Alittle Cherry Blossom Viewing, 花より団子 ＾＿＾

I went out today with some good friends~ For alittle Cherry Tree Viewing and Picnic.

On Tuesdays, I have been helping a small group with their English Conversation. This group includes three ladies I was able meet a few years ago in Victoria at the VNCS Japanese Culture Fair.

Anyways, We decided to go out doors to today and just have some fun :)

A wonderful day!!

-Tom

<-- Missing Mr. Murayama <-- The view from our little picnic spot. <-- Setting up <-- Wow.... Lots of wonderful food!! Thanks Everyone!!!! ^_____^

Alittle time out

After along drive, we arrived at Grandma's house in Kuzumaki~
Satoko and I have been trying to find some time to get out of Morioka and just take a time out.
What better place then Grandma's house? Fresh Air, Good Food and Great People! ^__^

< -- Wooden Stove ^__^ <--- Huge Crackers! <--- Getting ready to head out <-- Ice Cream!! ... Wow.. that isn't such a great picture.... Oh well..

Morioka Camp - Winter 2008

Well, it seems that I'll be doing this for the third time.
Morioka College called me out to help out with the English Camp a few weeks ago.

I was really happy to get to see some of the teachers again. I was happy to take on the work but I've been super busy the last little bit. Besides working I've been actively trying to find a place to live... with what little money I have, and zero credit rating at any Japanese Bank, I've had a few setbacks.

Being the third time round, I can sort make a guess of what type of level I can do with this group. So it wasn't very hard to make materials for it.

Anyways, we had a blast!! Too bad I wasn't able to stay the night as I had to work else where in the morning.

Check out the pictures







Cheers

-Tom

Passports and such~

Well, nows thats it the new year and I'm no longer a student, Partly because I didn't pass the entrance exam. I've been faced with a rather large problem. I have to head back to Canada or some how magically get a Visa.
One of the reasons I haven't wrote on this topic before, basically comes down to that I really don' t know out it would turn out.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not quiting school. Even if I had headed back to Canada in January, this isn't really much I can study till September.... That is if I head back to Camosun, Uvic is a different story.. Anyways..

I've been working part-time at a language school downtown and they have been really great!!
They said they would try do their best, helping with the forums and sponsorship. Anyways, over a period of 3 weeks I had no idea if I was going to still be in the country the next week.
Making a longer story shorter, I was rejected once, called back, asked to get more papers, called back again, and received a post card in the mail that didn't state wither I had or hadn't be able to get my work visa. Just a post card asking for money for the change.
Rather confusing..

Anyways, overjoyed that I didn't have to worry about visa, I happily rode down to the visa office and got my stamps. Very happily giving them the ￥5,000 ($50Cdn).

Now I just have to worry about where I'm going live...

Taking it a step at a time,

-Tom

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

Tea Party - Japanese Style

Today I was invited to tea by homestay mother. I was excited! I wondered.. why did I ever stop going to 茶道(Tea Ceremony). I walked in, sat down, and then 5 mins later.... I remember why I stopped going. My Legs hurt... Sitting the formally really hurts my legs...
Oh well, I was able to withstand it for 30mins or soo... but I couldn't stand up afterwards.. Ha ha ha

Anyways, Cheers

-Tom











O yes , don't forgot the sea of shoes!

New Sounds for Traditional Instruments from Tokyo

I meet two Musicians today, Curtis Patterson(Koto) and Bruce Huebner(Shakuhachi).
Their two wonderful guys with amazing talent!

If you want to read up on them, Check out --> http://www.zabutonemusic.com/

Cheers

-Tom

Onsen in Appi

February 23-24, 2007
Yo! , This friday I ended up going to another Onsen! (Japanese Hot Spring). So Awesome! A friend of a friend was able to hook us up with a nice discount at a posh Onsen, about a 45 minute drive from downtown Morioka towards Iwate Mountain.
After getting lost once and weaving though some highway construction, we arrived in time to get settled and have dinner, (Really great food!).
After bathing, we cracked open the beers and started drinking and playing different games of sorts, which didn’t really end till about 4 am. The last remanding few of us, hardcore late-nighters, headed for another bath! Anyways, I really needed to take a leek so I started heading for the can. Upon opening the door, I immediacy stopped.
There was an arm and hand coming out from under one of the stalls. (Not moving).
Not sure what to do, I called back to my friends who were just entering the bath. Rather confused with my language barrier, the two girls didn’t know what I was trying to say. Was I really asking them to going looking into the boys washroom?
Or was trying to say something else.
We all went in the boys washroom and there was a moment of silence… The girls didn’t know what to do, and I still wasn’t sure. First we banged on the door but there was no response. So we tried touching the arm, and started bagging on the door some more. No response.
After trying a few more things, I was able to unlock the door. Lying on the ground, face pressing up against the wall, laid a high school kid.
He was breathing, so we knew he wasn’t dead. But, we had shouted pretty loud and he still hadn’t woken up. We thought it would be best, not to move him by way it looked like he had fallen. I got someone to call the manger. After waiting a few minutes. The very tried unhappy looking manger came down the stairs.
As soon as he saw the kid he looked furious. He bent down and punched kid on the ass, and was shouting something I didn’t understand. The kid started moving and squirming. He was drunk as a skunk. After a bit more shouting, the kid was up on his feet, but still really drunk as the manger walked him to his room. Later, I gave it some thought.
If this were to happen in Canada, what would have happened?
Most likely, a call for an ambulance and a stretcher, wasting a huge amount of money on a kid that most likely drank a few beers too many, or rather two beers looking at his age.
Anyways, after thanking the manger, I was able to have a nice night bath.
-Tom

Oh yeah, Showing some leg. ( I put on some pants after see this picture.) ^__^

I tried to get a picture of inside the onsen, but someone told me I shouldn't.

Soul & Gospel

Hey hey,

Today after class, I went to Mori-dai's Soul & Gospel final performance, preformed at the small chapel beside the dormitory. The inside of the chapel was rather quaint with its stained glass windows.

I still haven’t been able to force myself to get up early Sunday mornings to see if there actually is service.
Anyways, the music was great and everyone had a blast.

-Tom

Out with New friends

Today, I went out with some of my friends from Mori-Dai. We walked around the city, shopped around, found Victoria’s totem pole, and ate a hamburger paddy?!?! (Huh Where’s the bread?)

We also went to the top of Morioka’s tallest building, Where I took a really good picture of Iwate-san!! All in all, today was a pretty good day.

-Tom

Yo! Iwate-san!!

Welcome to Morioka Party

Hey! Remember I was talking about Toshiko wanting to have a welcome party for me!?
Today was my welcome to Morioka party!
I had a really really good time!!~~ A lot of Toshiko’s friends came and we had a great feast!!
The people in Morioka are very friendly! Noriko and Nachiko, the other two nice ladies whom I meet in Victoria also came!
It’s times like this that I’m really glad to come to Morioka.
Going to a different country is stressing, but having gatherings like this really take that away.

Toshiko and her husban also play the guitar ! (Wanna See? Click here - Morioka Welcoming Music)

Thanks everyone that came!!!!~~~~ I had a great time!

-Tom

Funny, How Music and Food always come hand in hand...... Great Acoustics, Toshiko is really skilled!
It makes me wish I could play!!~~

(****** Click Here to watch Toshiko Play *********) - Same as above...


Look at all that food!~ Yummmm.... Smiles everyone!!!

English Camp Sleep Over

Yesterday and today was the English Camp Sleep Over!

A few weeks ago, I was asked if I could help out with an English Boot Camp, Mori-Dai was running with the idea that everyone was expected to only speak in English.
After that, about one week ago Terui-san, the English teacher, asked if I would be willing to run the teaching part of it. I have done a few things like this before, but nothing for this amount of material in such a short time. Normally if I’m teaching, I just make enough materials for 2 hours for the first day, and then see what level everyone is at.
This time I wouldn’t be able to do that. I would have to do one class then ten minutes later do the next class. I spend a lot of time thinking up ideas that would be fun for everyone regardless of their English level.

Anyways, I make up all the materials, and then found that one of other English teachers from the High school was going take 2 hours of the classes.
It was really nice of him!! Two hours less of worry. ^_____^

Always, with the help of the other international students and Japanese helpers, I was able to get some really good lesson ideas and suggestions on how I could make the ones I already make even better! Cael ran the Doge ball game and Jennifer came up with a good idea for the matching game I was planning.

Anyways, the camp was a huge success and everyone had a good time!

-Tom