Blogs from Marugame, Kagawa, Japan, Asia

Hey! We love you guys! Have a great Thanksgiving without us! - J and A... read more

Well, it's been a crazy few weeks. Robert and Janet finally got to home visit us in Asia. The original plan was for them to visit us in China but as many probably already know, we got delayed in Shanghai for 33 days. Man, the Chinese government does NOT mess around! All disappointment over that trip aside, we were elated to have them come this July. I actually think that this was the better trip anyways. I love/hate China, and it can be a very stressful country to navigate. Japan, on the other hand, is chock full of helpful people and you don't have to be constantly looking over your shoulder for pickpockets. I PROMISE to add captions and detail later today. I had to work for 5 days while Alex got to travel so I'm ... read more

Writing about Japan instantly invokes reflection on China. For those who don't know, we're working at an English school in Marugame, Japan. Marugame is where the ninjas...I mean samurai...well, ok nothing crazy happened here. But it's a pretty sweet town, and we have pretty sweet jobs, teaching youngsters how to cuss in English. China .... even after I've been out of the that country for months, I'm still thinking about it. I'm reading about China, I'm talking about China and I'm writing about China. Never have I felt such a disconnect between my personal enjoyment and (intellectual? mental? )horror of a place. I just finished reading Oracle Bones, by Peter Hessler, which really helped clarify my thoughts. As our friend Jose said, Hessler describes China in a way I couldn't, and puts to paper my own ... read more

Can you believe it? It has been half a year since I started teaching overseas! August 9th marked 6 months since my arrival in Japan. Living in a foreign country has been a roller coaster ride with ups and downs, but mainly it has been an unforgettable and enlightening adventure for me. Experiencing a culture first hand, learning the daily routines and watching a single place change with the seasons and slowly become familiar to you is phenomenal. Living in, instead of just visiting, a country really gives you a feel for how and why things are done. Things that had previously baffled you start to make more and more sense, but at the same time you can always find something new that leaves you with that feeling of awe. Sometimes it gets lonely living ... read more

Who wouldn’t want to live in a city with its own castle? ^_^ Everyday when I go outside I see it and I smile. Near the end of Golden Week the city holds a festival on the castle grounds on Saturday and Sunday. Primarily the festival consists of stalls selling food and various goods lining every path and street in the area. On the street in front of the castle moat they had a parade during the day and a strange dragon dancing and taiko drumming competition. Two people are in a dragon costume and they make it shake, bounce, twist and turn while the other team members (usually kids) drum out a rhythm on drums. Surprisingly on the castle grounds I saw a salsa band, apparently there is a sizable population of Argentineans in Marugame. ... read more