Summer Time and Update!

So Summer is well and truly here! I've been keeping busy with Summer Festivals, welcome parties for the new JETs that have arrived, Pre-School visits (more on them later), and summer activities (hiking, rafting, travelling!). Throw in a 6-day whirlwind trip to Australia and that's my Summer so far!

My favourite part about Summer in Japan is definitely the Summer festivals. Getting kitted up in a Yukata, eating festival food (fairy floss, yakisoba, shaved ice and more!), dancing, playing taiko and catching Mochi (pounded rice cakes) are just some of what goes on at one. The other night was the last of the Summer festivals, so I'm kind of sad that they're all over. There are some more in Autumn so it's not all bad new, but I'll miss the ones in my town the most. I always end up seeing everyone I know (which after teaching English to 500+ kids and adults for two years, is quite a lot!). It's sometimes is overwhelming but mostly it's heartwarming. I feel like I have so many lovely friends in this town, which is going to make leaving them so much harder ;-(

One of the most recent festivals was the Centipede Festival in my town (the centipede is my town's mascot, for what reason I'm yet to discover!). The festival involves a series of races whereby a team of 6 stands in a vertical line with their ankles ties together with rope. In this lovely contraption, the team run together over 2/300 metres, the first to finish being the winner. This year I was asked to join. Gulp. I was put in the Women's Town Office Team, and to my joy was placed at the front of the line! The first to fall and the face everyone would be looking at! Well, there were no falls (though a few close calls!), and we finished second. A mediocre effort, that thankfully won't have to be repeated!

Another traditional part of my Summer is visits to the local pre-schools. Wow. Those were an intense few days! 40 2-5year olds screaming and crying and jumping on me for an hour at a time has certainly proved a test of my patience! But when I'm greeted with 40 little voices shouting "Hello Samansa!" when I walk in, it kind of makes it all worth it ;-) I've found it to be my most challenging audience so far, keeping my energy up with those kids is an effort that puts me in awe of pre-school teachers! So far we've done colours, numbers, duck duck goose (read: tears, tears and more tears!) and the Hokey-Pokey/Cokey. I've loved every minute of it (even if I need another shower afterwards!) and I'm looking forward to doing it all again in the winter holidays.

At the moment it's school festival time. The school festivals here would roughly translate to an end of year concert in Australian schools. My students are running around doing last minute dress rehearsals of songs, dances and performances and then decorating the school in their free time. I look forward to school festivals every year, plus there's always a teachers party after everything's all over!

Let's see, what else is new? Currently, Toye and I are planning a super trip around Japan for when we leave JET. The plan is to buy a van, take the seats out of the back and lay a frame and mattress down, and then drive the length of Japan, stopping off at everything on our list- (all the way to Okinawa!) that way we'll leave Japan having been everywhere we wanted to. I'm really excited! There's also plans to catch the Trans-Siberian Express from Beijing/Vladivostok and travel through Europe afterwards, which is equally exciting! (subsequently I'll be counting my yen from now on!)

Recently, 12 students from my town went on a 10-day exchange to Port Macquarie, Australia. I took them through a few months worth of orientations, practicing Aussie greetings (G'Day Mate! Don't worry...didn't go that far!), teaching them Aussie customs and preparing them for culture shock. They got back about a week ago and they haven't stopped talking to me about everything they did! Apparently there were some crushes too ;-)

I'm quite excited as my parents are making another trip over in October this year. This will be their third trip! I'm feeling very lucky :-) As soon as I told my schools/friends/students EVERYONE has made plans to see them! There's even been a softball game organised and planned for my Dad to take part in because they know he plays softball! I've got quite a trip round Hokkaido planned for them too, so I hope they don't expect to get any sleep while they're here!

Well, I think I've covered everything in the last couple of months or so. This weekend I'm off to the Hell Festival (I know, right? I'll let you know when I find out!) plus there's a trip to COSTCO planned as well. Can't wait!
Sam

All things Spring!

So the snow has fiiiinally melted and the sunny days are becoming more frequent. Hurrah! I can now safely cycle to work now, a big plus :-) With warmer weather brings spring-time activities. I've already sweated my way through two marathons (don't be fooled by the name, it was only 5km!) We were creative and spelled "Toya" (the name of the town where the "marathon" was held) with our bodies!

Nifty, eh?

Had one school sport's carnival: There are always two teams-red and white. The white team won this year with a special Team Dance danced to a song from High School Musical! And they shouted out the English lyrics that they knew :-) Sweet!

And the other day I was invited out by one of the primary schools to plant rice the old-fashioned way. It was very spur of the moment so I wasn't exactly appropriately attired! The entire school jumped in the rice paddy bare-foot and continued to squelch and scream and plant tiny little seedlings. It was so fun!

I've never heard so many squeals (from myself included!)!

This interesting contraption makes the holes where the seedlings are to go. Interesting stuff!

My lovely attire..

The next big even on my schedule is the Yosakoi-a giant dancing street parade in Sapporo which is endless amounts of fun! Amid the frivolity there's a superhero costume party for a friend of mine, for which, with my newly red tresses, I'll dress as Poison Ivy! Putting my sewing skills to the test :-s I'll keep you posted :-)

-S

Hisashiburi=Long Time, No See!

Well, it's been quite a while, an embarassing long time in fact, since I updated my blog! I'll pin it down to having too much fun in Japan ;-) I could spend paragraphs backtracking and updating what I've been up to since *gulp* April 13, 2009...but I'm lazy and can't be bothered ha. Besides, Facebook can tell you all of that! Instead I'll tell you what I'm up to today. And that's counting down the hours before I head to Northern Honshu, (Tohoku) for a week of roadtripping, onsen-ing and cherry blossoms. I'm ridiculously excited and as soon as 4.15 rolls around I'm racing out that door!
Our (that would be Toye and I) plans include: a 7 hour ferry trip from Hokkaido to Aomori prefecture where we'll see the largest outdoor golden Buddha (Seriously, who could pass that up?), and a 4 hour hike and a soak in a lovely milky hot spring (just like a postcard!). After Aomori we're headed to Iwate prefecture...where limestone caves, a rock-splitting cherry tree and...the infamous Wanko Soba. Giggles aside it's basically a small dish of soba noodles and soup, it's served in a tiny little bowl and the idea is to eat as many of those little bowls as you can. One of my friends in Yuni managed to stomach 52. So that's what I'm aiming for! Wish me luck!
Next is Akita prefecture. First up a trip to the deepest lake in Japan (I wonder if we can swim in it?), several 'castle towns' and another hot spring dip! Last stop is Miyagi prefecture where we'll see the Akiu waterfalls, eat cow tongue and yet another hot spring before a ferry ride back home.
The ferry leaves at 12 tonight. Bring it on.