Blogs from Koka, Shiga, Japan, Asia - page 2

"What did you do on your birthday Nikky?" "......" "Nikky?" "Manual labour." After a 2 hour nap (directly under the air conditioning machine) I woke up, got dressed, and was picked up (in searing hot 35 degree weather) to go to Shigaraki and make a torch. On the 26th, there is a fire festival. People trek up a small mountain, carrying large torches on their shoulders, and take them to the fire shrine. You can, of course buy the torches, but by venturing out on a hot day like Sunday, you could save yourself $20. In hindsight, I should have paid someone $50 to make mine for me.....no, not really. It was hard work, but I got into it, and it helped me avoid actually being hungover. I have my suspicions that I was still ... read more

A glance at my Junk Mail Inbox is enough to convince me that ESL teachers everywhere are slacking off! With suggestions to “Grow Bigger in her Eye!”, advice for “Male Enhance”, information on “Blue pilules” that supposedly have an “excelent improving effect” and “good potence” and advice about “8 thmgs evry woman makes in her intimate life” clogging the web waves, I'm surprised that any of us manage to find a job! What hope for us is there when the prevalence of “Engrish” in our lives (my life) is overwhelming?! Email, billboards, fashion, TV, movie subtitles…I mean, there's going to be a day when people just give up and decide that using their own language is better than butchering someone else’s…..or those who speak the butchered language will get sick of reading t-shirts that say ‘have ... read more

I read somewhere that the perfect Japanese bow is one where you emulate a ‘rice stalk, bending in the wind’ I took a detour on the way home the other day, and managed to get a few pictures of my surroundings. You will see rice fields - plenty of those in the area - and also some of the hazards associated with driving in Japan. I am talking about the one way- oops I meant 2 way streets, the impromptu train crossings you have to remember exist, and the ‘this is a sharp corner so we’ll just put a mirror up shall we?’ safety measures. As much as I grumble it is fun to drive here. The maximum speed in my area is 50km per hour, people nod and let you go first, or do a ... read more

Gah! this blog is the Bane of my existence!　Ok, so that may be going a bit far, but I’ve been putting it off and putting it off, and it’s about time isn’t it? Life at the moment has settled down into a routine, but that isn’t hard when you have a full time job because hey, that’s 9 hours a day filled in for you. The rest of my time is spent cleaning - no wait, make that thinking about cleaning, and then doing all of those handy important things that are always waiting for you when there’s something that actually needs doing, like facebook, skype, msn, watching anime, and eating…. ‘My evil genius Procrastination has whispered me to tarry 'til a more convenient season.’ -Mary Todd Lincoln 1818 - 1882 I am getting around those ... read more

An amazing facet of traditional Japanese culture. I have moved the full account of the tea ceremony from Golden Week 1 and have tweaked it a bit. There are also new photos for your perusing pleasure. I still feel that I was privileged to attend, and aside from the numb legs and ensuing pins and needles (from kneeling for a prolonged period of time) it was a fabulous experience. *** Saturday Tea for 20? I went to a tea ceremony on the Saturday afternoon which marked the beginning of Golden Week. and then was invited to have dinner with my helper's family at her house that night, so I didn't go to Kyoto until Sunday morning. The tea ceremony was lovely. I was invited as F-san's husband was co-ordinator of the event. (Lucky!) It took place ... read more