Shikoku

Thursday was a holiday this week and because I worked last Saturday for Sports' Day, I got this Friday off, too. So, the four-day weekend was a perfect opportunity to take a trip with my LOLs.
This trip's destination was Shikoku Island -- the smallest of Japan's four main islands.

We flew over this cute little island, too, but I don't know what it's called.

Our first stop -- and main purpose for visiting the island -- was to see the Naruto whirlpools. These whirlpools are created when two different sea currents collide. We decided to take a boat ride into the center of the whirlpools. Although there was a big boat and a little boat that gave the tour, we decided to ride the little one because it was departing first. Personally I liked it because it had a glass bottom observation room.

Here is a mini naruto

Once we got into the center of the whirlpools, we were allowed on deck. I braved the top deck and felt like Jonah as we tossed and turned. Unfortunately, we didn't go at the changing of the tide (the best time) but it was still quite a sight to see.

Below is a picture of a picture taken by a professional of the naruto in peak season.

Once we arrived back on shore, it was time for me to introduce my now very green LOLs to the wonders of ginger-ale for an upset stomach. Thankfully, the boat tour's souvenir shop sold it!

After we all found our land-legs again, it was off to the Sistine Chapel!

Okay, I lie. It was actually the Otsuka Museum which prides itself in having accurate, life-sized reproductions of many famous paintings. So, they were accurate and life-sized, however, they were also big poster panels! To me it was like walking through a bunch of rooms with a bunch of fancy wallpaper. Oh well, I guess you can't win all the time!

To me, the coolest part of the museum was this robot who independently scouted around talking about the different pictures. He and lunch (real pot roast with real mashed potatoes accompanied by real butter and real bread!) definitely made the poster museum not a complete disappointment!

Next it was off to the bridge over the naruto. This bridge had glass panels so viewers could see the whirlpools. Unfortunately, they were really small at this point, but I still enjoyed taking pictures of the scenery. There was also the really sweet old guy who worked there and was so excited to use his English that he gave me two postcards and some origami as a "Thank you for visiting Shikoku" present. My LOLs were jealous :-)

That night we stayed in a lovely hotel with a "Make your own Japanese noodles" buffet for dinner and a "Make your own sandwich" buffet for breakfast. While I didn't do too bad in the morning, dinner was a bit tricky. Instead of choosing between either meat sauce or alfredo sauce like in an Italian restaurant, the choices were such things as raw eggs, seaweed, fish flakes, sesame seeds, and ginger!

The next morning found us at the Bando Museum -- a memorial for German POWs who were in Japan during WWI. Unfortunately, most of the displays were in either German or Japanese, but I did learn that the situation was integral in introducing the Japanese to the West because the POWs taught the locals how to bake breads and cake and make butter. Also, there were a lot of musicians in the camp, and they gave the first concert of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Japan. Who, what, where, when, how, and why escaped me in the translation, but hey, I got a photo with Beethoven (and a yummy German Bratwurst for lunch!)

The next three hours found us driving deeper and deeper into Shikoku. I slept quite a bit because I was absolutely exhausted, but managed to snap a few pictures along the way.

We finally reached the kazurabashi -- a suspension bridge made of vines dangling forty-five feet above the ground! It was originally made a long time ago, and has since been preserved to show how ancient Japanese crossed incredibly rocky and fast-moving rivers.

While I wasn't too afraid of it breaking (it had thick cable supports throughout) it was a bit scary to realize that the holes between each rung were bigger than my foot. Knowing that I am the worlds' biggest klutz had me clinging to the side the whole way across. I didn't want to lose a shoe or anything else important if I tripped!

After crossing the bridge, we found a really pretty waterfall...

...then it was off to our incredible ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) for the night! Here we were greeted with tea service in our tatami room.

After changing into our provided yukata, we road a cablecar up the mountain to a private outdoor bath.

Once we reached the top, we found ourselves in the midst of a magical forest complete with koi fish ponds, tea houses, stone lanterns and bamboo.

(Here is a picture of the bath I stole off of another website since I didn't dare smuggle my camera into the actual bath part!)

After a relaxing soak, we found ourselves whisked away to dinner...

...complete with fish on a stick cooking in the middle of our "table". I tried to imagine it was a chicken leg -- a tad bit challenging when the fish was staring back at me the whole time I was chomping down on its flesh.

After returning to our room, we found our futon beds already laid out.
It was like one big sleepover that night with really comfortable sleeping bags!

Morning came with another bath and then a traditional Japanese breakfast.
However, seven fifteen is a bit challenging to eat eyeballed fish and fermented beans (especially with no coffee as a comfort!)

After breakfast, we began our three-hour trek back to the airport only stopping to take pictures of the Obokekoboke Valley (try saying that three times fast) and to get coffee for the young blondie who could once again not keep up with the energy of her three LOLs!

Come to Me You Who Are Weary....

When I first started teaching here in Japan, I thought that my students were perfect. After-all, they were polite, they would bow to me, the baseball boys would greet me with a swoop of their hats, they would carry my books, they would escort me to classes... I never heard a foul word, I never saw a weapon, I never saw a fight!

That was two years ago. In two years, one can learn a lot of things like the actual state of my kids' lives. Recently, I have come to realize that my dear girls and boys are just that -- girls and boys so desperate to be loved, but oh so very lost! The state of my children breaks my heart. Yes, my children may seem more disciplined than many students back home, but it doesn't mean that they don't have issues. In fact, my school happens to be one of the rougher schools in the area.

Oh, how my heart breaks when I hear of yet another student dropping out or how the school had to hire weekend help to replace yet another broken window or wash away yet another bit of graffiti. Oh, how my heart sobs when my school nurse escorts a fourteen-year-old girl to the abortion clinic. Oh, how I want to hug the fifteen-year-old whose parent committed suicide. Oh, how I want to love the unloved -- the boy who smokes, the one who comes daily with dirty clothes, the one with dirt-caked fingernails, the one who smells, the one who tried to give himself a tattoo with drastic results.

When I first started teaching, I had visions of creating a bilingual school. However, I have come to realize that my kids don't want to speak English. They don't see the point. They don't see the need. After-all, their expectations and dreams hardly go beyond the onion and potato fields they work in. What these children really need is Love.

Oh how I want to love my children. Oh, how I want to take care of them. But, oh, how inferior I feel! As the foreigner, I can't say much -- I don't understand much. When I have a smile on my face, I feel so fake. My happy-go-lucky attitude just doesn't seem right when I know that my students are grieving -- although half of the time I really don't know why. Sometimes, it is honestly easier to get caught up in the stress of the other teachers.

My dear teachers -- I grieve for them, too! Their lives completely revolve around school. They are responsible for these kids because Japanese parents think that it is the school's responsibility to raise them. If something goes wrong, it is the school that is first contacted. It is the school that has to get the students from the police. It is the school that has to apologize to the community. And these poor teachers hardly know how to deal with the stress. Usually their coping method involves heavy doses of alcohol and tobacco (and an optional insurance-covered brain MRI to make sure that they don't have an aneurysm).

This is the life I face everyday. What should I do? What can I do? I desperately desire to be a light to this dark nation. I want the love of God to radiate through me. I want to love the unloved. But, I am so tired and weary. I interact with an average of 1500 students and 60 or more teachers a week. Sometimes it is just too easy to be caught up in my own life -- in my own attempts to survive in this foreign land. I find myself imitating the non-smiling "wooden faces" of the Japanese and turning a blinded "its not my problem" eye.

But, is that how Christ loved? Is that what He did when He was on this earth? Some people think that I care to much for this nation that is not my own. Some people think that I love my students too much for not really being a teacher. I question if they are right. What really can I do? What can one illiterate foreigner do?

Why am I here? Why did God call me to such a challenging place? Oh, it would be so much easier to run home to the loving arms of my family. To the smiles of my nieces -- to the protective care of my parents. How I sometimes wish I could. People ask me why I don't. I ask myself that same question. The answer is short, but not easy -- its because I know that I am here for a reason. God has called me to this land. Why? I don't know. I don't know how I can impact, but I can only pray and trust that I can, as a broken vessel, do the service to which he has called me.

Today in church the pastor spoke on Matthew 11:28-30:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

What an encouragement! What a gentle breeze in desert! What a deluge of cold water for the parched soul! What words to bring tears and draw one to their knees.

Please pray for the lost country of Japan. They are so lost. So desperate. In the past month alone, over 2500 people have committed suicide. How they need God's saving grace. Please pray for me as well. I have been emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted this weekend. Pray that I can know how to best help my students and teachers. Pray that I can be a witness and that I can truly live up to my Japanese name -- emiri: a reason to smile.

I will conclude with this -- a song sent to me many months ago by my dear friend Allison. It has been a blessing to me and my prayer

Radio Taiso

In honor of Sports Day, it only seems fitting to post the Japanese "Radio Taiso". "Radio Taiso" was first aired in Japan after WWII, and can still be watched early in the mornings on TV. It is designed to energize all body-types, and in fact, some companies actually use it as a morning team-building exercise. Its not uncommon to see the entire workforce doing it on the open-air roof veranda. My students sometimes do it, too -- a fact I learned two years ago at Sports Day. At that time, I found myself not only in front of all of my students' parents and grandparents, but also facing the entire school body doing these exercise. What initially was a very humiliating event (everyone knew what they were doing and I had absolutely no clue -- and hiding wasn't really an option) has turned into a great daily early-morning harp exercise for me. It's a wonderful stretch for harp arms and back!!!

おみやげ：Omiyage-- Japanese Souvenirs

In Japan, it is customary to bring back a small souvenir for friends and work colleagues (the latter to thank them for working hard while you were having fun!!!) The whole idea of gift-giving has become a national endeavor as every little town, area, and city has a special edible "omiyage" for which they are "famous." (For example, here in Hamamatsu it is eel pie!) Anyway, while Japanese people find it to be very obligatory -- and an expensive and sometimes annoying venture -- I personally find it to be great!!! The first day back from summer vacation is like Christmas with all kinds of fun cookies and candies piled on my desk. So what if most of them involve bean paste, its still fun to dig through the stash :-) This year, I maintained enough self-control to not eat any of the goodies before I was able to snap a picture. Can you guess which one I brought back from the States??

What's In a Name?

Pizza, as defined by the Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, is a "Food of Neapolitan origin. It consists of a flattened disk of bread dough, typically topped with olive oil, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese, baked quickly and served hot.

Pizza, as defined by the local Japanese pizzeria:

A black bamboo crust, topped with mochi (pounded rice balls), mini hot dogs, corn, mayonnaise, salmon, broccoli, teriyaki chicken, and the occasional tomato slice!