comfort in shuji

sometimes life really just surprises you. people never cease to amaze and astonish. one of the best parts of this life is the revealing of something just as you need it. as you know each wednesday I am a very eager student of shuji (japanese calligraphy). coming to japan I had a list of things I wanted to pursue...after making a b in drawing while in college, naturally anything too artistic was not on the list (maybe, just maybe I am still a bit bitter about that b...i mean really can we grade on talent these days?-fair enough). but nevertheless I have grown to love this wednesday challenge. today, I did NOT want to go. I had a busy busy morning at school, had a quick skype with kelsey (HEY GIRL), then rushed to the BOE for a meeting about english camp this weekend- "Hello World." after this the last thing I wanted to do was sit seiza for two and a half hours trying to write kanji that means who knows what...okay to be fair shannon and jessica always translate! the reason shuji has won my heart is my teacher. she and I should have trouble communicating...I speak no japanese...well, she laughs at the japanese words I try to use...and she speaks no english...but is quickly learning. we were early today and it was a first. sensei was very excited to see us. she showed us to the room and along the way she has displayed pictures of us with she and her husband which she took on our second lesson and of course she had us sign the pictures. love it. well today, she just surpassed her own greatness. she calls herself our japanese mom, which is what I need. I often feel alone in a sense that I cant clearly explain. so I apologize, dont take it as sadness or isolation...but we all know the feeling that comes with being away from family and friends. it isnt negative, but just a part of my daily life in japan. we sit at our table, prepare our supplies, and bow which signals the beginning of a lesson. she is quite professional, she trained under the best shuji artist in japan and her skill level is incredible. but today our lesson was very different. after bowing, she pulls out a childrens book...my heart melted. she began to read, then quickly refers to a paper where she has tried to translate a few words in english for me. with a biggest smile she read on, page by page. the story was that of the animal years and how the order came to be. although I didnt understand one word I love love loved the story. she then had a calendar had the kanji and hiragana for each year. 2010 will be the year of the tiger...which for all you 86's out there is our year!! we went through a list she had which showed what year was what...mom, you were a monkey! so our lesson today was learning to write one of four, or all ,of the kanji's for tiger. there is a special ink used, shoo (sp?) which I called neon orange...jani (no). it is very radiant and specifically used for the new years greetings. next week we will hand make new years postcards for our vice principals. at the end of the lesson she made a special kanji for each of us in shoo. I was overwhelmed when she described that I have a very special smile and made my kanji smile. of course shannon had to translate that for me! on top of all this, her mother stopped by during our time there. she hand made us beautiful tigers which is now hanging on my wall. I was very touched by this beautiful afternoon and it made me feel right at home. every week she has snacks and tea prepared for us after lessons. it is a great opportunity for us to enjoy each others company while getting such a great opportunity to learn about the japanese culture from this incredible woman. on our way out today she gave us freshly picked lotus roots, which in this area is a very common/"famous" dish. I am excited to try to cook them. her husbands friend is a farmer and brought them for us. (ill try to post pictures of this day soon). while we are all busy writing and addressing our christmas cards the japanese are slaving over their new years cards. shannon, jessica and I are plotting to make group 'uki' cards to send to co-workers. hopefully we can make it happen.

i have a lot of work packed in this week and a half before thailand. but i am so excited to get to spend time with haynes during christmas. i couldnt ask for a better present!

future travel plans include the snow festival in hokkaido, china, okinawa, climbing mt fuji...

check out my newest web collaberation... http://matsubabies.blogspot.com/

happy holidays yall!

all my arkansas love

"so des ne"...this is one of the few japanese phrases I have mastered. I use it to pretend I understand the japanese world around me. I use it to confirm strange questions by students. I use it to "communicate" with my JTE's (Japanese Teacher of English). I use it quite often. but my favorite part of using it is the laughs I receive. what a transaction. I try hard, sometimes, to make people laugh. it has never been this easy. just throw a "ne" (neigh if you are me) and man, the crowd goes wild. beware: men, "ne" is very girly, so monitor your use. the sounds of confirmation the japanese use are hard to imitate. but today, while skyping with my mom out of nowhere she spit one out perfectly. who knew! if she can do it so well, genetically shouldnt I be fated the same? ha no. I cant "ahhh soo soo so". but maybe my mom watches anime...do you mom?

it is turning into a beautiful fall in rural japan. I am waiting patiently for the leaves to change. I have been taking long drives trying to take in all the incredible landscapes offered with a stunning sunset and toped off with a crisp fall scent. only sonic could make it perfect, but it is sure close! I have discovered I am much much closer to the sea than I first thought. I can make it to the water in about 5 minutes. it is so relaxing to sit and watch...but how un-japanese. I some stares while sitting out there. as if I am not strange enough as a gijin. I do carry an "alien card".

I am off for an afternoon bike ride for groceries. I love riding along this small path near my apartment. I have tried to capture the beauty with pictures, but it just doesnt do it justice. The cranes are so agile. each one carries itself with so much class. we can only hope to be viewed as they are. maybe today will be the day I will get a picture worthy of posting.

arkansas love.

Welcome Fall! you have been missed!

Many people wait all year for summer.

Although great things come with summer, I prefer fall and all it brings!

Just some of the things I LOVE about FALL: a good farmer's market, the crispness of the air, colored leaves, wearing layers, drinking tea, sunsets, fall colors, chilly mornings morphing into sun-filled afternoons, a good run, the lingering of Thanksgiving and hopes of Christmas joy.

This morning I arrived to Toyofuku Elementary School with a line of students waiting to "touch", better known as high-five. After having a terrible day yesterday this brought the biggest joys. It didn't stop there! All day the children were overly excited to see me. Here is one conversation that occurred:

student across the courtyard yells: " Hello! Miss Erin! Erin! Teacher! Hello Erin Sensei!"

me: "Good Morning! How are you?"

student: "What's your name?"

me: "Erin? (laughing and confused--he already said my name) What's your name?"

student: "My name is Rumi. Nice to meet you."

me: "Nice to meet you, too."

Rumi then ran to his friends to tell them everything! Five minutes later, every first year student in the school is yelling and waving at me through the window. I wish I could explain the smiles on their faces and in turn the smile on mine. We had a great time singing, dancing and, of course, learning English!

Yes, today was a desperately needed great day!

This weekend: PLAN THAILAND! beach please!

with all my arkansas love.

love from home

first things first, I apologize for the admittedly poor teaser of a "blogspot" I have started. I think everyone is aware of my poor technological abilities but this is me trying to improve.

it is a friday night...I am sitting at home enjoying a warm cup of fresh locally grown green tea. this might be one of the things that brings me the most joy in japan. I was introduced to the cutest stand that sells all arrays of local green tea, light with supplements up to the darkest available. I took myself for educated (lipton- diet, berry, regular) before I stubbled across this large variety.

this evening I received my first (of many? maybe? only?) packages. it was so full of love from home I was overjoyed! my mom knows me a little too well one could argue after seeing the contents. in short it was perfect timing. thanks mom! i am most excited about starting a cranium tournament. it will hold no candle to a riley christmas in colorado but I am working with that I have.

I plan to sooooooooooon update with pictures, stories, school, trips, history, etc. all to include you in this adventure we call life.

thanks for reading.

"I used to love listening to stories of faraway places. It was almost pathological."

-murikami (japan's finest)

currently reading: On The Road (Jack Kerouac)----thanks haynes

so this is how the world works...

Test blog 1.2.3. Test blog 1.2.3.

from uki city...