busy week

I have been so busy since I returned to Japan...welcome parties, sayonara parties, orientations, ...it has been a very busy, and very sad, week. 

Goodbye onsen party for Tricia....i miss her so much! 

I went to Matsuyama to help teach the new teachers, and during the conference was Matsuyama's dance festival. Groups dressed up and paraded down the streets with choreographed dances...it was outstanding! Here are some kids doing hip-hop dance. 

cowboy theme

nursing home dance team. Young beautiful careworkers danced while pushing the elderly, who danced wildly in their wheel-chairs...i wanted to eat the entire scene!

That's Obama sitting own. 

I met my friend Daisuke there. 

The next morning the Yanagi's invited me and Deena, a new ALT, to their home for Obon breakfast. Obon is Japan's memorial day. We got to their home at 10:30 and found most everyone already drunk. They really wanted to get us drunk too.  I drank my sake slowly...it was so early!

Here is Masaki in front of the family shrine. Framed pictures of his father and little brother covered the walls.  They died a few years ago, remember. The father had heart problems, and the brother was hit by a drunk driver. 

Amazing breakfast. I've never had sake that early in the morning. 

I got to spend time with Dennis and Yukiko, who were visiting from Canada. Isn't Yukiko gorgeous? 

Jarod's welcome party, burrito party...here we all are making our breakfast burritos. Mexican food has become more holy since i moved to japan four years ago. You don't even think about it till it's gone. And i teach that mexican food is distinctly north-american--its our indigenous food, our cultural food, if we were to have one. Beans!!!