Do you have time...it's loooong...

It has really only been two weeks since I last posted but we have been busy. I went through the photos to decide what to post and there were so many to choose from…so I suppose this entry will be more of a photo diary.

Ｉ have been emotionally tired lately. Part of it is the shorter days and the gray, cloudier skies but i think it is also just a consequence of being foreign in Japan. I think one of my most important tasks living here is to learn/teach that at the end of the day, we are all human. Worldwide, countrywide, communitywide, there is a tendency to make groups- ‘us’ versus ‘them’. This tendency, while natural, leads to arguments, stereotypes, misunderstanding, and sometimes, war. I truly believe that when we learn that our differences are not relationship impeding, and realize that in our hearts, we are all the same, the world becomes a more peaceful place. Sorry, I got a little world-peacey, but in Japan (more so than some other countries i think), there is a very strong ‘us’ and ‘them’ feeling toward foreigners. Within the country too, the group mentality is very strong and what group you belong to defines your life. This group support can be a great thing (and is one of the aspects i love about our countryside life). But, when applied to the idea foreigners versus Japanese, it can lead to very closed off thinking. In the countryside of Shimane, these 'us/you' tendencies and feelings are multiplied. For example, when we enter rooms or restaurants we often induce loud shouts of surprise. Or random drunk people around feel they can interrupt our dinner to talk to us about what country we are from. The list goes on but really, it is just rude (and never something a Japanese person would dare do to another Japanese).

Many people (but not all) hold the idea that we cannot truly understand Japanese language, culture, ceremony or arts because of our 'foreign-ness'. This is false and incredibly frustrating to deal with. I try so hard to show people that we can interact and understand each other, despite our perceived/created differences. Most of the time, I feel I am successful. With a few people though, including one of my Japanese arts teachers, this struggle is on-going (I don’t think I should mention which art since ultimately, I need to respect my teacher; another conflicting thought i have in this struggle…). I am so determined to reach this deep human understanding with others but this week I just felt I was hitting a wall. I have been studying for quite awhile with this teacher but I don’t feel I am treated or viewed like a normal person capable of understanding this art, or the elements of it (language, style, dress). I felt like giving up. This really devastated me. I don’t give up. It is not what I was taught to do in difficult situations. But I am so tired of this attitude. It tends to build slowly- i brush off little incidents/encounters and try to keep pushing ahead but sometimes it becomes too much. This week was one of those times. (Don’t worry…I am sticking with it-but it doesn’t mean I am any less exasperated/frustrated/let down by my fellow human beings)

Anyway, on to more interesting things, I was mooned in class for the first time last week. I was doing a third grade lesson and 1 boy was upset by something another student did. The homeroom teacher and I were attempting to cheer him up. Another student came over and tried making a joke. It was unsuccessful and the crying boy shouted at him to go away and the two of us teachers repeated his request to the intervening comedian. As we looked down though, this little comedian had his tiny, white, little bum sticking out. I was shocked and the homeroom teacher leaned over and slapped his bare skin, commanded him to stand up, and sent him back to his seat. Needless to say, the crying boy still wasn't cheered. But class continued along...I love my job. One more story, at japanese elementary/junior high schools, students all eat school lunch together in their classrooms. Everyone eats the same meal and they are required to finish everything on their tray. There is an abundance of meat and fish so I always pack my lunch. This is a never ending source of entertainment for the kids. "What is in Katy-sensei's lunch today?" Anway, during a 3rd grade lunch (same class) this week, from across the room a little boy shouted, "Ahh!! Katy-sensei just ate something red!" SHOCK! Kids are entertaining.

Fall is almost finished here. The leaf changing was beautiful this year. It was hard to get a good picture though-it is always so bright and overcast. But it really is beautiful.

We are very much enjoying our garden…fruit/nut trees are great. They require such little care but give you such great things. This season brought lots of yuzu (lemon-like) citrus fruits. We use them in nabe (one-pot stew like dish), or drop them in the bath. They smell wonderful. When I took our extras to school, the teachers were shocked to receive something so 'japanese' from me...good lessons we are learning together...

We have gotten out our kotatsu (table that doubles as a heater…) and spend our nights under it eating nabe. Since our house is made mostly glass, sticks and paper it is really cold already, even though winter and snow don’t come until mid-December. It averages now about 8C (47F) on the inside thermometer when we wake up and since we have no central heating it stays in the low 10C s(50sF) inside!! throughout the day...lately, it has been warmer outside than inside...when it rains, it is a little warmer though (like today=) ).

Last Friday, I had the priveledge of making soba with the 3rd and 4th graders from my mountain school. We had previously harvested the soba (wheat like grain). It was dried and ground into flour. We mixed 500g soba flour, 1 egg, 100g white flour, and hot water together to make the dough.

Then we rolled it out thin, folded it up, and cut it. It still amazes me that such young children are given huge, sharp knives and can calmly and correctly use them without losing fingers.

The floured noodles were taken outsidet to a huge cauldron the village had made. They were dropped into a sieve with a handle, boiled for about 3 minutes and taken out. It was nice to warm up by the fire.

Then a gramma rinsed the noodles with cold water and here is the finished product. At restaurants the noodles are usually a little thinner.

The broth was warming up on the room heater. "Let's saving energy!"

Gasshou...Itadakimasu!!!Time to slurp...and boy, my kids can slurp...the record was three bowls (i could barely finish two...i thought i would explode) . DELICIOUS!!!**Please let me take this time to make a public service announcement...i adore my husband...he is amazing. I came home exhausted Friday (from a tiring and rough week of rehearsals, classes and soba)...Craig had the afternoon off and he spent it making a Thanksgiving Dinner!! Of course there was no turkey but there was stuffing, broccoli cheese pasta casserole, rosemary mashed potatoes, and a delicious pumpkin/sweet potato pie. Wow!! I was shocked. So thoughtful...and again, DELICIOUS. That was our 'first' T-day dinner for two. Of course, we missed our family but it was really special. THANK YOU B!!!
I will end this entry with my arrangements...my teacher now stands behind me and tells me how to cut the flowers and where to stick them. Level up! =)
Flowers from November 10th-

Flowers from November 17th- Flowers from November 24th-

Congratulations you made it to the end!