Not Positive I'm O

First let me just mention that I know a lot of JETs read my blog and some of the things I am going to point out you already know. But the main reason I started this blog was for the sake of the readers at home, so bare with me while I fill them in.

I have been asked about 10 times by people of all ages what my blood type is. At first I just brushed it off thinking there was an up and coming blood drive. A few weeks passed before I was asked the same question again and I started to get curious. I am not actually sure what my blood type is, I did give blood just last year so I gave them the vague answer of, "Maybe, O-something". I have now been informed that they use blood types like we use the stars to determine our personalities and futures.

Japanese fall: Quite possibly the most pleasant season I have experienced. The weather is a lot milder than in Cleveland so I have been enjoying the warmth of the fall sun and the slight changing of the leaves. The trees don't get as colorful but the few that do change are beautiful. I have gone on many hikes and walks on the beach to enjoy the comfortable tempuratures. It is now starting to become cold. Not quite as cold as home, however there is no central heating. Something I am going to have to tough out through the long dark winter. In school my nose is starting to run, my feet under my desk are constantly cold. Japanese elementary students continue to wear short sleeves, shorts and barefeet while I bundle up with 3 layers. Unlike American parents, who tell us to bundle up because we might catch a cold; Japanese parents believe the less a child wears the more healthy or the tougher they will be. Interesting how exactly opposite those theories are. The fact being, you can't catch a cold from the tempurature outside, it is all bacteria and viruses floating around.

Speaking of my recent hikes...While my friends and I strap on our hiking shoes, comfortable clothes, and day packs; Japanese women are so skillful at hiking that they are able to wear stilletto heals, nylons and skirts on these very same trails. This isn't just a few Japanese women, this is all of them at all ages. Show-offs!

Last week my school had their Bunka sai or culture day. I was shocked that no one asked me to contribute anything to this day. I could have volunteered but I wasn't sure how the whole bunkasai worked so I guess everyone missed out on the talents of Sara-sensei. Bunkasai lasted from a boring 9am-4pm. The students' art was on display for everyone to see. It was quite impressive, many of them did their own versions of famous paintings. Through out the day each grade put on a play that lasted about an hour, there were speaches and some students performed Kagura (which is a Japanese play/dance where they dress up in elaborate costumes and dance around on stage). Unfortunately, I couldn't understand most of what was going on, so it made for a long day. The few highlights were: One of the 3 nensei's mothers knew that I can make my tongue into a flower and roll it like waves. She asked if she could see this, pointing to her tongue whilest saying "hana" which means flower. I was very confused but I stuck out my tongue like any other strange foreigner would and showed her my stuff. It was pretty hilarious. After lunch the students had a flea market. I bought a few ceramic cups for 200 yen. What-a-deal! So after 2 weeks of planning (and 0 english classes) the students pulled off a successful bunkasai.

That same weekend Hagi had a festival. People dress up in clothes from the Edo period and celebrate Japanese culture. My flamenco group was able to perform that day. It felt wonderful to be on stage again and part of a dancing group. The women in my group dressed me up in my flamenco costume, and did my hair and makeup. The performance really went well, and I even saw the mayor in the audience.