They're Here! They're finally here!

They came flying in from Mineanapolis and arriving at Narita, Japan with a delay of 30min and a baggage claim/customes clearance of an hour. I had been waiting at the airport for over two hours by the time I saw them. I had been debating whether I should run towards them as they came through the little door, crushing all the innocent bystanders as I went on a rampage to get to them, and then embrace them as onlookers cheered; or to play it a little more conservative and wait until they made it to me as I held a little handmade welcome sign. I had decided to make a scene until after an hour had passed, and then I made the little sign, it read: "Yokoso Nihhon e" or welcome to Japan "Wifey, Summy, and baby Ammon."

When I first saw Summer she looked lost, and tired, and she was carting more luggage then I saw entire Japanese families carrying. I hollered "Sum! Over here!" and then saw Monica with Ammon strapped to her as she pushed the stroller with more luggage in it, followed by an airport worker who was pushing a second big cart, as full as the first. Monica looked so different to me, she had cut her hair, lost weight since I'd seen her last, and was carrying a little boy who I only vaguely recognize from my memories of him at two weeks old and from the pictures that I've cherrished so much these past two months.

I was stopped in my path and the only thing I could say was "uhh, Over here!" and when they saw me they gave me weird looks and made their way over towards me. I gave Summer a hug, Monica a kiss, and rubbed Ammon's cheek. Then they told me they barely recognized me! I guess something happens to people as they get accustomed to life in a foreign land.

They are here, they are happy, they love the appartment, and they loved the ramen shop we went to last night. Ammon has been fussy, but I think that it is probably difficult for him to be among so few recognizable sights, sounds, smells and people (including me). We made friends this morning though, and he smiled and kooed for me as his mommy took a bath.

Hiking in Takato

At a one night, two day English camp I volunteered at I was able to sneak away in the early morning of the second day to go for a little hike. The camp was held at a lodge-resort in the mountains in the south of the prefecture, maybe 50 kilometers from Iina. I will probably talk about the camp in another post, I had a blast, and those kids were really great.

In this part of Japan, I am told there are a good number of bears, and deer, and mountain goats. Their bears are about half the size of a medium sized adult black bear back home. I saw a couple of deer jumping through the thick brush and up a hill as I made my way up the path. I did not come accross any other animals, but I did happen to see a very strange set of tracks. If you look at it carefuly, you will notice that it looks like a handprint. It is a monkey print! There are monkeys in the forests here in Japan, and this was proof.

As the sun made its way over the surrounding mountains and let some light down through the tops of the trees, I had to take a picture. It was quite beautiful.

In Utah, the quaking aspen grow limbs that twist and curl, but I have never seen a tree like this.

Images of my son

Hello.
If you don't know, I am in Japan without my family for just about two months now. Of course it has been difficult, but through the miracles of international phonecalls, the internet, and international mail, I have been able to get little glimpses of little Ammon's growth.

He wasn't but 3 weeks old when I saw him last, and when I see him again, it will be his 3 month old birthday. I feel like I am the luckiest guy in the world. At the same time, it is as if I had won the lottery jackpot, and have had to put my winnings in the bank while I've gone hungry.

I am amazed at every picture I have recieved, because I see how much Ammon has grown, how much he looks like me, how much he looks like his mother, and how happy I am that he is healthy.

In only a week from tomorrow, my sweet wife, and smiley baby will join me here in Japan, and I will break the bank on them.

Spencer

School Festival

Although Japanese schools do not have proms, or stomps, or girl's choice dances or the like (which I pitty the students for), they do have school festivals.

A Japanese school festival, is where each class (note: students stay in the same classroom all day, and teachers change rooms) displayes its yearly project, or hosts an activity. It also has large opening and closing ceremonies. At Nagano Kogyo, it opened with a taiko drum group and ended with fireworks.

For example, the third year electronics students built a godzilla that lights up if you pump a bycicle pump fast and then you have to stomp on its tail when it lights up. A computer networking class printed out calanders for visitors using photos from their cellphones. An architecter class built a cement boat, and ferried students around the swimming pool in it. There were also three student bands. Both were punk bands, and I have been able to make friends with students in both bands.

Although I think the students are really missing out with the lack of dances, they develop a comorodory seldom seen in the USA that fosters an inclusive atmosphere that is truely inspiring. It seems to be a great tool to destroy clicks that so easily develop elsewhere.

I must admit that I had a lot of fun. I also took off for about an hour and watched a Rugby game. Our school and the other school tied. We have not won them for 19years, and a tie is desirable in Japan. It is like a win, but neither teem looses face. Many of the rugby team members were in tears they were so happy. The coach, who's English is supurb because he traveled the world as a member of the national team, cursed up a storm (in Japanese) because he wanted the win.

Inariyama Yogo Gakko, school for the disabled

I have the privilage of assistant teaching at three different schools, each with their own personalities, and each with great kids making Japan the great place that it is.

My third school, which I only visit about once a month, is a school for the disabled. In America, most schools have a special classroom designated for the special needs students. In Japan, however, all the special needs kids come from all over to go to special schools. I had the great privilage of associating with these eager learners and was touched by how quick they opened up to me and shared their love.

This is a picture of the elementary aged kids, all of them in wheelchairs, all of them quite developmentally delayed. All of them eager to smile and participate although they couldnt have understood a word I said.

In December, I will make two trips to Inariyama, where I have been invited to be Santa Claus. What an opportunity!

Cooking in Japan

As the saying goes, when in Rome do as the Romans do; likewise, when in Japan, eat as the Japanese do.

I have tried my hand at several common Japanese dishes, including: nashi-tsukemono (pickled eggplant), tempura, sukiyaki, zaru soba (wheat noodles), curry, kabocha, and nabe. Some of them turned out great, others... were, well, oishikunai.

Here is a picture of the nabe I made, it is a kind of stew. It wasnt wonderful, but it was pretty tasty for beginner's I think.

Regional Specialties

Utah is famous for Mormons, good skiing, its mountains and desert rocks, but as for food... yeah, we eat it, and my mom can make a heck of a potato salad, but it doesn't go much deeper than that.

In Japan, every prefecture, down to every villiage, has a specialty it is known for. For instance, at the store, the best and most expensive milk comes from Hokkaido. Nagano prefecture is famous for its horse meat, Nagano city for apples, Kawanakajima-machi (suburb) for grapes, and Wakaba-cho (subdivision) for peaches.

So, strangely enough, these often are told me when I give my address. Anyhow, it seems to be true; milk from Hokkaido does taste better, and I have eaten about a dozen locally grown peaches that were to die for. Here is a pic of the biggest, sweetest grapes I've ever had.

Spencer

Binzuru

On the first Saturday of every August, so on Aug 6th this year, Nagano City has its biggest summer festiva. It is named for a Buddhist Monk who had a great deal of fame here some 450 years ago.
It starts out with the transportation of mobile shrines through the streets.
This was the first festival I had taken part in here in Japan. The Nagano International Center invited some of us newbie gaijins (foreigners) to dance with their group in the streets. Now, let me explain, their are different groups that sign up to dance - including employees of a department store or club, for example all the sales ladies at a department store being led by their floor managers, or members of the Hakuba kendo club being led by their captain. Music is played on loudspeakers throughout the city, and maybe eight streets are closed for dancing. Each group dances with their own choreographed movements with matching happi coats.

It was awesome. Thousands of people, mostly in traditional styled clothing, dancing and shouting SORE! which means somethinig to the effect of WORK HARD! When it started I was a little anxious, and although I danced, I was in the back of the group and didnt shout as others did. Then every 30min or so the dancing stopped, and everybody drank as much alcohol as they could before it started up again while I drank a lot of calpis (a sports drink). The enthusiasm people had was contagious, and after about an hour, I was at the head of the group shouting SORE! and was doing the dance with all the flare of an old man I saw who later passed out from too much Sake.

During the last break, I offered to hold the group's sign for the leading woman who was quite noticably tired. She thanked me and asked me to hold it the remainter of the festival. Before I knew it, I was the the standard bearer, a big 6ft fan with kanji characters in bright colors telling who the group was. I must admit I felt as though I were six years old again, and I was leading a marching band in a parade. I really got into it.

Welcome to my blog

Over the course of the next few weeks, I will be taking emails that I have sent, in whole or in part, and making them the first blogs. I also have a number of pictures I have taken with my newly acquired fancy Japanese cell phone. I intend on sharing those as well.