A lot has happened in the past few days.
The huge event was climbing Mt. Fuji, or Fuji san, this past weekend. A bus load of ALT's left Fukui City on Saturday morning at noon. We stopped at a lot of rest stops. I like the rest stops here...the bathrooms you can usually choose western or Japanese style (squat) toilets, there are stores full of things to buy (because gift giving is huge here, you might even say obligatory) and yummy food (you choose the food and pay in a machine, take the ticket and your food will be ready at the counter). Some of rest stops have beautiful scenery around them. From one you could faintly see Mt. Fuji. This one little kid kept rambling on in Japanese about Fuji san. I think that it a proper name because it is a sacred mountain. On a side note I may kidnap a Japanese kid...they are so cute. Just kidding...
I climbed with one friend...we started at 9:15 p.m. There were many stops along the way, or huts as they called them. If you wanted to (which we didn't) you could get overpriced things or get your walking stick stamped. We just stopped at the huts to catch a quick breath (because the air gets thinner as you go higher) and to put on more layers (because it also gets colder as you are going up). My climbing buddy and I didn't have flashlights so we climbed by the light of the moon. There were many different surfaces going up and at times we thought we wouldn't make it...but we pushed on and from close to the top of the mountain we saw the sunset. It was very beautiful and an amazing experience to be above the clouds. We climbed the rest of the way and got to the top around 5:30 a.m. At the top there were tons of people taking pictures, getting food, buying souveniors, going to the bathroom, etc. You could feel everyones energy...whether this was their first time climbing of 37th (there was one guy who had climbed it this many times!). We didn't stay up there long because our bus was planning to leave at 10 a.m. and we weren't sure how long it would take us to go down. The walk down was hell. My knees were killing because you walk down a very steep zig zag path for most of the way. I did fall all the way down once. It got a little bit better towards the end. A small part of it was like a nature walk. We arrived at our bus at 9:30. It was a long night with no sleep, barely any food, aching muscles but it was definitely worth it to see the sunset, be above the clouds and say that I climbed Mt. Fuji. Would I do it again? Probably...after my knees stop aching.
So I have a lot of free time on my hands. I've been reading which I don't do much at home. I already read Not Without My Daughter that my Grandpa lent me. Usually it takes me 5 months to finish a book but because of my free time and need for a break from reading kanji I read a lot faster. Yesterday I came to the library and read back issues of TIME and articles that looked very interesting. I read one about Nelson Mandela (I learned his first given name is Rolihlahla) turning 90 and Barack Obama's mom but I also read articles about Japan (which was even more interesting cuz I'm actually here) such as how there is a large population of Chinese immigrants coming to Japan, one on the resignation of the former Prime Minister, and there was a whole special on food which included some specialities of Japan. One is kaiseki which I had never heard of. It includes using local fresh ingredients, has many courses (14?) and is all about presentation and harmonious balance. One of the most well known kaiseki chefs (Yoshihiro Murata) who handpicks his daily ingredients said in the article, "Western chefs are conductors of large orchestras. Japanese cuisine is more like a violin. There are five different strings, but they are played together." Something to think about...
Have you ever heard of Engrish? That's what we call these funny t-shirts that many Japanese people wear that are in English...but they don't quite make sense. Let me give you an example...on the same shirt: Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence/Lord, grant that I may always desire more that I can accomplish and on another shirt, Follow you home sweet little thing/do you wanna lose your mind. There are so many more... ;-) It provides entertainment.
I'm riding my bike around town. It's still a bit frightening...going through small sidewalks, passing people, going up and down hills, etc. I'm getting a little used to it. But I still freak out about being on the opposite side of the street. I have to be very thoughtful about when I turn so I don't go into oncoming traffic!
Yesterday I went to water the plants at school. I saw some students. I said Ohayoo gozaimasu (Good Morning) to them but it took some courage. That might seem weird that it take some effort to say good morning to someone but that's just how I feel.
I went in for my first work day. Actually I wasn't sure if I was supposed to go in at all. But it worked out. Teachers were there and the principal introduced himself to me. Everyone is nice but SO busy. I just sat at my desk organizing it, looking through the oral communication textbook that we will use and studying Japanese. One of the English teachers gave me a quick tour of the school. It's big and I am sure I will get lost. I met a ton of teachers...I need to learn a lot of names...quick. Not to mention student names.
I am looking forward to this school year and this experience...
The huge event was climbing Mt. Fuji, or Fuji san, this past weekend. A bus load of ALT's left Fukui City on Saturday morning at noon. We stopped at a lot of rest stops. I like the rest stops here...the bathrooms you can usually choose western or Japanese style (squat) toilets, there are stores full of things to buy (because gift giving is huge here, you might even say obligatory) and yummy food (you choose the food and pay in a machine, take the ticket and your food will be ready at the counter). Some of rest stops have beautiful scenery around them. From one you could faintly see Mt. Fuji. This one little kid kept rambling on in Japanese about Fuji san. I think that it a proper name because it is a sacred mountain. On a side note I may kidnap a Japanese kid...they are so cute. Just kidding...
I climbed with one friend...we started at 9:15 p.m. There were many stops along the way, or huts as they called them. If you wanted to (which we didn't) you could get overpriced things or get your walking stick stamped. We just stopped at the huts to catch a quick breath (because the air gets thinner as you go higher) and to put on more layers (because it also gets colder as you are going up). My climbing buddy and I didn't have flashlights so we climbed by the light of the moon. There were many different surfaces going up and at times we thought we wouldn't make it...but we pushed on and from close to the top of the mountain we saw the sunset. It was very beautiful and an amazing experience to be above the clouds. We climbed the rest of the way and got to the top around 5:30 a.m. At the top there were tons of people taking pictures, getting food, buying souveniors, going to the bathroom, etc. You could feel everyones energy...whether this was their first time climbing of 37th (there was one guy who had climbed it this many times!). We didn't stay up there long because our bus was planning to leave at 10 a.m. and we weren't sure how long it would take us to go down. The walk down was hell. My knees were killing because you walk down a very steep zig zag path for most of the way. I did fall all the way down once. It got a little bit better towards the end. A small part of it was like a nature walk. We arrived at our bus at 9:30. It was a long night with no sleep, barely any food, aching muscles but it was definitely worth it to see the sunset, be above the clouds and say that I climbed Mt. Fuji. Would I do it again? Probably...after my knees stop aching.
So I have a lot of free time on my hands. I've been reading which I don't do much at home. I already read Not Without My Daughter that my Grandpa lent me. Usually it takes me 5 months to finish a book but because of my free time and need for a break from reading kanji I read a lot faster. Yesterday I came to the library and read back issues of TIME and articles that looked very interesting. I read one about Nelson Mandela (I learned his first given name is Rolihlahla) turning 90 and Barack Obama's mom but I also read articles about Japan (which was even more interesting cuz I'm actually here) such as how there is a large population of Chinese immigrants coming to Japan, one on the resignation of the former Prime Minister, and there was a whole special on food which included some specialities of Japan. One is kaiseki which I had never heard of. It includes using local fresh ingredients, has many courses (14?) and is all about presentation and harmonious balance. One of the most well known kaiseki chefs (Yoshihiro Murata) who handpicks his daily ingredients said in the article, "Western chefs are conductors of large orchestras. Japanese cuisine is more like a violin. There are five different strings, but they are played together." Something to think about...
Have you ever heard of Engrish? That's what we call these funny t-shirts that many Japanese people wear that are in English...but they don't quite make sense. Let me give you an example...on the same shirt: Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence/Lord, grant that I may always desire more that I can accomplish and on another shirt, Follow you home sweet little thing/do you wanna lose your mind. There are so many more... ;-) It provides entertainment.
I'm riding my bike around town. It's still a bit frightening...going through small sidewalks, passing people, going up and down hills, etc. I'm getting a little used to it. But I still freak out about being on the opposite side of the street. I have to be very thoughtful about when I turn so I don't go into oncoming traffic!
Yesterday I went to water the plants at school. I saw some students. I said Ohayoo gozaimasu (Good Morning) to them but it took some courage. That might seem weird that it take some effort to say good morning to someone but that's just how I feel.
I went in for my first work day. Actually I wasn't sure if I was supposed to go in at all. But it worked out. Teachers were there and the principal introduced himself to me. Everyone is nice but SO busy. I just sat at my desk organizing it, looking through the oral communication textbook that we will use and studying Japanese. One of the English teachers gave me a quick tour of the school. It's big and I am sure I will get lost. I met a ton of teachers...I need to learn a lot of names...quick. Not to mention student names.
I am looking forward to this school year and this experience...
2 comments:
"Follow you home sweet little thing/do you wanna lose your mind"
You so need to get that shirt.
Wow, you climbed Mt. Fuji! You also fell down Mt. Fuji! ;)
Good luck! Be brave lady.
Lady!!! last night I went to chatterbox with Emily and Senay and we sat at table of four outside and we had an Irene moment where we talked about how much we missed you!!! And how we saved you a chair as the missing link that brought us together. Thanks hun for being so wonderful! I look forward to hearing another update from you.
Miss you mucho!!!
<3
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