First Day in Göttingen

And if you want to hear about it, go to my new blog on tumblr (because it's better, apparently):

http://thepineapplecuttingceremony.tumblr.com/

Today I Climbed a Mountain

I woke up at 5am, like the day before, but this time I listened to A Game of Thrones for a while, before reviewing some Japanese vocabulary and going downstairs for breakfast. Okaasan is a great cook. For breakfast we had a bowling pot in the middle, into which she put a broth, then mochi and rice and raw eggs. On the table was pickled radish, umeboshi, and pickled greenbeens that you add in as you like. Breakfast is my favorite meal in every country, it seems.

After breakfast, I did various things around the house, and Otoosan dropped me off on a road that leads up to a Buddhist Temple, as I said I wanted to go hiking that day. He was convinced to stay in the parking lot and wait for me, but in my broken Japanese, I told him not to worry, for I would most likely be a couple hours.

The hike was hot, and long. I don`t remember when I started, I believe somewhere between 8am and 9am, but I didn`t get back downt until after 11am. My calfs are still sore from all the steps. But, it was beautiful! Part way up, there was a swing that I swinged on for a little, and I saw a lot of interesting bugs and plants that I wanted to take home with me. Instead, I just took pictures. I think I ran into over 20 spider webs too. The spiders are skinny and metallic!

Otoosan ended up picking me up even though I said I would walk back. Sometimes it is eaier to just accept offers, then refusing it. Especially in Japanese. When he heard that I didn`t see the temple, that I climbed to the top instead, he took me to it. Without a doubt, I will go back tomorrow or the next day. This temple, for there are dozens here, is called `Stone Horse Temple.` And, like all stone places, it is covered in moss, which gives it the most magical look! I love moss. The temple itself is up a grand set of stone steps, and built on many levels shaded by trees and comforted by moss. I began to day dream about writing letters, or reading, or studying Japanese here.

And the day didn`t end here. . . for lunch Okaasan made udon and agi (that yumm sweet fried tofu), and then we went to do some errands. I love seeing Japanese shops and supermarkets. They have the weirdest stuff! One dessert I saw had layers of pudding, cake, fruit, and more all encapsulated in jelly. It`s like indecisiveness to the extreme!

When we got back, I was exhausted, although it was only 3:30. I laid down for a bit, and Otoosan went to his vegetable garden. I decided to walk over there and see if I could help him, as I wasn`t being very productive. Well, he didn`t really need my help, and we started to walk back a few minutes after my arrival. One the way, however, we stopped at a temple. One the side was an old, Japanese-style building with children`s shoes littering the entrance. Otoosan yelled `Okaasan` a few times, with now answer. He was very persistent, but no one answered. As he was about to admit defeat, a young girl ran up, and he asked her about different days it was open. She ran back inside, and we followed after her. Okaasan answered, a younger woman with all smiles. They led me into a tatami mat room with a fabric covering lying over it. there were three rows to short tables and cushions to mark the places. It was after-school calligraphy that I`d heard about in Japanese class! I was really excited now. I watched the kids write, and the sensei come over and correct their kanji with an organge calligraphy brush. Otoosan even did one, and the sensei corrected it slightly sending all the kids and myself into laughter. Then it was my turn. I tried my best, and the sensei compliment it, telling the boy on the right that mine was better (I`m pretty sure this was a joke), and she gave me a poster board as a frame for my beautiful, expertly drawn kanji. I wanted to stay and watch the kids, because I think Japanese kids are the cutest, but we had to leave at some point. On the way back, I asked Otoosan if I could take that class. I`m not sure if he knew I was kidding, so he might`ve been worried to dissapoint me.

A New Day

I realized this afternoon, that despite walking around the town (granted, it was at six and eight in the morning), and visting Lake Biwa and other sites, that I didn`t see any white people today, other than myself. And then I realized that today was the first day I had never seen any white people, other than myself. I just thought this was interesting.

Resurrection

I love having to resurrect this blog, because it means I am about to go on another adventure! Many new world adventures are lined up for me, I am excited to say. The first commences in a month. I don't know if I will have enough internet access to make frequent posts, but I will try nonetheless.

Where am I going?

I cannot wait. I've been furiously studying Japanese after the realization that I hardly know any Japanese.  But, it's been a bit difficult to do with all my other obligations . . .

Well, in Japan, my time will be split up: my first two weeks will be spent with my "host family." They are my Kurogi Sensei's (my Japanese teacher) friend's parents. They have an old Japanese-style house about an hour away and they seem incredibly nice. Just the other day, Kurogi Sensei told me they sent her an email saying that the heater has been very loud lately and asking if it would bother me. The mother also asked Kurogi Sensei at one point if she should take those two weeks off. I guess this is my first glimpse at Japanese hospitality. I'm looking forward to speaking Japanese (they don't speak much English!) and (hopefully) following them around and learning about the culture (especially my host mother's cooking - Kurogi Sensei said she's a great cook). They expressed worries that I would be bored, or would want to hang out with people my own age, but really how would I do that anyways? The second two weeks will be spent traveling, or WWOOFing! So much to look forward to. 

Dar-Sultan

makes a type of juice 

for picking your teeth

floss

for stomach aches  

for stomach aches, I think

black soap

for your skin - a type of soap, I believe

Dar-Sultan is very magical. Especially the spice market. There are rows upon rows of men selling argan oil, amlou, rose, five varieties of dates dates, nuts . . . you name it. There are also vendors with hedgehog hides and dried chameleons. All of it seems so untouchable, just because I have no idea what it is for, or how to go about using it. However, when Wahlid accompanied Alex and I, I was able to bug him a bit to give me descriptions of the objects. They became so much more real to me thereafter. 

Last days with Moroccan food

My last piece of tasty m'smmen with cheese and honey. Oh how I will miss this daily tradition.

Boucher lights in the medina 

Our ftour (first meal of the day at 7:30pm during Ramadan) dinner. Tastes: tajine, pastries, m'smmen, Moroccan pancakes, melon, nectarine, salad, bread, fried vermicelli triangles, tea, coffeee . . .

Cactus. Taste: seedy flowers 

Home-made couscous. Best tastes: chicken organs 

Tongue Twisters

Vegetable Lasagna. Last-last weekend's Moroccan meal by Alex and Maxene

I took pictures for possible inspiration for my ceramics class next semester.

A water clock in Fes. They could tell the time from where the water fell. 

Today was our last day of teaching. Since last Monday, we've been teaching most days from 10 to 1pm. We have new kids everyday, at different English levels (though all beginner), and hardly any materials. Sometimes white paper and mix-matched pens, though always a white board with a marker and eraser. These three hours have been exhausting, although gratifying, but we welcomed its end nonetheless.

I was paired with Wade. We tried to mix a lot of fun activities in with our lectures - Bingo, Simon Says - all big hits. We generally end the day with a few tongue twisters as well:

Who washed Washington's white wooly underwear when Washington's washer woman went west


The three thumbed thatcher 


Percy pig is plump and pink. I like a plump pink pig I think


Red leather, yellow leather (now three times fast)