The Garlic Capital! Takko!

This past weekend we had the priviledge of being visitors of Takko Machi, population 7,000. On the plane ride to Japan, nine months ago (WOW), I sat next to the new Takko ALT. We had a great conversation despite both of us needing sleep and we've kept in contact since. We decided to make a weekend out of it and traveled the 100 kilometers north to Aomori prefecture.

This quaint town has one main shopping area that is the length of our grocery store, one school of each: elementary, middle, and high, and the same number of restaurants as there are fingers on a hand. However, what this town lacks in variety, it is easily overridden with the people and spirit. In just 24 hours, we fell in love.


Lindsey took us around her little town and showed us the sights. Takko is known as the Garlic and Beef Capital of Japan and everywhere you look, the Takko pride is evident. Everything around you including lamps and street signs have their town's mascot, GARLIC! Supposedly an overhead shot of Takko will look like a single Garlic Bulb.



That night we went to the local restaurant where The Senryu Club was taking place and we would dive in and try it. Senryu is basically the Haiku format, but deals with Satirical poems rather than about nature. This night the people would write their poems in hopes of being selected and put in the town's Senryu pamplet. We wrote our poems (in Japanese) and one of mine were chosen!

Koibito no ude ni, watashiwa yarumimasu. (In the arms of my lover, I am relaxed.)

I know it's cheezy, but that's what I was going for. Apparently it worked.




After the club, one of Lindsey's students invited us over to his house and we drank and ate snacks with his family. I don't think my Morioka kids would ever ask me to their house, so this was a great experience. We had a wonderful time and insisted they visit us in Morioka.



The next day, Lindsey took us to the Garlic Center where our bodies were fully flushed with Garlic infused goodies: Garlic ramen, roasted garlic, Garlic curry, Garlic gyoza. After we stank pretty bad, but our mouths were dancing for joy. Soon after, we had to say our goodbyes.




This was a really treasured trip. It was really nice to see the life of someone in the most country of country places. Ron and I were contemplating on moving to this small town. It was too addicting. However, it was Lindsey's attitude that I thought the most amazing. I could see how many JETs could come to this town, miles and miles from any big city and want to come home as soon as possible. They isolate themselves at home, they never get to know the local people and they don't appreciate what their town has. I've seen JETs like this who live in places five times the size of Takko. But Lindsey really put herself in the daily life of her community and found the same pride of her town that the rest of her neighbors have. She has experiences that I will never have in my big city. I've learned to always keep a positive attitude and appreciate everything around me. If she can be happy in Takko, I can be happy with anything.

"Bento" means "March" in Japanese

Because of all the graduations, exams, corrections, farewell parties, and welcoming parties, I have had my fill of food this month. The best part of this month, however was in the free bentos that our school would give the teachers. So, to give everyone a chance to feel the Japanese spirit in the best way, I want to share with you my school bentos. I wish you all can taste it. It is as good as it looks. Now I have to wait a whole year for more bentos.






Itadakimasu!

ハッピ イスター！

Happy Easter everyone.

Ron and I didn't even know it was Easter until it was Friday. We thought we still had another couple of weeks. I guess that just means that SPRING IS HERE! Yesterday, Ron and I started our new project, a vegetable garden. It was a whole 65 degrees warm and we ran out and started digging in shorts and t-shirts. Then quickly changed back to pants and sweaters after the night time drops the temperature back to 45 degrees. So far we've planted carrots and snow peas, but eventually we want to add zucchini, tomatoes, and watermelon to our family. Can you imagine watermelon? Tiny ones here cost ￥３０００. Waaaaayyyyyy too much. So now we look forward to enjoying the fruits (veggies) of our labor. Anyway, hope everyone had a wonderful and colorful easter.





God Bless!

Ron's New Job!

When coming to Japan as a foreigner, there is a vast number of potential jobs one can take: Teacher at an elementary school, teacher at a junior high school, teacher at a high school, teacher at a college, teacher at an English conversation school, or celebrity. So basically the only possible job is a teacher, unless you are very lucky. In Japan, a foreigner must have passed the second level of the Japanese competency test in order to work in the normal workforce. Level Two means fluent. Level One means fluent and able to read Japanese newspapers. We are currently around a level 3. There are 4 possible.

Surprisingly though, through a chance of fate, dedication, and random coincidence, Ron has managed to snag a job that gives him the greatest opportunity... He can finally learn Japanese.

Coming to Japan, both Ron and I had three goals: save money, travel Japan, and learn Japanese. Although Straight Talk was a wonderful place to work at with priceless memories, this new job puts Ron with people who only speak Japanese. Ron is now paid to have an eight-hour intensive Japanese lesson for five days a week.

So what is this new job? What place has Ron now commited to work at?

Ron now works for Morioka's senior center as a helper. Ron now cooks, cleans, and tends to the needs of Japan's aging community. His co-workers are kind and helpful and are fully commited to keeping these seniors happy and healthy. Ron has truly found a wonderful opportunity. He now works Mondays to Fridays from 9 to 5, a schedule that gives us plenty of time to be together, cook meals, run errands, take walks around the area, and sleep at a decent time. Ron now comes home and only speaks Japanese to me. He still isn't able to click off from Japanese to English. It gives him a headache. So I too benefit. After my work, I get an hour a day of my own intensive training.

This week has shown great promise for a real chance to learn Japanese. Ron and I have been struggling on our own to learn it, but with this job, I believe that we will make all three goals come true.

Happy White Day!

White Day is another form v-day, girls give chocolates or cakes to their boyfriends, co-workers, male family members, etc. On white day, it's customary for the men to return the favor with chocolates or other cakes. So today men, give a girl a nice bar of Hershey's or maybe even a hug!

The Tatami Theory

Tatami (畳）: The flooring of a traditional Japanese home made up of tightly woven straw.

When in Japan, do as the Japanese do and one main thing is to sleep on tatami mats on a thin futon. For the winter, we've been doubling our futons to give us a little more cushion, but recently we went back to one and I slept horribly. The thing is, I couldn't find a position to comfortably sleep. Either my waist was elevated and I could feel the strain of gravity, or my spine was curved to get all parts of my body leveled. Also not comfy. I finally slept on my stomach and woke up achy all over.

As I wondered why all parts of me ached, I started to realize why and how the Japanese can sleep so soundly on such a hard floor. As I walked around Japan, I noticed that both the men and women have similar body types. Both genders are very slender without much curve. Most women, especially middle aged and older have small waist without a large chest or rear getting in their way. Because of this, I believe that their body naturally levels with the floor as they sleep on their side. Since I have both chest and rear, my balance is off and instead of a bed taking the extra weight into consideration, my spine must do the compensating.

Is this evolution?
Has the Japanese (or Western) figure changed because of sleeping habits?

And as I see younger women and teens in Japan with fuller, curvier figures, I am wondering is it is because of an increase in American beds. Now with bigger houses and smaller families, the Japanese family have the space to put beds into their home. Before there was no such space and futons had to be put away every morning to make room for the dinning and sitting area. So as I try to change the way I sleep every night to get the best sleeping position, I am awed by the purpose of different body shapes and what they do for people besides being able to fit into skinny jeans.
______________________

I hope not to offend anyone of any body type. I just think differences RULE!

かなり長い道

最近、たくさん勉強しているけど, まだ　ぺらぺらにかなり長い道です。　本当にうまくなりたいから、今週　二つ新しいマンガを買う予定。その本を同じけど一枚がフリガナを使って、あと、一枚は漢字ばかり使う本を買いたい。読みながら漢字をよく読めない。漢字字典がちょっとめんどくさい、だから、同じ本（ふりがなと）を持てば、読みやすくなるでしょう。日本語でもう読み慣れました、まだ下手けど頑張ります。　じゃあ　買いてから　もっと書き教えます。

It's a different kind of spring here.

It's been snowing for the past two days. ARGH! When will the warmth surround me and give me a hug?

Happy March!

Yesterday we had a gigantic amount of rain in Morioka, which is huge! That means that we are now away from negative degree weather and it's now a waiting game until the beautiful sunshine shines warm and I can start working on my tan. I think the high today is 2 degrees. YES!! Today is also Graduation for the third year students. Everyone at the school looks their finest and I've even donned a skirt for the occasion. Tonight is our biggest enkai, which I am very much looking forward to. All in all, spring is coming and I can't wait. Happy March!

Also, as a friend of mine informs me, yesterday was Garlic Day in Japan.
2-29 (2 is ni)(9 is ku)= ninniku = which means garlic. OK, it's just a play on numbers but everyone should eat a big bite of GARLIC today!

39 (san)(kyu)= Thank you!