Travel Entry - Hong Kong

Every April/May, there is a holiday week in Japan known as Golden Week. Several holidays - Showa Day, Constitution Day, Greenery Day, and Children's Day - occur during this week. So, most Japanese families vacation during this time (usually because companies, schools, etc. are closed). For our first Golden Week - we spent 3 days in Hong Kong and then met up with Kaz's parents in Singapore for 6 days. 

My initial impressions of Hong Kong were that it reminded me a bit of New York City. Lots of tall buildings, lots of people (and a much more diverse mix than in Japan), lots of food, lots of hustle and bustle...and a little bit of that "grimy" feel. Hong Kong is currently one of the biggest banking towns in the world. And, both English and Chinese are considered official languages - so getting around, communicating, and reading signs and menus was MUCH easier than in Japan. I really enjoyed visiting; yet, I don't think I could live there (I don't think I could live in NYC long-term either though).

Hong Kong has an interesting history. I won't go into too much detail - however, I found that a bit of history helped me to understand the uniqueness of Hong Kong. Hong Kong was originally a British Colony and was Britain's gateway into China. Because of this, Hong Kong was given special treatment and began to develop as a trade city. In the early 1980s, negotiations began between the UK and China in terms of "who" Hong Kong belonged to. And in 1997, the UK "turned over" Hong Kong to China; however, Hong Kong was to be an "autonomous territory" within the sovereignty of mainland China. This means that they have their own political system; and, legal, economic, and financial affairs - including external relations with foreign countries. But are still considered part of China.

It's interesting because most people living in Hong Kong are ethnically Cantonese, but living in a very Western society. Their culture, way of life, food, and even language differs so much from other areas in China. We found it interesting that many of the articles in the newspapers were clearly opposing the Chinese government...and there were even signs posted that were meant to give mainland tourists advice on how to behave when in Hong Kong.  The difference between Hong Kong and mainland China hit home to me even more when I tried to check Facebook at the airport in Shanghai during our layover. I was unable to because Facebook is actually blocked by the Chinese government in mainland China. However, every bar, hotel, and restaurant in Hong Kong wanted you to "like" them on Facebook! 

Now that you have a bit of background information - here are some of places we visited and experiences we had while in Hong Kong.  Enjoy! :)

Sites Visited!

Night 1

After navigating a layover in Shanghai - and realizing that our checked luggage had not made it to Hong Kong (and no one quite knew where is was) - we were starving and ready for dinner. The concierge at our hotel recommended a "cheap, but famous diner" down the street - and we were sold! 

Dinner at Tsui Wah Restaurant - enjoying Hong Kong noodles!

Hong Kong has an awesome food culture - in fact, one of the top "suggested" things to do in Hong Kong is eat! And that we did! :) Hong Kong serves a lot of Cantonese-type Chinese food - with a bit of a Hong Kong flair. And, you can also find every other type of food you might want as well. I was expecting lots of Chinese food - and was pleasantly surprised by the huge selection of other types of food! I even had my first hard cider since coming to Japan at a little English pub!

After dinner, we took a walk by the water to take in the Hong Kong skyline at night. The buildings were all lit up - and because all the buildings are crammed so close to each other - you almost need sunglasses! 

The Skyline

Day 1 

After breakfast, we set out to explore Hong Kong. Similar to New York City and other big cities - Hong Kong is composed of many neighborhoods. Each with their own vibe and culture. And in addition to visiting some of the "must see" sites - we also spent lots of time walking through the neighborhoods and getting a feel for Hong Kong culture. 

Taking the ferry across...

Since our hotel was on Hong Kong island - we took a ferry across (for about 20 cents) to the Central District and walked around. There was a neat park (Tamar Park) along the waterfront. Since it was Saturday, there were tons of yoga classes going on across the lawn and I definitely had the urge to jump into one of them! One thing that surprised me as we walked around this area of Hong Kong was the fact that there were parks mixed in with all the tall buildings. We walked through Hong Kong park - and once you were inside - you almost totally forgot you were in a city - until you looked up and saw the skyscrapers. We even stumbled across an enclosed aviary in the middle of the park - and were able to see tons of tropical and exotic birds. Hong Kong Park was also the site of our "Discovery Channel" experience. There were turtles everywhere - and Kaz and I were watching them (along with tons of other people). I noticed that there was a frog swimming in the water and pointed it out to Kaz. All of a sudden the turtles began ganging up on the frog - and let's just say - I had to stop watching. I really didn't think turtles ate frogs! :(

The park nestled in the buildings

As we tried to block the "frog situation" from our mind, we joined most of the tourists visiting Hong Kong in line for The Peak Tram. After about an hour wait, we rode the tram up to the top of Victoria Peak which gave us amazing views of the city. It was a cloudy (and rather hazy) day, but we still got some neat views. I was again able to see just how many tall buildings are crammed into this super tiny space. It really makes you wonder how they are going to fit any more - and yet, there was construction happening everywhere! 

Taking the tram up to Victoria Peak 

At the top

So many buildings

Yep - it's called Ho Lee Fook!

YUM! 

After enjoying Victoria Peak, we walked through the Hong Kong Botanical Gardens on our way to SOHO (South Hong Kong). We stopped at a hip coffee shop called Elephant Grounds (which was in the back corner of a store) and had coffee and the most amazing ice cream sandwich ever! More walking around led to a pre-dinner cocktail at a cute Italian restaurant as we waited for our reservation at another Chinese-style restaurant. I have to admit that we totally selected the restaurant based on its name and not the menu. However, the food and service was wonderful! 

Market

Day 2

We started the day by taking the ferry across to the neighborhood of Wan Chai. Wan Chai is one of the older and more traditional areas of Hong Kong. We walked through open-air markets that were selling everything you can imagine (and might not want to imagine). The smells were rather intense - and not always in a good way. Mixed in the markets were small shops selling traditional Chinese medicines...and many dried "items" that may have been body parts or organs of some sort. About a three-minute walk from these markets - was one of the coolest coffee shops we've ever been to. The coffee shop - which was called The Coffee Academics was a complete 180-degree change from the markets we had just walked through. I definitely found this neat - the fact that two things that were SO different could exist (successfully) in the same place.

More markets...

Traditional Chinese Medicine Shop

This coffee shop was less than three minutes away...

Window, and...other bus!

After some yummy coffee and treats, we decided to take a bus to the south side of Hong Kong Island to explore the town of Stanley (which used to be a fishing village). One thing I found fascinating about the buses in Hong Kong were that they were double-decker...and the drivers maneuvered them through the narrow streets as though they were tiny cars! The bus ride was windy - and our bus driver was particularly rough on the breaks...and took the corners super quickly. At one point, we were literally playing chicken with another bus...and the buses had to slow down and get around each other (on a cliff) with literally less than six inches to spare. Luckily we arrived in Stanley about five seconds before I was about to lose my cookies...so Kaz waited patiently as I laid on a bench for a while until my stomach stopped doing somersaults. Stanley had many markets - and a cute waterfront promenade with shops and restaurants.

Stanley

Enjoying the beach

I am not sure how - but as I was trying not to puke on the bus - I noticed that we had passed by a really cute beachy-looking area on our way to Stanley. The area known as Repulse Bay has one of the few public beaches in Hong Kong. There is a lot of waterfront - just not beaches. We took the bus (I was hesitant - but at least this stop split our trip back to the city in half!) to the beachfront and enjoyed some tropical drinks and a few rays of sunshine. 

The clouds are setting in...

Our plan was to take the bus back to the city - but was we approached the bus stop - we noticed a huge crowd of people - and soon realized that one of the buses had broken down on the narrow road...at rush hour! So we somehow managed to hail a cab. Our driver talked to us in Chinese the entire ride back - with his only English words being - "Handsome boy - you together?" over and over. Kaz decided to take it as a compliment! :)

Tim Ho Wan - BEST pork buns ever!

Another popular food in Hong Kong is Dim Sum. Dim Sum is a style of Chinese Canton cuisine that is prepared as small, bite-size portions of food which are usually served in small steamer baskets or on plates. In some Dim Sum restaurants - the food is wheeled around on a cart and you pick what you would like to eat (and often have no clue what it is) - and in others you can order from a menu. For dinner we ate at the cheapest Michelin Star restaurant in the world, which happened to be a Dim Sum restaurant. The line was out the door - and we had to order before we got into the restaurant (and were allowed only one addition to our order once we sat down). Dinner probably lasted all of twenty minutes - yet the food was amazing! The pork buns were to die for! 

More dim sum

Hong Kong egg tarts

Day 3

We decided to eat some more Dim Sum (at a more traditional-type restaurant) on our last day in Hong Kong....even though we had eaten it for dinner the night before. Dim Sum is more traditionally a brunch food...so we had it for brunch. We also made sure to try Hong Kong egg tarts - a famous treat - that we had not tried yet. Surprisingly, the are rather quiche-like - I was expecting them to be sweet. On our way to brunch, we stopped at a coffee shop (that we just so happened to stumble past) called 18 Grams - The Coffee Roastery. I had a nutella latte - delicious! 

After brunch, we packed our bags and headed to Lantau Island, which is famous for The Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery. In order to get to these attractions, you take a cable car WAY up the mountain. It was actually a thirty-five minute ride (once you got on the cable car). The weather was perfect - sunny and clear - as we boarded the cable car. However, the higher we got...the more we got into the clouds...and the more we realized just how cloudy it was at the top of the mountain. Everything at the top was engulfed in clouds...giving it an eerie, yet rather peaceful kind of feel.  We weren't able to see The Big Buddha as clearly as we had hoped - but the outline through the fog was really, really neat! Because we couldn't see much (and because we were running short on time), we didn't get nearly enough time to explore. So, this will be must-see for us if we ever return to Hong Kong in the future. We headed back down the mountain to the sunny skies below...and made our way to the airport for part two of our trip! 

Views from the cable car

Going up

Into the clouds we go

We can't see Buddha

Enjoy the cool perspective 

So neat

Taking the cable cars down 

See you later, Hong Kong! 

Sunny Moments: Getting to visit a new place - and all that went with that; found luggage!

Cloudy Moments: Lost luggage (China Eastern airlines); almost pukey bus rides; clouds that decided to obstruct our views a bit.

Month 4 in Review

The past few weeks have been quite a whirlwind - as they often are once you begin to establish a routine. Perhaps a sign of "settling in" a tad more. My days have been spent learning Japanese, working at NIS, reading/researching ACT and stuttering, running, daily errands/chores, and other odds and ends. This month also ended with our first trip out of Japan since we've arrived - blog posts about both Hong Kong and Singapore coming soon. I think I might have said this last month...however, it seems and doesn't seem (at the same time) like we've been in Japan for four months. Time is a funny thing! 

Here's month 4...

Our relay team

Places Visited (and Activities)

-Shinmaiko Marine Park Relay (This was more of a "did" than a "visited;" however, I participated in my first running event in Japan during the month of April. One of Kaz's coworkers organized participation in this event - and it was a lot of fun. See my last post for even more about this event). 

Finished product

-Silver-Making Class (One of the girls set up a silver-making class at a local shop. I had a really great time. With the guidance of several sensei's, I was able to make a silver pendant. When I first signed up for the class, I really wasn't sure what to make...and once I was there, the idea came to me to make two intertwined rings. The two rings are different - one is twisted; and one has a hammered pattern. One ring represents me and the other represents my family, friends, and those important to me. I linked the rings to remind me that even though I may be far away from those I care about - we are still linked). 

Polishing the rings

-Tulip Festival at Kiso Sansen Park (I am learning that Japan LOVES flowers - and they are everywhere. It seems as though as soon as one type of flower finishes blooming, another one begins. After the sakura, the tulips bloomed - and we took a drive on a sunny Saturday to enjoy the views and scents. We also have been able to enjoy other beautiful flowers at the botanical gardens and around our neighborhood). I included some pictures of both.

The walls are made out of pottery...

Finished products, filled with wine!

-Seto (Kaz and I took a day trip to the small town of Seto; a 35-minute train ride from Nagoya. Seto is known for it's pottery. Not only can you buy pottery, you can also make or paint pottery as well. Since Kaz and I have made pottery in the past, we tried our hands in the art of glassblowing. While we had a great time - I don't think our cups would have come out in one piece without the help and assistance of our instructors. Let's just say, they guided us hand-over-hand for most of the lesson. In addition to our class, we also wandered around the town to see some of the old paths that were made out of pieces of pottery. In Japan, pottery is believed to have a soul - and so people do not throw it away even if it breaks.

-Hong Kong (Coming soon!)

Cafes Enjoyed

-Bakery Cafe (on the way to the Tulip Festival)

-Starbucks (had to try the green tea brownie frappe)

-Oslo Cafe (in Oasis 21)

-Elephant Grounds (Hong Kong)

-The Coffee Academics (Hong Kong)

-18 Grams Coffee Roastery Lab (Hong Kong)

-Milks (more of a wine bar than a cafe...but the outside seating in the middle of the city and the FRESH CHEESE earns this "cafe" a spot in the blog). 

Kit Kat Flavors Tasted

We have reached a sort of lull with our Kit Kat tasting during month 4. I think it's because we've been trying lots of other yummy treats...and because we haven't found any new flavors recently. With spring about to change into summer - and some weekend trips on the horizon...I am hoping that we will find a few more to add to our stash. 

-Raspberry 

Victories

-Overall, I have been feeling a bit more confident with the process of learning the Japanese language (not so much understanding or speaking in public yet though...baby steps). I am finding myself remembering more words - and slowly building my vocabulary. I also took some steps to put myself "out there" a bit more language-wise. In addition to the topics I wrote about in my last post, I also had tea with a Japanese speech-language pathologist. I received her contact information from another English-speaking, Japanese therapist when I presented in Tokyo in February. Ayumi-san grew up in Japan - and actually spent two years of her high school career in Kentucky! Her father worked for Toyota...so her family did a placement in the US, just like Kaz is doing a placement here. After college, she worked for Toyota for seven years, but when her boss had a stroke - she decided to go back to school to become a speech-language pathologist. She said that another factor that contributed to her wanting to become a speech-language pathologist was her struggle learning, understanding, and speaking English when she lived in the US. Although I was really nervous, her English was amazing - and she was patient and kind as I practiced my 10 "scripted" sentences with her (we then spoke English the rest of the time). I enjoyed learning a bit more about the similarities and differences of my field in Japan and the US (and I still have even more to learn while I'm here). 

-This month, we've had some wonderful weather...and I have been taking more time to get outside and enjoy the weather (especially before rainy season hits). I'm enjoying "slowing down" to take in the beauty that surrounds me - especially when walking or running around town. 

Goals

-Month 4 brought some moments of "blah-ness" (not sure if this is an actual word - if not, I will "coin" it). At first, I wondered if maybe part of it was adjusting back to being in Japan after a few weeks in the US - and the more I thought about it - the more I realized that there was a bit more to it. However, I just couldn't figure it out. I found myself being a bit more emotional than usual (scary thought, eh?) and slightly less able to "handle" my daily happenings. I found myself wanting to talk and be around people - and then when I was...I wanted to be alone. Kaz would ask me what was wrong or what I needed - and I really didn't know the answers to those questions. I would have moments of happiness and moments of sadness - and yet my resting emotion was just sort of "blah." 

During a Skype conversation with my friend Kara, I had a bit of a AHA moment (thanks to her questions, thoughts, and amazing ability to understand me).  I was talking to her about how I "knew" that I was living this awesome adventure...and then I paused. She asked me if I was about to follow up with a "but" comment - which I was (and yet had stopped myself). She helped me to remember that I can be living an awesome adventure AND have moments in which I am sad, scared, lonely, etc. Deep down, I knew this (and had just spent the previous week working on a paper about this very concept) - and yet, it really helped to hear it from someone else. She also helped me to realize that while I might not see the changes or growth within myself - they are still happening. It's tricky to step outside ourselves sometimes. 

I also realized that one of the "things" that was bothering me was that I wasn't feeling like I was showing the whole me to people in Japan. Here I sometimes feel like my identity is "an expat wife" or a "foreigner in Japan" and that is how I connect with people. And, that is often what conversation or daily life centers around...at least right now. Sure, I get in touch with the "SLP" side of me at work and I am "me" around Kaz. However, it's different than at home when I was around people who knew the "whole" me....and in situations in which I shared more aspects of myself with others. I am realizing how much small talk and interaction with others - even those little conversations at lunch or in the hallway - can help you to connect and grow (in ways more clearly recognizable, perhaps). This conversation and realization(s) have me pondering many different things...and also realizing just how important (and necessary) - it is for me to continue to reach out and connect with family and friends. And, how much "work" I may be doing internally to better figure myself out (especially in those moments of solidarity and silence). 

Sunny Moments

In addition to the ones above...

-Continuing to put myself out there and meet new people 

-Spending some energy exploring my artistic side

-Learning, learning, learning...and sometimes feeling like "a fish out of water" at work - as I explore the world of multi-language learning

-Continuing to further my passion in the area of stuttering by connecting with friends and colleagues at home (Scott and I wrote a paper; and, I'm hoping to help out more with camp...so thankful for Skype and technology!!)

-Beginning to plan visits for July - we have two sets of friends coming! :)

Cloudy Moments

In addition to the ones above...

-"Missing out" on events in my family and friend's lives...birthdays, babies, moves, fundraisers, etc. I know that I can connect from afar - sometimes it's not the same as being there.

-A little less time to "connect" with loved ones 

Sun, clouds, and lots of love!

~Jaime

The Language Journey Continues...

My initial title for this blog post was going to be - "Two steps forward...one step back" - and yet that didn't seem fitting enough.  As I thought more about it, the word "journey" seemed the most fitting because it encompasses the forward, backward, sideways, and up and down moments that have been my relationship with the Japanese language lately. 

Last time I wrote about language was about two months ago. A lot has changed since then and...a lot has stayed the same. I continue to take lessons each week and am definitely learning more about the Japanese language. I was talking to a friend a few weeks ago and during our conversation I realized that even though the amount I am speaking Japanese in public hasn't changed all that much - my general understanding of the language is growing. And that's a positive thing! I was telling her about how the Japanese language doesn't really use pronouns - so if you don't catch who or what is being talked about at the very beginning - you may go through an entire conversation completely clueless. I was also telling her about different verb forms (I don't know what they all are yet - I just know there are a lot of them) and about particles (which are "connecting words" and may be the most confusing grammar piece at this point). After our conversation...it struck me that most of the time I don't give myself enough credit for what I am learning - if it doesn't instantly generalize into conversation or if I can't see the improvement (it's hard to have an outside perspective). And, I DO still hold on to the hope that one day - it all will click - and I will wake up fluently speaking Japanese. :) 

My vocabulary is starting to grow - with understanding (of single words and short phrases) definitely being stronger than the vocabulary I am using. However, I am starting to create a base of words that I use more often - and those are starting to stick in my memory. I know Kaz is thrilled about this - because usually when he asks me what a word means - I have no idea - even if he just told me the meaning of the word one second prior. And, I am now beginning to create and formulate sentences. Up until about two weeks ago, most of my utterances were single words or rote phrases. I would speak in a very telegraphic way to get my point across...roku cue cue roku, michise-desu (the last 4 digits of our phone number and then last name) when I picked up the dry cleaning and cardo? fukuro hitotsu onegashimasu (credit card okay? one bag please) when at the grocery store. This type of speech actually gets you pretty far in Japan...from a survival standpoint...especially when it is paired with pointing, gesturing, nodding, and wishing (on both ends) that you spoke the same language. I am quickly realizing though...that it is easy to fall in the telegraphic rut...and just "get by." So I am constantly playing this mental game with myself of taking risks and trying to expand my comfort zone. 

Sentence structure in Japanese is completely different. I wish I could tell you the differences exactly - but I am not entirely sure...yet! I just know that the words are often in a completely different order and that the verb almost always comes at the end...so you have to continue listening fully until the very end before you can make sense of what is being said. I wonder if there was some strategy in that?! I have begun to write sentences (using romanji - which is English letters - I haven't tackled actually writing in Japanese yet) each week about different things that I've done. As I work on this task - I have realized several things. 1) Most of the time I don't know the Japanese words for half of the words I want to use; 2) I just write the content words down and then guess at the particles; and, 3) The whole sentence structure piece has not clicked - and I usually have to look in my book or at previous sentences. There are definite moments of frustration - and wishing I "got" it more - and I try to follow these with moments of cutting myself some slack and trying to be a bit more realistic. It doesn't always happen though! 

This "struggle" with sentence structure led me to a huge "AHA" moment during a therapy session the other day. I am working with a little boy with a language delay. His "first" language is English - but he was exposed to several languages starting from a young age. At first, he was speaking only one- and two-word utterances - mostly imitations of my models. Overtime, he has begun attempting to say more on his own. Usually, his sentences are a string of telegraphic words - strung together - in no particular order (or at least what I thought was no particular order initially). It dawned on me the other day - that he is doing the same thing that I am - saying words to get my point across - but not knowing how to string them together (because the grammar systems are different). I have to say though - he is picking the structure up MUCH faster than me...which might have to do with the fact that he is learning a language system and I am trying to unlearn a language system! It's neat to continue to see the ways in which my journey with language can parallel that of my clients. 

Although my day-to-day language interactions continue to be rather brief and routine, I have "put myself out there" in new ways over the past month. And - I have come to the realization that verbal language is not always needed to connect with others! Sharing in experiences like running, music, art/crafts - and expressing emotions by smiling, laughing, or even crying - can transcend every language. 

My sensei has been encouraging me to talk to the individuals who work at the front desk...other than just smiling and greeting them when I come and go. However, I've been hesitant because I really don't know what to say. I have a few phrases - and yet, if they say something outside of the script...I'm not sure what I'll do. The other day when I was reserving the parking spot (with my script and written notes) - one of the men (who my sensei had asked to talk to me) - came up and said "speak" in English. I was completely caught off guard and replied chotto (which means "a little"). He continued in English - saying "cherry blossoms." I nodded that I had seen them. I wanted to say beautiful - and couldn't remember the word. So...I said the word "kowaii" (which I thought meant cute) figuring that I would still be able to make my point. Both people looked at me with puzzled expressions - so I said "beautiful" in English...and they nodded, smiled, and laughed. Apparently cute is KA-waii and scary is KO-waii. Oooops - that's not what I meant! We all looked at each other...not knowing what to say next...and the conversation ended (with all of us wishing we could have said more). 

When I returned upstairs - I was met with our intercom ringing (I didn't know we had one?!). The woman from downstairs was attempting to speak to me in Japanese...and I had no idea what she was saying. She kept apologizing - and I did too...so I said "I will be right there" in English about five times...and went downstairs. When I got there - she starting apologizing...again - and I did too...again! I managed to tell her that I was American, here for two years, and that I knew very little Japanese (but was learning). I'm sure she knew that from the "scary cherry blossom" comment. She told me her name and that she knew very little English...but said "we practice" and smiled. In that moment - both of us were completely out of our comfort zones - but were able to share the experience of wishing we could communicate more. And, I think it helped both of us to "break" that fear of talking - because we shared that moment together as people. Now when she is at the front desk - I will sometimes attempt to make a comment about the weather. It's a small step...but maybe with time it will lead to small talk (something I never expected to "want" to do so badly). 

Crossing the Finish Line...

The Circle...

A few weekends ago, I participated in a relay race with twenty of Kaz's coworkers. None of whom I have ever met before, and most of whom he has just met. They knew he was a runner - and asked us to join. He came home the day before saying that the girls were excited and nervous to meet me - because they only spoke a little bit of English. I was feeling the exact same way...just about Japanese! When we arrived - everyone was in a circle stretching as a group (I am really beginning to experience the collective nature of Japanese culture). Then, without any warning - they all began to go around the circle and introduce themselves in Japanese. I began to panic...knowing that I would have to do the same thing. Talk about jumping in - talking to one person is hard - let alone twenty! As it was, I was the last one in the circle so I had about seven minutes to let my nerves take over. I said my name - and attempted to say "nice to meet you" - but choked a little on my words. I was completely embarrassed - but everyone smiled and clapped. As the day went on - I realized the power of cheering, clapping, and high-fives. Those actions - and brief conversations composed of me attempting some Japanese and them speaking some English (they all had WAY better English than they claimed to) - helped us to connect regardless of the barrier. They even let me run the last lap - so that I could be the one to cross the finish line (and they all ran the last few feet with me). Afterwards, we decided to join them for dinner (I had originally told Kaz I thought it might be too much) and again through a mixture of broken Japanese, broken English, and Kaz translating - I was able to connect with several new people. At the end of the day - I felt both exhausted (from running and focusing intently on language) and happy! Kaz even commented that he noted improvements in my understanding and attempts to communicate - something that I hadn't really noticed. 

All of Us! 

Yaki-Niku - YUM!

This blog entry is quickly getting long - so I'll keep the last part brief - and tell the stories with pictures! So far during my time here in Japan - I have been able to get in touch with my creative side a bit more through various art/crafts activities (my friend Kerri calls these outings - Japan Camp). In the past month - I have made a piece of silver jewelry and taken a glass-blowing class. In both of these activities - there was little to no actual speaking - and a lot of showing and hand-over-hand demonstrating. Even still, I had a wonderful time, learned a lot, and was thrilled with the finished product. And, the teachers seemed equally as happy to have been able to share their passion with other people! Yet another reminder that even though we seem so different - people are just people! And we're really more similar than we realize! 

Making my necklace...

Making my cup...

I know my language journey will continue with each new word uttered and each new speaking situation I find myself in. So, I will sign off for today (with a million additional blog ideas swirling in my head)...and leave you all with a thought to ponder...what would the world be like if our similarities were noticed, celebrated, and appreciated even more? And if we took a little more time to connect beyond words. 

Victorious! :)

Sunny Moments: Learning the Japanese language...

Cloudy Moments: Learning the Japanese language...