I went to Katsuyama today to visit with Buddha and sample some of the best Curry in Japan (or at least the best in Katsuyama).

The Daibutsu (or big Buddha) in Katsuyama is utterly amazing! It is the largest cast-metal statue in the world (if we are going to believe the guides which I have an odd tendency to do). Big Buddhas are really cool so I was looking forward to the trip (with Ruan acting as my own personal tour guide of beautiful Katsuyama), but I wasn't prepared for it to be soooo cool. To set the stage-- it was a lovely, rainy Japanese Monday so most people were either working (so many productive people in this country) or hiding from the weather. The grounds of the temple were virtually empty. Katsuyama is a cute (possibly even quaint) little town nestled into the mountains. There was still snow on the ground, the mountains had clouds wandering slowly around them, and the wind had a nip of winter left in it. The Daibutsu is in a massive building and has 2 huge boddhisatvas on either side standing guard. The Buddha himself is 17 meters tall (in a country of short people that's saying something). There are little shelves carved into 3 of the walls (floor to ceiling) which house over 1,200 other statues of Buddha's. The whole effect was stunning. Every step I took echoed off the walls and ceiling (causing the one other person inside to shush me). A very cool trip. Embarrassing that I have lived in Fukui for so long with out ever going to see it though. It's funny how when things are close by you put off seeing them because you can go at anytime (still several museums in DC that I never got around to visiting).

After viewing the Daibutsu we went to the 5-storied pagoda (the tallest 5-stories pagoda in Japan). I was just starting to think that wearing boots with heels wasn't the best idea if I was going to climb 5 stories (very tall stories) to the top. Then we found the elevator and I remembered why Japan rocks! They love modern conviences in this country and I love them for loving them (and if that made sense to you you might need to get more sleep).

We attempted to visit the Dinosaur museum but it was just about to close (no Dinosaurs today). We did get to see some statues of dinosaurs on the grounds (some of them even wore clothing apparently). A nice way to spend a rainy Japanese afternoon.

Walking on a cloud....

I got the Peaceboat job!!!! I am so excited and happy!!!! I don't think I will be able to use enough exclamation points in this blog to truly express my incredible joy, but I am certainly going to try!!!! It was actually a bit of a surprise as I didn't think the interview on Sunday went very well. The model lesson was fine, but the interview was a wandering mess of me saying the wrong things (sorry I don't know Paul Wolfowitz's resume). I had slept on a night train the night before and had very little sleep the whole previous week so I was starting to crash a little. But they must have thought it was better than I did (or maybe they could see through the sleep-deprived haze and sense what a fabulous person I am) because I GOT THE JOB!!!!! Everyone should go to www.peaceboat.org and look at the information for the 49th voyage because that is the one I am going to be on! They even keep a blog during the voyage so you can stay updated on 2 sites!

I will be leaving Tokyo on May 21. Then we will travel to (in order of appearance) Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Norway, Ireland, New York City, Jamaica, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Vancouver, and Alaska before finally returning to Japan on August 31. It's not an easy job (I teach a lot of classes every day, organize a lot of stuff, attend a lot of activities, and don't get much down-time) but it is such an amazing opportunity. Every port we pick up guest speakers who stay for a few weeks giving lectures and seminars. The guests on the ship (as well as the teachers) are encouraged to organize their own activities (everything from thai massage, to candle making and who knows... maybe even under-water basket weaving). We get to spend a few days in every port doing a whole variety of activities from meeting with NGOs to volunteer work to shopping and sightseeing! I have to take Lyrium (Malaria medication) too!

I can't believe that I actually got it, it seems like one of those things that happens to other people. I'm waiting for someone to shake me, tell me I'm late for work, and laugh at my funny dream. But then I suppose sometimes living in Japan seems like a dream too. Japan always seemed so exotic and distant when I was a kid and now I'm living here. And soon I will cimcumvent the globe like an old-time explorer! I think I am going to go float around my apartment smiling like the cheshire cat for awhile now.

(for those of you who are out of the loop I am not writing a letter to myself, but to my alter ego who has left a very interesting comment for me on this very blog)

Dear Carissa,
I am glad to know that I have inspired you to explore your creative side and allow the poet within to emerge. While I think you show promise, I hope you will not be offended if I offer a purely professional critique of your poem. I feel that your use of capital letters and unique spacing was a novice attempt to stimulate the senses and compensate for a thorough lack of originality. Your parody of my own writings, while appreciated (what great artist does not enjoy being parodied) was devoid of the passion most avocado enthusiasts assume. I offer you this to contemplate in your pursuit of perfection....




theRe's kimucHi buried in mY bacKyard

Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived in a little town far, far away. The place she lived was beautiful and exotic, but when it was hot it was very, very hot and when it was cold it was frigid. One Sunday morning she woke up and realized she had nothing interesting to do. Her plans for a trip had been suddenly canceled the night before and she was bored. Of course, she had plenty of work to do, but Sundays are for fun and relaxing not work. She decided that despite a little snow she would use the pretense of running errands to go shopping. In the town she lived most people rode bicycles to get around instead of using cars and the girl truly loved riding her bicycle everywhere. So on this slightly snowy morning she bundled up and set out on her shopping trip. The snow wasn't sticking to the roads and made everything look beautiful and clean. The girl was enjoying her day immensely, even more so as she bought new clothes for spring. She was convinced that spring was just around the corner and would follow closely on the heels of this late snowstorm. After her shopping she left the store and was surprised at how much snow had fallen and stuck to the ground. Not one to be detered she brushed all the snow off her bike, got on and slowly started her journey home. It was slow going as she had to bicycle through 2 inches of snow. If you have ever driven a car in the snow you can understand how slowly the car will go up a hill in the snow and a bicycle is no different. Despite her best efforts the girl had to get off and push several times. She tried to be cheerful though and view all of this as an adventure, but that quickly ended as car after car drove past spraying sheets of icy water onto her. She began to think that maybe this wasn't the best of her ideas. She had only seen one other person riding a bicycle all day and that was a teenage boy. Teenage boys are not the best people to follow because they will do anything and everything provided it is dangerous enough or upsets their mothers. As she neared home she looked down and realized she was completely white from all the snow that had stuck to her. It was like a circus act-- the abominable snowman on a bicycle performing tricks for the spectators. Only her spectators all sat warmly ensconced in heated automobiles. She began to dislike her bike and wished, for the first time in years, that she had her own warm car to drive around spraying bicyclists in. When she arrived home she also wished she had a dryer for her clothes. But most of all she wished it would stop snowing and finally be warm!

I'm disappointed, avocado milkshakes seemed like such a good idea.

Haru wa akebono

I was woken this morning at 6:30. Not a time I am use to being awake. In my semi-conscious state I went to the window and as I looked out I saw the reds, pinks and oranges of the sunrise. And despite my sleepy state I instantly recalled the words of Sei Shonagon, the famous Japanese authoress: "In spring it is the dawn that is most beautiful. As the light creeps over the hills, their outlines are dyed a faint red and wisps of purplish cloud trail over them." It was one of those still, quiet moments that seems to last forever although it was only a few seconds. But the moment ended and I fell back into bed, happy to have seen one of the first sunrises of this spring (some would argue that it isn't quite spring yet, but I'm convinced winter is over).

Plum Blossom 

Yesterday was lovely. I am on a last minute rush to fit everything I haven't experienced in Japan into my last few weeks and I managed t0 check a few more things off the list yesterday. Two mothers that I teach English to picked me up and we went to a flower show. It is amusing that I know a lot of the flower names in Japanese but when the mothers asked me what it is in English I have no idea. My ability to speak English is fading quickly. After the flower show we went to a 200-year old garden in the middle of Fukui. It was beautiful and very peaceful (although it's still winter so there aren't a lot of things in bloom besides the plums). Then we went window-shopping (I think the mothers just wanted an excuse to use that word because I taught it to them and they try to throw it into conversation whenever possible). Finally we made it to dinner which was an amazingly delicious Japanese style meal (the common thread between all the courses seemed to be the baby eels which may look gross but are really delicious). It was my going away dinner. I can't believe that I am leaving soon enough to already be having going away dinners. I figure that I have spent 30% of my adult life in Japan and so it has influenced who I am now. Although I feel like I am done with what I wanted to do in Japan and I am looking forward to the next adventure part of me doesn't really want to leave. This is home right now, I'm not just a tourist, and leaving is going to be difficult. The continuous battle between wanting to stay in the present and jump to the future all at the same time.
 

I PASSED THE JAPANESE PROFICIENCY EXAM LEVEL 3!!!!!!!!!! For those of you with good memories I took the test on December 5 and just got the results yesterday. But it doesn't matter that it took so long, I passed! I now feel that I can prove to the world that I have some vague understanding of the Japanese language (vague being the key word there).

Yet another reason I love Japan.

I went to get my hair cut today (it has been awhile and I was starting to look a little shaggy). But getting your hair cut in Japan isn't just a quick snip snip type of thing. It is an entire relaxation experience that takes at least 2 hours. They don't just wash your hair, they give you an entire head massage. After that, while you are waiting for the hairdresser, they give you a shoulder massage. Then they cut your hair, give you another head massage and then style your hair. The people at the salon I go to (BBID) are so nice and friendly. We chatted the whole time and the funny thing is that I find it easier to chat in Japanese with Japanese hairdressers than I ever have in America (chatting with American hairdressers in America as opposed to Japanese hairdressers in America). Another must for any travelers to Japan (put it right under Seeing Kyoto on the To Do list).

I have been living in Japan for a decent amount of time (it will be a total of 2 years by the time I leave) and I have only recently begun to feel like my Japanese is getting fluent. The irony is that I am improving so much right as I am about to leave. I will go home and forget all of my Japanese! What a waste.

Most of you have probably noticed but I have recently added comments on my blog so you can leave your messages of adoration and worship more easily now.

I am very done with winter. Where is spring hiding? Hurry up all ready!