Thursday, December 6, 2007

Kids + Snow = Photo Opportunities Galore!

Lunchtime recess at Kanaoka E.S. (12/4)



Big kids like to play, too! Hachiryu JHS (12/5)

During "cleaning time", I guess this group got the shoveling snow gig. It quickly degraded to snowball fights (the girls in the background totally won) and...

Snowman building!! :)

Moritake E.S. Arts and Crafts Club (12/6)

We made mini-Christmas trees. Aren't they cute? (kids and trees)


This is my creation. I'm pretty crafty, huh?

::END::

No Classes So I'm Posting Photos

Let's work our way forward, shall we?

THANKSGIVING! (Akita-style)

Maureen organized this whole day with the help of Seth, who cooked the turkeys!

Corey, Brett, and Tex all GQ'd up for Thanksgiving in their Uniqlo sweaters
Nick (Christy's boyfriend) and I made the mac 'n cheese - expertly, I might add.


Yay! Let's eat!This is my first plate of food: corn, stuffing, turkey+gravy, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, green bean casserole, and pasta salad. Carb fest!!

Japanese lady who's name I forgot, Maureen, me, Christian, and Juls - still alive after all the food!

Josh (the Australian) entertained these two little girls the whole night.

There were 20 people in total!

While you were shopping on Black Friday, I was...

Pasta/ravioli making at Bella's house in the middle of nowhere!

They turned out to be delicious! Bella's French Canadian with Italian ancestry = good recipes!

Yes, I made a mess and got flour all over myself. As if I wasn't white enough...

We drive to the city for Starbucks - and to see Paula!
Christy and Paula modeling the universally lovely red cups.

Oh, Paula bought some really expensive pink macaroons. Apparently they were worth it.

I went to Sendai to take a test. Here are some photos~

This is at Tohoku University (test site), they still have fall leaves!

hm... Japanese maple?

While I was at a bookstore in Sendai, I ran into Craig, a guy I had some Japanese classes with at Berkeley. Apparently, he's studying abroad at Tohoku University! SMALL WORLD!!! Anyway, he took me on an impromptu tour of Sendai. So here's the founding father samurai guy's statue.

It's at the "castle", which after a half hour hike turned out to be "castle ruins".

Still worth it!

::End::

No Kitties for Katie

My supervisor told me I can't have a cat here since my house is owned by the town, and because of a bunch of other troublesome things. So, I guess the kitties are going to be left for the good people of Kotooka to sort out... I hope someone steps up to the plate! and soon! (`~`)


Akita was in the news again:
In Japan, Rural Economies Wane as Cities Thrive

This article is really, really about where I live, because the featured town is Noshiro, which is a quick 25min north of my house, and very similar to my area (though, it's a "big city" by comparison to Mitane -aka: my town).

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

雪の夜とかわいそう子猫

Tonight, as I was leaving my English conversation class, my supervisor asked if I saw the kittens, and I didn't know what she was talking about, so she explained, "oh there are three homeless kittens outside!" So I went outside in the BLIZZARD, and sure enough, there were three really cute (but sad) mewing kitties!!! Someone from the community center had made them a little styrofoam box house that seemed kind of warm, but they had no food/water and looked cold/hungry!! It was soooo sad!!!

So I got in the car and drove straight to the grocery store, where I bought cat food and towels (because they don't sell blankets). I stopped by house to pick up another towel and gladware tub things for the food/water, and then went back to the community center. As soon as I walked up they starting meowing like crazy and when I put the food down the literally DOVE IN! Gosh they looked so cold! They were gobbling down the food, too. I made sure there was plenty for tonight and set the bag next to their little box-home so hopefully someone will feed them more tomorrow. I also filled them a dish of water, which they happily lapped up - I hope it doesn't freeze tonight! Then I added my towels to their box to make it warmer and cozier. After that, it didn't really seem like there was much else I could do, so I came home. But I really want to go back and check on them (even though I can't do anything)!

I emailed my supervisor to ask her to call the community center people tomorrow and find out if the cats really have no home. I said that if they don't, I'll take care of them. Three cats are kind of a lot for someone who doesn't spend a whooole lot of time at home... but someone has to give them a home! Especially since it's snowing!! Anyway, I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

Send warm thoughts to the kitties!!