the good fortune to be in the bike shop at the same time as the team leader, Keizo san, and he was nice enough to give me a lift back to Isahaya. And that's just the beginning! There's more to the story - an invite for Christmas Mass and dinner, trips to amazing places, underwear shopping at the "100 yen" store, onsens, yakiniku and hanbagu - all this and I haven't even bought my bike yet! I'm tired now, though, so you'll have to check back for the story later (don't worry - it's not what you might think -it's all PG! this IS Japan, afterall!).

Tanoshiso-dane, Sam!

("It looks like you're having a good time!") As you can see, Sam wastes no time in making new friends in Nagasaki city!

More biru?

Miki pours Fuchi a drink (notice how cute the little beer 'mugs' are?!) A little note on "the way they do things here" - when you want more to drink, someone else pours it for you. In some places in Japan, the men actually just hold up their glass and yell, "Biru!" and some woman will come running over to pour him a drink. (yeah - don't get any ideas, guys. You try that one with me, and I'll say, "What, are your legs broken?") Another one of the JETs from Miami wrote me about a party that he attended where the women actually did this running-over-to-pour-business, and he said it made him feel really awkward. Another BIG note - there is NO drinking and driving. You drink even one drink, and then drive - you're liable to end up in prison. You better not even drive the next morning if you drank a bit the night before - they can still nab you then. Solution? You call this cool "taxi" service - this service provides someone else to drive you and your car home. It's even cheaper than a regular taxi. Maybe Mr. Gibson should take down that number...

Welcome enkai

Chizu! So here is the English department at Isahaya Koko. They took me out for a welcome "enkai" (party) which included lots of food and lots of drinking...great fun! I think this is why the Japanese teachers and staff get along so well! Everyone seems to go out to drink and eat (emphasis on the drinking) together often! I thought the Japanese principal we interviewed the last time I was here was kidding - no! What makes for a nice workplace environment? Drinking and karaoke! Really! By the way, Takahama sensei, my supervisor, is the guy in front of me with the tie.

"dags, ya like dags?"

No - not a spelling error - but I forget that some of you might not understand the reference to the Guy Ritchie movie, "Snatch"...if you don't know what "pikeys" (sp?) are, watch the movie and get back to me. Oh - and ah, in the meantime, you might want to keep your dOgs away from diamonds and squeaker toys...
(ps - click on the underlined title)

Bow - WOW

(yes, I like dags...but this post is really about softball)

My first 5 classes (40 students each, 2 class periods I had 80 kids!) went really well today - they seemed to have a good time, and of course Sam was a big hit. After school I caught the bus home and then ran/walked back to school (about 45 min or so). It was about 6pm, so I hung around the groups practicing sports and their routines for the festival. These kids are really amazing - after school clubs are just what they all do - they play, rehearse, etc. instead of getting into trouble or playing video games. Anyway, I wandered out to the (boys) softball practice (they know that I play). Get this. They all saw me, and actually ALL STOPPED WHAT THEY WERE DOING, TURNED TO ME AND BOWED, saying "konnichiwa". Omigosh...I didn't quite know what to do! I kinda bowed back and returned their greeting in English. Then they gave me a ball and a glove and I threw with one of the guys for a bit. And I wouldn't be surprised if there's a pair of cleats my size waiting for me at my desk tomorrow. I really think the want me to play with them ??? One of the guys asked me - probably on behalf of the team - to come to their game next week. Then, when I left, they all stopped and bowed (they stayed down awhile!) again!

Just another day in the life...It's so hard being the local celebrity :)

Garden Delight

As I was just told today (if I understand the "Japanenglish" correctly), our school property was apparently the site of some sort of a castle during the Edo period. Therefore, this lovely little garden has been preserved, and the students use it for practicing dance, music, etc. How bad can my day get if I can go out the front door of the school, sit on an ancient stone bridge, and visit with the koi?

Sado - "the way of tea"

I take great delight in going out to this little tea house (pictures of a tea ceremony to follow later this week) and the garden that we have here on the grounds (I can't believe I go to "work" here every day!).

Isahaya Koko

Here's a photo of the front of my home school, Isahaya Koko (academic high school). The cypress (?) always smell so good when I walk under them...

Skippity-doo-da!

Can you believe Honda san (on right) had never tried peanut butter? Well, we had to fix that! I introduced apples and peanut butter to my "lunch bunch" posse, Reiko san and Honda san...check in again later to see Honda san doing her Brad Pitt impression...
ps - Gilli-chan & Bernie-chan you can be honorary members of the LBP, too! (but only if you eat with your chopsticks) Kelly san, if you pull up the blog at lunch time, it'll be just like old times :)

Yougotta Yukatta!

Reiko san ("Lake-O san") is the "boss lady" of the copy room at Isahaya Koko (High). She hijacked me one day to take me to get my first yukatta (summer version of a kimono - s'posed to be lighter??? I felt like Kiera Knightly's character in "Pirates" - you know - all laced up, fainting & falling? Similarities stop there, tho...). Here we are pictured in the copy room/lunch room solarium. The fan is not just for decoration...

Bird's Eye

Since Google Earth might be a little bit fuzzy around my address, I thought I'd post a shot I took from the airplane when I came to Nagasaki from Tokyo. I've decided the mountains + sea combo is awesome. When it stops raining here, I'll take some pics around Isahaya and of Chez Tore (that would be something close to "toe-ray", my new Japanese nickname).

Sam gets out...

Sam needs your help! He needs a really "kakkoii" (cool) name for his blog...
For those of you who don't know who Sam is, he's my partner in crime, my stunt-double, my escort, and he's always jumping into the picture when I travel. Please send me ideas on what to call his new home on the web. Arigato gozaimasu - thanks!

She lives!

Just a quick note to let you all know I made it to Japan and am still in one piece (just a little melted around the edges). Technology here has been...umm...interesting to say the least. When I remember how to upload photos, I'll do more postings - so much to tell! In short, I'm at a fantastic school, my apartment is charming with its tatami rooms and nightly semi (cicada) orchestra, and I'm even beginning to figure out the bus schedule - ok, well, maybe I'm not - I'm just starting to recognize the people at my stops and they make sure I get on the right bus :).
And to all my soFla peeps - hopefully Ernesto will lose his way...I'm praying for you...be safe!