One Year

Yes, it's been exactly one year and one week since I first arrived in Japan. I would say I can't believe it's been a year already... but to be honest I can. Don't get me wrong, I am thoroughly enjoying myself but I've gone through so many phases (maybe what some would call culture shock) it almost seems like it's been more than a year. Somehow every season was a new adventure. My hope is that in this next year I can just enjoy being in Japan, knowing what's around the next corner and getting to delve further into the mystery that is Japanese culture.

That being said, here's my list of things that I've appreciated in the past few months:

1. Gion Festival: perhaps the most famous festival in Japan, my friends and I got there at 8:00 am just to be able to stand in front when the parade went by. There were giant portable shrines (this time on wheels) with people riding in the front, up in a room-like space and then there were some on the roof as well. I wish I could put pictures up but I really don't know how... Oh, also the incarnation of God was riding in the top of the first portable shrine (called hoko).

2. Babies. Right now it's summer break so I'm not going to the Jr. high or elementary schools. It's all nursery school all the time! Sometimes I get a little fed up when I have four children pulling on my arms in different directions asking me to play with them but really... is that something to complain about? For the most part the kids are really sweet and really cute and a good two hours of my work day is spent either putting children to sleep or taking kyukei (an hour long break in a small tatami room where I eat snacks with the other teachers). It's perfect.

3. Mamiko. I don't know if I've written about Mamiko before but she is my best friend in Ujitawara and has not only helped me in times of need (cockroach emergencies, homesickness etc) but she is an amazing friend whose amazing, old Japanese house is a place I can go anytime. We've spent the year driving around Kyoto prefecture, traipsing through malls, mountain climbing and eating all kinds of Japanese food together. She is someone I'm really going to miss when I leave next year.

4. My Uji friends (and Kyoto, Kameoka friends etc.) Of course, when you live in a country where the culture is so different from your own you definitely need to get out sometimes and talk with other native English speakers. For me my friends in Uji and Kyoto have been so amazing and we have had so much fun in Kyoto city together. I'm especially going to miss Katherine (from Australia) who lived in Uji last year, and Ian (from the US) who was living in Kyoto but was a regular guest in Uji and host in the big city (Kyoto). It's not going to be the same without them :(

5. Fall: it's hot right now. So hot and so humid. No one feels like doing anything or even eating really. I can't wait for it to cool down and for the fall colors to come out! (Even if that's not really until November >_<)

6.Giant frogs: Mamiko and I saw a frog cross the road that was seriously the size of a small puppy. It was huge.

7. Cicadas: I used to hate how loud they were in Nagasaki because they woke me up every morning, but in Ujitawara they're not so noisy and it's come to be a really soothing sound during the hot summer days. Also, I'm not as afraid of them anymore (they're usually about two inches long or even bigger) I think because the boys at the nursery school bring huge bugs to school to play with every day. I'm talking about 3-inch-long stag beetles that these boys keep as pets! They're an inch tall!

8. Going home: I have been looking forward to August 13th for MONTHS. I cannot wait to come home and see all the people I love and miss so much! I only wish I didn't have to leave again!

9: People who read this blog: if you are reading this (and are not some creepy stalker) I appreciate it. I hope you've been able to get a little glimpse of what my life is like here from this random assortment of events, impressions, and experiences.