So a few weeks ago I was invited by a teacher who I work with at Suisan Highschool to teach a traditional American dish at an upcoming cooking seminar the above mentioned society was holding. With a little brainstorming Ayumi and I thought it would be fun to do Hawaiian Haystacks, Potato Salad and my mom's famous Jello with bananas and whipped cream. Here are a few photos of the activity! Enjoy!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Wednesday Night
So, I thought I was off to a great start with those two entries, and then logging on today to write a little something I find that it has been a week since I last wrote. Anyways, New Years has come and gone and come to think of it, right now is the first time that I think I have written the numbers 2008. What is weird is that I can remember it turning 1990 and thinking to myself, "Wow, only ten more years until 2000", that was 18 years ago. I can remember New Years 1998 being at my good friend Joey's house and playing Prince's 1999 on his Jukebox... actually, I don't know if I remember that or not and am just thinking it happened. Anyways, time flies.
So here we are back in Shima. Ayumi is off at work tonight leaving me alone and instead of coming home to an empty house (which indoubtadbly happens anyway) I decided to hang around school a bit longer and go watch some of the school clubs practicing. After that got old, and I got cold, I decided to head home. I got home around five and after checking my e-mail decided to go jogging and look for the local gym. I got my running clothes on and headed out. I had been to the gym once on my own (I have been driven there a few times for tennis) and that one time was in the day, on my bike and was the difficult, straight up hill route. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I found that the gym had a back entrance which a less threatning road lead up to. Finding that road, and ultimatley the gym was my goal. Well, I took off and fifteen minutes later I arrived, sweat soaked and probally pretty stinky. All it costs to use the exercise facilities here is about a dollar. There were a few nice guys that I chatted with for a while and the gave me some pointers on how to use the machines thay had. Well, I ran home and am determined to try and be a little more fit this year so, lets see what happens.
So here we are back in Shima. Ayumi is off at work tonight leaving me alone and instead of coming home to an empty house (which indoubtadbly happens anyway) I decided to hang around school a bit longer and go watch some of the school clubs practicing. After that got old, and I got cold, I decided to head home. I got home around five and after checking my e-mail decided to go jogging and look for the local gym. I got my running clothes on and headed out. I had been to the gym once on my own (I have been driven there a few times for tennis) and that one time was in the day, on my bike and was the difficult, straight up hill route. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I found that the gym had a back entrance which a less threatning road lead up to. Finding that road, and ultimatley the gym was my goal. Well, I took off and fifteen minutes later I arrived, sweat soaked and probally pretty stinky. All it costs to use the exercise facilities here is about a dollar. There were a few nice guys that I chatted with for a while and the gave me some pointers on how to use the machines thay had. Well, I ran home and am determined to try and be a little more fit this year so, lets see what happens.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Happy New Years II
So, here I am on Jan 2nd, writing my second post of the year. So far, so good. I wonder how many blogs are starting with something like that today... Anyways, we are home now in Shima, it was a nice week in Gifu with the in-laws but, as always nice to be home. While there we bought a few things much needed here at home. Up until now we haven't had an oven. In Japan, ovens like those we are accustomed to in the states are pretty expensive. Hard to find and even harder to find the space in your place to put one. We bought a microwave/oven unit about 1 1/2 times bigger than a standard microwave. We are excited to be able to bake cookies, cakes and other delicacies we have done without for the past few months.
Both a little tired so, I will do only this for today but, will write tomorrow!
-Thanks to all who read this!
Both a little tired so, I will do only this for today but, will write tomorrow!
-Thanks to all who read this!
Happy New Year
Another year has come and gone (I wonder how many blogs are going to start with something like that today) and it is hard to believe that I spent the latter part of this year over here in Japan. Time is flying but, we are enjoying every minute of it. We are at Ayumi's parents place for the holiday with plans of returning tomorrow afternoon. It has been nice to be able to step away from our life in Shima and be with family and able to relax with them. Although I don't have to be at work until next Monday we will be home for a few days where we can get a bit of New Years cleaning done and relax there before having to start the school rush again.
At the end of next month we will be heading up to Hokkaido for a few days for a wedding of Ayumi's cousin. I am excited to go up there and see my little sister-in-law whom I haven't seen in and to go and sight see up there. I really like Hokkaido mostly because it is where I served for two years as a missionary from 2000-2002. It has been over five years since I have been up there and leaving I honestly didn't think I would ever go back but, luck have it I married into this culture and am actually going back. Ayumi's little sister is in med-school in a city named Asahikawa which is relatively close to two cities I lived in combined for over a year (Takikawa and Iwamizawa). They are close enough that I think I will go and stick my heads in them and take a look around. Only been five years but, when I'm only twenty-six, it is like 1/5 of my life ago :). Hopefully I will be writing in my blog a little bit more earnestly then and will include pictures and updates when I get back... don't plan on taking my computer up there.
So New Years in Japan; its not like what I am used to back in the states, or at least what I saw on TV last night wasn't. They start a variety show on television from about six-thirty where they have music acts lined up back-to-back with a little bit of commentary until about eleven-thirty. Mostly Japanese pop (which mostly I don't care for) and Japanese traditional singing style named Enka. I would maybe compare it with something like Frank Sinatra or Country music. For an example click this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTa2QIMKq64
Beleive it or not, I actually have sung this song at karaoke. Well, at eleven-thirty they then do this Buddhist/Shinto (don't know which) where they ring these bells at temples 108 times. Apparently what it is is, for each ring you hear you are suppose to forget a bad thing you've done or ask for forgiveness or something like that. Well, from eleven-thirty to midnight, it just had all these live shots of all these old temples around Japan and the monks ringing the bells. People wait in line from who knows when until midnight waiting to be allowed to go ring a bell and pray to the gods. Interesting to note though, where in the States if it showed a bunch of people on New Years waiting for the countdown as soon as the camera was on them they would start to scream and yell yet, in Japan everyone was quiet and reserved waiting for the time to turn midnight. As soon as it did, people would go and pray at the shrine. Surprisingly the only people who did make silly faces and yell on the camera were foreigners who happened to be crowds they were filming.
I will write more tomorrow...
Happy New Year
At the end of next month we will be heading up to Hokkaido for a few days for a wedding of Ayumi's cousin. I am excited to go up there and see my little sister-in-law whom I haven't seen in and to go and sight see up there. I really like Hokkaido mostly because it is where I served for two years as a missionary from 2000-2002. It has been over five years since I have been up there and leaving I honestly didn't think I would ever go back but, luck have it I married into this culture and am actually going back. Ayumi's little sister is in med-school in a city named Asahikawa which is relatively close to two cities I lived in combined for over a year (Takikawa and Iwamizawa). They are close enough that I think I will go and stick my heads in them and take a look around. Only been five years but, when I'm only twenty-six, it is like 1/5 of my life ago :). Hopefully I will be writing in my blog a little bit more earnestly then and will include pictures and updates when I get back... don't plan on taking my computer up there.
So New Years in Japan; its not like what I am used to back in the states, or at least what I saw on TV last night wasn't. They start a variety show on television from about six-thirty where they have music acts lined up back-to-back with a little bit of commentary until about eleven-thirty. Mostly Japanese pop (which mostly I don't care for) and Japanese traditional singing style named Enka. I would maybe compare it with something like Frank Sinatra or Country music. For an example click this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTa2QIMKq64
Beleive it or not, I actually have sung this song at karaoke. Well, at eleven-thirty they then do this Buddhist/Shinto (don't know which) where they ring these bells at temples 108 times. Apparently what it is is, for each ring you hear you are suppose to forget a bad thing you've done or ask for forgiveness or something like that. Well, from eleven-thirty to midnight, it just had all these live shots of all these old temples around Japan and the monks ringing the bells. People wait in line from who knows when until midnight waiting to be allowed to go ring a bell and pray to the gods. Interesting to note though, where in the States if it showed a bunch of people on New Years waiting for the countdown as soon as the camera was on them they would start to scream and yell yet, in Japan everyone was quiet and reserved waiting for the time to turn midnight. As soon as it did, people would go and pray at the shrine. Surprisingly the only people who did make silly faces and yell on the camera were foreigners who happened to be crowds they were filming.
I will write more tomorrow...
Happy New Year
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
