One Way Ticket -->

10,000 Free Round Trip Tickets to Japan

2011-10-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

The sharp eyes of D, Hun, Stef, and Abe alerted me of this program by the Japan Tourism Agency to give out 10,000 free round trip tickets in exchange to blog about Japan.

Steve Jobs of Apple Dies

2011-10-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

Click pic for link

NY Times link

Chats with Autumn

2011-09-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

Korean jokes

2011-09-29T17:37:00.000-07:00

What celebrity can you trust with your luggage?
Jim Carrey

What did the watermelon do when he got sued?
He su-baked!

What do you get when you put a jacket in a blendor?
Jamba Juice

Sick

2011-05-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

On the evening of Sunday, August 5th my body received an unwelcome surprise. Both my legs went into major cramp mode during Mother's Day dinner with the family and Hun. It was so severe I had to be carried to the ground and everyone helped massage my legs while Hun serenaded us on the guitar with his, "Get Will Soon Ki-Yong" song. Quite funny actually, but the pain lasted 3 hours. This injury might be the product of me playing basketball for 5 straight hours, but that's besides the point.

I was ok for the rest of the week, and went to Las Vegas for Foffy's graduation. On Monday, 5/16, I donated blood but that night I started feeling sick. It wasn't bad so I thought I'd get better the next day, then the next day, and now it's been over a week and whenever I cough my head feels like it's going to explode. Note to future self: rest!

Sendai Kokeshi Visits San Francisco

2011-04-29T01:27:00.000-07:00

Sendai - Miyagi SF Reunion

2011-04-23T22:59:00.000-07:00


4/22/2011

Last night, went to a Sendai/Miyagi reunion with Laura Kumataka, a Miyagi CIR from '05-'07. Her crew all left right before as my '07 class rolled in so it was interesting to talk about places and people we both knew. Ah, love sharing collective memories.

Laura, Kelso, Katherine, Maddy, Tri, and Karly.

Japan Tsunami: How Quickly We Forget

2011-04-09T23:07:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to share with you an article that Erin Sherbert from SF Weekly wrote about the Inside Sendai blog:

Japan Tsunami: How Quickly We Forget

By Erin Sherbert, Fri., Apr. 8 2011 @ 4:18PM

Comments (1)

Categories: Local News, Tech

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Nate Nam

Typically when a loved one dies, it's the few week after the funeral -- when friends stop dropping by and relatives fly home -- when the real grieving begins. You could say that's sure to happen with Japan a month after a 9.0 earthquake and tsunami flattened the northeastern part of the country.

As soon as the bleak images and depressing stories start to slowly dissipate from the news cycle, people begin to forget.

That's why Nate Nam, a Menlo Park resident, started his own blog -- insidesendai.blogspot.com -- with ongoing updates, stories, and new pictures from people in Japan to document their everyday. Nam, who lived in Sendai, Japan for two years when he taught English, says he is deeply worried about the country and the government's lack of response.

Nate with his class on Halloween in Sendai

Just 20 miles from the coastline where the tsunami hit is the town of Sendai, where most of Nam's friends and former colleagues live. Everyday, he communicates with them via e-mail to extrapolate raw news and vignettes that would be overlooked by the media.

"Lucky for me, I have a different role in this," Nam told SF Weekly. "I am able to use social media to share personal stories about what is really going on so people can stay updated."

Nam says that he is adding fresh content to the blog everyday, hoping to give people here a reason to continue donating to help the devastated country.

"Japanese people will tell you everything is okay, that they are fine," Nam says. "But that's because they are shy and they do not like to burden others."But their problems haven't disappeared -- it will be a long-term rebuilding process."

Nam says he hears tales almost everyday about how so many people are still homeless; others have no hot water or access to emergency supplies which they badly need. And the nuclear radiation leak that followed the earthquake has only compounded the crisis, Nam says.

Nam tells SF Weekly about one of his friends living on the coast of Japan where the tsunami hit. He was taking photos of his wife and children as they celebrated the holiday akin to Valentine's Day and ate cake. As he snapped photos of the happy family the powerful earthquake shook their house to the core.

Then the tsunami hit.

But the father continued snapping photos, one after another, as the rising water rushed through town. He went up to the top of his building and shot more than 100 pictures of the tragic scene as it unfolded, Nam says.

"We have those photos," Nam tells SF Weekly. "People can now see the progression of the events."

So far, his blog gets roughly 150 hits per day, Nam says -- it isn't much, but it's enough to start spreading the word.

"Often we get disconnected and hardened to the news," Nam says. "But people need to follow up on this."

Follow us on Twitter at @TheSnitchSF and @SFWeekly

Sendai From Space

2011-03-20T23:59:00.001-07:00

Satellite image of Sendai from NASA

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=49756&src=imgrss

From an elementary school teacher (Yagiyama Minami Ele.)

2011-03-19T01:46:00.000-07:00

ナタ先生

やっと、ネットがつうじました。
ぜんぶ　たいへん
私の生まれた家はつなみでなくなりました。
八木山南は大丈夫。
八木山中学校も大丈夫
やさしいメール、ありがとう
とってもうれしかった。
ガスがでないので、お風呂にはいれません。
でも、電気も水もあるから、幸せ。
兄がいるけせんぬまは、水も、電気も、ガスも、しょくりょうも　足りない。

From friend I've been waiting to hear back from

2011-03-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

So relieved! Got the following letter from my close friend and dentist who was kind enough to give me an update.

_________________

Hello,Nata!

I am O.K.

All of my employees are O.K.

Of course my family and my house are ok.

My clinic is ok.

Today electric power and internet is back again so I can see your mail now.

There are lots of people missing.

Among them are my friends,relatives,patients.

You can not believe your eyes even if you see the disaster directly.

The next day of the quake ,I went to Yuriage port (Natori city) to find my relatives ,friends and a patient who

came to my clinic only 2 days before the quake.

But I could not see any of them,even a trace of their houses.

Just an utter destruction.

In addition to it,we are lacking in gas,kerosene,electricity,food now.

And very worried about the nuclear power plant problem.

I feel we are now facing the worst.

But even if I have to cry again,tomorrow will be a better day.

Because I am allowed to live now.

Thank you for your kind mail.

I wish you all the peaceful days!

Your friend,Y

Update

2011-03-13T22:32:00.001-07:00

Nana (friend), Takehito (Miyagi-Zao host family) have been accounted for.

Still waiting for Dr. Tomizawa, Aoe, and Mr. Ohta.

Sendai 8.9 Earthquake

2011-03-12T16:37:00.006-08:00

On Friday, March 11, 2011, an 8.9 magnitude earthquake shook Japan. The epicenter was 80 miles east of Sendai. The force was so strong that it triggered a 10 tsunami that wiped out the coastal region in Miyagi, Fukushima, and other neighboring prefectures.

I first heard of it on Thursday night when Lisa called me and stayed up until the early morning and well into the next day, trying to gather information of the whereabouts of my Sendai friends and family.

As of March 12th, I've heard back from everyone except for Nana (friend), Takehito (Miyagi-Zao host family), Aoe (friend), Dr. Tomizawa (dentist), and tutor Mr. Ohta. All schools have been accounted for and there have been zero casualties reported

After immersing myself with news I had to take a break and watched an amazing basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Orland Magic. The overtime game set a record for the most 3-pt. shots made in a game. It was nice to get away for a little bit.

My thoughts and prayers are with all affected by the quake. Let's pray that we can hear good news from the people we still haven't been able to get in contact with.

Bike Party March

2011-03-06T00:35:00.004-08:00

bike + no map + gusto = 19.5 mile- 2:34 (ride time) night bike ride from sf giants stadium (china basin) - via hunter's point - carnitas burrito - candlestick - dark ominous streets in brisbane - ssf - 2 chicken burgers (note: jack in the crack does not allow bikers in the drive through!!) - san bruno - casa

Bike Party Photo Set on flickr

How to find work

2009-12-08T23:36:00.004-08:00

On the topic of finding work my college roommate once told me, it's not what you know, but who you know. One day I was walking in a shopping mall and stopped at a sunglasses kiosk where a guy was working. We started chatting about school and work and he asked me if I had my visa. I told him I was legal and then he said the best way to find work is through your networks. That's how he got his job and he told me I should look in the Korean community because white people don’t like people from other countries.

Happy Post-Thanksgiving! Hello December!

Onigilly (A Fancy Rice Ball)

2009-10-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about being in San Francisco is that there are many Japanese transplants and when there are many people, customs, food, and drink follow suit. All the yummy gummy candies, sake, and soft drinks are available in the asian super markets and there are a plethora of sushi restaurants that come up with creative sushi rolls that would never dare to exist in Japan.

Last weekend in my town there was a small Japanese festival and I came upon a booth selling glorified rice balls called Onigilly , originally called, Onigiri in Japan. Hearing the word Onigilly makes me want to drop dead, but this was a super health oriented- served with brown rice- snack topped with tuna, eggplant, seaweed, strawberries etc. your choice.

Eggplant was delish! My friend was shocked and I heard her say to herself, "When did Onigiri's get so fancy?" I would like to know too!

Looking west

2009-09-22T19:46:00.001-07:00

Looking west
Cargado originalmente por [ El Nata ]

Couch surfer

2009-04-24T04:03:00.001-07:00

Couch surfer
Cargado originalmente por El Nata [Away till 5/12]

浅草

2009-03-31T07:23:00.001-07:00

浅草
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

Asakusa Clown

2009-03-31T07:22:00.003-07:00

Asakusa Clown
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

One eyed dragon

2009-03-31T07:22:00.001-07:00

One eyed dragon
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

Sunrise 5:46am

2009-03-31T07:19:00.001-07:00

Sunrise 5:46am
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

Carpe Diem

2009-02-26T00:47:00.001-08:00

Carpe Diem
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

When people walk fast, it's hard to take a still picture.

Clover heart

2009-02-14T18:16:00.001-08:00

Originally uploaded by El Nata

Happy Valentine's Day!

Did you know in Japan Valentine's Day is a great day for men? On February 14th, men receive chocolate and gifts from females without having to reciprocate. It wasn't until a marshmellow company created a holiday on March 14th called "White Day" where men have to give gifts to their female counterparts. Japanese girls have to satisfy their sweet tooth as well, too.

Setsubun Day (節分)

2009-02-05T04:28:00.003-08:00

Setsubun Day (節分)
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

Appreciation through cake

2009-02-05T04:28:00.001-08:00

Appreciation through cake
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

Winter footprints

2009-02-05T04:27:00.001-08:00

Winter footprints
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

Orange cake

2009-01-27T07:32:00.005-08:00

Orange cake
Originally uploaded by El Nata

I’ve never thought of myself as a cook or a baker, but today I made a cake.

My ingredients are simple. Flour, oranges, and cinnamon, but I forgot to add the latter.

In the video I talk like I know what I’m doing, but I never made cake. My simple goal is that it is palatable, but my orange cake is not even orange.

Dinner: 26 January
Originally uploaded by El Nata

White Fish Salad
The red goop is a red pepper sauce concoction.

Yes we can

2009-01-21T07:00:00.001-08:00

Yes we can
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

I couldn’t stop smiling and humming this song. Coincidentally, my 7th grade English grammar point of the week coincides with President’s Obama’s catch phrase, “Yes we can.” After showing the music video to my students, I got them started on a, “Yes we can” chant.

I threw out questions and my students roared back.
“Can you use chopsticks?”
“Yes, we can.”
“Can you eat sushi?”
“Yes, we can!”
“Can you speak English?”
“YES, WE CAN!”

In other news, I went to the supermarket to buy my usual five slice loaf of bread that costs 250 yen. But today I was ecstatic to find a discount bag of solely crusts. 6 crusts for 50 yen! Hey, crust haters, can you eat bread crusts?

Yes, ____ _____.

Notes:
$1 = ￥99

Press play

2009-01-18T06:32:00.002-08:00

Pleasure Point
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

I amazed at how seamlessly I can move between countries without losing any sleep. I have returned to the studying factory where my 3rd grade students are fretting about high school exams. In Japan, getting into your choice college is comparable to high school students wanting to get into Harvard. It's a stressful time.

Not for everybody. The school bully was passing out cookies he had made during home economics.I thought that was kind of him to do so, but he later told me that he swapped the measurements for salt and sugar. Classic. I say, let kids be kids.

Whether I'm out dancing in San Francisco clubs with a cast on my leg or back in Japan, cast less-but with a really sore anke - I can't stop moving. My body is always in play and I'm interested in doingsomething. Here are a few videos to capture this week's events.

14 January: Sendai's Donto Sai festival.

As the end of the lunar year comes to a close, Sendai's bravest walk in a simple cloth to the local temple to say their prayers and wish for a happy year.

17 January: Winter snow + fireworks = a happy me :). Watching fireworks makes me giggle inside. The ski team preceded the fireworks by skiing down the mountain with torches in a shape of a slithering red snake. Torch skiing .

Here are some kids being kids.

Time to catch sleep!

Pleasure Point
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

San Francisco International Airport

2009-01-04T03:40:00.001-08:00

San Francisco International Airport
Cargado originalmente por El Nata

The way to get in and out of home.

Home sweet home!

Toy Victorian

2008-12-31T17:39:00.001-08:00

Toy Victorian
Originally uploaded by El Nata

I am home for winter break. It's been a whirlwind catching up with friends, eating, and shooting as much as I can. Not the best but fun!

Happy New Year!

Jozenji Street

2008-12-18T02:14:00.001-08:00

Cargado originalmente por El Nata

It's December 2008.
When the lights come on Jozenji dori, it's a pretty ending to the year.

Winter kid

2008-12-06T04:46:00.001-08:00

winter kid
Originally uploaded by El Nata

Kid is on his way.
Step by step with happy thoughts.
Holding bag in hand.

Iced basil

2008-11-20T06:01:00.001-08:00

DSC_3551
Originally uploaded by El Nata

Balcony

2008-11-20T06:00:00.001-08:00

DSC_3549
Originally uploaded by El Nata

Snow touch down

2008-11-20T05:59:00.001-08:00

DSC_3552
Originally uploaded by El Nata

First snow fall in Sendai.

ME vs Japanese

2008-11-20T05:58:00.001-08:00

DSC_3500
Originally uploaded by El Nata

14 more days.

Hello fall

2008-11-14T06:02:00.001-08:00

leaf
Originally uploaded by El Nata

Fallen but frozen.

USA ELECTION DAY

2008-11-04T03:13:00.001-08:00

USA ELECTION DAY
Originally uploaded by El Nata

Vote!

class halloween party

2008-11-03T04:53:00.001-08:00

class halloween party
Originally uploaded by El Nata

Happy Halloween!

Zao River

2008-10-08T05:30:00.001-07:00

Zao River
Originally uploaded by El Nata

Sometimes when you're walking you see pretty things.

Mushroom hunting in Zao

2008-10-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

It's a healthy activity, mushroom hunting in the thicket of Zao, Japan.

Sputnik Sweetheart

2008-09-28T07:20:00.001-07:00

"So that's how we live our lives. No matter how deep and fatal the loss, no matter how important the thing that's stolen from us --that's snatched right out of our hands -- even if we are left completely changed, with only the outer layer of skin from before, we continue to play out our lives this way, in silence. We draw ever nearer to the end of our allotted span of time, bidding it farewell as it trails off behind. Repeating, often adroitly, the endless deeds of the everyday. Leaving behind a feeling of immeasurable emptiness."

Haruki Murakami Sputnik Sweetheart

Up, down, up again

2008-09-12T02:02:00.000-07:00

Hello hello,

It has been quite some time since my last message. You must be thinking I am getting complacent or content with my life in Japan. I'll just say that I'm keeping myself very busy. So busy, I have dishes from dinner 2 days ago still lying in my sink. So busy, that I try to get a head start for the next day by eating breakfast for dinner. So busy, I sleep when I walk.

School has started up again and the staff and students are preparing for the school festival next week. It was one of my favorite events in Japan last year but unfortunately I will miss it because I will be going to Hong Kong to visit a high school/ uni friend, stay in Macau for one night with a couchsurger, and then I'm going to Malaysia to meet with my sister whom I have not seen in over a year. She's in Cambodia for a year doing research, and Malaysia was the cheapest and definitely and interesting place to meet. I'm stoked. This late summer vacation came at a good time, especially when I got reprimanded by "the grinch" for : still acting like a student, being lazy, and not focusing on my main priorities at work. If you add all those 3 together, it makes me the world's most unproductive ALT. Sometimes I don't understand Japanese people and what they want.

. On a positive note, 2 of my students won prizes for the city speech contest yesterday! It's amazing that junior high school students can possess the poise and have that swagger of confidence in their English speaking abilities. Amazing.

Alright, I have to get packing! I'm leaving early tomorrow to Tokyo. I don't remember if I posted up these photo albums.
1st one is summer.
2nd: Last week I put together an event that put together foreigners and elementary school kids.

1st- Summer
2nd- I'm a pirate- Kid's Club Event

I'm off!

Salsa-ing Sendai

2008-08-13T07:20:00.001-07:00

The following is a dance clip of me and my group dancing salsa in Sendai's Tanabata Festival.

Salsa is universal.

1 Year Sendai Anniversary

2008-08-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

My random song shuffle is 374 songs strong!

Today is my 1 year anniversary in Sendai, Japan. I would probably be scratching my butt back in the States if I stayed in Japan for only a year. I celebrated this week by training with my students for a marathon, studying Japanese, and going for a swim in the school pool. This is my summer vacation.

Student Art Work- Stipple drawing

I can say I am quite satisfied with how the past year went. I`m working at a school where the students are friendly and my co-workers make me feel like I fit in. I'm also getting plugged into community events to get a taste of what the locals do.

School chorus contest

My Japanese is decent for studying part time and I get to stay active by dancing and playing sports. This past weekend I went to a yukata themed salsa dance party.

This is a yukata (traditional Japanese summer clothing) that I wore. -->

*On Thursday night my salsa group performed in the Tanabata street parade. This parade is part of a 4 day event which is visited by more than 2.2 million people.

Pair work

Salsa-ing Sendai

All in all, things are good. Students are complimenting me on my white teeth, (thanks to Crest whitestrips), and my neighbor wakes me up at 7:30 in the morning to give me fresh vegetables from her garden. That`s the end of me bragging about my life and job. I'm off to see overweight dudes in big diapers square off in a sumo exhibition in Sendai's main gym!

Bye bye!
N

Summer vacation

2008-07-31T07:06:00.000-07:00

You know you have a good shuffle of songs when it's 194 songs deep.

(See the red thing in middle?)

Did you know in America, students K-12 have to go to school for 180 days. In Korea, there are 220 mandatory school days. How about Japan? 240 days. What do Japanese students do during summer break? Study! What do I do? Play.

Ever since summer vacation started I have had barely any sleep. Since July started, any second of free time has been put towards a goodbye party, meeting a friend, or recreation. Being busy has sapped my energy level to E. I'm 3 weeks behind on cleaning my place as I have accumulated "clutter" from other ALTs.

Summer vacation is a time to relax and to readjust my head on my shoulders but it's been the opposite. My head is hanging on it's skin. I have realized a few things: 1. I want to sleep. 2. I think I have to many hobbies. 3. I need to learn how to say no.

At least the music has been keeping me going. I'm at 201 and counting.

Earthquakes and Tsunamis

2008-07-24T04:33:00.000-07:00

Earthquakes and tsunamis are two natural disasters that we can't control. If it happens, we are in the hands of mother nature to dictate how it effects us.

Last Saturday I was surfing at the beach and there were 200 people in the water enjoying the sun and the warm waves. In the distance, there was one police officer who was waving his arms to the surfers and blowing his whistle but everyone just looked at him like he was crazy. Then all of a sudden two helicopters flew low overhead and with their booming voice they said, "TSUNAMI IS COMING, TSUNAMI IS COMING. PLEASE GET OUT OF THE WATER." That's when I started to have images of DEEP IMPACT and bolted for shore. The police and helicopters evacuated everyone out of the water and people lined the bluff to watch the oncoming tsunami which was triggered by an earthquake offshore.
After waiting for many minutes everything seemed normal and even a few people tried to jump back in. After an hour or so and listening to the news reports, the threat of the tsunami was quite minimal. The threat of this tsunami was only 20 cm but, better safe than sorry!

Last night there was a long quake that shook Sendai. The epicenter of the 6.8 earthquake was about 200 miles north. Luckily, the earthquake hit an area that is not densely populated as many other Japanese cities. Out of slight precaution, I took off my dishes from the shelves and they are now lying on the kitchen floor. I don't want them to fly off the shelves and shatter if the next one hits a little harder.

Orange carrots

2008-06-27T08:06:00.001-07:00

Orange carrots
Originally uploaded by El Nata

Dinner.

Where's waldo?

2008-06-24T09:07:00.001-07:00

Where's waldo?
Originally uploaded by El Nata

Where are you going?

What are you doing?

What are you thinking?

My nemesis

2008-06-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

Today I am going to take a driving test to get a Japanese driver's license. This license will allow me to drive my moped after my international license expires. The driving test is notorious for foreigners and I know people who have passed it on their first go and others who were not so fortunate and had to take it more than 5 times. I hope I will be able to get it done in one shot.

Zoom in on the map to see my nemesis. Zoom in on me.
Pray for me!

Today's photos:

Tasting sea water for the first time in 8 months.
Giving skim boarding a shot.

Morning banana pancakes

2008-06-04T07:40:00.001-07:00

Morning banana pancakes
Originally uploaded by El Nata

Things are back up and I'm over ５月 (May) sickness. You know things are going good with me when I'm making time and have the motivation to start cooking. O man, I love banana pancakes topped with some Japanese hiragana syrup.

What would I ever talk about?

2008-05-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

(Sendai's Suzume (sparrow) Dance Festival May 18)

(Tokyo Disneyland)

The most interesting week toying with my emotions:
Interesting but not sooo interesting: Relationship talks. Talks with teachers who are teachers because they have no choice. My lack of self discipline. My broken body. On the verge of canceling Japan to go to Korea. Seeing the sparrow dance. And zooming in and out of Tokyo on overnight buses was nothing compared to what happened tonight.

I was going to ride my bike home from the mall, only to find that my key insert ignition hole was badly damaged. It looked like a robber put in a wrench and tried to steal it. Little did they know that the bike is older than their grandma and when they got the "key" in, they would soon find out that the starter is broken and it takes about 20 kicks to start.

If they stole it from me, that would have been a blessing in disguise. Unfortunately another person at the same time had his bike stolen and the cops were talking to him. I wish they took mine!! After filing a report with some cops who had barely spoke English, at 2 am I gorged myself with a bag of my favorite snacks, a pork bun, rice ball, went grocery shopping at the 99centstore and took a taxi home. My feelings and emotions were mute. It was like I was walking home in a drunken stupor but I was perfectly sober. Just an emotional week perhaps. If life wasn't this interesting what would I write and talk about?

M-I-C-K-E-Y Mouse

2008-05-20T03:20:00.000-07:00

ood morning/ good evening,

This week the students are going on their school trips. The 1st graders
are going on a 2 day camping in Hanamaki. The 2nd graders are going on a
3 day trip to the lakes of Yamagata and my 3rd years are going to Tokyo
for a 3 day trip.

Today, the whole school minus the janitor, tea lady, and me got left
behind. It was eerily quiet as the hallways left behind echos of the
500+ throng that departed on their class trips. The four of us didn't
miss much of anybody as we were sheltered indoors by the heavy storm/
typhoon #4 that passed overhead.

I prepared the 4 of us a small lunch of garlic fried rice, spring salad,
and the tea lady who out of thin air put together a soup. And the best
thing of not having anyone around was that afterwards we closed all the
blinds, turned off all the lights, and used the school projector to
watch a movie in the staffroom!

In a couple hours I'm actually catching an overnight bus (5.5hrs) to
Tokyo to "accidentally" run into my students at Tokyo Disneyland. On an
regular occasion I would probably not go to Disneyland but on this
special occasion, I'm using my paid leave and stalking my students! Nah,
the 3rd grade teachers got a kick of the idea and are waiting for me to
come.

Hello Mickey. Hello Minnie. Hello my 3rd grade students next to a jumbo
sized Nemo fish!

Zimbawe brings peace to Sendai

2008-05-18T07:32:00.001-07:00

Zimbawe brings peace to Sendai
Originally uploaded by El Nata

My friend Christine from Zimbawe throws up the peace sign. No matter what continent your on and what color you are, we have to spread the peace.

PEACE.

pops in japan

2008-05-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

You know those funny little camera booths that play high pitched cartoon theme songs and has pictures of scary looking females. Let's just say my dad and I aren't afraid of them.

Star Searching during spring break

2008-05-08T03:44:00.001-07:00

Star Search
Originally uploaded by El Nata

I spent Japan's spring vacation, known as "golden week" in two beach towns far far away from Sendai. It was a nice change of pace to get out of the city and relax and breathe in some fresh sea water.

The best thing about it was that I was wearing shorts!

Good bye winter, hello ack!

2008-04-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

It's hot! Mother nature flipped the switch in a hurry. Just a few weeks ago I was sill sleeping in my sleeping bag, sandwiched between my thick comforters but now, I ditched the bag. Someone commented today that my face got tanned and I was stoked to be getting dark again. But saying good bye to winter and the cold means saying hello to hot muggy weather and my arch nemesis, Mr. Spider and his incestuous family.

I hate spiders. They make me cringe. When I see a spider, all the muscles in my body tense and even though it may be 100 degrees, my blood turns to ice. Last year in trying to exterminate a spider, I burnt a hole the size of a postcard in my window screen trying to flame torch him with cologne. Instead, he became a martyr that opened a new passages way into my spider free abode.

If you watch the following clip, you will notice that behind my head, there is a square patch in the top left hand corner of the window. That's my boo boo. If you have any suggestions on how to get rid of my arachnophobia, that was instigated by my sister, it would be greatly appreciated. Enjoy video on how to make "omorice!"

Playing in the rain

2008-04-24T09:04:00.001-07:00

Playing in the rain
Originally uploaded by El Nata

It was a rainy day.

Photo of the Day: Sendai Station

2008-04-22T08:57:00.001-07:00

Photo of the Day: Sendai Station

Photo Post April 20th

2008-04-21T07:38:00.001-07:00

(bird poo target practice)

(fallen cherry blossoms)

(Pink road)

(Address)

(Street view)

Interested in coming to Japan

2008-04-17T04:43:00.000-07:00

Flights from the West Coast to Japan --> Cheap!

500 nameless students

2008-04-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

A student came up to me today and gave me a four leaf clover. She said she found it that morning and wanted to give it to me as a present. I was honored but when I looked at her face I was ashamed that I didn't even know her name. In 8 months it might have been the first time I recognized her presence. Recognized that she existed. All the students wear a name tag but it's as helpful as wearing a foot sock on their heads.

Total students:
2nd Years - 177
3rd Years -153

Out of curiosity I flipped through the student photo book and tried to name off as many as I could. I named off 85 3rd graders and 77 2nd years. That means there are still 100+63= 163 upperclassmen floating around without names. What makes the name game even more challenging is that there are 163 new first years that just came in last week.

Learning a name is like learning a new vocabulary word and there's only so much Japanese studying my brain can absorb. All I can say is that I'm working on it but it looks like I'm still thoroughly screwed.

花見 "Hanami" A seasonal attraction

2008-04-14T05:15:00.000-07:00

花見
When the bare trees start to bud that's when you know it's coming. When the pink little flowers start sprouting, it's a sign. When thousands of people get out of the house to lay out the blankets under cherry blossom trees, it's time. Japanese- get crunked- hanami time!

"The cherry blossoms usually bloom for only about a week after full-bloom. The small, round shape flowers flutter to the ground gracefully and the blossoms are said to be the most beautiful at their final stage. For many Japanese people, the blooming of the cherry trees symbolize human life, transience and nobleness. They celebrate and cherish their beauty while it lasts." (Japan National Tourist Website)

Hanami is celebrated by going to the park to sit and walk underneath the trees to marvel at the beauty of pink leaves. Yesterday a friend and I went to a little riverside town south of Sendai to walk through the 1,000 Tree Park that had cherry blossoms lined up along the water. Yes, for Japanese traditions and culture!

Internet, sweet internet.
I'm 6,000 miles away S.F. but with the explosion of facebook and skype, I feel like I'm next door to my friends and family. I got a to have a nice video chat with my sister, b/f, and house cat through a video web chat. As much junk (great reading material) as there is on the net, web chatting just adds to the fun.

Today's meal of the day.
Eggplant. Garlic fried rice with carrots. Eggplant with sesame sauce. Bok Choy Tofu stir fry.

Sakura Cherry Blossom Photo Blog

2008-04-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

Today's photo is from a Cherry Blossom viewing in Shirioishi, Japan. The blooming of "sakura" marks the start of spring.

The rest of the photos.

It's only hair

2008-04-09T07:05:00.001-07:00

I was looking through some old photos and found one that was taken back in fall 2005 when I was living the dream in Chile.

i miss surfing as much as i miss my hair.

Since that life changing experience in South America, I have never been the same. I started going through an identity crisis and I never let me hair grow more than a few cms.I thought nothing could ever surpass the memories I had in Chile.

but i like my hair short b/c it makes me feel crazy.

Two years later, I'm in Japan and I still keep my hair short, but I'm starting to really enjoy life in new ways. I am reading all the books I never got to read in college, learning how to ｃook, and best of all, enjoying the present w/ new surroundings and new people who I am having fun with and are helping me shape a happier me. (Not that I wasn't happy before, but on a scale of 1-10, S.A. was at 100!)

But, there's this little voice in my head that tells me to think about the future. I tell myself not yet. But maybe if I was not so concerned about what happens next, my brain cells would start thinking happy thoughts and start providing healthy roots en route to fresh thick hair that I want to grow into a big afro and dread locks.

Let's see how long it is before I plug in my hair clippers.

Pretend to cook like you know how

2008-03-27T05:30:00.000-07:00

I'm squished in between my futon and blankets. If you added salsa on top of me I would look like a chimmy chonga. If there was an earthquake right now I don't know if I would get up. I am quite comfortable in my silhouette of warmth and I would not want to let any heat escape. 70% of body heat gets lost through the head and feet so I sometimes sleep with a beanie on because heat will escape from my bald head.

Any ideas what fruit this is?

I recently wrote a fantastic blog about what happens at the end of the school year which includes graduation, the changing of teachers, and $100 good-bye parties but it got erased right when I was about to send it. It made me mad so I didn't write anything for a while and started to cook. In place of that blog, here is a weekly menu of what I cooked this past week during spring break. Most of these recipes were compliments from a Japanese cookbook my sister sent to me.

Sunday: Cooking class. Turkmenistan food. Meat stuffed eggplant with meat & potato dumplings.

Monday: Hokai Fish w/grated radish. Spinach miso soup. Kimchee.

Tuesday: Garlic & Spinach spaghetti.

Wednesday: Mexican food. Chicken enchildads, pork tacos, spanish rice and beans with salsa. Thanks to my friend's mother for sending me a nice care package of Mexican food and spices.

Thursday: Miso soup, shiso/radish/tomato salad, steamed egg, miso soup, rice, and kimchee.
Friday: Tuna Carpaccio w/ white sauce.

One thing I have learned is that if you make it look pretty, it tastes a lot better. I have another week of spring break. I wonder what I can mustard up this week.

Photo Update of February

2008-03-07T04:13:00.000-08:00

(SF Friends visit to my school with Kevin Smith)

The month of February came and went. My friends came from S.F. for the first half of the month and my cousin and his friend came in the latter half. It has to the best month since I've been in Japan. Everything was great except for the fact that I lost a LOT of Japanese along the way. The revolving door of my apartment in Sendai has been put on hold as I catch up on my personal life which includes blogging, reading, and catching up on a month's worth of sleep. To explain February in words would be long and banal so here a few photos of what happened.

Kyoto, Japan - Kiyomizu Temple

Kyoto, Japan Funishi-Inari Gates

(Hijemi Castle Hijemi, Japan)

(Boys Sporing Yukata Akiu-Sendai)

This past month I realized that:
1. gyutan (cow tongue) is delicious. 2. I am horrible at karaoke 3. life is much better if you know the local language. Time to hit the books.

To see the rest of the photos you can visit my photo site.

Living legend finds place in history book

2008-02-22T05:33:00.000-08:00

February has been a blur. Since my birthday, which felt like yesterday, my best friends from San Francisco came to visit me and for a Japan tour. In our first weekend together we went up north to the Sapporo Snow Festival where we were greeted by mammoths and Martians the size of 16-wheelers made of ice. The following weekend we visited the historical cities of Kyoto and Himeji, the places where feudal lords and Samurais graced in golden temples and rock gardens while contemplating about zen life.

Japanese news report of the damaged historical landmark.

But before I tell you about these past trips I want to tell you some bad news if you have not heard already. On January 10^th, Namdaemun, a famous South Korean landmark in Seoul was heavily damaged in an arson incident. This was the oldest wooden structure in the country, originally built in 1398 and one of the few tangible time machines. Yep, this was build before America was born. Here are some photos of it when I went to visit it in December.

(Namdaemun Gate - Seoul, South Korea. Dec. 2007)

This is what it looks like now. The roof looks like crumpled potato chips. Hopefully it'll be back before we know it.

away

2008-02-17T04:14:00.001-08:00

I have a few friends visiting from San Francisco. I`m away but will update when I get back!

See ya!

Just pennies a day

2008-02-03T06:02:00.000-08:00

Among my hobbies and considering my ankle and the weather, I figured that cooking is one that suits me well for the winter time. I have been contemplating for weeks over a suitable microwave that would burn my toast and pop my corn. So for my birthday present to myself I did not buy myself a snowboard or surfboard but a sparkling new microwave with an awesome sounding "ding" that makes me giggle with glee.

(ding!)

It was not cheap but I thought of a great service plan. With my “Pennies a Day” pricing plan I can buy anything I want, whenever I want for only a few pennies a day.

Easy 1-2-3 Instructions:
1. Look at the price of the product that you want.
2. If you want to go on the monthly plan all you have to do is divide it by 12.
- Weekly, divide that by 52, and in my opinion, the best pricing option available is the daily bargain hunter plan. Just divide by 365.
3. Rejoice in the glory of how everything in Japan has become instantly cheap, cheap, cheap!

Example:
Microwave = $200 - On the discounted price plan it's only 28 cents a day!
Sandwich = $6 - Price plan price: Less than a penny a day.
Can you go any cheaper?a
Green tea drink = $2 - Price plan price: practically free at .0003 cents a day!

Notes: I finally finished book 7 of the Harry Potter series. Whenever I visited a friend’s house or met a friend at a cafe, I brought the book along and sat by myself and read, alone… 3 friends are coming from S.F. to explore Japan and celebrate my b-day. O yea!

... gluttony (한국음식, korean food, 韓国のより）

2008-01-31T05:19:00.000-08:00

winter "break" (sprain)

2008-01-26T04:42:00.000-08:00

It was a Saturday morning and my middle school kids had started their basketball practice at 6 in the morning. I asked the coach the day before if I cold join practice for a scrimmage .I got up at 7, put on some shorts and ran to the gym to see everyone practicing in their sweaters. I stripped down to my t-shirt and we started to run a full court game. With every breath, dew appeared before my eyes and I could hardly dribble the ball as my hands and fingers had turned into fish sticks, let alone keep up with my students who were running by me as I was panting.

I was embarrassed to show up late, be out of shape, and as I jumped up for a rebound, I rolled my ankle. I heard a "pop" that usually indicates a torn ligament of some sort. (I googled it.) I walked home and my adviser took me to find a hospital. After 4 hours and being turned down by 2 hospitals, I finally got treated at the 3rd but I have to go back on Monday because the orthopedic specialist was not "in."

If any that bugs me about Japan is that they have all these specialists and rules that you have to see and do. Shouldn't an emergency room have a dude who can see you or have someone in Sendai who has "official" hours to tell me what's up?

I did an x-ray that showed no major break and I got some pain killers and some nifty heat patches but I have to back in on Monday to get a diagnosis by the specialist. If anything, I think I am mad because as an active person who has trouble sitting still, I have to keep off my ankle for the next few weeks.

I guess in the States I had been spoiled with my univeristy doctors who were able to diagnose my injuries. But then again in Japan, health care is readily available than for the majority of its citizens. I don't know if I can say the same for the States. The funniest thing I saw today was when an ambulance came into the hospital parking lot and had to wait at the gate and get a parking ticket.

snow & scooter don't mix

2008-01-24T04:31:00.000-08:00

(Yagiyama Snowmen keep watch over Sendai)

Brrr... the strong snowy wind shake my apartment as if it were an earthquake.

Current S.F. forecast: 47 degrees F., 8 C
Sendai: 30 degrees F., -1 C
London : 52F/ 11C
Lewiston, Idaho: 20F / -7C
Tulsa, OK: 15F/ -9C

Spain: COLD.

(Sendai City Hall)

It seems like where my buddies are, fingers turning into fishsticks is common except for Kampala, Uganda where it's a balmy and sounds good now 79F. I had a conference downtown today and drove my scooter there. In the morning the skies were clear and the streets and trees were dusted with snow from the night before. During the conference all I could focus on was the big glass windows behind me and the snow coming sideways. In my head I was thinking I was going to get home. By the end of the conference the snow had subsided and after a hot bowl a ramen decided to scooter home.

(Toasting my shoes with my kerosene heater)

I had made it to the halfway point and I had already skidded out twice and the snow and wind was starting to pick up. I was only a 10 minute ride away (on a normal day) and I tried to go but with the snow and cold fogging up my glasses I skidded out a 3rd time but this time almost dropped my scooter in front a car that was coming behind me. I decided to ditch my bike and hop on a bus. On the 15 min ride home I saw 4 accidents and wondered what would have happened if I went home. To finish the rest of the trip I would have had to go up a big hill and cross a deep ravine. When it's cold in downtown, it's COLD in Yagiyama (my neighborhood).

After seeing all those accidents I thought to myself that I have to be careful. So for everyone who has to deal with driving, walking, swimming or any type of mode of transportation in this crazy weather, please be smart!

Pros / Con of staying in Sendai

2008-01-23T05:33:00.000-08:00

Below is my PRO/CON list of staying in Sendai.

PROS:
* watch my students grow. i have learned the importance of consistency. if i ditched japan to go to korea, my students would have to get used to a new ALT. i also live a 5 minute walk away from school.
* learn japanese. i like interacting in another language.
* if i want to go back to grad school, it will give me time to work on an application and give me time to find a program that interests me. am i ready to be an academic just yet? * strong network of relationships.
* involved in the community (dance class/ cooking class / b-ball).
* there is a korean church here with korean people so i can speak korean without even having to be in korea.
* decent teacher's salary / base for traveling to visit family in korea.
* i have a good boss/adviser/friend who will for sure be here for the next year.
* once i leave japan, i don't know if i'll ever come back.
* relationships with locals and my friend girl.
* i like cooking and i have the time to experiment to make kimchee stew so strong it'll burn off my eyebrows
* surf in the summer months

CONS:
* it's not korea. not as many koreans or korean food.
* i don't know how practical learning japanese would be in the future. jap. culture doesn't interest me as much as korean culture.
* starting a career of some sort.
* surf ONLY in the summer months.

Re-contracting questions

2008-01-21T06:44:00.001-08:00

In five months in Japan I visited an elementary school only one time. In the next three weeks I'm booked for seven visits. I'm stoked to be in classes with energetic students who ask a million questions a minute, but I've never had this much attention in class since I brought my cat into show & tell when I was 10. The elementary school students ask the best questions like who's your favorite Japanese cartoon character, or what's your favorite color, or what was your dream when you were a kid? Adults don't ask the same honest questions that probe your true likes and dislikes.

In my first class I had to teach about sweets. I was disappointed to find out that waffles were categorized as a sweet. How can something that is so delicious be categorized in a group that is scoffed upon by gym rats and fitness gurus? Waffles are so good that they even made a cereal out of it!

Today, my Japanese tutor looked around the room and pointed to Harry Potter and said, "bible." The bible is an "atsui" book. I looked at him and said, "No, that's Harry Potter and he is "hosoi"(thin). At the rate I'm reading the 600 page book it looks like I'm going to have to stay in Japan for three more years.

The halfway mark has yet to strike and in the dark of the coldest month, my fellow ALTs and I have to make a decision whether or not to re-contract for another year.

It has been a serious concern for me as I have been weighing the pros and cons about staying in Sendai. My options if I leave? I could teach in Korea but if I leave Japan, I don't think I will ever come back. Japan has only been good to me and I have been learning about this thing called "growing up." Living alone and dealing with relationships around a full time job has been a pleasant experience. Given the circumstances that I am in, I can say that I should not cut myself short of any experiences, more positive than negative. Being abroad has only brought new insight on what I want to do in the future.

I picture myself in some way, shape, or form to be an educator. I see myself as someone who plants seeds to inspire people to do well and enjoy what they are doing. If I stay for another year I will be able to observe my students and see for myself if I am any good at what I am doing.

Youw know your in Korea when

2008-01-15T06:43:00.000-08:00

(in no particular order.)

1. Koreans breathe, sleep, and sweat kimchee. It is a staple with every meal.

2. You see 2 refrigerators in Korean households. One for the food and the other for kimchee.

3. Come off the ski lift and there is a person to bow to you and wish you a happy trip down the mountain. I received 100 well wishings that day.

4. Young couples wear matching MLB (Major League Baseball) caps. O, and t-shirts, shoes, bags, cell phone accessories...

5. Standing in line to board a bus or buy a subway ticket, there is at least 2 people who will nonchalantly cut in front of you like you never existed.

6. Fumble over the wiry steel utensils at home and in restaurants. No disposable wooden chop sticks. It's better for the environment but horrific for the novice chopstick user.

7. You burn your feet on the heated floors. Step aside tatami, but the Korean heating style is my favorite. Dating back to the ancient times is the "ondol" heating system where there is a boiler under the floor that keeps the ground hot.

8. Another favorite, which is popular in Japan as well, the bidet is used. It is the ultimate cleaning machine that doesn't miss a spot!

9. You see Spam in your soup. It is a delicacy that can't matched by no other meat.

10.1 See Koreans argue over petty things. With their prideful fiery bull blood you'll see people raise their voices over who will pay the bill or take a seat on the subway. Although older Koreans dislike Japan for it's brutal history, the younger generations don't care. But they love the competition and rivalry between themselves and Japan.

10.2 My cousin is sitting next to me and she says Koreans LOVE karaoke. She also said, Korean people are the most kind and beautiful people in the world !!

Korea has one thing Japan doesn't have...

2007-12-28T01:31:00.001-08:00

and that's Seoul!
Seoul is Tokyo's cheaper East Asian brother with just as many flashing neon lights. There are many things to do and look at and my first few days have been very busy. Tick Tick BOOM (broadway musical), a trip to a ski park, and visiting temples older than America have all been on the agenda.

Transportation is considerably a lot cheaper here at $1 = 1 hr subway ride than Sendai's $3.50 for 30min. It is a comforting feeling to be able to read the shop signs, newspaper, and subway maps. Walking through the streets and hearing Korean chatter makes me giggle like a baby. I can't help but smile and think how good my karoke skills would be if I stayed here for a long time. Everytime I walk by a food stand and get a waft of waffles, pig intestines, udon on a stick, and spicy rice, I can't control myself and stuff myself with first and second helpings. Korean food, whether it is a soup, fish, or bbq, is hands down the best food I have ever eaten. I am lucky to eat Korean.

Here are a few observations from the first few days:
The kimchee in korea is spicy.
Bubbling tofu soup is tasty. Bubbling tofu soup in a stone pot is hot!
In Japan all the doors slide open and there are no door hinges because they are all in Korea.
The current Korean fashion is to wear converse and for the girls have long bangs.
Playing computer games in rooms filled with computers is the new "past time" of the current youth.

________
I hope everyone is having a very good winter break and x-mas holiday! In exploring Seoul, I'm walking through nooks and alleys and have found myself in very interesting places. These are some stories I rather keep private and may tell you in person. It's better that way. I'm off to meet a friend.

Stay warm. The forecast calls for snow!
N.

Korea has one thing Japan doesn't have...

2007-12-28T01:31:00.000-08:00

International X-mas Greetings and Video message

2007-12-22T05:59:00.000-08:00

Walking through downtown Sendai will make the grouchiest grinch feel like they are walking on clouds. Although Japan is a country that does not celebrate Christmas, everybody still works, thousands of lights line the streets to create a winter wonderland. Welcome to my home away from home. Sendai was even lucky to get a visit from Santa! I think he was worried about his weight and in the offseason hit the weights, lost some weights, and even got a tan!

Jozenji-Dori Street Starlight Pageant

Santa brings gifts of all shapes and sizes

Santa is Japanese?

To watch the multi-lingual Winter Message, click on the arrow in the box:

Fish Market

2007-12-06T04:16:00.000-08:00

Fish, eels, crabs, tuna, abalone, whale meat, snapping turtle. If it's from the ocean, the Tokyo fish market has got it. The workers of the fish market get up before the sun to auction off their ocean delectables to private buyers who will use them for their restaurants in and around Tokyo.

Seafood delight.

Tuna on the auction block.

Fresh octopus legs.

it's cold!

2007-11-18T06:34:00.000-08:00

It's cold.

It's not too bad but I go to sleep with a thermal, t-shirt, longsleeve, and sweater + 3 blankets = still cold. I wake up in the morning and I can see my breath, crystallizing in the air before me. My A/C doubles has a heater but I can't read my remote and there is only cold air blowing out at my bald head. But rest assured, I'm sleeving with fleece gloves on to make sure no heat escapes from my fingertips.

To continue my awesome streak of Sundays, this weekend a few friends and I went camping and to a Japanese thermal bath called an onsen, in a nearby town called Akiu. I think we were the last campers of the season because we were the only people at the camp site. Here we camped in the near 0 degree weather and indulged in the local fare of hot noodles (soba / udon), mochi, and some more hot noodles.

We concluded the short trip by observing the leaves morphing, a common practice in Japan, to take a minute to soak in the beauty of the orange, red, and yellow fall colors.

I have had a lot of things on my mind and it was nice to sit back and kind of think them out. One of them being, if I'm going to stay in Japan for a second year. The deadline is in the end of January. So far things have been good and I am just getting settled but I also want to go to Korea for a bit. Not if unexpected things happen. For example, I had dinner with these 2 korean girls that I met. Throughout dinner they jested that I was going to buy them dinner, and we didn't leave until I picked up the bill! I guess it's something I should be used to. As in Latin America, if you invite, you pay.

Thanksgiving decorations have been leapfrogged and after Halloween everything went Christmas themed. The main shopping areas are lined with Christmas lights and there is a large tree in front of a department store. Today, coming out of a store, I was surprised to see the ground wet and when I looked up, the sky was dropping tiny tiny snowflakes.

I tried to eat the snowflakes but they melted when they touched my skin. Word is, the cold has yet to come. I have been warned to wait till February!

Yagi Volleyball Sports Day

2007-11-14T06:42:00.000-08:00

I have conquered you! You as in Japanese language translation button. After months of being perplexed at navigating blogspot in Japanese, I found the converter that switches the website to English. すごい　！

I have been on uploading splurge and have put up 20+ new videos on youtube. If you want to skip ahead and see all of them now,(nata's videos) you can but I will periodically put a new video here.

The first one is YAGI JHS students lining up in boot camp formation.

The coolest stretch of the rising sun.

The American Bully

2007-10-22T01:49:00.000-07:00

I am Japan's worst nightmare. People like me until they have to talk to me. I feel sorry for those service workers at the dentist, video store, and those especially the post office. When I go into these places, I have an agenda and I'll do whatever it takes to get it done. It involves a lot of grunting, head scratching, charades, and heavy sighing.
I'm working on my Japanese, I promise. In 6 months or less, I plan to be able to have a conservation that'll last me to the southern tip of Japan. In other words, I am scheming a way to hitchhike from Sendai to as far south as I can go and the only way is if I know a little Japanese. At least for my sake to yell, "I gotta go pee."
***
My students surprise me everyday. I passed out an information card for the students to fill out and tell me about themselves. Example: Name, hobbies, etc. Most of the students write a few word responses but on the bottom of one of the sheets, a 3rd year student wrote, "Japanese children don't speak about their ideas frankly. Please try to understand us."
Wow.

Yay for updates!

2007-08-31T19:42:00.001-07:00

It's finally starting to cool down here in Sendai, but it's still a stifling 26 degrees Celsius, (78 F) in the school staff room. Naturally I'm the only one sweating buckets back in San Fran, but it seems like everyone in the school shares my sweat gland deficiency. With three weeks under my belt it looks like I'm finally starting to get into a rhythm that includes: shaking like a dog coming out of the shower until I'm dry or sleeping on my inflatable travel pillow.

A pillow and towel is still on the top of my "To buy" list. Things have been so good to me that a pillow and towel are the least of my concerns. I have been very lucky to meet many people but there are 3 in particular that have made these three weeks sublime.

The 1st is Mrs. Fujimura. She is the local neighborhood lady, and my Japanese fairy godmother who has taken me under her wing and has stuffed me with enough food that I could hibernate through this heat wave and wake up in December.

(Blow fish dinner!)

The 2nd person I met through the beloved Couchsurfing website: Autumn, a transplant Japanese surfer fiend, has shown me the seas of Japan. There has been no shortage of waves and the only thing stopping me is work which is not sooo bad, as I started at the school this week. But every ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) here has had beef with the staff, but for me it has been a very welcoming experience.

(Proof I've been to the beach. It's says, "Ha-I, Sendai, Japan")

3rd. You knew it was coming sooner or later. I definitely knew it was coming, I just didn't know when. I'm happy it was sooner than later. I met a Japanese dude who speaks Spanish AND does karate. I spent the past weekend at the last festival of the summer in Sendai with the crazed Spanish-Japanese man and his karate club who starting karating chopping things as they got drunker. It definitely made up for the four 4th of July fireworks that I have missed.

tAiko

Tt

School started this week and I taught my first classes here at Yagiyama Junior High School. I gave a power point presentation that I thought was damn good, but getting the students to talk is like pulling teeth. Unlike the American school system of classes where the students move to various rooms, the students are grouped together and the teachers are the ones that move. Teachers are well respected here and are given the utmost attention from the students and the parents.

(My introduction ceremony)

(New semester welcome assembly)

Internet setup at my house is going to take another month so I can only access the net at my school which blocks Youtube, my BLOG site, ebay, and other websites that are easily accessible in the States. But, I think I found a temporary loophole.

I'm off to visit my personal tutor at the international center! I'm going to jam there on my scooter… I'm slowly but surely getting used to getting side swiped on every right turn. Japanese traffic stays on the left.

Corrections: When I wrote that it was the hottest day in Sendai a few weeks ago at 37.4 C (99.4 F), I lied. It was the hottest day in 60 years! Can you say global warming?

Starting from scratch

2007-08-16T00:43:00.000-07:00

Location: International Center, Sendai, Japan
Local Time: 16:21
San Francisco Time: 23:21
Temperature: 37 degrees celcius.... 98.6 F ! The hottest day in Sendai in 6 years!!

Konichiwaa! Greetings from Sendai! Golly, is it hot out here. Since my last post in our super poshy general orientation in Tokyo, things have been a blur as I got transported up to Sendai by bullet train with the other JETS (Japanese Exchange Teaching Program participants). We have been placed into our respective locations throughout Sendai and I have moved into my apartment and have been very busy settling in as well as going to work orientation all week. Internet access is quite limited as the wait time to set up a connection is 3-4 weeks so I have been using free internet places, 30 minutes at a time so I have to keep things brief.
Although about a 30-40 minute ride to the city center(6 dollars one way), the area that I live in quite nice and Sendai is just as advertised with many green trees, parks, and wide streets. I am surrounded by many 2-story houses so Im guessing that the people who live around me are a little more wealthier and all drive cars, hence the lack of public transportation to the city center. I live in a the hills that has an amazing view that overlooks downtown Sendai, but the last bus that goes to my area is at 9pm when everyone starts going out.
This past week I have found things at home to keep myself comapny... i.e. watch a Korean drama with Japanese subtitles on tv. Its funny because I get to learn both languages! ... I met a Japanese neighbor who cooked me blowfish and took me to a Korean church! ... I have a scooter that my predessesor used to get around but I am just getting my feet wet driving it around the city. That bike is my lifeline to the world!

Ah, my apologies for everything being so disjointed. I just wanted to let the outside world that everything here has been great! I hope everything on your side of the world is well, I just wish it wasn,t so hot!
Until next time,
Nata.

ps... getting back to your e-mails might take some time so forgive me!
ps2. I met a person through couchsurfing who is going to take me out surfing tomorrow! yeaaaaaaaaaa.

Welcome to the Japanese work place

2007-08-06T15:53:00.000-07:00

Location: Keio Plaza Hotel, Tokyo, Japan

When I had my pre-departure meeting the day before my flight to Japan, I forgot to read the memo that said, Attire, Business-semi-casual, as I showed up in a pair of sneakers and luckily the grungiest collared shirt that I had into a room full of M.I.B. agents.

The welcoming of the 2007-2008 has been nothing less than winning a trip to travel to Japan, while being treating like a king. Wow, why is it wherever I go the foreigner workers are treated with the best. With over 1,500 new workers put up in $200 rooms, there is a sea of new foreigners here are both getting adjusted to the new life situations.

After sitting through literally hours of formal work meetings, and basic training about our jobs as ALT (Assistant Languages Teachers), we were treated with a buffet dinner and endless sea of drinks where we got to mingle with people from over 40 countries.

One short story before I have to go to another day of meetings. My first eating experience has been quite the failure in that I didn't have to speak of work of Japanese. As the throng of gaijin (Japanese word for foreigner) left together in a mass herd, I wandered the streets hungry and solo, determined to get my own meal, mind you, I speak slim to nil Japanese. I passed by this ramen stall in the subway station 3 times before I got the courage to enter because the cook inside had noticed me. KONBANWAA! I'm like huh? And I had a brain fart with my greetings, froze, then quickly pointed to the wall with pictures of soba, when he in return pointed at a vending machine where you have to order your food. It took me a few minutes to figure it out, while the cooks were grinning ear to ear at me, but through sign language and by making a lot of primitive sounds like, uhh, and ehhh, but my first meal in Japan at a small ramen stall was quite delectable.

The metroplis of neon lights, super hip people crowd, and pachinko parlours is a city that seems to have a constant pulse regardless of the hour, or the 93 heat!

Stepping quietly out the back door of the States

2007-08-04T05:09:00.001-07:00

That time was like never, and like always.
So we go there, where nothing is waiting.
We find everything waiting there.

Love Sonnet #4, An excerpt from 100 Love Sonnets by Pablo Nerurda.

This excerpt from Neruda's poem was the way I viewed my trip to South America before I got there. It reminded me of an optimistic omen, to look for the best in what you do and where you go. The travel bug has bit me. Whether or not I am mentally or physically ready to go to Japan, it looks like I'm set to go. My plane leaves in 10 hours with or without me and frankly, I do not want to miss that flight. For some reason, I am not as anxious as previous trips. Not to sound haughty, but maybe I am desensitized to traveling and need to find a new thrill like crocidile wrestling! No, I think I am still riding the emotional train down, from the recent Africa trip.

Like Africa, I carry no expectations into Japan, only to go and explore and find out what makes the local people tick. Ok, actually, I have thought of a few things.

I expect: Japanese people will gain an appreciation for South America, because I will convert them all into Spanish speaking- salsa dancing- lomo saltados affecionados. =)

If you can even see anything, a couple of young Burudian girls are teaching me some dance steps...

I expect: to laugh at people trying to speak English- if you have ever heard an Asian person speak English, it's got Bobby Lee written all over it- while returning the favor when I try to speak Japanese.

I expect: to explore my surroundings, poke in every crevice, and turnover every rock. Meaning = causing a whole lot of damn trouble!

I think I am in a little trouble already. I had planned to continue my series on Africa, but it looks like my future posts are going to be even more garbled. How bizarre would it be if I wrote about Japanese people eating raw zebras? Or gorilla sized sumo wrestlers? How about a Godzilla that is in love with dancing calypso. Wait, you'll know something is wrong with the water in Japan, or my brain chemicals are highly imbalanced. In case of that instance, someone please call S.O.S. International and have them fly me to the nearest taco stand to remedy my situation.

O, that's geting me excited. I can't wait to hop on the plane and indulve myself in a gourmet meal. I'll let you in on a secret for flying. When eating on planes, the finest delicacies are not your bland chicken or beef, but rather the mothwatering vegetarian indian fare. I already pre-ordered a "muslim meal" to hold down my hunger for the 11 hour flight. Trust me on this one.

Ok. Good health and safety to everyone who may be reading this from anywhere around the globe. But it's about time I get on this one way ticket!

VIDEO OF THE DAY:
Gordon and I have an amazing connection as witnessed by this magic trick.

Notes: It's funny how I have only seen my sister for a total of 6 hours in the last few months, but while traveling, I have actually been closer to her in physical prxomity than in spirit. When flying from Africa - London, I flew over her when she was in Italy. Now going to Japan, I will be near her as she continues her research in Cambodia. The picture above will be the last time my family is together for quite some time...

Nature versus nurture

2007-07-31T22:56:00.002-07:00

While attending UC Santa Cruz, I took an American Studies class called "American-American Life in the City." In this class we studied about the social constructions and perceptions placed upon black people in the States. An eye-opening class indeed that strove to bring into light a new understanding of stereotypes that are placed upon one another either consciously or unconsciously, as people begin to make their judgements according to what they assume is the way the world turns.

(University of Rwanda)

We tackled questions like, "Why do so many black people live in the ghetto? Is it because they like living next to other black people? Is it because they have no work ethic and they are naturally lazy?" One might think nature forced them into these situations, but I believe there is always more than meets the eye.

Previous to my trip, when thinking about Africa, images of wild savages and multitides of hapless people came to mind. What idea had constructed these images? Whoever said that Africans were uncivilized and poor?

In Rwanda, students usually start their college careers in their early 20's because people have to serve in the country's mandatory military service. The many students who I encountered and had already served their government duties, were dialed in on their studies, ready to consume every theory, drawing, and book available. The students and professors are definitely amazing intellecuals and their only limit is the low ceiling which represents the little resources that they have. Like in my previous post, just imagine if Ugandan/Rwandan wit was invested with Hollywood dollars, I would see Oscar after Grammy after Nobel Peace Prize.

Why does it sound like I am portraying Africans like they are from another era? They are not.The professors and aspiring lawyers that I have spoken with, speak with the same eloquence and articulation as a student in the States. The ones who are able to educate themselves, make sure not to waste the opportunity and really get absorbed in their studies.

It is interesting to see how the world actually becomes a smaller place when news can spread across the world in an eyeblink. I had a casual conversation with a Professor of Gender Studies from the University of Makalele in Kampala, Uganda, the top university of the country. I'm not exactly sure where he got his information from, whether the net, newspaper, or even the radio, he was telling me more info than I knew and about 10 Americans combined, about the IRAQ war and current US involvement. He also knew the story about the lady who tried to sue Wendy's Restaurant for finding a severed finger in her chili. And the most outrageous story he told me was the one about the judge sueing a Korean dry cleaners for runing his pants. Crooked crazy American.

He reassured me that Americans are CRAZY! But it is this freedom that allows for creativity and it is this craziness, that he acknowledged that has led to new innovations. I am still trying to figure out if our new tech era is raising the standard of living for us in the States and around the world or just bombarding us with useless accessories, but that is for a new post. A good case study to research while in Japan.

One of the toughest things to digest was the copious amounts of poor people, which was expected. I can see the difficulty in being poor. So poor that those who do not have jobs, just sit in the streets watching the time go by. The hardest part is not working, but actually when your life has come to a point where you just sit there and wait. Waiting for something to happen. Minutes pass, hours, then days keep ticking along, and you are still sitting there, feeling that the world is never going to end. Being bored out of your mind and trying to make life worthwhile, I believe, is one of the hardest part in life.

____________
Video Time:
When in Bujambura, Burundi. We made it to a mission center that was hosting 200 volunteer doctors from New York to give spot treatment to the local community. As you can see in the first 3 videos, there are literally thousands of people crowding and waiting to get in. Below are the videos of entering, viewing, and walking out of the entrance of this makeship clinic. The 4th video is in the capital of Rwanda, Kigali. I'm just taking a walk down in the neighborhood.

Driving in:

Caged in (or out):

Walking Out:

Bumpy Walk in the Kigali Slums:

Notes:
1. While in Africa, fancying for some American food, I went to the store to pick up some corn flakes but to my chagrin, the price was just not right. How does $14 for a box of regular corn flakes! Does that make your skin cringe as much as $10 for a gallon of gasoline?? $6/gallon must be reasonable in the Uganda, and in the Bay Area, a strinkingly (comparably) cheap, bang for your buck, price of $3.20!

2. You can find almost anybody who is subscribed to the public internet yellow pages. Facebook is the name of the game I play. I created an account with my favorite college basketball player named Miles Simon. Solely for kicks, I filled in "name" and birthday. After letting the account sit for a few months, I checked in and was startled to see that I had 7 new friend requests and a message. The message is as follows, "I remember you when you played for the Dakota Wizards. I was one of the ball boys you would play in horse and beat all the time." haha! What a cruel joke. This world has gotten too friendly for it's own good.

The Pink Panther & His "kids"

2007-07-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

The only thing I knew when flying into Uganda was that I was supposed to meet a guy named Gordon. To tell you the truth, I was a little anxious especially, going to a land that I had never had an desire to go visiting. I really had to be flexible as I did not really know exactly what I was going to do, or what I was going to see. Sure enough a day in my trip, it struck me that this was not the United States, but rather an undeveloped nation with many needs. The time spent with Gordon has opened an eye, or two, to how much care and love schools in Kampala, or schools in Uganda, and schools in Africa, and schools all over the world, need support!

Remember what I said about African hospitality. Boy, was I in for a treat to meet Gordon who was my personal lifeline in the crowded streets of Kampala. From the time my foot stepped onto African soil, Gordon and his mates were there to welcome me to their precious land.

Wherever I went and whatever activity we did, Gordon made sure that I was comfortable all the time. It felt kind of weird because he was always asking me if I needed some water, or was hungry or tired. You know, kind of like my mom. The pleasure was definitely mine, as he took the time out of his day to escort me for my fortnight + week stay in Africa.

Now let me tell you a little about the pink-panther lookalike.
If he was in the States and had the opportunity, he could be a Jesse Jackson or a Martin Luther King, Jr. He has the ambition to do great things, with a purpose. Quite the young gun, approaching three decades, he has had great vision in many things. With a degree in Enviornmental Science he strived to be at the top in whatever he did. Something he was used to as he excelled in his classes. He started an enviornmental NGO that worked with the government to stall the use of pesticides in agricultural fields. Long story short, it was hard to fight the government and their plans to use certain types of chemicals even though it would be dentrimental to the health of others. These are the same chemicals that are banned in the U.S. and deemed highly toxic.

I don't want to speak entirely for Gordon so I'll cute this short. But he saw that the people he was working with, were the problem and there was nothing he could do. He then went through a career change. He dropped his head job at the NGO, which would have been a decent career path to stay, at least comfortably, and decided that his heart was with the kids.

The videos and pictures below are four orphanages/schools that Gordon has a lot of interaction with. Like many schools in Africa (and in CA in particular), there is a shortage of school materials, teachers, and even space. These schools are the avenues that provide the space to learn and inspire hope, to become a doctor or a writer. Or even, just a place to learn social skills and manners.

In visiting these schools, Gordon and I were treated like the Kings of England. The students, who were born with the ability to shake, presented many entertaing songs and dances for us. Here are Gordon's kids:

The Good Samaritan Orphanage

When Gordon and I first got here, the kids ran up to us, and just grabbed us. They held our hands and didn't want to be let go...

Nakabango School est. 2002

This orphanage started with 20 kids when it opened, but now it has flourished to serve 200 kids.

The Dandelion Soldiers Est. 2003

Currently serves: 75 pupils between Kindergarten- 2^nd grade. I have to tell you a story about the crazy man director!

Good Shepherd in the Slums of Kampala

This was probably the poorest school structure that I had visited but had some of the most enthusiastic students. This definitely has to be a testament of the teachers or at least the community.

We even got to vist Gordon's nephew, who luckily wasn't in an orphanage, but showed us this awesome finger dance with the music accompaniment by Gordon.

--> Once I can teach Gordon how to update his blog site, he will be updating about his project with the kids! The link to his blog is on the left side of this page titled, "Gordon's Kids." Viva el Pink Panther!

Fortunate Fool

2007-07-25T02:16:00.000-07:00

How I got to Africa.

You can just call me a fortunate fool. It is an accomplishment to have completed this mission considering I was extremely uneasy and adamant in not going to Africa. I did not want to go. I wanted to stay at home and soak in U.S. living before I was going to be catapulted to Mexican food-less Japan for a year for work. It was my parents who really brought it to my attention and to take the issue seriously. My dad told me,

"You should be begging me to go, not me begging you to go."

I’m glad I did.

My initial feelings about going on a “mission trip” were extremely negative because of the older perceptions of traditional mission trips and “missionary” work where one goes on and bangs bibles on peoples heads. Naturally, as a freshly graduated university student from the American Studies department, I racked my brains about the social and moral ethics of representing a Christian organization. In many academic circles, or just in popular culture, there are plainly too many things wrong with it. Culturally sensitive? I would hope so.

I spoke to my friends and shared my thoughts with a few professors about this. And it wasn’t until an anthropology professor knocked some sense into me. The professor was not a Christian, but told me about a study he had did about a group of missionaries who went into the Amazon jungle. Simplified, the locals hated them for coming in and trying to instill their own practices among them all, but in the larger scope of things, who were the only ones fighting for indigenous rights? ... Exactly.

I was walking on a tightrope, but I decided to go with an open mind, and with a humanitarian heart to just go and see what it’s all about. (I am the most holy and righteous, right? =P)

It’s common to hear that in 3^rd world or developing countries people talking about there are stronger family, and community bonds. Playing the role of an anthropologist and observing through my field notes, it is apparent that this care for others is extended to one another, and even “mizungus,” even if at least superficially.

When I first arrived to Uganda, as soon as I stepped off the plane I was treated like a king. Met by a welcoming party of my host Gordon and 5 other people, we wasted no time in getting to see Uganda. Pastor Gordon, a local and my close friend who I will talk about in my following article, showed me the projects that he was currently involved in. Two orphanages in Kampala, and two orphanages in Jinja.

After a blur in Uganda, we went to meet up with the rest of the mission team in Rwanda. The team from the United States consisted of Pastor Chris, Kim, his wife who is a professor at San Francisco State, and Don who is a retired police chief turned professional photographer.

It was staggering to see the surroundings change in an eye blink. The climate, the people’s customs, and the infrastructure differed greatly from Uganda to Rwanda. For example, in Uganda, it is necessary for females to bow to men while greeting. I had women who were my age bowing down to an average Nata like me. In Rwanda, women and men ride on the same plane.

I really have to put my hands together for the CASA organization team locally in the States and in Rwanda. Like I said before, this trip definitely flipped my view of this mission as Pastor Foreman and company worked to empower the local Christians and support the community. (I know there are many Christians orgs. who still carry the traditional preaching and proselytizeing techniques, my apologies.)

(Rwandan Pastor Paul)

(Personal tour of the CASA house)

When we, as mizungu foreigners come in, the best work we can do is the work that the locals assign us to do, because they not only know the customs, but the way to handle situations the African way. We were there to support the local people in ways that that they needed assistant and deemed fit.

(Rwanda CASA Board members + Gordon)

We each had our respective jobs as we were all able to utilize each of our individual talents. While Don took pictures and taught a camera class, Kim taught a seminar on IT tech to the professors at the National University of Rwanda, and Pastor Foreman taught his bible classes to those who were interested. We got to build a widow’s house and I also had the opportunity to teach a conversational English class, which was quite amusing. Will they remember singing the Hakuna Mata song in English? Maybe not, because I don’t even remember it, but I think it is a fun way to interact with the locals.

Am I simplifying the whole idea of this mission trip to fit my perception of having a morally, ethically, politically-correct trip? Perhaps. But for now, regardless of the questions asked and struggled to answer. Albeit, it was the first time I went on a trip outside the states and actually at times craved Asian food, it was a sublime experience.

* For photos of the CASA Mission photos click me. Gordon and the orphanges will be coming shortly!

** All fotos can be enlarged by clicking on them. The video boxes with arrows can be viewed by clicking the center of the box.

Dream Deferred ( Aspiring grapes)

2007-07-19T19:31:00.000-07:00

Dream Deferred

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

Written by Langston Hughes (1902-1967)

Let’s thank the British crown for two things that it left behind from its occupation of Uganda. First, English Chai, which is a steamy beverage to die for, and secondly, the English language with which in combination with Ugandan smarts and playful accent, leaves for amusing conversations. Think, Bob Marley with a smart-ass British accent. The Ugandans I spoke with were SHARP and excellent with their words. They have inherently picked up on British wit and have adapted it in their own style of speech thus making them sound intelligent, and naturally, great story tellers.

In their attempt to rule the world, it has become clear as glass as to why the British chose to colonize and extract African slaves rather than use banal Asian labor. African are highly hospitable and great entertainers to whoever they are presenting, and whatever the situation they may be in. Remember “sawa sawa”? Even if they are exploited like slaves and turned into minstrel shows like Alex Haley's Roots, the Hottentot Venus (a must read), and Barry Bonds on steriods, who, well is in his own little world. Margaret Cho makes me want to puke and the funniest Asian guy I can think of is the cartoon version of Jackie Chan, and even his caricature makes me wince in embarrassment.

If Africans were given the chance to be educated, rather than be relegated to the dregs of society, and used as stepping stones for their white “mizungu” slaves masters, image the literature that would flow from pens and paper. Instead of esteemed writer T.S. Elliot, could you imagine, Nobel Laurante M.C. Hammer? Away with covered wagons and plain straw dolls in Little House of the Prarie. Wouldn’t you rather read about poison blow darts and encounters with fierce man eating lions in My Little Hut on the Savannah?

Thank you Toni Morrison, Langston Hughes, Mary Angelou, and even Tupac, just to name a few whose words create dreams. This is for those who are an inspiration to think, and continue to pursue for that dream, before the grapes turn sour.

_________________________________
Aspiring Ugandan Grapes!

There are 32 poltical parties in Uganda. Visiting my humble host's house in Kamapala, Uganda, I found myself sharing a room with two President Generals of their respective parties. Would you ever see Al Gore and George Bush sharing a meal together? I asked each of them to share their vision of what would make their Uganda! (Press the triangle in the middle of the box to play the video.)

Ugandan's Republican Party - President General

Ugandan Peoples Democratic Allaince Party - President General

Here is my host Gordon, who is sharing about Uganda's need to catch up with today's IT technology.

Posing pretty

2007-07-18T14:23:00.001-07:00

Everybody likes pictures. I don't know what dialogues will be produced, but before words are added, let the pictures unleash the curiosity of the mind.

Here is my first set of uploaded photos from London --> Uganda, Rwanda, & Burundi:

[Intention of being creative: the U.K./Afrika version ]
click me

Posing pretty while getting down.

Getting edukated.

Present day cousin of the fierce triceratops- rhinos!

Taking time to digest

2007-07-17T04:41:00.000-07:00

I had planned to be at the airport two hours in advance, but in the effort to get some last minute things completed, time evaporated into thin air. With the clock still ticking, I looked down at my watch and sighed, the digital screen flashed 13:14. My flight out of Africa was scheduled to depart at 15:00 but I was still stuck in downtown Kampala, with my guide Gordon nowhere in site.
Huffing and puffing and into my street stall came Gordon who had run a last few errands for me. We grabbed our fresh African clothes, jammed back to the hotel, and hopped on a couple boda-bodas (moto-bikes) to the bus terminal. To my dismay, I should have known that traffic and overcrowded bus time tables are nothing but the usual. However, what was more disheartening was to find out the supposed 30 minute trip from downtown to the airport took one hour.

Arriving at 14:35, I attempted to run for the gate with a sliver of hope that if African time holds true, I would still be able to make the flight. After passing through inspections, checking in, and the customs line, I ran to the airplane which was still lying on the blacktop. As I reached the bottom of the stairs to enter the airplane, the Kenya Airways steward calmly looked at me and said, “Don’t worry friend, sawa sawa.”

“Sawa sawa,” basically means, all will be good.

I have taken “sawa sawa” to heart because for every mode of transportation possible whether air, bus, or train, some accidents has occurred that has made me forget sawa sawa, and instead, leaving sour tastes in my mouth. In transit for 20+hours = loads of fun on wheelchairs in deserted airports.

A David Beckham circus welcome? No, but I was happy to see my parents who picked me up from the airport today as I have returned to the land of crackberries, seeminly smooth blacktop roads, and a helluva lot more English speaking friends. But not being surrounded by Africans is creating the feeling that I am in a place that I am not welcome or wanted... As I try to upright the times of time travel, apparently I am still running on London time which is 12:50 in the afternoon, but local 4:50am, I will try to organize my thoughts about Africa, and London really, and relay them with words, pictures, and videos (if possible).

SAWA SAWA.

Notes: While in transit in Nairobi Airport, I saw a tall group of people who looked liked basketball players and sat right next to them. One of them, who looked oddly familiar, was an NBA player named Ron Artest, who was there on a humanitarian mission like myself. After a quick google search, a recent article explains what he was doing: "Artest was in Africa on a humanitarian mission at the time his penalty was announced. He is taking part in the players association's "Feeding One Million" campaign in Kenya and could be unaware of his suspension."

can this be seen in...

2007-07-15T01:19:00.000-07:00

ingles?

We are all humans

2007-07-06T09:52:00.000-07:00

I am sorry in advance for writing a sad message, but it is one that we need to be afraid to approach and talk about.

In my previous post I said that July 4^th was Rwanda Independence day. My mistake, here it is actually called Rwanda National Liberation Day. July 4^th is a special day for many Rwandans to remember the events of the Rwandan genocide in 1994. This horrific event, most notably brought to the public eye by the recent movie, Hotel Rwanda, lasted for 3 months and lead to the execution of over 800,000 people.

On July 4^th, I went to a National Memorial 20 km outside of Butare. The memorial was once an elementary school that served a town that once had a population of 50,000 people. Surrounding this school in a 360º motion, you could see lush green hills, and the sounds rising from the valleys of farm animals and children playing below. From the front of the memorial, it looked liked a regular school.

It is hard to imagine the type of anguish that Rwanda has gone through. The tour guide, that showed us around was one of a dozen survivors of his town that was once 50,000. We began by looking at a cement grave, but then our guide opened up classroom, after classroom, after classroom, and inside, laid on the tables were dozens after dozens of bodies that had been executed there. You can tell many children were killed because of the size of the bodies that lay on the tables.

At the memorial, there were signs that showed where French soldiers were playing volleyball on top of the mass graves while the genocide was still happening. As we speak, in town there are a few French actors that are filming a movie about the ’94 genocide with an anti-French slant.

In comparing this death trap to Auschwitz, where systematic hate crimes occurred, one’s senses can be humbled in a heartbeat. In my head I was thinking, who is crazy enough to come up with this type of conniving scheme. Many locals Rwandans that I have spoken to personally know at least one person that got erased in the genocide. A person I have closely been working with here was born and raised in Uganda until the age of 16 when she then found out her true identity, and returned to Rwanda after the genocide.

Another person was born in a refugee camp in Butare to Rwandan parents. When the genocide began to happen, he had to leave his wife and children in the safety of his friends. While alone and hiding in the jungle, he was blessed to breathe another breath. The rebels knew where he was and he for some unknown reason, they did not erase him. Unfortunately, he is without his wife.

Just one more. I was talking with a University student here and asked him where he is lives. With a soft look in his eyes, he replied he was born in a refugee camp in Congo, and stayed there during the genocide while the rest of his family had stayed in Rwanda. His parents, siblings, and 3 uncles were all erased. He says that he is like a nomad, moving from a friend’s place to another every few weeks not to outlast his welcome.

I am humbled and in awe for their ability to move on in spite of their history. There is nothing in my life that would ever be comparable.

The conflict between the Hutus and the Tutsi can be quite complicated and can not be fully understood in a few sentences except for the fact that one group was made to believe that their Rwanda brothers and sister were superior to themselves and brain washed to execute. They forgot that in actuality, we are all humans.

Besides the seemingly interminable Iraq War that has desensitized our feelings for any armed conflict abroad, you may have heard about the current situation in Darfur where an estimated 400,000 people have been killed since the start of the war in 2003. Let me repeat that again, 400,000 people erased, with over a 2 million displaced from their homes.

Please, let us take this time to pause for a moment and to think about these people. A very good friend of mind has recently imparted me with a few words of wisdom, and that is to live each moment like it is your last and to breathe deeply.

Carpe Diem.

Notes:

Update on the house for the widow. In day 5 of construction, the house has been starting to take shape as it is about 85% complete. There are 4 rooms in the house, each room being 7 x 7 feet with mud as wall support. Not the roomiest abode, but sufficient enough for the widow and her five children to lie comfortably. With the house expected to be completed by Monday, last night a few guys from the neighborhood came to the house and try to steal the doors, but the neighbors shooed them away. They are just plain wooden doors. But you either have them or you don’t …I got my butt kicked in soccer by the locals. Not playing for 2 weeks and teaching English classes has made me a stiff lemon… East African coffee and chai is bar none. Thank you U.K. for your gifts of colonization… Saturday, July 7^th, 2007 is International Live Earth Day to raise awareness about the environment…