52 Days

Hey! Happy June! Happy Anniversary to Mom and Dad. 29 years. That's a lot.

May was good. It's getting hot here, and humid. Real humid. My hair is just giant. I don't think anything special really happened this month. Just normal life. It's good.

Yesterday, I went to Kamakura and Enoshima. They are about an hour/hour and a half out of Tokyo and have both been on my list of things to see since I got here. Kamakura has shrines, temples, and a giant Buddha. Enoshima is an island. It was a good day. I went with Maiko, a language exchange partner. Her English has improved a lot and my Japanese is getting better. Here are some pictures of the weekend.

Kamakura is famous for Hydrangeas, but we were a bit early for the big festivals and such.

Gold crab in one of those zen rock garden things.

Dino in a bamboo forest.

Bamboo Forest

Tree

Big Buddha.

Maiko's Buddha pose.

That's me.

Buddha: we went inside him too. It was real humid in there.

Kamakura Day!

At the top of the "SEA CANDLE" in Enoshima.

Ocean.

Happy June!

I want to go to the beach: Watashiwa Umi ni ikitaii

Tree Dragon

At the beach. Sort of. It was rocks, not sand. Although there was a sand part.

This movie is not great, but I've never seen bamboo that bug before. Don't worry about sound, it's not me, its just background conversations.

 

Hey, May!

Happy May! Happy 25th to Travy. Congrats to Dad for winning the primary! Happy Graduation to Cheney!

Last week was Golden Week here, so I had some days off. I did some sight seeing with Japanese friends and spent a whole day with Wendy! She was here for business and visiting. It was a nice holiday from work. Back to normal schedule now, no more breaks until the end, July 18th.

I signed the China contract, so if all goes according to plan, I'm going back to China.

I got visa's sorted out for Cheney and myself to go to Vietnam and I've been working on some other plans for that Korea/Nam trip. I'm really looking forward to it.

Classes and things are going well here. The kids have been improving and we have fun together. They wear me out, but they're great. I'm still going to Japanese class once a week and I'm slowly increasing my vocab and grammar.

That's all that's new here. Just living. It's good.

Some Golden Week Pictures.

I went to a traditional village with my friend. This dude taught me how to play
a traditional Japanese game with a ball and stick.

Lily pads.

Nature.

Koi flags for Children's' Day

Me and Maiko.

Yokohama: Port City near Tokyo

Yokohama

Wendy eating a hedgehog custard treat

 

Spring time changes

It's spring! It's gorgeous! I've been spending as much time outside as I can; reading, walking, running, attempting to be social, sight seeing. You name it, I'm trying. It's so nice out! I have work Monday, but then we're off until next Wednesday, May 7th. We're off for Golden Week. It's basically they take all the holidays and put them in one week instead of how in America we have a three day weekend every monthish, they just do it all at once. Kind of cool. I have no real plans, I'll be staying local. I have a few day trips and meetings and such. Wendy is in town so hopefully I'll have a chance to see her.

Today, I went with Rie, my coworker to her son's baseball game. They played pretty well and it was fun to be outside. After that, the whole team, parents, and myself went one train stop up the line to a Wisteria Festival. There was food, music, performances, and of course, Wisteria. It was a good day.

Decisions? I'm 98% going back to China in August. Southern China this time. Let me explain. I thought I was applying to a job at a school in Kansas City. It was not. It's in China. Whoops. It sounds like a great opportunity for me though, and as soon as I get over my hang up about going back to China, I think I'll be really excited. I haven't officially signed yet, but I think I'm doing it. It makes sense and will be a good "career" move for me, I think. I hope. Soooooo there's that. Mom needs a hug after that news, so if you see her, do that please.

This decision also means that I have to be in China on August 20th, and Cheney and I are flying in on the 12th, so I'll only be home for a week. That's sad.

Enjoy the spring! Primary May 6th= GO DAD! Travy's Birthday May 7=25 years!

Love love love!

Rie following the parade.

That's me!

Wisteria.

Dance. Rie's niece and nephew were in there.

Beautiful Sunday!

Wisteria.

 

MOM!

Mom came to Japan for about 12 days. We had a good time and were really busy. We went to Mt. Fuji, Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, and of course, Iwatsuki. Mom got to meet some of the mom's of my students as well as spend time with my boss. She also got to taste all sorts of foods and experience hay fever! The best part, aside from Mom-Katie time, was that she was here during the few weeks that the cherry blossoms are out. Sakura are beautiful and bloom overnight it seems. They last only for a week or so and there are many picnics- hanami, and festivals. We spent a lot of time in parks enjoying the blossoms. It was a great visit and it was sad to say goodbye. She made it home safely though.

We start the new semester on Monday. My schedule basically stays the same, with only a few minor changes. I'm starting to make plans and figure out what is next. We shall see.

Pictures! There's a lot of them guys. Sorry, but it took me 5 years to get mom to Asia.

Bullet train. Real fast.

Lunch in Gion, Kyoto. Where the geishas are. We didn't see any, although we did see many Kimono wearing ladies.

First station on Mt. Fuji.

Observatory in Osaka.

Sunset in Osaka.

Osaka Castle.

Telephone booth.

Osaka Castle MUSEUM.

Mama.

Spring time!

Dino chomp in Osaka.

Tromping around Osaka Castle.

That's me.

Enjoying the Sakura.

So happy that it's spring time!

Kyoto.

Going to a temple.

Big old tree.

Me and my mama.

Trying out the self timer on my camera. It works.

Ecstatic about an English Menu.  

Tempura.

I always have to tell mom to stop scribbling.

It's a good day to be a duck.

Golden Pavilion.

Golden pavilion in Kyoto.

Rain break.

Rock Garden. The small one. It was hard to photograph the big one.

Solved mom's back issues.

She was skeptical, but it worked.

A little pre-flight coffee in the park.

Beautiful.

Peace!

Mama.

Spring time.

Last stop in Kyoto.

Mom on the bridge.

Picnic in the park.

Tokyo Tower Look Down Window.

Tokyo Tower.

In Japanese Gardens.

With my boss.

Tea Ceremony.

Heading to lunch.

Frolicking.

Tourist street in Tokyo.

Some sake to end a great trip.

And of course, sashimi.