Dear Ones,
I continue a dreamlike adventure in the land of the rising sun. I spent New Year's with a professor from the college (Futami sensei). Sensei means "teacher." I also did a homestay at a student's house. The past couple weeks I have enjoyed teaching my students English. What a rewarding feeling when you hear your students use what you've taught them!
I will try to catch you up on some of the things I've done with the help of the following pictures...
The Parry's took me to a German Festival held in downtown Osaka. The Umeda building you see here has a observation deck, which offers gorgeous views of the city.
Here is part of the Parry family (Mr. and Mrs. Parry and James) and some Japanese friends.
We found a Japanese Santa at a German festival. I don't think that happens very often. :)
Some of my students came to my apartment to make takoyaki, an Osakan delicacy. Octopus is the main ingredient!
They let me cut up the octopus!
This is how you make it...
...watch the video to see how they become little edible spheres.
Now... for New Year's, Futami sensei showered me with hospitality and gave me a very memorable traditional Japanese New Year's!
She showed me the proper way to fold a kimono. When you wear a formal kimono you usually go to a beauty salon to get your hair done and to be dressed (putting on a kimono is quite complicated!).
We wrapped our kimonos in a cloth bundle and walked them to the beauty salon.
Futami sensei
Shinto priests at the shrine
We went back to the shrine at midnight. The paths were lined with vendors selling food and souvenirs. They don't traditionally countdown to the New Year but at many shrines a gong will be rung 108 times bringing the New Year in.
Another memorable element of my New Year was the food we ate. I had to be very brave. I tried everything. Look at what I ate!
The food was all skillfully prepared, and I'm sure a person with taste buds accustomed to such tastes would have had a real treat with the food Futami sensei's mother prepared. For me, it was like Japanese food boot camp!
This definately made eating crab with my pancakes at Ikuko's house much easier! :)
Ikuko and her mother
We had so much fun!!
China town at Kobe
I miss you all from back home! I wish you the best in the New Year!
With love,
Beth
Beth! You look like you're having quite the time. I'm so proud of you being brave and adventurous! Through you, Japan feels a deeper sense of Christ's love. :)
ReplyDelete--Hannah
my dear Beth! I am so thrilled that you seem to be having an awesome experience in Japan so far! Keep up the blogging, it's fun to hear about all that you're doing. :) And i miss you! We still need to Skype sometime. :)
ReplyDeleteLove,
Jackie