Weekend in Shiga

It's Monday morning again and I don't have a ton to do. We have been undergoing a lot of changes in the Prefecture, which means I will pick up a second high school this summer. Until that happens, however, my Mondays are completely free. For me, I guess it's both a blessing and a curse, since I like being busy but the freedom to do what I want (or plan for the week) is also nice.

Changes

As for my new school, I was pleased to learn that the High School I have been assigned to is really close to my house, I will have another foreign coworker (which is a complete change of atmoshphere). I am not so sure I'll be planning the classes at this place (as much as I will just be showing up as their tolken, female American for exposure and immersion purposes), but I got lucky in the lottery for the new place. Pretty much expat I know working in the public school system in my prefecture is encountering some sort of change (some more major, like being forced to move or adding additional places of work), mostly due to reshuffling the budget at the prefectural level (loans from the Hanshin Earthquake restoration efforts are due) .

Collision

Ok, I really love Japan and Japanese culture (don't know if I've ever said that here, but it's true... even if I am not in love with the Japanese language in the way that others seem to drip off the tongue). BUT, no matter how long I live here, there will always be things that drive me crazy and that I won't be able to get used to. For many expats in Japan, this is the attention foreign-looking visitors seem to attract. I have had more than one kid point me out to their parents and have overheard a fair share of conversations (about what the foreigner is doing/buying/eating/wearing) coming from people who assume anyone who does not look Japanese does not understand the language (and sometimes culture). I will admit this is celebrity-like treatment can be exciting on the short-term, but also tiring when you live here and are trying to live your day-to-day. It doesn't (and never will) matter if you have been here ten days or ten years; it's the same.

To be honest, I have reached a point I either find the attention amusing when I get it or have just learned to ignore it all together.

That being said, this is a really long segway into a funny experience I had last night. One thing that was sort of hard to ignore happened when I went running this week. I was sprinting up the hill on the big bridge near my house and had two middle school boys ride their bikes into each other - and fall over! - because they were both so focused on watching me sprint. Can't say that has ever happened before, but I felt like someone in a Nike or Reebock commercial just running past them and into the distance with a snickering smile on my face. Ha!

A Hello, A Goodbye and Kicking it up with the Coworkers

Friday was my big Hello/Goodbye work party in Himeji (known as the infamous enkai). This one was pretty tame and I didn't go out afterwards because the group I wanted to go with was going to karaoke and I had about 45 minutes until last train, but it was fun hanging out with coworkers in an environment where they are SO much more relaxed and open. They call it a Hello/Goodbye party because it's to thank the staff members that are transferring or retiring and to welcome those taking their place. As with other work parties, the party costs about $100 a head (yes, for real... and everyone comes!), you have to go stag (no families - just coworkers) and there is a plenty of booze (the social lubricant of choice) to accompany the typical five-course meal they serve. I got placed at the head table with the office staff and heads at school, but since none of them speak any English and it can be really formal, I switched cards at the last minute. Not so sure that was kosher (even if it gave some of the younger guys that saw me do it a chuckle), but I had fun at the table I was at. Sweet Ms. Tsutsumi is always fun to sit by and it was funny listening to the older man next to me bad-talk another teacher after he came onto me a little too strongly and the older guy thought there was a threat there.

Midwestern Girls on Parade and Hikone Castle

After meeting with the old ladies on Saturday, I headed a few prefectures over to Shiga (home of Lake Biwa) to hang out with my friend Shannon. We met in Minneapolis before either of us moved to Japan, actually, and she and my friend Brianne (the third party in our little Midwestern trio) have been such a blessing to have here. We basically just hung out, hitting up an amazing italian restaraunt (with dangerously delish desert carts) and then watching a Chinese film on Saturday. On Sunday, we spent the day in Hikone, famous for Hikone Castle (彦根城 / Hikone-jō). Hikone celebrated it's 400 year anniversary last year (Kristin and I saw a full-scale snow replica at the Sapporo Yuki Matsuri). I explored the inside on my own since Shannon had already visited it a few too many times and it seemed tiny compared to my local Himeji Castle (which I am starting to appreciate more and more as the most famous castle in Japan), but this castle was also black and it was refreshing to see something other than the usual 60s-era concrete reconstructions most towns boast. The castle tower is an official National Treasure and that a number of the turrets have been classified as Important Cultural Properties (with a pretty Japanese garden on the side), but the inside did look similar to what I've seen before.

After the castle, Shannon and I wandered around for a bit, watching the sun set over Lake Biwa (Japan's largest lake) before I had to head home. I sort of wish I was lakeside right now, but I'm going to head back this summer for water sports on the lake and will see the girls for a little field trip in a few weeks. Lovely time!

Biting Your Tongue - On Banning Gossip

In the wake of my recent post on the office gossip and in light of a recent surge in internet bases for sharing potentially harmful and hurtful information about others (which I thought were already in abundance... thank goodness juicecampus.com wasn't around when I was in undergrad!), I thought I'd share a sort of funny article that someone mentioned to me this weekend. Apparently, the CEO at this small Chicago-based business firm got so sick of the office gossip where he works that he hired a consulting firm to come up with the solution: ban it all together. That's right, "ZERO tolerance for tatting." Punishments and all for those that are caught. Nice.

It's really too bad my Japanese isn't good enough to translate this one for my office, but let's hope it doesn't get to this point!

Amazing, but non-stop week of birthday dinners, our "hello/goodbye party" for work and now I'm off to SHIGA to visit the lovely Ms. Shannon.  Adore those Midwestern girls :-)

More next week...

Meat Night

My girlfriends and I have decided that our regular dinner meetings should no longer be refered to as "Girl's Night" or "Girl's Limes" (gotta thank Kel for infiltrating the Trinidad slang into our regular vocabulary). No, rather, we should use a much more descriptive and practical term: Meat Night.

This Thursday we had the Meat Night of All Meat Nights at Brazilian skewer place, a surprise dinner for Kristine's birthday. The atmosphere at the place is pretty energetic, if not romantic, overlooking Kobe pier with large windows, polished wood floors and beautiful, wrought-iron chandeliers peering down upon the giant Brazilian flag on the wall. Love it.

Dinner was a blast. Lena and Heather prepared a little song for Kristine and we all serenaded her with a little birthday song/dance/cheer at the end of the night.

Let's Dying Eggs!

All of the second- and third-year English Club kids had conflicts yesterday, so not many people made it to our ESS meetings. It gave me some fun time with a few of the new first-year students, though.

I still had a pack of Easter egg dye from America (got it after Cambodia and easter...oops), so I thought dying eggs might be fun for the club to do. It turned out to be a blast! I gave them a little run-down on what Easter is (traditions, Easter Bunny, etc) but it was basically a glorified art project with English vocabulary and a lot of Avril Lavigne.

Check it out:

Jishin

This has been an intense week. I've been in Kobe literally every day since Monday (for a test and two birthday dinners) and have a big work party in Himeji tonight. Don't mind it, but considering alcohol is the ichiban no social lubricant in this country, it's not a huge shocker that everyone gets pretty wasted, so I'm expecting it to be another wild night. Just been a string of late nights... probably a good thing we've got a four-day weekend coming up.

Jishin

Random, but funny story for ya'll. I probably eat in the school cafeteria twice or three times a week. I try to go before the students and usually eat alone or who whatever other staff members are there. Because I am eating during a free period, there are often still classes going on in the gymnasium (located directly about the caf).

Well, today I went to the cafeteria, got my food and sat down. After a few minutes, Fujisaki Sensei, the Information (IT) teacher sits down and says hello and we chat a bit. As we're eating,t he ceileing is literally shaking everytime the students in the gym upstairs run back and forth, so I made a comment about how it sounded like an earthquake (jishin).

The rate at which the man jumped actually made me jump. He looked back and forth, asked me if I was serious, and it was only when I explained to him that it was a joke and that I meant the shaking ceiling - not a real quake - did he calm down. Um...Whew. Few lessons learned here. Do not joke about earthquakes in Japan. Do not use sarcasm. Also, skip the caf if you are the jumpy type. Eeek!

POLITICS

....are OK for the classroom, but please not in the staff room, people.

Some major drama today with teachers gossiping and complaining about other teachers. How do I attract this stuff? I actually had to tell a colleague that I just didn't want to get involved, but I hope these communication issues get worked out. I am sure the students (and probably most of the staff) have no idea about these little power struggles, but seriously, who needs the drama? It's definitely an issue of different orgnizational and teaching styles. Hmm.

On a random note... I have had a thing for Madonna's music lately, but this song came up when I had my iPod on shuffle. I think it's my new favorite song. I can't decide if I think it's original or something of a mix between Garbage, Robyn & maybe Bjork, but it doesn't matter. I just love the rhythm & it's already on my running mix... now I just need to run! :

Rockin the 80s and Class in Kobe

I had a pretty busy day at school today. I've been doing at least 3 different Powerpoint presentations a week lately, but it gives me the opportunity to use fun animation & vids and show pictures so I'm actually having a blast making them and the classes have been going well. I showed a few of my upper level classes the Animaniacs (remember them?) world geography song (I'll post it at the bottom of this entry) and was delighted when one girl not only wanted to know how to get a copy, but is now trying to memorize the song (meaning ALL of the countries in the world... in English). Rock on.

Paula Can you Hear Me?
I had a funny moment after first period today when I ran to the bathroom, looked in the mirror and realized that my outfit was completely inappropriate for work (at least in Japan). I got dressed quickly and ran out the door, just putting on a tank, plain cotton t-shirt (yes, the uniform), blazer and black pants. I was kind of hot, so I was just wearing the T for a while, but it's sort of a longer one with silver stitching... and falls off the shoulder like an 80's workout tape. Hahaha... the look was cute, but I definitely looked like I was paying homage to Paula Abdul's early days in the biz. I just threw the blazer back on for the rest of the day, but now that I think about it... maybe Japan IS the ONE place where (even in a public school) it's OK to make a fashion statement like that. This is why I get along so well with teenage girls, isn't it?

Language Classes
In other news, I decided to take language classes again (this time in Kobe) and just got back from the placement test. I had kinda given up on the Japanese (or dramatically cut down on formal study) this year. The change in attitude was a combo of realizing how much I didn't need it when I went home last summer, how frustrated I was getting that the process was going so much slower than Norwegian or German (seriously, it is HARD) and that others seemed to always know more. But Japanese really is a valuable (communication) tool, I still love languages and culture, this is the time to study it... I realized this is the HAVEN for Japanophiles, so I shouldn't be so frustrated with how much others seem to know in comparison. Why not enjoy it, get better and communicate even more?! Right?

It costs a bit to get to Kobe for the classes, but the classes are really good and at an amazing center (and free). It's also a good excuse to spend more time in the part of Kobe I love and meet more interesting people. I have been heading in that direction a lot over the past few months, so I'm also really happy about being able to meet up with friends on class nights. AND - as if that alone weren't fabu enough - a few other expats in my area signed up for the course, so we can potentially go (or study?) together. Anyways, the placement test was only an hour and I couldn't finish the verb conjugation charts (had trouble at the end), but we'll see how it goes. I'm never going to be completely fluent in Japanese (and my kanji count is disgraceful), but the motivation and interest are coming back so I'm going to jump on that wave while I can.

Adieu
I still haven't been running yet - and probably won't have time to this week - but I'm going to bike to work tomorrow, so looking forward to the extra morning energy and scenery. I've been kind of emotional lately (or sort of bored/depressed about not moving around and being stuck out in the quasi-country), but even the little bike rides (and getting into Kobe) make a remarkable difference. I guess my body really is starving for it! Actually getting up early means off to bed at a reasonable hour, however, so I need to go. Thanks for checking in and until next time... adios!

The Weekend Review and an EARLY Monday!

I was up and actually out of bed early this morning to join my neighbor, Tu, on his daily morning bike ride around the man-made island by our apartments. Tu’s been going for about an hour on weekdays and I thought tagging along would be a good excuse to hang out (yes, even at 6:30am) and get back into moving around now that my foot is pretty much better (and before the humidity!).

Today was a pretty simple trip (just did a shorter, less rigorous route down some of the paved streets and through the park) but I might start biking to school to get more pedal-time in. It’s about 50 minutes each way, but when it takes me 35 minutes by train anyways... meh, why not? I also think I’m going to try to start running this week. It felt so good to get outside (last of the cherry blossoms are dropping & the weather is beautiful).

If this keeps up, I might actually consider converting to being a morning person.

But anyways... on to the weekend:

Friday
I was supposed to get a haircut with the girls at Zokka on Friday, but don’t really need one yet, so I ended up canceling the trim and just meeting up with everyone afterwards (my girlfriends and I get our hair cut together at the same place so we do a make-shift girl's night or something after). There were only three of us this time around, so we grabbed dinner at the nearby SATY food court (almost went for the bottomless fries but endec up with pizza... yuuuum) and just talked until Kristine had to get going to meet some friends at the gym. The original plan was to see a movie after that, but of the two we really wanted to see, I had already seen one and the other one was already on DVD in America (if you can order it off Amazon, why pay $20 a seat?!) so we walked around and then met up with two other friends when they finished at the gym. As you can possibly tell, quite a few of my friends have now gotten gym memberships, and because a lot of them are evening memberships (it's cheaper from 9-12), working out has become a more popular activity on the weekends than it used to be. I think summer and returning home soon (gotta be lookin' good) has something to do with it, but it's sort of funny. Friday nights definitely signify dedication.

Saturday

I didn't do much on Saturday morning, just errands and a few loads of laundry. Saturday night, on the other hand, was one of my friend Shag's famous BBQ parties. Shag (nickname for Sagur) is from Chicago and does advertising work here. I'm not sure if it's the Chicago roots (and, OK, there might not be an actual grill involved), but the man's ribs are out-of-control delicious and I covet these dinner events. There were actually a lot of people in attendance this week, so we had a lot of fun watching old comedy sketches, hanging out and then going dancing later on (at a bar with a DJ where we were basically the only ones there, let alone dancing). I spent the night at Shag's with about 6 other people (surprise on me to wake up on a completely flat blow-up mattress... on a hardwood floor) and then watched movies the next morning. It was a lot of fun!

Sunday
Robyn, Adela, Art, Shag and I said our goodbyes to the rest of the folks that had spent the night in Motomatchi and made our way to Osaka to attend the Amnesty International human rights event that Adela had coordinated. The plan was to visit Liberty Osaka, the Osaka Jinken Hakubutsu-ka (Osaka Human Rights Museum), and then go for lunch in the park. Robyn, Shag and I had already committed to going to a fundraising dinner (near where I live) later in the evening, so I knew we probably wouldn't make the picnic part, but I have been wanting to see the Human Rights museum for a really long time and was happy for the opportunity to join the group.

The museum itself wasn't hard to find. We met other members of the Chapter 95 Amnesty Intl group outside of Ashiharabashi station and walked past phonebooths, benches, statues shaped like taiko drums (and a whole park dedicated to honoring the art of taiko-drum manufacturing). The area is apparently famous for it's master taiko drum-makers, but it was probably the most elaborate display of recognition for local artists that I have seen (unless you count the giant Peanuts characters all over the Twin Cities...).


The Human Rights museum itself is tucked away behind some large apartment buildings, but it was easy to find with signs marking the path (note: note English). Founded in 1985, the museum was originally an old high school building, which was renovated by the city in '95. We didn't get a group discount for the outing (needed 20...), but it only cost about ￥250 to get in and we were given a free audio guide (and volunteer guide with OK English).

I am going to be honest and say that I was a little underwhelmed by the museum experience. It was interesting to see a history of gender roles and I think I can use information from an exhibit about how/why we form stereotypes with my classes (and I enjoyed it), but there wasn't a lot of English in general and I expected to learn more about the history of the struggle of mis/under-represented gorups in Japan (not just that they exist). Then again, the language barrier could have had something to do with the problem and I am sure I would have gotten more out of it had I been able to actually sit down and discuss in-depth with the group afterwards.

That being said, the Osaka Human Rights museum is the first general museum concerning human rights in Japan (so props to them for making the effort and hopefully starting a trend), and one visiting the country as a tourist (so not here long enough to really dive deep enough into the culture or some of these issues) could gain something from the permanent exhibitions on themes like the women's movement in Japan (again, they admit that it's - sorta - here, but was VERY surface-level), physically challenged people, racial issues (like Ainu and Okinawans) and even burakumin, or discriminated-against groups, such as leather workers.

After the museum, I made the trip back out to the Bunshu neighborhood (my area) for Tamatha's pasta tabehodai extraveganza (basically all-you-can-eat spaghetti and bread for ten bucks...to raise funds for a charity bike ride she is doing). Good times.

The next several weeks are starting to book up like crazy (work party Friday and then gone next weekend in Shiga, hiking in Yakushima the next weekend, Tokyo the next weekend and maybe girls weekend in Awaji the weekend after that... off the top of my head), so I'm starting to appreciate the spontaneous and low-key time with friends around here. Good times... but then again, pretty pumped for some of these trips.

This place is in Japan?! I'm in.

So I was checking for movie times on a local newpaper's website and saw an article about Yonaguni Monument. The islands caught my attention and the more I am learning about them, the more I think I need to go. Read about this place (below)... it sounds incredible.
I am sort of shocked I haven't heard about these islands, but I have wanted to check out Okinawa anyways (at least Naha and a smaller island). I think I'm also heading to Yakushima during Golden Week (which is technically in the Okinawan chain, but far north, toward Kagoshima), but this is potentially worth another trip.

From Japanzine:
It strikes us as odd that, while Huis Ten Bosch brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to Nagasaki Prefecture each year, the submerged Kaitei Iseki ruins off the coast of Yonaguni Island are virtually unknown [seriously!...].


Discovered in 1985 by tour operator Kihachiro Aratake, the Yonaguni Monument is a large platform that shows traces of human development, despite being some 8000 years old. Initially dismissed by American scientists as the product of an unusual geological process, more recently Japanese authorities have found writing on the hewn rocks that bare no relation to the local calligraphy of any recorded period. Furthermore, the technology required to construct the monument - which also features staircases and corridors - does not equate with what we know of human capabilities at that time. If, indeed, the area can be confirmed as being part of some lost civilization, history books will certainly need rewriting, though disappointment from those that believe this is the remnants of an alien visitation will be palpable.
Prepare to Be Gob-Smacked......or killed.
Yonaguni Island is home to the anbonia shellfish. Beautiful to look at, and a tempting addition to any shell collection, the anbonia defends itself with a highly venomous harpoon-like limb. One jab and you might as well join the eroding monument on the seabed. The likelihood of getting to an antidote in time is negligible. What to DoAs the opportunity to get down to the monument is tempered by unpredictable weather, rough seas and a particularly prosperous school of hammerhead sharks, finding an alternative at the end of your long journey would make for wise planning. Yonaguni is a geologist's paradise, with at least 5 outstanding rock formations on the island itself, as well as a wealth of caverns. The local museum is interesting enough, however, if you can't bear the disappointment of missing out on the dive of a lifetime, the local hanazake brew should numb your pain sufficiently.
When to Go
Much like the rest of Japan, the Yaeyama Islands are a pleasant trip most of the year round. April and September are typically the cooler months. Remember that early summer brings typhoons, and the Yaeyamas are slap-bang central to Typhoon Alley.


More info available at the wikitravel site.

Another Night, Another Earthquake

Alright, I thought I was either going crazy or dreaming, but it WAS another trembler that woke me up last night! I fell alseep listening to the heavy rain and thunder outside, only to be awoken (again) by my bed rattling.

The earthquake apparently hit around 3am, but wasn't too big. Since yesterday I've learned the one the night before originated in Osaka Bay and was a 4.0 on the Richter Scale. Yikes.

Just because...

This is pretty cool.

Quote of the Day

My "coach" (colleague who is sort of a mentor at work and in Japan) gave me some advice today. We were discussing the changes this year and my upcoming graduate schools plans (and general goals/doubts/thoughts/observations from life), when suddenly Coach turns to me, her voice takes on a more serious tone, and she says:

"Brenda, I am going to tell you something. Nothing you ever do is worthless. You can learn from everything."

You might think it sounds cliche, but there is more behind it. This woman has been teaching for about 20 years and, although we do differ on some issues (she can be very strict with both coworkers and students), I really enjoy talking with her because she's one of "those strong Japanese women." I know I can learn a lot from her and I respect her. Anyways, there was something about the sincereity and clarity in her voice (めｔちゃ げんしゅくね) that struck me and made me literally just take a step back.

In context, she was basically saying she believes in me and the direction I am going in, but she also had a point that there is so much out there in this wonderous world... it's hard to lose out if you just keep going. Those be wise words, folks.

1am Earthquake

I just got a message from a friend in Kobe, asking if I had felt the quake last night. I did, but had essentially forgotten about it until I got the message (was half asleep and thought it was part of a dream or something).

It wasn't bad and only lasted about 10 seconds or so, but I woke up around 1am to my fridge shaking. At first I thought it might be the strong wind (which can rattle my windows if it's bad... and it's been rainy and a bit windy this week), but it stopped before it got to the point where I should have run for the doorframe and I fell back asleep right away.

Another coworker said it was a 3.0, so not too serious, but we weren't sure where the epicenter was. It's been a while since I've felt a trembler... hope everyone was OK!

"hey did you feel the earthquake last night? i woke up in horror cause my bed was shaking...thought i was in the Excorsist movie!!" - Phone-email message I got today from a friend in the next town over from mine

Inclusion is More Important than Language.

Fikk nettopp mail (artikkel) om dette og syntes d var vardt d a dele. Artikkelen handler om det Ungdommens Nordiske Råd og sine planner til a begynne til a bruke bare engelsk (i sine moeter, osv) for a "ikke eksludere folk som vil vaere medlem men ikke kan noen av de skandinaviske sprak." Veldig interessant tema. Jeg synes personlig at d er viktig at Norge (og derimot nordmenn pa alle nivaa) bevarer sitt spraak og kultur, men er samtidig helt enig med hovedpunktet, at "inkludering er viktigere enn språk." Verden forandrer jo seg (blir mindre og mindre...) og Norge er et moderne land. For a vaere med i spillet maa mann inroemme at globalisering skjer og ting forandrer seg. Jeg synes ogsa dette temaet er interessant fordi jeg tror det er kanskje et tegn pa en stadig endring i den norske politiske kulturen (og hva d kunne bety for EU-medlemskapet, f.eks... saerlig siden disse unge menneskene er akkurat de som kommer til a skape norges fremtid).

Anyways... Les videre for artikkelen (opprinilig fra NORTANA)...

Ungdommens Nordiske Råd vil snakke engelsk

Inkludering er viktigere enn språk, og derfor vil Ungdommens Nordiske Råd heretter arbeide på engelsk når det er nødvendig. Dette går i mot offisiell nordisk språkpolitikk hvor arbeidsspråkene er norsk, svensk og dansk.

Det nordiske samarbeidet skal være åpent for alle individer i Norden, og ikke være en ekslusiv klubb for de som snakker skandinavisk, sier Ungdommens Nordiske Råd (UNR) mandag 14. april i en uttalelse på engelsk.

UNR mener at man må endre språket hvis språket leder til ekskludering av individer. Presidiet i UNR har derfor vedtatt å bruke engelsk i arbeidet sitt når dette er nødvendig. UNR er samlet i Stavanger i forbindelse med Nordisk Råds aprilmøter.

[We need to change the language if it is a factor leading to exclusion of individuals.]

Vi blir nødt til å forstå hverandre, sier presidenten i Ungdommens> Nordiske Råd, Lisbeth Sejer Gøtzsche. Enkelte forstår ikke det som> blir sagt på møtene. Uansett hvilket land man kommer fra, er det> problemer med å forstå de skandinaviske språkene, sier Gøtzsche.

[There is a need to understand each other.]

Presidenten i UNR mener at språket er kjernen i arbeidet. Jeg har kommet til den erkjennelse at jeg ikke blir mindre dansk eller nordisk av å snakke engelsk på UNRs møter, sier hun. Samtidig legger hun til at hvis UNR får mer økonomisk støtte til tolkning, vil de ha lettere for å arbeide på de skandinaviske språkene.

Vi må akseptere det faktum at kunnskapen i de skandinaviske språkende blant de yngre generasjonene er stadig synkende, og at globaliseringen har mangfoldiggjort de nordiske landene. Man kan derfor ikke lenger ta det for gitt at alle i Norden forstår og kommuniserer på skandinavisk, sier UNR i uttalelsen.

[It is time to accept the fact that competency in the Scandinavian languages is steadily decreasing among younger generations and that globalization is affected the Nordic countries on multiple planes.]

UNR ønsker også å gjøre oppmerksom på behovet for bedre utdanning i nordisk historie og samfunn for å styrke den nordiske identiteten.

For mer informasjon, besoek vevsidene til Ungdommens Nordiske Råd og Språksamarbeidet i Norden.

Daemons

I had dinner with my group of girlfriends in Kobe this week and we got onto the topic of Philip Pullman's "Dark Materials" series, otherwise known as the Golden Compass trilogy. I finished the books last week and was surprised by how much I enjoyed them (especially since I was one of those kids who never really got into Narnia or sci-fi), so it was fun to discuss the story with friends who have also read them, hear their reactions to the ending, etc. We also talked about what our daemons would be if we had one.

In the [Golden Compass] story, the main character, Lyra, lives in a world where humans' souls exist outside their body in the form of an animal. There is a spiritual and physical tie between the two being, which makes it virtually impossible to separate a human and their talking animal-daemon. When you're a child, the daemon takes on different animal shapes, but it eventually settles into one form - that best represents your personality - upon puberty.

When I asked what my girlfriends thought my daemon would "settle" as, I was surprised when two of the four girls immediatly replied, "a cat!" A third said a butterfly, which I could see, but one of the cat girls said she saw some kind of lynx or bobcat and everyone seemed to agree with that.

This little group of women is pretty spread out, so we don't all get to see each other that often, and there are better friendships between different people, but we try to meet as a group and for "girls' night" often enough (it's sort of like breakfasts on Sex & The City) that I feel really comfortable with all the girls and think they have a good idea of my personality. Interesting that they would see me as catlike....

Anyways, if you want to see what your daemon would be (or learn more about the novels & film), take the little quiz (see "Daemons") on the Golden Compass* website.

Gettin Jiggy with JERO

I just found out about this guy a few weeks ago, but I've been talking to my kids about it, and it really is huge in Japan right now.  JERO is an American rapper who is making headlines for putting a spin on traditional Japanese music (enka).  Check it out:

Wednesday Errands

Whew, classes have begun.

The first year students are heading off to Orientation Camp in Miki tomorrow, so I have less than a full schedule this week, but it has been nice to get a few powerpoints and classes in so far :)

I did have a little moment earlier today when I showed a colleague a picture of when I first got here in 2006 (part of my PPT) and her response was, "WOW, you look so YOUNG!" This was followed by a student thinking I was 30 (ok, his friend thought I was 22... but seriously?) and another colleague commenting on how different I look from my high school sports pictures (because I looked so young then). Hmm. Maybe I shouldn't have had that coffee at girls night in Kobe last night (was up until 3... should know better and had the bags under my eyes to prove it)... I hope. I'm just going to pretend it's the shorter hair and leave it at that.

After school, I met the older kids in the ESS group to watch some comedy sketches briefly before our staff meeting. I asked if they had any requests for activities at our first meeting last week and they said they'd like to learn more about American humor (sometimes perplexing in Japan) so now watching Japanese comedy videos and then American ones to compare. I thought it would be funny to show them the "joke expert" clip from the BORAT movie ("NOT!"), but that would probably confuse them more (and is not exactly an appropriate movie to show to high school students). I am really pumped about this project, though, particularly because they requested it and are really interested. I was thinking about starting withpopular YouTube videos, the Simpsons or America's Funniest Home Videos )since Full House is popular and they all know Bob Sagget), but there are a lot of directions I could take it and I'm looking forward to seeing how the girls react.

I also had a group of 5 first years ask if they could join the English club after class today (in addition to the second years that showed up this year), which means we're going to have a big group. It's good to see the program growing and that also means we'll be able to do more big activities. I honestly didn't think we'd get many people after our presentation at the Club Activities Information Fair last week, but you never know. Our first big party is next week (making cookies and dying easter eggs... hey, it's still cool and I have dye leftover) so I'll let you know how it goes.

Other than that, I ran a lot of errands today (closing a bank account, doing other things at my main bank and heading to the doc), all of which I was sort of surprised to be able to manage on my own. Granted, I looked up all the vocabulary I really needed before I attempted to go anywhere (especially for the doctor's office), but I was pretty impressed by how smoothly it all went without a Japanese friend to help translate. Not my first solo trip to the doc here (or to the post office), but the forms (or papers full of kanji) and questions (in Japanese) can be pretty intimidating...

Anyways, I just got back from a LOST night at Clam's a bit ago and think I'm going to head to bed a bit earlier. Hope you're having a lovely week and more soon. Night!

The Weekend Review: Yoshino, BBQ and a little R&R

I had another pretty good weekend, although a good part of it (ie Sunday) was spent a lot more lazily than I should probably admit to. I think my body needed the rest, though, and I am definitely calm and relaxed today.


Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News...
On Friday, I went back to the foot doctor to check out my toe. It’s been over a month now, and my foot is still not completely healed. At first, I was bitter about the injury because of the consequences it carried with it (namely not being able to do the Shizuoka marathon, go snowboarding in Nagano or go swimming in SE Asia), but at least now it’s getting better and I’m used to only wearing Crocs. My toe still doesn’t look great, but the doctor said I didn’t need medicine and that I should be able to wear normal shoes (and go running!!!) in about a week.

Speaking of running (because you know it wouldn't be a Monday post without a random side-note/afterthought), my body is practically aching to move around again. Well, there is the aching and then the fact that I am definitely expanding...mostly caused by the halt in my exercise routine and lack of discipline in my diet (um, and the heaps of baguettes and French food in SE Asia). Not thrilled to be putting on kilos right before summer and our annual physical check-ups, but I’m sure I’ll be able to jump right back into my exercise routine. I might go swimming this evening, just to change things up and get started.

Karaoke in Kobe
Anyways, the rest of Friday was spent in Kobe, entertaining Kelly’s relatives who are visiting from London. Our friend Shag also brought some friends he met on the airport bus, who were in town for an IT conference, and we had dinner and a few drinks at Asian Kitchen before a karaoke session. I took last train home and hit the bed as soon as I got in. There were a million other things going on last Friday (birthday parties, girls nights, friends' concerts), but I had a good time and think I spent it well.

Yoshino
On Saturday, I slept in, talked to "America" for a bit on the phone and then set out to meet Brianne and Shannon, my Minnesota girls, for our friend Shin's birthday party in Yoshino. I was originally going to do a hanami (cherry blossom party) with my old ladies this afternoon, but we changed the date. Anyways, when traveling to Yoshino, I knew it would be a small town and that it was sort of far, but I don't think I quite realized just how extreme both factors were. I checked my trains on Hyperdia before I left, knowing I might be a little late, but it took me over 4 hours to reach the rest of my group... an hour and a half more than I thought it would take me to get there! In addition, we assumed we could just hit up a convenience store (literally everywhere in Japan; arguably engrained into the culture) or supermarket to get stuff for the picnic when we arrived, only get there and find out the town had neither. They did have the usual festival food (mostly yakisoba and takoyaki) and sell drinks, but $4 is a bit much for a can of beer and the tamagoyaki was totally burnt (first time ever). It didn't completely ruin the fun, but be warned that you should definitely plan in advance and bring your own food if you ever do hanami in Yoshino! The crowds were also huge (not to mention the immense lines for the ladies' porta potties), but since I was running short on time, I decided to cut past the streams of people making their way up the hill and just take a bus to the most beautiful cherry blossom viewing spot.

This has not been the best year for cherry blossoms, with an early warm front (interrupted by more cold) and a lot of rain, but - nonetheless - I was in awe by the beauty of the place when I hit the top of the mountain. As I mentioned, the actual town of Yoshino is not spectacular for day-tripping, but the mountain in the center of it takes on a life of it's own every April, drawing people from all over the world... and I was glad to be one of those people for at least a day! In fact, Yoshino is one of the most famous places for hanami in all of Japan, with over 30,000 sakura trees in this one location. When you visit the traditional gardens in Kyoto, many of them have imported trees from the famous site.

On the bus trip up the hill, I passed a sign for the Yoshino-Kumano National Park (one of the 815 UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the world), but I didn't learn until later that part of the reason that the sakura (cherry blossoms) are so beautiful on Mt. Yoshino partially due to the fact that the trees were planted in four groves at different altitudes. What this mans is that the sakura come into bloom at different times of spring, or in years with strange weather such as this, that you can still get blossoms throughout the whole mountainscape if one patch of the grove has been damaged by the weather or something. At the very top of the mountain, there is a shrine and tree-lined streams, all offering marvelous views of the distant mountainous landscape.


Well, due to the (fashionably) late arrival, my friends had already secured a place on a grassy knoll near the top of the hill. After climbing down a series of stone steps and making my way up a muddy hill, I joined them for a few hours of hanging out and playing around. I didn't have reception at the top, so I wasn't able to meet up with other Hyogo friends that were there, but it was nice to enjoy the weather and time with the MN girls. Excellent choice for a birthday picnic!



After traveling another three hours back to Amagasaki (Osaka area), I met Miwa and her brother for an evening at a BBQ/party. Perfect ending.


Sunday Slacker
I actually had a full day planned for Sunday (ok, and one appointment which I switched up the time on and completely missed - still kicking myself for that one), but once the morning rolled in... I decided the best prescription for the day was really just doing... nothing. I spend a lot of time running around, catching trains, and meeting people, but it was actually such a lovely end to the weekend. I think I might try it again sometime :)

Suas'day tshnamm thmey!

[happy khmer new year!!!]
I just heard from a PEPY person who reminded me that Khmer New year is here! It's supposed to be VERY hot in Phnom Penh at the moment, but the all of Cambodia is getting ready to celebrate and it sounds like a lot of fun.

In Cambodia, people don't celebrate their birthdays until they turn 50 (they just turn a year older at the New Year), one of the reasons New Years is a pretty big celebration for everyone. Even schools close for almost a month and everyone gathers together with their neighbors, relatives and friends to eat, drink and enjoy the occassion.

I wish I could go back to Cambodia and celebrate, too, but since I can't and I'm limited to stories, pictures and imagining what the holiday must be like.... Thought I would at least pass on the cheer :-)

Suas'day tshnamm thmey!!

Ceremonies

Wow, this has been the WEEK of ceremonies! We had a hello/farewell ceremony for the new and departing teachers, an opening ceremony, a welcome ceremony for the new students, an induction ceremony for the new students (where the upperclassmen and freshman sit facing each other in the gym and each send a representative to the parting in the middle to give a speech)... and I think at least one more about club activities. Intense! The good news is that classes officially started on Thursday so we're getting back into the swing of things and I like all the people I am assigned to work with this year. I'm just getting pumped and want to actually get started.

I had class with the Senior International Studies class this morning (adore those kids, but cannot believe are in their last year already... ), but that is pretty much it for my schedule this week. I was really looking forward to class with the new first years, but my hours were pushed to next week due to medical checks. The X-ray truck has been parked outside for the last few days and students take a break from class to go get scanned for Tuburculosis. I guess it makes sense that my classes would be pushed out, but it just means a slower week for me. Lots of desk time. I've been reading with most of it (online and novels) and I guess I have to admit it's nice to just settle down a bit (I have been on the go so much that I forgot how much I missed sitting down with a good book)... but having a little more purpose and things to do during the day will definitely be a welcomed change!

'SLAVES IN OUR FAMILY'

Another note on the Scandinavian front. I just heard about a documentary that I really want to see and wanted to pass on the recommendation:

'SLAVES IN OUR FAMILY' is a documentary series in four parts (50-57 minutes), describing mainly Scandinavian descendants of enslaved Africans, as they search their ancestral roots. Surprising as it may seem, thousands of Scandinavians– Danes in particular – have roots in Africa, many without knowing so.

With settlements on the Gold Coast (now Ghana) and a colony in the Caribbean (now US Virgin Islands), the small nation of Denmark was a major slave trading nation across the Atlantic, ranging No. 7 after USA as No. 6.But contrary to most other nations, Denmark had a meticulous control with the enslaved, leaving what is now considered the best slave archives in the world.

This has enabled a large number of modern Danish families to trace their roots, to come out with detailed stories of their ancestors, and to restore family ties that were severed centuries ago.

I was definitely surprised. I would never have considered Denmark a country with a past in slavery and am excited to check this one out.

Multicultural Norway

One of my former Nordic Studies professors brought up an interesting discussion about some of the issues that arise now that Norway is becoming a more multicultural country. It may be suprising to learn that almost 1 in 4 people in Oslo have immigrant background and 35% of the school children in Oslo have an immigrant background.

The current policy for the Oslo 17th of May (Independance Day) parade is that only Norwegian, Sami (approved last year), and the United Nations flag can be used. The Immigrant Forum (Norskinnvandrerforum) has requested that students with immigrant background be allowed to wear costumes from their home countries and to carry flags from their countries. This request has been denied.

The 17th of May celebration is taken very seriously in Norway and many people do wear their traditional costumes. I don't own a bunad, but my friends all wear those and I have typically worn a dress when celebrating Syttende Mai in Norway.

The leader of the Immigrant Forum says thefollowing: "We think that minority cultures,languages, and costumes are a part of the Norwegian society. Minorities also celebrate 17th of May. Therefore, we think that theyshould be able to show their uniqueness, inaddition to the Norwegian, not instead of the Norwegian."

I agree with this point, but immigration and the status of what dictates whether someone is truly "Norwegian" (ethnicity vs. upbringing and langauge) is a growing debate and conversation. Then again, I am sure this is the case in many countries as people become more mobile, but it is also particularly interesting to me as someone from a country of immigrants (or at least grounded on those foundations).

If you would like to read the full article that spurred this conversation (note: in Norwegian), click here.

"Geisha Guys"

CNN just posted this article about male hosts - or what they call "geisha guys" - in Japan.

You see these guys all over the place in most Japanese cities, characterized by the long, anime-like (ie trendy) dyed hair, black suits and Ronald McDonald (long, black & trendy) shoes. Shinsaibashi in Osaka is a sure bet if you're on a mission to spot one, but you'd probably run into a gaggle of these men within minutes of walking off the train in Sannomiya/Kobe, as well. Most of the hosts are just handing out flyers or standing outside of clubs, trying to get people to come in, but it's interesting to hear an "insider" talk about the other side of the biz.

Check out the article if you have time... consider it a shot of culture for the day :)

The Weekend Review: Ha-ha-ha-HANAMI

I don't think I have ever picnicked for an entire weekend before (12 hours on Saturday & about 6 on Sunday), but the sakura trees do provide a good excuse. Turned out to be a lot of fun, but man am I still tired...

Kyoto

This weekend was definitely characterized by cherry blossom viewing and the first stop on the train to cherry blossom nirvana was Kyoto. As I mentioned last week, I've been curious about checking out this famous cherry blossom tree displayed on the calendars at my school each year. Well, I looked the location up, I went, I saw... and it was spectacular!
Sure, you wouldn't think that one tree would all that exciting, but the whole atmosphere of the place and beauty of the trees was remarkable. I was telling my mom about the visit on the phone this weekend and she reminded me of when we went to see the trees (actually a gift from Japan) in D.C. during high school. Yes, they were really beautiful, but I don't remember it being the same. There is just something about the place transforming here and the sheer number of trees. Paired with good weather and the knowledge that the blossom viewing season is brief and fleeting, it has been a beautiful experience.

The tree I went to see was inside Daigoji Temple, actually comprised of a series of three main temple areas and a pagoda (also one of Kyoto's UNESCO World Heritage Sites). I've never been to this temple before, but I was so distracted by the beauty of all the trees once I got there that I almost didn't want to take time to look at the actual buildings that I had paid to go see inside and see. All of the paths between the temples' outer walls were lined with trees, the ground strewn with peddles that would fall down like rain (we say the flowers make a "hera-hera" noise when they fall, and the snow-like fashion in which they go down is called "hanafubuki"...the special and brief experience being very "wabisabi"). I did end up spending a little time inside the temples, but really, the highlight was strolling around the grounds.

After Daigoji, I grabbed a train and raced back to the center of town (Daigoji is in S.E. Kyoto near Uji) to visit Sanjusangen-do, the Buddha temple. The place closed at 5, but I arrived around 4:40 to discover they actually close the gates and stop selling tickets at 4:30. I pleaded with a guard who eventually let me in to just peak around for a few minutes, but I didn't get to spend much time or really see all the Buddhas... I'll have to go back another time.

I spent the rest of the daylight hours just walking along the Kamogawa River. I've been over it a million times, but it was the first time I've walked along the dirt path next to the water...which is removed from the busy streets of the city and currently lined with hanging cherry blossom trees. I swear the water level in Kamogawa always seems to be really low (sometimes there are large, dirt spots in the section near Gion), but I hadn't previously realized that even when it is filled, the river is only about a foot or two deep. I could see the bottom and watched some pretty big fish (catfish?) lazily moving through the shallow, clear water. There was also a pretty impressive array of birds (ok, mostly cranes.. but I like them) in the tall grasses. The path wasn't packed, but there were a lot of couples and tourists, so the highlight was really just relaxing, getting some fresh air and while I viewed the various cherry blossom trees I passed and did a bit of people watching.

I poked around in a few places once I hit the center of town and Kyoto shopping district, but it was getting dark so I eventually followed the narrow lanes back to the main train station. I could see Kiyomizu Temple (one of my favorite temples) lit up on the hillside from one of the overpasses I went used on my walk back, so I briefly considered going to see the sakura at night there, but I was really tired and have seen the temple both at night and with sakura, so I pushed onwards to the train. I made the trip home and watched one of the movies I got along my recent travels, but it was an utterly fantastic day.

Sat & Sun

The rest of the weekend was basically dedicated to more blossom-viewing goodness and glory! I got up early on Saturday morning to meet Kelly, Yuki and Mari and head to Himeji for their sakura festival on the castle lawn. We arrived around 10am to find a place to put our giant, blue tarps, but the large lawn was already filling up fast. The event draws hundreds (thousands?) of people and there are concerts, food stalls, cheap sake (you buy a cup for the day and refill for $1) and even stands with humorous poems and haiku. We stayed for most of the day, just sipping beer, enjoying the view and sun and talking to friends. The event drew a lot of people I haven't seen for a while from all over Hyogo, so I didn't get to chat with everyone, but it was fun to catch up.

I've been inside the castle a few times now, and was just in Himeji, meeting people going to to the castle, last Wednesday, so I wasn't planning on going in, but I was really surprised to discover that they were holding a special night viewing for the occassion... and that it was free to get in. After 6pm, the castle gates re-opened and my friend Robyn and I walked around to see the trees and castle by moonlight (ok, and pink and white spot lights). It was georgous.

We were all going to go out to Osaka afterwards, but ended up heading to Tiger Pub, a local establishment, and just talking and dancing there. I took a flying dive into the pavement on the way home (not good to run for a train in crocs...) which left me with my first skinned knees in about 12 years (thankfully nobody saw!), but other than, long but very enjoyable day.

I spent Sunday doing the hanami bit again, this time in a local park in the Mukonoso/Amagasaki area. Just a smaller group of people, playing cards, sipping beer and hanging out under the umbrella of trees. It was awesome. A few Japanese people came up to offer us shots a few times (handed out cups and poured us a round), which I was definitely feeling towards the end of the afternoon, but I loved both that (just how outgoing and friendly people are & the fact that they are making an effort to get outside and enjoy the weekend with friends and fam) and the impromptu concert that one of our friends put on for a small crowd of cheering, Japanese families at the end of the night. He was actually really good.

It's raining today, which means this weekend was probably the last for the BIG sakura-viewing parties, but I'm really looking forward to getting one last little flower hurrah at my friend Shin's birthday party in Yoshino (most famous cherry blossoms in Japan with 30,000 trees!) next week. One of the guy in Mukonoso went this weekend and said that only 5% of the trees had bloomed. They're just late this year, but the staff told him next weekend should be the highlight, so I'm crossing my fingers for good weather and even better predictions on behalf of that Yoshino staff member. Until then, I just need to recover from the last weekend :-P

Hanami

There is a lot of hype surrounding the hanami (blossom viewing, hana means flower and mi - or miru - means to look) season and the trees in general in Japan, but I have to say that my doubts about whether the season deserves so much attention and regard are squashed every time the trees hit full bloom. It's absolitely beautiful. There are trees everywhere in even the smallest of towns and the gentle flowers resemble bunches of snow on some trees...fragile and blooming weeping willow branches on others. Stunning. It's a great excuse to get outside with people (if you even need one), but it also makes even simple things like walking home from the station seem somewhat more magical.

Why do "Part Time Teachers" work 60-hour weeks?

A little background on all the changes at Japanese Schools (come April)
As you know, the new school year starts at the beginning of April in Japan. And with it comes a lot of changes, not only for the students, but also for the staff.

Within a contracting organization (for us, it's the Hyogo Prefecture Board of Education, or BOE), teachers can be moved from school to school at the BOEs discression. These changes can be really big (my friend has 22 new teachers at her school this week!) and some are minimal (we have 3 new ones and a new vice principal). It's not the norm, but some people have also been moved hours away from their previous place of employment in the past, meaning that they have had to move (and sometimes teachers even live a distance from their family for a year because of unexpected assignments). Full -time/"real" teachers have more say and can sometimes stay at one place for 10-15 years, but it is common for people to be moved every three years (once you have experienced the full student cycle)... and - seriously - they really can move you anywhere. This is a way to get to know the system well, but it also poses a lot of CHANGE.

Wait, what is a "real teacher"... are there people who aren't "real" teachers?
In order to be a "real teacher" in Japan, you need to finish university (not necessarily study pedagogy) and then pass a licensure test. Japan differs from America, where you need to study being a teacher, pass the test and do student teaching before you can even enter the classroom. Many Japanese teachers (in all subjects) work for years before passing this test and many fail the test multiple times. There is actually a set number of people who can pass the test each year, so it doesn't matter if everyone rocks the interview section (then followed by a written section on teaching and another on your subject matter), chances is you're going to have to take it more than once.

When you pass the test, you're a "real teacher."

The thing that baffled me when I first arrived was that the teachers who haven't passed this test do the same thing as the other teachers, sometimes have more expertise in the subject or in the classroom, but are considered lower (esp on the pay scale) and called "part-time teachers." But they work 60 hours a week. Most teachers in Japan spend long hours working (leaving at 10 or 12 during testing periods) and have to go to student's homes and stuff... these so-called part-timers are no exception. Considering many of them have a bit more experience than new "real" teachers, they really only differ in the fact that they don't get tenured and thus work on a year to year contract.

Big Pic
Anyways, I know this information is a little random, but it's not second nature and thought it was worth sharing. I fit somewhere in the grey zone of this whole teacher categorization at work (or rather, I'm not really in this scheme at all) and I've found it really interesting to learn more about as an observer. I just feel bad for my friends that are "part time" and have been teaching for 8 years... I guess just because the system is really different doesn't mean it's wrong, though.

Grapes.

We have a new gym teacher at our school. He looked vaguely familiar when I first met him last week, but I couldn't place the connection. I asked my friend (who works at his old school) about it and she reminded me that we had run into the guy, also a kendo coach, at the Martial Arts Festival in Himeji last year.

So the morning after talking to my friend, I see the teacher and decide to say hi and introduce myself as the girl from the festival. The teacher didn't speak a lot of English so I did it in Japanese, though, and I was really confused when one of the teachers sitting around us said something and everyone started laughing.

In Japanese, a lot of words take on a different meaning if you put the stress in the wrong place (same with any tonal language... or maybe any langauge) or neglect lengthening a vowel. Osaka, for example, is actually OOOOO (long o) saka. Anyways, when I asked the guy about "budo" I apparently put the stress on the end of the word, not the middle (should be bUUUdo). The new teacher understood, but another teacher thought I was talking about grapes (see, meaning changes!) and asked a question about the picnic. Well, I missed what she had said so she explained "I thought you said grape... I thought something might have happened to you at a picnic or something."

Ok, at this point, my face turns bright red because I think she's just told me I mispronounced the word and was talking about RAPE, not Grapes. Oh my. Anyways, we all sort of chuckled and went back to our desks. Later that night I told my Japanese friend the story and realized my mistake that "budo" actually does not mean rape, but does mean grape....

Something similar actually did happen last year when I was interviewing people for an article about blind group dates (konpa or gokan, actually similar to the word for RAPE, gokon) and asked a coworker to tell me about their personal experiences so I thought it was funny I could make the same mistake - with two different words - twice. Guess it was all just twisted aroun, but what a interesting but messy lingual mistake! Haha...

Cherry Blossom Bliss

Well, I think I'm settled back in. It's been a slow week (as you can probably tell by the MASSIVE posts I have been publishing), but it's been a really good one. I have a lot of free time during the day right now since the new school year starts this week (classes next week) and I am done planning. I saw some members of the new freshman class when they came in to pick up their uniforms and books on Tuesday. The kids look so tiny! I swear they get younger every year... hoping this class is going to be energetic!

So about those posts. Noone in their right mind would spend all their time in Cambodia sitting in an internet cafe, including myself. I took notes in the blog along the way, and have been sorting through them... but sorry if I got a bit carried away. I have been doing a lot of reflecting and have SO many more impressions and observations I could share, but I think I've shared enough for now ;) If you ever want to discuss, please let me know, and pictures WILL be posted soon.

As for Japan and the weekend, the weather is beautiful (60 degrees today) and I am looking forward to hanami in Himeji tomorrow (flower viewing party - it's cherry blossom season again!!).

I also have a few days left on my Juhachi Seishun Kippu, a discount ticket on the JR train line, that expire next week so I'm thinking of heading to Kyoto to check out Daigoji Temple (醍醐寺) this evening or weekend. The temple is famous for the cherry blossom trees, that also happen to be pictured on calendars all over my school, so I've been really curious about it and this might be a good chance to check it out. It looks like Uji Temple (宇治), pictured on the 10 yen coin, might be close by and convenient to make a stop at, so I might try to go there and possibly Sanjusangen-do (三十三間堂), as well. Sanjusangen-do is famous for it's 1001 Buddhas... looks marvelous!

Tomorrow is Earth Hour (an annual intl event org by WWF that asks people and businesses to turn off all their lights and non-essential appliances for one hour in the evening), so I am also curious to see who - including what landmarks - have theirs out tomorrow. I'm gonna go all candles from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m... you should, too!

I know it's still cold back in Minnesota (9 inches of snow in one day this week?! ganbatte, guys!) but hope everyone gets a chance to get outside and enjoy the sun as well. Cheers :)