James and I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year in 2012! My family has started the year with a short trip to California to see grandma and my sisters. You can see the family above with a few of the kids in my sister’s family.  Grandma is on the far right. It is always great to see family. I will be back at school soon after the New Year. James will tell you about his coming plans in next week’s blog. We look forward to hearing more of you commenting on the blog. Let us know what you would like to read this year. We are always interested in your ideas.  May hope, peace and love surround you in 2012.

　　

　　I missed blogging last week. Things were just too busy. James our wonderful teacher left for Canada last night to be with his wife, Yvonne and their two children. So, this is a sad week. Their baby boy has a heart condition, so they need to be in Canada to get the best medical care possible. The Edel family in their short time here was liked by everyone. I will not share anything real personal about them here because I conveyed my feelings of them at James’ goodbye party. Instead we will hear from James this week and next week.  Thanks James and Yvonne for everything! Our prayers and love are with you!

　　Well, what have I done in Kisakata?  I enjoyed teaching English, but mostly I enjoyed listening to you all help me learn about Japan and about Japanese life.  I remember the question people used to ask me when I first came to Japan “Nihon no seikatsu ha dou deshitaka?” I had to look up “seikatsu”* in my dictionary.  In English it can be translated as “life,” “living,” or “lifestyle”.  Let me share with you 5 things I really like about life in Japan.

1. Onsens (with Naomi and me)
2. Gusto (the button you press to call the waitress)
3. Osaka’s Umeda Station (so many people)
4. Nigori Sake (the taste)
5. Kappa Sushi (the conveyor belt)

Naomi’s list

1. Anpanman (ahhhhhhhhhhhh---punch!)
2. Nai Nai Nai, Bahh! (terebi bangumi**)
3. Shirayuri Kindergarten dances (oyugikai***)
4. My Japanese baba’s and gigi’s
5. Sloan!

Yvonne’s list

1. Hard Off and Second Street (recycle shops****)
2. Ferrite Museum Child’s Play Area (kodomo koristukan*****)
3. Osaka, Tokyo, Nagano, Yuzawa, Tazawako, and all the places I visited. (ryouko suru)
4. Massage chairs at the onsen (relaxing!)
5. Living beside the ocean

　　We were very lucky and blessed to experience Japanese life here in Akita.  We don’t know when we will be able to return to Japan again but we feel very very fortunate that we could meet all of you.  Thank you for teaching us about Japanese life, we like it!

*生活
**テレビばんぐみ
***おゆうぎかい
****リサイクルショップ
*****フェライトこども科学館

　　
　　This week is part two of James saying goodbye to everyone in Nikaho City, thanks James! I just receive a photo from James of the new member of his family, Joshua Edel. He also said that Yvonne is fine. Congratulations to the Edel family!

　　The second most popular question I was asked during my time in Japan was “Why did you come to Japan?”  This is a very good question and difficult for me to answer.  My most common answers were: I wanted to learn a language (Japanese), I wanted my family to go on an adventure, also Japanese lifestyle is often similar to Canada and it is very safe here.  Lastly, I wanted Japanese to learn about me and the thing I value most.

　　　I came to Japan to learn about Japanese life.  My previous blog entry was about “seikatsu” or what I thought of Japanese life.  If you add a “ku” onto this word it becomes a very different word* [scroll down to see this word].  In only 16 months in Japan I went through one of the biggest struggles Japan has had in over 50 years.  I learned the new phrase to me, “Ganbatte!”**  [What’s your idea on how to translate that into English, scroll down to the bottom for some answers].  I’ve met people who can’t go back to their homes. 

　　In a way, I have had two major earthquakes in Japan.  The latest one was in my family.  Again, the Japanese who came to comfort me, SES friends, church friends, and baseball team friends, made me feel loved and supported. Thank you!  I would also like to thank Sloan and Hitomi for their kindness and support. Thank you!  Kami-sama and the people that have surrounded me have made life’s struggles easier to bear.  Domo, arigatou, gozaimasu!  Actually, I don’t really know why I came to Japan, but I know what I’ve learned from Japan. I won’t forget any of these precious memories. 

*生活苦 - seikatsuku
**頑張って can be translated in many ways:
- You can do it!
- Keep fighting!
- Yes we can!
- Do your best!
- Hold on!
- Go for it!
- Keep at it!

　　

　　My right-hand man James is back in Canada. So, I asked Mr. Andy Sirkis to help me with some of the classes at school. I am delighted that he said, "Yes".  Andy is a wonderful man who has been living in Nikaho City for around two years. He has been helping our school with special events. Andy has started to teach the adult classes. If any of you are interested in a class, please contact the school and we will get you talking and learning with him.  Andy has written a personal profile for you to learn about him.  We hope you get to know him better over the next few months.

Teacher’s Name:  Andy Sirkis Home Country, City:  San Francisco, USA Education: MBA, Finance Time in Japan: July 2009 to present Hobbies: Bicycling, hiking, investing, current events

Have you heard of Ohio? It's a state in the middle part of America and it's where I grew up.  My older sister, my parents and I enjoyed living there, but all of us moved to Philadelphia which is a large city on America's east coast. After my sister grew up, she moved to California. I liked visiting there so much that I decided to move there too.  Living in San Francisco where there are so many cultures and many Japanese people encouraged me to expand my interests beyond America. 　　My lovely wife Yuriko and I met each other in San Francisco and have been married for more than 10 years. Yuriko was born and raised in Kisakata and for that reason we decided to move here. We have one daughter who is now in Kisakata Elementary School. She is fluent in both Japanese and English. 　　Thanks to my wife and her excellent cooking skills, I have come to love and appreciate Japanese cuisine. Every day is a learning experience for me and sometimes I am frustrated by my difficulty with the Japanese language. Nonetheless, the kindness and patience of the Japanese people I have met has made a big impression on me.  I have much to learn about Japanese culture and the Japanese language. I am certain that I am fortunate to experience living in Japan. I love it here! 　　 My favorite hobby is riding my bicycle and if you live in Kisakata, you are living in a fantastic place to ride a bike. Riding up Mt. Chokai is my favorite thing to do and I feel blessed that I am living in a place where I can enjoy nature's beauty without having to travel a great distance. You may see me riding about town and if you do, please wave or shout hello. I promise to wave back!

　　

　　One of the reasons I like Japan is because Japanese people seem to appreciate nature and participate in so many outdoor activities. When I go hiking, or go for a walk around town, or go for a bike ride, I often see a lot of other people doing outdoor activities. It's a very healthy lifestyle and I believe people are happier if they spend time outside and if they do some exercise, even if it's light exercise. Isn't it great that older people in Japan like to participate in hiking and other sports? It's not just for teenagers and college students.

　　Oftentimes, when I am riding my bicycle near Nikaho Kogen or Mt. Chokai, I see people looking around for seasonal plants, vegetables, or mushrooms. They spend all day walking around in the forest, enjoying nature and getting good exercise while they do something useful. Then, everyone has the opportunity to enjoy eating the delicious healthy plants that are found. Does anyone in Japan ever accidentally pick or eat a poison mushroom? That happens in America sometimes.

　　Have you ever hiked up Mt. Chokai or any of Japan's other high mountains? In Japan, mountain hiking is made far easier and pleasant because of the mountain lodges and the abundance of trails that lead to the lodges. When you reach your destination after a long hike up the mountain, there is food to eat, a good place to sleep, a toilet to use, and most importantly, beer to drink. Sometimes they even have an outdoor hot bath! We don't have a mountain lodge system in America, so very few people want to bother with the inconvenience of hiking in the high mountains and there aren't so many trails.

　　

　　For the next month we are fortunate to hear from two young individuals, Mr. Neil Fanning and Ms. Stephanie Sanders who are currently living in Nikaho City. They will be sharing their experience of living in the Japan countryside and specifically, Nikaho City. Neil has been living here for almost three years and Stephanie is in her second year. Each of them will be writing two blog entries. We hope you will join us and read about their interesting lives. Feel free to leave a comment for them by using the recorder.

　　

　　Hello, I am Neil Fanning. I have lived in the suburbs of Seattle for most of my life. I thought that it was a perfect location to be since it was close to the city and was very convenient, but at the same time, far enough to where I didn’t have to deal with the craziness city life can bring. Before I came to Japan, I felt like I wanted a change of pace and requested a rural placement in the JET program. 

　　I can honestly say that I have no regrets about coming to Nikaho City. Living in the shadow of Mt. Chokai and being surrounded by nature brings harmony to my soul.  I am always filled with wonder at just how beautiful our world is and I now realize just how much we should cherish it. If I hadn’t come to Nikaho City, I don’t think I would have come to feel this so strongly. 

　　There are some downsides to living in a rural area, however. Things can be more expensive and harder to obtain than in a big city. I must rely on my car more than public transportation.

　　But the lifestyle here is much healthier than the city. People grow and forage their own food, form a stronger community, and learn to work together with nature and the elements. I believe this makes for a people who are strong, adaptive and more imaginative. I certainly feel that I have become a stronger person living out here in the “inaka”.