Homeward Bound

In the last month I have been to Inuyama...


...twice.


I've bidden farewell to Tokyo

(what's that? A statue of liberty? Why...yes it is.)


Felt small under the big Buddha with Lisa at Kamakura



Stood at a World Heritage Site with Mika in Nara


Stopped in Kyoto to see the largest Pagoda in Japan with Yuki


Said my goodbyes to everyone in Okazaki, even at my favorite restaurant


And, in between, taught some little ones at a nearby Preschool


And now, I have only to spend the next 24 hours saying goodbye to my love, who I won't see for over two months...


I am exhausted but I feel content. I am sad to leave this place but happy that I was able to see everyone and go everywhere that I needed to before heading home.

This year wasn't anything like what I had imagined. It was a LOT harder than I expected (no one expects a Spanish inqui-er, kidney stone). But I had experiences and developed friendships that made every difficult day worth it. I would do it again. A hundred times over. This place will always always be in my heart....but..it's time for me to come home now.

忘れられない。。。

Owatta

I purchased the ticket. Then I panicked. Then our internet went down.

So it`s official. October 23rd.

I can`t describe how I feel. My favorite foods and streets, TV shows, hair stylist, restaurants, grocery store....my daily routine...my friends and family...my life is....here. But where is here? Japan or America? I can`t explain it. I want to go home, but then...I am home...

I feel like I`m on the last leg of a race and my loved ones are cheering me on.

Right now, I`m saying goodbye to my kindred spirits in Tokyo. I`m calling it my Farewell Japan Tour. I`ll be home (Japan home...) on Wednesday.

My castle on a cloud...

In my mind, there's going to be this period of time in my life of complete...rest. There is nothing to do but let my body heal, my mind relax and eventually, when I feel like it and with no sense of time constraint at all, get around to doing all those little things I've been trying to find time to do (upload pictures, send e-mails, call friends, clean, organize etc). At the end of this time, everything is taken care of and I am completely rested.

Hmmm. Think such a time exists?

I keep hoping. But one things for sure, this "month off" in Japan is definitely not it.

Last weekend I was in Inuyama to stay with my friend at her parent's new house. Then this weekend was a wedding in Kyushu. Friday I leave for a week in Tokyo. Then the next weekend is Yokkaichi and Osaka. And at some point I have to go back to Okazaki to meet up with some friends. And I've been doing some part time teaching at an English day school in Nagoya.
Oh - and I'm sick.

BUT

I did manage to upload a great deal of photos.

Let me break them down quickly -

August is host to Obon, one of Japan's major holidays. Amity gives it's teachers a week off for Obon, so Alex, Dawn, Mika and I decided to go vacationing together. We went to Takayama - famous for its beef and ancient Japanese homes - and Kamikochi - a popular vacation spot in the mountains and certainly on of my favorite places in this country.

The second batch of photos are all my farewell photos of all my students.

Check them out. Here. Now. CLICK. Wedding, Tokyo, Inuyama, Random photos will come...later. Are you sick of photos yet?

And in other news, ladies and gentlemen, if all goes as planned, I will be purchasing my plane ticket home tomorrow. The intended return date? October 23rd.

Yes, I want to come home. I want to see my friends and family, eat a turkey sandwich, BUY CLOTHES, drive, have a conversation with a random person on the street, go to the doctor, feel short and not pay $6,000 per minute on my cell phone. But I am so sad to leave this place. So. Sad.
Look forward to a panicked entry after my ticket purchase tomorrow.

P.S. Anyone get the title reference? 10 points if you do.

Love.

Remember that little boy I talked about before? The one I was instructed not even to teach because he was too bad and too dumb?

Before I left, one of the staff today me that the day before my last day, he wouldn't leave Amity. When his Mom asked his why, he said "I don't want Arden to go!" My Manager said she'd never seen him act that way about a teacher.

Then today I got this e-mail...

This is Itsuki.
How are you?
I miss you.
Love.



I am not quite settled in enough to post pictures and updates. But I needed to share that.

The stability of impermanence

Since my freshman year of college, a year hasn't gone by where I haven't had to pack up my things and move. There is a strange familiarity in seeing my life spread out on the floor of my apartment, being divided into "keep" or "throw away." The transient state of moving feels a bit like home itself, if that makes any sense.

This time it's a little more difficult, though. The cost of shipping things home is nearly triple the cost of shipping it out, so I'm being forced to leave behind a lot of clothes, letters and memories I would have preferred to keep.

I move out of my apartment next Sunday (the 2nd). I say goodbye to my students starting next Tuesday(the 4th). My last day is next Saturday (the 8th).
It's all happening too fast, with a pinwheel of emotions whirling around - sadness, anticipation, excitement, nervousness, hope...

I'll be spending a month in Japan, after my work is finished, just traveling and saying goodbye to the country and people that I love. And, I'll finally have the chance to write in more details about my plans, upload a lot more pictures and catch up on some seriously overdue correspondence.

But...enough about the future. Let's talk about the past...namely, my fantastic vacation last week.


It was fantastic.

Me and three of my best friends...





Here...



And here...



And here...



Can't say I really wanted to go home. Dawn said that by the end of the trip I had a look on my face that she'd never seen before...calm. Lol.

Reset

It's been a year since I arrived here in Japan.
It sounds like a cliche, but I mean it when I say that I don't know where the time has gone. In a sense, my world has been reset. The tastes and sounds and smells of Japan are exactly as they were when I arrived. The deafening sounds of cicada, the melting humidity, the scent of blossoming flowers, the fickle weather, the constant scurrying of insects and geckos, the fireworks festivals. I remember taking it all in for the first time, finding it foreign and yet familiar all at the same time. I feel like I'm back there again, back to the beginning. And yet, I am anywhere but where I was one year ago.

A year ago, I didn't know the myriad of children that would challenge me, delight me and make me adore them.



I didn't know my co-workers who would become my friends



I didn't have a clue about the experiences that awaited me...



Or the adventures I would have...



Or the people that would share those experiences and adventures



I didn't realize that my co-teacher would become would become my closest companion, best friend, daily support, the source of endless laughter and my confidant



And I certainly didn't think that I would find love...



But it happened. All of it. In one year. The world outside may be exactly the same as it was a year ago...but I certainly am not.

How do you say..."My kidney has revolted and wants to kill me" in Japanese?

Wow...it's been over a month since I last wrote.

Two weeks ago (to the day, actually) a small stone decided to make a PAINFUL announcement that it had taken up residence in my kidney. Said kidney stone resulted in a few other health complications, 7 or 8 doctor visits over the course of 5 days and a week off of work.

The experience of being SO sick in a SUCH a foreign country is something I'll never forget. Aside from the fact that, even with a translator, I had an near impossible time explaining/understanding what was going on...it's just that when you're feeling that low, you want (need?) everything to be familiar, comfortable, usual. But EVERYTHING was different, right down to how the nurse took my temperature (under my arm, in case you were about to get any ideas). I would have given anything for some awful hospital food or a hospital bracelet that can't be removed.

Luckily, I am surrounded with amazing co-workers, a saint-like boss and a miriad of loved ones who all took care of me by taking on some of my classes, driving me REPEATEDLY to the hopsital, dropping off food and drinks and videos, checking up on me via texts and phone calls or just stopping by to cheer me up. I, for one, am in awe of how completely God has taken care of me.

Anyway, I am on the mend and haven't felt any pain in several days. And so...life goes on:

Japan's rainy season is in full swing. The air is - quite literally - damp. And when it's not raining, the whole world looks like...a smoke-filled bar. It's the strangest thing I've ever seen.

Parent observations are also in full swing. I love my kids so I'm not too stressed about having their parents join the class. It's just that sometimes the kids act up BECAUSE their parents are there which can definitely cause me stress.

My one year anniversary in Japan is less than a month away. Creepy.

I miss you.

I think that about says it for now. Many things are happening in the next few weeks and I'll have lots to write about...

And now, for what you've all been waiting for. In answer to last month's quiz:

Answer: 20 years old

No lie.

<3

Quiz

Ok class. Here's a Pop Quiz for you.

Amity, while primarily geared towards children, does offer classes for adults as well. Given this information, please estimate the approximate age of this Amity student:



Leave your answers as a comment in this blog. I will post the answer after I have received everyone's quiz. Gramma, please keep your eyes on your own quiz! :)

Ittekita

This morning, I spoke with my Mom just long enough to learn that she was safely at home, laying in "my" bed, watching 24 (big surprise there!). I can hardly believe she has already come and gone!

I won't presume to say how the trip went for her, but I as for myself I was sooo happy to finally see my Mom and get the chance to show her all the places and people that mean so much to me. We cram packed a lot into just one short week...various and sundry places in Okazaki, the ocean in Hamamatsu, the temples and old market in Kyoto and of course the sights and sounds of Tokyo! I feel like I could really use a vacation after my...vacation. :)




Even though I cried when we said goodbye, I was able to rest in the knowledge that (God willing!) I will be home in just a few short months.

Now I'm just settling back into the routine of work and preparing for the next enslaught of...insanity. Rainy season in Japan, parent observations at school, starting to look for a job back in Chicago and...maybe a trip to Thailand? Yeah, my plate's full. Anyone shocked?

Golden Week

The next time I talk to my Mom - it will be in PERSON! I'm SO EXCITED!!!!!!! We have a busy week planned, with trips to Nagoya, Hamamatsu, Kyoto and Tokyo. I can't wait to get started!

Since I won't be near my computer for a while, I decided to upload the rest of my pictures.

The first (and biggest batch) is from the Iyeyasu Parade. A famous Japanese leader (named Iyeyasu Tokugawa) was born in Okazaki and so....every year Okazaki hosts a parade to celebrate him. Many of my students marched in the parade, playing music or performing. And of course, the parade included many...many Samurai. A few foreigners are given the opportunity to join the Samurai and, thanks to knowing the right people, Dawn and I were given two spots. I wasn't sure what to expect but.........I certainly never imagined this. Dawn was put in the gun squad (they actually "fired" their guns!) and I was placed at the head of the band of foreigners. The armor was heavy and the shoes were made of straw and we walked for HOURS but it was certainly one of the most unique and unforgettable experiences of my life.

Second, I uploaded pictures of the cherry blossoms. I had hoped to get to Kyoto to see them - but unfortunately the blossoms are only around for about two weeks and I didn't have a chance to go during that brief time. But thankfully, Okazaki is a hot spot for cherry blossom viewing. And now, so is your computer screen.

Lastly, I uploaded a few pictures of my school classroom and my darling children. You can see those here.

That's it! I have to get to bed. I have to get up early and do some last minute cleaning/shopping before my Mom arrives.

Feel free to pray that she arrives safely.

Fall behind...Spring ahead...

I have definitely fallen behind, as Spring races ahead at full speed. In an attempt to catch up, I've turned down Sunday plans to clean, organize and update.

A lot's happened since I came back from Korea (though, admittedly, most if it was me trying to get well). But - one thing at a time....today's entry is only about Seoul.

It isn't fair to try and experience any city in three days, much less an entirely new culture. But Mika and I did the best we could, with the help of her incredibly kind Korean friend Jin. (Jin and Mika met while studying English in Canada.....so, the only language we had in common was English. Which was great for me, but strange, nonetheless.) In my brief, whirlwind visit here were the few interesting observations Mika and I made...

- In Japan, no one speaks English, allowing you to say ANYTHING in public at any time. In Korea, everyone speaks English. We learned this the hard way.
- Korean men are MUCH more attractive than Japanese men.
- Koreans are, in general, much taller than Japanese. I didn't feel like a lumbering giant for 3 whole days.
- Unlike Japan, Korean customer service is much more like American customer service (non existant)
- The Korean alphabet can be learned in 3 days or less
- Despite being so close to Japan, Korea is surprisingly different from Japan. They are INCREDIBLY Westernized. The buildings, the cars, the stores...it all felt like the downtown of any American city.
- Just because your currency is in 10,000s doesn't mean you have a lot of money.
- Don't try to convert 10,000 won to 750 yen to 1 dollar. It just doesn't work.
- Don't laugh too hard when your friend uses in a payphone at the hotel front desk to call her friend but accidentally calls the...hotel front desk. (Perhaps you just had to be there but there's really nothing funnier than seeing your friend turn around, look at the receptionist and say "I'm talking to you, aren't I?")

The pictures are here of course.
Mika has a few more I'd like to post, but I haven't gotten my hands on them yet.

Stay tuned...pictures of Arden and Dawn in the Okazaki Samurai parade will be coming soon....

They're still checking on gravity...

As one simply assumes that the sun will make a daily appearance, so I've always assumed that it was simply a natural law that a person cannot contract more than one miserable illness at a time.
Then, this weekend, I found myself host to the stomach flu AND walking pneumonia.

I must admit, I opened the curtains this morning a bit worried that the sun might not be there either.

;)

When I can consume more than toast and sleep less than 12 hours, I will write all about Seoul and post a miriad of pictures. Until then, be wary of all those so called "natural laws" :)

A day of firsts...

When I arrived at my school, nigh seven months ago, there were many things impressed upon me by the outgoing English teacher I was replacing. But there were two things she made extra sure to impress upon me

1) The Japanese staff absolutely dislikes the foreign staff. Do not attempt to befriend them, as such attempts will be in vain. You'll be lucky if they say hello to you in the morning and goodbye to you at night.

2) While there are many wretched students to be dealt with, the most wretched, the most horrid, the most evil is one little 7 year old boy named...Itsuki. He is a nightmare and incredibly (and I quote) "dumb dumb DUMB" so the best advice is to not try to teach him at all. Just keep him distracted so he doesn't destroy anything or anyone.

Those are not particularly the most encouraging things to learn on your first week in a foreign country, in a new job. I distinctly remember writing home to my family, absolutely depressed at the situation I was walking into. But at the end of my letter, I told my Mom that I was resolved to have the best attitude possible. Just because the Japanese staff was cold didn't mean I had to be. And just because Itsuki was bad didn't mean I had to treat him badly in return. When Dawn arrived, I filled her in on the situation and she came to the same conclusion as me.

In the beginning, it seemed a hopeless cause. When I asked the Japanese staff to lunch, they'd just smile and shake their heads. When I said hello to Itsuki he might reply with a "How are you?" if he was in a good mood. But slowly...ever so slowly...Dawn and I started to notice a change.

Then today...today...
Every Friday, Dawn and I go to lunch at our favorite Indian restaurant. And every few weeks, I invite one of my co-workers to join but she always turns me down.
But today, she stopped by my classroom to confirm a meeting for later on in the afternoon.
"Will that work?" She asked "You and Dawn will still have time to go to lunch?"
"Yep!" I replied
She paused for a second and then said "Maybe I'll come with you..."

I nearly fell out of my chair.

After what was, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable and laughter filled lunches, I returned to work. A few hours later, Itsuki trotted in the door. To my delight and surprise he leapt into my arms and unprompted asked "How are you?!"

I almost burst into tears.

This has been an unbelievable day of firsts, of things I was told were impossible. Dawn and I keep joking that we're taking an "accelerated growing up" course - but in part it's true. Today, I learned that sometimes things can change if you are dedicated and loving, inspite of everything. As silly as it seems, I feel like...Christie or Anne of Green Gables.

And now, to another first....
packing...for KOREA!

Poker Face

Last week, I asked one of my semi-bilingual students to bring her favorite Japanese comic book to class. I figured we could go through it and she could tell me the story. So yesterday, she arrived and, after telling me about her preparations for her first in year highschool (the Japanese school year starts in April) she excitedly pulls out her comic book.

She flips to page one. A young girl is sitting on a bed, with a man standing over her.
"This is a story about a girl who is...a..." She pauses and says the word in Japanese. "Do you know?"

I shake my head. "She's a what? Can you tell me what she does?"

And that's when I look over at page...two, which in absolutely no uncertain terms, shows me exactly what she does.

"Oh! She's a...prostitute?!" I say, trying my best to control my face from contorting into any number of shocked expressions. My student nods eagerly and moves right onto page three, while I sit there wondering if she even knows what she's looking at and what parent would let their 14 year old have something like that.

She happily left her books with me and within 15 seconds of her leaving class, I raced over to Dawn's room, turned to page one and waited for her reaction. Luckily, she was allowed to react the way I wasn't. I believe it went something like "What's she doi-OH MY GOD..." and then side splitting laughter.
Sometimes, if you don't laugh, you'll cry.

Anyway...things are going well. It was 60 degrees this weekend. I went out without a coat and almost wept with delight. But the temperatures have dropped back down to the 40's. Bleh.

Two weeks from today, I'll be just returning from Korea! Ah, the countdown begins. Anyone have any suggestions for our tour of Seoul?

Love is...

Back...what seems like forever ago, but was really only a few years ago, I was sitting in Japanese class - a mere Freshman in college.

My teacher asked us if anyone was interested in finding a language partner. I put my name on her list and a week later got an e-mail address from her. Some Japanese girl named Yuki was studying at my school's ESL program and was looking for an English/Japanese exchange.

We eventually started meeting once a week to practice our respective foreign languages. Two years later, I transferred schools and she, soon after, headed back to Japan. But when we said our goodbyes, we promised that someday we would meet again...only in her hometown, instead of mine.

I promised her most sincerely but doubted even more sincerely that I would actually find myself ever meeting her in Kyoto.

And yet...three days ago, I returned from Kyoto after attending her wedding.

Life is strange, isn't it?

Attending a Japanese wedding was a phenomenal, unforgettable experience. It was an incredible gift to be invited and I was the only foreigner in the entire place. However, it was also very...very...kitchy.
I don't know how else to describe it.

The entire event was accompanied by corny English music (like "Lovin' you is easy cause you're beautiful..."), there were suited women wearing ear pieces who followed the bride and groom around giving them direct instructions on how to do everything and there was even an MC who narrated, interviewed and cracked jokes. All of this amidst deep Japanese tradition. Aside from that, it was just amazing to see how brief and unceremonious the wedding was and...how the bride and groom didn't kiss...ONCE. Not once.

I just didn't know what to make of it all. So I tried not to make anything of it. Instead, I took lots of pictures, applauded heartily at every opportunity and reveled in the strangeness of it all....

The pictures are here So...revel with me, if you care....

At last...

Like someone waking you from a deep sleep, their voice just beginning to pull you from an icy nightmare, so Spring is whispering in my ear...

It isn't here yet, but I can hear it in the occasional warm breeze, the gathering strength of the sun, the ever increasing daylight, the birth of blossoms on trees. How long have I been asleep...?

As I am pulled from my wintery slumber, my calendar is beginning to fill up again. This weekend, my friend Yumi from Tokyo came to visit. She is my kindred spirit and I found it difficult to come home after work to an empty apartment...
Next weekend, Dawn and I will be partaking in a Mochi making party (mochi being a thin, sticky rice cake) at the International Center. Then the next weekend, I'm off to Kyoto to attend the traditional Japanese wedding of my dear friend Yuki! And a few weeks later...it's off to...Korea! Another good friend of mine, Mika, and I have planned a 4 day excursion in Seoul. And of course, the following month...my Mother is coming!!

But...like Spring, the adventures have yet to come, and so I only have one new thing to report. After much consideration, I have extended my contract in Japan for one month if for no other reason than to finish up at the same time as Dawn. However, it is my sincere hope that with some avid saving, I will be able to attend a 3 month intensive Japanese language program in Tokyo. I have come all the way to Japan to spend my days speaking...English. I'd like to walk away feeling like I've improved my Japanese just a little. The programs are varied and not overly expensive. However, housing in Japan is another problem. So if anyone knows of a cheap place to stay in Tokyo just...um...let me know.

Happy Valentine's Day... <3

Inching forward at the speed of light

With a sink full of dishes and an apartment which I recently described as "an explosion" - I have spent the night listening to my new crush, Josh Kelley, and sending introspective e-mails. (And when I say "listening" what I actually mean is listening to the same song on repeat...I'll get to the rest of his music later.)

About two weeks ago, my manager stopped by my classroom to briefly go over my six month review. During our conversation all I could think was "SIX MONTHS?!" After she left, I went to the calendar and counted the months just to make sure there wasn't some sort of mix-up.

I seem to waver between feeling like I've been here my whole life and I've only just arrived. The experiences I've had, the friendships I've developed...it's a lifetime's worth. But...somehow, it just doesn't seem like six months have passed. I could swear I was just carting my suitcase through customs and stepping into Japan.

Yet...even despite the exotic setting and the fervent passage of time, a feeling of homogony is beginning to set in...and it's time to get away and break things up a little. This weekend, in attempt to 'creatively' travel (creative=cheap), Dawn and I are going to spend the weekend in the big city of...Nagoya. It's not quite a trip but it's certainly not a weekend of, well, same-old same-old.

Tragic reply

My pile of "e-mails owed" was already growing ridiculously long before my birthday arrived AND I got lost in the haze of yet another deadly cold. Now I am just resigned to the fact that I am a terrible friend, daughter, granddaughter and cousin and am temporarily assuaging my guilt with this all-encompassing blog entry until I can start writing people back....

To describe this week as a 'haze' is putting it lightly. A slightly stuffy nose quickly escalated into a raging head cold that made it difficult for me to do anything besides push through work and then come home and pass out. Until yesterday, my apartment was buried under a mountain of dishes and tissues...

Somehow, I managed to perk up long enough to enjoy my birthday, though. Yes - yes, 24 is here, despite my best attempts to suppress it. Do you know the most repeated comment I've gotten is that my age is the same number as the TV show '24'? You're all freaks, you know? ^_~

Anyway, Dawn brought me flowers in the morning and my co-workers surprised me with a birthday cake in the afternoon. My phone beeped periodically throughout the day with birthday wishes from friends from around the world and several gifts/cards trickled in as well. All in all, it was a a very nice day...though I will never cease to be amazed at how one absent birthday wish can put a slight damper on all the rest...

Alex Monroe pointed out that living in Japan allowed me to celebrate my birthday for an extra half a day...however, Dawn and I are stretching it all the way to Sunday. Tomorrow we are off to 'celebrate' at a spa in Nagoya. Since I've arrived in Japan I've had many weekends off and several vacations. But tomorrow I intend to do what I haven't done during any of those: bid farewell to my perpetual cold, relax my aching muscles and rest my weary...weary self. That way, I can get started on writing some long overdue e-mails!

In Hiding...

The onset of another cold, an icy bedroom, a nightmare that left me shaking and not enough sleep was how I began my day and my work week. Had it not been for Dawn banging on my door to check on me, after I sent her a message entitled "panic," I probably would not have gone in to work today....

It's January, and even with the daily splendor of being in Japan, I am still affected by the cold and the lack of sunlight. Winter just makes me tired. It's too cold to travel or even explore my own town. It's too dark to be industrious. I scurry to work and then hurry home, finishing my chores as quickly as possible so I can hide under my blankets.

I wake up each morning and ache for spring to come. I never seem to tire of walking out the door and being instantly greeted by warmth, bright sun, cool breezes, endless sky, bustling animals and all the colors of nature. It doesn't matter how tired I am...a sparkling, warm day enfuses me with energy and hope, making it impossible to just sit home. I even love the rain when it's warm....more often than not, on a warm day I'll opt to walk home without an umbrella...

I'm holding my breath until that first warm day greets me again and I'll know that my adventuring spirit will come out of hibernation soon.

Once more, please...

At around noon on New Years Day, after hours of meandering through Tokyo had already passed, it occured to me that my friends and family back in the states still hadn't even reached 2007 yet! What a strange feeling...

But now that everyone has entered the next year, I can officially say HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Tokyo, as usual, did not let me down. The New Year was rung in as unforgettably as the last...only this time it was with three amazing ladies, one boy and drama right to the last second (literally). We were forced to make impromptu plans at the last second and ended up running to Tokyo Tower just in time to see it light up with the delightful news that we had in fact made it to 2007.

On New Years Day, I was invited to join my friend Lisa at her family's house for New Year's Dinner. Honestly, I was too amazed to take pictures...which I am regretting now. The food was beautiful displayed (and delicious) and the family was...unforgettable. They welcomed me in, made a toast to me (in English!), gave me New Year gifts and made me feel like part of the family.


The next day was shopping with Lisa, Dawn and Yuka down in Shibuya. And then yesterday, after spending the entire afternoon with Yumi, I went out with Lisa and her Mom to the first Kabuki performance of the year at the Kabuki-za theatre! I've used "unforgettable" twice already to describe my trip, but really...that's the only word I can use now. To be sitting in Japan, in Tokyo, watching an ancient art form be performed was just...mind blowing. Many of the women were dressed in kimono, including my dear Lisa, who looked like a Japanese princess.

My vacation isn't over just yet, I have a few more days and I intend to see it out to the last. But I wanted to quickly update and say that I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years and is excited to see what 2007 holds. I know I am. I have a feeling I'm in for quite a ride...

<3