Acrobats and Ninjews

Life has been very eventful lately! Here's the skinny on our latest adventures.

The entire school went on a picnic during the first week of school. A tradition every year, it's a chance for class bonding through giant jump rope and relay races, and a way to showcase the various clubs available to the first year students. Students wear their PE uniforms and we teachers enjoyed wearing sweat shirts to work!


Two staff members hard at work under the hazakura (cherry blossom trees that are now turning from blossoms to leaves).




My ESS club did a skit!



Jump rope is a major game here - everyone can join in and they way they all file through is fast paced so you don't get bored. Looks pretty fun.



Some of my favorite students. I eat lunch with some of these boys every week. They are awesome!



Seniors being cool 'lounging' on the hillside.




One Sunday night Shawn and I were feeling restless so we decided to have some fun of our own in a nearby park. This is the result:



We can jump high.







Maybe we have too much time on our hands...







On the days when it doesn't rain, the weather has been absolutely goregous! Last Saturday we went and bought a mini-hibachi and had ourselves a little riverside BBQ.



Then, that night we traveled to the countryside to a Pirates and Ninjas theme party. Our lovely host, Justin, and me:




Shawn always has to put his own creative twist on things. He was not ninja, but a nin-jew. Check out that home-made beard of yarn and his red yarmulke (yes, I looked it up and that is how you spell 'yamika').





Menacing Shawn and Phil



And now we are coming up on the glory known as "Golden Week." Golden Week = only two days of school this week because of various national holidays. Naturally we are taking those two days off and viola! a whole week off work. Tomorrow we're going to Korea and then we'll be back to laze around and do some local traveling for the second half of the week.

Peace out.

Rachael Visits Oita

Welcome to Oita. How can you not love a place that is "full loading of the charm?"



The best thing about having visitors is that we can act like tourists and see all the things we have been wanting to see but just never found the time.

About 50-60 years ago there was a big monkey problem here in Oita. The monkeys roamed free and ate all the crops. So, instead of killing them, the prefecture designated Mount Takasaki as a mountain where the monkeys could roam freely. One magical morning, the governor of Oita blew a conch shell from the sea and all the monkeys flocked to the mountain in hoards. Or so the story goes... they also lured them with lot of food...

On the mountain there is a feeding area where the monkeys come to eat. This is where the tourists can go and walk amongst the monkeys.



Grooming is their favorite activity.



This looks familiar! Even monkeys chew on their toenails.



Shawn feels right at home.



Walking amongst the monkeys began to feel a little absurd.



Who are the monkeys in this picture?



Monkeys have feelings, too! This sign also included gems such as "don't stare into their eyes."




Then we walked across the highway to an aquarium called "Umi Tamago" which means "Sea Egg."



In front of a fabulous jelly fish tank.



Right in the ear!





Under the sea in a shark cage and they didn't even get wet!



Thousands of anchovies. Neat.



Shark jaw. Yikes.



Rachael knew one thing about Japan when she came here. That was: she likes sushi. So, we did our best to find some sushi for her. Here is a cheap cheap kaiten-zushi bar - train sushi.



Shawn ate tons. Look at this stack!



Another sushi lunch.



We spent a lot of time on trains.



Oita is famous for onesen - natural hot springs. So, we had to take her to the famous onsen town of Beppu. We went to an outdoor onsen and while we bathed and relaxed they prepared a lunch for us. It was awesome to have an authentic Japanese experience.

We had to hike up a bit to the pool.



The women's onsen.



Also in Beppu is a sex museum. It was a very very interesting experience...



These are some of the wonders of Oita prefecture! We love it here more and more everyday.

Tokyo is Big

Sorry! This is long overdue... got distracted by the video camera.

Shawn had posted some pictures from our trip to Tokyo with my little sis, Rachael. Here are some other pics and my impressions of Tokyo.

When I first came to Japan I often laughed at the fact that my students and co-teachers described Oita as ‘inaka.’ Literal translation is ‘countryside’ but I would translate it more as 'podunk.'

I always assured people I like the inaka! After all, I come from Idaho.

Oita has almost half a million people, a good size shopping district and plenty of city. I considered myself lucky I was so near this big city where I can find pretty much anything I need, even occasional foreign goods... It is after all, two times larger than Boise and three times larger than Salem.

However, now that I have been to Tokyo, the word ‘inaka’ takes on so much more meaning. I understand why they say it with a knowing look in their eyes. It’s more than a stereotype - it’s the cold, hard truth. Compared to Tokyo, I think I would describe 3/4 of Japan as inaka. Frankly, after spending just four days in Tokyo I’m happy to say that I wouldn’t trade the inaka for the big city any day.



Tokyo is immense.



Tokyo itself has 12 million people but the metropolis area including a few surrounding prefectures is 33 million! I went to one of those neighboring prefectures - Saitama, and I didn’t even know we had left Tokyo. The entire 40 minute train ride out there was through businesses, houses, parks. The cities meld into each other to compose one giant mass of urban sprawl that seems to never end.

Luckily in the giant crowds we were able to meet up with some former TIUA student who Shawn and I knew back at Willamette. We met up with a few different people. This is one such night of debauchery at dinner and karaoke.






Rock it, Shawn.



I must have been really into this song...haha



Rachael didn't get the 'Zoolander' memo.





Shawn - Tokyo style.





We met up with another friend, Naoko, for a lovely afternoon stroll through the most picturesque parks I have ever seen. Our pictures don't do it justice.

Naoko







Shawn and I also spent some time wandering around the famous Ueno Park. We found waffle-type snacks in the shape of the famous cartoon character - Doraemon. Isn't he cute?



Then, Shawn bit his head off.



We stayed in Asakusa which is known as the old downtown area of Tokyo. It also has an enourmous shrine and lovely souvenire shopping. This is one such street with souvenirs (and people) galore.





There were lots of small photogenic areas in Asakusa.







A typical food stall in Japan. Everything is so colorful!



Yakisoba stand. Yum. Yakisoba.



Rachael unfortunately came just a week too early to revel in the glory of the cherry blossoms. Most trees had but one or two flowers. However, like an oasis in the desert, this tree was fully bloomed. It was the only tree we saw like it in all of Tokyo. It's almost like it was just for Rachael.





(More about the insanity that comprises cherry blossom season later.)

We took tons of pictures in Tokyo, but unfortunately, the other half are on Rachael's camera! She is supposed to be sending me a CD with them...but...haven't seen it yet! *hint hint* When I get it I'll post more pics.

Tokyo rocks. Would love to spend more time there.

P.S. Thanks for all the positive feedback on the video! I am working on another one for your viewing pleasure.