LIFE IN JAPAN

When I looked at my blog I was surprised by how anxious I was, just remembering how I felt at Lake Toya near the end of September… I feel so much better now! And as far as the weather goes? I know Alberta had an amazing fall... but ours was other worldly! The picture I shared of winter was taken on December 1st! Until then... beautiful autumn colours! We are expecting to see 7 times the snow that RMH gets during the month of December BUT - the average temperature in the coldest month (January) is -5! I will take it!

What have we been up to since the end of September? A lot. Mark is busy shrinking (true story) walking, cooking and studying Japanese - he puts me to shame!! And I have been busy at my job. I find it hard to fit in enough study time at work because I always want everything I do to be perfection! What I have realized (Mark too) is that it is a challenge to not be good at what you are doing. I suppose that sounds arrogant but what I mean is we became experts in our field by taking a university degree and teaching for over 30 years. I am NOT an expert at Japanese, presenting English lessons to less than interested high school students or teaching adults. And how many of you laughed when you heard I was holding a Cooking Class once a month - HA! I know! But - we are growing… and living… It is a humbling experience.

We have continued to be DIE HARD Blue Bomber fans!! I took two Monday mornings off of work in November so we could watch the western final and the Grey Cup!! And we also traveled two weekends in the fall - once to Yoichi (famous whiskey distillery and apple orchards and once to the neighbouring city; Ashahikawa!

We are both missing the band room - A LOT. I am hoping that sometime in the near future I will get to the junior high and get to hang out with the “band geeks” again! In the meantime, we have attended a couple of band concerts and a piano recital. Our friend Nicky (the lifesaver) teaches piano and English so we attended her recital. AND - I am starting piano lessons with her tonight! I am also meeting with a group of seniors and playing the Koto with them (a smallish version of the Japanese harp - not the real thing).

I started a Conversation Class once a month - and it quickly became OUR Conversation Class as Mark is a big part of it - and I am sure he is the reason we kept our one male member! As such, I am now only doing Coffee Talk once a month.

One of my favs is my two adult private lesson students - they are both great women and I love hanging out with them once a month! I also really enjoyed English Day at the private Infinity Global School in Sounkyo (mountain resort 20 mins away).

Since Mark’s brush with the law (BAH HAH) we have stayed under the radar! Although a bird did poop on his head and glasses during a walk one day!! We have sung karaoke a couple of times with the two ALT’s (JET program) and had a couple of “shindigs” with Nicky (her word). But it is not what I am used to. I don’t have the social life I once had - that is for sure. Even Mark is missing the social activity. We are grateful for a couple of “Happy Hour” chats with a few couples and I am forever grateful for technology and FaceTime!!

We will be away from our kids for only the second time ever; the first being the dastardly COVID CHRISTMAS of 2020!! But both boys have lovely girls and I know they will be okay. Still…

We are decorated up for Christmas and our little place is pretty homey - one of the ALT’s (Matt) said to Mark that it actually looks like we are living here!! Ha! The young…. probably still living out of boxes - I would have been if I was in my 20’s. But we left a beautiful home and - well - we are creatures of comfort! AKA - Old!!

Mail is one of my favourite things! I am grateful for the letters that I have received and we were thrilled that our first “Canadian Order” arrived a couple of weeks ago via Kathy! I even gave up a beloved box of KD to the other Canadians here (Matt)! And I shared it with my students out at Infinity School! I told Mark that I was going to eat one box a month once the initial feast and the 2 boxes I shared were gone… I had 8 and I now have two left - so - there is that! We also got a bottle of our beloved Montreal Steak Spice - a taste of home! Sadly there will never be cheddar cheese or sour cream… sigh…

The next box that is coming has hair products and deodorant!! Japanese people do not sweat in the same places we do - eek! There is no deodorant to be found!! There will be vitamins, socks and underwear, as well as a couple of treats! Japan is foreign, people!! Truly!

I am also really enjoying doing submissions about our experience for the Mountaineer! Another creative outlet as I am REALLY missing my sewing machine!!

I’ve added a few pics of the happenings of the last couple of months… I will DEFINITELY add a blog soon about our AMAZING trip in October!! Stay tuned….