あなんじょびあめでとう.

Otanjobi-omedatou! This is a holla out to my DADA-! Well yesterday was his birthday in Japan but today it is his b-day in America! SO I write this on his American Birthday! I won't disclose his age but he told me this year that his birthday is similar to Katy's- just the opposite! She is turning 25 this year and so- I shall leave this to you! (ops!) Well for his Birthday I decided that he should come to Japan- so in about 4 weeks he is coming- but seriously that is not his b-day present. I can't tell you what I got him either because if he reads this before opening his presents well the surprise is gone! All I can say is that it is educational! I thought- well I can't give him the gift of younger age (not that he would want that any who!) So I thought what would be better than  and educational gift- hence bigger brains! Any who, I guess you are supposed to reflect on your life on your Birthday! And as I reflect on him- well the 22 years I have known him I would have to say- he is the quintessential dad! Who could ask for a better Dad- he is crazy fun (remember those times you turned up the music in the car- when we were younger- we rocked out to those songs like Newsboys!), he is honest (he is always saying let me tell it to you this way~!), he is serious (who is stronger Godzilla or DAD- def DAD- he has shown me what justice is like! and I appreciate it all! even the iron hand of correction!, he likes to golf- i guess that is just a bonus, he flabbergasts everyone (well more like chokes everyone), and he loves all of us (well probably you who are reading too!) What else can you say- he is the sweetest dad ever and though I may be old enough to not rely on someone so much- (WHATEV) when you have passed the stage of your parents not being cool and reach a stage where what they say actually is meaningful and completely wise- you will also feel like this- You can't live with them forever (though it would be easier) but you can't live without them! Love ya DADA-!

Second- bruises more bruises- While I was running the other day I got in a fist fight with a iron fence. I took a good one but I think it got the message- I was running there- he was in my way! YEAH! 

OK these are sweet and I wanted to show everyone! My dad got these for my mom on Valentimes Day! He gets the sweetest FLOWERSH ever! Those star gazers are her fav and he always finds the coolest ones! And they end up living forever and stinking (I mean fragrancing) our house for weeks! Flowersh for dollarsh.

Remember: It is already spring in Japan- so Iowans- it is coming for you too!!! 

~MOlly

Mask, and Crafts... these are a few of my favorite things!

Lately, new aspects of Japanese life have masks and crafts and more masks. Everyone lately is getting influenza- that is what is going around. Most kids are coughing and oozing from their eyes and noses and for the wonder of it all they are wearing masks. The masks are cotton covering for their ailments- the barrier between their sickness and everyone elses. It is not such a bad idea because you can still breath but you just keep your germs to yourself. (what a concept!) But this does purpose the ideas that everyone is ok with looking like they have been shunned from their homes and having to run around yelling "unclean, unclean". Ok so they may not have leprosy but at first it was definitely a wake up call to see so many masks. They are worn if you are sick, have allergies, you do not want to get sick, the air is not pleasant, and for various unknown reasons. Thought I have been sick, I have hidden my sickness enough to not be forced into wearing this baggage! I did wear one to my Japanese lesson because we are in closer contact with each other than usual classroom space. (thus the picture above). Do I not look like I am yelling "unclean unclean" please stare at me for more reasons than being blonde. I am! Well since I am already stared at all the time wearing a mask was not so hard, but I still don't want to at school- I can't be understood at all then-( I lost my voice, so seriously it would be like listening to a underwater tea party!- seriously if you do not know what I am talking about you have not lived- and should ask someone to have a underwater tea party with you). Any who, these masks have left an impression on me- there than around the nose where this harder piece of metal is places to form to your face- they have become reality and not so strange as it did before. So I say- masks are not so bad- but still kinda like wearing a scarf in the summer.

As for crafts, I have had much time to think about cool crafts to do and these are what I like! I love origami (ps my teach just bought me a book about origami- I love it!) and making chocolate- as you would say! Well that was more for Valentimes Day! I enjoyed every min of it! Enjoy the pics!

So as you can see, I have been super busy and unable to breath and- oh wait- I have just made an update about making chocolate and origami! I have had good time to relax and maybe do somethings that I would not be able to do in the US! So SUGOI! It has been great- the weather is getting better, I am getting better, and life will continue to spiral into a spinning whirl of fast ends! SO lets stop and make some origami ehhh? DONE

Remember: It only takes a spark to get a fire going?? IF that doesn't make you laugh I am not sure what would! 

~MOlly

What's all this horse'n around???

This is the black board after we took the hour reading our letters- I was trying to explain- horse to the students! Thankfully I was not a art major! (also Japan is huge compared to China hehe)

Today, finally after about a month of waiting the project Authentic Communication has been completed. My idea was for the first grade students of Kamijo Jr. High School to write letters to students, all over the world, using letter writing etiquette and the English Language to communicate. We started in December talking about letters, and practice writing our first letters using more of a daily dialogue with other students. First Grade students are very limited in their English capabilities but worked very hard to try to communicate with other students. Having this goal-the letters will be sent and returned- was a great motivation for students to take time and ask questions they wanted to ask students from other countries. We had letters sent to Iowa, Kentucky, New York, Wisconsin, and England. 

This photo is part of how I explained where the letters were coming from. The first step was showing them the US- which is partially erased, and then showing parts of Asia and Europe where England and Slovakia were. There were many letters that came back from foreign exchange students from Germany, Slovakia, and other countries! It was amazing! (and a test of my geography skills- I hope Slovakia is by Russia!). Any who after this explanation- We passed out the letters each child receiving two letters one from a younger elementary student and one from  a high schooler! The students were too excited! 

Also as a wonderful surprise each student received a Valentine- from my Mother- everyone loved these stickers (especially the girls!). The excitement was too high- I was kinda overwhelmed and scared they may rush me- but thankfully they are very calm even when they are excited!

I took video and pictures as I passed out the cards. Everyone was excited to read them thought they were MUZUKASHI DESU- meaning difficult. I think the kids said they were difficult because of their impatience to read and understand! They all ended up doing a great job! It was a great motivator to keep learning English so someday they may understand the letters 100%! 

Silly boys who might have received a letter from a cute high school girl! They were a little embarrassed but more glad they could keep a picture of an American friend with them all the time and brag about her. (It was so funny!)

These girls loved their cards too! These are some of the ping pong girls who I play ping pong with after school! The girls who received a wonderful card from my good friend Madeline were so excited! (the cards were so cute- I am pretty sure they said they were BFF after seeing the cards). 

This boy was very excited- He received a letter from my Father. He read the letter, with only a little need for help and wanted to write back. But after my explanation of what "Maybe I will meet you in March" meant- his face lite up and I felt like he wanted to jump out the window. (for those of you who do not know- Just a Guz's Mom and Dad are coming to Japan in a few weeks- 5 to be exact! not that I am counting and this will be my first visitor from America to Japan- I am so excited!) SO the children will be able to meet my family and this boy especially will be able to SAY thank you for the letter. He can't wait- and I agree with him! 

Some students were so excited to say Thank you that they started writing right away! This girl had a letter written before class was out! It was great! 

Ok the kids are a little shy- but this girl at least let me take a sashin- picture of her and her letter and wonderful stickers! She loved her letters so much! 

Peace and Victory signs were being thrown up all over the place! You could say there was a lot of Peace on Earth- (ok lame but true!)

To end this all the students had such a wonderful communication experience! They loved learning about other kids around the world and seeing how well young kids in America can write! This experience was so great I feel they will do this more often in years to come!

A special thanks to Kelsey Irwin and her 120 letters she sent, and Debra Wittrock who dominated her school and sent a huge number of letters back! Also to my sister Katy Strohm- who did a super job of putting a picture on each page- the Kids flipped with excitement! And to My Mom and Dad (for the stickers and love!), Sara Moser, Sarah Abbas , Colette Veldhorst, Christa Hydeen (in England- they also flipped because they got something from America and England!!!!), Evan Mattice (who got the kids interested in Missy Elliot), Madeline Lewis (for the cutest letters and always writing such fun letters- everyone should write her- she send the coolest letters back-and since about 9th grade has sent me stickers with every letter!!!! Its been fun!), and everyone who made this possible- it was a wonderful experience and a special time for the students.  Domo Arigato!

Remember: it may just take a letter to make someone feel extremely special- why not take the 5 mins to care! ( ok that was kinda old-person like, and teacher all combined!)

~MOlly

PS to those who helped out- I am creating a movie/slides of pictures of the entire experience as a thank you! If you would like a copy of this for your class or your memory- Please tell me! I will be sending them out and putting the movie online!

Hey look at the ground! We have swept twice now!

a sign that is in many subways- (discussion topics- what are they doing?-I think she is giving her heart away- watch out not on a train!)

Tokyo ikitai! I wanted to go to Tokyo and I did! Angela and I wanted to hit up the Big Mikan and relax! We escaped the randomness of Kofu to enjoy the sights and sounds of a place that should be scarry but just has so many people you get exhausted just watching them! We primarily went to Tokyo to chop the pelo! (for those who do not know spanish- pelo is hair!) So Angela went on line to hit up a sweet hair place in Tokyo. We found one called Sin Den and they spoke complete English! That was a definite bonus. So as we got to the area- we found out that it was very hard to find- it was located in this residential part out side one of the biggest shopping areas in Tokyp- Omoteasando! So we walked and walked and it was raining. We asked Sin Den wa doko desu ka and not one knew! So finally we called and a nice man who spoke good English told us how to get to this Place! IT was sweet but located in an apt building in the middle of a residential area- which is typical but many rights and lefts and such! SO we got there and thus started the choppage! One thing I would like to share is that whenever I get my hair cut there is usually a behhhh? for the color of my hair (thanks mom and dad) and the thickness of my hair (thanks dad!) but this time it was different it was summed up in one comment from my hair cutter- "Molly san look down, we have swept this twice!" And there was still a huge pile of hair! You could have made 5 dogs- fur coats or maybe 3 wigs out of it! I should start selling this! But who wants hair? Anywho- it was great and here is our outcome! 

Angela- before (top) and after (bottom)!

me before (top) and after (bottom) (with ganster face- must make sure it works with the hair!)

After this weight loss- i mean hair loss (for me this is similar), we got ready and painted the town midori (green)! We got all gussied up to enjoy some American style food! We went to Outback Steak House (which was also hard to find) but got a blooming union, and salads! The portions were American size- and so was the blooming union! It was WONDERFUL to eat a real salad with great greasy onions! Didn't know you could miss it that much! 

I thought these things were gone?

 So after this wonderful time we were heading back to the station to maybe pick up some coffee- and we got stopped by some TV people! They were a local smaller TV station (lead by some younger students) and they wanted us to sing songs we heard through some head phones! SO we played some ipod karaoke in the middle of Tokyo! The song was not in English and I was basically do do--ing lots and dancing just to help out their cause! Any who- that may turn up on some ridiculous lets-make-fun- of-foreigners TV show but it was really fun!!!! Angela and I did well I think and we are looking for agents as we speak so if you know of anyone then we are ready! We can even do some Japanese songs too! So the night was swanky (more the Hilary type!) 

( I didn't know you had to put your name on the row of shoes you wanted- lucky Praice Dwon!) This was hard to take so many people around- they were definitely discounted! but Dwon gets em all!)

Then we slept at the sweet little hostel where we met some people from Australia who were coming to Japan to Ski in Hokiedo! They were very SUGOI! The we shopped! It was sweet!

Lots of great things happened and lots of great food and great blue plaid glasses were found! SO you could say our trip to the big mikan was successful!

Remember: If you  are asked to sing a song you do not know- adding the robot- does make you look like you know it better!

~MOlly