As you may have already known MAY 14th was Akemi's birthday (Chi's mom!)
I put together a little movie in about 4 hours before work... hope you all like! The quality on the final version is perfect, but I had to reduce the size to put it online... APOLOGIES PLEASE
Make sure to turn up the volume... the song is sooo rad. Tho.... the table was dirty and I got hell for not washing it down before shooting... by "catching hell" I mean apologized to often... japanese people sure know how to chastise people.!!!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
ManjuMaki
Everyone,
Sorry for the long pause between upates but I was busy making a wedding video for Chiharu's friend Shimochan who had her wedding yesterday!!! IT was a great occasion... The bride and grooms first kiss was on their wedding day... how romantic is that (though really unusual in Japan)??? It was a traditional Japanese style wedding so I was made to bow and pray for the new couple in a shinto shrine, and given sake to drink which improves on the American standard wedding by giving people alcohol even before all the main receptions and parties (which come after the ceremony in Japan). Sadly we had a huge snowstorm over the weekend which has dumped over a foot of snow on the ground, but the sky cleared and let the sun through for her Manjumaki celebration which is a ceremony unique to Fukui Japan. On a wedding day people are to gather around the outside of the grooms house (usually neighbors) where the grooms family will throw from the roof or a high window food, snacks, and japanese style treats to the people below. I say there were probably 60 people waiting with huge shopping bags below, all of them got 1 or 2 bags full of food. I got hit in the head a few times by flying chocolate, but it was worth it. Here are some pctures, including a picture of the chocolate that hit me... Disney.
The video I made for Shimochan was 22 minutes long. Crazy right? I finished it in less than a week, while working at my job, and learned so much in such a short time that while I wasn't invited to the reception dinner (only for family and close friends) I made for her an extra short movie using pictures I took from her ceremony. Here's that movie.
Chiharu got all dressed in a Kimono which looked amazing on her... It was the first time I really got to see her wearing her Kimono. I dressed in my new suit and showed off American style (or British style as everyone tells me I look British... I guess its payback for Americans always calling Japanese people "chinese")
from l to r: Miki, Jima, Kase, Tsuchi, Shimo, CHIHARU, and Rie
Oh... by the way... I'll be officially married in two weeks... And Shimochan and Tsuchi will be there too! ^^
talk to you soon!
Sorry for the long pause between upates but I was busy making a wedding video for Chiharu's friend Shimochan who had her wedding yesterday!!! IT was a great occasion... The bride and grooms first kiss was on their wedding day... how romantic is that (though really unusual in Japan)??? It was a traditional Japanese style wedding so I was made to bow and pray for the new couple in a shinto shrine, and given sake to drink which improves on the American standard wedding by giving people alcohol even before all the main receptions and parties (which come after the ceremony in Japan). Sadly we had a huge snowstorm over the weekend which has dumped over a foot of snow on the ground, but the sky cleared and let the sun through for her Manjumaki celebration which is a ceremony unique to Fukui Japan. On a wedding day people are to gather around the outside of the grooms house (usually neighbors) where the grooms family will throw from the roof or a high window food, snacks, and japanese style treats to the people below. I say there were probably 60 people waiting with huge shopping bags below, all of them got 1 or 2 bags full of food. I got hit in the head a few times by flying chocolate, but it was worth it. Here are some pctures, including a picture of the chocolate that hit me... Disney.
The video I made for Shimochan was 22 minutes long. Crazy right? I finished it in less than a week, while working at my job, and learned so much in such a short time that while I wasn't invited to the reception dinner (only for family and close friends) I made for her an extra short movie using pictures I took from her ceremony. Here's that movie.
Chiharu got all dressed in a Kimono which looked amazing on her... It was the first time I really got to see her wearing her Kimono. I dressed in my new suit and showed off American style (or British style as everyone tells me I look British... I guess its payback for Americans always calling Japanese people "chinese")
from l to r: Miki, Jima, Kase, Tsuchi, Shimo, CHIHARU, and Rie
Oh... by the way... I'll be officially married in two weeks... And Shimochan and Tsuchi will be there too! ^^
talk to you soon!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Blue Bola.
Its freezing here without central heat... I see my breath indoors, I sleep in a room where water can freeze, and snow storms can dump an inch of snow in 20 minutes... crazy... I was teaching my class and this was the view I came out to. Interestingly the roads never freeze or snow over because in an example of Japanese ingenuity they pipe in hot water over all major roads in every city and town. Japan has an abundance of water (heavy rainfall amounts and snow that melts gradually throughout the entire summer), and perhaps one of the most integrate systems of dams anywhere in the world (only two rivers in Japan have been left untouched. The rest damned to be dammed). Here is the snow, the cold, and the fountains. Cell phone cameras... got to love them...
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Super Tuesday
Well good luck to all the candidates this super tuesday and by that I mean of course only the two I care about Obama and Paul... and, well, Rob if he ever decides if he's running or not... Honestly Rob I thought the Whig party retired a long time ago. There's a city near Fukui called Obama, which seems like fate, because I have yet to see Huckabee city anywhere on a japanese map.
Today I taught 5 classes and went to the gym.. I finished the day eating my dinner which is sure to make any red blooded American jealous.
Actually my lunch was quite big, and so am I... after all I have to compete with Rob. 15 pounds he says.... how many kilograms is that...
Monday, February 4, 2008
In the words of the 20th century poet Eddie Murphy: "I want to party all the time. Party all the time. Party all the time."
Well not to ever give us a break from our busy weekends leading up to our wedding, friends wedding (which requires us to create a touching video for her to play at the reception), trip to Hawaii, and all our other obligations, we decided to host a party for 15 people because... well... It was the superbowl... and I'm still American... and even though we couldn't watch it... I felt I am fullfilling my American duty of getting people drunk on superbowl sunday... Even though it resulted in me driving a group of people home at the end.
Here's a picture of the group after 6 people had already bolted for reasons unknown other than that they are no longer my friends... seriously 10 PM??? sheesh ^^...
From the left:
Naomi - Who is my assistant hair stylist - Speaks a little English - Doesnt know anything about football :(
Tomo - My hair stylist. - No English, but a great guy and makes me look like Prince William. So my students say.
Shuko - I met her for the first time. Just got back from Czech Republic. Speaks a bit of English. Reccommends me to visit eastern Europe.
YUTA! - Kind of like my student who I really admire. Smart, and interesting med student... He can save your life with a battery and two wires...
Kiyoshi - Still finishing college, Kiyoshi has a great and fun personality and reminds me of the humor we have back home... so he's sarcastic.
Ayako - My student I teach every tuesday. Fast learner and really enjoys talking to people in English. Wonders why I tell so many embarassing stories in class.
Ryutaro - I met him by chance when he interviewed me for his news service. He spent a couple of his middle school years in america and now loves basketball and Reggie Miller... Great nearly perfect English and a good friend...
Me and Chi are missing... Chi cooked a wonderful meal which everyone loved and also talked to everyone and made them feel very comfortable. 6 other friends came but left early including 5 fellow teachers from Fukui (where I live) and Takefu (where I work). This doesn't help the stereotype that teachers are lame... Curphews??? who knew...
Talk to you all soon. Or... at least write.
Here's a picture of the group after 6 people had already bolted for reasons unknown other than that they are no longer my friends... seriously 10 PM??? sheesh ^^...
From the left:
Naomi - Who is my assistant hair stylist - Speaks a little English - Doesnt know anything about football :(
Tomo - My hair stylist. - No English, but a great guy and makes me look like Prince William. So my students say.
Shuko - I met her for the first time. Just got back from Czech Republic. Speaks a bit of English. Reccommends me to visit eastern Europe.
YUTA! - Kind of like my student who I really admire. Smart, and interesting med student... He can save your life with a battery and two wires...
Kiyoshi - Still finishing college, Kiyoshi has a great and fun personality and reminds me of the humor we have back home... so he's sarcastic.
Ayako - My student I teach every tuesday. Fast learner and really enjoys talking to people in English. Wonders why I tell so many embarassing stories in class.
Ryutaro - I met him by chance when he interviewed me for his news service. He spent a couple of his middle school years in america and now loves basketball and Reggie Miller... Great nearly perfect English and a good friend...
Me and Chi are missing... Chi cooked a wonderful meal which everyone loved and also talked to everyone and made them feel very comfortable. 6 other friends came but left early including 5 fellow teachers from Fukui (where I live) and Takefu (where I work). This doesn't help the stereotype that teachers are lame... Curphews??? who knew...
Talk to you all soon. Or... at least write.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Mountain / festival / and Mayson.
Welcome to Drew's life. If you are here... you are probably my relative and I'm forced to ask... why havent you come to visit me yet?! Ive been waiting a year come this February 27th!! First I want to take this moment 2 months later to say thanks for all the great christmas love and presents!!! For those sending cash it has been saftly deposited. For those who sent food it too has been deposited, though not at the bank. For those who sent nothing forgive me for sending nothing back to you.
Well today Im writing exhausted. A bad week of sleep, a rough week of work, an overzealous hiking trip, and a lousy festival with great chicken.
1st the week of bad sleep. As some of you have already learned I was denied a chance to work for the government sponsored JET program which hires mostly recent college grads for a chance to teach young Japanese girls in high school (which seems to me like a dangerous combination of personalities). Because of this I am currently losing sleep finding a different work opportunity that doesnt involve me learning the phrase "would you like fries with that?" in Japanese.... So I had a nightmare that poor ole Rob came for a visit because he thought I would be off, but as I was still working for the same weak job I have now I was unable to even pick him up from the airport which he slept in, Tom Hanks style, for two weeks before going home... sad. Hopefully this will not be the case Rob if and when you actually do arrive!
2nd, todays mountain. Called Monjusan this tiny mountain (only 1000 ft tall) is hardly full of adventure which I know as I have hiked it 2 times previously on leisurely trips that are relaxing and a good workout. Wishing to make the climb slightly more attractive I decided on an unknown trail on the way up. Well the unbroken snow told me I was alone on the trail for this particular day. Alone EXCEPT for the bear that I must have stumbled upon (but not fully roused). This was my first bear experience, and it honestly spooked me to death, but thankfully I never saw it... Just heard it grunting at me from somewhere off in the snow and trees. To prove I still stuck it out until I reached the top here I am alone in the fastest snapshot I ever took before I hiked down away from the trail I took up (bear avoision techniques), a detour of 2 hours.
3rd, todays festival. Setsubun. Which is a prayer to prevent evil rom visiting on your life, so the procession usually involves kicking out priests dressed as demons from the shrine's grounds... but... I dont know about real demons... but these demons I saw today were wearing plastic suits and masks which remind me of those old peanuts halloween costumes which were just a plastic snoopy mask and grey pajamas. The highlight of this festival is after the oni (demons) are vanquished the priests throw mame (beans) at the crowd to eat... Im all for Japanese festivals but this felt cheaper than my elementary school play "Supernova" which was just a bunch of 10 year old students dressed in tie dye. This is not me just being mean, Chi literally apologized on behalf of all foreigners exposed to this sub-par celebration. Anyway.. heres a fat pic of me walking to the shrine with Chi, her dog, and her grandma... :P.. Chicken carnival food came after...
See you all soon... LOVE!!!!
I do realize I wrote nothing about Mayson... Maybe a picture to come! ^^
Well today Im writing exhausted. A bad week of sleep, a rough week of work, an overzealous hiking trip, and a lousy festival with great chicken.
1st the week of bad sleep. As some of you have already learned I was denied a chance to work for the government sponsored JET program which hires mostly recent college grads for a chance to teach young Japanese girls in high school (which seems to me like a dangerous combination of personalities). Because of this I am currently losing sleep finding a different work opportunity that doesnt involve me learning the phrase "would you like fries with that?" in Japanese.... So I had a nightmare that poor ole Rob came for a visit because he thought I would be off, but as I was still working for the same weak job I have now I was unable to even pick him up from the airport which he slept in, Tom Hanks style, for two weeks before going home... sad. Hopefully this will not be the case Rob if and when you actually do arrive!
2nd, todays mountain. Called Monjusan this tiny mountain (only 1000 ft tall) is hardly full of adventure which I know as I have hiked it 2 times previously on leisurely trips that are relaxing and a good workout. Wishing to make the climb slightly more attractive I decided on an unknown trail on the way up. Well the unbroken snow told me I was alone on the trail for this particular day. Alone EXCEPT for the bear that I must have stumbled upon (but not fully roused). This was my first bear experience, and it honestly spooked me to death, but thankfully I never saw it... Just heard it grunting at me from somewhere off in the snow and trees. To prove I still stuck it out until I reached the top here I am alone in the fastest snapshot I ever took before I hiked down away from the trail I took up (bear avoision techniques), a detour of 2 hours.3rd, todays festival. Setsubun. Which is a prayer to prevent evil rom visiting on your life, so the procession usually involves kicking out priests dressed as demons from the shrine's grounds... but... I dont know about real demons... but these demons I saw today were wearing plastic suits and masks which remind me of those old peanuts halloween costumes which were just a plastic snoopy mask and grey pajamas. The highlight of this festival is after the oni (demons) are vanquished the priests throw mame (beans) at the crowd to eat... Im all for Japanese festivals but this felt cheaper than my elementary school play "Supernova" which was just a bunch of 10 year old students dressed in tie dye. This is not me just being mean, Chi literally apologized on behalf of all foreigners exposed to this sub-par celebration. Anyway.. heres a fat pic of me walking to the shrine with Chi, her dog, and her grandma... :P.. Chicken carnival food came after...
See you all soon... LOVE!!!!
I do realize I wrote nothing about Mayson... Maybe a picture to come! ^^
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)