Wandering Through Wonderland: August 2006

So I didn't so much go take pictures around the city. After a looooong weekend, I pretty much slept/stumbled through the tail end of it and beginning of the week. However, I do have a few things, and a promise to Grandma Connie is a promise to Grandma Connie - I can't go letting the old bat down just because I'm thousands of miles away, now can I? I really wish I could show you pictures of my apartment, but I don't want you all thinking I live in my own filth, so I'll have to clean up my filth before the photo shoot. Let's aim for next week, shall we?

Okay, on with the (brief, and perhaps a bit boring) show.

This is the view from my bedroom window - nice if you like houses. Just kidding, it's actually a very cute neighborhood. Now if I could just get the baby next door to quit crying 24/7...

This is the road leading up to my school. I like that the school is in the middle of a forest, it's such a pleasant bike ride to work in the morning. Let's not think of what's to become of me when winter rolls around, okay?

Here's my school! There are about 950 students, 70 teachers, and 10 or so office ladies - I feel like I've met them all in the past two weeks. Obviously not, but that is a lot of faces to try to remember. Don't worry, I've give up already. I will be making a speech (in Japanese) in front of the whole crew come Friday. Here's to hoping I don't sound like an idiot. Don't worry, I won't.

This is where I spend a lot of my time - the English room. The desk on the right, behind the couch, is mine. Mostly I just read the newspaper, or my book, or talk to this cool English teacher about jazz music, or stare at the wall. No seriously, I do some work...sometimes.

This is food. My vice principal took me out for lunch on Friday. That's crab on the top there, as for the rest I really have no clue. She tried to explain it to me (in Japanese) but in all honesty, at that point I didn't really want to know.

Here is a picture of Brett Favre, up on the wall of some skeezy club in Tokyo. Why was I there? Don't ask...

Okay, so maybe that wasn't so short. Anywho, until next time...xoxo to you all!

So on August 19th I went camping with the Furuyama family. I stayed with them for a few days the last time I was in Japan, and we've kept in touch over the past three years. The family consists of Yoshihar, the father; Megumi, the mother, Reo(9), the boy; and Maiko(10), the girl.

I had so much fun with them! On Saturday we drove up to the 5th Station, which is as far up the mountain as you can drive. After that it's a 6-9 hour hike to the peak. Not such a good idea with the kiddies, so we just hung out at the station. It was gorgeous up there! After that we hiked through one of the many caves created by a Fuji explosion. Embarrassingly enough, I was not aware that the volcanoe was still active. Luckily I'm far enough away where I would only be covered in volcanic ash, but with plenty of time to escape the sliding lava should it reach my area.

After that we checked into our cabin and made dinner. Then we walked down to the general area to light off some sparklers. That night Yoshiharu and I sat and talked on the porch. He dreams of the day he will move out of the city and have his own garden, so Dad is going to take some pictures of the garden for him. Also, they were amazed that Grandma and Grandpa Tritt have elk on their farm. They are excited to see pictures of that too. Maiko and Reo asked if I would bring them to the farm if they ever came to Wisconsin - they love the idea of a "real American farmhouse."

On Sunday after breakfast we went into town to pick blueberries. You just go into the garden and you have forty minutes to pick and eat what you can. It was great! Then we went to an alleged "bat cave," though I didn't see any signs of any bats. However, you have to admit that those are some pretty cool hats, right? Afterwards we just hung out down by the lake until it was time to go down to the bus station. We had dinner in town and then I caught a ride back to Tokyo Station. The others stayed at the lake another day, but I had to be back for a conference on Monday. I didn't want to leave! It was really nice to escape the suffocating heat of the city and just relax for a bit.

These people are the nicest family I've met here. They really try and do everything they can to make me feel safe living so far away from home. I've been giving every cell, home, work, and friend's number possible in case I ever need anything. Of course nothing is the same as having your own family to go to, but it's nice to know I have somewhere to go if I'm ever in need. I'm going to try to take some pictures of my apartment and the school tomorrow and post them over the weekend. So until next time, I love and miss you all!