Lovin Japan ~ "THE" Shoe Store

Stacia wanted this store on our list of things we love about Japan....who knew?  Renee took us to this store on our first week in town. 

Shoes....walls and walls of shoes...some fun....some gorgeous...some not so much...some inexpensive...some not so much.  We went ahead and picked up a few things while we were taking photos. Half boots for ME, "Crocks" (Machoshoe) for Stacia and me and.....

..."Converse" rain boots for Arielle. 

We WILL have one more rainy season here and I've been meaning to outfit them for rain since our first month here. Rainy season is June/July...so....I am still debating on myself...I do have Crocs and we are moving to California...I doubt I'll NEED rain boots....

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Chemistry Experiment

Whenever Arielle has a chemistry experiment everyone gathers around....today's experiment was on "shear thickening fluids."

Zander was happy to help.....

This was fun to watch. As she provided pressure she could shape a ball....when the pressure released....

We are really enjoying our books set in Japan....we really don't want to end next week....but we're "there." It's been a fun year.  I did save some of the extras everyone wants to read (Book 3 in the trilogy etc) to read over the transition.

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Lovin Japan ~ Nihongo

Japanese has proven difficult to learn. Part of this is because there are three different symbols to learn: Hiragan, Kanji and Katakana. Hiragana is taught to young kids and you see it often. Kanji seems to be used on official documents and signs. Katakana is used for foreign words. When one can decode the symbols one often can understand the signs.  The gender thing confuses us too. Gender in the word itself...but also gender in the tone of the speaker -  as in, "De'Ettasan  you are speaking like a man." We've discovered many American men are taught Japanese by their girlfriends and therefore speak like women.  You can read more about the language on wikipedia. 

Kanji 

We will miss the need to be fully involved in every day social interactions with the lovely Japanese. Our minds going ten different directions as it tries to pull up the right word in the right tense, gender etc.

We will miss trying to understand the conversations addressed to us and those swirling around us.

We will miss the delight of some when you TRY out your Japanese...and the little kids who run up to practice THEIR English (which they learn in elementary school) and to correct MY Japanese.

I will miss having an excuse for my frequent "adventures" (lost again?) with the kids.

We will miss weekly tutoring sessions with Akikosan. ::sniff::

Arielle has worked at it much harder than the rest of us...she can read Hiragana and Katakana. Reading Hiragana is a dubious skill if one can't understand it....but reading Katakana is a great skill to have.

We play a game in the car where Arielle reads the Katakana and the rest of us guess the meaning. She says it with the Japanese accent - sometimes it's a challenge.  Cover the right column and see how you do....In the following examples:


R - says "L"
I - says "ee"
A says "ah"
O says "oh"

Raisu                             Rice

Cliniku                           Clinic

Supido                            Speed

Aisu Kurimu                          Ice Cream

Bidio                              Video

Sumairu                         Smile

Kirishitan                            Chrisitian 

It really is AMAZING  Japanese children learn three ways to read and write their language AND English.

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Lovin Japan ~ Shopping Carts

Yes, shopping carts! The carts here are always an adventure. They are small and short....encouraging one to buy what one needs and not to hoard (or to outfit everyone in the family with a cart and endure the stares as you do a Gherkin size grocery trip). 

The wheels turn in ALL directions. I think this is for great maneuverability...

Stacia is trying to decide if she needs to continue smiling for
me or return a bow....

We have many fun memories of Jared falling flat on his face while trying to push carts when we first arrived. :snort:: 

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Lovely Day

We are tearing up the 2012-13 school year track. We may even finish the  bulk of our stuff  by the end of  next week. Science, Math and various phonics books are done with the youngers. The olders report the same.  We are happily preparing for our end of the year beach bonfire...... Stacia and Zander will continue to work on math and phonics workbooks after the year is done and through our transition time...but science, history, extra language...finished....

This afternoon I took Arielle and two of her friends to Shimoda Mall for 2.5 hours.  Stacia came with me and we went our own way for some Mommy/Stacia time.  The boys would rather do spelling than go to the mall. 

The older girls spent their entire time taking Sticky Pics. I think I need to round up some of MY friends for some sticky pics. 

Stacia and I took some sticky pics. It took us twenty minutes to figure out HOW to get them to print. They had better options at their booth - I think we'll do a redo. 

 We shopped for craft items to make a spring/summer wreath, for rain boots (an essential spring wardrobe  Stacia informed me), a little tea canister, yummy produce for all...and, oh yes, ice cream for Stacia. 

To remember Japan during tea in the states

The day became over the top wonderful when Michael held down the fort this evening and I enjoyed friend time.

We hadn't enjoyed an onsen together for over a year - at a board planning retreat in 2011. We soaked, relaxed and talked. Meaningful, refreshing, renewing conversation...time for her to relax without her two young blessings....time for us to reconnect and discuss the twists and turns of life...and to share this bittersweet time of starting to say goodbye to Misawa.  Soon she will be in the South and I will be in the West. We hope to work a few more visits in before we part.

God blessed me well when He worked margin into this year...time to live life in community...deeply...instead of 100% full out for community...resulting in  frenzied relationships.... I'm living the cliche..."Every no is a yes to something else." He loves me well.

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Spring in Towada

It's spring break and today was a gorgeous day! WE are still schooling because 1. most the kids' friends are out of country anyway and 2. we want to finish school in 2 - 3 weeks and are on track to do that.

BUT we pushed hard in school today and after lunch we went to Towada Horse Park - search top left for other posts with more info if you desire.

It was GREAT to be speeding through the Japanese countryside after the winter...though I have proof we had snow on April 14, 2010 (blog book arrived today).

Seem to have the same expression 

You know you're there because there are horses
on the drainage grates

 

I watched these two and thought of the mentors and friends in my life who have come alongside and helped take care of the hard to reach spots. Truly God's gift...even when it nipped a bit. ::snort:: 

I think the book "Cooking with Pooh" inside this pack would be a perfect gift for someone at Christmas....

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Lovin Japan ~ Hand Towels

Most public bathrooms in Japan (at least not here in the North) do not provide paper towels. Often there is only cold water.  Most women (and I'm assuming men???) carry a hand towel in their purse for these occasions.  Stores carry a wide variety of towels....which are a bit smaller than the typical American washcloth.

I've come to love this practice. Yes, I DO carry a hand towel in my purse.

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...