Chasing The Day: Relax But Power!

There is a reason I have not blogged in awhile and a plan for an actual blog post. Until I finish it I will fill in some space with a post of bullet points on some of the things that I have been up to lately- just so I don't go toooo long without a post.

Kindergarten and Elementary school were awesome as usual. At the elementary school I met Mike, the English teacher I helped, from Canada. We taught the kids the alphabet and lucky ended up knowing the same version of the song. The kids here in Japan learn a different English Alphabet song but we sang them ours just so that they could hear the difference. Mike kept joking that we must have both grown up watching the same Sesame Street when we were younger. Mike also gave me a really helpful website to learn how to write Kanji. I have been invited back to both the Kindergarten and Elementary school whenever I want.
I went on a walking tour of Tondabayashi with the staff (and their families) of the Tondabayashi Language School that I go to on Fridays. It was fun to see all of the old architecture and the style of architecture around the area. It has so much history behind it! Then we had a picnic lunch by the river.
Made Miso with my parents and one of Okaasan's friends.
A couple of Rotary Meetings
Had a "Halloween Party" and the neighbor's house with four young boys- a couple of them had a friend over too. They were all so cute, they dressed up while we sat and ate finger food type snacks.
My class came back from Taiwan! My class was divided into six groups and each group brought me back a little gift! I was soooo surprised and thankful!
I gave a presentation on Halloween to my English class and gave them candy.
I went shopping with Shiho.
Went to Shiho's school festival.
I attended ESS (the English speaking club at my school)- we watched a scary movie, The Mist, in English.
Went to Mark's Cafe and brought my friends Nachu and Junto.

Mark is the Irish teacher
Mark's Cafe is Mark giving students to opportunity to get comfortable around foreigners and practice English (there really arent any foreigners in the area besides Mark, Valentina, and me).
I was the first and only student to attend the cafe last week and promised to bring friends the next week.
I chose to bring Nachu and Junto because they seem the most interested in English and are both very easy going people that would enjoy something like Mark's Cafe

This last Friday instead of having a Japanese lesson like normal at Tondabayashi there was a lady originally from Peru (who is now living in Japan) who came in and taught us how to make a Peru meal: Rice, chicken, and vegetables and a soup with different vegetables and ham.
I went to cooking club for the first time. They were making pancakes and it was a lot of fun to watch because I have never seen anyone struggle so much to just make pancakes, but once they got a rhythm down the girls' pancakes turned out a lot better.
I made an American meal for my family: Joyce Mace's easy barbeque chicken, my families apple and walnut salad, dinner rolls, and chocolate drop cookies! I had to go shopping, first time I've done it alone and I managed to find everything I needed including oats and peanut butter!
I attended my first aikido practice. I am in a trial period right now where I get to attend the club the first couple of times to see if it is indeed something I am interested. If I choose to stay in it then it will be $20 a month, practice every Saturday night from 6:30 to 8:30. I had a blast at practice! There are about 10 of us, one other (adult) female, and a boy who is 16yrs old (the rest are adults). They are very encouraging and willing to be patient with me because I am a beginner and there is the whole language barrier issue- although there is an English teacher in our group so that helps a lot. It was funny because there were some things, like my lack of arm strength, that surprised them at how little I could do BUT there were also times where I shocked them by picking up a new skill so quickly. I got a lot of jouzu and umai (very good/oh my!). Oh and they kept telling me to relax but to have a lot of power.... hopefully I can figure out what they mean by this soon.
The group asked me to go to an aikido performance to watch another school (slightly younger kids) perform. It was a lot of fun.
Went and did Purikura with Mami in the few hours of free time while we were waiting for Jr. High School students to arrive at our school to go on a sort of tour.

Tondabayashi Group

River we had a picnic by.

Making Miso.

Rotary Meeting.

Rotary Meeting- poppin' the collars! (If you couldn't tell, the two Americans are on the left)

Presents from Taiwan.

Candy for my class.

Halloween at my school- I had people coming up to me all day with their hands out saying trick or treat and expecting me to have candy for them.

Lunch with Shiho while we were shopping.

Things I bought when Shiho and I went shopping at Tenouji.

Okaasan and me at Shiho's school festival.

Otousan and me at the Big Dipper ice cream shop.

Cheetah printed snacks that Okaasan got as a present from a friend who went to Tokyo. It had banana cream filling.

Lunch from the school cafe. Left- doughnut with whipped cream, chocolate, and crepe on top. Right- rice, covered with egg (like omelet), ketchup and mayo.