goodbye #1: my apartment

All packed up and ready to turn in the keys :(

If you asked me what my first week in Japan was like back when I arrived in Tokyo in August 2009, I wouldn't be able to describe it at all; it was all a blur, a whirlwind of new information, sights, sounds, and faces. It was as if the fast forward button on the remote control of my life was stuck. My first clear memory of being in Japan was the first night I spent alone in my apartment, after the craziness of orientations had subsided. I sat there on my living room floor in sort of a daze, blankly staring at my opened suitcase, listening to the crickets chirping outside my window. My family had each written a letter and hid it in my suitcase; letters filled with memories, encouraging words, advice, and prayers. It was enough to get the waterworks running.

Oh my gosh, what the heck have I done? There's no going back now. Oh my gosh, where the heck am I? Oh my gosh...oh my gosh.

Enter 2-inch, black cockroach. (I think they make it a tradition to welcome the new ALT to their new home on their first night in Oshima.) As I screamed and climbed to the highest peak of the apartment (my couch) analyzing the situation and my distance from said cockroach, reality hit me like a ton of bricks. For as long as I lived in Japan, I was on my own. Washing dishes, doing laundry, buying food, cooking the food, paying bills, and yes...killing bugs...I was going to be responsible for everything. EVERYTHING.

Fast forward two years, and there I was again, sitting on my living room floor, packing my last remaining suitcase for the trip home. The last of the boxes had been packed and shipped. My closets and drawers had been cleaned out and a bleach/windex smell lingered throughout the apartment. I checked and double-checked that every possible area had been cleaned. I looked out my window one last time. I closed my eyes and envisioned past shadows of cooking my first (and unsuccessful) batch of frozen gyoza on rice my first night, successfully capturing an enormous spider from my living room and setting it free outside (while yelling, "I saved your life! Don't you ever come back! And tell your friends to stay out too!"), huddling in front of my heater as I changed my clothes for work in the freezing winter mornings, and setting down bedding for the many friends who came for an Oshima sleepover.

This had been my first experience living on my own. This was my first apartment. This is where I learned independence.

my kids :)

I want to write about how amazing my kids are. I have over 600 of them and each one is special. Each one has a personality, a story, a favorite hobby, and a food that they despise. Some are super energetic, others sleep during class. Some are tall and sporty while others prefer to chill in the music room during lunch recess. Getting to know all of these different personalities and life stories has been such a blessing during my time here in Japan.

I've made connections with a number of students here; I've watched them grow up right before my eyes. The cute little 4th graders in elementary school that I met when I first came to Japan two years ago are now the "big dogs" on campus. My original elementary 6th graders are now 2nd graders in junior high school. And finally, the little 1st graders in junior high school are now the kings and queens of the school, the almighty 3rd graders. I can hardly wrap my head around everything.

Saying goodbye to these many schools that I've seen grow and change, fill and empty, has been quite the emotional roller coaster. It all had to end someday. For me, the realization that it IS ending, came as a bit of a shock. The end came out of nowhere. And yet, here I am, saying goodbye to the very kids who welcomed me to Oshima on my first day on the job.

I wanted to write about how amazing my kids are, but rather, I'll show you.

I came home one night to find these handpicked flowers outside my apartment door. They were from one of my JHS 1st graders, Hinata. The next day, I went to her school for the last time. After class, I asked her when she came to my place. She stopped to think and then replied, "At 7:00pm. And then at 8:30pm." Poor girl came twice just in case I was home :( That really touched me.

After a class of rushed interview tests, I came into the class to find the chalkboard filled with messages and pictures for me. The JHS 2nd graders had been working on it the entire 50-min period while I was out. An amazing class, one of my favorites :)

Yuta is a JHS 2nd grade boy who loves English and making the class laugh. I was so touched to receive a letter from him on my last day at his school. An awesome kid indeed.

This card just about sums up my feelings right at this very second. A JHS 2nd grade girl, Suzuka, whom I had become friends with during the Suo-oshima English camp back in August, had written a letter for me. She is one of the bubbliest people I know. I will miss her terribly.

a place to think

This is my thinking place. I picked it because (1) it reminded me of the final scene of "Free Willy", (2) it is about a 10 min walk from my apartment alongside a beautiful beach called 'Katazoegahama', and (3) it is the most serene and magical of all places in Japan. I often stop here to think during my weekly (sometimes bimonthly) running routine. I've done some pretty good thinking here, too. On some days, I would try to figure out just how I came to be here on this tiny island of Suo-oshima. I'd think about the future. When I was homesick I would think about my family and friends back home. At the end of my first year in JET, I would stare out at sea and wonder how I would last another year without my friends who had just left.

Today, I gazed at the late-afternoon scenery as a video montage played in my head. I sat there, breeze to my back, and reminisced about the past 2 years in JET. It's almost over. I can't believe it's almost here. Starting tomorrow, I will be visiting schools for the very last time. Every week, from now until I leave Japan, there will be at least one goodbye. I'm not good with goodbyes, as cliche as that may sound. The thought of saying goodbye to a group of people that I may never see again makes my heart drop.

I needed today to mentally prepare myself for such upcoming events. I sat there at my thinking spot, pondered if a killer whale really could jump over the dock, and smiled. I had found my peace. The past 2 years here in Suo-oshima really have been nothing short of amazing :)

the shishamo CHALLENGE!!!

School lunch in Japan has always been quite the adventure for me. I've seen it all: dried squid head, natto, fried blowfish, iriko (tiny fish they put in the salad)...the list goes on. I'm sad to say I've probably eaten whale meat too without knowing it. (I don't usually ask about what I'm eating. I just down the hatch.)

I've never been much of a seafood eater. Back home, the only seafood I touched was shrimp, crab, fish sticks, and kamaboko (the pink & white stuff in bentos and saimin.) I NEVER ate fish. NEVER. My family is more of a chicken-eating clan ;) That being said, to be able to say that I now eat sashimi, sushi, and the previously stated seafood dishes is quite an accomplishment for me.

Today during school lunch, the unimaginable (for me) appeared. *dun dun dun* SHISHAMO. It wasn't the first time I've met this aquatic opponent. I had been served many of his relatives at other schools over the past 2 years here in Japan. Usually, I would swiftly hand it off to a hungry-looking boy next to me without anyone noticing. Today, however, I had no opportunity as I was seated in the front of the class, with everyone...EVERYONE...watching me.

It was time for the SHISHAMO CHALLENGE!!!

Alongside the shishamo was a bowl of rice, a small plate of crunchy spinach, a banana, a bottle of milk, and a bowl of soup filled with mushrooms, carrots, and fish meatballs.

I looked at him. He stared back at me. "All?" I asked a student as I scanned my finger from his tail to his mouth. The boy nodded with a smile. "Delicious?" Another happy nod. The other kids were just chowing down on the meal as if it were a slice of pizza. I've never been a big fan of eating things that were staring back at me. His mouth open, as if calling out to me saying "Please don't eat me Tiffany sensei!"

After about a 5 min mental battle with myself, I proceeded to the first bite. I could feel the texture of his open mouth on my tongue so I quickly added some rice. I looked down on my plate and realized that the fish's stomach was FILLED WITH EGGS! It wasn't a HE afterall! It was a SHE!

My stomach began to churn and I could feel my gag reflex kicking in. No Tiff, you can't throw up here! Don't do it! That would not be good! Just chew....chew...chew...chew...think about something else...oh, cute! That kid has a Pokemon pencil case!...chew...chew...chew...

With the aid of some milk and soup, I eventually got the entire fish (head and all!) down. Although I finished the entire meal about 10 min after everyone else, I was able to claim victory over the shishamo challenge. Never again folks...never again. Praise the Lord there was only one ;)

congrats young skywalker!

I was given the amazing opportunity to return to Hawaii for just 5 days and see my brother graduate from the University of Hawaii. I'm so very proud of him :) He's worked so hard on his bachelor degree; hours and hours of studying, writing up papers, undertaking internships, all while having a part time job and fulfilling scholarship obligations. Did you know he had over a 3.8 GPA!? That trumps mine for sure! A brilliant young man with a bright future ahead of him, an incredible computer and video game expert, and the greatest brother I could ever ask for. CONGRATS LUKE!!! :D

sapporo revisited

Meet Shimo (means "frosty" in Japanese), my very first snowman! :)

Nestled in the cold winter weeks of Japan is a wonderful 3-day holiday, perfectly situated as to let people visit Sapporo for the annual Snow Festival. I had been looking forward to this weekend for quite some time, ever since the previous year’s trip. Hostels were reserved in November, plane tickets were booked in December, and plans were finalized months before the actual event. Sapporo, here we come ;)

For me, February in Yamaguchi was spent curled up in front of a heater cursing the essence of winter while movies like Blue Crush and Lilo and Stitch played in the background. Fast-forward to our Sapporo trip, where thousands of people joined together in celebrating the beauty and wonderment of winter. A very different spirit indeed.

Who knew cold could be so much fun? At the many festival sites were assortments of ice sculptures resembling that of beloved cartoon characters and famous buildings. We also tried our hand at snow tubing –a not-so-popular pastime in Hawaii ;) There was even a snowman building booth at one of the snow sites, where I aided the Canadian in the construction of my very first legitimate snowman. His name came to be Shimo (“shimo” means “snowball” in Japanese). The Canadian was pleased :)

There was so much fun to be had. A dinner buffet every night (the first being crab, the second being mutton), snowboarding at the magnificent Teine Ski Resort, a trip to the Sapporo Beer Museum (well…to the tasting section at least), soup curry with friends, and the most amazing display of snow and ice artwork I have ever seen…an amazing time indeed.

a wake-up call

It's been a relaxing couple of weeks here in Yamaguchi. Between March and April, time goes into a sort of limbo: the school year ends and a new one awaits, teachers are shuffled and reassigned to different schools throughout the prefecture, and winter slowly fades into spring. I've found myself relaxing at home, watching movies, and saving up for the vacations to follow in May.

In the spirit of money-saving, Kyle and a Japanese friend of ours decided to go out for bowling and drinks Saturday night. Bowling was a great success, 1,050 yen (about $12) for 3 games. I racked up a whopping 144 points...my total of the 3 games :P Feeling good and realizing it was only 10:30pm, we head to a favorite bar spot in Kudamatsu. The bar is a small, intimate 15-person space, where customers sit together on 2 benches cornering the bartending area. Customers will sit and drink together as ABBA soundtracks and cigarette smoke fill the air.

The perfect setting for a relaxing Satuday night, right?

The only problem with having such an intimate setting is when all the people just don't fit right. My friend is Japanese-born and raised-but moved to Europe for many years. His English is amazing. After hearing our English conversations, one of the drunken barmates kept asking him things like, "Are you really Japanese?" and "You're not Japanese! Where are you from?" I began to wonder if things like that bothered him. To be told such a thing. The drunken barmate continued his interrogation, asking him where he worked. I coud tell he was uncomfortable and quickly stepped in to change the subject.

We were just about to leave when the drunken barmate offered to buy us drinks. In Japan it's considered an insult if you refuse someone's offer, and since the man was clearly drunk, we stayed for one more. Finally, the drunken barmate's friend walks in and sits down. He notices Kyle, as his friend pushes him to speak the English he knows.

And then, the wake-up call. He says in Japanese, "We're in Japan, (I order you to) speak Japanese!" He's clearly speaking to Kyle, as I'm always assumed to be a local. The thing is, I'm just as foreign in Japan as Kyle is. I can't speak fluent Japanese. I don't know all of the Japanese customs. I'm not Japanese. What the man had said really bothered me, so much that I couldn't stop thinking about it all the way home. We're in Japan, (I order you to) speak Japanese! Those words rocked me to my core. It was the ugliest thing I had ever heard in my life. Are there really people who still think like this? There was nothing I could do about it. Even if I had wanted to give him a piece of my mind, I couldn't; one, because my Japanese language skills aren't good enough and two, because it wouldn't have change anything.

It was truly a wake-up call for me, that hate exists in the world. All I can do is positively influence the future generation of Japan, one student at a time.

safe in the Guch

Praise the Lord I am fortunate enough to begin this blog with such a title. First and foremost, I want to reassure everyone back home that I am safe and sound here in Japan. Your emails and facebook messages were truly touching as I could feel your concern and prayers from thousands of miles away. I am so very blessed to have people like you in my life who love and care for me.

Again, blessed by God, I was far from the chaos and destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami. Here's a map made by my friend Brandon to help better clarify my whereabouts.

Being so far away from everything, it almost feels as if nothing has happened. Construction workers were still out early Saturday morning, building up a new set of houses; families were out to the malls and grocery stores of Yamaguchi. Honestly, if I hadn't been at the BOE on Friday afternoon, I probably wouldn't have even known there was such a tragedy. I recall my boss getting a phone call at around 4pm on Friday, March 11, 2011, and then frantically barking orders to my supervisor and other office mates. Before you knew it, everyone was running around every which way, calling up the different schools to let them know the news while at the same time dialing up their loved ones on their personal cell phones to make sure they were alive and well. Then came the haunting sounds of the sirens which echoed throughout the streets and a direct announcement completely in Japanese. It felt like we were in a war. I had no clue what the announcement was saying but followed everyone downstairs where a TV displayed the unbelievable footage from the tsunami.

As of right now, it is believed that over 10,000 people have been killed. Many people are missing and many more are being found dead on the northeastern shores of Japan. The earthquake is said to have measured 8.9M, the greatest magnitude ever recorded in Japan (in comparison, the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995 measured 6.8M), and the tsunami about 10 m high (33 ft). There's already a wikipedia article entitled the 2011 Sendai earthquake and tsunami. Hundreds of thousands of people are without food, water, and shelter, all the while searching for loved ones.

Praise the Lord all my friends are safe and accounted for. Two of my friends were at Tokyo Disneyland together during the earthquake. They were kept overnight in the park and had to sleep in a restaurant relying on cardboard boxes and garbage bags as bedding. They've since returned to Yamaguchi and are safe.

It's crazy to think that that earthquake/tsunami could have hit anywhere. I could have been teaching a class and pondering my dinner plans one moment, and then be gone the next. It's times like these that remind me that every day is a precious gift from God.


Please keep the people of Japan in your prayers.


Before-after shots of the Tohoku region of Japan:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html

American Red Cross relief efforts for those who want to help:
http://www.redcross.org/

サザンセトロードレース (Sazan Seto Road Race)...CHALLENGE #2!!! :D

Brandon, Michelle, me, and Choruru - Yamaguchi's mascot - before the race.

The day had finally come. Exactly one year ago I had found myself in the same predicament: running 21.097 km in under 2 hours 10 min for the half marathon portion of the Sazan Seto Road Race here in Suo-oshima, Yamaguchi, Japan (my hometown). My BOE had made me a special T-shirt with everyone's signatures. I was pumped and ready to fulfill the dream I had set for myself one year ago as I crossed the finish line 2 min after the allotted time. I was not to be defeated this time.

5 min to race time. I lace up my shoes. I take time for one last stretch. I tighten my ponytail. I am set. Cue Eminem on the iPod. I soak up his words like a sponge. If you had, one shot, one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted, one moment...would you capture it? Or just let it slip?

Bass pounding, the gun sounds, and we're off. This year I had a new strategy to ensure my success, 10-1-10, which is where you run 10 min, walk 1 min, and continue to do so throughout the race. It made sense. During the 10 min run, you would be using different muscles than the 1 min walk. I could give certain muscles a rest, thereby allowing me to run more efficiently with less fatigued muscles. Gold.

Gosh there sure are a lot of old people running this. One by one, participants donning orange 'Hiroshima Senior Citizen Club' jerseys pass by. I push myself and continue to run according to the 10-1-10 strategy. At first it takes me a while to adjust to the time-keeping with my stopwatch but finally get the hang of it at around the 6 km mark. Time passes and the 10 km mark is in sight. Oh the 10 km mark. I look down at my stopwatch. A little under 60 min had already passed. Perfect. Or so I thought. In order for me to finish within 2 hours 10 min, I would have to run 10 min miles. I naively assumed that I had ran 10 MILES (in accordance with 10 km), and would finish the race with time to spare. I had calculated wrong. At that point, I had ran a little under 6 miles. The clock was ticking.

I pass by a group of grandmas and grandpas that had lined the sidewalks to cheer. Gambare! Makenaide! they shout, waving their little Japanese flags and clapping. I flash them a winner's smile and continue on. Oh thank God! The turn around point! A big, orange cone welcomes me to my reality. Wha...!? I realize my amateur mistake. 50 min to run the remaining 10 km. It was do-able...for Olympians...but for me...hmm...I begin to panic.

Oh gosh, I'm going to let everyone down. All the people at the BOE! And my friends who came to cheer me on. Focus. Focus, Tiff. It's not over till it's over. Given that I had been running for a little over an hour, I felt pretty good. My legs weren't yet burning and I felt like there was enough "gas in the tank" to make it back to the 2nd water station. Run like the wind, Tiff! 10-1-10. Stick to the plan. I make it to the water station and grab a cup from an elementary school kid. I hear him say (w/English translation), "Hey! I know her! She's my English teacher! Hang in there!" That がんばれ was all I needed to pick up the pace. Here we go.

I begin blogging in my head as I look off into the beautiful Seto Inland Sea. I wonder if at the end of this blog entry, I'll have a picture of me jumping for joy as I cross the finish line or passed out on the ground defeated? Focus Tiff! Left leg...right leg...left...right...just keep putting one foot in front of the other. I make many analogies between running and my JET experience; getting through hard days, enduring and overcoming challenges to become a stronger person, all the while keeping up with my 10-1-10 strategy.

I glance at my watch and take time to do correct math. 30 min left with 6 km to go. Things began to look grim. Doubt started to set in. Fatigue. Disappointment. Pretty much everything and anything that you would find in a goodie bag from the devil himself began to trickle in. I see a runner pass me by, #508. We had been playing tag the entire race. As much as I wanted to leave her in my dust, I did hold her in the highest respect. She appeared to be in her 60s afterall. Yes, my pacing buddy was a 60+ year old lady, no shame in that. We run together, up the last remaining mountain, through the last remaining fishing town. Every second that passed by brought me closer and closer to defeat. I was exhausted at this point. 10 min was all that remained for me to finish 2 km. It was not going to happen. The 10-1-10 system began to break down. I found myself starting a new method, the 5-1-run-whenever-you-can-feel-your-legs-again method. I can assure you you won't find that one in many running magazines :P

I'll have you know that I finished. I managed to escape the First Aid bus that picks up people who seem like they've had enough. I ran my little heart out till the end, passing #508, and ending on a high note "sprint" (I'd call it more of a "flying wobble.") A part of me was disappointed that I hadn't finished in time and another part of me was content that I hadn't given up. I pondered the meaning of the day as I waited for my friends at the finish line. Suddenly I hear, "Tiffany-sensei!" I turn and see a group of elementary school kids that I often teach. They had come to cheer on their classmates in the 5 km race. And then, the meaning of the day, the resolution, became clear. When I leave Japan, no one is going to remember my race time or that I didn't finish in time. The important thing is the friendships: the friendships that led my BOE to make me such an amazing T-shirt, the friendships with the teachers and kids who passed out water and cheered me on, the friendships that were waiting for me at the finish line. My impression on the people that I will soon say goodbye to is what's truly important. As much as I'd love to post pictures of me victoriously crossing the finish line here at the end of this blog, I'm just as happy to end it with these :)

Kyle and me :)

Yamaguchi JETs represent! (L to R: Brandon, Kyle, Steff, me, Christina, and Michelle) Photo courtesy of Steff Y :)

 

My awesome T-shirt signed by my BOE coworkers.

Thanks Nakamura, you were right! :D

Hawaii Take 2

Dad, me, and Mom performing a Christmas tradition: Christmas lights!

  

Golly wolly I can't believe I haven't touched this thing since Nov 25, 2010! It's an entirely different year now! 2011! Something tells me it's going to be a great year ;) I apologize to all 10 of my readers :) Sadly enough, my 1.5 year old laptop BROKE so I'm in the process of buying another one. Until then I'm forced to rely on the computer at my BOE between the hours of 8:30 and 4:30. Outside of that, I've been reading, putting together a Totoro jigsaw puzzle, and watching HOURS of TV. A tech-cleansing experience indeed.

Since my Nagasaki adventures in November 2010, I visited my island home of Hawaii for a second time since coming to Japan with JET. It was an entirely different experience I found to be back home. I was there for 3 weeks (3 WEEKS!) from Dec 18 - Jan 9. I had an incredible time seeing family and friends, going to favorite hang out spots and eateries, appreciating the warm Hawaii weather and cool trade winds, and of course...driving on the right side of the road ;) It was my first Christmas back since being on JET. Last Christmas was tough on me, what with the absence of a true Christmas celebration, SUPER cold weather, and even shorter days (I remember the sun setting at around 4:30pm!). Worst of all, Japan has no Christmas holiday, so I found myself surfing the internet on Christmas Day at my desk at the BOE. Definitely not recommended :(

Aside from all the negativity that I was feeling that year, I did take to heart the true meaning of Christmas: spending the holiday season together with cherished family and friends. That's all I really wanted. When you take away the tall Christmas tree, shopping extravaganzas, and present wrapping, it was really the traditions with loved ones that I really missed; baking Christmas cookies w/my mom, watching old Christmas specials that were tapped on VHS, going to see the Christmas lights in Pauoa and on King St., and going to Christmas Eve service with the family. It truly was an amazing Christmas :)


The Yoshida family in front of the Christmas tree on Christmas Day...as it should be :)

I caught up with lots of friends and got to hit up a lot of local restaurants including Shokudo, Zippys, Banana Leaf (good osusume Steph!), Manoa Sandwich Shop, Tsukijis, and Kaka'ako Kitchen. DELICIOUS! Activities included hiking, karaoke, pizza day with Luke (Papa Johns FTW!), the Palafox Christmas party, and pyromania with the Tabios/Shiroma families on New Years Eve.

The CAS group at karaoke :P

Some friends from Japan were also visiting, so it was nice to take them around. One of the head teachers I taught with last year visited with his family. We took them surfing for the first time at Waikiki Beach (his son even stood up and caught a wave! AMAZING!) and had dinner at Buca di Beppo. Afterwards, we took them to D&B. The kids had an awesome time and were really liking the ticket redemption idea. (In Japan, most of the toys are won through the crane games. I've rarely seen a ticket redemption station.)

Mr. Ueda and me at Buca di Beppo. Look at all that delicious food!

One of the principals from my elementary schools also visited with his wife. We went for dessert at Big City Diner. They were impressed with the size of the desserts (and coffee)! It was really nice to see them, especially since they were wearing aloha shirts (which they had bought that day!). I usually see him in a full suit at work!

The Nakamuras sporting their おしゃれ aloha shirts.

Another highlight was our short visit to Hilo to see my grandma and grandpa. My dad and me went for 2 days and 1 night. It was really nice to see the Yoshida family and spend time with grandma and grandpa. I was glad to see they were doing good. Very げんき :) Since I moved to Japan and they moved to Hilo (a different island from where I live), I've become even more appreciative of each second I have to spend with them. I can't wait to see them again in May for Luke's graduation.

Gma and Gpa Yoshida :)

Being away from Hawaii (and having to endure the evil winters here in Japan), my love for the Islands has grown that much more. To call a place like Hawaii home is something truly special, in a way that I cannot adequately describe through this blog post. (Although I'm sure any place you can call home is equally as special.) The funny thing is, I consider Yamaguchi, Japan my home as well. I guess the saying rings true: home is where the heart is.

a moment in Nagasaki

Peace in Nagasaki.

I was given an amazing opportunity to visit the picturesque city of Nagasaki last weekend. It had remained on my list of things to see in Japan for quite some time. Traveling there, I anxiously anticipated my visit to the Nagasaki Peace Memorial, the final location I had wanted to visit that held strong ties to the Pacific War (Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki). It was almost like obtaining that final baseball card that completed a dream team collection for me; a check waiting to be placed on my sheet of folder paper. I had no idea what lessons God had waiting for me in Nagasaki...


I found myself on a park bench at the Atomic Bombing Epicenter Monument at just after 11:30am. Some peaceful Chris Tomlin music was playing on my ipod. I ever so carefully began to fold a paper crane out of some scratch paper I found in my purse.  I noticed a pack of Japanese tourists following their guide around the park. Two European men posed for a picture as their friend shouted to them in French. An older man bent down to clean up a mess his dog left for him by the water fountain. I looked up at the bright blue sky; the brilliance of autumn leaves caressed the young day. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine how, amidst the beauty and peace that surrounded me, such a disaster could have devastated such a place, at just around the same time of the day, almost 65 years ago. Just as I looked up to the black monument, Chris Tomlin's words sounded through: "I will rise on eagle's wing, no more suffering, no more pain." That moment was enough to trigger the waterworks.

I look back at all the pictures I took of Nagasaki during the trip and my mind can't help but wander. I ask myself what someone who experienced the atomic bombing on that day would say if I were to show them one of the pictures I took. If I were to somehow travel back in time and, amidst the chaos and sorrow following the explosion, show a picture of today's Nagasaki and say, "this is what Nagasaki will look like in 65 years." Would they believe me? How could one see past such turmoil and destruction? How do you even begin to rebuild a city that has seen so much devastation?

The view of Nagasaki's city lights from Mt. Inasa.

The beautiful Nagasaki skyline.

The pictures and videos in the museum paint the picture, in my mind, of hell on Earth. People whose bodies are charred with scalding burns, wanting to die but not being able to, searching for loved ones amongst mountains of debris. Today I see junior high school students on a school trip touring the same location with cameras in hand, old Japanese couples feeding birds under the cooling shade, and children laughing as they chase each other through the soft, green grass of the park. Peace lives in Nagasaki. I tucked my checklist away in my pocket, almost ashamed, ashamed of my attitude coming to the park. I came with the intention of getting some nice snapshots for my album and I left with a new understanding of the word peace.

When I grow up, I wanna be a fox...

Me pretending to help carry the big, heavy omikoshi shrine ;)

In Japan, November 3 is National Culture Day. I found myself at the Kudamatsu Fox Wedding Festival, which is a celebration for a successful rice season. Food and game vendors lined the narrow streets of Kudamatsu's small town of Hanaoka. There was a bunch of festivities, including a parade of omikoshi hand-carried shrines (which I was blessed to be a part of), Japan boy scout performances, a kid marching band, handmade floats, and finally, the Fox Bride and Fox Groom, signifying good fortune. Every year, two people are picked in secret, and their identity is kept hidden from the public throughout the festival.

The couple of the hour! The Fox Bride and Fox Groom! Do you know who it is?

I've heard a bunch of different versions of the story upon which this festival is based. One of my teachers I teach with said that long ago, a priest found a pair of white foxes in the forest. He raised them as his own children and in return they brought good fortune to his village. And so every year there is a festival in their honor.

The amazing people who let us join in the parade.

It was really cool to have the chance to actually participate in the omikoshi-carrying down the street. Kyle's friend from City Hall, Nakamura, invitied us to take part in the tradition with a group of his friends. We all hoisted this heavy wooden structure up on our shoulders (well, not me really because I'm so much shorter than everyone else) and yelled out "washoi!" in time with a whistle. They even let me have a chance at riding the shrine! I will admit, it was quite scary being up that high, while being carried by a bunch of drunk and happy men :) I had an amazing time laughing and chatting with the other omikoshi carriers. Many people drank lots of sake before the actual parade (and even DURING!). I don't know how we managed to carry that thing all the way to the end. We even got hoppi coats to wear...and FACE PAINT! We were true Japanese foxes :)

Kyle and me in our "fox" outfits.

During the festival, I took a step back and watched the festivities around me. There were hundreds people around me, both young and old, who were gathered here to celebrate their culture, my culture. I am Japanese afterall. Never before had I felt such a strong tie to my Japanese roots. It was an indescribable feeling. I was almost moved to tears as I watched a traditional dance team perform in front of the Hanaoka Shrine. This is stuff my ancestors must have done a long time ago, I thought to myself. Finally, I've begun to feel like a part of the Yamaguchi family, and a part of Japan.

I am proud to be Japanese.

Rafting with the Power Rangers

The Oshimatsu gang: (L to R) Michelle, Brandon, me, and Kyle :)

The reservations had been set, tickets purchased, and I had (by some miracle) managed to reverse my car onto the ferry that would take us to Mitsuhama Port in Matsuyama, Shikoku. The short weekend getaway came at the perfect time, and the Oshimatsu gang was ready for some white water rafting excellence. After about an hour ferry ride and a 2 hour car ride full of 90s hits, we found ourselves in a quiet, super inaka (countryside) town called Otoyo at around 10:30pm. We met the owner of the rafting company, a cool Aussie named Mark, who then loaded us up into his tiny Japanese pickup truck and drove us to our hostel. The hostel had a worn-down, old log cabin feel to it. Our futons had already been laid out on the tatami floor. It felt like we were high school kids who had just been dropped off by Mom and Dad for an unsupervised weekend :D I could barely close my eyes from all my excitement, but somehow managed to drift into a deep sleep...

We woke up bright and early, grabbed some food from a local market, and met up with the other rafters at the Happy Raft office. It was a special day for rafting, geared towards veterans who had rafted with the company many times before. In the spirit of Halloween, many people were dressed up, including our rafting guides, the POWER RANGERS! :)

"Oh, Japan..."

I got to sit in the VERY front! AHH!

Emergency contacts were exchanged, safety waivers signed, and before you knew it, we were geared up and loaded onto a bus for Yoshino River. We met our rafting guide, Gordon aka. the Green Ranger w/dreds, who gave us a safety shpeel before getting us into the raft. The water was FREEZING. Like Jack-Dawson-floating-in-the-Atlantic-Ocean FREEZING. It was quite beautiful though. A lady I met in an onsen told me that the rocks on the river floor have a blue tinge to them, making the crisp, clear water appear even more blue.

The next 4 hours rafting down a 9km segment of the Yoshino River can only be descibed as "bizarre". IT. WAS. AWESOME. Guides would randomly pick up and throw rafters into the blistering cold water, creating chaos amongst the boat. No one was safe. Just as you were helping a fellow raftmate back into the boat, you yourself would either be pushed or pulled in! The Blue Ranger was dropkicking people off of their rafts, people were splashing each other with their paddles, and the Scream Ghost was doing backflips off the edge of the boat. Incredible. At times I needed to take a step back and breath just to process the craziness before me.

The rafting itself was both exciting and terrifying. Since we had come the 2nd to the last week of rafting season, the water level was lower than usual, exposing many rocks and affecting the water flow around certain areas of the river. On some of the higher grade rapids (level 4), the current was super strong and our boat seemed to be almost vertical at times. Despite the playful mannerisms of the rafting crew, when things needed to be taken seriously, they were superbly professional, making me feel safe 100% of the time. At one point, a rafting crew got stuck amongst the rocks and current. It was cool to see the other guides band together to help them out. (What was even COOLER was that they were dressed as Power Rangers, there to save the day!)

Battling one of the grade 4 rapids.

We all survived the adventure and concluded the day with a delicious bagel sandwich buffet and a nice onsen bath. The crew was kind enough to invite us to a party at one of the guide's house for dinner and drinks. We partied the night away; meeting fellow rafters, learning about the area through broken Japanese/English, feeding dogs, eating crocodile and kangaroo BBQ, watching people fool around in their Halloween costumes, and enjoying the beautiful scenery of Tokushima.

Success! We made it through! Thank you Green Ranger! :D

I wish I could have stayed in that moment forever. It will definitely be a highlight during my stay in Japan :)

Life Lessons with Mr. Matsuoka :)

It was 3-1, Red Hats. Victory was within our grasp, we just needed to hold our ground for a bit longer. It was a gorgeous day for soccer. Thy sky was as blue as ever and a refreshing breeze generously graced the field. Mr. Matsuoka and I had been leisurely playing offense for the past 20 min with the kids of Shimanaka Elementary School.

We Red Hats were just about to end the slaughtering of the White Hats when suddenly, things took an unexpected turn. Enter Yoshiki and Ayana, the 3rd grade powerhouse duo. In a flash, the score had transformed: 4-7, White Hats. The boys on our team were getting a taste of defeat and they did not like it one bit. How silly, I thought to myself as I watched a kid on my team kick up some dirt. I was then reminded of my own elementary school basketball games and the gutt-wrenching pain of defeat I had once endured. This wasn't just a leisure lunch recess soccer game, it was a war.

The White Hats were throwing in goals left and right. Each time a goal was scored, the boys on my team would begin grumbling and complaining, motioning for a trade in team members. "Give us Shinji for Toshiya!" they'd call out, shamelessly sacrificing a team member. Step in Mr. Matsuoka. He huddles the kids together and passionately exclaims, "When you lose a point, you just gotta stand right back up and play that much harder!"

Doesn't that work on so many different levels? I paused for a moment to absorb what Mr. Matsuoka had said. When it came to kendo, work, my busy schedule, and anything and everything else buzzing around in my head at that particular moment, Mr. Matsuoka's words put me fully at ease.

Mr. Matsuoka and I decided to step up our game a bit to try and show the kids that their new efforts would not go to waste. Unfortunately, despite their age and height, Yoshiki and Ayana were just too strong a force and the White Hats won, 6-17. I'm not sure if those boys were able to fully appreciate the important life lesson given by Mr. Matsuoka that day, but I'm sure they will have plenty other opportunities to learn it. One thing's for sure: Tiff needs to get better at soccer.

カープ, カープ, カーウ 広島!

It was a beautiful day for some baseball!

I have never been a huge baseball fan. I'm more of a high intensity, full contact type sports fan, namely football and hockey. My parents tell me they took my brother and me to local games when we were little, although the only thing I remember from these "so-called games" is the hot dogs :) So when there was mention of going to a baseball game here in Japan, I was a bit reluctant.

I'll just say it now: Japanese baseball games are the greatest things EVER. This game we went to would easily make my 'top 10 favorite moments on JET' list. The energy of the crowd is amazing. Think of it as being a combination of the excitement of an 8-year-old running to the Christmas tree on Christmas morning and the insanity of walking up the various levels of a Don Quixote in Tokyo (just google image 'Don Quixote' and you'll see what I mean). The amount of loyalty and dedication Japanese baseball fans have to their favorite team is beyond description. Let's just say, if our NASA rockets could utilize such dedication as a means of fuel, we'd be having tea with Chewy and Han everyday at 4pm.

It wasn't the most memorable game in the world. The Hanshin Tigers dominated the Hiroshima Carps, 11 to 4. Each batter took their turn at the plate, hitting foul balls, 2-baggers, and even 3-baggers. We even witnessed a home run :) For me, the noteworthy part of the day was being fully immersed in the same moment with the thousands of people in the stadium. We all came from different walks of life, and yet, in these few hours, the game was all that was on our minds. Disregarding the mountains of paperwork due on Monday or the lesson planning for the week, all we cared about at this exact moment in time was whether Kokubo would strike out or not.

Oh, Japan. You never cease to amaze me.

There are some interesting components to Japanese baseball that have no American equivalent. One being the 7th inning stretch tradition of inflating falic-shaped balloons and shooting them into the air while singing a team's fight song. Also throughout the game, drums and trumpets would lead the fans in special chants specific to the players at bat. They even sell special sticks to help aid in keeping the rhythm. I have yet to learn the various motions and chants associated with the Hiroshima Carps, but have made it a goal before opening season next April.

My baseball commentator/slang educator, Kyle :)

I had such an amazing time at the game. Who knew baseball could be so exciting? Even though our seats were in the Hanshin Tigers cheering section by mistake (hehe, a bit awkward at times, especially when the Carps made a hit), we still managed to cheer our little hearts out (Japanese style) and have a grand ol' time :)


Hiroshima Carp Cheering Section (These guys are intense! Check it out!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY5RgphWMVg

Carp Fight Song (My goal is to learn the words to this song, and sing it w/all the passion in the world at the next game I attend!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B1gqR3AKKo

Checklists

2 months have passed in this, my 2nd and final year with the JET Program. It's a strange feeling because now, when I take a trip to a far away place in Japan, I catch myself thinking how it may or may not be my last visit. I don't blog out of sadness or dismay, but rather, anticipation of the countless adventures yet to be had in this amazing nation in the remaining 10 months!

With that, I present to you my checklist of things I want to see/do in the next 10 months while in the JET Program (not in any particular order):

1. Capture the 100 Shinsengumi Memorial near Itabashi station in Tokyo through artsy photography.
2. Run down the riverbanks of the Arakawa River in the Adachi area just like they do in Kinpachi Sensei.
3. Hug the Hachiko statue at Shibuya Station.
4. Leave a paper crane in the Peace Memorial Park in Nagasaki.
5. Snowboard a black diamond slope in Hokkaido.
6. Slurp down a meal at an outdoor ramen stand.
7. Tokyo Disney and Disney Sea. (At least one day per location!)
8. Ikebukuro Gyoza Stadium and Ice Cream City. 'nuff said ;)
9. Cheer at a kendo competition.
10. 2010 Saga International Balloon Fiesta. Again, 'nuff said :)
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11. Slurp down some ramen at the Ramen Museum in Yokohama (credit to Dad...hehe)

hawaii sweet hawaii (part 2)

Me and my brother enjoying shave ice in Hilo.

I had survived the grueling 13 hour climb up Mt. Fuji and was now enjoying the reward of being home for 2 weeks. What was my first meal being back in Hawaii? Go on, guess ;) The answer: RUBY TUESDAYS! 2 turkey mini burgers, a side of steamed broccoli instead of fries, and their endless salad bar. Delicious. The next couple of days were filled with dinners, surfing, parties, Ala moana trips, and other outings with friends and family. I surprisingly got back into driving on the right side of the road pretty quickly. (There was one incident early on where I annihilated the 'no parking' sign in our driveway but besides that, everything was cake.)

Mom and me at TACO BELL! (My 2nd meal back in America!)

It was so nice eating the food in Hawaii! (At one point when I was very homesick in Japan, I made a list on my laptop about all the eateries I wanted to go to when I returned home.) Although there wasn't enough time to go to all of them, I did manage to go to the following: taco bell, L&L drive inn (spam musubis....thanks Erickshin!), subway, shokudo (honey toast mmm...thanks Colin!), yamaz fishmarket, zippys, island burgers in manoa, buca di beppo, cheesecake factory, big city diner, kincaids (thanks Heather&Brandon!), and kaka'ako kitchen. Notice, no Japanese food! Yeah, I made it a point not to eat Japanese food...

Buca di beppo w/Kai, Allie, Heather, Brandon, Steph, and Kele. Oh...and Myles ;)

Cheesecake factory w/the family :)

I was blessed to have the chance to celebrate my champagne birthday (24 on the 24th!) back home. A small handful of people came over to my house for a home-cooked spaghetti and pizza dinner. Seeing as how my house is an alcohol-free zone, we moved the party to Toma's and drank&sang well into the night. にじかい (2nd party after the main party) was at Ocean Sports Bar where James and friends took good care of us ;) I had such a great time. Thank you again to everyone who came out! You guys ROCK!!! Doomo to James, Shelby, and the gang at Ocean! (Let's party it up in Japan next time!) :)

The gorgeous ladies of the evening :)

During my trip, my friend Cyndi (a fellow ALT from Yamaguchi who was ending her contract) came for a short visit. It was really cool having my life in Hawaii mix with my life in Japan. Cyndi got to meet my friends, people that I had talked about all year, and see me in my natural habitat :) We did a lot of touristy things (things that I had been wanting to do after finding this new sense of excitement for my island home!) like Ala Moana, Waikiki, surf lessons (sorry Cyndi! I am a BAD instructor!), and North shore. Jamie (a 3rd year JET this year) also came down for a visit! The time flew by and before I knew it I was packing up and heading to Hilo.

Cyndi and me at Waimea Bay, North Shore.

The final highlight of my trip was going to Hilo to see grandma&grandpa. It had been one roller coaster of a year and I was so happy to finally be able to go and see them in their new home. They were the main reason I came back this summer. We spent time on my uncle's deck, looking out into the beautiful surrounding landscapes, and talking about anything and everything that came to mind. It was nice having the entire immediate family (with the exception of my older cousin Ryan) all under one roof. We were like one big, happy family. We had an amazing local dinner one night with everyone eating together at the table. That moment could not be beat. One day, my mom, dad, brother, and I went to Akaka Falls and did the 30 min hike (which only took us 15 min). It was nice just spending time with everyone, laughing about stupid things, and being "tourists" for once.

The Yoshida family in Hilo.

The best grandparents a girl could as for.

I'll never forget my trip home to Hawaii. I'm so glad I decided to go home. The time spent there really refreshed me and gave me a new perspective to bring to this new upcoming JET year. That no matter where I am in the world, I'll always have Hawaii and it's amazing&beautiful people to call my home.

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It was awesome seeing you all! To those I didn't get a chance to meet up with, I hope to see and spend time with you when I come back for good! Love you all so much! :)

Hawaii Sweet Hawaii (part 1)

It had been one whole year since I had last been home. I was nervous about what I'd be coming home to, about how much things may have changed. I had read literature on reverse culture shock and was apprehensive about my own dealings with it. There wasn't much time to worry though, as I needed to be at Narita airport just 5 hours after hiking Mt. Fuji. (Don't worry, I bought some hand wipes and cleaned up before boarding the plane! Hehe...) Praise the Lord I made it to the check-in counter just as they were closing up! As I entered my terminal, I caught myself looking around to see if I recognized any familiar faces - an old Hawaii habit if you will. I smiled and laughed at the ridiculousness of my actions.

My plane-mate was a girl traveling from Thailand to visit family before continuing on to Oregon for her freshman year in college. That's about all I gathered from her. I was exhausted. I had just spent a 13 hour all-nighter on Mt. Fuji, cut me some slack :P I remember explaining to her about my Fuji adventure and how I was ready to pass out, hearing the fasten seat belt chime, and then...zzzzzzzz. At one point I do remember waking up to the pilot warning us about some extreme turbulence approaching and then...zzzzzzzzz. Next thing I know, we're landing at the Honolulu International Airport. I said goodbye to my plane-mate (who I learned had to crawl OVER me to get to the bathroom after many failed attempts to wake me) at the baggage claim and walked through the immigration gate.

The sensation following this moment can best be described as a combination of college graduation, finishing my first half-marathon, and eating a pizza pocket. Let me explain: College graduation. This was the culmination of 5 years (yes, 5) of hard work, dedication, and persistence. I can honestly say that I have never worked that hard at something ever in my life. Just like in JET, there were so many times I was ready to pack it in, break contract, and return to the comfort of my parent's house. But I didn't. I stayed the course, grew as an individual, and became that much stronger of a person. Finishing a half-marathon. This component embodies the idea of a complete cycle. After 2 hours and 12 min of running, I returned to the same place from which I had started, but returned having accomplished something amazing. I had survived on my own in Japan for one entire year --quite an amazing feat if you ask me. I walked through the same airport that had seen me off a year ago. Me, a naive little island girl taking on the world alone for the very first time. The airport no longer seemed very intimidating. (Probably because NOTHING compares to the chaos of Narita airport.) Eating a pizza pocket. When I was in elementary school, my mom would take my brother and me to 7-11 every Wednesday just before Japanese school classes (yeah I was cool, I know) started in the late afternoon. She would let us pick out one treat, whether it be a slurpee or a spam musubi. I would sometimes settle on a pizza pocket. Just that feeling of holding a freshly microwaved pizza pocket is, to me, the epitomy of comfort. I would look forward to Wednesdays, spending special time with my mom, and getting the chance to eat junk food. It was a good way to get over the hump of a long week of cursive practice, fractions, and art projects. In the same way, I was so excited to be back in the comfort of my island home to see my family and friends and to visit places I had daydreamed about during those long monotonous days at the BOE.

I anxiously pushed my suitcase through the corridor and was met by my happy and smiling family :) No better feeling in the world. It was an amazing reunion, like the lost son returning to his father. I was home.