Relaxation

Usuki has a lot of foxes I guess

 So in accordance with the doctor's orders I have been trying to relax lately. I spent most of Sunday sleeping and have been even taking it a little easy on the running (mostly because the half marathon is this Sunday... but still). I did spend Saturday in Usuki though at a festival. It is the famous Takeyoi festival and they light thousands of lanterns made from carved bamboo all throughout the town. It was gorgeous!

The crazy thing was, it was also more foreigners in one concentrated place than I have seen since the Oita JET seminar in August. There had to have been more than 30 of us. The locals were freaking out and everywhere we went someone would shout "There's sooo many foreigners!" I guess I couldn't really blame them because between the alcohol and pretty colors we were damn loud. Thank goodness me and a few other people weren't drinking because we damn sure needed some crowd control. I"m afraid I don't have much in the way of other news. 

 Spent Friday night at tea ceremony learning the ancient arts of pouring tea gracefully. They want me to come back which kind of rocks so I will. It's about 5 grandma-aged women and a teacher from one of my elementary schools (who also invited me). The old ladies doted on me the whole time and sent me home with bags full of food. I was awesome! I can't wait to go back! They invited me to dress in a kimono and serve tea for the New Year's festival here because they said me bringing people tea would make them happy. Woot!

Today I also met the resident foreigner in Yamaga when she came to school to pick up her children. So nice. (No I am not just saying that because you read my blog!) Hopefully she can teach me how to battle the cold weather here so I don't freeze to death this winter. 

Tomorrow is a big seminar in Oita city and every ALT in the prefecture has to go - that's 88 of us. This will be the first time I have seen them all so I am kind of nervous. Hopefully it won't be as boring as people say :-). Well, that's all for now. Love.

The princess of the parade

All of these were made by local elementary schoolers

Takeyoi

Some of the group :-)