Sushi

 
For all of you who hold the cultural misconception that "sushi" means raw fish, here is a vivid example to show you that it does not. Sushi is actually short for "su meshi" which is translated "vinegared rice." While raw sliced fish, called "sashimi" in Japanese, is a popular topping for sushi, it is not the only one. In Japan, I regularly see cooked fish, hamburger, and many other varieties. One of my personal favorites is the "natto maki," fermented soybeans wrapped in rice and then seaweed. This particular one includes two short but fully cooked weiners and a generous squirt of ketchup adorning two mounds of sushi, or vinegared rice. There is no fish on the plate whatsoever. While the ketchup and rice combination was new for me, it wasn't bad!
Also, for the record, the vinegar in the rice is not very obvious. They only use enough to help it stay together, don't ask me how. 

Horn Ensemble

 
Here is the group picture. Hooray! After a bit of trial and error I've figured out how the scanner feature on my printer works.
The lady to my right (next to the high table) has been especially helpful to me in adjusting and learning what I need to play well in the orchestra. She's playing first horn on the Tchaikovsky (4th symphony; I'm playing 3rd horn). The two men behind her both have excellent English conversation ability, which has been nice. Of those two, the one on the end is the section leader, responsible for communication and organization, welcoming new members and making sure all the parts are covered. The lady to my left (next to the low table) joined at about the same time as I did, this January. 

 

This is Angie filling in for Betsy. I attended this concert on an unusually sunny Niigata day. I was not really sure what I was in for, but I was delightfully surprised. As I learned later, each group performing were members of Niigata Symphony Orchestra. Some of the groups were all one instrument, i.e. eight cellos. Betsy was apart of an all-French horn group. This concert in a word was 'fun'. It was quite entertaining watching a group on the same pressing the outer limits of the instrument's range to complete a well-rounded affect. 

Lots of Japanese

Today, I'm tired because I used lots of Japanese. More than usual. But it was all good.
The first, and most exciting place where I used Japanese was at church, where I gave the message for Children's Christmas. We had a good turnout, with kids aged 1- 12, and plenty of parents too. It was a little scary for me, since I wasn't totally prepared, and I got the time wrong so I was also late and embarassed by that fact. But I just prayed that God would give me the words, and he did. Now I just hope the kids will continue coming.
The second place I used Japanese, also fairly exciting, was at a Junior High school. In the band we are preparing for festival concerts in Sanjo and Kamo with most of the junior high schools, and there was a rehearsal today. Let me relate to you my experience.

I was a little late, but they had told me that was okay. I didn't know where to go, so I asked the first person I saw, and she directed me to the horn room. I entered to find several Jr. High girls sitting in chairs in a semi-circle with their horns and music stands ready, some playing, others talking. When I entered, of course they all stopped and looked at me. I introduced myself and then asked if Kido-san or any of the other horn players were there. They said no. Then suddenly they all stood up (this is their custom) and said "Onegai shimasu" which, roughly translated means "please teach us" in that situation.
Okay, so, I'm leading a horn sectional, in Japanese, for which I don't have most of the music, and haven't prepared at all. I began by teaching them one of my arpeggio warm-ups, and from there mostly played it by ear.
I went through and asked each of their names, year in school, and what school they go to. Some were from Kamo, others from Tagami. Then I asked them what their favorite piece was, and to get it out. The top three players chose one piece, the rest chose another, so I had two of them do rock-paper-scissors to decide which we would do first.
We played a bit, did a good deal of work with tuning and chord structure, and then played through the first piece. After about an hour and a half, I decided to give them a break, during which time I got all of their names written down because I knew I wouldn't remember them otherwise. Most of them also chose that opportunity to investigate my blue eyes.
We ended up only spending 10 minutes on the second piece before it was time for full-band rehearsal. Still, they had some good questions for me, and I feel as though I was able to help a little. It was rough, but good practice for me, since even note names are a totally different game in Japanese. Everything is named by concert pitch, and probably closest to German. For example, Bb they say 'bay' B-natural is 'ha.'
Two straight hours, teaching a class to 8 horn players, in my second language, with no preparation, is a first for me on many levels. To top it all off, I wasn't even warmed up on my horn so I didn't sound so good. But my training at Wesleyan served me well, and I think I was able to help them a little. I enjoyed it, but I'm super tired now!

Late and Busy

Today was a good day, yet a busy day. I was late to absolutely everywhere I went. But it was all good.
I started my breakfast a little late, so I was late to Sunday School, but only by about five minutes. After church, I took my horn and some apples someone randomly gave me and got in the car and headed to Shibata, leaving Shirone at 12:30. I arrived at 1:40, ten minutes late for the Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner party my friend was holding at the church for his students. After packing three small cartons of leftovers, I left at 3:20. I got gas at a new gas station that had just opened, and they gave me a carton of ten brown eggs! Then I drove back to Niigata. Due to traffic, it took an hour, and I was 10 minutes late to meet my student who had invited me to see Handel's "Messiah" at Ryutopia Concert Hall. The concert began at 5, ended at 7:15 and we enjoyed dinner there at 7:30. I left Ryutopia at 8:30, got on the tollway, and zipped down to Sanjo for band rehearsal. Now, to go from Niigata to Sanjo generally takes about 80-90 minutes. However, I can go almost twice as fast on the tollway and of course there aren't any lights, so I arrived at rehearsal at 9:15! I was afraid I wouldn't be able to play any, but they still rehearsed for another 1/2 hour. Afterwards I handed out nearly 40 Christmas postcards that have the Church's Christmas worship times, and contact information, printed on them. I finally left at 10:30 and got home at 11. Now I am going to bed. Thank you for reading about my day. :-)

Christmas decorating party

Tonight, 5 of the kindergarten teachers came over to my apartment for dinner. Two came early to help me put up my Christmas tree. Even though I wasn't so great at making conversation, somehow we ended up talking for a long time. Three teacher left around 10pm, the other two stayed until after 11:30! Needless to say, I'm very tired now, so I'm not going to write much. But I found the kindergarten's website address. It's http://www.ginzado.ne.jp/~lutheran/ but there aren't pictures of the cookie making on there. There is a picture of me teaching English, though.

Cookie making

Today at Sanjo kindergarten we made cookies. Sorry I don't have any pictures... although the kindergarten website may have some.
In lieu of teaching actual mini-classes, today I just "helped out" as the kids got to "make cookies," essentially shaping vanilla and chocolate dough into fun shapes that the teachers then coated with egg yolk and baked. I got to make a few things along with the youngest kids, but by the time the oldest kids came in I was helping out the teachers and passing out more dough. By then it really did turn into an English lesson because I asked the kids to ask me for whichever kind they wanted in English. We were pretty much just going with "white" and "chocolate." I was really happy that some of them remembered to say "please" along with it. "White please!" "Chocolate please!" It was really cute.
I wasn't even able to stay until the end of it because I had to eat lunch with the kids who were already done, and then go heat up the room for my adult class.
Classes went well today, and were mostly uneventful. The only exception was a spontaneous acrobatic game of sorts with all seven of my first and second grade girls. It's kind of hard to describe... suffice it to say it was a fun way to end class.
Wednesday was long as usual, but partly because I went shopping after I finished cleaning up from class at around 7pm. I mainly went to find ribbon for the Christmas ornaments we are making, but I also found some cool material for a skirt I've been wanting to make, and another pair of driving gloves that were on sale. :-)

Japan friends

 

Even though I just saw everyone in VYM at the beginning of November at fall retreat, it was cool to have more time to spend with the folks in Tokyo whom I don't get to see so often. I also met another teacher who is not in VYM but whose job in Ofuna is very similar to mine, so it was good to meet and talk with her too. In the picture I'm talking with Bethany, a Ver who began teaching in Tokyo this past spring. 

New Friends

 

This man was very friendly to everyone. He's a lay member of the church in southern India and he's a building engineer. He met and invited virtually everyone at the conference to come to India and stay at his house with his wife and children. I enjoyed meeting him and some of the pastors of the church in India. I also enjoyed meeting many missionaries and pastors from various other Asian countries. 

Old Friends

 

This is me and my friend Ruth at the beach in Macau. She and I met way back in stateside orientation three years ago, and have kept in touch. When the conference ended Sunday after lunch, I went home with her to Macau for the afternoon/evening, and then went back to my hotel in Hong Kong for the night and flew home to Japan the next morning. There were also a few other people that I knew or new of that it was really great to connect with during the summit. 

Food and sightseeing

 

Decisions...decisions. Thursday afternoon evening found me shopping with friends. Here I am dining at an Italian restaurant in the vicinity of Stanley market, on the south end of Hong Kong island. I eventually chose a vegetable risotto. I was very happy that I could do all of my Christmas shopping that night, and also later on Sunday night when I was in Macau. 

Discussion groups

 

One of the best aspects of the summit was the discussion groups. In them, we had a main theme to discuss regarding what is possible when it comes to missions in Asia. For example, our first topic was, what does 'being Ablaze' mean in Asia? In groups of about 10, we discussed it for a while, and then each group shared one or two main points. It was very productive, and a good way to make sure that every voice was heard. 

Back from Hong Kong

 

I'm back from Hong Kong and the Asia Ablaze Summit. It was an excellent opportunity, and many good things happened, but I'm tired. I don't know if it is jet lag, or just overall travel fatigue, or returning to a cold climate from being in the tropics, but I'm tired!
This was taken by a friend of mine during one evening of sightseeing. I also did some shopping and went to Macau when I had free time. 

Very interesting

Okay, part of this is a little bad, (the last part) but the rest of it is too funny not to put on here.

You Are a Henna Gaijin!

You're not Japanese, but you wish you were! You can use chopsticks with your eyes closed, and you've memorized hundreds of Kanji. You even answer your phone "moshi moshi." While the number of anime videos you've seen is way higher than the number of dates you've been on, there's hope. Play the sexy, mysterous gaijin, and you'll have plenty of Japanese meat.

What's Your Japanese Subculture?

hmmm... I already knew this

Brainy Kid

In high school, you were acing AP classes or hanging out in the computer lab. You may have been a bit of a geek back then, but now you're a total success!

Who Were You In High School?

Only thing is I didn't ace any AP classes...

Here we go...

My friend and I decided to go ahead and try it. If the mikan falls off your head, you lose. Or, if you lose hold of the towel, you lose. In the first round, I kept my mikan on, but hers fell off. The next round, the challenger managed to pull the towel from my hand. Such are the exploits of fall retreat in VYM! 

I'm mostly just experimenting here

This was the prelude to the mikan wars. Mikan is Japanese for 'tangerine.' Basically two people face off. With one hand they each hold one end of a towel. Balancing a mikan on their head, they try to get the other person to lose. 

We'll see how it goes

I've done a blog before, but I often find it is hard to keep up with it. My mind works in random ways, so even though there is a lot going on, I won't always remember. "Oh yeah, I'll have to write that in my blog." I've never been able to keep a journal consistently, and it's the same way with this. Probably it will be the most convenient for sharing photos. We'll see how it goes.