Written in 2007: Hello everyone and sorry about the delay. The way that this blog works is that I will do something and then write about it then find some pictures and then post it on my blogspot. Now, my blogging host offers how to add web links to your blog entry so I plan on doing that for as many entries as I can while I have the time.
Anyway, I've been doing alot of interesting things the past two weeks (March 19th to April 6th). The day after tomorrow is the beginning of my last term as a JET teacher in Japan. The term will end on July 20th and my wife and I plan on making our way back to the US to settle down and start the next chapter of our lives shortly thereafter.
On March 19th, I met with my wife near her office in Tokyo for lunch. We dined at a Middle Eastern restaurant known as "Pita" managed by one person who acts as a cashier, cook, waiter and busboy. With Japan as expensive as it is, that is about the only way to go to keep afloat. The food was excellent and the big portions were appreciated. Afterwards, I did some reading and research at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan near the famous Yurakucho Station in the Ginza district of Tokyo. As long as I didn't make any trouble I could sit there and read the wealth of English publications that otherwise is for members only. After reading my fill, I returned back to Saitama to get ready for my main school's "Enkai" (dinner party/banquet). Prior to all of this I was telling my mother and she commented, "I like banquets since the food is usually good and it's a free meal!" I corrected her on the "Free" part of that since if you go, you usually pay it isn't anything to sneeze at. On this night's event, I ended up paying 7000 yen to dine and drink at a Italian restaurant and then spent another 1500 yen at the "Ni Ji Kai" (literally means the second time or second party) which would have been more but the quote from the first setting was a bit less that what we paid. From my experiences that usually is the case and the ni ji kai is often already paid for. So, if I don't go to these events, it is because I can't justify paying that kind of money or know that the following day is a day that I need to be fully alert not hungover ("Futsukayoi"- literally meaning the second day still drunk). I try to go at least once even if it is against my will since in most cases I am the lonely representative of foreigners, native English teachers, etc. and hope that my presence after I am gone is still felt by those I encounter in a postive and meaningful way. The banquets are alot of fun and interesting since I'm the only American and have a crowd of people who have been interesting in me for a long time but due to the office culture at school and just being plain busy, my colleagues have yet to get to know me. It helps if a team teaching person (Japanese Teacher of English) is nearby to keep me away from my electronic dictionary so that I can communicate better.)
From March 28-30, I was a volunteer teacher for a local high school that is a current participant in the new "Super English" program. To learn more about this program, please google the phrase. Anyway, this school has two teachers such as myself that are permananately assigned to the school and work with about six JTEs and basically team teach together the 1st year students (16-year-olds and the equivalant to 10th graders in the US). On this trip, we traveled from Urawa to Fukushima's British Hills resort. Fukushima is part of Japan's northern region, Tohoku (the most northern part of Japan's main island, Honshu). I went to this region for the first time in November 2006 when we traveled to Sendai (search this blog to read about it).
Upon my return to Saitama, my wife and I spent time with my father-in-law and his family on a day trip to Hakone of Kanagawa-ken. We rented a car and drove from central Tokyo (my father-in-law has an apartment there). Hakone is best visited by traveling by the famous "Romance Car" from Shinjuku Station on the Odakyu Line. The way provided us a chance to experience Tokyo's traffic (not so bad since it was on a weekend) but we also got to see Fujiya Hotel which was the place that John Lennon and other distiguished people stayed at while traveling in Japan. I have been told that it is the first western-hotel in Japan. For lunch we had soba (buckwheat noodles) and tempura (deep-fried seafood and vegetables) which are famous in this area. My wife and I noticed that famous tourist places in Japan over do it with soba and tempura restaurants since these Japanese dishes are friendly with pure gaijins such as my parents and the like. We had an interesting experience at a Japanese restuarant with my family back in 2005 at Kamakura.
After lunch we rode the ferry across the lake and then drove up to a viewing area for Mt. Fuji. After driving up to the place, we had to settle for the black eggs since it was too cloudy to see Mt. Fuji.
In general, Hakone is famous for Kamaboko (fish cakes packed like a hotdog is packed back home), kuro tamago (black boiled eggs that get their color due to being boiled in geysers in the ground), onsens (hot springs that the Japanese use for bathing) the Romance train line, Lake Ashinoko and viewing Mt. Fuji from Owakudani (the place that serves the black boiled eggs).
April 2nd was our 2-year wedding anniversary and we celebrated by having lunch near her office. Since it was a work day, that was all we could do.
Other than going to the Saitama Modern Arts museum near Kita Urawa Station, having dinner with my wife and friends near Ueno Station. One very nice thing was having dinner with my teacher friend and her family. Afterwards we had a Ni Ji Kai of our own by singing Kareoke. I still need to get better at singing some Japanese songs.
Today's picture was taken on March 31st at Tokyo's Yotsuya Station in Central Tokyo. Please note the cherry blossom's in full bloom.
The Divine Wind Vault http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com (C)2006-10
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