Ramblings From Life

Getting Back to Blogland

2012-01-11T17:38:00.000+09:00

I would like to say my 4 1/2 month hiatus from this blog has been because I've been busy helping develop a cure for cancer or bringing medical supplies to a tribe deep in the jungles of Africa. Sadly neither are the case. To be honest I can't tell you exactly what I have been doing. I do know it involves many coffee mornings at Tully's, hundreds of loads of laundry, many frustrating hours of homework and my latest obsession of pinning at Pinterest.

I've really missed blogging and putting my words to paper. Okay technically the computer screen, but who's counting. The main reason I started blogging years ago was to be able to stay connected with family and friends since we never seem to stay in one location very long and because I love writing and what better topic to write about than myself (yes, I may be a bit of a narcissist). I also thought it would be something my kids could look back on one day. It was a good way to erase some of guilt I have for doing such a horrible job at their baby books.

One of my resolutions for 2012 is to get back to this blog. So stay tuned –– there will be lots of Ramblings from Life in the coming days, weeks and months. I have a feeling 2012 will be a great one. (Cue the Black Eye Peas!)

Nagasaki & Kumamoto -- Kyushu Road Trip Part I

2011-08-26T17:50:00.000+09:00

Over Obon week our family decided to take a road trip down to Kyushu. Japan is separated into four different islands –– Kyushu, Honshu, Shikoku and Hokkaido. Kyushu is the most southern and second smallest of the four island. We only had four days, so our plan was to hit the Northern part of the island, with stops in Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Mt Aso and Oita. Most people take an overnight ferry (with their car) but we wanted to see the scenery and opted to drive. The 10 hour drive was pretty simple and to our surprise we did not hit much traffic.

Our first stop was Nagasaki, the city which was destroyed by the second atomic bomb on August 9, 1945. Two summers ago we had gone to Hiroshima, so it was interesting to compare the two cities. It still amazes me after seeing the destruction and damage caused by the bombs, how both cities have rebuilt and have no real lasting visual effects.

Our first day in Nagasaki was spent exploring the city, Peace Park, the bombing site and the Atomic Bombing museum.

Bombing Memorial - We had just been there after the anniversary so there were many items of remembrance there.

Matt and I at Peace Park

Part of a church building that withstood the bomb


The kids and I in front of another memorial

The second day we stopped at the 26 Martyr Museum and Monument before heading for Kumamoto. This museum is in honor of 26 missionaries who were arrested in 1597 for being Christians and made to walk from Kyoto (near where I live) to Nagasaki, where on February 5, 1597, they were hung. The museum was full of actual artifacts (sorry no pictures inside were allowed) from not just these 26 missionaries, but from the history of Christianity in Japan.

The outside of the church was beautiful. The art was made from broken dishes and pottery.

Memorials of the missionaries. The youngest one was 12 years old.

After the museum we started our drive to Kumamoto. It was supposed to take about 3 hours via the expressway, but we decided to try and drive through the "country" so it took more like 4.5. With some of the scenery, it was more than worth the extra time.

View from a dam overlooking the rice fields.


Small little town along the way offering canal rides

Surprisingly, Kumamoto itself was a much more modern and busy city than Nagasaki. The main attraction was the Kumamoto Castle, one of Japan's three premier castles. Some of the outside of the castle was original, dating back to 1467, but the inside had all been redone due to fire. They did a good job at trying to represent what the castle would have looked like inside.

Tatami rooms. The farther down the room the higher your rank would be

You can see just how big the surrounding castle walls were compared to Sami.

View from the top of the castle

Matt & kids at the secondary castle

Chris trying to scale the castle walls

Afterwards we walked around the city and went into little shops. The kids love trying to figure out what the items being sold actually are, especially the food.

It was a great first two days. Even though I have lived here for almost three years, I still find myself falling in love with this country more and more.

Next up -- Mt. Aso, Oita, Beppu -- Kyushu Part II.

Temporarily Unavailable

2011-08-02T05:06:00.000+09:00

We are just finishing up our 7 week homeleave back in the United States and have been so busy that I just haven't had time to blog. But have no fear! I will be "back in action" and home in just five days so I will be back to my blogging self. So sit back. Hold on tight. The show is about to begin. I am sure the next year will be full of adventures and lots of interesting things to share.

More soon!

It's Time For Moving On My Friend

2011-06-02T21:13:00.000+09:00

There was a song my high school back in Ohio sang at every graduation called It's Time For Movin' On by Don Besig. I remember graduation being bittersweet as we were excited for what lied ahead, yet sad for what we were leaving behind. I am not sure why, but the past few weeks with the upcoming repatriation of some of my closest friends, I have really been thinking about the lyrics of that song. I have to admit, the song is a wee bit cheesy. However, it still seems to sum up how I have felt the past few weeks.

We've travelled a long, long time together
And there have been alot of good things on the way,
But now, it's almost time for leavin'
And the things I feel inside are very hard to say.

But it's time for moving on, my friend; hold back all the tears and sorrow,
It finally is time, to go our separate ways.
And I want to wish you well, my friend,
As we search for new tomorrows.
Go, as you must, but please,
Don't forget the yesterdays.

Remember the dreams we dreamed together,
All of the joys we shared at getting to today.
Now just one time, before you leave,
Reach out, and take my hand,
And help me walk away.

For it's time for moving on, my friend; hold back all the tears and sorrow,
It finally is time, to go our separate ways.
And I want to wish you well, my friend,
As we search for new tomorrows.
Go, as you must, but please... Don't forget the yesterdays.

When you are an expat, those around you become more than your friend –– they become your family. We are thrown into a situation where we live 10,000 miles away from our family and friends and only have each other to rely upon. When our child is sick or we are missing our family back home, it is those around us that swoop in. When we are struggling, it is those around us that carry us through those trials. When we feel like we don't fit into our old life anymore, it is those around us that can sympathize. (I promise I will not burst out into the song "We Are Family", although it really would be an appropriate time) When these people leave, our support system is broken. A family member is missing. And to be honest, it just. plain. sucks.

It is hard knowing we may never see some of the people who are leaving ever again. Many times they live in a different country, where visiting may be nearly impossible. Luckily there is technology like Facebook and Skype that can help ease the distance. Others we promise to visit or keep in touch, but as everyone settles into their new lives, busyness sets in and keeping in touch becomes scarce.

I am not sure why this year is harder than last year. Maybe it is because I have been here another year and had that time to grow closer to people. Maybe it is because I see how some of the people leaving will deeply affect my kids. Maybe it is because my one of my closest friends here is leaving, and I will be all alone in the Scarab Heights compound. Maybe it is because this year was a hard between my injury in Vietnam and the disaster in Japan, which made us all lean upon each other more. Or maybe it is because I fear next year we may be the ones saying goodbye.

So to all those who are leaving this year, all those who are about to embark upon a great, new adventure, Go, as you must, but please... Don't forget the yesterdays.

Mexican Cooking Class

2011-05-30T17:09:00.000+09:00

It is hard to believe when Matt and I first started dating I barely could make a box of macaroni and cheese or jello. To my defense, I was a freshman in college so I really didn't have to know how to cook anything. Over the years, I have learned to cook pretty well, so I was excited to come to Japan and be able to take a bunch of the cooking classes that CHIC offers.

Last week I took another Mexican cooking class. Yes, I know how strange it sounds that I take Mexican cooking classes in Japan. The classes are taught by a man named Greg, who is great at cooking authentic Mexican dishes. This is my third cooking class with him and my mouth is already watering thinking about the class being offered this fall.

This class focused on fajitas. We made two different beef marinades and two different chicken marinades. All of them were yummy, but then again when can you go wrong with meat soaking in tequila or beer. We also made a variety of topping and dips, including regular salsa, pico de gallo, mango salsa and guacamole. If this wasn't yummy enough, we finished off the meal with homemade tortilla chips, flour tortillas, refried beans, Mexican rice and nachos.

I meant to take pictures of the finished food on my plate, however I was so involved with eating that I forgot to get my camera back out. Guess it is a good excuse to have to take the next class!

Tohoku Relief Trip #2

2011-05-23T08:33:00.000+09:00

Two weeks ago I went back up to the Tohoku area, this time with three of my friends. I had seen pictures and heard stories from people who had gone up after my first trip, but I was interested to see for myself the progress that had been made since I was there, only 2.5 weeks after the disaster.

The actually highways were much worse to drive on than before. The roads had buckled under the pavement in areas all along the Tohoku and Sanriku Expressways from the initial 9.0 earthquake and then even more after the 7.4 aftershock in April. I think all the heavy trucks and traffic on these areas just made the roads wear faster. Needless to say, save admission on the amusement park tickets and just drive up to Northern Japan.

We were gone a total of four days –– two for traveling and two for actual work days. We met up the the same group I had worked with before, BeOne. They have been on the ground since the beginning and really know the areas needs and have established connections with some of the local people. While there we worked with a couple from the United States (they were actually gymnastics coaches from the Charlotte, NC area!), an American who is now living in Singapore, a Japanese woman from Osaka, another guy from California, an American boy who has lived in Japan his whole life and a guy from New Zealand. We were joined by a young woman, Maya, who actually lives in the area.

On the first morning when driving to the disaster area of Ishinomaki, I kept thinking how much had been done, yet how little. In many ways it seems like some areas had stuffed just moved from one place to another. Some areas were totally untouched. Cars were still everywhere. Some places the people cleaned up around their own house, yet all around them lies complete carnage. In one location the ground actually sunk, so at high tide everyday water flows into the roads and houses. And the smell. Imagine two month old stagnant water with rotting fish.

This trip consisted of doing supply drops and then working in those areas. Over the course of two days we did two food and supply drops, cleaned out a drainage system at a house, cleared dirt from the crawl space of a house, cleared mud from a house and garden area, and moved debris from a small swing set area so kids could come and play.

Besides doing manual labor and meeting the people physical needs, we also tried to meet their emotional needs. We talked with the people, listened to their stories and played with the children. I think in many ways this was more important than the actual work we were doing.

I have a hard time putting how this whole experience has affected me to "paper". My heart still aches and I think it will for a long time. It makes me sad that these people are already being forgotten as it is slowly becoming "out of sight, out of mind". It makes me more sensitive to other areas, which are experiencing their own hell trying to recover from tornadoes and flooding. In a blink of an eye lives can be forever changed. It could happen to any of us.

I met some awesome people, doing awesome work, on this trip. Ones who have no idea how in just two days meeting them impacted my life.

So this is my challenge to you. Go out and do something. Go change someones life. Go change your own life. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen. Go read with children. Make cards and take cookies to a nursing home. Donate blood. Take a meal to the family whose house burnt to the ground last week. Reach out to those who may be affected by a disaster in your own area. Go make a difference.

I have posted many more pictures from this trip here on my shutterfly account.

Traveling Japan -- Shiraishi Island

2011-05-19T07:10:00.000+09:00

Over Golden Week we decided to go with another family for a little getaway to Shiraishi Island. This small little fishing village is 25 minutes away by ferry from Okayama. This is the perfect place if you want peace, quiet and to get away from the daily life.

We stayed at the International Villa, which consists of 4 western bedrooms and 1 tatami room. We were the only ones staying there so we had the whole house to ourselves, which was perfect for making meals. There is one restaurant, a beach bar that is open seasonally, a small liquor store for beer and sake and a tiny grocery store. You can walk through the houses, admiring all the small gardens along the way.

Beach season in Japan is typically July - mid-August so we didn't have to worry about disturbing anyone with our six energetic kids. (Not that the beach on Shiraishi Island ever gets really crowded given its location) The kids had a blast running, playing in the sand, finding a few cool starfish and even doing a bit of rock climbing.

While the kids enjoyed playing on the beach, the adults enjoyed hanging at the Moo Bar. The typical opening season for the Moo Bar isn't until June, but the owners had a special opening just for Golden Week. Needless to say, we were very excited. There were a few other "island guests" besides us and we really enjoyed talking to the owner, who happens to also be from Ohio! (Small world, huh?)

There are only about 500 people living in Shiraishi Island. Since it was so small, we were able to walk or ride bikes around the whole island easily. Chris really enjoyed riding a bike around, while Sami and Caleb prepared for the next season of Survivor tryouts.

The last day we decided to try a small hike that was recommended to us. What we thought would be quick and easy turned into a 3 hour hike.

Sadly our time was over before we knew and it was back to the "city" for us. You can see many more pictures from our time here.

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo

2011-04-16T12:41:00.000+09:00

Mexican food is one of my favorites. When we lived in North Carolina we had so many options for good Mexican food. You can probably guess how that changed when we moved to Japan. But I am happy to announce, that after 2.5 years of living here, I (well to be technical my neighbor's husband) finally found a good Mexican food joint with real size margaritas and authentic chips and tortillas.

El Torito is right off the Midosuji subway line at the Namba exit in Osaka. The restaurant itself was huge, so plenty big for large groups or even a party. There was an English menu and for some reason all the drinks were half off. (Not that any of us complained) The food was fantastic, the service was good and the margaritas rocked.

I never imagined I would get so excited over little things, like finding a box of graham crackers or a place to eat good Mexican food. But when you do find those types of things, it really makes your day. There is something about those little comforts of "home" that you find tucked in a corner somewhere that just makes everything okay.

We're All in This Together

2011-04-15T08:44:00.000+09:00

Sadly as a mother of a child who was obsessed with everything High School Musical, I can't help but think of one of the movie's theme songs lately when I look at the school my kids attend.

It has been amazing to watch the relief efforts that have been put forth by our school, Canadian Academy. I have always been very happy with the school on an educational level, but what has really wowed me the past month is how the whole school -- students, staff, administration, parents, and even alum-- has come together to help with the crisis. Everyone is on the same page with the same goal in mind and the students especially, have come up with some creative ways to help raise money and get supplies.

The students have been busy collecting rice, which as we all know is a staple in the Japanese diet. They also have been busy preparing Tasuki Bags, which are gifts bags put together on a more personal level. These bags include clothes for someone the same age and size, toiletries, a personal note, and some goodies. Something small that one can keep by their "bedside".

The students have also been creative in how they are raising financial donations. Sport clinics where the registration fee all goes to the earthquake fund, 3-on-3 basketball tournaments with teachers versus students, walk-a-thons, bake sales, selling of wristbands, t-shirts, and crafts. Kids giving their allowance money or offering to sell their own items just to send money up North. The most recent idea is an auction, where students and teachers are offering services or goods. A teacher offering to shave his head, students donating their senior privileges or being errand boy for a week, teachers delivering smoothies and lunch daily, are just a few of the items up for auction.

This past Saturday the school held their annual International Food Day, where the PTA sponsored a relief booth, which was manned by high school students. At this booth free water was passed out, people were given the opportunity to write messages to the victims, wristbands, t-shirts and crafts were for sale, and straight donations were accepted. In three hours, ¥215,000 was raised. (Over $2500 USD) The PTA then matched this amount, sending almost ¥500,000 to the earthquake fund (Over $5000 USD).

Alumni have also stepped up with some ideas of their own. Music being sold on itunes, jewelry being made in Arizona, and classrooms folding paper cranes, are just a few of the things being done. Teachers are collecting and repairing bikes to be taken up North. Everyone wants to help in some way.

At the end of our assignment and we pack our bags to leave Japan, it isn't the educational things, like trigonometry or the ability to create podcasts, that will have made the most impact on my children. It will be my kids learning that no matter where you are from, how smart you are, or what your background may be, everyone can come together and make a difference. That things don't have to have huge "wow factors", rather every little thing counts. People matter and they can make a difference, whether they think so or not.

Getting Back to Blogging

2011-04-12T19:53:00.000+09:00

I have found it hard to blog over the past month. I can't seem to figure what words to put to the screen. The past month has been full of heartache and turmoil for the people of Japan. People have lost their houses, their loved ones, their jobs, their personal belongings, their lives. On March 11, at 2:46 pm, people's lives changed forever. When I sit in front of the screen, everything I want to write seems so insignificant and trite compared to what has happened around me.

There has been hundreds of aftershocks since the 9.0 magnitude earthquake, with the past 24 hours having 68 alone. Almost a 1/4 of these 68 have been 5.5 magnitude and above. There seems to be a sense of nervousness every time an aftershock hits. Add to it the unstable nuclear situation and I think many people seem to be walking around waiting for the "other shoe to drop". Kobe is far away from both the Tohoku and Fukushima regions, but I still think people are anxious about the "what's next" or "what could be next." I know many of my expat friends worry about something happening here or what the future may hold. To be honest, I do too.

But life still goes on. People get up in the morning and go to work. Some meet friends for coffee, while others play with their children. If there is one thing I learned on my trip to the Tohoku region it was how much strength and grace the victims showed. They are perfect examples of no matter how grim and bleak a situation may be, life goes on. It has to. I think learning how to put one foot forward, no matter the circumstance, is part of the healing process.

This past Sunday, Matt and I walked around Kobe to see the beautiful cherry blossoms. Sakura season is famous in Japan. People come from all over just to admire the cherry blossom trees. I found it to be a very peaceful and cleaning afternoon.

We can either live in fear about what tomorrow may bring or we can live each day to the fullest because we never know what the future may hold. One of my favorite musicals, Rent, has a song that really says it all:
"Forget regret -- or life is yours to miss.
No other road, no other way
No day but today."

My Experience Up North

2011-04-10T19:47:00.002+09:00

Almost 2 weeks ago, I was a part of a 5-person team that went up into the Sendai area to help with relief efforts. Our main role during this trip was to help distribute food and supplies. I am finally ready to put to paper (okay computer) some of the stories from my trip.

For mostof the time up there, I felt like I was walking on a movie set. Living most ofmy life in the Midwest, I found it hard to wrap my head around the reality ofthe situation. What I was seeing was a far cry from cornfields andsoybeans. Houses inside stores, buildings on top of buildings, carsinside houses, cars wrapped around poles, a ship in the road. Stuff waseverywhere it shouldn't be. The smell of stagnant seawater and fish wasoverwhelming. It was all so surreal.

So insteadof thinking about the total devastation around me, I concentrated on the peoplewe were there to help. Our main focus was to work with those who are not inevacuation centers. Those who have remained living in their homes, local areasor abandoned buildings. These are the people who seem to have slippedthrough the cracks as far as receiving aid. In the morning we went to thewarehouse and loaded up the vehicles with food and supplies. Then we workedwith other teams and went to the Ishinomaki area to set up several dropstations.

At thesedrop stations we set up blue tarps and placed food and supplies on them forpeople to choose from. We then spoke with people in the area and asked them tohelp spread word that we were there with supplies and food. You couldtell during these drop offs which areas had not been visited in a long time asthose people seemed more desperate for supplies and food items.

The peoplewere just completely amazing. You still saw people joking and laughing throughtheir tears and their fears. We took candy in our pockets and passed them outto the children and it was wonderful watching their faces light up with thesight of a small piece of candy. Then you saw the parents smile becausetheir children were smiling. I was playing with a little boy, who happened tobe the same age as my youngest daughter. We were playing keep away with a smallpiece of playdough while I tried to tell him in my limited Japanese that I havea beautiful 7-year-old daughter who he may find cute.

One womanhad a hurt knee and asked if I could help her back to her living area. Alongthe way she was telling me how she thought she was going to die in the tsunamiand how she knew God sent us here to help. When we arrived at her place sheasked me to "chotto matte" (please wait). She came back a few minuteslater and handed me a bag with some bread and sweets that she was saving andtold me to tabette (eat) and share with my tomodachis (friends). Here was thiswoman with nothing and she was giving me something to say thank you. I wasoverwhelmed with emotion. So I hugged her. And for those who know me I am not a hugger.

At anotherlocation a woman told me it was a special day because we were there to helpher. She then told me how she fears every night going to sleep that she willdie. She told me how frightened she was. This past Thursday therewas a 7.4 magnitude aftershock and her face and story haunts me. I can'timagine the fear she much have had at 11:30 pm when this large quake startedand the tsunami alarms went off again.

The otherpeople helping were pretty amazing as well. At one location we ran out ofbottled water and one elderly woman needed water to mix with the chicken ricepacket we gave her. One of the other relief workers with us, a boy of only 18,went into the car and got out his backpack and handed her his own personalbottles of water from his bag. We ourselves, gave the one group of people ourfood for the remainder of the trip. They needed it much more than we did.

On thatFriday the US Military was working with the Japanese Special Defense Forces ona 3 day intensive search. It brought tears to my eyes (like I didn't haveenough already) to see my country there helping the country I have grown tolove. From what I have read, the US Forces will be there until the end ofApril.

Whendisasters such as this one occur, it is common for people to question or askwhere is God in all of this. How can God allow so much destruction andsuffering? While we were driving to where we were staying the night after ourfirst day of helping, it was starting to rain. I looked out of the van and overto the left, and right over the seaside was a huge, beautiful rainbow. I amsure the other two people in the car thought I was a bit weird for being soexcited about this rainbow. But I am one who wants to see signs. So forme, this rainbow was a sign and a promise that God IS there. God WAS there. AndGod WILL CONTINUE to be there.

I haveuploaded additional pictures to my family's shutterfly account. Please knowthese photos are both of the devastation and of our relief efforts. You canfind the photos here. Ialso took several videos. One of my friends made a compilation video of some ofour footage while up North. Here is the compilation video.

It will bea long time before things are rebuilt. The train lines are gone. Debris needscleared. Water needs pumped. Cars need removed from rice fields. But I havefaith that Japan will come back and be better than ever.

Japan's Greatest Natural Disaster

2011-03-13T20:25:00.002+09:00

On March 11, at 2:46 pm, the country of Japan suffered a horrific tragedy. An 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit off the Northeast coast of Japan, causing a catastrophic tsunami and crippling the city of Tokyo and northward. It is estimated the initial tsunami wave was over 30 feet high, and came over six miles into shore. Over 120 strong aftershocks have occurred and it is expected that will continue for days and possibly months. A nuclear power plant North of Tokyo is in a state of emergency with at least two of the reactors being completely unstable. There has been almost 1,000 people declared dead, with the numbers climbing by the hour. In one city alone, there are over 9,500 people reported missing. Towns have been completely taken off the map. This has been declared the worst natural disaster in Japan history, and Japan's most difficult crisis since WWII.

There are no words to express how much all the email and Facebook messages, instant messages, and phone calls asking about our safety, have meant to my family. I know many of you have asked where we are in relation to the disaster zone. My family and I live in Kobe, Japan, which is Southwest from the disaster area. We are 267 miles from Tokyo and 402 miles from Sendai. Sendai is the closest city to where the epicenter of the earthquake was located. I know those miles do not seem very far, especially to those in the United States. Our distance in miles would be similar to driving from Cleveland, Ohio to Cincinnati, Ohio. However, Japan is very mountainous, making distance almost two and three times farther.

We did feel the earthquake where we live. It could be described as feeling like you had just gotten off a boat. The initial quake lasted several minutes. Matt was at work and the kids were at school. The kids' school was very proactive and implemented their "duck and cover" earthquake plan. I was at home and you couldn't feel it as much here as elsewhere because of our location tucked towards the mountain. We have several friends who live in a 32-floor high-rise apartment building, where you would physically see the building swaying back and forth.

Kobe has been able to feel several of the aftershocks. Our house is located 1/2 way up the mountain, cushioning the aftershocks. Our friends who live in the high-rise buildings have had a few rough moments riding out some of the most recent quakes. We have been told rolling blackouts may be implemented throughout the large cities to help conserve power and to reroute power to the North to help aid in the search and rescue efforts. We are making sure we have all our cell phones charged in case this happens, as most likely the Kobe area will be part of this plan. We are monitoring the nuclear power plant issue, however being located almost 300 miles from the plant, our biggest worry would be the wind direction. I am the outreach ministry leader at our church and one of our mission partners have suffered much damage, so we are working to get a team together to help in the recovery efforts when the time is right.

Caterpillar, my husband's company, has been in constant contact over the past day, giving us updates when appropriate. The U.S. Embassy has also been giving us information and keeping us updated on the latest news. We are being watched even if we are not in the disaster zone. So mom and dad, PLEASE do not worry. We are being watched.

I have an earthquake application on my iPhone. As soon as I saw the initial 7.9 magnitude report I turned on the television to see if there was any news. I sat in front of the television for hours watching everything unfold. It is so surreal sitting here knowing the horrible images we are all seeing is happening where I live. While Japan is not my home country, and we have only live here a little over two years, Japan has become my home. It is no secret how much I love living here. I have fallen in love with the people, the culture, the country, and my heart aches watching all of this unfold.

I feel guilty for going on with our day-to-day lives, while so many are suffering. I feel like I should be doing something. I try not to think of the "what ifs". I try not to think about living in one of the world's most earthquake prone countries. I tell myself it won't happen here. But it could. It did 16 years ago. I try not to think about my husband, my son, seven other adult chaperones, and almost 60 6th graders sitting in the Sendai airport exactly three weeks before this earthquake and tsunami. This is what the Sendai airport looked like shortly after the tsunami hit.

I cannot close my eyes without seeing all the devastation. I doubt many people in this country have slept much the past few days. The next few days will be full of more heartbreaking images and devastation. I just have to keep reminding myself of Philippians 4:6. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

So I ask you, please pray for this country. Please pray for the people who are located in the North. Pray for those who are helping in the search and rescue efforts. Pray for those who are battling the scary issues at the nuclear power plant. Pray for those who have lost loved ones, their homes, their jobs, their towns. Pray for the leadership of this country. Please pray for the foreigners who don't know how to handle a disaster such as this one. Please pray for Japan.

Kitano Tenmangu Plum Blossom Festival

2011-03-07T21:47:00.000+09:00

The sure sign that spring is on its way in Japan is the blooming of the plum blossoms. Each February the beautiful pink, purple and white flowers start to appear. On every February 25, Kitano Tenmangu hosts a special tea ceremony called Baikasai, under 2,000 plum blossom trees. The ceremony is performed by maiko and geiko of the nearby Kamishichiken geisha district.

This year CHIC hosted a day trip to the temple and tea ceremony. There were thousands of people there so we had to wait in line for almost an hour for our turn to attend the Baikasai. The wait was well worth it, as when do you ever get a chance to be served by real maikos and geikos? What an amazing experience.

You can see more pictures here.

How to Not Ski in Japan

2011-02-13T08:52:00.002+09:00

I am unable to ski this year due to my knee incident in Vietnam (can you hear the sadness in my voice -- not). So I decided to be a good mom and wife and go along to "watch". As usual, things in Japan aren't always how we thought they would be.

So how do you go and just watch?

Get up at 4 am, pack, and load car.
Depart at 4:45 am.
Drive 2 hours without any issues.
Hit toll booth where the ETC lane needs shoveled clear so it takes 15 minutes to pay ¥300 in the one lane open.
Drive 1/2 way up a snowy mountain while it snows the biggest flakes Alexis has ever seen.
Stop and put on tire chains.
Drive 1/4 way up mountain until you reach a car that is stopped in the middle of the one lane mountain road.
Spin around and slide back down 1/4 way of mountain.
Try again to make it up the mountain.
Finally reach the top where there are several huts with ski rentals. NO lodge in sight.
Everyone puts on their ski gear, except for Alexis who has none as she was NOT skiing due to her knee injury.
Load Alexis, in jeans, crappy gloves, Uggs and no hat, onto a ski lift along with a 10 pound backpack and camera case.
Son calms Alexis down, who is deathly afraid of heights, on the 20 minute ski lift ride.
Ski lift drops everyone off in the middle of a mountain, with no lodge in sight.
Alexis walks through 8 foot snow to a series of buildings carrying 10 pound backpack and camera bag, while wearing jeans, crappy gloves, Uggs and no hat.
Said buildings contain tables, approximately 500 Japanese children and someone’s kitchen.
While sitting in building Alexis cannot see nor have any idea where her husband, 11 year old and 7 year old are. Camera will remain in bag.
Alexis may return home after the spring thaw, as she is not going back down that ski lift.

Highlight of the trip: The building has free Internet.
Moral of the story: Be a crappy mom and wife and JUST STAY HOME.

The request line is open!

2011-02-08T20:07:00.001+09:00

For the past two years I have been boring my readers with all my Japanese babble and what I think people would like to know about living here in Japan. So now I am going to let you ask me questions.

What questions you have about Japan? Have you always wondered if something you may have heard about about Japan or the Japanese people is true? Do you have any questions about the expat life? What would you like to read about? I will do my best to find the answers if I do not already know them. And who knows... It's been a while since I made a fool of myself. So I am sure there will be some adventures in doing so.

Please keep your requests and questions PG-13 and under related. After all my parents do read my blog and I have this good girl image to protect.

Help Spread Awareness -- CHD Awareness week 2011

2011-02-05T09:13:00.000+09:00

There is an incredible amount of awareness and education surrounding adult heart disease, but very little about the number one birth defect or leading cause for birth-defect related deaths.

Did you know:

Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs) affects approximately 1.8 million families in the United States
CHDs are the most common birth defect and the leading cause of birth-defect related deaths worldwide
Nearly twice as many children die from CHDs as from all childhood cancers combined, yet research for cancer receives five times the funding
There are currently 35 distinct CHDs recognized
There is no known cause for CHDs and there is no cure. Only treatment, such as medicines, numerous surgeries and heart transplants.
Each year an estimated 1 in 100 babies are born in the United States with a congenital heart defect
1 in 10 of those are born with a fatal defect

My daughter, Allison Grace, was one of these statistics. Allison was born on April 29, 2002, with several complex heart defects. Prior to her diagnosis in utero, I could not even tell you what CHD stood for. Allison spent 32 days in the NICU before we were able to bring her home to meet her brother and sister. Our next few months were filled with doctor visits, echocardiograms, medicines, and a heart cauterization.

On August 9, 2002, Matt and I kissed Allison and handed her over to the nurse for what was to be her first of several open heart surgeries. This was the last time we held our daughter alive. On August 13, at only 101 days old, Allison earned her angel wings.

We never got to see our daughter take her first steps or say her first words. We never had her wrap her arms around us and say "I love you mommy and daddy." There is no "first day of school" photo. She will never graduate high school or go to college. Matt will never walk her down the aisle and give her to the man who has promised to love her forever. We were blessed to have had 101 days with our daughter. Many CHD parents are not as fortunate as us.

February 7 - 14 is "Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week". Raising national awareness about Congenital Heart Defects is important on so many levels—it will provide hope for families of CHD survivors and comfort to those whose loved ones have lost their battles; it will inform the general public about the symptoms of CHDs and possibly save lives; and it will affirm the need for researchers and medical professionals to continue their work to improve the outlook for CHD patients.

Here are a few ways you can help bring awareness to CHDs this February.

As my long-time readers know, I blog every year about this important issue. If you blog, please make an entry this month helping raise awareness. You can even link to this entry.
Place a button on your blog for the month.
If you are on Facebook, become a fan of CHD Awareness Week 2011.
If you are looking to give to a charity, think about donating to one that supports CHD research, such as the Children's Heart Foundation.
If you give to the American Heart Association, put "Zachary Brooks Foundation" in the memo designating that your funds will go to a foundation set up specifically for CHD heart awareness and research.
Wear red on February 14 to remember those who are affected by CHDs.
And if you have children, hug them a little tighter and thank God for the miracle and wonderful gift you have been given.

This post has been made in loving memory of Allison Grace Jacobs.

Being a 21st Century Expat

2011-01-27T01:27:00.000+09:00

This morning I talked with my mom on our Vonage line. ~~All day~~ This afternoon I browsed Facebook, catching up on my friend's latest status posts. Earlier this evening, I watched my US television shows online. And tonight I sat on my laptop Skyping with my husband, who is on a business trip in China, while chatting on Yahoo Messenger with my friend back in Ohio. To those who were expats before all this technology, YOU ARE MY HERO!

I honestly cannot imagine being an expat when all you had were snail mail and very expensive phone calls. So much has changed over the past 20, 10 and even 5 years. Do you remember what life was like before things like email, digital photos, VoIP phones, Skype, My Space (does anyone use My Space anymore?) and Facebook? Now imagine that life being thousands of miles away from everything you know, in a place where you cannot speak the same language, remember which side of the road to drive on, or even figure out what milk to buy.

Then there are things like SlingBox, iTunes, and online video streaming. I know there are expats living in rural parts of the world or places where some of these items are forbidden, but for many of us, these technologies make life so much easier. Just imagine how grumpy I would be if I couldn't watch all the same junk TV that I watched back in the United States. (However if you knew the television programming I watched, that may not be such a bad thing.)

One of the hardest things about being overseas is missing family and friends. One can adapt to the food, language, landscape, and culture but there is no substitute for our loved ones. But with all the technology today, the distance doesn't always seem so far apart.

The Japanese Language

2011-01-25T21:16:00.000+09:00

When I moved here two years ago, my goal was to become fluent in Japanese. Looking back, this had to be one of the silliest assumptions I made about this move. The Japanese language is extremely hard to learn. Even with all the books I have been using in my lessons the past two years, I barely know enough to adequately get by.

Reading & Writing
Japanese is written in a combination of three different ways –– kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana (native Japanese words) and katakana (non-Japanese words). If you are reading a sentence written in Japanese it will usually contain a combination of all three. There are 50,000 kanji in total, but it is said only 1,945 are needed for even a Japanese native. There are 48 hiragana characters and 48 katakana characters. Each character makes its own sound and a combination of characters are needed to
make a word.

Here are some examples:
海 Sea in kanji
さとう Sugar in hiragana
アレキス Alexis in katakana

A sentence using all three:
私はアメリカ人です。I am American.

For those who are unable to read Japanese there is romaji, which uses the regular alphabet to write out the Japanese word. However, this is really only used for some signs and by the foreigners.

An example of this would be: Doko ni sun de imasu ka? (Where do you live?)

After 2 years I can read both hiragana and katakana and have learned 160 kanji. However, even with all that knowledge, I am unable to read most things. Putting everything together is very hard and even if you can read the word, many times you still have no clue what that word actually means.

Writing in Japanese is based on brush stroke. There is a certain way and order to write each character. Needless to say, I am unable to write anything with the proper brush strokes and really, all I can consistently write is my name. アレキス Alexis ジェイコブ Jacobs.

Speaking
There are 5 vowels –– a, i, u, e, o –– which sound like aaah, ee, ooo, eh, oh. Then there are the basic constants –– k, s, t, n, h, m y, r, w and a "final" n. All consonants, apart from a final n, are followed followed by a vowel. For example, for the constant k, you will have ka, ki, ku, ke, ko. You can also change the constant to make a make the b, d, j, p, z, and g sounds. Unlike English, which is very syllable based, Japanese is pitch based.

The structure of a Japanese sentence is opposite from those who are native English speakers. The order is subject - object - verb, however the order may sometimes change as long as the verb comes last. Nouns have no gender or numerical value, so typically a "counter" is needed when speaking of more than one of an item. And there is a different way to count everything -- people, flat objects, long cylinder objects, regular items, etc.

Some people say verbs are some of the most important words to learn in the Japanese language. There are far more verbs in Japanese than in English, as verbs many times reflect emotion and conditions. There are two tenses for verbs (past and present) and they are conjugated in different ways to change the state. There is no word for "not" in the Japanese language so verbs must be changed to reflect "not" doing something. This is easy when it comes to -masu verbs, but when it comes to other forms it is much, much harder.

There are three types of adjectives -- "na", "i" and true adjectives, such as that and this. Adjectives are placed and used differently than in English. And of course, they are also conjugated in their own way. (Are you seeing a pattern here)

There are often two ways to say something. Who you are speaking to will also change what you may say. There are polite ways and conversational ways to say things. And the biggest thing -- typically the Japanese do not like to use or say the word "no". Different regions will also have their own way to say things and their own dialects. My teacher says there are several differences in how things are said in the Tokyo region versus the Kansai region, where I live.

I can understand things much better than I can speak. It is hard for me to remember the sentence structure and how to properly conjugate what I am trying to say. After two years, I can play a mean game of charades. I think it may be even better than my English these days.

Confused yet? I think I confused myself trying to write this! It is hard to put into words just how challenging the language really is to learn. However, even with those challenges, I have enjoyed my lessons and learning how to communicate. Japanese is actually a very beautiful language. I won't ever be fluent, or even close, but maybe (and we are talking a BIG maybe) when I leave I will be able to give my sayonara speech in Japanese.

Skiing in Japan

2011-01-24T22:36:00.000+09:00

My idea of a perfect weekend or vacation is soaking up the warm sun rays, in minimal clothing, while engrossing myself in a good book. My husband's idea of the perfect trip is flying down a cold, snowy mountain with your feet attached to two skinny pieces of plastic. You can probably guess who wins from pictures of all our past vacations.

Matt has really been hoping that at the ripe age of 35 I would suddenly develop a love for skiing. I have to admit, the slopes here are beautiful, but as Diana Ross loved to sing there "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" to make me want to play in the cold, wet, snow all day long.

Skiing is a popular activity in Japan. And unlike almost everything else, it is actually decently priced. It doesn't actually snow where we live, so you have to drive at least 3 hours to find decent skiing. Matt loves when the weather turns colder and he can head North and hit the slopes. Last year we took a family trip to Gifu, where Sami learned to ski. This year, thanks to my knee injury, there will be no skiing in my near future. (Can you sense my disappointment?) So this month I stayed home with Sami since she isn't ready to brave the slopes alone quite yet, and Matt and the other two kids took a few day ski trips to Hachi Kita.

This year, Chris and Matt traded their skis in for a snowboard, and surprisingly they did very well. In fact, Chris is way better at snowboarding than skiing. We have a store nearby that sells lots of used ski and snowboard equipment so both were able to find themselves some good, cheap gear. Emily wasn't quite ready to trade her skis in, but she is planning to next weekend when she goes to Fuki Ski Jam with her two friends.

Matt, Chris, Emily and our neighbor Maggie getting ready to brave the slopes

Beautiful mountains

Emily and Chris on the slopes

Chris and his gear

Chris trying to be cool

Emily & Maggie

Matt & Chris on the chairlift. As you can see it is really snowing.

I think Sami was feeling a bit left out of all the fun, so Matt helped her practice the proper ski look at home.

A Very Happy Japanniversary To Us!

2011-01-19T14:26:00.000+09:00

Two years ago the kids and I left everything we have ever known and boarded an airplane bound for Osaka, Japan. I remember while feeling scared, tearful, nervous, cautious, and apprehensive, I was also excited about the adventures that lied ahead.

I cannot believe how quickly time has gone. It seems like just yesterday we were getting on that plane. What an amazing two years it has been.

We have enjoyed traveling to locals areas, such as Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Awaji and Himeji, and have ventured to other areas of Japan, such as Wakayama, Hiroshima, Miajima, Gifu, Nasa Forest, Tango Peninsula, and Hachi Kita. We have seen beaches and mountains and have been skiing, whitewater rafting and camping. I have hiked 56 km in 13 hours and climbed Mt Fuji with my husband and older two children. Two of our friends have been able to come and visit.

Miajima

Matt & I in Arashiyama

Shirihama Beach


Hiroshima

Jame came to visit! Our night at the Hobgoblin

Tango Peninsula

Top of Mt Fuji

Skiing with the neighbors in Gifu

We have been very blessed to be able to travel within other areas of Asia as well –– Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand, Langkawi in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Bali, and North, Central and Southern Vietnam.


Bangkok, Thailand

Langkawi, Malaysia


Halong Bay, Vietnam

Phuket, Thailand

Ubud Rice Terrace -- Bali, Indonesia

We were told to look at every day as an adventure and I think we have. Not every day is easy. In fact, there are many days when you are so frustrated that you just want to lock yourself in a room and cry. But I do not regret for one moment taking this assignment. The past two years has had a huge impact on each and every one of us, and I know that we will someday return back to the states very different from when we had left.

I never thought I would love living in Japan as much as I do. I have fallen in love with the country, the people, the culture and even the food (well except for the sushi). I wish I was able to share everything I love so much here with all my family and friends (hint: Free room and board!).

We do not know when our time here is up. But one thing I do know is that I am going to embrace each and every day, because just as quickly as the past two years have gone by, before I know it will be time for us to move on to the next adventure. Where ever that may be.

Fifteen Years Ago...

2011-01-11T20:50:00.000+09:00

I became a mom. On January 12, 1996, during Ohio's Blizzard of 1996, I gave birth to the most perfect, 6 lb 2 oz little girl, who we named Emily Ann. It's hard to believe today she is 15-years-old. What a bittersweet day.

We blinked and she grew up in front of our eyes. We are so proud of the young lady she has become and I know the future has big things in store for her.

(2-years-old)

(5-years-old) At Val's house

(8-years-old) First day of 3rd grade

(12-years-old) End of 6th grade field trip

(13-years-old) 5 days after her birthday -- Last meet in the United States

(14-years-old) Last month trying on clothes with a friend

Happy birthday Emily! We love you!

True Blessings

2011-01-09T21:58:00.000+09:00

We all go through some bumpy roads in life. Some are paved with a pothole here and there, while others are totally beyond repair and in desperate need of being redone. Some roads are brightly lit, while others are dirt trails leading into a path full of thorns and weeds. But no matter what the path may be, I think the Beetles said it best when they sang: "I get by with a little help from my friends."

In my life I have been truly blessed with some amazing people. When my MIL passed away, we came home to a house that had been cleaned and a yard that had been mowed. When we went through the hellish time with Allison and then loosing her, I cannot even begin to say all the amazing things people did, both ones we knew and ones we didn't. Someone we had never met held a blood drive for Allison because neither Matt nor I were able to donate blood to her. Letters and cards of support and prayers came from all over the world. To know that people all over the world were praying for my family and my daughter, and still do to this day, is just too overwhelming to even form words. We have friends from college that we know would jump in front of a bus for us, and I hope they know we would do the same.

In each move we have made, we have met people whom we have formed bonds with that will last a lifetime. We have some friends who went above what a friend should do and held our dying dog in their arms until she passed while my family was on vacation. Friends who laid in bed with me for 4 weeks every day and watched The Food Network while I was on bed rest with Samantha. This past week friends have driven me places, shopped for me and even sat and cleaned my disgusting knee while getting my stitches out. And as crazy as it sounds, I have some very close friends who I have never even met in person. (Okay that does make me sound just a wee bit crazy)

A true friend is someone who listens to your crazy babble and doesn't tell you what an idiot you are (however sometimes a little bit of tough love is necessary). Someone who doesn't care if you lock yourself out of the house for the 5th time and need their husband to climb through the window and let you in. Someone who can let you know they care without ever speaking a word. Someone who can just say "Hey, I care".

One thing I have learned, especially over the past few years, is distance and time doesn't make a friend. You can be 13,000 miles away and still be an amazing friend. There are people who you may only see or talk to a few times a year, or once in 5 years, and you pick right up where you left off. It's like time never even had passed. Friends who you know when you really need shoulder to cry on or help standing up, you can call, no matter when the last time you may have talked.

"Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life." And I have been blessed made some amazing recipes in my life. I just hope that I have been just as good of an ingredient to their recipe as they have been to mine.

Blogger MIA

2011-01-07T18:52:00.000+09:00

Sorry I have been quiet the past three weeks. First, I had to brace myself for a 25 day winter break with the kids. International schools tend to have longer winter breaks to allow for traveling and people to return home to their home countries. The first half of school has been very intense, especially for Chris and Emily, so they were more than ready for a break from school. And while I was excited for a few weeks without the daily grind of homework, 25 days is a wee bit long –– for everyone. Let's just say I think the kids are ready for go back next Tuesday.

Our family used the long break to take a 10 day trip to Southern Vietnam. Don't worry I will be blogging more about our trip in the next week. It was a really cultural, eye-opening vacation to say the least. And we had an amazing time, up until 22 hours before we were supposed to board an airplane and make the trek home. I decided to really experience Vietnam one last time and make a trip to a small island hospital for some stitches in my knee.

Needless to say, I have spent most of my time the past week in a chair with my leg propped up. You would think with all the time in world I would have had plenty of time to blog, but instead I have spent the past week watching every poorly made movie and cheesy TV show known to man. (Note to self: Send letter to Hollywood addressing the issue of just how bad TV and the big screen have become)

So hang tight. I will be back in action soon, with some really great entries. I promise.

Happy Year of the Rabbit

2011-01-01T12:48:00.000+09:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2011 is the year of the rabbit. Living in an Asian country, they really get behind the whole zodiac thing. Starbucks even has special mugs just for New Years shaped as rabbits. I may or may not need to get myself one of those. If you buy into the whole zodiac thing, supposedly this year will be a much quiet relief from 2010, the year of the ferocious tiger.

We should go off to some quiet spot to lick our wounds and get some rest after all the battles of the previous year.

Good taste and refinement will shine on everything and people will acknowledge that persuasion is better than force. A congenial time in which diplomacy, international relations and politics will be given a front seat again. We will act with discretion and make reasonable concessions without too much difficulty.

A time to watch out that we do not become too indulgent. The influence of the Rabbit tends to spoil those who like too much comfort and thus impair their effectiveness and sense of duty.

Law and order will be lax; rules and regulations will not be rigidly enforced. No one seems very inclined to bother with these unpleasant realities. They are busy enjoying themselves, entertaining others or simply taking it easy. The scene is quiet and calm, even deteriorating to the point of somnolence. We will all have a tendency to put off disagreeable tasks as long as possible

Money can be made without too much labor. Our life style will be languid and leisurely as we allow ourselves the luxuries we have always craved for. A temperate year with unhurried pace. For once, it may seem possible for us to be carefree and happy without too many annoyances.

And as an extra bonus, I was born in the year of the rabbit. And while some of the qualities are spot on, there are so many that are far from the truth.

People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky. They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom lose their temper. They are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract. They would make good gamblers for they have the uncanny gift of choosing the right thing. However, they seldom gamble, as they are conservative and wise. They are most compatible with those born in the years of the Sheep, Pig, and Dog.

I hope 2011 is filled with lots of love, happiness and peace for you all. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas in Japan

2010-12-17T14:06:00.000+09:00

With only less than 1 percent of Japan's population being Christian, Christmas here lacks all spiritual meaning. Instead it is a very commercial holiday, more like Valentine's Day in the United States. Gifts are many times romantic in nature. Some shops are decorated in hearts and talk about "Christmas Love". And for some strange reason there are Christmas costumes, such as reindeer, Santa girls, and snowmen, for adults (yes I said ADULTS) everywhere. I am not quite sure I want that fascination explained to me. Shops, restaurants, businesses are open on Christmas Day. It is almost like any other day. It is a cute holiday with very little tradition.

When talking with my hairdresser a few weeks ago, he did tell me Santa comes for younger children. But there is no milk and cookies the night before. In fact, he thought the idea of leaving Santa cookies was rather odd. There is no jolly Santa sitting in shopping areas waiting for kids to come tell their wish list. No stockings hung by the chimney with care. No cute songs about Dasher, Dancer and Rodolph.

There is some tradition for what a family may do on Christmas Eve. A KFC Christmas Chicken Dinner is quite popular. Some Japanese will make reservations for their "Christmas Chicken" ahead of time and then line up outside their local store to pick up their orders. Thanks to KFCs brilliant marketing effort, the Japanese believe Westerners celebrate Christmas with a chicken dinner instead of ham, turkey or beef. Christmas Eve is celebrated by eating a "Christmas Cake". Stores everywhere have elaborately decorated, small, homemade cakes (which cost about $45 USD and up), which people can preorder and pick up just before or on Christmas Eve.

Here are a few examples of what the cakes look like. And if you look closely, there is not a single fruitcake on the list.

I will take a pass on the KFC dinner, but I wonder how much convincing it would take to get Matt on board with the Christmas cake. A way to a man's heart is through his stomach right?

Butterfly Kisses

2010-12-06T23:50:00.000+09:00

A child is like a cute little caterpillar. They are small, fuzzy, and people love to help them inch along from place to place. Then sometime when you are not looking they hide away in a cocoon. Before you know it they emerge as this beautiful butterfly, which will soon fly away to experience life on its own, no longer needing help to "inch" them along.

This evening Matt and I were looking through some photos from our first few months in Japan. It is hard to tell how much a person has changed when you see them everyday. But sometime between March, 2009 and now, our cute little caterpillar changed into a beautiful, amazing butterfly.

Hard to believe only 19 months ago this was our little caterpillar, who had just turned 13 years old.

And here is our beautiful butterfly, who will be 15 years old next month.

I have a love/hate relationship with the song Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carslisle. However when I reflect on some of the lyrics, I can't help but think maybe Bob had the same thought as I, late one night when he thought about his own butterfly.

End of Season Basketball Tournament

2010-12-06T15:02:00.000+09:00

This past weekend was Chris's end of the season basketball tournament. It has been really fun to watch these boys progress and improve from the beginning to the end of the season. We actually found the season to be too short. I would have loved to see what these boys could do given a few more weeks on the court.

Chris has turned into quite a little basketball player and really loves the sport. It will be interesting to see what happens in a few years when he is even taller. With a dad who is 6 ft 2 inches (188 cm for my metric friends) and an uncle who is 6 ft 5 in (195.5 cm) Chris is bound to have some height on him.

Here are a few shots from this past weekend's tournament.

ToTo we aren't in Kansas anymore!

2010-12-02T21:38:00.001+09:00

When people ask me what I will miss the most when I move back to the states, I love to see the look on their face when I tell them my ToTo toilet.

Japan has two type of toilets -- the "squat" and the "sit". Or as better known here as "Western style" and "Japanese Style".

A squatty potty (Japanese style) is exactly like it sounds. There is quite a learning curve and the ability to do a good kegel is a bonus. When we first moved here I avoided them at all cost. Now they really are no big deal. (Not to mention in many places they are the only option so you have to get used to them)

Then you have the "Western style". Quite often these toilets are full of bells and whistles. Apparently Japanese toilet engineers think Westerners really like to pamper their behinds. Some of the toilets have an automatic lid open when you walk within so many feet. Many have sensors, heated seats, wash settings and even a dryer. There is nothing better than sitting on a heated toilet at 2 am in December.

Who would have thought there would be so many controls to go to the bathroom! (I have translated each control, but as you will see there is a bidet, soft wash, butt wash and a dryer. If you click on the picture you can get a better read.)

Yes, the toilet needs to be plugged in.

Many public restrooms with Western toilets have music and flush sound buttons to "mute" any noise. I always seem to press these buttons instead of the flush button. Some restrooms even have a computerized system stating which stalls are occupied and empty.

Really, who would have thought going to the bathroom could be so fun! Now if I could only figure out a way for ToTo to come home with us.

Surviving the Holidays Abroad

2010-12-01T22:29:00.000+09:00

While some people may be able to go back to their home country during the holidays, many people do not. Traveling distance, weather conditions, finances, job duties and kid's schooling all play a contributing role in determining whether someone will be able to be home for the holidays.

Being away from your home country is especially hard during holiday times. No matter where someones homebase is, every country has its own traditions and holidays that people miss when on an expat assignment. For those of us coming from the United States, Thanksgiving and Christmas tends to be the harder holidays to be away from "home". People miss their own traditions, their family and friends, the ability to celebrate in a similar and easy way as when they lived back home. As I said in an earlier post, Thanksgiving is just another day in Japan. Christmas is more of a "thought" and a "fun day" rather than a holiday. It makes getting into the holiday spirit hard.

I recently read some tips on ways to help make the holidays a bit easier for those of us who are living on the other side of the world from our family, friends and own traditions. I also have included a few my family found to help make things a bit easier during the holiday times.

Set a date and time to talk/video conference with family and friends. Technology options today are amazing. Take advantage of things, such as Skype and Yahoo Video Calls, to help shrink the distance between you and your loved ones. Last year we Skyped with our family on Christmas and it was a wonderful thing.
Find other families in your area to get together with and celebrate your favorite holiday. If you cannot find someone who shares the same holiday, then do a holiday exchange with another family. Use this as a time to learn more about other family's traditions. Having Thanksgiving last weekend with some friends made a world of difference in how I was feeling. For one night, I felt like I was with family.
If at all possible, try to still celebrate your own traditions. For example, the night before Christmas we always read The Christmas Story, open presents with new pajamas and set out cookies and milk for Santa. Christmas morning we open presents, followed by an egg casserole breakfast. It was not as easy, but we managed to still follow through with that tradition last year.
Use this time to start new traditions. For example, if you cannot find your normal holiday meal, create a new one that is easy while living in your assignment country. Doesn't everyone want sushi for Christmas dinner?
Ask people to help send you special treats and goodies from back home. Sometimes a small taste of home is all you need to make the homesickness a bit less. We cannot get any candy with peanut butter in Japan. You would think we struck the lottery when we receive a bubble mailer with a king size Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.
Learn about the local holidays and traditions. How are holiday's celebrated where you are living? What are some of the local traditions? (Note to self: great future blog entry!)
Take a family vacation or road trip. A little R&R is sometimes the best medicine.
Talk with other expats. They know and understand how you are feeling.

Whether you live overseas for 6 months or 6 years, the holidays will be hard. But hopefully some of these tips and suggestions will help make them a bit easier.

Fushimi Inari -- Kyoto

2010-11-29T16:18:00.000+09:00

Last Friday Matt had off work, so we decided to take advantage of the day and go to the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. So many people have told us it is a "must see" while living here, so we decided to check it out for ourselves.

The Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari, the god of rice, sake, and prosperity. This shrine has 10,000 small torii gates that arch over a long path up the hill behind the shrine. Some people call it the "fox shrine" as there are many fox statues around. These fox are supposed to be the "messengers" to Inari.

This shrine draws almost 3 million worshipers over a three day period in the Japanese New Year. So if anyone comes to visit me during the holidays, sorry, but there is no way in he-double-hockey stick I will be taking you to this shrine. Instead we can rent Memoirs of a Geisha and I will point out the scenes that were shot at Fushimi Inari.

As we say in Japan, the torii gates were sugoi (cool). There were small ones, big ones, old ones, new ones. (Maybe Dr. Seuss needs to visit this shrine!) We even got to see a few of them being replaced and painted while we were there.

Throughout the shrine grounds there were cemetery's, fox statues, prayer walls, Udon shops and fountains.

The scenery all around was beautiful, especially with the changing of the leaves.

I just love Kyoto. It is one place I could visit over and over and always find something new to see. If you ever plan on going to Japan, Kyoto is a MUST on the list.

Mt Maya in The Fall

2010-11-24T18:09:00.000+09:00

Yesterday my neighbor and I agreed to meet some of our friends at the top of Mt Maya to give them a change of clothes and shoes. (They were doing that ~~horrific~~ wonderful 56k hike I did last year) The plan was to walk to Sannomiya (about 7 km) and then take a bus to the Mt Maya Ropeway and take that up the mountain.

Everything was going as planned until we hit the ropeway. A worker told us "Wind! Danger!" and that the ropeway was closed. I started to panic a bit as we had sandwiches, clothes and shoes to switch out at the top. After a horrible game of charades and some help from a guy who spoke great English, we discovered we were going to have to take a tram part way up and then hike it to the top. It took about 35 minutes to hike to the top, and other than the billion steps we had to climb, it was a beautiful hike. The leaves are all changing so we had some great scenery. We even commented some of the leaves on the ground were so perfect it was almost like they were purposely placed there.

While waiting for our friends, we took in the view. Just another reminder of how beautiful of a country Japan is and how lucky I am to be living here.

Just Any Other Day

2010-11-23T23:52:00.000+09:00

It is very strange living in a country where there is really no understanding of the American Thanksgiving holiday. Families gathering together to stuff themselves full of turkey, more carbohydrates than one can even count, and sweet desserts until their stomachs almost explode, is quite a foreign concept to most non-Americans. But Thursday here in Japan, is just like any other day. The kids will go to school. Matt will go to work. And I will go about with my normal routine.

I really thought my first holidays living overseas and being away from family would be the hardest. But I was wrong. Maybe it is because I have so many fun Thanksgiving memories with my family and it is one of my favorite holidays (how can a holiday that you eat until you vomit NOT be a favorite?), but I find this year just as hard, if not harder. With the time change in the States (Japan's time does not change), and now being 14 hours time difference, talking with my parents is more difficult. My brother just got engaged to an awesome girl who I can't wait to have as part of our family. I have six nieces and nephews who will be running crazy, high on sugar, who will be a whole year older when we come back for home leave. Holidays are meant to be spent with family, and it is hard when family is on the other side of the world.

So what we have to do is make our own family and own memories here. It seems Thanksgiving is something many of us Americans miss, so people make their own "Thanksgiving Dinners'. Last weekend we went to a big Thanksgiving meal out at a neighborhood where several CAT families live. Great company and great food always is a reason to smile. This Saturday I am attempting to host 3 other families for our own big Thanksgiving. I am ~~extremely~~ a wee bit nervous as I haven't made most of the items on my menu since living in Japan and I am cooking two turkeys. Don't worry I already have Thai delivery on my phone's speed dial.

The hard part about creating your own family in an expat life is most of the people are transient. Meaning the people you develop friendships with will most likely move on at some point in time, whether it be before or after you. And many times, you will never see these "family members" again as they may live on the opposite side of the world from you.

So for all of you spending this Thanksgiving with your family, say an extra "Thanksgiving blessing" for the opportunity you have to spend this year with them –– no matter how crazy or dysfunctional the day may be. There are so many people, whether it be living some distance from family, missing a loved one who may have passed, or have other reasons why they cannot be with their family, who wish they could be spending the day the same way.

A Trip to Osaka Castle

2010-11-20T16:18:00.004+09:00

Matt and I headed to Osaka this morning in hopes of catching the temple sale. Someone had told us when the temple sale falls on a Sunday (it always is the 21st of the month), the sale will also be on Saturday as well. However when we got there this morning, the temple was completely empty. It was a beautiful day, so we decided to check out the Osaka Castle.

Osaka Castle is one of Japan's most famous castles, and played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. The castle grounds, one kilometer square in size, were beautiful. All around were trees with changing leaves, beautiful flowers and small ponds.

As we got close to the actual castle there were food vendors, artists and men dressed up as samurais.

The original castle burnt down in 1868 during the Meiji Restoration and was rebuilt in 1928. The main tower was damaged in 1945, during WWII and was restored again from 1995 - 1997. The castle today is a concrete reproduction of the original, however the inside does not resemble a Japanese castle at all.

When we got up to the booth to pay to enter the castle we were greeted with a big surprise.

Inside was more like a museum, with different artifacts from the original castle, and lots of history videos and information. We climbed 8 flights of stairs to check out the view from the top.

Walking up all those stairs must have made Matt tired as he fell fast asleep on the train home.

So all in all a good morning and another checkmark in our "Adventures in Japan" book.

The Burger Pit

2010-11-19T15:42:00.000+09:00

Earlier this fall I had been told the cafeteria manager at the kids school had opened a "real" burger restaurant near our house. We were very excited as the typical "burger" in Japan actually tastes more like meatloaf. So today Matt and I decided to enjoy the beautiful weather and walk 15 minutes with Chris to The Burger Pit.

The restaurant itself is small. There are a few tables and then counter-like seating all around the cooking grill. It was impressively clean and decorated with lots of Canadian flags and posters. (Jeff the owner is from Canada).

The menu was in Japanese an English and full of pictures. The menu features several different burgers, grilled chicken (which looked amazing) and grilled tofu. And even more exciting than a real burger, was fresh-cut, homemade french fries. As for drinks, you can get many different sodas, Canadian beer and wine, Japanese draft beer and imported beer, such as Sam Adams, Corona, Guiness, and Budweiser.

The burgers are grilled right in front of you, which makes the ambiance of the place pretty cool.

All three of us ordered a regular cheeseburger set, which included homemade fries and a soda. The burger came topped with fresh lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. The owner said he prides himself in using fresh ingredients.

After we finished our burger, Chris got to mark North Carolina on the the world map, showing where we lived before we came to Japan.

So Kobe now has a real burger shop. All we need is some good Mexican food and a buffalo wing shop and I will be a happy little expat.

Just Call Me a Food Hoarder

2010-11-18T17:49:00.000+09:00

A few entries ago I talked about the challenges with cooking and baking in Japan. With these challenges it is very common for expats to bring back "unable to find" from their home country when they return from homeleave. They also place orders with importing stores, such as FBC and Expat Express.

We brought back a suitcase full of baking items, wheat thins, cereals, granola bars, etc when we came back to Japan in August. Last month a few of the other expats and myself went in together and split a case of canned pumpkin and white chocolate chips shipped from the United States. Then last week a few of us discovered cheap shipping from Flying Pig Imports and ordered cereals and a few other items.

The boxes were delivered last Saturday while I was volunteering at the CHIC Holiday Bazaar. Matt took this picture and sent it to my phone, along with the message "What the heck did you order now!".

Between stuff from this summer, my latest Costco run and these orders, my pantry may be a wee bit ~~out of control~~ overstocked. Matt has ~~sternly~~ nicely told me Japan is not closing their stores, we will not be quarantined to the house for a year and the world is not running out of food, so I need to use up some of my stock before I put anything else in the pantry. I have no idea why he would feel the need to tell me this.

Believe it or not, there is an order to that madness. I can tell you where every item is what all we have inside the cupboards. For some reason Matt doesn't think so.

Stop, Honk, Crash!

2010-11-17T20:40:00.000+09:00

When I said I wanted to really experience living in Japan, I meant things like the culture, food, traveling, maybe even an onsen. I did not mean the process involved with getting into a fender-bender.

Monday after school Chris, Sami and I went to park in the parking garage at the grocery store on Rokko Island. We took our entry ticket and pulled into the lane to head to the area we always park. The car in front of us stopped so we did as well. She threw her car into reverse and started backing towards a parking spot (for some reason parking is always done backwards here) and the next thing I know she was getting really close to my car. I blew the horn and less than a second later CRASH. She had hit us.

Watching an "accident scene" here is always quite interesting and sometimes even amusing. Usually there are no less than 3 police cars and 6 policemen, all with clipboards and tape measures. From what I had always been told, doing a report is quite a lengthy process. So imagine my thoughts when I realized what had just happened.

Luckily (if there is something lucky about this) the women who hit my car spoke English. Had she not, I am not sure what I would have done. She told me we couldn't just exchange insurance information as we do for things like this in the states (yes I asked). She called the police and they showed up about 20 minutes later (I guess fender benders in parking garage isn't a high priority) and tried asking me what happened. My limited Japanese and world-champion charades didn't get me very far for my side of the story. Luckily the other woman was in a hurry so she somehow managed to get the policeman to not call in the tape measure reinforcements and he took the report and drew pictures himself. I had no idea what paperwork was our insurance card, nor the registration of the car, so I handed them a pile of folders and envelopes and prayed what they needed was inside one of them. The last thing I needed was to be hauled off to a Japanese jail, eating rice and drinking green tea until I was bailed out.

Over 90 minutes later, and a pile of fried chicken remains that I used to bribe the kids into being quiet, we were finally done playing charades, exchanging information and listening to a conversation that I had absolutely no idea what was being said. (Although my paranoid side said they were talking about me, especially when they looked my way and laughed) Needless to say my confidence in how well I thought I was doing learning the Japanese language took a serious hit.

Matt took the whole thing in stride. However he has yet to venture into the garage to see Betsy-Blue's injuries. He may have a few more choice words when he does. And it was all I could do to keep Chris from posting my misfortune on his Facebook status.

To be honest I have no clue what happens now (or what happened during those 90 minutes). The insurance agent doesn't speak English so a translator called to get my information. Apparently it will take the police 10 to 14 days to write their report and assess the percentage of fault on each person. Japan has a "no-fault" rule, so no matter what happens, some of the fault will lie on each party. After that, it is back to playing charades to figure out what happens next.

So I guess this adventure is to be continued...

Indian Cooking Class

2010-11-11T00:04:00.000+09:00

Sticking with the "cooking theme" I seem to be doing lately on my blog, today I went to an Indian cooking class. I never had Indian food until I moved here. I have found that I really like it. We have been to an Indian restaurant several times with some of our friends from the UK (did you know that Indian curry to most Brits is like Americans ordering pizza?) and I have cooked it a few times at home. However, what I have cooked at home comes from a jar and isn't anything like the real-deal. Today's class was the real deal.

When I first started eating Indian food I thought it was all curries and samosas. However I was wrong. There is so much more. Today's class was a variety of recipes –– Butter Chicken served with Nan bread, Palak Panir (creamed spinach with cheese), Aloo Tikki (a lightly fried potato pancake with green chilies and peas), samosas and mint chutney.

Taking an Indian cooking class really makes me appreciate the food so much more. Cooking Indian food from scratch is very labor intensive as there are so many spices and steps to some of the recipes. For example, the butter chicken dish was fantastic, but is very time consuming. However, all the hard work pays off when you taste the food. Yum-my!

The Palak Panir required us to make the panir cheese from scratch. I was surprised at how simple it was to make. Just boil high fat milk, add vinegar and then strain off the liquid and form the cheese.

This cheese is then added to the spinach portion (spinach, tomatoes and spices) of the recipe.

We learned how to make samosas from scratch (although we did take a shortcut for the covering and used spring roll paper). Filling the samosas was quite a chore, and let's just say I won't quit my day job to be a samosa filler. Mine were not all that attractive.

Mint chutney tastes awesome on the samosas. It is a simple mixture of blended onions, fresh mint, lemon juice, chili powder and salt.

I didn't think I would like the Aloo Tikki very much, but I was surprised at how good it tasted. And considering I married a man who would eat a potato for every meal if he could, this will be a great addition to my recipes.

I would have to say it wasn't the prettiest food I have ever eaten, but it was definitely tasty.

Cooking/Baking in Japan

2010-11-09T22:56:00.000+09:00

Back when I was in college I could barely make Jello or mac and cheese. Over the years I have grown to be pretty decent in the kitchen. I love to cook and bake. However since moving here I feel like I have had a whole new learning curve.

First, no matter how hard you try, there are just some items that you cannot find here. Fresh jalapenos, spices like celery seed and cream of tarter, noodles, buttermilk, most cereals, rotel tomatoes, most cheeses, most salad dressings, biscuits, wheat and multigrain breads, and cool whip to just name a few. Some of the items we can bring back in our suitcases after homeleave, and a few we can have shipped from the states (for a hefty cost), but mostly we just have to set some recipes aside until we return stateside.

Many of the Japanese brand items are just different than what we have in the states. For example, butter, flour, brown sugar, powdered sugar, sour cream, and yogurt all are a different consistency and taste than what we are used to. Sometimes it is trial and error to get our recipes to work with these items. Other items may have the same name as a US product, but upon opening we find out it is something totally different. Italian salad dressing is one example.

As I have mentioned before, there are import stores we can get some items not typically found in a Japanese store, such as canned vegetables, pasta sauces, brownie and cake mix, chocolate chips, nuts and other baking items. However, all these items come at a price. I have not been able to figure Japanese flour out for baking so I buy a bag of Gold Medal flour –– for $10 USD a bag. Occasionally the import stores will have a loaf of frozen multigrain bread –– for $8. And when we can get items at the import store, many times they are not the brand we want. For example, you cannot find Nestle chocolate chips here, only Hershey's.

I have to say, in some ways the challenges have been good. I have been forced to try new recipes, expand our menus, experience some different international foods, and cook more from scratch. Prepackaged, low fat and processed foods are not common here. And even though I have lived here almost two years now, there are still days I find myself banging my head on the kitchen counter because I just spent $30 for something that totally flopped and is uneatable. Or I really want to make a certain recipe to realize there is just no way to find all the ingredients.

So the next time you are walking through a grocery store take time to stop and "smell the groceries". Then email me so I can live vicariously through you –– just for a few moments.

Shichi-go-san Festival

2010-11-07T21:18:00.001+09:00

Shichi-go-san is a festival celebrated on November 15 to mark the growth of a child as they turn three, five and seven years old. In Japan, these ages are considered critical in a child’s life. Particularly, at the age of seven, a young girl celebrates wearing her first obi, while at the age of five a young boy celebrates wearing his first hakama pants in public. The age of three marks the first time where both boys and girls are allowed to let their hair grow.

Typically Westerners are not allowed to participate in Japanese ceremonies. However in Kobe, a special ceremony has been arranged just for the "gainjin" children when they turn three, five and seven. Sami was so excited to be able to participate this year as she turned seven in June.

The boys wear haori jackets and hakama trousers, while the girls wear a special ceremonial kimono. We had to be at the temple at 8:30 am for Sami is be dressed by one of the Japanese helpers. It took about 20-25 minutes for them to get her dressed in the kimono.

All Sami could say when she was done being dressed was that she couldn't breathe or sit.

We had almost 90 minutes before the ceremony so we walked around the temple grounds taking pictures.

The funniest part of the day was watching all the Japanese people take pictures of us. I felt like we were famous and they were the paparazzi. Sami was even interviewed for two TV channels. Imagine how that went considering the language barrier.

The ceremony began at 10 am. The kids filed into the temple after drums sounded. We really didn't understand what was going on, but it was pretty interesting to watch.

You can see many more pictures here.

Salsa, Guacamole, Enchiladas -- OH MY!

2010-11-06T21:30:00.000+09:00

Since coming to Japan my taste buds have been introduced to some wonderful new types of foods, such as Indian, German, Persian and Vietnamese. However the one type food you cannot easily find is Mexican. And when you do, it isn't exactly what we are used to back in the States. If you were to ask most of the American families here what type of foods they miss the most, I would bet Mexican would be pretty close to the top of the list.

I was so excited when I found out CHIC was offering a Mexican cooking class this programming session. And although the menu was mainly items I already make at home, I didn't care. IT WAS MEXICAN FOOD! Plus I love taking cooking classes and figured it would different than how I cook at home.

It took us two hours to work through the menu: Fresh salsa, guacamole, homemade chips, tortilla soup, chicken enchiladas, Spanish rice and refried beans. I think by the time it was all finished I must have been foaming at the mouth in anticipation of tasting it all.

Tortillas cut and ready to fry

Our teacher showing how to properly cut jalapenos and avocado

Ready to mix! YUM!

Cooking the chicken tortilla soup - yes that is a whole chicken

Blanching the tomatoes for salsa

Shredding the chicken for enchiladas

Mixing the enchilada filling

Getting ready to make refried beans

My appetizer plate - homemade chips, guacamole and salsa

Tortilla soup all ready to eat

Main course

I had to be rolled out of the room after we were all finished. It tasted like authentic Mexican food (It was the homemade chips that sealed the deal). And almost every recipe was different in some way than how I cook at home, so it was not just tasty, but beneficial. I cannot wait until the next program. Rumor is we will be doing chicken mole and stuffed poblano peppers. Can we say YUM!

Fall Break, 2010 -Phuket Thailand

2010-11-03T18:05:00.001+09:00

Our school has a week off for Fall Break every October. It is the time many expats here will choose to travel within Japan or to other parts of Asia. This year we decided to take the kids to Phuket, Thailand. Some of you may remember, Matt took me there for our anniversary in 2008 as a ploy to make me fall in love with Asia and move. Obviously his plan worked (although Japan is NOT Phuket).

We decided to make this a very low key, relaxing vacation as Matt has been working crazy hours and the kids were more than ready for a break from school. So instead of doing a bunch of tours we mainly just explored the areas we were staying and did small activities like Go-Karts, kayaking, swimming, shopping and lots of eating.

We split the trip up and stayed in two different areas. The first was Patong Beach. This area is known for being very busy and full of nightlife, shopping and different types of restaurants.

Looking down one of the shopping alleys in Patong.

Me and my beautiful daughter at dinner.

The kids loved playing in the pool.

Patong Beach

Ronald McDonald thanks us for eating his ice cream

Can you tell Chris enjoyed a burger at the Hard Rock?

Many of the restaurants in this area have fresh seafood for you to select for dinner.

The guys had a need for speed while the girls shopped.

Gas anyone?

You cannot visit Patong without making a stop at the banana pancake cart

After a few days in Patong we wanted someplace a bit quieter and relaxing so we moved on to the new Westin in Siray Bay. It is located about 10 minutes from Phuket Town so it was easy to go into town at night on the shuttle for dinner and some shopping. The area was absolutely stunning and very relaxing.

View from the lobby

My kids

Some beach soccer

Don't we make a cute couple?

Matt's great find

Our whole family loves Thai food.

Our family

The girls were off to explore

An afternoon treat

I treasure each one of these vacations, not because it is a great way to keep my golden color, but it has hit Matt and I hard how short of a time we have left with all our kids at home. They grow up so quickly and the memories and experiences we can have with them now are priceless. I hope when they are our age they can look back at our time as a family with a smile on their face.

You can see many more pictures here.

Trick or Treat - 2010

2010-10-31T20:10:00.000+09:00

Trick or treat is not a big thing in Japan, however our area has a trick or treat night with the local expat families and kids from a local childrens home. Our kids look forward to it, not just for all the candy, but because they love mixing with these Japanese children and seeing the smiles on their faces.

This evening it was pouring down rain from Typhoon Chaba remenants, but that didn't keep the kids from trick or treating. The kids had a blast going from house to house getting candy and even playing a few games. Emily has decided she is too old to trick or treat anymore (and in the states she is, but here not really) so she stayed and passed out candy while the rest of us went around collecting our goodies. It was a bittersweet moment for Matt and I.

Our Rambo and wedding bride

Chris looks a wee bit scary, doesn't he?

Trick or Treat 2010

Apple Picking in Japan

2010-10-21T21:16:00.000+09:00

The weather has been really nice so last weekend we decided to take advantage of it and head up the mountain to attempt a little apple picking. Most of the apple orchards are in Northern Japan, so we didn't to experience a real orchard. However, there is a park on the top of the mountain that has different seasonal fruit trees that you can pick.

This was our first time going to the Fruit and Flower Park. The place had a small amusement park, shops, a hotel, picnic areas, outdoor swimming pools, two playgrounds, a cart track, and the orchards.

It took us a while to find the orchards as they were quite a walk from the rest of the park. After we finally found them, we were completely confused trying to figure out the process. Between my little Japanese speaking ability and their completely zero English speaking ability it was quite a game of charades. We thought we had to pay per person to pick the apples and then again pay for the apples that we picked. In the end it turned out you pay to pick and eat apples until you barf and then pay for any you wanted to take home.

Sami has never been apple picking so she had a blast picking the perfect apples and having Matt hoist her up to grab them off the tree. We managed to eat enough apples to make our stomachs hurt and take a few home for later.

Chris and Sami had a great time. Emily was sad to have missed out (she had a school function that day) so we have told her we will have to return for peach season. After all, the idea of eating all the peaches you can until you barf is way more appealing than apples.

Sports Day 2010

2010-10-19T07:58:00.000+09:00

As I have mentioned in previous entries, Japan has many different holiday's than we do in the United States. After all, why would Japan celebrate Columbus Day or Lincoln's Birthday? Last Monday was Sports Day. It is always held the second Monday in October and is a day to promote sports and physical and mental health. Many schools and businesses hold a "mini Olympics" type event on this day.

On this day, Canadian Academy cancels all classes and the kids spend the morning doing their own field day. The first half, the whole school rotates through events, such as parachutes, giant ball toss, water pass, obstacle course, scooters and rocket launch. The elementary kids and 6th graders get paired up with someone in grades 7-12 and it is fun to watch the older kids mentor the younger ones. Then everyone breaks for lunch and the PTA sponsors Thai, Indian, Korean and sandwich booths. After lunch the kids head towards their own school (elementary, middle and high) field time and each school has their own activities.The elementary and middle school had a variety of activities, while the high school mainly had track and field type of events.

Sports Day is a day I think all the kids like. It is nice to leave all the books behind and get out of the classroom every once in a while. We already are looking forward to next year's.

Whitewater Rafting Success

2010-10-18T23:23:00.000+09:00

I am sure you all have been waiting on the edge of your seat to hear about our whitewater rafting trip. Well we did it! And I have to admit, minus the cold water, we had a blast.

It was about a 3 hour drive to where the rafting company was located. We were a bit nervous as the weather in Shikoku was actually quite cold (68 degrees) and drizzling. But they loaded us in 4 different layers of wetsuit clothing and sent us on our way. I was quite nervous at this point when I saw the transportation vehicle to the starting point. I felt like we were getting loaded into the Scooby Do Mystery Machine.

The scenery was gorgeous. We would like to go back and explore the area further as it is very beautiful and has some interesting scenic areas to check out.

The rapids started off pretty tame but we worked our way to Class IV rapids. There were 15 of us total, so Matt wound up in the same boat with Emily and I was with 4 other of our friends. While it would have been fun to be in the same boat, I think we had more fun watching each other get dumped out of the raft. And believe me, that happened many times. Rafting is much harder than it looks.

Part way through the trip we stopped to allow for some cliff jumping. Myself and 3 others choose to abstain from jumping. Everyone else jumped from either 5 meter (16 feet) or 10 meter (32 feet) high cliffs. It was quite scary watching Emily jump from the higher cliff. Having said that, I am just happy she didn't follow the young Aussie guide to the 20 meter (49 feet) cliff.

Despite the cooler weather and freezing cold water, we all really enjoyed the trip and would love to do it again. Don't we look like a cold, yet happy, group?

Afterwards we were taken back to the Happy Raft building where we got to put back on our real clothes, look at the promotional photos and video they shot, and had a fantastic homemade bagel lunch. Heck, I would do the trip again just for the bagels.

So overall, I give this little adventure two thumbs up. Much better than any silly hike or mountain climb.

I really need to revise my bucket list

2010-10-07T21:32:00.000+09:00

I have never been whitewater rafting, and frankly I am not sure I ever really want to! But as history has shown, I seem to get suckered into doing things that I am not exactly excited about while living over here (hiking 56k, running a 5 mile race, hiking Mt. Fuji).

Tomorrow there are 15 people, including Emily, Matt and myself, going whitewater rafting on the Yoshino River -- Japan's No. 1 whitewater rafting destination. It is about a 3 hour drive from Kobe, and since there is no school tomorrow due to teacher training, we are spending it wearing wet suits and funny looking helmets instead of lounging on the couch reading.

I am not a super strong swimmer, especially when I cannot see the bottom of the water, so this should be interesting. The company we are going with is called Happy Raft. I sure hope their company name is foreshadowing as to how I will be feeling after rafting 7 hours down class 4 rapids.

I really need to start figuring out a way to get the pair of Jimmy Choo shoes off my bucket list. This adventure stuff is for the birds.

Regyurā Mantan Onegaishimasu

2010-10-03T20:41:00.000+09:00

Surprisingly, one of the easiest things to do in Japan is to fill your gas tank. However, I would have to say what makes it so easy is that you don't really do any of it yourself. Sticking to Japan's high standard of customer service, full service gas stations are the norm. There are self serve pumps, and the tend to be a few yen cheaper, but they are confusing to us non-Japanese reading people.

One thing you will notice at many of the full service gas stations is absence of standing pumps. As you pull into the station, the service man will direct you to your "spot". From there he will come to your window and you tell him "regyurā mantan onegaishimasu" (regular gas please) and then "Genkin de" (cash) or "cardo" (credit card).

The pump hose actually comes from the ceiling of the station. The amount of liters being put into the vehicle is then displayed on electronic signboards.

While gas is being pumped the serviceman will wipe down all your windows. In some places they will offer you a rag to wash your dashboard. As my previous readers know, this is something that was a bit of a learning curve for me.

When the tank is full and the windows are sparkling, the serviceman will hand you a receipt to show how much you owe.

Yes, it costs me ¥6,500 ($78.00) to fill my tank right now. It's approximately $5.15 a gallon. Thank goodness I only fill my tank about once a month.

After you pay, the serviceman will direct your car out into the street. It will be hard to not have traffic stopped for me after I fill my tank when we return to the United States. I am totally loving the customer service here.

Vending Machine Craziness

2010-09-30T08:16:00.000+09:00

I have blogged before about vending machines in Japan. They are located almost every 5 feet and you can buy just about anything in a vending machine, from drinks to french fries to batteries and to even underwear (I have yet to see that one, as it is in Tokyo). Well now East Japan Railway has introduced a "smart" vending machine, which has the ability to recommend beverages based on your age and gender.

This machine, located in the Shinagawa train station, has a built in camera that can focus on a customer's face and tell what age and gender they are. It then groups people into decade categories, up to age 90, and recommends beverage ideas based upon their age grouping. It has a 75 percent accuracy rate.

The machine has a 47-inch touch screen display showing the drink options and will flash advertisements when not being used. Over 500 of these "smart" machines will be installed in the area within the next two years.

I get frustrated at times with some of the "outdated" and complex processes Japan seems to have in place. But then other times I just shake my head in amazement. You can order McDonald's through a barcode on your cell phone. Train passes will work in convenient stores and vending machine for payment. Cell phones with TVs on them. A 5-ft tall "human robot" to be used in offices and businesses. And now a vending machine that can detect your age and gender. Really, what will they think of next?

Yogurtland Osaka

2010-09-21T17:38:00.000+09:00

Today my neighbor and I ventured to Osaka to check out the monthly temple sale (picture a giant flea market, only with Japanese stuff). It was a bit slow so we finished early and decided to forgo our post-temple sale Mexican lunch tradition and try Yogurtland -- a new chain shop from California.

Yogurtland Osaka just opened up at the end of August, so Beth and I hurried to beat the rush for when the store opened at 11 am. Needless to say, we were the first standing in the queue and I think surprised the worker when he opened the door and found us at the front of the line.

Yogurtland's tagline is Welcome to the land of endless yogurt possibilities, where you rule the portions, the choices and the scene. The whole store's "self-serve" concept is very foreign to many Japanese. You take a bowl and then serve your own flavor(s) of frozen yogurt and toppings before having it weighed.

I am not sure what the store's price is in the United States, but here it was ¥200 per 100 grams. My creation weighed in costing ¥1027 ($12.03). Yes, I went a wee bit overboard with five different flavors of yogurt and two toppings. Needless to say, my whole family will not be going unless their creation size is regulated or my children get themselves jobs.

The whole experience was fun and totemo oishii desu (very tasty)! One new adventure that turned out to be a keeper.

Happy Respect for the Aged Day!

2010-09-19T23:37:00.000+09:00

The third Monday in September is a national holiday called "Respect for the Aged Day" or keiro no hi. This Japanese holiday, which began in a tiny village in 1947, was originally called "Old People Day" (gee, I wonder why the name was changed?) and is a day to give respect to the elderly and pray for their health.

Respect for the Aged Day is also a time to celebrate longevity. Japan has some of the oldest people in the world and this day is another way to help honor them. Since Japan's society is aging at a rapid pace, this day will be increasingly important in the years to come.

On this day some neighborhoods will distribute bento boxes to elderly in the area. Towns will hold ceremonies or shows where younger people and school children prepare special dances and songs. In schools, children make crafts for the older residents of the community. Families treat their elderly members to special meals. Banks, post offices, schools (including our International school), and some stores are all closed.

In Japan, one’s elders have traditionally been respected. How one is greeted, what name someone is called, how people are spoken to, and even how someone is bowed to, all depends upon the age of the person. It is pretty cool to see how people treat and interact with the elderly here. This day is definitely one thing the Japanese does right.

Hell on Earth

2010-09-14T16:58:00.001+09:00

For most Americans, hell on earth is at a little place called Chuck E. Cheese. For my non-American friends, imagine a place where they lock you in with 150 screaming, unattended to children, with games that beep and flash while requiring expensive tokens, mediocre pizza and a big fat mouse that dances and sings in an obnoxious manner. Well move over Chuck E... I have found something worse -- Costco Japan.

Costco is really a money saver for expats. It is where we do the bulk of our shopping as it costs less than a 1/4 of the cost of buying everything in the regular grocery store. Plus it has a few imported items that we cannot get anywhere else. The best things to buy there are meat, cheese and wine. However the downside of this little expat goldmine is the adoration the Japanese seem to have for this place. Imagine black Friday shopping (the biggest shopping day in the United States) everyday.

Costco is set up similar to the ones we have back in the states. And what would be a visit to Costco without free samples? These ladies were lined up for 20 minutes to taste some new maple syrup served on a piece of white bread. ~~Yuck.~~ Yummy!

When I go, I always head for the meat and cheese section first. It is the area that always seems to get crowded first, so I try and beat the rush. This is a typical day in the meat section of Costco.

The bakery section isn't any better.

The aisles are packed. People stand in the aisles and sections seeming to contimplate every item they put in their cart.

The only section containing a minimal crowd carries this interesting cooking item.

The most intriguing part of the whole Costco experience is what the Japanese actually purchase each visit. You will see the expats pushing overflowing carts and sometimes even two carts at a time (we typically go every 3 weeks or so) and as you can see here, the Japanese will have only a few items in their carts.

We almost always treat ourselves to a slice of pizza at the eatery at the end of the trip. By the time I am done I am begging for a date with the big furry mouse named Chuck E.

Dinner at the Ramen Ya

2010-09-13T22:43:00.000+09:00

Monday's are the only day all my kids are home for dinner and with Matt being gone we decided to try a local ramen-ya (ramen shop) in our area.

Before coming to Japan I always thought ramen was the cup-o-noodles or dried blocks that we lived on during college because we were too poor to buy anything else. But actually traditional ramen is a Japanese noodle dish with Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a broth (meat or fish based) with different toppings, such as sliced pork, nori (dried seaweed), green onions, eggs, goma (sesame seeds) and sometimes even tofu. Every shop and area has its own variation of ramen.

The shops typically have different spices and sometimes fresh ginger and garlic to add for some extra flavor.

The kids have gotten very good at eating with chopsticks over the past 21 months.

Proper etiquette is to drink out of the bowl and to slurp up the noodles off the chopsticks. I, however, just can't bring myself to do either. So instead, I drank my broth with this cool spoon and delicately ate my noodles off the chopsticks.

Most ramen shops also have one of our family's favorite little treats -- gyozas!

For once, I was actually able to read our bill! I guess 20 months of lessons are finally paying off.

The kids rated the overall dinner an A, and while it was very tasty, I think they were just excited they were all given little treats when we left.

Go Ravens Go!

2010-09-08T21:29:00.000+09:00

During this time of year, one of the things I miss the most while living overseas is American football. Luckily last spring we discovered Kobe University has an American football team (there are a handful of teams across Japan). So Sunday Matt, Chris and I went to go see the Kobe Raven's play in the first home game of the season.

Last spring we went to one of the "spring games." Basically it was similar to a scrimmage. The fall games have cheerleaders, food and some interesting songs (I think they were songs). The stadium is right next to the zoo, surrounded by the mountains. It reminded me why I love living here.

I really can't describe how beautiful the mountains are here

The Kobe University crowd was pretty upbeat, but no where near the opposing team. The other team had more cheerleaders than football players, a singing student section, fans with some noisemakers and a man who held a huge flag the whole entire time without moving.


Kobe Ravens getting ready to play

Coin Toss


Kobe Raven Cheerleaders -- Not sure why the guys are in long winter coats, but at over 100F degrees out they had to have been HOT!

Cheerleading Captain who called all the cheers

Food Stand - Cheesy hot dog baguettes or curry hot dog baguettes

Ravens in action

The most important person at the game -- The BEER man!

I would say watching the game was more like being at a US high school game competitive wise, but it was a blast to watch. Even if the Kobe Ravens did get their butts totally kicked.

Yep we are the ones with a big, fat ZERO!

School Days, School Days

2010-09-01T21:49:00.001+09:00

My kids started school two weeks ago, and up until a few days ago, I think I have been in denial on just how monumental this school year is. While Sami is just a sweet little 2nd grader, my other two are starting middle school and high school. **thud**

Monday night was the High School Back to School night. These evenings at our school are a chance for parents to meet the teachers and to understand what the class entails and what expectations the teachers may have. Instead of feeling all warm and fuzzy, as I always do with the elementary school back to school nights, I left feeling very, well, overwhelmed. Emily has some really in-depth classes. The education she is getting here is amazing. But between the classes and the talks of college, PSAT, and exam schedules my heart (and head) is starting to hurt. We have less than 1,500 days left of my "baby" living at home. Emily has less than 720 school days left until she graduates. I guess you could say my baby isn't a baby anymore.

Then take my "baby boy". He is a big middle schooler this year. Switching classes, lockers, PE uniforms, girls... what a world of difference between middle school and elementary school. So far he seems to be adjusting to the change pretty well. He has joined the middle school baseball team and already is begging to "hang" after school.

Sometimes I think the beginning of a school year is more stressful and emotional on the parents than the child itself. It is hard to see your child grow up and changing in front of your eyes. It seems like we blink and another year has flown by. I swear it feels just like yesterday that I was rocking my kids to sleep. I remember my mother warning me of this, but as a young, naive parent I blew her words of wisdom off. Before I know it my kids will be checking me into an assisted living home and cashing in my discount term life insurance.

So here is to another year of packing lunches, homework, field trips, tests and quizzes. Happy new school year to you all!

Passing the "Buck" in Japan

2010-08-25T21:05:00.001+09:00

When we lived in the United States I swore I lived at the gas station. It felt like I was always pumping gas into my vehicle. With needing to drive everywhere, and 3 kids in activities all in different directions, it only made sense, right? Here, I feel like I live at the ATM machine.

Japan is a very cash based society so very few places take credit cards. Our bank offers a credit card, which we need to have for the ETC (a computer card for the toll booths), but it is more like a debit card. The amount is taken from our bank account on a particular day every month. And of course they charge us a hefty annual fee for this "credit card".

It was so easy to use our debit card in the United States or charge and pay the bill off at the end of the month. We never carried around cash. I would even buy a $1 drink at McDonald's with my debit card. Here, it is not just common to walk around with hundreds of dollars, but almost a necessity. In fact, the daily ATM machine withdrawal limit is typically equivalent to $10,000 (yes that is TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS). Our daily limit in the United States was $500. It still boggles my mind the thought of taking $10,000 out of the ATM. You would think we gambling on Vegas or Branson vacations with that amount of cash. It sure makes me stop and think about how many zeros I am adding onto the end of whatever amount I am trying to take out.

Paying utility bills is typically done all in cash at a convenience. It seems so weird to say we are going to 7-11 to pay our water or cell phone bill. Heck, you can pretty much do anything at 7-11 from paying your utility bill to buying concert tickets to having an Amazon.jp package delivered.

All currency under what would be $10 are coins (¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥100 and ¥500). That was a very hard switch from the $1 bills and up in the United States. Here it is not uncommon to have $50+ in coins sitting in your purse or pocket. I swear it took me almost half of my time in the States this summer to get used to the difference in currency. People looked at me weird when I would hand them a $1 bill thinking it was worth $10.

There are no such things as checks in Japan. Instead you either pay cash or you do what is known as a bank transfer. These can be done via an ATM machine, the bank counter or occasionally online if the recipient is set up for bank transfer from your account. There are also no such things as joint accounts at the bank. The male is almost always the account holder. So imagine how easy it is for me to do anything that involves the bank other than using the ATM. Let's just say it is definitely one of the more headbanging moments I experience here.

Some days it amazes me how the littlest things, like paying an utility bill or daily ATM limits, are so different from what I was doing just 19 months ago. And yet, it feels like I have been doing those little things forever.

Kicking Some Mt Fuji Butt

2010-08-23T09:33:00.003+09:00

As Dora would say "We did it! We did it!" Matt, Emily, Chris and I, along with 16 other people, climbed and conquered Mt Fuji. What an amazing experience.

We left on the "Team Caterpillar" bus around 11 am. We stopped several times along the way for food and bathroom breaks before finally arriving at the 5th station around 7:15 pm.

My family at the rest area

It was recommended to be at the 5th station (2,305m) to get your body adjusted to the elevation change for at least an hour before starting. So we all grabbed some noodles, drinks, got all our gear ready to go and took lots of pictures. You could feel the adrenaline pumping through the 20 of us, and the other hundreds of people there.

My family at the starting point.

Our crew of 20!

Our plan was to hike the Fujinomiya route, but somehow we wound up at the Fujiyoshida route instead. Little did we know that this was the most popular, most crowded, most steep route. We had figured 5 hours to the top. It took us 8 hours.

There were little stations several places along the way. At these stations you can sit and rest and at some of them there are people stamping walking sticks and selling food. Some had sleeping mats. Each of these places were so crowded.

Man stamping walking sticks at one of the stopping stations.

The 7th station. Only 1076m to go!

We climbed through the night. At the bottom it was a very comfortable mid 70s temperature. The higher we went the colder and windier to became. By the time we reached the top it was freezing. I am very glad we hiked at night because we had no idea what was next and what we were in for. It was pitch black besides the light from people's headlamps. Of the 8 hours, probably at least 3 of them were scaling up different rocks and boulders. It was hard. One of the coolest parts of hiking at night was looking ahead or behind you and seeing nothing but lights and the outline of people. It was like a scene from the kids movie Antz.

Hundreds and hundreds of people hiking the Fujiyoshida trail.

At the 7th station Matt and the kids wound up in a different group than me. This was probably around 11 pm. In one way it was nice because I only had to worry about myself, but on the other hand I was always worried how the kids were doing, especially as you saw people throwing up along the way.

The part I was most worried about was the altitude. You hear horror stories of how sick people get from it. Surprisingly I never had an issue and I never needed to use my asthma inhaler or the oxygen we brought. The group I hiked with was very cautious though and when we started to get a headache or our hearts raced we would stop to adjust.

The whole goal of hiking through the night is to arrive at the top by sunrise. Sadly all the other thousands of people have the same idea. It was like being at a rock concert at the end trying to get through the trail to reach the top.

Almost to the top

Matt took this awesome picture at sunrise.

Sunrise at Mt Fuji

As we got closer to reaching the top, our group really thinned out. By the end I was just hiking with Mary Gail and I felt bad for her as I kept whining how I hiked all that way to not find my family for sunrise. The ironic part was we busted our tails to make it to the top to find Matt and the kids, to only have him stopped just below us. But it was okay, because Mary Gail is pretty cool to share the sunrise with too.

Just after sunrise I found Matt and the kids and boy was Emily and Chris tired. I really am so proud of them. How many 11 and 14 year olds can say they climbed all night long to the top of Mt Fuji?

Chris & I at the top

My family at the crater of Mt Fuji

O-H-I-O

The decent down took just under 3.5 hours. The ground was very sandy and rocky. It was killer on the knees, but the views were breathtaking.


Our decent down

The top is very bare and sandy. Once you hit about station 6, there is more trees and such.

All in all we climbed for 12.5 hours. It was a long, hard climb. People asked me if I thought this was harder than that blasted 56k hike. At first I said no, but the more I think about it, it is just different. They really can't compare as the surroundings for both are just so different. I am glad I did it. I am glad my kids did it. It was an experience of a lifetime. But I will say this... NEVER AGAIN.

You can see many more pictures here.

It's All About the Adventure, Right?

2010-08-17T16:35:00.000+09:00

Participating in the 56k hike last November so much ~~torture~~ fun, that I have agreed to climb Mt Fuji on Saturday. I have been busy the past few days organizing for 20 of us ~~fools~~ expats to go conquer this mountain/volcano together. Pain in numbers is good, right?

For those not living in Japan, climbing Mt Fuji is supposed to be the MUST do thing when coming to Japan. The mountain is 3,776 m (12,388 ft) and hasn't erupted since 1708. It is estimated that 200,000 people climb Mount Fuji every year, 30 percent of them being foreigners. Climbing really is only permitted and suggested from July 1 to August 27, as this is the time most likely to be snow free. I have been told it is hot as he-ll at the bottom and cold as ice at the top. The hardest part isn't supposed to be the climb, but the change in altitude. I am not sure what to expect.

Our plan is to arrive around 6 pm at the 5th climbing station and relax before starting our climb around 9 pm. Our goal is to hike through the night and be at the top for sunrise. It is supposed to be one of the most amazing sights one can ever see. And don't worry, I am making Matt carry my camera up. There is no way I am doing this without my Nikon.

So wish "Team Caterpillar" luck this Saturday. Because, it's all about the adventure, right?