Every year there is a prefectural speech contest for high school students. Much like the music festivals we used to have in school. Students choose a poem or speech to recite, or they can write their own.
Here is the speech my student has chosen to recite. I commend her.
The Perils of Indifference
Elie Wiesel
What is indifference? Etymologically, the word means "no difference." A strange and unnatural state in which the lines blur between light and darkness, dusk and dawn, crime and punishment, cruelty and compassion, good and evil. What are its courses and inescapable consequences? Can one possibly view indifference as a virtue? Is it necessary at times to practice it simply to keep one's sanity, live normally, enjoy a fine meal and a glass of wine, as the world around us experiences harrowing upheavals?
Of course, indifference can be tempting ---more than that, seductive. It is so much easier to look away from victims. It is so much easier to avoid such rude interruptions to our work, our dreams, our hopes. It is, after all, awkward, troublesome, to be involved in another person's pain and despair.
In a way, to be indifferent to that suffering is what makes the human being inhuman. Indifference, after all, is more dangerous than anger and hatred. Anger can at times be creative. One writes a great poem, a great symphony. One does something special for the sake of humanity because one is angry at the injustice that one witnesses. But indifference is never creative. You fight it. You denounce it. You disarm it.
Indifference elicits no response. Indifference in not a response. Indifference is not a beginning; it is an end. And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor ---never his vicitim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugees ---not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. And in denying their humanity, we betray our own.
Indifference, then, is not only a sin, it is a punishment.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Monday, January 23, 2006
a bold prediction...yeah, right
today, but really tomorrow in my 'home country', is election day.
as usual, i didn't vote. i think i've voted once in my years of eligibility...about 10 years ago -and only because it was the first time i could, so i did.
here's my prediction -knowing nothing about what any of the parties stand for or what's at stake.
the liberals will still lead Canada-land after January 23, 2006.
in other words, nothing will change. if something does and the bloc get in or the tories...well, maybe i'll pay more attention to politics.
maybe.
as usual, i didn't vote. i think i've voted once in my years of eligibility...about 10 years ago -and only because it was the first time i could, so i did.
here's my prediction -knowing nothing about what any of the parties stand for or what's at stake.
the liberals will still lead Canada-land after January 23, 2006.
in other words, nothing will change. if something does and the bloc get in or the tories...well, maybe i'll pay more attention to politics.
maybe.
Free pass to Seaside!!
I have now visited the Seaside Valley Ski Hill enough times to get a free pass!
Seaside offers a stamp card and after 4 day lift tickets you can ride a day for free! I've actually been to Seaside 5 times already, but one was only a half day so I couldn't count it.
Saturday was another brilliant sunshiny day at my favorite hill. Amy, Kirsten and I packed up the Beetle and headed out bright and early Saturday morning. I hadn't even intended on snowboarding that day because I was meeting friends on Sunday at another ski hill and I didn't think two days was a wise thing to do. However, the lure of Seaside was too much to pass up.
So Friday evening was nice and relaxing -a visit to 'An' (my favorite spa) and pigging out at Kito Kito (my favorite sushi restaurant) with Kirsten and Amy.
We went strong all morning long, checking out as many of the runs as we could. The snow wasn't great, but that didn't stop us from having fun! We met up with a some of the boys from Koshi in the afternoon and picked up a few pointers from these much more experienced riders.
We left the hill around 4 - exhausted and totally satisfied with our day.
We all decided we could do it again on Sunday! ...but only a half day.
So, another early night, another early morning.
We watched the sun come up from behind the mountains, illuminating the snow-covered trees and valleys as we made our way to Raichou Valley - a very popular ski hill for those who live in and around Toyama City -it's right in their backyard.
On the lift before 9:00, we got in a warm-up run before meeting up with Owen -the skiier in our group (we tolerate it....). A few more runs to warm up and we were off to the gondola lift to meet up with my friends Ai and Kazu whom I met while working at NOVA. Ai is a pretty hard core
boarder and Kazu follows her lead as she blasts down the hills. We had a great morning with them, stopping for a hot chocolate break and a tan line check before heading back down the mountain at 1:00. Lunch in Owen's home town and a blizzard on the way home....it was another enjoyably exhausting day.
I'm addicted.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Happy Birthday MOM!!!!
Thank you for your love, patience, wisdom and support.
Thank you for making me me!!
I hope you have a wonderful day!!!
Thank you for making me me!!
I hope you have a wonderful day!!!
Monday, January 16, 2006
When all you've got ARE lemons....
After spending all day Friday trying to organize people, cars, and destinations we had our plans set for another Saturday of snowboarding: a 7:30 meeting in Nyuzen, pack everyone in the cars and head to the hills...
...6:30 Saturday morning I woke up to the sound of rain on my balcony. BLECH?
I got up anyway.
I switched on the TV to hear the weatherman prognosticating - rain, avalanches, road closures....-oh goody.
I started packing anyway.
Next, I got a phone call from one of the cars heading to Nyuzen, "Um yeah, we've been in a slight fender bender, we're not going to make it."
I made coffee and loaded up my gear anyway.
In the parking lot of my apartment were three cars full of not so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed snowbunnies.
I walked over to fetch Johnny from his apartment and this is where the fun began. Our friend Chika had also been listening to the road reports, ski reports, weather reports. It didn't take long for her to convince us that it wasn't going to be worth it to go anywhere that day. So we stood in the parking lot -in the rain-in our gear-wondering what to do at 7:30 on a Saturday morning.
The first and most obviously thing was to get out of the RAIN!!! So Kirsten graciously hosted 10 slightly damp, somewhat sleepy, and very disapointed people in her apartment. We huddled under the kotatsu and around the kerosene heaters, sipping tea and deciding what to do next. There had to be something we could do!
I'm not sure who suggested it first, but there are foothills about 20 minutes from my apartment -specifically there's a camping area with a nice big hill -perfect for SLEDDING!!!!
The conditions were nowhere near ideal, plus we didn't have sleds (we used plastic bags and snowboards....) but we did have fun! It took less than an hour for the event to deteriorate into a snowball fight. By this time (10:30 a.m.) we were wet, tired, and HUNGRY.
Next stop, Pizza Jamboree! Pizza Jamboree is still one of my favorite restaurants in the area. The owner studied in Seattle and while there learned to make amazing American-style pizza. Some of the gang had never been before so it was a great opportunity to introduce some of what the Niikawa area has to offer. I (shamefully) hadn't been to PJ in months. I was great to sink my teeth into real Italian sausage, real pepperoni and REAL pizza crust. I think I'll be making another visit this weekend...
With our bellies full, it was off to the next and most obvious destination...ONSEN. We loaded up the cars again, headed back to the foothills and one of our favorite places to scrub ourselves squeaky clean and soak our weary bodies - AKEBI Onsen, known for it's quiet, out of the way location and it's OBAASANS and OJIISANS (tiny, ancient, wrinkly, hunched over grandmothers and grandfathers). I love it, when the blonde brigade of Kirsten, Amy and I make an appearance - we're guaranteed to induce long gaping stares and 'gaijin-san' chatter. This time didn't help that we decided to be 'cheeky' and leave our bum prints in the snow...
There's nothing like a good onsen to make you....sleepy! In the cars once again, and back to where it all began, Kirsten's apartment for snacks, a movie and a little nap time. Our numbers had now dwindled down to 4...After the R&R we headed out to meet Chika for a bit of food before a games nite at our favorite Nyuzen hang out - KOSHI.
As usual, KOSHI brought friends together for a night of fun and games. We had a marathon round of Yatzee going - does anyone know who won?? And as always, the music's was playing, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the bartenders were friendly.
I'd have to say we made pretty good lemonade that day!
...6:30 Saturday morning I woke up to the sound of rain on my balcony. BLECH?
I got up anyway.
I switched on the TV to hear the weatherman prognosticating - rain, avalanches, road closures....-oh goody.
I started packing anyway.
Next, I got a phone call from one of the cars heading to Nyuzen, "Um yeah, we've been in a slight fender bender, we're not going to make it."
I made coffee and loaded up my gear anyway.
In the parking lot of my apartment were three cars full of not so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed snowbunnies.
I walked over to fetch Johnny from his apartment and this is where the fun began. Our friend Chika had also been listening to the road reports, ski reports, weather reports. It didn't take long for her to convince us that it wasn't going to be worth it to go anywhere that day. So we stood in the parking lot -in the rain-in our gear-wondering what to do at 7:30 on a Saturday morning.
The first and most obviously thing was to get out of the RAIN!!! So Kirsten graciously hosted 10 slightly damp, somewhat sleepy, and very disapointed people in her apartment. We huddled under the kotatsu and around the kerosene heaters, sipping tea and deciding what to do next. There had to be something we could do!
I'm not sure who suggested it first, but there are foothills about 20 minutes from my apartment -specifically there's a camping area with a nice big hill -perfect for SLEDDING!!!!
The conditions were nowhere near ideal, plus we didn't have sleds (we used plastic bags and snowboards....) but we did have fun! It took less than an hour for the event to deteriorate into a snowball fight. By this time (10:30 a.m.) we were wet, tired, and HUNGRY.
Next stop, Pizza Jamboree! Pizza Jamboree is still one of my favorite restaurants in the area. The owner studied in Seattle and while there learned to make amazing American-style pizza. Some of the gang had never been before so it was a great opportunity to introduce some of what the Niikawa area has to offer. I (shamefully) hadn't been to PJ in months. I was great to sink my teeth into real Italian sausage, real pepperoni and REAL pizza crust. I think I'll be making another visit this weekend...
With our bellies full, it was off to the next and most obvious destination...ONSEN. We loaded up the cars again, headed back to the foothills and one of our favorite places to scrub ourselves squeaky clean and soak our weary bodies - AKEBI Onsen, known for it's quiet, out of the way location and it's OBAASANS and OJIISANS (tiny, ancient, wrinkly, hunched over grandmothers and grandfathers). I love it, when the blonde brigade of Kirsten, Amy and I make an appearance - we're guaranteed to induce long gaping stares and 'gaijin-san' chatter. This time didn't help that we decided to be 'cheeky' and leave our bum prints in the snow...
There's nothing like a good onsen to make you....sleepy! In the cars once again, and back to where it all began, Kirsten's apartment for snacks, a movie and a little nap time. Our numbers had now dwindled down to 4...After the R&R we headed out to meet Chika for a bit of food before a games nite at our favorite Nyuzen hang out - KOSHI.
As usual, KOSHI brought friends together for a night of fun and games. We had a marathon round of Yatzee going - does anyone know who won?? And as always, the music's was playing, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the bartenders were friendly.
I'd have to say we made pretty good lemonade that day!
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Tomorrow being Friday the 13th and all....
FRIDAY THE 13TH - how did Friday the thirteenth become such an unlucky day?
fear of Friday the 13th is rooted in ancient, separate bad-luck associations with the number 13 and the day Friday. The two unlucky entities combine to make one super unlucky day.
There is a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party at Valhalla, their heaven. In walked the uninvited 13th guest, the mischievous Loki. Once there, Loki arranged for Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. Balder died and the Earth got dark. The whole Earth mourned.
There is a Biblical reference to the unlucky number 13. Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to the Last Supper.
A particularly bad Friday the 13th occurred in the middle ages. On a Friday the 13th in 1306, King Philip of France arrested the revered Knights Templar and began torturing them, marking the occasion as a day of evil.
In ancient Rome, witches reportedly gathered in groups of 12. The 13th was believed to be the devil.
Both Friday and the number 13 were once closely associated with capital punishment. In British tradition, Friday was the conventional day for public hangings, and there were supposedly 13 steps leading up to the noose.
It is traditionally believed that Eve tempted Adam with the apple on a Friday. Tradition also has it that the Flood in the Bible, the confusion at the Tower of Babel, and the death of Jesus Christ all took place on Friday.
Numerologists consider 12 a "complete" number. There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of Jesus. In exceeding 12 by 1, 13's association with bad luck has to do with just being a little beyond completeness.
FRIDAY THE 13TH - how is fear of the number thirteen demonstrated?
More than 80 percent of high-rises lack a 13th floor.
Many airports skip the 13th gate.
Airplanes have no 13th aisle.
Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.
Italians omit the number 13 from their national lottery.
On streets in Florence, Italy, the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12 and a half.
Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue
In France, socialites known as the quatorziens (fourteeners) once made themselves available as 14th guests to keep a dinner party from an unlucky fate.
Many triskaidekaphobes, as those who fear the unlucky integer are known, point to the ill-fated mission to the moon, Apollo 13.
If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil's luck . Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all have 13 letters in their names.
the source
fear of Friday the 13th is rooted in ancient, separate bad-luck associations with the number 13 and the day Friday. The two unlucky entities combine to make one super unlucky day.
There is a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party at Valhalla, their heaven. In walked the uninvited 13th guest, the mischievous Loki. Once there, Loki arranged for Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to shoot Balder the Beautiful, the god of joy and gladness, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. Balder died and the Earth got dark. The whole Earth mourned.
There is a Biblical reference to the unlucky number 13. Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest to the Last Supper.
A particularly bad Friday the 13th occurred in the middle ages. On a Friday the 13th in 1306, King Philip of France arrested the revered Knights Templar and began torturing them, marking the occasion as a day of evil.
In ancient Rome, witches reportedly gathered in groups of 12. The 13th was believed to be the devil.
Both Friday and the number 13 were once closely associated with capital punishment. In British tradition, Friday was the conventional day for public hangings, and there were supposedly 13 steps leading up to the noose.
It is traditionally believed that Eve tempted Adam with the apple on a Friday. Tradition also has it that the Flood in the Bible, the confusion at the Tower of Babel, and the death of Jesus Christ all took place on Friday.
Numerologists consider 12 a "complete" number. There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 apostles of Jesus. In exceeding 12 by 1, 13's association with bad luck has to do with just being a little beyond completeness.
FRIDAY THE 13TH - how is fear of the number thirteen demonstrated?
More than 80 percent of high-rises lack a 13th floor.
Many airports skip the 13th gate.
Airplanes have no 13th aisle.
Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.
Italians omit the number 13 from their national lottery.
On streets in Florence, Italy, the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12 and a half.
Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue
In France, socialites known as the quatorziens (fourteeners) once made themselves available as 14th guests to keep a dinner party from an unlucky fate.
Many triskaidekaphobes, as those who fear the unlucky integer are known, point to the ill-fated mission to the moon, Apollo 13.
If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil's luck . Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all have 13 letters in their names.
the source
create your own visited countries map
I'm bored....this is what my 'countries visited' map looks like if I include stopovers in which I actually got off the plane, wandered around the airport and purchased something....sigh, it's really only two more countries.
Looks like I need to go south.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Another full weekend
This past weekend was another 3 day weekend here in Japan. Monday was 'Coming of Age Day', a day where all the boys and girls who turn twenty this year gather for a day of pomp and circumstance in their hometowns.
I took full advantage of the three days, starting with Friday night at my new favorite hangout in Nyuzen "Koshi". This is where Christmas Eve was celebrated this year...friends, food and wine, what more do I have to say?! (thanks for the photo Owen!)
Saturday, I and all the hooligans from the night before convinced ourselves that we should still go snowboarding as planned -despite the incredible amount of snow that had fallen overnight -and despite the fact that is was still snowing! We loaded up Johnny's car and after only a small delay (we had to boost the car) we headed for the slopes. By the time we got up to the moutain we could hardly see two feet in front of us, big white flakes falling straight down. But, we strapped on our boards anyway and headed up the lift. I was about to get my first lesson in riding powder...and my first lesson in how to dig myself out when the riding part doesn't go so well. It was an incredibly challenging and exhausting day, but with so many of us riding together -there were about 10 of us - it ranks up there as one of the most fun days I've had on my snowboard. (I stole your photo Matt, hope you don't mind!)
I spent Saturday evening recovering by soaking in the tub and reading one of three books I've got on the go- "The True History of Chocolate".
Sunday Kirsten and I decided to go shopping in Takaoka. We hopped in her little yellow plate and headed to AEON mall - with thoughts of Starbucks urging us through the snow covered roads. Takaoka is the only city in Toyama-ken that has a Starbucks. Toyama city has a Seattle's Best, but I'm sorry, it's not Starbucks. Being the "Coming of Age Day" weekend, we saw tons of young girls dressed in their kimono, walking around the mall with boys dressed in suits. It's quite a bizarre sight to see at a mall. Speaking of bizarre, I found the photo above on the internet, it was taken in Harajuku, Tokyo (an area known for it's 'odd' side)
We sat in starbucks and people watched for a while before hitting the shops. Of course I dragged Kirsten to the bookstore where I found another magazine with my photo from the car show in it. I HAD to buy it! It also had photos of friends that I have met through VW, very cool.
We ended our visit to Takaoka with dinner at an Indian restuarant we just happened to spot on our way out of the city. This particular restaurant is quite well known among JETs in the area, and now I know why. The proprietor is a very interesting gentleman. He spent the evening telling us how to get a man in Japan and why, we got an explanation on the differences between Japanese and Indian men, and at the end of the night was practically trying to set us up with the two Japanese boys whom he had seated at the table next to us! All in all, some great entertainment with our very delicious dinner.
And then there was MONDAY!! After what seemed like days of endless snow, the sun finally showed her beautiful face and gave us perfect weather for another day at Seaside Valley. So, with what is now becoming a nice little routine for John, Kirsten and I, we loaded up our boards, put on some tunes, and hit the expressway headed for Seaside. The hill was packed, but that didn't discourage us from putting in a full day in the sun! And what a day it was! I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
I took full advantage of the three days, starting with Friday night at my new favorite hangout in Nyuzen "Koshi". This is where Christmas Eve was celebrated this year...friends, food and wine, what more do I have to say?! (thanks for the photo Owen!)
Saturday, I and all the hooligans from the night before convinced ourselves that we should still go snowboarding as planned -despite the incredible amount of snow that had fallen overnight -and despite the fact that is was still snowing! We loaded up Johnny's car and after only a small delay (we had to boost the car) we headed for the slopes. By the time we got up to the moutain we could hardly see two feet in front of us, big white flakes falling straight down. But, we strapped on our boards anyway and headed up the lift. I was about to get my first lesson in riding powder...and my first lesson in how to dig myself out when the riding part doesn't go so well. It was an incredibly challenging and exhausting day, but with so many of us riding together -there were about 10 of us - it ranks up there as one of the most fun days I've had on my snowboard. (I stole your photo Matt, hope you don't mind!)I spent Saturday evening recovering by soaking in the tub and reading one of three books I've got on the go- "The True History of Chocolate".
Sunday Kirsten and I decided to go shopping in Takaoka. We hopped in her little yellow plate and headed to AEON mall - with thoughts of Starbucks urging us through the snow covered roads. Takaoka is the only city in Toyama-ken that has a Starbucks. Toyama city has a Seattle's Best, but I'm sorry, it's not Starbucks. Being the "Coming of Age Day" weekend, we saw tons of young girls dressed in their kimono, walking around the mall with boys dressed in suits. It's quite a bizarre sight to see at a mall. Speaking of bizarre, I found the photo above on the internet, it was taken in Harajuku, Tokyo (an area known for it's 'odd' side)We sat in starbucks and people watched for a while before hitting the shops. Of course I dragged Kirsten to the bookstore where I found another magazine with my photo from the car show in it. I HAD to buy it! It also had photos of friends that I have met through VW, very cool.
We ended our visit to Takaoka with dinner at an Indian restuarant we just happened to spot on our way out of the city. This particular restaurant is quite well known among JETs in the area, and now I know why. The proprietor is a very interesting gentleman. He spent the evening telling us how to get a man in Japan and why, we got an explanation on the differences between Japanese and Indian men, and at the end of the night was practically trying to set us up with the two Japanese boys whom he had seated at the table next to us! All in all, some great entertainment with our very delicious dinner.
And then there was MONDAY!! After what seemed like days of endless snow, the sun finally showed her beautiful face and gave us perfect weather for another day at Seaside Valley. So, with what is now becoming a nice little routine for John, Kirsten and I, we loaded up our boards, put on some tunes, and hit the expressway headed for Seaside. The hill was packed, but that didn't discourage us from putting in a full day in the sun! And what a day it was! I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Thanks Kaz
My friend Kaz came to visit me over new years. He drove his '67 Beetle all the way to see little ol' me!!
We drove into Nagano for the day, but couldn't find an open VW shop, so we sipped lattes at starbucks and took photos of cars in parking lots...
All and all a great day!
So, thanks for coming to visit Kaz!! Jaa-ne!
New Years in Yudanaka, Nagano. Snowboarding Bliss.
We had snow!!!
We had
monkeys!!.
We had big smiles!!!
We had lots of sunshine!!
Really, we had monkeys!!!
We had an amazing view!!!
We had culture!!!
We had food!!!
We had R&R
We had fun!!!!!
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Since I'll be ringing in the New Year on the slopes this weekend I wanted to take this time to wish everyone a very happy new year.
It's hard to believe that last year at this time I was in Sicily...
Places I've visited in 2005
Scotland
Italy: Sicily
The U.S. : California,Texas
Canada: B.C., Alberta
Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket
Japan: Aichi prefecture for the Expo
People who have visited:
Mike
Mom and Dad
Craig
Dave
Kathleen
New experiences/challenges in 2005:
Snowboarding
Road trip in my Beetle
Expo in Aichi
Charity Show performance
Vancouver VW show
Me and my car in a VW magazine
Driving in Tokyo
Climbing Tsurugi Dake (mountain)
A Japanese Wedding
Running a relay marathon
Swim meet
Staff trip to Tokyo
Eating Natto
Scuba Diving
Christmas in Nyuzen
Other significant events:
Babies: Christine, Laurie, Dacia, Tomoko, Jennifer, Kristen
Weddings: Thip & Lambert, Dacia & Alex, Laurie & Glenn, Ross & Sheri, Dale & Yoko, Aiko and Miyano
My parents 35th wedding anniversary
Meeting Lisa
Grandpa Napier's 80th birthday
John's 30th birthday
It's hard to believe that last year at this time I was in Sicily...
Places I've visited in 2005
Scotland
Italy: Sicily
The U.S. : California,Texas
Canada: B.C., Alberta
Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket
Japan: Aichi prefecture for the Expo
People who have visited:
Mike
Mom and Dad
Craig
Dave
Kathleen
New experiences/challenges in 2005:
Snowboarding
Road trip in my Beetle
Expo in Aichi
Charity Show performance
Vancouver VW show
Me and my car in a VW magazine
Driving in Tokyo
Climbing Tsurugi Dake (mountain)
A Japanese Wedding
Running a relay marathon
Swim meet
Staff trip to Tokyo
Eating Natto
Scuba Diving
Christmas in Nyuzen
Other significant events:
Babies: Christine, Laurie, Dacia, Tomoko, Jennifer, Kristen
Weddings: Thip & Lambert, Dacia & Alex, Laurie & Glenn, Ross & Sheri, Dale & Yoko, Aiko and Miyano
My parents 35th wedding anniversary
Meeting Lisa
Grandpa Napier's 80th birthday
John's 30th birthday
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
A different...slightly odd...but still very Merry Christmas
The merriment began on Friday when I headed in to the mountains to the town of Tateyama (Ta-tay-yam-ma) for a community childrens' Christmas party. I had been invited by a woman who teaches English out of her home on Sunday mornings. I have helped her teach seasonal lessons like Halloween and Easter this year and she needed help with the 80-100 children attending this Christmas party. We played some games in English and then sang some Christmas carols together. It was short but sweet. Before I left I handed out candy canes I had ordered online (they don't sell them here - hot candy like cinnamon and peppermint aren't very popular...)
Friday evening I had dinner with the 'swim ladies'. This is the group of women who swim for the masters club in Kurobe (coo-roe-bay) -I met them through my Japanese teacher who is part of the team. They have been trying to get me to join the club for 2 years now, but so far it hasn't happened. I think they think I'm going to swim in a swim meet in April with them, as they began to formulate relay teams over dinner...we'll see. There were eight of us and we managed to put away an impressive amount of food and cover a wide range of topics over the course of 5 hours.
10:00 came around and I had to say goodbye because I had yet one more 'engagement' Friday night. Kirsten (my neighbor, and partner in crime) and I met up with some friends at a local -and soon to be regular - hang out in Nyuzen (nyew-zen). What was only going to be a drink or two turned into a late, but very enjoyable night. We finally had to concede that it was time to go home when we realized that morning was going to come way to quickly and both of us had plans to meet our other neighbor, John, at 7:30 for a day of snowboarding.
Sure enough, 7:30 came way too early. I managed to crawl out from under my cozy blankets and into my snowboard gear - my only motivation being I would get to try out my new boots and newly rented snowboard!!
The day on the hill was amazing. Tons of fresh powder to plow through- or get stuck in... I came away a happy girl with only a few bumps and scrapes and a minor, self-inflicted concussion. We called it quits early in the afternoon so Kirsten and I could get back in time to 'get ready' for our next Christmas party...
But before I get into it, a bit of background first....
The Colare (co-lar-ray) people: a group of Japanese in Kurobe who work at Colare, an arts and general use community centre. Each month they organize in international dinner featuring dishes from a local foreigner's (can I say that??) home country. For example, when I volunteered, I cooked Greek food...ok, nevermind. USUALLY the foreigner cooks food from their home country -apple pie from America (even though I think it's actually Canadian...) or Chinese food from the Chinese who live in the area. We've had stew from Britain...ok, you get the picture.
Unazuki (oo-na-zoo-key) Beer Gardens: a mini brewery set up in the foothills between Kurobe and Unazuki town. They serve several of their own ales/lagers/beers as well as serve a 'viking' (all you can eat) lunch consisting of anything from sausage, to sushi, to salad, to soup. This is all done in a big dining hall reminscent of a Bavarian chalet or something.
Being invited to social events because you are a foreigner: way too common- yet I still find myself saying yes 99% of the time. In this instance we were invited by the Colare group who flat out told us that they'd be getting the tickets to this party for free if we (the foreigners) showed up.
Assuming, never having enough information, and never asking the right questions - 99% of the time.
Ok, so Kirsten and I agree to go to this 'party'. What we weren't told, and what we didn't ask was what kind of party this actually was going to be. So, we show up in jeans and sweaters, prepared for a night of beer, food and casual conversation (you know what they say about assuming...)
Why, why, why wouldn't you tell your invitees that the party you are taking them to is FORMAL, and that they will be SPOTLIGHTED because they are FOREIGNERS and that all the head honchos from all the businesses in Kurobe will be there, including the PRESIDENT of YKK?!?!?!?! Why?
And why, why, why didn't I ask???? You would think after 3 and a half years, I would have learned by now.
Needless to say, we had a good time anyway! We ate a lot of food, drank a lot of beer and wine, danced the men twice our age, try to dodge questions about our marital status, sang silent night with neon glow sticks and forgot all about our jeans.
And the night was not over yet...
After a brief stop at our apartments to 'freshen up' after Unazuki and to grab some games and other goodies, we headed back to Koshi, our new favorite place in Nyuzen. We played a rousing game of scrabble while sipping wine and other beverages and as the night progressed more friends, new and old, started to arrive. We even got a visit from Santa!!
Scrabble quickly progressed into dancing on the tables (as it so often does) and before we knew it, it was 4:30. We knew Santa wouldn't come if we weren't tucked into bed before dawn, so we said our goodbyes and made our way home.
This was probably the first Christmas morning that I have EVER slept in....I actually had to make myself get out of bed. The only reason I did get up was that I knew brunch was in sight! John and I trudged through the snow to Kirsten's apartment from our own, whipped up a hearty Christmas morning feast, opened presents and spent time comparing this Christmas to others we've had. It was the most Christmassy I've felt all season.
In the afternoon I went to Toyama city and watched a couple of my students play in their very first rock band. They had invited me a while ago, got me a ticket and even came to greet me when I showed up at the door. I was the only 'adult' there -the rest were high school students coming to watch their friends play (all the bands were kids from high school), but I felt honored that my students thought I was cool enough to attend!
So as you can see, I had a different...slightly odd...but still very merry Christmas!!!
Friday evening I had dinner with the 'swim ladies'. This is the group of women who swim for the masters club in Kurobe (coo-roe-bay) -I met them through my Japanese teacher who is part of the team. They have been trying to get me to join the club for 2 years now, but so far it hasn't happened. I think they think I'm going to swim in a swim meet in April with them, as they began to formulate relay teams over dinner...we'll see. There were eight of us and we managed to put away an impressive amount of food and cover a wide range of topics over the course of 5 hours.
10:00 came around and I had to say goodbye because I had yet one more 'engagement' Friday night. Kirsten (my neighbor, and partner in crime) and I met up with some friends at a local -and soon to be regular - hang out in Nyuzen (nyew-zen). What was only going to be a drink or two turned into a late, but very enjoyable night. We finally had to concede that it was time to go home when we realized that morning was going to come way to quickly and both of us had plans to meet our other neighbor, John, at 7:30 for a day of snowboarding.
Sure enough, 7:30 came way too early. I managed to crawl out from under my cozy blankets and into my snowboard gear - my only motivation being I would get to try out my new boots and newly rented snowboard!!
The day on the hill was amazing. Tons of fresh powder to plow through- or get stuck in... I came away a happy girl with only a few bumps and scrapes and a minor, self-inflicted concussion. We called it quits early in the afternoon so Kirsten and I could get back in time to 'get ready' for our next Christmas party...
But before I get into it, a bit of background first....
The Colare (co-lar-ray) people: a group of Japanese in Kurobe who work at Colare, an arts and general use community centre. Each month they organize in international dinner featuring dishes from a local foreigner's (can I say that??) home country. For example, when I volunteered, I cooked Greek food...ok, nevermind. USUALLY the foreigner cooks food from their home country -apple pie from America (even though I think it's actually Canadian...) or Chinese food from the Chinese who live in the area. We've had stew from Britain...ok, you get the picture.
Unazuki (oo-na-zoo-key) Beer Gardens: a mini brewery set up in the foothills between Kurobe and Unazuki town. They serve several of their own ales/lagers/beers as well as serve a 'viking' (all you can eat) lunch consisting of anything from sausage, to sushi, to salad, to soup. This is all done in a big dining hall reminscent of a Bavarian chalet or something.
Being invited to social events because you are a foreigner: way too common- yet I still find myself saying yes 99% of the time. In this instance we were invited by the Colare group who flat out told us that they'd be getting the tickets to this party for free if we (the foreigners) showed up.
Assuming, never having enough information, and never asking the right questions - 99% of the time.
Ok, so Kirsten and I agree to go to this 'party'. What we weren't told, and what we didn't ask was what kind of party this actually was going to be. So, we show up in jeans and sweaters, prepared for a night of beer, food and casual conversation (you know what they say about assuming...)
Why, why, why wouldn't you tell your invitees that the party you are taking them to is FORMAL, and that they will be SPOTLIGHTED because they are FOREIGNERS and that all the head honchos from all the businesses in Kurobe will be there, including the PRESIDENT of YKK?!?!?!?! Why?
And why, why, why didn't I ask???? You would think after 3 and a half years, I would have learned by now.
Needless to say, we had a good time anyway! We ate a lot of food, drank a lot of beer and wine, danced the men twice our age, try to dodge questions about our marital status, sang silent night with neon glow sticks and forgot all about our jeans.
And the night was not over yet...
After a brief stop at our apartments to 'freshen up' after Unazuki and to grab some games and other goodies, we headed back to Koshi, our new favorite place in Nyuzen. We played a rousing game of scrabble while sipping wine and other beverages and as the night progressed more friends, new and old, started to arrive. We even got a visit from Santa!!
Scrabble quickly progressed into dancing on the tables (as it so often does) and before we knew it, it was 4:30. We knew Santa wouldn't come if we weren't tucked into bed before dawn, so we said our goodbyes and made our way home.
This was probably the first Christmas morning that I have EVER slept in....I actually had to make myself get out of bed. The only reason I did get up was that I knew brunch was in sight! John and I trudged through the snow to Kirsten's apartment from our own, whipped up a hearty Christmas morning feast, opened presents and spent time comparing this Christmas to others we've had. It was the most Christmassy I've felt all season.
In the afternoon I went to Toyama city and watched a couple of my students play in their very first rock band. They had invited me a while ago, got me a ticket and even came to greet me when I showed up at the door. I was the only 'adult' there -the rest were high school students coming to watch their friends play (all the bands were kids from high school), but I felt honored that my students thought I was cool enough to attend!
So as you can see, I had a different...slightly odd...but still very merry Christmas!!!
Monday, December 26, 2005
A week in Thailand
It's nice to have friends who travel! Mike was on his way back from a year in Australia and invited me to meet up with him in Thailand for a little fun in the sun before he went back to the deep freeze of Alberta. Well, we had a lot of fun, but the sun eluded us for most of the trip. We spent one day, two nights in Bangkok getting our bearings and choosing our destination for the week. We both started out with high hopes of Vietnam, but realized very quickly that our time was limiting our choices and we decided to choose an island and plant ourselves for the remainder of the week. We chose Phuket, down in the southern part of Thailand -assuming it would be our best bet for sunshine. But it was not to be!!
The info desk at the airport on Phuket Island recommended a brand new hotel (only 20 days old) for about $30 a night. We took him up on it and arrived at The Sugar Palm Resort and Spa -a hotel so new that they were still putting on the finishing touches while we were there. The location was fantastic -100m from the beach and within walking distance of restaurants, shopping and hangout spots.
If I haven't mentioned it yet - we had a lot of rain! It was raining when we got off the plane and it continued to rain for the next 4 days. I don't even think we went down to check out the beach until the second or third day -what was the point!?!
We did find some cool restaurants to sit in and have a beer. Mike chatted up the guys trying to sell him handmade suits and we both made horrible attempts and 'haggling' with the merchants.
We decided half way through the week that I should learn to scuba dive! So I signed up for a couple of days worth of lessons and that was a great way to get my mind off of the weather. I managed to do a couple of beach dives and one boat dive before my time in Phuket was up. Here's a link to the company I went with: Diving Phuket Scuba Club.
Mike and I did a day tour while staying on the island of Phuket in Thailand. We took a boat to the 'James Bond Island' where part of "The Man with a Golden Gun" was filmed.
and we rode some elephants (no, not on the island)
Souvenir stand on James Bond Island
The boat.
The view.
The rock.
The beach on the island.
The Tuk-tuk
The walk up to our hotel.
Our hotel entrance
The restaurant near our hotel.
The beach, 100m from our hotel.
Mike on the beach (note the overcast sky and lack of PEOPLE!!!)
In our hotel room -comfy!!!
Contemplating the shrimp cocktail.
The info desk at the airport on Phuket Island recommended a brand new hotel (only 20 days old) for about $30 a night. We took him up on it and arrived at The Sugar Palm Resort and Spa -a hotel so new that they were still putting on the finishing touches while we were there. The location was fantastic -100m from the beach and within walking distance of restaurants, shopping and hangout spots.
If I haven't mentioned it yet - we had a lot of rain! It was raining when we got off the plane and it continued to rain for the next 4 days. I don't even think we went down to check out the beach until the second or third day -what was the point!?!
We did find some cool restaurants to sit in and have a beer. Mike chatted up the guys trying to sell him handmade suits and we both made horrible attempts and 'haggling' with the merchants.
We decided half way through the week that I should learn to scuba dive! So I signed up for a couple of days worth of lessons and that was a great way to get my mind off of the weather. I managed to do a couple of beach dives and one boat dive before my time in Phuket was up. Here's a link to the company I went with: Diving Phuket Scuba Club.
Mike and I did a day tour while staying on the island of Phuket in Thailand. We took a boat to the 'James Bond Island' where part of "The Man with a Golden Gun" was filmed.
and we rode some elephants (no, not on the island)
Souvenir stand on James Bond Island
The boat.
The view.
The rock.
The beach on the island.
The Tuk-tuk
The walk up to our hotel.
Our hotel entrance
The restaurant near our hotel.
The beach, 100m from our hotel.
Mike on the beach (note the overcast sky and lack of PEOPLE!!!)
In our hotel room -comfy!!!
Contemplating the shrimp cocktail.
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