Monday, February 27, 2006

Day #11 The Last Lift Up?


I know everyone is sick of hearing about snowboarding and seeing all the sunny pictures from the slopes...but this might be the last of it. Saturday was another beautiful sunny day! But it was too warm! We stripped down and took off our hats. Other skiers and boarders were in T-shirts! The snow was slush, almost as good as powder, but a lot harder to land on. And I landed hard a few times. Once in the middle of the half pipe--pure ice! Ouch!



Most of our snowboarding crew was stuck at school on Saturday grading tests! So Amber, Luis, Linea and I were the only foreigners on the seaside slopes this weekend. We enjoyed another sunny lunch outside and our faces are all paying for it. We are sporting the racoon eyes--burned noses and cheeks and a white white forehead.


After our day on the slopes, we headed to Unazuki to watch fireworks over the mountains. I won a free night at the New Otani Hotel, so Linea and I enjoyed a 10 course dinner, endless onsening, and all you can eat breakfast. But we couldn't sneak our partner in crime in, so we weren't complete! But it was fun to be "on vacation" for a night.

With any luck, we will have one or even two more days of boarding. It snowed a little last night. And it's supposed to snow the next two days in the mountains. I've never been so excited to see snow and feel the temperature drop. I think I'm addicted to boarding.

Sunday, February 26, 2006

No Smoking  たばこを すわないでください!

Smoking in this country drives me up the wall. I hate it!!! And I've stopped being polite. I cough when I walk by people smoking. I wave my hand in front of my face when I walk through smoke. I give smokers dirty looks. I've put a big no smoking sticker on my desk and in my car. I joke with my teachers, who smoke, about it being "bad." And speaking of teachers smoking....yes, my teachers smoke at school. They walk across the hall with a cigarette in their mouth in front of students on the way to the "guest room" or the smoking room. Or they stand on the field while the students are playing during recess and smoke. They also leave cigarettes on their desk, out in the open!! It really bothers me. Adults can smoke, but they have posters up around the school telling students not to smoke. What?

In addition to smoking at school, people smoke in the same vicinity as athletes. I've had to walk through a cloud of smoke as I enter the pool! They lifeguards smoke outside in front of the main entrance. What? And runners smoke before and after marathons. Spectators also don't have a problem smoking in the same area as runners! What? People smoke on the ski slopes too! I've seen people stop in the middle of the run to have a cigarette. I've seen people smoking on the lifts. And everyone is smoking in the restaurants or right outside the doors! Walking through a cloud of smoke, really does make me feel sick!

The majority of smokers in Japan are men. There are plenty of women that smoke, don't get me wrong, but it's mostly men! I've never seen any of my female teachers smoke. Yet at teacher parties they have to sit in a room full of smoke because all the men are smoking! I make comments to my female teachers and they comment about how much they hate it too! It's time to make some changes people!

I think it is so rude and so selfish to smoke in front of other people! I don't care if you've asked those around you, I don't care if smoking is allowed in public places--it's RUDE!! I don't want to smoke, so don't make me! If you want to smoke, go right ahead, that's your choice. But don't do it in front of me. Go outside! Go far far far away! I don't want your filthy second hand smoke!

Smoking should be a choice, just like eating a hamburger & fries or drinking a beer. But in this country it isn't a choice for the majority of the population. Everyone is exposed to it!!

Just for fun, I'm posting some facts about smoking. Enjoy!


Smoking Facts*:

  • Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths and is responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, and bladder.
  • Secondhand smoke is responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths among U.S. nonsmokers each year.
  • Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemical agents, including over 60 substances that are known to cause cancer. Including: carbon monoxide, tar, arsenic, and lead.
  • The risk of developing smoking-related cancers, as well as noncancerous diseases, increases with total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke.
  • Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits, including decreasing the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.
    *National Cancer Institute

Second-hand Smoke Facts*:

  • Secondhand smoke, also called environmental tobacco smoke, is the combination of smoke emitted from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, and smoke exhaled by the smoker.
  • Secondhand smoke contains at least 60 carcinogens (substances that cause cancer).
  • The known health effects of exposure to secondhand smoke include lung cancer, nasal sinus cancer, respiratory tract infections, and heart disease.
  • Separating smokers and nonsmokers within the same air space may reduce, but does not eliminate, nonsmokers’ exposure to secondhand smoke.
    *National Cancer Institute

What happens when you smoke? What is the science behind taking a puff on a cigarette? Click on the link and listen/watch the lecture! It's interesting and so so disgusting when you think about what you are doing to your body!
What happens to the Puff?



Photos from NoTobacco.org

Thursday, February 23, 2006

日本語 101

Check out Japanesepod101 ! The website has daily Japanese lessons, a daily kanji and you can subscribe to their daily podcasts--FREE!! I've listened to a few lessons already and while some of the stuff is basic, it's great review and they're pretty funny!! I kinda feel like I'm listening to someone's private Japanese lesson! I recommend it!

Monday, February 20, 2006

Day #10 on the slopes

Strap-on Ladies!! Let's get going!

We tried the half-pipe for the first time! And Linea & I landed a jump!


Another sunny day!! We're perfecting the racoon look!




Post-boarding lasagna before the big party!




SOS before the "PINK" party! The wig/hats came off immediately!

Friday, February 17, 2006

Burnt Out on Brownies

It all started over a week ago. I had some quiet time at home and started baking. I baked vegan chocolate cake for a little dinner party I had, some friends, a nurse at my school and my English conversation students. A few days later I baked brownies for my junior high school, two elementary schools (just for the teachers!), and my favorite bar tenders! The vegan chocolate cake was homemade and turned out really well! I was impressed. The brownies were just from a mix--Ghiradelli of course!!! Just add water, oil and an egg. Throw them in the oven. Add some candy hearts to the top and you have a valentine!

In the effort of internationalization, last night some other JETs and I baked 10 batches of brownies (from scratch) in under 2 1/2 hours. Luckily, I was baking with the best bakers in Toyama! Thanks guys...you rock!! Let's do a recipe exchange. But unfortunately, the baking event lacked organization and planning...for example, there were no eggs. The recipe was a new one to us so we didn't know how to manipulate it. The brownies turned out a bit more like dry chocolate bricks. But scoop up some ice cream, spray a little whip cream on top, sprinkle a handful of sprinkles, add a cherry and you have yourself a brownie sundae!! The Japanese festival goers won't know the difference. But I warn all JETs now ....avoid the brownies!!!

I think I need to take a brownie baking break! I'm burnt out. And we burnt a few last night too...another warning!

Question: How many brownies can you carry on your head??

I can carry 10 batches, approximately 250 brownies!

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Sunday Scenes from a Sleepy Fishing Village

Quiet Construction


Everyhome Needs "Oronine" Inside! What the hell is oronine?



Mud, bamboo and thatch. Old construction survives!



Concrete, Concrete, Concrete! Oh, the Concrete!



Retired Fishing Boat



Welcome Home: My Neighborhood Tanuki



At my doorstep!

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Day #9 at Hakuba 47














February 11th Forecast

Seaside Valley--rain
Charmant--rain
Raicho--rain

Hakuba--snow!



Today was my ninth day boarding this season! I have gone to Seaside 7 times this season and Raicho once. It was time for a change! Where should we go today? It was an obvious decision, plus I won a free lift ticket on Snow Japan to Hakuba! For those of you outside of Japan, Hakuba is the premier ski resort area on the main island of Honshu. It is in Nagano-ken and is where the winter olympics were held! And the best part is, it's less than 2 hours from our apartments in the rice paddies!

Four of us piled into the family Honda Civic with our boards on top and in the trunk and were on the road by 7:15! Pretty impressive for a group of people that usually has to be at work by 8:30! Compared to our local hill, Hakuba 47 is impressive!!

Hakuba 47 plus points:
It's huge-super long runs and lots of them!
It's international-English signs everywhere and even gaijin staff!
It has warm water & soap in the bathrooms-what a luxury!
It has a Subway-as in the sandwhich restaurant!
It has an on site chapel-you can get married there!
It felt like a vacation-new food choices, lots of people, fancy lifts, and bathrooms! Wow!
Strict Smoking Rules-NO SMOKING INSIDE BUILDINGS!!!




Hakuba 47 minus points:
It's packed-too many people on the runs and long lines at the lifts! It's huge-too easy to get lost (for some people)!
It's international-too many gaijin, they were EVERYWHERE!

But mostly, it's too crowded, popular and over run with people! There were close calls all the time! I hate it when other people are the biggest obstacle when I'm trying to get down the hill.



It was fun to try a new hill. It was good to explore and go on vacation for a day! But, when it comes down to it...I think I like our local spot better. There is something to be said for NEVER having to stand in line at lifts, recognizing the people who run the lifts, NEVER waiting in line for food, knowing exactly what's on the menu, knowing some of the regulars, and becoming one of the regulars! Plus, on a clear day you can see the ocean from the top! I LOVE SEASIDE!!


P.S. Keeping jumper cables in your car is a good idea--JP has pulled them out on several occasions before or after snowboarding. This time, VW Kaz needed a jump! And we jumped him!

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

No Coincidences

I signed my contract today. I'm staying a 3rd year. I'm staying until August 2007. And then, I can easily guarantee, I'll be ready to leave! I never thought I would make it this long to begin with. I am constantly surprising myself!

A few hours after I signed my paper, I met with other English teachers at my school. We met about the new "International Room." My junior high school was recently remodeled and lots of additional space was created. While we were touring the new building in December, I jokingly asked if I could have a room for English! And now I have one!! So today we met to talk about what I needed for the room and what I wanted to do with the room! Amazing! That being said, there MIGHT be a budget of $60/per year for the new room. And there is no furniture currently. I have no idea if students will want to use it, but I guess I have to give it a try! Which means....more work for me. Lunch time, after school, and holidays will be spent in "the international room." So much for being an under utilized English teacher.

I knew if I stayed a 3rd year I had to be more productive with my time here. So, it looks like I'm being given that opportunity!

Now, what should I do with this new space? Ideas PLEASE!!!

Thursday, February 02, 2006

3B Debut

My advanced English class started a blog and they would love your positive feedback and comments!! Please check it out! You can post anonymously, but leave your name/school if you are in Japan. Or if you comment from outside Japan, mention where you are! They will be really excited to see comments from abroad!

Plus, it's my job to comment, so they will be thrilled to hear from others!!

Thanks!

Nishi Nyuzen 3B English Class

P.S. SH ALT's, these kids might be yours in April!!