Toyohashi
This weekend was so much fun. Yuki, our friend Natasha and I went to visit some friends in Toyohashi in Aichi prefecture (that we had met over 5 years ago when they came to Toledo through a Sister Cities Program). When we arrived we headed straight to the onsen, or public bath. It was very relaxing. I don't think those would ever fly in the US just because people are so self conscious of their bodies so I will enjoy them while I am in Japan. They have different kind of tubs (jets, salts, etc.) with different temperatures.

The next day we went to a big shopping center and the fish market. We tried a lot of new food. I want to be open minded but I still have trouble eating really slimy things. But I didn't feel bad cuz the vendor told me she didn't like what I said I didn't like either. We went back to our friends house where her mom cooked a HUGE meal with sashimi and oden. There is a picture posted of the food. She went all out. I call her Super Woman now ;-)

We went to the local festival where they were shooting off fireworks but people were holding them and then lit them off...very dangerous...but exciting. The next day we went to another local festival and had a delicious lunch and afterwards carried a mikoshi (portable shrine). It was very heavy. We said Washoi (spelling?) which means lift Japan. We carried the portable shrine to the "non-portable" shrine where the festivities continued. We then went to another area where they throw mochi off of a platform and everyone scrambles to pick up as much as they can. Kind of reminded me of a pinata. We did so much and I was exhausted but it was worth it.

Reggae
On the bus on the way to Toyohashi was one of the local reggae artists we saw perform at the Irie 365 concert that I raved about before. He invited us to a concert on Monday (national holiday - Health and Sports Day). It was in a town about an hour away and we had a great time listening to reggae music and afterwards went to a restaurant/bar to eat fancy oishii (delcious) food, eat espresso ice cream and play simulation golf. We learned some Fukui-ben (the local dialect perceived by other parts of Japan as country talk). My favorite is Hoya Hoya which means Yeah Yeah and danne which means no problem. Yet another great weekend.

School
This week is midterm examinations so I have no classes. But I do have a lot of grading! I am grading scripts that ichi-nenseii (first year students) wrote for their upcoming oral presentations. It is difficult cuz there are 346 of them and they start to all sound the same. Some of the same errors are occuring so I will try to address these in class. The ninenseii students are in Okinawa, which I call the Hawaii of Japan. I wish I could be there too.

Yuki
Yuki is still a little sick...I hope we don't have to take him to the doctor again. Other than that he is very active - doing aikido, Japanese lessons and hip hop class. We will soon start looking for a job but it is a little more difficult that we would have thought because he doesn't have a college diploma AND he doesn't speak Japanese (but he is learning fast). If it was just one of those it might be easier...hmm.

What I am looking forward to:

• Our friend Mami's going away party. I met Mami here in Japan and she is moving to Canada. I am sad, but glad friends can get together before she leaves
• This weekend we will visit Osaka and will see May and Kelina (I knew them before I came to Japan from UESS in MN) and Masa (our brother who we hosted when he came to Toledo through Sister Cities)
• Morocco - it is looking good to visit Rachid there in December so I am very excited!!!