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| One of my students took us out for lunch last Tuesday right before the blossoms were in full bloom. But look at that view! |
Hello, dear friends!
I am happy to report that spring has sprung here in Tsu City! Warm sunshine once again streams through my bedroom window each morning, which has actually makes me less reluctanct to get out of bed in the morning. I no longer have to fear the cold that awaits me once I pull away the covers! Indeed, it has been a welcomed relief to know that, as we transition into a new - and busier - class schedule at OBC, the weather is one thing we no longer have to worry about.
We are now in the middle of our second full week of the new schedule, and things have been going quite well. I like that I am now much busier during the middle of the week; it feels like a real school schedule. Of course it means that by Thursday night I am absolutely exhausted, but it also means that I enjoy my 2-class Friday that much more! I've been having a great time getting to know some new students and understanding the best ways to teach the new textbooks. All in all, it's been a good change.
One sure sign of spring: baseball. Sarah and I went to the Mie Three Arrows home opener two weekends ago, and it was
quite the experience. We actually went to a pre-season game a few weeks ago, but this game was totally different. The stands were packed, the weather was gorgeous, the beer was ¥350 (about $4), and we even had 5th inning stretch (it's different in Japan, I guess) entertainment. The Arrows lost the game, but that didn't stop us from purchasing t-shirts and getting a few of the players to sign them. Now would probably be a good time to mention that Sarah is dating one of the pitchers for the Arrows, so we've become friends with a few of the team members. It was fun to finally see them play after spending so much time with them off the field! Sarah has of course gone to more games than I have already (she's a much bigger baseball fan than I am), but I'll continue to go to all the games I can!
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| Grooming the field after the 5th inning |
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| Entertainment. Only in Japan... |
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| This is the other team's mascot, but I thought this scene was hilarious. |
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| Go Three Arrows! |
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| The don't shake hands after a game; they bow. |
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| Signing autographs |
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| Our little baseball fan club |
Last weekend was definitely o-hanami (cherry blossom viewing) weekend in this part of Japan. The blossoms only last about 10 days once they've bloomed, and Saturday and Sunday were the perfect days to see them. I actually took a solo trip up to Nagoya on Friday morning because my morning class was cancelled. I walked along the river, which was lined with what looked like wall-to-wall cherry blossoms. I've never seen anything like that before. I'm not sure how much the fame, regalia, and history of Japan's cherry blossoms impacts my viewing of them, but regardless of my preconceptions about them, they truly are a sight to behold. I couldn't get enough as I strolled up and down each side of the river. all of the photos in the world can't do the beauty and grace of these blossoms justice. I know this sounds super corny, but they smelled so good that I literally didn't want to have to exhale. I wanted to breathe in the scent nonstop! Even the drizzle of the day couldn't dampen my enjoyment.
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| Lunch under the cherry blossoms |
On Saturday, Peter and I had lunch in Tsu Castle Park and then headed to Tsu Kairaku Park to again view the blossoms. Tsu Kairaku Park was some kind of springtime wonderland with all of the flowers, food stands, and picnickers.We just walked through and took it all in. It was actually my first time visiting the park, because I just recently found out that it exists. But I will certainly be going there more often in the next few months. It's beautiful!
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| Just a few of the many food stands |
On Sunday, Sarah's student who often has us over to her house for dinner took Sarah, Peter, and me, along with about 12 other people, to the Ano Dam and Ishiyama kano (Stone Mountain) near Suzuka. We hiked up the mountain (more of a foothill, really), which is special because it has 33 Buddhas carved into the side of it. Afterward, we enjoyed a small tea ceremony and then headed to a nearby field for a barbecue under the cherry blossoms. I played catch with one of Sarah's student's grandaughters for about a half an hour before we devoured a delicious meal of meat, vegetables, noodles, and fruit. Sarah's student's family accompanied us on our excursion along with some of the Vietnamese students from Mie University. We had a terrific time. It was so peaceful, and the mountain area was one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. Sometimes, I just can't believe how nice the people are that we've been lucky enough to meet over here.
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| This is Ano Dam, and they just randomly had this huge slide nearby. We all took turns sliding down it, which was pretty fun, but check out that VIEW! Gorgeous! |
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| Buddhas in the mountain |
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| This is the way to picnic. |
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| Some of our new friends! |
My Saturday night student told me why cherry blossoms are so special in Japan. They mean more to Japanese people than just the signal of spring. They embody the Japanese spirit. With most flowers, the leaves come first, and then the blossoms. But cherry blossoms are the opposite: the buds bloom and then fall away after a short time, and after they do, the leaves grow. The flowers die when they are in their prime, at the peak of their beauty. This parallels the noble and ideal Japanese life. It's really profound, and, as my student said, terribly sad.
We all continue to keep and eye on the news and send prayers for those in the north as often as we can. I can't tell you how grateful my students are for all of the help that has poured into this country in the last month. As we reflected on the one month anniversary of the earthquake this week, I told my students about some of the things that CSB|SJU campus groups have been doing to support the relief effort. They all bowed their heads gratefully and said "Thank you" more wholeheartedly than anything I've heard before. Some of them get tears in their eyes, and their gratitude is overwhelming. They are humbled by the support that people around the world continue to offer, and that, in and of itself, is humbling to me.
Take care, dear friends!
P.S. Good news: Andy will be making a return trip to Japan in May! And my friends Heather and Tom will visit Tsu in June! Good weather brings with it wonderful guests!
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