See You!

This sweet girl (whose name I'm sorry! I don't remember)
helped me write "Music" using Kanji calligraphy.
Her writing, of course, looked ten times better than mine,
but she was very patient and a great teacher.

"You've got a friend in me.

You've got a friend in me.
When the road 
looks rough ahead,
And you're miles and miles
from your nice warm bed,
You just remember 
what your old pal said:
You've got a friend in me."

This woman is absolutely inspiring.
Not only was she our translator, but she also helps
maintain a beautiful garden at her family's house,
plays tennis, creates needlepoint works of art.
This picture and the three others like it
were taken yesterday morning at her house.

"

These two pictures are of 
traditional Sakiori weaving.  
It was a lot of fun,

and I created pieces of cloth 
that I will definitely be 
showing off in my 
classroom next year! :) 

Yesterday, after we watched the students clean the school (every day at 3:30,
isn't that awesome?!), I watched a band rehearsal for a few minutes and then
watched some very giggly girls during their trombone sectional.
Later, we headed to a Kendo practice (which was SO COOL!) but I'll
have to have to post pictures of that some other time.

In Japan, very nice (and very expensive!) kimonos are usually
just warn for festivals.  In our hotels, yukatas (light, cotton kimonos) 
were provided to basically be used as bathrobes.  Most people 
even wear them around the hotel, especially when headed to
and from the onsen (Japanese bathhouse - Google it!). 

Our final dinner in Hanamaki was held at a wonderful little pizzeria 
just down the street from our hotel.  It was just our group of 
teachers and friends and the chef.  
The food tasted like it was straight from Italy, 
and the evening was a perfect end to a perfect trip.

"And as the years go by,
Our friendship 
will never die.
You're gonna see, 
it's our destiny.
You've got 
a friend in me." *

Dear Sister City Hanamaki,
Thanks for the memories.  I'll cherish them forever!
Your people's kindness is far greater than words can express
and imaginations can picture.
I hope we'll meet again someday.
See you!
With great love,
Katherine Combs

*(Randy Newman's "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story)

How I Met Your [Japanese Friend]

Kids, when I was in Japan, the other teachers and I had lots of “wow!” experiences.  We went to museums, visited schools full of dedicated students and teachers, learned about Japanese poets, participated in traditional tea rituals, handed money directly to cashiers (which is apparently a sign of… low class…), wrote Kanji calligraphy, heard beautiful music, used Japanese toilets (which are in the ground and a different level of wow) and viewed several astonishing, beautiful ceremonies. 

The first three days of our trip were amazing, and I couldn’t imagine anything topping those experiences.  Challenge accepted!  Part of our “Japanese experience” was a home stay, where each of us was assigned to a Hanamaki family and stayed with them Saturday and Sunday night (days four and five of our trip).  I was assigned to the home of Ai (pronounced “eye”) – a perfect fit.  She was a few years younger than I, but she was super sweet, loved Taylor Swift (…hmmm… don’t judge me, but I was a huge Taylor Swift fan), and was eager to learn about America.

The home stay was legen - wait for it because Japan is 14 hours ahead of Arkansas – dary.  Legendary!

(Okay, no more “How I Met Your Mother” TV references…)

I visited Ai's English school, Speak Up, and ended up being
"the lesson" for the advanced English speaking students.
It was a lot of fun visiting with everyone!

In Japan, karaoke is not usually performed in front of large
rooms full of people.  Instead, you and your friends get a
karaoke room together, and there's a small stage where you
stand with your microphone.  Waiters bring you whatever
food or drink that you order from a kiosk in your room.
Definitely a great experience!

Ai and her friend Kaho took me to make
Japanese senbei, a kind of cracker.
First you roll the dough, and then you
bake it in a skillet(?) like Ai is doing.

Ai and Kaho took me shopping at a HUGE shopping mall
in Iwate's Prefecture's capital city, Morioka.
What shopping trip is complete without Starbucks?
(In case you were wondering, some of the snacks and drinks
available are different, but it tastes just as good as in America!)

Ai, Kaho, and I stopped in a photo
booth on Sunday.  We took six photos
in the first booth, and then Ai and Kaho
edited each picture in the second booth.
You can change each background,
write and draw pictures, add blush to
the faces, etc.  It's so cool!

The best part of the home stay was getting to know Ai.  I loved learning about
her life here in Japan and helping her with her English.  We might live halfway
across the world from each other, but our similarities were amazing.
Thanks for the wonderful, memorable weekend, Ai.  See you! :) 

There are evenings that, as I wait to fall asleep in my bed, I think back over the previous day and feel it was just a day and nothing more.  In months and years to come, the day will fade into nothing more than a blink of God’s eyes.

In Japan, it has been the exact opposite.  How strange to know these are all moments that I will remember and retell for a lifetime.  

Excuse Me... Do You Offer Parenting Classes?

Have you ever had the sort of moment that makes you want to check the mirror, just to be sure this is you and your life?  This entire trip has left me feeling that way.  I can't believe that I'm actually standing in Japan and getting to experience the beauty of the countryside and the generosity of the people.

Today began with my favorite activity so far:  visiting an elementary.  We observed several classrooms, including two calligraphy classes where the students practice writing kanji. (There are something like 50,000 different kanji symbols, and about 1,500 of those are used in everyday life - as opposed to the 26 letters in our alphabet.)  

Students practice writing kanji.

After two class periods, the students have a twenty minute break - during which they have almost absolute freedom.  They can go to any of the playground areas outside, which is encouraged, or they can roam the hallways inside.  Today, many students stayed inside and followed us around.  Any time we entered a room, the doorways were blocked with students hoping for a high-five.  We had our own entourage!  

Konnichiwa!

In all the chaos of today's twenty minute break at school, there were no fights, no broken windows, no tattling - and no teachers monitoring.   Children are taught respect for rules, and the students follow them.  Here's a good example outside the school walls: Alcohol is sold in vending machines at many stores.  No IDs are checked and no adults monitor the machines - Children/teens simply do not buy it.

The Japanese definitely have a sense of "the whole is more important than the individual".  The teachers, parents, and community are all viewed equally important in the students' education.  For example, yesterday at a museum, a little boy kept (literally) running into us.  Our guide firmly grabbed the little boy by the arm, scolded him, and then smiled and patted him on the head.  The boy didn't seem surprised that a complete stranger stopped him, just ashamed he hadn't paid attention.  The community - including complete strangers - works together to ensure that children are raised to be valuable members of society.  

When we've spoken with the principals and even the mayor, they all seemed eager to learn about the American educational system.  I'm thinking I'd like to learn more about the Japanese way of doing things.  Let's start with "Parenting 101"...

Tonight, we went to a traditional Japanese restaurant, where
we had to sit on the floor - and check our shoes with an
attendant at the door!  We placed our shoes in a little
compartment, closed the door, and took the little wooden
block with us.  The wooden block served as a key when
we returned for our shoes.  So cool!

Katherine+Chopsticks=Success!
I finally learned how to use chopsticks,
thanks to our friend Koichi-san.

Autograph, please?

Today, we began our day by visiting a Junior High (Grades 1, 2, and 3 - or, in America we call them 7, 8, &9).  All of the students performed a "cheer" for us that lasted close to five minutes.  It was amazing!  Their energy, rhythm, memory, and discipline were remarkable.  

Later, we observed some classes and ate a school lunch with the students; during this time, I realized several things:

*The students in Japan write English sentences better than I do.

*The teachers and students have an obvious mutual respect for one another.  Even when I couldn't understand a single word, I could understand that the students were having fun while being actively engaged and challenged in the lesson.  

*Katherine + chopsticks = comedic relief for everyone. I thought I had it down until one of the students said, "Uhhh... What are you doing?"  They tried to help explain it to me, but eventually the boys just gave up and the girls giggled behind their hands... Sorry, America, you didn't look so great today.

*I am not Japan-sized.  I'm sooo tall!

*Aside from the chopsticks incident, I felt like a celebrity the whole time we were at the school.  They applauded as we walked into the gym for their performance.  Every time we walked past a classroom, the students would grin and wave.  We were asked for our autographs by several students, and I even signed a few  hands and t-shirts.  They were so excited to meet Americans!

The school visit was definitely my favorite part of the day, and I think it was the students' as well!  As we drove away, they came outside and waved.  I'd be happy just spending the next week there!  

After our school visit, we went to the Kenji Miyazawa (a Japanese poet and children's author from Hanamaki) museum and then met with the mayor(!) of Hanamaki.  The mayor was just as gracious as everyone else we've met, and he had a great sense of humor and lots of questions about America's education system.  We also had the opportunity to meet with the President of Hanamaki's International Association and had dinner with the International Exchange Office members.

We've definitely had a great visit so far.  Now, if only I could figure out this chopstick thing... 

こんにちは (Hello!)

"Kon'nichiwa" (Hello) from Japan!

Since leaving Hot Springs yesterday morning, I've spent fourteen and a half hours on airplanes, crossed the international date line, ridden trains for four hours, and realized that my camera has decided not to take pictures in this beautiful country.... But it's all been worth it because the handful of people that we've met since arriving in Hanamaki have been kind and incredibly welcoming. I'm not sure anyone could receive a warmer reception!

ありがとう (Arigato, or "Thank you")

We owe a huge "Arigato" to our new friend Satoru Fudai who accompanied us from the Narita airport to Hanamaki and helped us navigate the train stations. I'm not sure we could have done it without him!

I also want to thank Ichiro Fudai, Satoru's father, who met us at the Hanamaki train station with his wife. Ichiro has been an avid supporter of the Sister City foundation and has visited Hot Springs many, many times. In fact, he calls himself "a geek of Hot Springs".

Koichi Echigo, the manager of Hanamaki's Office of International Relations, drove us from the train station to our hotel. He and Yumi Matsuda were also very helpful during dinner, explaining the week's itinerary and giving us tips on Japanese language and etiquette.


Tomorrow, we'll walk through Nanjo Junior High School, visit a museum, and meet both the Mayor and the President of Hanamaki's International Association. It will definitely be a full day!

Once In A Lifetime Opportunity... Part II

During the summer of 2011, I spent three weeks (-ish) traveling through Europe with a friend.  We roomed on the fourth floor of youth hostels that lacked working elevators, ate in cafes that belong in movies, rode through the Chunnell, got hustled out of money while trying to buy Metro (subway) tickets, unwittingly arrived in Paris on Bastille day, finally received written proof that we weren't witches, stayed with my AMAZING Dutch family, were made fun of in Paris for being American, ate some fabulous Dutch Pannekoeken and Belgian waffles, accidentally walked along a nude beach... We've got some great stories.

After marrying my high school sweetheart Patrick and forming a pretty awesome family (if I do say so myself), I was fairly sure my traveling days were over for now.  The Hot Springs Sister City Foundation has thankfully! proven me wrong.  In less than 36 hours, I'll be on my way to Japan for a week-long adventure, learning about the Japanese culture and exploring our fantastic "Sister City", Hanamaki.

A second "once in a lifetime opportunity"?  Why not?!

:)