Happy Halloweenie

I started this on Wednesday. Sorry it took so long to post!

I just had a wonderful evening. All day I was nervous because I was having Japanese women over. I didn't really know how to entertain them. As I've mentioned - Japanese people are just so hospitable, proper and polite. Something that I have never been. I am not rude or absolutely ridiculous or anything like that - it's just a huge cultural difference and almost being more reserved. I don't know why I was so nervous. It ended up being a wonderful evening. I have been cleaning my house for days to make it presentable for them. I really just am never home so my dishes, clothes, papers, mail, everything piles up after a while It was a long while since I've cleaned. I was trying to figure out what I could serve them - since they were coming over to show me how to make Japanese food - I didn't want to make anything huge. At the same time, even though they told me not to make anything, I wanted to have SOMETHING. I ended up cutting up my apples and slopping peanut butter over them. While it seems so silly - it was actually perfect. First of all, Japanese people don't eat their apples with skins on them - so right there I was providing some internationalization. Then - peanut butter isn't really too popular here. It's really expensive. But this is something that is so common and popular in America. How lovely of an idea. I also provided some Japanese goodies - even though I wasn't expecting them to eat them - it was the Japanese thing to do to offer it to them.
They were here for over three hours and it was just lovely. The one woman speaks pretty decent English and the other one speaks close to none. I am at the point though - where if you substitute some Japanese words with English words I can understand. And I am able to put together certain Japanese sentences with a few English words. So - someone with a bit of English ability I can have a conversation with. A small one - but a good one nonetheless. These two women work at one of the Elementary schools I am at. It was so nice to have people over to my house - using my kitchen, eating and chatting with. I think once I have more language ability - the one younger teacher - aged 26 and I could hang out some more. She loves to drink.
=) I find myself letting loose and just being myself - I'm trying to be polite of their culture and at the same time - being myself. As long as I'm laughing - I don't care what culture I am in ! For example - when she asked me if I bought sugar for the sweet potatoes - I proudly brought it over where she started laughing. I bought flour - not sugar. Oops =) That's what happens when you can't read. haha.

Speaking of laughing - it brings me to my Halloween blog of the day. At my Eikaiwa class - we held a Halloween party. It was so much fun. All the members of the class came dressed up! They did such a wonderful job on their costumes for being in a country that doesn't celebrate the holiday! It was great seeing adults coming dressed up and in happy spirits about it.



I wanted to be a cook. In fact, my costume was in the mail - only 24 hours away from making it to Japan. I had to be crafty and be a Christmas tree. I did this in Australia. It is the cheapest and easiest way to be something in another country that does not celebrate the holiday. And last minute. The evening consisted of just good fun - explaining a bit about the customs Brian & I did as kids. For example - using a pillow case to get candy and filling it up so much you need to sling it over your back like you're Santa Clause.

We did bobbing for apples. It was great. I think everyone had a great time doing it. Everyone was really good at it - that is, everyone but me. I definitely took the longest and probably got the most wet. What awesome students I have. Full grown adults dressed up and bobbing for apples. I love them.



After the Halloween party - they had a small Happy Birthday to me. Since Brian and I volunteer for the class - they take us birthday shopping when it's time. Earlier in the week I had gone with a lovely couple. I picked out hiking boots, a shirt and a book. They wrap it up and then presented it to me at the party . It is so nice having a group of people care for you on your birthday - as family would if they were in Japan with me.



I ended up going to a Halloween party on Friday night that was thrown by a bunch of other Western teachers. I was a chef, since my costume came. I had a great time - being 22 again - being really drunk. I stayed up until 4am - partying it up as if I was still in Plattsburgh. It was a good time - even though I fell down the stairs. Haha!

Sorry for the lack of updating!