I've been finding myself falling a bit behind on blog posts lately...especially as I have been getting back into the routine of school/work this month...so this entry comes a little late. October 4th marked the end of our ninth month in Japan...three quarters through Year 1! Wow!
Although I'd been hoping that the weather would cool down a bit as soon as September hit...it has been hot and more humid than it was this summer (which I didn't think was even possible). September, also to my surprise, is said to be rainier than the summer "rainy season" as it is often when the typhoons hit Japan and the surrounding areas. If I had to approximate, I would say that it probably rained at least 20 of the 30 days this month. YUCK!
To wrap up summer, I decided to feature kakigori (Japanese shaved ice) as my food item this month. Kakigori differs from the traditional snow cone in many ways. First, it has a much fluffier consistency as a hand-cranked machine is used to spin and shave the ice. Second, kakigori is eaten with a spoon - not out of a cone. And lastly, in addition to being flavored with syrup - condensed milk is often poured over it to make it even tastier. 
Kakigori is found all year round, but is most commonly eaten during the summer months - probably because it's so hot! Restaurants, cafes, and convenience stores actually have a sign that they hang to indicate that they serve shaved ice. Somehow, even though it was recommended to me numerous times, I didn't actually try kakigori until a few weeks ago. Probably because I am more of an ice cream girl at heart. I tried green tea kakigori, which was sweetened with condensed milk, and then wine kakigori, which happened to be filled with a mysterious jelly-like substance. The verdict is still out on exactly what it was! Overall, I enjoyed it - and will probably try more next summer...however, I think the Japanese soft serve still ranks higher in my book!
Now, on to the happenings of Month 9!
-Mt. Fuji (see previous blog post)
-Rakugo: One of the most challenging things about attempting to enjoy and experience Japanese culture is that a lot of the traditional events and experiences require you to both understand and speak Japanese. Luckily, there are occasionally local events that are catered toward the "ex-pat" community and are offered in English. Earlier this month, I was able to attend a rakugo performance. Rakugo is a form of verbal entertainment in which a lone performer sits on stage and tells comical stories. The stories usually contain dialogue between at least two characters and so different voices are used. I enjoyed the performance and chuckled a few times when the performer attempted to use English slang...and it didn't quite fit!
-Inuyama ("Dog Mountain"): Inuyama is a small town about a thirty-minute train ride from Nagoya. The most famous attraction in the town is Inuyama Castle, which is located at the top of the mountain and overlooks the Kiso River. A neat fact about Inuyama Castle is that it is the only privately owned castle in Japan - and it has remained unchanged since it was built in 1537 (making it the oldest original wooden castle in Japan). 
After exploring the castle, we stumbled upon a super modern rooftop beer garden...which seemed so out of place in the old town. However, we enjoyed a refreshing beer on the hot day!
-Pottery Making in Seto: I joined a group of women from CCEA (Cross-Cultural Exchange Association - a group here meant to connect women of all ethnicities) on a day-trip to the nearby town of Seto. The town specializes in pottery - and Kaz and I actually visited Seto a few months ago. Our sensei, who spoke wonderful English, helped us to make a few pottery pieces of our choice. I managed to make two teacups and two rice bowls. I was aiming for them to be the same size...however, not so much!
I was surprised by just how hard making pottery on a wheel can be! The professionals make it look SO easy...and it's not! They were keeping a close eye on me throughout the whole class...as I struggled to make my pieces the same height, thickness, etc. At one point, my fingers even went through the pot...ooops! Nevertheless, I had a great time...and have an even greater admiration for those who make pottery professionally.
-Taiko Drumming: Thanks to an invite from our friends, Katie and Jeremy, Kaz and I were able to try out taiko - Japanese drumming. Katie had found a local group, which practices twice per month at a local community center. One of the members spoke some English - and warmly welcomed them to attend a class. They had a great time - and so they brought some of us along to the next class.
Taiko was quite the workout - especially for my arms...and was rather challenging for someone who struggles with keeping a beat. However, we had a blast! The members were super patient with us - and worked really hard to help us learn the cadences and beats of the song they were learning. I found it helpful that they sang the beats aloud and there were mirrors everywhere so we could watch the person who was leading us! I loved the sound of the drums - especially when all played together...so powerful and calming!
-Taipei (See previous blog post)
Cafes Enjoyed
-Zarame (yay for "American-style" donuts!)
-The Cups (our favorite cafe opened a new location!)
-Fika Fika Cafe (Taipei)
-GaBee (Taipei)
-Pumpkin Pudding
*Here's a fun fact...while Halloween is not actually a holiday in Japan - they sure love to celebrate it! There are decorations and candy everywhere...and I've even seen kids and adults dressed in all kinds of costumes.
Victories
-Survived my first typhoon! Nagoya has been quite lucky this season - as it has not been directly hit by any typhoons. Apparently, there is usually at least one storm that closes the schools. I was kind of hoping to experience a "real" typhoon. About two weeks ago, a typhoon hit in the late afternoon/evening. After-school activities were cancelled and a lot of people left work a tad early - or stayed late - to wait the storm out. Here's a video!
Goals
-Month 9 brings the beginning of my first (and only) full school year at NIS. Thus far, I have been experiencing the craziness of a new school year. To al my friends in the schools - I get it now! Most of the students I worked with last year have moved back to the US...so even though I expected that I would pick up where I left off...I am just about starting over. My goal for myself in the coming months is to keep an open mind...to put myself out there even more than last year...and to learn and soak up as much as I can from the students and teachers at the school!
-Because the transition back to Japan has been rather rough...and I am finding myself feeling a bit "useless" (as my roles and schedule are different than when I was working full-time)...a big focus for me is to continue to be open-minded as I learn to challenge myself in new ways. I have signed up for a free 10-week online class about happiness and the brain (which I am hoping will be beneficial both personally and professionally). And, I was also asked to present at a small conference in Tokyo in mid-November...so creating that presentation will be both challenging and fun! I am looking forward to spending some time doing a bit of soul-searching about new challenges and goals for myself.
-This heat and humidity really threw me this summer. This summer was probably the least that I have run and/or worked out in about five years. Not running, paired with falling into a routine of unhealthy eating, has left me feeling "blah." So, my plan over the next few months...is to give my value of "health" a bit more TLC!
Sunny Moments
-Stepped outside of my comfort zone and immersed myself a bit more into Japanese culture.
-Dad and Sherri will be here in a few days. Looking forward to showing them what life in Japan is like.
-Fall is approaching...and hopefully bring with it cooler weather, sunny skies, and foliage!
Cloudy Moments
-A rougher transition back than I expected
-Rain, rain, and more rain
-Not getting into the Nagoya Marathon (they had 21,000 applicants for only 7,000 spots). We did get into the Half-Marathon though!
-A bit too much self-criticism and worry about the future. Time to get back to the mindfulness...being gentle to myself...and appreciating the present moment even more.
Sun, clouds, and lots of love!
~Jaime
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