At the EKI

So lately Just a Guz has taken a Guz of the wonders of the surrounding towns around Kofu. Since Tokyo there has not been enough time to make a big trip so a great idea from one of the other sensei's was to make random stops in random towns around Kofu, on the train, and just explore and see what is around! From the Kofu Eki-train station- most stops are about 100 yen to 4 yen so about 1-4 dollars which is so fun! You see so much while you are on these trains and I find that train is one of my main transportation options- other than the chopper style bike which leads me to bruises! Ouch! So to be safe I took train to these places! 

First stop- OPS

Rexi (remember the dog a three year old boy gave me? she is back!) and I accidentally jumped on the wrong train. We were going to visit some friends in a near by town and me feeling very well cultured in JR line trains jumped on a west train when I wanted a east train ( just have to read the signs- they are in English!) SO, I jumped off the train at the next stop- RYUO and waited for the East bound train! SO thankfully Rexi was there I was kinda bored by myself!

Yamanashi-shi! 

We made it to the train stop! And Annie, and Ramona- my church buds- met me and we went to this sweet little European style cafe and had great food and Kohe! I just had to take a pic- and I want to say it is a great representation of where I was at! (ps when you enter the toilet room at this place the lid opens when you open the door- space age- wow!)Beam me up Scottie!

Winter clothes are coming- thought it is still 80 degrees out! So I had to either buy this or take a pic- loved it but my stomach hurt every time I looked at the bright yellow/green color and didn't want this feeling to stay- or follow me everywhere I wore this beauty!

Yamanashi-shi again! This is a statue of Takaeda Shingen a famous samoria who is all over Yamanashi- ken (ken is the state like Iowa the state, and shi is the city like Iowa City). Oh wait no this is not the statue it is me in a cut out. Got ya! I can see the resemblance. 

The past few weeks have been great again. I am still living quite a relaxing stress-less life here but have passed the stage of pure bliss and now have moved into a more complex stage of absolute fun and yet frustrations. Things are still great- work is kind of wearing on me but I am still seeking for my ministry through this experience which gives me hope! NO worries I still love Japan and am having the time of my life but just wanted to express the truth - or just a guz of the truth! Japan is still a wonder everyday I wake up! Everyday is new- just like in Iowa but more mountains and less Iowans! 

Remember: Imagine not only speaking Japanese, and English, but Spanish in one class- I think I confused myself more than showing my language ability. Keep it to one or the other or tu lengua sera mixed like Yuki Soba wo tabemas. 

~MOlly

So true!

So, I haven't watched to much Japanese television lately but did for the first few weeks and found out that the commercials are sweet no amazing no ridiculous! So, I thought to share this great you tube- English subtitled - version of what I can watch everyday!  (click on link below)

Japanese Fanta Commercials Fantasubbed

Things look quite small here in Japan

Yeah I found Animal Cracker in Japan!!!! They are my meal of choice! But three problems- they do not come in 2 lbs. bags ( in the US they do), they are triple the price for less poundage, and they are mini animal crackers. Grant it I did open the bag and gave a huge AWHH sign and I may have laid them out on the table and set them up in a little zoo but I can down about 4 times as many- because of their size! Cute may not all ways be better!

Gifts Gifts!!!! Well, gift giving is huge in Japan. So, the other day a teacher at school came to me and said she had something for me. I was very honored. She said she would bring it to my place after school- I was like- "yes please" gifts! Well much to my hysterical surprise- I found out that she had bought a set of dishes and a insulated water/ tea/ coffee holder for me at a flea market. Now, do I appreciate the gift- yes but you have to laugh when you see this great set of plastic dish ware just because it is very odd. The bowls and things are great but the water holder is quite intense. I plan on holding many tea/coffee/hot water parties in the near future to show off this greatness! WOW

This is a picture of the coolest/weirdest machine yet. It is the fastest fast food possible. There are french fries, fried chicken, some fish, and combo meals right inside. Talk about convenient But, fried food in a vending machine??? Not sure about that one...

    Well this was a short update on the short happenings in Japan. There is a typhoon that has been bringing random weather to Japan for the past few days and will continue through some of this week! I switch school tomorrow and then a holiday on Tuesday so what a week! More updates to come! Till then- yuroshko onegaishimas!

Remember: There is nothing like a great cup of coffee in a great big mug- even if that is not the purpose of the mug!

~MOlly

School Festival/ A break from classes

This is a picture of kocho sensei- the principal, the olympic type flame and the flags from each of the classes!
Each year there are is a school festival, like a gym day in the US but more intense. They work on the sports, arts, music, and drama for over three weeks before this day.... I just got a few shots of this wonderful two days of freedom... I mean of activity. It was great to see the kids doing what they love to do, this helps me get to know them better with out words!!!!

This is tug-o-tire- a game where the kids begin like dodge ball then run to the middle of the field and try to take each tire to their side! They end up playing tug-o-war with the tires. Some kids get dragged and much laughing is involved!


I call it Ichi NI- which means one two in Japanese. They play a huge game of two legged race with about 15 people- it is really called the centipede. The 15 legged race! No falling- yeah right!


a cultural dance/formation type of activity- lots of yelling and dancing!


2 by 4 race and hurdle! 4 take the 2 by 4 and run an obstacle course, then go back to their group to hand it off to other students- instead all the students have to hurdle the 2 by 4. wow what team work and jumping skill!

culture day flags made by all the students (6-8th grade) (green-1st grade, red-2nd grade, and blue-3rd grade!)

dancing during the drama- quite the synchronized dance!

amazing artwork by the students!

second grade students!

sports day! the kids can sit like this a lot- quite surprising!

Well, sports day was a blast. They were able to show their skills and sweat a lot which is what I did also! I also was able to join a tug-o-war for the teachers! Though I didn't understand anything they said- I can understand the language of tug-o-war! It was a great two days! I was able to see how impressive the students are. They work so hard on everything they do! It was good to not teach also, I mean- ops that is just me...

Remember- if you are ever approached (by running) by a 2 by 4 I sure hope that you have a good vertical because if you don't you may be lying on your face!

Remember 2: good morning can be translated to goob mooning- try it out!


Remember 3: use the word interesting- know how to use it and spell it because the entire country of Japan can use it well! It is impressive- i just say interesting and this light bulb lights up!

MOlly

Watashi wa Kohe wo Ogino de Kaimas.

This is going to be a whirl wind effect of the last month of life for Just A Guz in Japan.... Pictures, info, traveling, the suspense of it all. Hold on to your shoes yall!

First, I have been to the mountains a few times lately- we went to Shin-ju-ku Temple and ventured to go through that area which became a little hike into the mountains!..

Shin-Ju-Ku Temple

Senior pics while hiking (just before we were drenched by the rain)

Well, Next what to do... How about some pics from Tokyo I wrote about it before but didn't get pics up! 

Japan: Land of the heels! Kinda crazy- do you think these go on bikes- YEP, on trains- yep on three mile jogging trips- yep! ouch!

Me with a melon flavored cone and another friends cone in front of what is called the turd building. It was given that name for numerous reasons....I'll leave that to you!

A little taste of some fashion in Tokyo at Shibuya (the fashion central) 

Japan Fashion: ANYTHING goes!

early morning fish market- just slapping up some slabs of tuna! 

The Brady Bunch! Here is my Japanese Family- Natsuko-mom, Yoshi- dad, Akane (eldest daughter of three). Her children- Shin-3 and Yumi-1 so cute!

Shin's just enjoying the water to much to look at the camera! Silly kid!

Yumi- my fav little 1 year old! What a cutie!

SUSHI PLEASE! My first experience at a sushi resturant chain with my Japanese rents!

is that squid- yep!

I said I would try anything and that is what I got! it was a blast!

tuna, onion, and mayo- pretty good ( did that tuna come from the fish market?)

\

Dad having a little bit ( and over twenty plates of sushi- done!)

Just in case you wanted a special order from the special order menu- they would send it out via a rapid speed train which was above the conveyor belt- ps my favorite sushi is bellow the train- scallops and onion!

mom taking a big bite out of a squid ( she did it first to lead the way!)

Fujioshida- the festival marking the end of the climbing season! it was a huge fire festival with untamed torches which could burn you easily! No fire marshalls here! Just free raining huge torches!

Just watching the beginnings of a torch!

The firemen who are carrying a huge idol of sorts on their backs! They were swaying a lot, we thought they were going to hit us- then we learned they were completely drunk and were swaying because of that and the extreme weight of the idol.

The opening gate of Fujioshida- and you should be able to see Fuji San (mnt) in the back but it was so cloudy (soon to rain) that we couldn't even see mnts!

a taiko drummer! We saw a great taiko drumming group here! Also ate lots of yukki torri (chicken cabobs), Yukki soba ( noodles and chicken), and more chicken! and bought about 15 dolla of candy- long story!!!!

Well for the sake of taking up the entire page and then some with pictures and things this will have to do till the next posting of Just A Guz. Everything is quite delightful in Japan! The weather is finally settling into the lower 80's so it is bearable again! Also, school started and I am getting use to being an English Teacher in Japan- it is so different! Also, just met a great girl who had a connection to NWC and found that God leads his children! I have been blessed in so many ways! So this seems incomplete but there are more pics on facebook, and more posts this next few days! till then Sayanora!

Remember: Dole pop sickles are a great snack for breakfast lunch and dinner. They double any meal!

~MOlly

It's what you've been waiting for....

Just a Guz is getting internet tonight! So just prepare yourself for a whirl wind of new information and pictures. Keep checking it ever minute because you never know how often in one day JAG will be updating!

Remember: to be understood is communication so as long as your point gets across who cares if you sound like a three year old with to much frosting!

MOlly

ps I just realized that I have been trying to keep JAG a less personal blog but in all reality I have been signing my name at the bottom- ah man! I blew my cover! Ok lets keep imagining that I don't do that!

The novel without pictures!

Konnichiwa audience san, O genki desu ka?



Hello everyone who takes the time to shop at this 100 yen shop! (the great dollar story in Japan!) Yeah it has been a long time since I posted- you want to know why? I do not know or speak Japanese very well. I may be able to slide you by my phonetic spellings of what I want to say but in all reality Japanese is not letter related it is related to the characters in all three alphabets. So this all to say- I do not have Internet in my apartment yet so bear with me for picture updates and any other type of contact other than the time I have at school. So here is a brief indication of my dealings with Japan thus far.



Sushi Sushi- before I was released from my home stay family's house they took me up to the mountains to see their mountain side home. It was a gorgeous very historical Japanese style home with tatami mats and sliding doors and beautiful movie style gardens. It was refreshing to take sometime away from the busy Kofu to relax and enjoy the mountains. After this great trip and the car-sickness that comes from an Iowa girl traveling about an hour into the spiral staircase of the mountains, we stopped at a chain restaurant. I thought- what a chain restaurant after all this original Japanese food and life that I had been experiencing since I was here?- It was better than a chain it was a Sushi restaurant. Walked in and sat in bar stools and looked ahead to a conveyor belt of sushi made fresh by the chiefs in the back. It was amazing! You grab a plate and eat! Then another and another and another till you are full. Then you pay by the plate- all are 105 yen- around 1 dolla. So we started the feast- I told my Japanese rents that I would eat anything and they started grabbing sushi for me- I ate raw tuna, scallop, cucumber and veggie, corn and mayo, so many types oh and wait- squid- sushi is so much more than I expected. It was either a piece of raw\cooked meat on a rectangle of rice or a seaweed wrap of goodness! I enjoyed all the sushi. Horse radish was used a lot which cleared my sinuses but every single piece of sushi was Oishi- delicious- I was very taken by the sushi and am not sure if I can go back! ( prior to this experience I had not had sushi because the sushi may not be as fresh as in Japan and might have hindered my prior feelings toward the delectable bits of goodness!) I love sushi! My favorite sushi is a rectangle of rice with scallops and onion.



Tokyo or the beach- anyone?



Well I traveled right before school to a place which is similar to NYC- non other than Tokyo. I had previously drove through Tokyo after flying to Japan but had not been able to explore. Well all three of us DM teachers took a train to Tokyo and started to explore. One of us had been there before which helped out but in all reality if you have a guide book, a hostel to stay in, and an English version of the subway system you can get around- most things are within reach of the nearest subway! We saw the turd building- I didn't name it- it is a business building that has a yellow turd on top of it! Also, I went to the top of a skyscraper to see Tokyo. It was gorgeous because it was an open air observation deck. Also we went to a modern art museum, a fish gallery which was sweet, the early morning fish market where they sell the fish straight from the water and so much more. I will have picks of this very soon! It was hot and we walked over creation but it was so fun!

Well for now that will have to do- off to lunch- rice and a few pieces of meat and a salad! done! yum!

Remember: Don't watch out for cars then you may get a free prize!


~MOlly