Update: I went to the Sado Earth Celebration on the weeekend of the 18th-19th. 1 hour drive and a 2 hour ferry later, I was on the tiny island of Sado, which you can drive end to end in about 1 1/2 hours. I didn't know that hippies existed in Japan, but apparently they do, and they were in full force this weekend -- and btw: hippies in Japan dont shower either! But its worse in Japan b/c it's 105 degrees w/ 85% humidity...the stench is almost overwhelming! Minus the hippies and long commute, Sado was GREAT! We saw Kodo which is supposedly the world's best Taiko drumming group...they perform all over the world and we were able to see them perform in their own backyard! I think the performance was about 2 hours w/ a 15 miuntes encore at the end!



About Kodō:
In Japanese the word "Kodo" means 2 things: "heartbeat" the primal source of all rhythm and, read in a different way, the word can mean "children of the drum." Kodo's aim is to play their drums simply, with the heart of a child.

They are baased in Sado Island they have been a major force in the post-World War 2 revitalization of taiko drumming, both in Japan and abroad.

Since their debut at the Berlin Festival in 1981, Kodo have given over 2800 performances on all five continents, spending about a third of the year overseas, a third touring in Japan and a third resting and preparing new material on Sado Island.

Traveling abroad, I do things that I would never even considering doing back in the U.S. Before this my mom taught me the defintion of camping was a 3 star hotel...now I know the true essence of camping. After KODO, we took a 20 minute taxi ride down to the beach, picked a RANDOM spot and set up tent. I set up a TENT! A 2 person tent that we modified to fit 3 of us. Remember: it is still over 100 degrees. We went to bed around 2 am in what felt like a pressure cooker (bright side: I didnt get eaten by mosquitoes that night--aparently they dont like boiling temperatures!)..anyways... a piece of info that I had forgotten is: The sun in Japan rises at about 4:30 in the morning! 2 1/2 hours of sleep in a tent on the beach makes for a very unhappy Kristen! I couldnt wait to get back to my little apt. (which now quasi feels like home) and take a much needed shower and nap!

-I forgot my camera so I'm waiting for Makiko to send me the rest of the pictures, as soon as i get them..they will be posted.

Monday was my first day of classes: Well, actually no classes, just school. Since the kids in Japan start school in April, they get summer vacation for the month of August. We start classes officially Sept.1. I am dreading this day. Imagine if you will: Me in an auditorium filled with the entire Junior High introducing myself IN JAPANESE!!!!!!!!!!! Its going to maybe be the most embarrasing thing ever! But hopefully I will get through it without passing out or tripping onstage or just making an overall ASS out of myself. We can only HOPE!

First day: watched Judo for the first time ever. It looked really painful. They asked me to join and I respectfully declined. Something about being thrown onto a mat and kicked around just doesnt seem appealing to me!

The guy in the glasses below is one of the English teachers. He gave me a 3 hours Japanese lesson today, in which I managed to be more confused after the lesson than when I started! For example: in Japanese omoshiroi means 2 things: funny and interesting. So if I were to say: Kanojo wa omoshiroi...We wouldnt be sure if I were saying she was funny or interesting. I guess you can just pick whichever one you want..and go from there...but it wouldnt make any sense if I were to say: benkyo wa omoshiroi ( my studying is funny?) or (my studying is interesting) funny just wouldnt work...Just a random point..but confusing nonetheless.

I also got to watch Kendo...ouch!
So here is an interesting story: I was told that male teachers need to watch their backs because bad ass little boys will come up behind them and SHOVE their fingers up the guys' butt: Its called the Conch or as we used to call it: A JAB. They also hit guys in the balls and climb all over them! They didnt warn us about the girls doing RANDOM things too. So...Im sitting there and the girl in the middle of the picture comes up to me and says: Booyyinne. And I was like: huh? and she said it again and again. Then finally I turned my head for just a second and her hand is clasped firmly around my CHEST! I got felt up by a 13 year old! If I wasnt so in shock I think I might have hit the poor girl..but all I could do was nervously giggle. James who is another ALT said that he figures that since their parent's tax money pays his salary they better get their money's worth and grab with 2 hands! Needless to say, I keep a close eye on grabby little hands from now on.

The perpetrator and 2 accomplises. They arent as innocent as they look..dont be fooled like me!

Only in Japan
Random Picture:


I like Hello Kitty as much as the next person, BUT DAYAM!

-actually I dont like Hello Kitty at all...but you get the idea.