Icciv's notes in Japan

So....

...here is another random assortment of photographs, not in any certain order because I have no time to do so.

My JTE at the wedding. His name is Kawaguchi sensei.

This is the wedding couple in their traditional Japanese outfits.

Here is the couple cutting the cake, note the smoke plumes rising beneath the cake.

This is the part where the couple go round lighting a candle on every table. Isn't that dress beautiful?

This is at Karaoke afterwards. From left to right; Ogoshi sensei, Kawaguchi sensei, Ishibashi sensei, me, Kocho-sensei, Higashi sensei, (eek forgottoen his name, and the basketball coach.

These are scenes from the beautiful festival in Narao on the day after we went to the deer island

Here are more pictures of festival performances.

Here Melissa meets the deer, which tried to eat her key. This is on an island just off Wakamatsu, you can drive there and the island is tiny. The deer were really friendly and pushed there noses up against the car windows, very cute.

Here is another cute and harmless deer, though I must admit it took us a long time to step out the car. At one point I thought Catherine wouldn't get out at all!

Anyway, hope you enjoy these snap shots!

posted by Icciv @ 10:42 am 0 comments

Everywhere you go, always take the weather with you!

It's throwing it down outside, the baseball pitch in front of school now looks more like a muddy lake. My mum arrived on Tuesday and I swear she brought the British weather with her.




Anyway, how great is this photo! I think it shows the true essence of Will. Bless him. He owns five of these jumpers and aren't they lovely.





As usual, I have photos from ages ago but none of current events, but I should sneak the laptop to work on Monday and try and get up to date. Anyhow, here are the Nagasaki festival photos.

Look at these two, such great friends. Alistair and Carrie in Milan, an Indian in Nagasaki. Very yummy.

All the stalls on the first night were so beautiful. They sold amazing food, yum! Here is Melissa and Carrie enjoying it.

Here is the decoration in Nagasaki precinct, very nice!

On the first day we tracked down the lion dancers before they started and got some happy snaps with them. Here is Melissa with two people from the procession. I got a free hankerchief that should bring me luck!

Then the lions (though it took me a great while to distinguish they were lions) came out and ran and snapped and were scarily close to my fingers at one point.

Roar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and again......roar!

This is the traditional Japanese dance. It was really beautiful and we were lucky to catch it.

This is the dragon dance, and we waited nearly 2 hours for this! Then all the kids stood right in front of us and we couldn't see a thing!

This is the boat dance that we just caught outside our hotel so we were really lucky. Each dance parades around the streets of Nagasaki giving small good luck tokens or gestures to business, for goodluck in the next year.

Also the boat is full of children! Who are playing musical, pretty cool. Can you spot Pippa running through this photo?

Finally, here is Alistair and Pippa on the last night in Nagasaki enjoying some drinks.

So, that was Nagasaki festival in a nutshell, though more did happen. Like on the second night when 10 of us went for dinner and then karaoke, and then to this club. The club was ace because it played lots of cool rock tunes and we all just danced until about 4am. Anyway......got to get my bus.....in the rain. Grrrr

posted by Icciv @ 11:13 am 0 comments

A Japanese wedding

On Saturday I went to Saenaga Sensei's wedding. He's the social studies teacher at me base school. I got picked up by my JTE at 9.20 and got a private ferry over to Fukue. It was freezing cold that morning and all I was wearing was a black dress and a tiny mini cardigan (one of those fashionable types that cover your shoulders only, I had lent it from Carrie) so I was very very cold. The ferry was nice and warm and I had a power nap on the way over! We only attended the wedding reception, but it was really beautiful. To begin with the wedding couple walk into the reception dressed in traditional Japanese attire. The Bride was wearing a kimono that looked so heavy and uncomfortable, but really beautiful! There were many speeches from kocho sensei's from different schools and the BOE members, and then a video came on that the school children had made at Uonome. It was really funny and sweet, bless them. Then Kampai was made and everyone started eating and drinking. The food was amazing and and wine was really nice too. The Saenaga's then left for a while and returned in traditional western wedding attire (suit and white wedding dress). They cut this giant wedding cake, and as they did plumes of smoke came up from the floor like a fountain surrounding the bottom of the cake, it was really pretty. Then entertainment began, with singing and dancing etc. My school made a love quiz, which I couldn't really understand....though after they sang a Japanese love song that I joined in (they translated the Kanji for me!). Then the Bride and groom left one last time before returning, the groom in a different suit and the bride in this beautiful green dress with pink bows. They then walked around and lit a candle on each table in the reception hall. Then children gave them flowers and made speeches. The couple were then handed a stuffed bear each...that is the same size as they were when they were born. They then walked towards their parents and handed them the bears. The bride made this really emotional speech that she cried the whole way through, and her mother was crying and holding the bear, and then everyone started crying and I was nearly crying and I couldn't even understand much of what was being said. Then the reception was over!

Now the smallest gift you can give at a Japanese wedding is 100 pounds! To be fair that pays for your tranport, your food, your drink and a giant bag of goodies. I was also given the floral center piece from the table that was so pretty. Now, I had assumed there would be a second party in Fukue, but instead we were taken to the ferry port at 4 and returned to Kamigoto. I was expecting to go home, and have a far earlier night than I first expected. However, I then went to dinner with 6 teachers from my base school and the basketball coach (who joined us in Kamigoto, and that I had never met before). Dinner lead to karaoke, and the teachers asked to sing so many songs! It was really good fun though, and I got to know some of the younger teachers a great deal better. It was very amusing!

On Sunday I had my first lie in for a very long time. At 11.30 Chisato san from Tai chi picked me and Melissa up and took us to her house for lunch. She gave us these pretty 1950 style aprons (that I really need now I'm baking like crazy for school) which was really sweet. We got to meet her 20 cats (all of which were lovely) and choose a kimono for the tea ceremony on wednesday. Lunch was really nice, and her friend had come over to help with her two daughters, who are also from my JHS. After dinner we looked at photos and choose material for a winter shirt and Yukatas. Chisato san hobby is making clothes so she insisted on making a winter top and a yukata for the summer festivals! We got a lift home at about 3.30, and then me and Melissa went shopping for pumpkin cake goods. I am making pumpkin cake on Thursday at Kitauonome ES so we had to do a dry run through. It took forever to peel the pumpkin, but there is no tinned in Japan so it was the only way! I cut my finger in the process. In between we went to Carrie's for dinner with Catherine, to see her photos of Huis ten Bosch (it's a dutch theme park....check the blog for more info). We were making darn cake until 1am! I'm such a dedicated teacher! It was so delicious though! Making banana bread tonight!

My mum arrives tomorrow, and I'm really excited, just hope the journey is ok for her. It's another busy week and weekend, with a cultural festival and fishing trip. Will be glad for my four day break in November, I'm going to Kumamoto, which is another prefecture on Kyushu. Anyway, cleaning time now, got to go.

posted by Icciv @ 2:38 pm 0 comments

Pigs say bu bu.

My favourite conversation at elementary school last Wednesday was about the noises animals make. The kids found it very amusing that pigs go oink and dogs say woof. The other day I was asked to name the 2nd year JHS class mascot which was a pig, so I called it Oink, being in Japan made it quite original. I love elementary school, it's the best day of the week. Yesterday I rode a unicycle and played 'tip' for ages, though I was shattered by the end of the day. The teachers are really lovely too, they gave me a towel for going to the sports day and the other teacher made me two cds of this Japanese music I like. Yey.

I'm currently sat in school trying to lesson plan but feeling exceptionally lazy. I have become particularly useless at replying to emails, or comments people have posted. It should pick up when I eventually get the net at home.

Here are some random photos from absolutely ages ago.

The beach on Fukue where the boys went wind surfing. This is the least pretty beach on their island and it was still lovely.
Here is Alistair, Ian and Tony doing the very beautiful 'Ian' pose near the top of an old volcano in Fukue.
Here are some of the Tai chi ladies. This was an amzing BBQ that they made for us.
This is from Alistairs visit ages ago when George took a shine to him!
Here is Alistair looking impressed with the giant beer you can get at Georges, I always go for the giant malibu and coke myself.

posted by Icciv @ 3:18 pm 0 comments

The 'Big Man' Cometh

This blog entry has been a long time coming, and as I'm finally getting things organised now I can write about the Big mans spectacular visit to Kamigoto. Which was nearly a month ago now but nevermind! So, Alistair came down on Thursday night as we had a long weekend. We went for Yakiniku and ended up chatting there until 1, the owners children were playing football in the restaurant and we still didnt take the hint to leave! The next morning Carrie agreed to take us sightseeing, so we picked up the Big Man from the ferry port, got some lunch snacks and headed off. I decided to go along my school route as my furthest school is nearly an hour away and the journey is quite scenic.

We stopped for a picnic at this lighthouse near Kita-uonome (where 2 of my schools are) and Carrie went home to await bed delivery. Me, Alistair and Matt explored the area.

These are the boats near the lighthouse.

Here is Matt and Alistair checking out sea creatures.

This is the view directly opposite the lighthouse, you can just make out a large rock in the bottom, named Nipple rock. It was called this by an ALt over 10 years ago and the name has been passed down by teachers to new ALT's.

Heres a lovely photo of Matt and Alistair near where we had our picnic.

This is a beautiful cove we found.

This is the Big Man exploring the cove

And here he is straddling a canon! Cool

Here is me and the Big man relaxing on a canon, oh the joys of Kamigoto

Yey, a playground, we all had a go, I miss playing on playgrounds with Cristin so it was nice to find one we could use!

Jumping off the slide, Oh such fun, such fun!

Carrie returned, and explored with Matt for a while until we wanted to leave.

I then suggested we head to a view point in Arikawa. Me and Catherine had seen the snake on the road up there but had been too scared to go up! I though with more people it would be safer to tackle, so we headed off. It took ages to find as I couldn't quite remember where is was. Eventually I found it and we drove up the cumbled road. the trees were full of giant spider webs, full of spiders. I even wound the windows up for fear of some falling in!

Here is the view point, you walk up a short path to get to it.

Unfortunately that path was also full of spiders, this is just a small example, there are 10 spiders in this picture (I checked with the zoom). We had to duck the whole way, ew, still makes me shiver.

Here is Alistair reaching the top successfully and not being killed by spiders!

This was the view, I think it was definately worth it, how beautiful is this place?

More scenic shots.

And another scenic photo.

Here is a classic Ian pose from Carrie, Matt and Alistair. This originated from this great photo of Ian (on Alistairs Island) which I try to get every else to imitate.

This is the beginning of a love story. First, Matt wasn't paying Alistair enough attention.

The Matt embraced his love, but Alistair had doubts.

Then they fell in love and all was fine. Still together now....bless.

On the Friday evening we went to find a restaurant in Aokata, but couldn't really find anywhere we fancied. We started heading to Urakuwa and then Matt spotted a little house wth 'PUB' written on the door. We persuaded him to check it out and it was a little snack bar. There was only us in there and the woman behind the bar was really sweet. She helped me and Alistair sing 2 japanese songs (as we can't read kanji it can be hard) and she was very chatty. We finally went for food in Urakuwa and then went to the 'Moon Half' (a favourite snack bar of my Kyoto sensei) to finish off the evening.

The next day was pretty relaxed, watched final fantasy and then went to George's place for dinner. He played some amazing Spanish guitar and chatted with us for ages. We had to leave pretty early as had sports day.

These are the rest of the sports day photos.

Flag marching in the opening ceremony.

Flag giving and speeches.

Boys racing, think this was 800 metres.

Some of the crowd from the day.

This was the older peoples race where you pick 5 small beans up with chopsticks, and put then in a pot.

Here is me taking part, yey.....I came last! Well they've been using them for years!

The big man, Carrie and Alistair enjoy the sporting festivities.

This is the mucade race, I have to do this next year (if I am here) at chuchi elementary. It's quite difficult.

Difficulty is demonstrated by falling racers. Hee hee.

This is the dancing, I had to join the last dance even though I had no idea what to do, it's a traditional Japanese folk dance! I tried though.

Here are the cute kindergarten kids in their race.

So, your now only a month behind my activities. This week has been busy with the big demo class day, which went well I think. I should have net access again on Thursday so I will try and put on Nagasaki photos and from the deer park on Wakamatsu, a short drive away. Anyway, it's neary lunch time and I have to prepare for my classes.

posted by Icciv @ 9:14 am 2 comments