Natsukashii

Natsukashii=nostalgia. Well, it's officially one more month before I leave Japan and head back to America. I haven't even left Japan and I'm already feeling nostalgic. Here are just a few things that I'll miss...

My friends: Whether it was my friends from church, especially the Hashiguchi women, or my friends through JET, they were ALL my lifeline and my extended family. Having a family feeling is soo important to me because I've always been close to my biological family back home. Just looking back at some of the experiences I shared with friends in various countries or right here in Japan, I will never forget them. They are moments that we all shared together and moments that will never be exactly the same no matter how we try to recreate them back in America or wherever we all end up. I look forward to seeing some of my friends back home and scattered across the world. It's been so wonderful.

My students: These guys have really changed me. I've learned so much from them and I hope that they've learned something from me. I've learned patience (how to control my temper/anger), unconditional love, forgiveness, generosity, and so much more. Kids, no matter where you live in the world, really do say the darndest things and they make you think. I just can't wait to have my own one day, they've helped me to learn all of the things that I need to know to be a good mother one day. For that, I am forever grateful to them. I hope that they will never forget me as well.

Cultural Connections: Oh man, this is just invaluable. I have exchanged culture with so many people here. Like my friends, there are people that I will never forget. I'll always make my way back to Japan to visit them. As far as learning about Japanese arts, I got a 'C.' I wish that I had learned more: 'ikebana' (the art of floral arrangement), 'kendo' (Japanese swordsmanship/fencing), traditional dance, and so much more, but I will start learning the 'koto" (Japanese harp) this last month before I leave. I think that I will be able to continue do and experience many of these things back home as well in Washington, DC, so no worries.

Well, here's to making cultural connections wherever you go in the world. Don't forget that you can touch people's lives in some way shape or form no matter where you go. What kind of footprints will you leave in the sand? What experiences in your life will be so great that someone will want to put them in stone to be remembered forever and ever? Who's life will you help change? Will you serve someone other than yourself? This is my new lifelong challenge, so if you see me being selfish, remind me that I'm on a journey. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu ne.

Family

Family lines cross borders. I have found so many new family members in Japan. People that I'll never forget and who will forever be a part of my life. I am so happy that I found them. This is dedicated to you guys...

Love,

Gina

Me and Takeyah at Kiyomizu Temple

Gina, Fiona (our bodybuilder friend) and Michelle at her bodybuilding competition. 

The girls of JET ADs: Donata, Naomi, Lisa, Nikkii, me and Cheryan. Almost home girls. 

My nephews, Ty and Devin, with Dad about two years ago now. Look at those little cheeks!

Gigi and BooBoo on the train to church. 

Sachi, Nikkii, BooBoo and Gigi chilling on the steps at my apartment building. 

Grape Girls 

Nikkii and BooBoo @ church. She's probably eating her stew. 

Isn't BooBoo precious when she's asleep? This is after Auntie NehNeh (Sachi) braided her hair for church. 

Gigi and BooBoo going to church together. 

Two very special people: Sachi (plus Nikkii's feet) and her cute little niece, BooBoo (her real name is Kotono), at my home. I'll never forget you little Kotono! Sachi you're back home with us.

Sayonara Party #1

My 2nensei students' juku (cram school) teacher, Ms. Aiko, invited me to her home for a sayonara party this past weekend. The food was a nice mixture of french fries, rice, pizza, and whatever else they thought that I would like from back home. Sooo cute. I never really got the chance to hang out with the 2nensei kids outside of school, so it was fun. Ms. Aiko plays the koto (Japanese harp), so she busted it out and started playing the Japanese folk song, Sakura (cherry blossom). I asked her if I could play. I started learning and I couldn't stop trying! It was so addictive because of the beautiful sound that it makes when you pluck the strings. Sooo, needless to say that I asked her if she ccould teach me. So, my first classes start this Friday and last until I leave. I'm so excited to learn SOMETHING from Japanese culture since being here. I hope to continue playing when I get back to Washington, DC.

This is me and Ms. Aiko, the kids' juku teacher, Ayako (behind me), Sae, Arisa and Miki. There goes the peace signs again. 

I'm getting it! I think that I'm loving this! 

Me trying to learn that darned 6,5, 6,7 pic again. 

Girls! Have some self-control in front of Mr. Lennon!

The fireflies that we missed

We went with Setsumi and her husband and the Hashiguchi gals to see fireflies in Osaka, but we had missed them by 2 weeks. It was a good thing that the home that offered the firefly viewing also served food to guests. The food was delicious and the conversation was interesting (in Japanese of course). We still enjoyed ourselves and at the end of the night, we saw a few fireflies near a small canal. They were so beautiful. I couldn't imagine what it would've looked like with thousands of fireflies flying around. Something that could probably never be captured on camera.

The view from the house. Beautiful countryside in Osaka. 

Nikkii & I in front of the Kawasumi home near where we were SUPPOSED to see the fireflies. The garden in front of the house was so pretty. 

Hiromi & I taking a nice pic in the doorway of the firefly house. I love that hanging plant pot. 

Hatsue, Setsumi & her husband, Nikkii and Hiromi. Having dinner @ the home restaurant near the fireflies.

Tabechatta! (oops! i ate it.) It's all about presentation here. We ate most of the first dishes before we remembered to take pictures. 

Look @ that beautiful setting. 

dessert. yummy! yellow kiwi, some melon and a mango pudding. 

The one lone firefly that stuck to me. 

Aichi (World) Expo

Hmm...let me see what my final thought on this "world" expo was all about. How about not all it was cracked up to be. They've been advertising for this thing for ages, but Lisa and I were sooo disappointed. I swear if we had to pay our way there we'd be more than disappointed, we'd be pissed! It took like one hour to get to the expo site from Nagoya station. Sooo inconvenient. The lines were long and ridiculous. We were hot! It was sooo not international. There was nothing "worldly" about it. The only foreigners that I saw there were at the pavillions (not that they could control that). When they saw Lisa and I, it was as if they had seen a long lost family member. The poor homesick pavillions employees from various countries found some kind of kindredness (did I just make up a word?) in us. I really enjoyed talking to those that spoke English. We got the special treatment from the American pavillion workers. We met Daniel at the Mexican restaurant there and he let us get the VIP treatment. We got to play on the newest toys of the future. I already forgot what it's called, but it was fun riding on it. To top it all off, we got lost on the trains there, so we almost didn't catch the last train back to Kyoto. Argh! Well, enjoy the pix anyways. Well, the one good thing was that Lisa and I saw a lot of countries that we'd like to visit one day. The pavillions themselves were really set up nicely... ok, owari.

One of the talking Robot guides at the "What if there was no moon?" pavillion. 

This guy was in the Qatar pavillion at the World Expo. He was really nice. He taught a little J-kid that you should always shake the right hand of muslims. Lisa and I went to quite a few Middle Eastern pavillions (Saudia Arabia, Qutar, etc and we were sooo sold on visiting those countries one day).