Birthdays

From about February 20-25 I know about a million people with a birthday. I don't know if I notice it because my birthday is in that bracket or if it is true that many people have birthdays between those dates. So if your birthday is in the vicinity, Happy Birthday.

At any rate, thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes. It was one of my more enjoyable birthdays. I had 5 birthday cakes.

Cake #1: Made by Rosie. Choco cake with choco frosting and cream. Eaten on wednesday night with the people from the Hagi area. Skipped Japanese class and treated myself to an onsen instead. Recieved an ugly ceramic doll from Dan, which I gave right back to him.

Cake #2: Made by Christine. Choco cheesecake. Eaten on my b-day with the Watanabes. Skipped pottery and had a b-day party with the Watanabes and Esturo. Had makizushi which I love. Recieved an inkan with my name in Kanji, a poem and an earring (to replace the one I lost).

Cake #3: Made by Teru Watanabe. Shortcake with peaches. Eaten on the same night as the cheesecake.

Cake #4: Recieved on my b-day from Fujii-san. A lady in my town. It was a fruit/pound cake. Eaten for breakfast.

Cake #5: Recieved from Kat and other JETs that came to my little b-day celebration in Yanai. Choco cake with fruit on top. My hair caught on fire when trying to blow out the candles. (Kat has an excellent picture of that happening. Maybe she will post it on her blog). Got a wide range of stuff including flowers, 'spunky pants', slippers for a kitchen table, and a head band.

Then off to hiroshima we went. Ate well, drank well, danced well. Had a great time.
So it was a good b-day indeed.

J Date

No, not the website for Jewish singles.

Had my first official date with a j-boy yesterday. We hung out in Tamagawa because he grew up here but lives in a different city. He suggested coming round to pick me up at 3, I pushed it back to 4, 3 was a little too early for me. It was actually a pleasant time. He showed me a secret beach in Tamagawa, we walked around the mountains then came dinner time. I offered to make dinner at my house, seeing as restaurants in Tamagawa are limited, and I didn't want to be spotted by any students. So I made pizza while he watched TV. We talked for a while, not much flirting because I'm not that attracted to him. Note: in Japan it is illegal to take a sip of beer and drive. But considering the circumstances- A) He had 2 beers over a 4 hour period B) We were in Tamagawa where the police are rarely seen C) His house is literally a 2 minute drive from mine, I found it odd that he asked to spend the night. I tried to think of how to concoct a sentence in Japanese to tell him NO with out sounding too mean. I said 'I think it is better if you go home.' He said 'but I drank beer'. I said ' You are OK, but if not I can take you'. To which he said 'Ok, I will wait until 10 and then go home' then under his breath said 'I don't know why I can't stay'. Yosh. I got out of that one!

Hoikuen

I drove up to the hoikuen (pre-school) and I can see directly in the windows. All of the little kids were prancing around in only their underpants. I did a double take. Was this really happening?

Then I realized they were getting some sort of physical so I dismissed it as Japanese oddness.

Comparatives Lesson

" Sarah-sensei is more beautiful than an angel" -Miyuki, 2 nensei

Thank you Miyuki, glad someone other than my mother thinks that!

You Say Goodbye and I Say Hello

In class today the 3 nenseis are making greeting cards because they will be graduating soon. I realized that this is the first time that most of these people will be saying goodbye. I know I could be optomistic and mention that they will be saying 'see you later' or 'until we meet again'. But the fact of the matter is they will be saying goodbye.

Then I thought about how many times I have had to say goodbye. Many of the friends I have made during these experiences I have, in fact, seen again. However about a third of them have been lost from my life.

High School. My first real goodbye. Most of my friends would be going to college in Ohio so I was certain I would see them again. Many of these friends I have retained fairly well even though one is off in Antarctica and others are setting up lives elsewhere and getting married (y'all know who you are). What I didn't know was that I would lose Katie and Becca. Two friends I became very close with and even threw my 'surprise' 18th birthday. Goodbye Katie and Becca.

Study Abroad. My junior year in college I went to London to study abroad. I said a temporary bye to my parents and then hopped on a plane. I made friends from different universities all over the states. Unfortunately no Brits were interested in a bunch of crazy American college kids. I did manage to make a best friend, Abbey and two gals from Wisconsin Kerry and Jess (one of whom came to see me in Japan). With every gain there is a loss. Ryan was like a brother to me. We made many trips to the theatres and just talked. Gerry introduced us to London's gay scene and fashion. Goodbye Gerry and Ryan.

College. 4 long years where I feel you do the most growing up. First I made friends in my dorm then I moved onto friends in my major. Abbey, Susie and my other people in my fraternity became my good friends. We went on vacations together, played spin the bottle and attempted to become business professionals together (most of them are doing better at that than I am). I know I am fresh out of college (although it has been 2 years but I did jet off to Japan right away) but I have already lost 2 substantial people from my college days. My roommates of 4 years Jenny and Nicole. We had a falling out and I haven't seen or heard from them since. Goodbye Jenny and Nicole.

JET. Another stage in life. So many mezurashii (i forget the english word) experiences with people from all over the world. I have 2 theories. We are either going to remain in good contact because we want to visit eachother in our different areas of the world or we will drift even quicker because the extreme distance. I know I will be saying goodbye to some of you and others I will see again, it's just a matter of who will be in which group. Looking back I can see now that the results are shocking.

I know with every goodbye there is an equally emotional stimulating event. A new hello.

Hello Future.

Like Riding a Bike?

Do you think is say 10 years time, if I don't actively study Japanese, will I forget how to read katakana and hiragana?

A List

I was gonna make of list of things that I want to do with my last half a year in Japan.

Much to my dismay/surprise, I really don't have much a list to make.

I have seen what I have wanted to see- I wanted to visit the main islands of Japan, don't think I will make it to Okinawa or Hokkaido, but shockingly not too disappointed about it.

I've visited both rural and urban areas. No real desire to go back to Tokyo.

I have eaten everything that is of any interest. Live-sushi really isn't up my alley, and Kobe beef is too expensive.

I have been to more onsens than you can count (both single and mixed sex).

I have become a surrogate daughter to a Japanese family, so I have no need to do a homestay.

I have tried doing many hobbies including taiko, pottery, welding, and flamenco.

I have studied the language almost everyday since I have been here. Sensei-tachi, you can't ask more than that.

I have kissed a J-boy, but not really dated one, so I could improve in that area.

I have gotten to know my students as well as I could. For goodness sake, they pop by my house.

I have been skinny dipping in the sea of Japan. And been stung by jellyfish for the first time in my life too. It sucks-but doesn't kill you unless you swim into one of those big red ones (right ellen?!?!).

If you can think of any 'must-dos', 'must-sees' or 'must-eats' and you don't think I have, please challenge me.

(I have sucessfully changed my English from perapera English, to the Japanese translations of English. Previously I wrote 'please teach me' rather than 'please challenge me'-which is still remarkably Japanese-like)