The Life Conspiracy

9 10 2009

wow I fail at updating my blog!  As I mentioned before, I am working on a write up about Mt Tsukuba, but I could at least blog about whats going on too right??

Anyway.  Almost directly after my last post, my school had a group of students from New Zealand come on exchange for 12 days.  We had a lot of trouble finding host families, so I had one of their teachers stay with me (in my double shoe box), which was really good because I could also participate with them in their activities.

Each year the Kiwi trip always happens at the same time so that they can see the school’s cultural festival.  However this year things were a bit different.  The festival had been changed from 2 days to 1 day due to swine flu being everywhere in Japan at the moment.  Then, late on Thursday afternoon (Friday is a preparation day) it was announced it was totally cancelled because 4 classes in the whole school had been sent home with the flu.

Which meant that instead of 3 days of culture festival, 2 days at Nikko, and 2 days with their host families, we had a whole week off, only broken by those 2 days at Nikko.

It actually turned out to be really really fun.  On the Friday we had some problems with one of the Kiwi students (she was homesick), so we weren’t able to do much.  Beth (the teacher I was hosting) and I went for a walk at Soka, which has some historical significance in being a trade area.  And then that evening there was a big drinking party followed by karaoke.

Soka River Walk

Soka River Walk

The next day, all the adults from NZ, myself and another teacher went to Mt Mitake to do an easy hike.  Mt Mitake is a lot of fun.  We caught a cable car to the top, visited the shine, and then walked over a ridge to Mt Hinode.  Mt Hinode is great, because on a clear day you can see Tokyo in the distance.  And we could even see a little of Mt Fuji.  However, it’s not easy hiking while hungover…

On top of Mt Hinode

Mt Mitake Shrine

Sunday, the whole group of us went to Tobu Zoo, which is very close by my house.  It actually isn’t just a zoo, it also includes a small theme park, with a brilliant rollercoaster.  Suffice to say, the kids had a great time!

Monday and Tuesday was a pre-arranged trip to Nikko.  We went to Edo Wonderland, which is a village of Edo-era buildings and attractions.  I had been there before, and its okay, but it’s also something I think you could skip on a trip to Japan.  We also went to Tobu World Square, which I had wanted to go to for a long time.  It’s a park full of miniatures, with the theme ‘Travel the world in just one hour!’.  I loved it and highly recommend it!  After that we also went to Toshogu (I think it was my 5th or 6th time), which was pretty unremarkable (see my previous post).

Tower Bridge from Tobu World Square

Wednesday was mostly spent shopping, afterall, what’s a vacation without shopping? And Thursday was once again hiking!  This time we went to Kamakura, home of the biggest outside Buddha in Japan.  Our Kamakura hike was pretty easy, and included a lot of shrines and temples.  The most interesting ones were Zeniarai Benten, where you wash your money and it multiplies (and it really did work for me!), and another temple, of which it’s name escapes me, with a lovely garden.

Garden in Kamakura

Garden in Kamakura

After that it was back to school until the New Zealanders left.  But being back at school has also had its challenges.  We pretty much had to jump straight into preparing our classes for their exams, which are happening this week and next.  AND yesterday a major typhoon passed over Honshu, so school was cancelled for the day.  It was nice to sleep in, however, it did throw a bit of a spanner into the works.

And now it’s mostly back to normal.

Until something else comes up…


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in which michele remembers *why* she loves Japan

15 09 2009

There’s something about hiking that brings out the best in people.  I’m not sure if it’s because you are surrounded by nature, or if its because you can recognise something similar inside yourself and other hikers, regardless of fitness levels, but people are friendlier on the trail.

Here’s my experiences on Sunday, when I went hiking by myself in Tsukuba.  Within a space of four hours I had 3 encounters that had me smiling, and remembering why I love Japan.

Firstly, while resting at a way point, one lady came over to me and offered me some cut nashi pear.  It was a really simple exchange, she just came over and said ‘Please’ while offering me the fruit.  I said thanks and took it, and then she left.  But what a lovely random act of kindness.  I am also convinced that fruit tastes better when you are hiking.  Nothing like exercise to make healthy foods taste great!

Next, on the way down the mountain I ran into a group of guys from a university.  One of the older guys in the group was trying to speak English with me, which happens kinda frequently in Japan, however it didn’t feel like he was trying for the sake of practicing, but more for the sake of conversing with me.  He was rather impressed with the time I’d been in Japan, and soon realised my Japanese was better than his English, but then he made the younger boys practice introductions with me.  They were all pretty cute (as in action, not physical appearance… mind you, some were cute in both ways….) and they all said ‘Hello’ again when they passed me later.

Finally, when I was close to the end of my hike, a group that passed me earlier as they were going up the mountain over took me coming down (so, Im not very fast… or fit…).  These guys were also university students, but they had great english.  They walked with me the remaining way (about 15 min) and we had a lovely conversation about nothing in particular.    I was particularly impressed that they managed to do the mountain (up and down) in an hour, and wearing sandals…

Of course, in Japan hikers are polite and courteous.  Almost everyone you pass will say ‘Konnichi wa!’.  People passing you will say either ‘Sumimasen’ or ‘Osaki ni’, excusing themselves or excusing themselves for going first respectively.  And then when you let someone move through a narrow way before you do they say their thanks, or excuse themselves again.  But its the people who will go out of the way to have a conversation with you ‘just becuase’ that really make me love hiking in Japan.

On top of Mt Tsukuba

and for those intrested, I will do a write up on hiking Mt Tsukuba soon!


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tuesdays with michele

16 12 2008

Well, its been a while since I’ve done a proper blog.  And boredom is really hitting me this afternoon (or should I say procrastination).  Hence a bit of an update.

December 7th was the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), so leading up to that much time was spent on studying, not that I have much of a chance of passing.  This year I took level 2, for which I should know about 1000 kanji, 6000 words, and have studied for around 600 hours.  I probably have studied for about 600 hours, but languages are hard for me.  I don’t like memorizing, and really, thats what languages are about (or should I say a big part of learning them).  Don’t get me wrong.  I love Japanese, and I can function in society, but I really should try and learn new words and kanji, and use correct grammar.  Anyway, now I have a better idea of what I need to do to pass level 2, so next year fingers crossed!

On the subject of the JLPT, they are actually restructuring the format of the tests, which while I think is a great idea, hopefully won’t affect me one bit.  What they are going to do is insert another level between level 3 and level 2.  This is to make the jump to level 2 a bit easier.  Compared to the figures I quoted above, for level 3 you only need 300 kanji, 1000 words, and approximately 300 hours of study.  So this new level is a good idea.  Hopefully it wont affect me because they are introducing it in 2010, and by then, I hope to have level 2.

So, my Japanese teacher has recommended that I start reading Japanese books.  She says this will help a lot with the kanji and vocab problems I have.  Soooo, when I was at a book store the other day I picked up a book and a magazine.  Both, and if you know me well you won’t be surprised, about walks.  The book I am pretty excited about.  Its a guide book about walks near and around the Tobu Railway lines.  As I live on the Tobu Isezaki line it’s perfect for me.  Heaps of interesting walks near, or easily accessible to me.  The magazine is about strolls around Tokyo, but it’s more of a guide book, recommending things to see or eat (in the Japanese tradition).  Anyway, plan to do some walking on days with good weather this vacation.

Speaking of walking.  You might have noticed the maps I’ve been posting.  Sorry, but this blog has become a bit of a dumping ground for the maps I make at work.  Anyway, what I am going to do is actually start my own homepage eventually for walks and hikes around Tokyo.  Hopefully that will be happening sometime soon.

As for work, well, I’m pretty much on winter vacation already.  Tomorrow being the last day I have to go to work this year.  I don’t have many plans for the vacation, but the big excitement is I will be having a Christmas lunch at my house this coming Tuesday.  I’m really excited, and I have some grand plans for what I want to make.  Cooking, as well as hiking and reading, is one of my favourite things to do.  Even better if its for friends and yummy!  The plan – Roast Chicken breast, boiled pork, roast veggies and gravy, stuffing, rumballs, fruit mince tarts, and Christmas pudding.  Its going to be great!

And lastly, had a straight perm the other day.  Don’t really look like myself at all.  When I take a picture I’ll link it…  its really really straight.   


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