It all started when I was asked to make Christmas wreaths with the Grade Four class at Saigo Shougakkou (Elementary School) on November 30th.
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| The teacher soon discovered that I was being honest, not modest, about my lack of craft skills, and presented me with this lovely creation at day's end. |
The next day, all of the ALTs from across Tottori Prefecture congregated in Kurayoshi for the annual Skills Development Conference. Not only did I get a lot of fantastic teaching ideas and inspiration...
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| ...I also convinced Mary (originally from Portland) to pose in a cheesy photo. |
On December 3rd, it was off to Kyoto* with Garrett, Rena, Karen...
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| ...and our new friend, Cooper (who we met up with at the festive Kyoto Train Station.) |
A few days later, back in Tottori, my package(s) of omiyage arrived!
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| over 300 candy canes from Mexico for my many teachers (and some lucky students) |
My elementary school kids got a kick out of the contents of my Show and Tell Santa stocking...
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| while some teachers were quite interested in the (apparently "sexy") stocking itself. (Oops.) |
At my Japanese class, I gave a presentation on "Christmas at my House", focusing on the importance of music and annual family traditions. I may have also mentioned that my dad, who generally doesn't care for it, comes to church on Christmas Eve because he likes to sing.
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| I wrote this. I read this. I rocked this. (The first two statements are true.) |
December 20th was a Tuesday, which meant staying after school for tea ceremony club. Basically, I show up, am given matcha (green tea) to drink and a variety of unidentifiable and strangely tasty okashi (Japanese sweets) to eat. Obviously, there's a lot more to it than this, but, try as they might, the two obaasans (literally, "grandmothers", a sign of respect for the elderly) who facilitate the club cannot speak simply enough for me to understand. So, I smile, mimic as many motions as possible, hope the students will take pity on me and attempt translation (which they often do), and try to limit my sitting seiza to forty minutes lest I suffer paralysis. Oh, and I do my best not to miss the last bus at 5:26 pm afterward.
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| A bling-y house on my unexpectedly epic (I took a "shortcut" ), but thoroughly enjoyable (three hours is a lot of Christmas carols) walk home from school on December 20th. |
On December 21st, I experienced my first bonenkai with the staff and teachers of Saigo Shougakko. Literally, "forget the year party", this gathering gives reason to eat (my first sukiyaki), drink, and pay tribute to both the good ("Echo-sensei's violin") and bad (11.3.2011) of the previous year. It's also a time for teachers (who are, at school, an extremely serious and busy bunch) to relax and let loose a little. Oh, and to break out the often impressive English language skills they'd never dream of revealing in the workplace.
December 22nd was the last day of classes before Christmas.** After wishing the students and teachers of Mochigase Chugakko (Junior High School) a merry Christmas, I jumped in the car of my Kawahara Chugakko JTE to attend my second bonenkai. Destination? The Asanoya Hotel in Yumura, Hyogo. Purpose? To eat, drink, and be merry!
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| The trickiest part of the meal was trying to eat the crab -- a messy business! |
After dinner, we checked into our rooms before heading to the nijikai (or "afterparty") at the hotel bar where I may or may not have been persuaded to sing "A Whole New World" and a Beatles medley with an incredibly energetic and enthusiastic P.E. teacher.
Before we knew it, it was after midnight. Time to onsen!***
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| post-onsen, pre-sleep on a traditional tatami mat |
Despite not going to sleep until after 1:30 am, we were up, undressed, and back in the steamy water before 7 am. It was snowing big Charlie Brown snowflakes, so we opted to bathe in the outdoor pool. It was so lovely that I managed to forget that we'd woken up before the sun for the sole purpose of relaxation.
At 8 am, washed, brushed, dressed, and refreshed, my four colleagues/sleeping buddies and I headed downstairs to join the rest of the teachers for breakfast. The hearty meal consisted of miso soup, several kinds of fish, rice, a poached egg on salad, Japanese-style pickles, and a sweet seaweed goop -- all washed down with freely flowing black tea that, for once, I drank readily, seeking a bit of a caffeine boost.
Then, we five went back to our room, where we watched tv, drank more tea, and chatted in English and Japanese.
At 8 am, washed, brushed, dressed, and refreshed, my four colleagues/sleeping buddies and I headed downstairs to join the rest of the teachers for breakfast. The hearty meal consisted of miso soup, several kinds of fish, rice, a poached egg on salad, Japanese-style pickles, and a sweet seaweed goop -- all washed down with freely flowing black tea that, for once, I drank readily, seeking a bit of a caffeine boost.
Then, we five went back to our room, where we watched tv, drank more tea, and chatted in English and Japanese.
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| room with a view |
After checking out of the hotel, several of the teachers decided that I needed to experience onsen tamago. So, after purchasing half a dozen eggs (one for each of us), we headed down to the designated area to boil those babies in the naturally hot water.
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| They insisted I do the honours. |
While we waited five minutes for the eggs to boil, we took a quick look around.
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| a recyclable Christmas tree |
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| onsen tamago! |
After eating our deliciously warm eggs, it was time to go...
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| Check out that steam! |
...but not before I had the chance to fold an origami paper crane (my first ever!) for Hiroshima.
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| Can you guess which one is mine? |
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| Good-bye, onsen tamago! |
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| Good-bye, Yumura! |
Back in my own bed, I woke up on Christmas Eve morning to snow!
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| view from my balcony |
I spent the day listening to Christmas tunes while cleaning my apartment and making yuzu jam.
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| Not especially attractive, but oh-so-tasty! |
That night, Karen and I were warmly welcomed at the local Lutheran church, where we attended a candlelight carol service (complete with hand-bell choir.)
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| Christmas Eve bulletins have a universal look. |
With the help of a Japanese friend, we were even able to sing along to the three hymns -- a fact that both surprised and delighted us!
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| "Angels We Have Heard on High", "Silent Night," and "Joy to the World", respectively |
Christmas morning, I woke up to...even more snow!!
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| view from my front door |
Karen snapped photos happily all the way to the bus station. Her enthusiasm was not only contagious, it also reminded me of the excitement of the two Brits I lived with last year in good ol' Rivière-du-Loup, Québec.
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| Tomiyasu (our street) |
A few hours later, after a 10:30 am church service we mistakenly thought was Catholic (but turned out to be Protestant), it was still coming down!
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| Umbrellas are acceptable protection for rain, snow, or shine. |
After a bit more tidying and some Christmas Eve (their time) Skyping with the family, our guests started to arrive.
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| At one point, there were seventeen pairs of shoes at my door! |
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| Me & Miku |
After an afternoon of mulled wine, Chai tea (from Canada!), and hot chocolate, Jenga, poker, and Pictureka! (another of the many presents impressively packed into a Rice Krispie box from home), and everything from fried chicken and tempura shrimp, to chocolate cake and gingersnaps, to curries of both Indian and Japanese varieties, we headed out on Wakasa Kaido...to eat again!
But first, a photo-shoot with several snowmen some teenage boys had built near the train station.
But first, a photo-shoot with several snowmen some teenage boys had built near the train station.
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| This is Anpanman. |
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| city sidewalks, busy sidewalks |
Later that evening, with all of my guests either on their way home, or tucked cozily into uninhabited apartments in my building (thanks to the generosity and forethought of those who'd gone away for the holidays and given their blessing and apartment codes to me), I logged onto Skype shortly after 1 am to unwrap gifts with the Fettes family in Regina, Calgary, and California.
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| It was a bit complicated... |
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| ...sometimes frustrating... |
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| and, needless to say... |
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| hilarious! |
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| I didn't get to bed until after 3:30 am, but it was so worth it! |
The next morning, my alarm went off at 8:17 am. I jumped out of bed, turned on the heater, put on a Santa hat, and started making blueberry pancakes in preparation for a few guests who would soon be arriving for Boxing Day breakfast before heading back to their respective homes.
After all of the hustle and bustle and holiday food, I set off for my beloved Ochidani Park, wanting to indulge in some Canadian radio while taking in the beauty of my current home.
Appropriately, that week's episode of "The Vinyl Cafe" had been recorded at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina. Listening to Stuart McLean's sentimental stories and Hawksley Workman's seasonal songs made this...
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| all the more beautiful. |
Heart-warrmed and drippy-nosed (blowing in public is considered uncouth in Japan, and, as a result, I have largely stopped carrying tissue), I returned home...
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| to admire my Christmas tree, |
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| snack on some holiday trail mix (complete with left-over M & Ms that Jessica, one of the American ALTs, had brought), |
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| and enjoy the new holiday greeting arrivals. |
All in all, it was a very merry Christmas!
* Photos coming!
** Although Christmas isn't actually a stat holiday in Japan, December 23rd (the Emperor's Birthday) is.
*** There is a ton of information online about onsen. I'm lazy, so I'm not going to get into it here. Basically, it's a big pool filled with naturally hot water originating from geothermal springs. It's super relaxing and incredibly popular, and, oh, you do it naked.
