Happy New Year!

Happy New Years Everyone! I ran off with Satoko, her sister and her sisters friend today to Hachiman-gu. Like all good people, we ran up there, threw our 15 Yen, claped twice and climbed out of line....
Crazy Crazy Crazy.... But not as bad as Narita last year, Just a lot colder...

Enjoy the Pictures

-Tom

Chirstmas, and it's snowing..... Again....

Well, Christmas is finally here. Merry Christmas!
How was everyone's Christmas?

Yesterday, Satoko and I jumped on a little 2 car train and rode up the mountain to Appi Kogen.
It's a super nice place, with a Ski slopes and Onsen's(Hot Springs) .
I'm not one for Ski Slopes besides Tobogganing, but I do enjoy a good Onsen.
I have a friend of a friend that works up there, so I was able get a nice discount. Thanks friend!
We had a nice walk in the snow, a nice bath in the snow, and a nice dinner (not in the snow). I was a really nice way to spent Christmas.

Merry Christmas to You and Your Family, and the Best of Luck in the New Year.

Signing out

-Thomas.






Are we there yet? Are we there yet?

Appi Kogen Station.




That was a some good cake...



I some how feel sorry for these fish.... Their last words with "Aaaaaah!!!"

Our Little Christmas Tree, with little LED lights


Going Home...
Merry Christmas.

Last Day at School... Sob~Sob~Cry..

Well, Like all good things, they must come to a end.
Today was my last day at Morioka University. I have to say that I have learned a lot more then I had expended too in the last year. From not only the wonderful teachers, but the great student body.
I'm very sure that my time at Morioka University will be a very large part in forming where and what I will do in the future. Not just from the Japanese skills that I was to get, but from the friends and cultural experiences good and bad that I received.
I hope that I will be able to come back to Morioka University in the near future to visit.

Cheers

-Tom

Well its almost Chirstmas, and Santa Got a Cold.... So am filling in for him.

Yea.. The title basically sums it up... I play Santa and a Yochen today (Kindergarten) .
It was awesome! I'm Santa!, smiling and giving presents!
It was a awesome job, and for most of the kids, I'm their dream come true....

But then again.... For the Younger Kids...
I'm not Santa. I'm a Gigantic Man Dressed in Red, Screaming "HO HO HO" and Other such scary unknown foreign words.
Yea.. I'm one Gigantic red scary man.
I feel sorry for them.....
I really do. Go get your present from Santa. "Waaaa! Waaaa! Waaa!" Scary! Scary! Scary!

Loving kids from Japan,

-Tom

Wanko Soba!!!

As some of you might know, Morioka has three Famous Noodles.

Ja-Ja men, Rei men, and Wanko Soba.

Well, I've eaten the first two so far... but Wanko Soba, I haven't eaten till today....
One of the main reason I haven't eaten it before, is partly that you have to eat as much as you can, and the noodles aren't that great..
Anyways, Me and my friends at my part-time job downtown, decided to go head to head with Morioka's Best, in a all you can eat "Battle of the fatties".

It was a 3 min per person, 9 min per team style battle. I was able to eat 55-60 bowels in 3 mins and my work buddies did the same, if not more!!
Oh man.... I was soo full after weres...

Anyways It was good times....

oh yea... Our group didn't even get top 3... Those guys can really eat!!!







-Tom

NEW FLASH!! MERRY CHIRSTMAS ME!!

My Mom, sent a huge package from Canada for Chirstmas.

Full of Goodies!!!! Chocolate, Granola bars, Small Christmas Tree... Etc

Thanks MOM!! XOXOXOX


-Tom

Dinner with Yuji

When I first moved to Morioka, I moved into the Morioka University Dorm. Anyways, I make a really good friend there, but I haven't seem him for sooo long since I moved out of the dorm.

Anyways, I had dinner.. or 3 dinners with him today. Oh man he can eat alot!
I couldn't keep up with him....

We first went for Ramen at someplace on Oodori.














Then after that we went for Hot dog's














Than after all that!!! We went for Chanko Nabe (Sumo Style Soup with Noodles).
Oh man... You really got to see it for your self...














This thing is HUGE!!! Like, enough to feed a family of 5.
Oh yea...
The Udon noodles haven't been added yet.

ha ha haha
....

*CRY*
Anyways we barely finished it. But it was soo good. I was talking with Yuji, and seems that Chanko Nabe is rather hard to find, or rather hard to find someone that can make it.
Well, I meet the owner of the restaurant briefly, and yes... he was a Sumo. Or rather his family is a family of Sumo's turn cooks. His hands were huge and looked very jolly..
I might go back there some time.... but not soon..


Half Way~~~~ Before we added the noodles....

Go Yuji Go!!!!
Yea...~ Thats some good Nabe


Done.... Excuse me while I go Explode somewhere....

Cheers
-Tom