okonomiyaki and strawberries

The weekend after I returned to Japan, I was so lucky to be invited by Yumi (one of my adult students) to her house to make okonomiyaki. I teach Yumi and her daughter Nanaho every Thursdays at Amity. I'm sure I talked about Nanaho before, she's seven years old and knows soooo much English. In fact, they are moving to another prefecture next month so that Nanaho can attend a school that is conducted only in English. I'm going to miss them both so much, I see them at least three times a week, and because I teach both of them I have grown very close to their family. Anyway so every class I always ask Yumi what she made for dinner, and she does okonomiyaki quite often because she claimed it was the easiest/cheapest thing you can make. I asked her to give me the recipe but she does it all from memory and she doesn't measure anything because she makes it so often, so she said it would be easier and more fun if we were to just go over and make it together! Yokkatta ne!


Yumi and Lana preparing the ingredients...I was helpful by being the photojournalist, and jotting down notes :)






It was no joke the best okonomiyaki I have ever had!! Better than Hiroshima, better than Osaka! It's Osaka-style, but it's mostly cabbage and seafood, and only uses a table spoon of flour for four servings, so it's less pancake-y.

Nanaho made musubis for everyone

Tama (my student in another class) and Nanaho are best friends from ballet school, so she came over after she heard that the "Amity senseis" were over

They said I was taking too many pictures, so they were trying to run away

I got you!

Nanaho's Girl's Day display...these things cost like $3,000!


After lunch it was a LONG afternoon of Wii! That thing is so addicting! I'm definitely going to get one when I move home :) Alyssa and Bryce you guys are so lucky!



Tama: "No Lana, that's not how you do it...give me that thing!"

Tama: "GAMBARRE GAMBARRE!! You have to shake it like this!"



Nanaho and Tama making sundaes for everyone




Tama's little brother, Ryu...he's soooo cute! Like a little potato

Tama's freehand drawing...jyoozu desu ne

It was such a fun day and I hope we can do it again! Nanaho's apartment building is only a couple of years old so everything is very very modern. It's one of those apartments that you see in display rooms or on commercials here. They had compartments coming out of the walls, a high tech toilet, and everything!

This past weekend was short for me since I only got one day off. I had to work the other day to make up some of my classes that I missed when I was home. So I figured I had to make that day count! Lana and I went with her co-workers in Koriyama to a strawberry farm :) I will miss all of the fruit picking that you can do here, and Fukushima is like the best place for peaches, grapes, strawberries, apples, blueberries...basically everything! How it works is you pay a flat fee and you are free to wander the farm (or greenhouse) and pick and eat as much as you want. In other places you pay a little bit more and you make your own fruit omiyage...like box your own and take it home. We just did the one where you eat as much as you can there.





Fumi-chan!




Hayai Lana! Leave some for us!





After strawberry picking it was off to Round 1 for 3 hours of tennis, batting cages, and video games!


Dorks!


After Round 1 it was off to dinner at Denny's and then 2 hours of karaoke! It was a REALLY full day, but that's how the Japanese do it! You can't do anything without following it with video games, food, and karaoke! Chou tanoshikatta!

*family, friends, and sunshine*

My trip home was short and unexpected, and while I wish I didn't need to have had a reason to go, I am so glad I did. There's no other way to describe saying goodbye to someone you love so much, other than it SUCKS. Plain and simple, it SUCKS. And while I know it's something everyone experiences, and it's just a part of growing up (blah, blah), it doesn't make it SUCK any less. Unfortunately, our family has had to learn to be strong and learn to say goodbye quite often in recent times. Coming from someone who always opts for "flight" rather than "fight" in these situations, I can tell you that I have learned that no bond is stronger than the love between family, and nothing is more important than being there when it matters. Grandpa's service was painful and so beautiful at the same time. I heard stories, and learned things that I had never known about him. When I hear all these stories and accomplishments of my family (Grandpa, Aunty Ev, Uncle Richard...) it makes me beam with pride that I am part of this amazing group of people.

Seeing all of my friends and family, and being touched with Hawaii's sunshine, really filled a void that has been growing inside of me. I love Japan and travelling with my friends here, and I thought I was fine, but I realized how much I was missing when I went home. All of the following pictures are of very happy faces, so I just felt I needed to preface them in respect.


ice cream with sprinkles with lys and bryce after the service...i haven't been through a drive-thru in a year and half!

alyssa's backyard





"andie girl, why are you doing that with your hands?"

"...because in Japan you have to pose like THIS!"

grandma and grandpa's house...i missed this room so much

outside ofuro...old school even for japan standards

the garden misses grandpa

the rainwater buckets where the vegetables are washed


"ALOHA" hey who's that cute greeter girl and Big Island Candies??

i live for bugging her

da sistahs

tour of big island candies



kevin preparing his bait for his fishing trip

i thought it was a cat

bryce and grandma chilling on their porch

new farmers market in hilo...but they were already taking down, but we did score some ono blue kalo cookies!

UH Hilo campus...they are really coming up in the world! grad school? maybe...

new astronomy center...where is all this money coming from?

we're like twins! did you notice that dad?

what a beautiful day

hawaiian food @ kuhios

dinner with the family


miya!

kara loves chicken pho...we MUST be related!!!

all the girls

the poor guys that have to put up with ALL the girls...

i was lucky i got to catch up with shea, ash, and caleb in hilo! i'm so proud of you guys, it looks like you guys have really established a good life there...maybe i'll see you soon??


bye grandma, i'll be back very soon


mauna kea and mauna loa...mount fuji mitai desu yo

less than 24 hours in honolulu...but i was so lucky everyone was a good sport and came to eat vietnamese! it was everret's first time!

milano freezer!




birthday dinner @ ryan's



It was wonderful seeing everyone. At first I was actually afraid to move home, worrying that maybe things have changed, maybe I've changed too much, maybe it wouldn't feel like "home" to me anymore. People complain that things in Hawaii are very slow and monotonous, but sometimes that's part of the beauty I guess. See you all again in about 4 months!!