Dartboard

Saturday morning I did a test run of a cooking class I’m going to teach in July. It’s a three-week series at Kamigoto High School and Peter and Catherine are doing the other two weeks. For my weekend (July 16th), I’m making a huge Mexican meal of Tapas and Horchata. It’s quite the production so this weekend we did a test run with the Home Ec teacher. The food turned out great so let’s hope everything goes smoothly in July when we’ve got 20+ Japanese women running around in the kitchen too!

First I made horchata (rice milk) for the first time ever and was pretty happy with the way it turned out. All that grinding, blending, straining and draining is labor intensive though! I think they’ll all be surprised to know that it came from uncooked rice though!

Next we hand rolled our tortillas from masa. Even though they use presses in Mexico now, it’ll be a good experience for Japanese people who probably only know tacos and tortillas as those stale corn things in the foreign-food isle.

Knead, knead, knead!

I told them once you have them formed into balls and placed in a circle you must hold hands and dance around them, singing to thank the Corn Gods. A very important step.

Lots of flour to keep from sticking!

And you must spin with you fingers as done traditionally! Fast fingers to keep from burning!

Peter looking great in his Great Britain apron! What a sport!

Next we made Spanish rice, ground beef seasoned with lots of chili powder and guacamole, but no pictures cause it’s not as interesting…

Then we fried the tortillas to make them into crunchy tapas. (Also my first time trying this, but it turned out!)

Put a little refried beans on top…

A little beef, lettuce, tomato, homemade guacamole, sour cream and Tabasco sauce and you’ve got tapas deliciosas!!

I can’t wait for the real thing! I have to give a little presentation on American/Mexican culture as well. It should be fun!

Love, Sierra

A dreamcatcher my mom drew for a T-shirt crest. Pretty cute, huh?

Will it be a boy or a girl?

This morning I watched some sign language program on TV. I learned how to say, I told you, he told me, she told him, etc. It’s great because I’ve been wondering how to say that in Japanese, and now I can say it in Japanese AND sign language. I also learned, “She told me that she likes you,” and I had fun using that on Tajima-sensei at school. He was like, “Dare? Who likes me?” Tee, hee.

Oh, my little friend at the pool was telling me about her ALT, Blaine (the guy who replaced Kerry) and she said (in the English dubbed version), “He’s really funny. His zipper is always down.” Tee, hee hee.

I got the official times back from my triathlon. I have a little certificate and everything. It’s so cute. My time was 47:04 and I placed 9th in the “team swimmers” (out of 15) category but that included men so 5th among all 22 women in the race. One of those women was only 3 seconds faster than I. I had another one just one second behind me too. Group energy, I guess. Finally, I placed 33rd out of 123 total racers.

That means 90 people were still in the ocean when I got out.

That’s cool until I realize 88 of them went on to do the whole race.

My biker biked 71 km of mountainous terrain in just 2:33:26 and placed 2nd in the “team bikers” (out of 15). He placed 12th overall. He was flying.

My runner ran 17 km of mountainous terrain in just 1:20:09 and placed 5th among “team runners.” He placed 10th overall. He was flying too.

My team—minus me—kicked ass! Total time of 4 hours, 40 minutes, 30 seconds!

My friend Naomi, the professional triathlete, she did it in 4:23:12.

… I’m speechless. I just keep looking at these numbers and thinking, “How is it possible?” How is it possible for her to do that?” She’s amazing. She’s my hero.

What a great, great experience. I’m really glad I did it and despite the fact that the town won’t be sponsoring the race next year, I’m hopeful that some other business will pick up the sponsorship because… triathlons are cool. Who wouldn’t make a living out of this if they could?

Wonderful.

Tonight's karate test was a smash! My favorite teacher Use-sensei told me, "しえらさん　と　山口さん　は　とても　よくなったです。" I was very pleased, obviously. Koichiro and I got along great the whole evening—making jokes just like old times. Oh I’m glad that awkwardness-after-sex thing has gone away. He’s fun.

In July I’m giving a presentation and cooking class at Peter’s high school, Kamigoto. Tomorrow morning I’m doing a practice run with him and his home-ec teacher. I’ve got my little box of ingredients to make an AWESOME Mexican meal of hand-rolled masa tortillas, frijoles con carne, Spanish rice, guacamole and horchata, Mexican rice milk… at 9 a.m. tomorrow! I’m very much looking forward to the presentation and cooking with community members. I’m imagining something similar to our home-ec fishburgers class at Nakako last year. Remember that—I posted pictures anyway.

Then I’ve got plans to see Masami in the afternoon. She’s about 6 months pregnant now so she must be huge. I can’t wait to feel the baby growing inside her—she wasn’t showing too much last time I saw her. I have to start working hard on the name Sierra. Only three months left to persuade!

It’s really late. I’ve got a full day tomorrow. Leaving my apartment at 7:30 a.m. I’ll be up north all day ‘cause my swim lesson’s not until 6 p.m.

Must. Sleep.
Love, Sie Sie

Mexican ryori really is the best!

On a good week I can get to the pool four times a week. I’m making a regular appearance at Tanabe’s lesson at 6 p.m. and all the girls know me and expect to see me on a regular basis. I don’t have to ask permission to join anymore; yesterday Tanabe saw me come in and said, “Hurry up! The girls are warming up already!” I finally asked him yesterday if it’s really okay if I join the class—don’t I have to pay money or anything? He said not to worry about it. So, cool, I’m officially in.

I used to do everything free-style (because I was practicing for the triathlon) but now I’m starting to do butterfly, breast and backstroke with them. The warm-up includes doing 25 meters of each (butterfly, back, breast, free) about 4 times. I’m a mess when it comes to butterfly and breast, but I’m trying! I think Tanabe realized I just do what I think is right until he tells me otherwise, so he’s really coached me hard these last two days. After every lap it’s: “Smaller circles!” “Relax your hands!” “Kick, stre---tch, pull!” and then “Daijobu?” (Are you okay?)

Yesterday we really focused on breast stroke and I have a vague idea of what it should feel like. Tanabe pulled everyone out of the pool to have us watch Yui and Miho start the breast—I think they’re the best at it. I’m pretty sure he did it for my benefit ‘cause the little ones couldn’t really stay focused on the pool long enough to see it from beginning to end. So it’s push off and stretch, kick once and stretch forward again, kick a second time and then come up for your first breath and pull. I was so confused on that so I really appreciated him taking the time to show us.

Also, we did sprints yesterday (or “dash” as Tanabe calls it). Free-style for 25 meters. I was doing them in 20 seconds when Tanabe told me, “Faster!” and I managed to do one in 18 seconds and a few in 19 seconds, but I couldn’t go faster than that. I have no idea what “fast” is when it comes to swimming, but it seems like that is fast… =) Yui, who is by far the best swimmer in the group did 18 on a regular basis. She’s a 6th grader too.

In December last year Koichiro taught me how to put on a swim cap. That’s how clueless I was about swimming. It’s awesome to be able to mark my progress.

The best part about swimming with these girls (there is a boy in the class he just don’t come very often) is that they all speak to me. Nice and slowly and simply in Japanese. I learn so much from them. Even just how to count laps, lengths, and seconds. I'm a pro at the ippon, nihon, sanbon stuff!

The littlest girl, she don’t speak slowly at all—it’s like she saves up all her questions for me and then tries to spit them out in record time. The older girls usually translate for me and then I can answer her. Most kids realize that I do understand them if they speak slowly and use many different words for the same thing. Sometimes that concept just completely goes over the heads of adults. If I can’t understand you at your natural speed the first time, I must not understand Japanese. The kids, however, want to communicate so badly that they say it over and over again, allowing me to repeat each word after them if necessary (and sometimes that really helps).

So, I love swimming. I love Tanabe and the kids and the exercise. I’m really glad I’m a part of something here.

Karate test (san-kyu/third level) is on Friday! I have a very tough かた to do to pass this test. Wish me luck!

Love, Sierra

all the statistics you could care to know about my triathlon.

Monday was the 地引き網　(hibiki ami). All the high schoolers and Narao’s elementary schoolers spent the day at the beach and fished the traditional Japanese way, by pulling a giant net out of the ocean off the beach. Then we cooked the fish in a big soup and had lunch together. It was a lot of fun—a much better way to spend a Monday than in the classroom! We had Nagasaki’s news crew out for the day, including the famous(ly cute) news anchor. Of course—all the guys got their picture with her too.

I got a nice tan/sunburn. I love how the Japanese verb for “getting a tan” is the same verb for burning, charring, grilling, and roasting as well. Makes me feel a bit like dinner. やけたよ！

Pictures from the evento.

First it just starts with pulling the rope.

Then the net comes out of the water.

This is Kazuya, the dude who proposed to me and wants to be a firefighter.

Heave! Ho! Yui, me and Mie.

And you kind of have to open the net and pull slowly (or all fish swim out).

Slowly widening the net.

(The guy in the brown shirt is Tajima-sensei, the art teacher.

Students, teachers, parents giving moral support.

And if you’re lucky, there’s some fish in the net! (See the huge sting ray in there?)

The fish get caught in the net so you have to pull many out by hand.

Isn’t that cool?

Then, Keisuke (who’s father did the running part of the triathlon team I was on) is our fish expert so he gave all the students a speech about the fish. I criticized him a couple entries ago as the kid with mind-boggling motivation because all he wants to do after high school is fish off a dock, but actually he’s really knowledgeable about fish and well respected in the community so I should have given him more credit.

I want to post a video of him (and this sting ray gasping for air—it’s amazing!) but I don't have much more room on my server for videos. I’m trying to decide if I should delete old posts’ pictures or buy more space on my server so I can keep posting away.

My students listening intently to Keisuke’s speech on fish.

After the lunch, beach volleyball and beach soccer we waved the elementary school students off, but a few of my students stuck around and started going into the ocean. Ha, ha—they weren’t wearing bathing suits—THIS IS JAPAN!!! They were wearing exactly what they’re wearing in the above picture: shorts and shirts (the school P.E. uniform). It was weird to go into the ocean clothed, but I didn’t want to go back to the school any early than was necessary (just to sit at my desk and wait for the clock to tick it’s way to 4 p.m.) so I joined them in my shorts and t-shirt too.

There were only about 20 of us, plus three other teachers. We were out there for a long time and I never sensed any danger. Finally I’m beginning to feel really comfortable in the ocean! There were two girls who kept grabbing my boobs (just playfully, not maliciously or anything) and asking me my cup size. Always interesting as the students get comfortable with me…

However, the undercurrent started to get a bit strong. I looked back to the shore and realized we were pretty far out. The waves were really big, but I could easily stand between waves. I’m pretty tall though, so the students around me (and especially the ones further out) were getting a little flustered with each wave. Then I saw Masaaki’s face, he was much further out than I and looked very scared. He was splashing about and obviously wasn’t a strong swimmer. Tsuchiyama-sensei was closer to him so he swam out help him. I saw Masaaki do the panic-grabbing/pulling at Tsuchiyama-sensei and dragging him underwater too. Luckily Tsuchiyama-sensei could hold his own, but it was scary to watch.

Then Yoshida-sensei and I started telling everyone to come back in. There were about 7 girls in front of me and I was able to easily help 2 of them to safety, but there were still five girls and Masaaki getting further out. Yoshida-sensei swam out to them. I waded out for one girl, Sayaka, and she started to pull me down too. I was really scared. I could touch the ground between waves, but the undercurrent was so strong I could only focus on staying afloat OR swimming back with her dragging me down like that. I flipped her over on her back and started pulling her in the official save-someone-from-drowning way.

We made some progress, but she told me she was alright and so I let her go. I will always regret not insisting that she come all the way in with me. I thought maybe she could handle it from there, but she WENT BACK OUT! I thought I had misjudged her and she was actually a strong swimmer and the pulling on me was just “for fun” (although I didn’t find it the least bit fun!). And she was the one who ended up going to the hospital!

Somehow Yoshida-sensei and Tsuchiyama-sensei were able to get all 6 of them back to shore safely, but I was really scared there for a while. I wanted to go help, but I know I could become a drownee as quickly as I could become a saver. I’ve never actually trying saving someone from drowning and I know how dangerous it can be. After the incident with Sayaka I thought I’d be more of a liability than a help so I stayed a safe distance from danger and pulled in the girls as the teachers brought them closer.

I remember I kept looking back and forth from the shore to the ocean and thinking, “How does Baywatch make it look so glamorous? This is scary shit!” Well, Baywatch stars have lifesavers for one. Yeah. Those are important. I think they should put lifesavers on the beach. I would have gone for one if it was available.

This has really encouraged me to get some of the life-saving basics down. I don’t ever want to have to do it, but if this ever happens again, I want to be confident I can. When we were all back on the beach, Yoshida-sensei made all the students line up in their class groups and make sure everyone was accounted for. He took it really seriously, and I know some of the students who were never in any danger were annoyed, but it’s really a serious matter. The ocean is dangerous again! My thalassophobia is warranted!

Sayaka was entirely safe. She may have swallowed a lot of sea water, but she never went underwater. She was really panick-stricken, however and she couldn’t stop shaking. We got her into dry clothes and took her to the nurses room. I guess she went to the hospital afterwards too, but it would have been for anxiety, not because she was close to drowning. She was just scared. Tsuchiyama-sensei was really good to her. His fatherly behavior really surprised and impressed me. He was patient and kind. Whenever I see men who are good with children I get all weak in the knees. A good father is so important.

Anyway, that was a scary afternoon, but everyone was safe in the end. Whew.

And my boobs must be getting more noticeable because today I had a student tell me IN CLASS that they were big! He said it in Japanese and I knew he thought I couldn't understand. I smacked him on the head with a paper I had in my hand and he was shocked I understood and reacted. The JTE was right there, but she didn't hear and when I said "boobs" she didn't know what I was talking about.

After we walked away the perpetrator then told the three other boys sitting next to him so they were all in a laughing fit and disrupting class until I told him to move to the front desk away from his friends. There are only four boys in that class and they all sit in the back and are usually loud, but we let it slide cause they actually keep the class energetic. I was happy to separate him now. Finally I translated to my JTE what he said and she was surprised too. The student admitted to her that he said it--I really thought he’d deny commenting on my breasts.

Later in class I used him as the example for the vocabulary word “terrible.” He was really embarrassed and apologetic afterward and I don’t think he’ll be making comments like those again. Even if only so he’s not separated from his friends. Thank God I knew the Japanese word for boob. Hopefully all students will start being more careful using Japanese around me! I understand more than they realize so they can’t get away with everything anymore!

Catherine is in Tokyo for much of this week because she’ll be doing the Tokyo Orientation in the end of July—the lucky beast! I suppose most of the new ALTs on our islands will be arriving in that first orientation that she’s assisting at so she’ll get to meet everyone right off the plane. They’re lucky to have her smiling face and positive attitude to greet them.

Yesterday I found out that Peter’s successor is going to be a woman from Canada. We don’t have her age or name yet, but a nationality and gender is exciting information. Catherine and I want to write welcome letters to our new friends. I’m so excited for the flesh meat!

That’s all for today!
Love, Sierra

with my cap and goggles in place.

This is one of the best “r/l” mix-ups I’ve ever seen!

My couch arrived and it feels like home. I watched a movie on it the other night and I started to fall asleep. Eventually as I succumbed to my slumber and I got up to go to bed I had this weird feeling like I was home again—leaving the couch in my parents’ house or something—strolling to my bedroom in the early morning hours. It was weird…for me to feel at home here.

This weekend was a lot of fun. I didn’t have any plans on Saturday morning, but I ended up being busy the whole weekend.

Saturday, on my way to the gym, I saw Peter and Catherine at the Shinji’s house (the sailing people) so I stopped and spent hours there! I didn’t go sailing (except for a short stint where there was no wind and I had to paddle back to the dock) but I did get to drive Shinji’s motorboat—you actually need a license to drive a boat here, no matter how small so that was exciting—breaking the law! Talked with Tsuneko (finally figured out her name) and the mom of one of my students over Puarucha (a Chinese tea). It was nice.

Saturday’s word of the day was あこがれ。

Yeah, and I finally cleared this up!
Buy it please. 買って下さい。
Write it please. 書いて下さい。
Listen please. 聞いて下さい。
Come here please. 来て下さい。（おいで）

Tsuneko and me.

Sailing pictures. James (in the boat) was here for the weekend. Every time I see that guy it’s like, “How much more annoying can one person be?”

James couldn’t really control the sailboat and it blew him into Shinji’s big boat—it was really funny to watch him struggling.

The view from my motorboat!!

Also, haven’t shown you pictures of my “vegetable garden” yet!

My garden is growing wild even in pots!!! I can’t wait for my tomatoes!

Back to Saturday…

At the gym I joined the swim class again, but Tanabe is on a business trip so there was another coach today. Oh! I found out Tanabe is his LAST NAME! There were signs leading to this conclusion all along but it only clicked this weekend! I was suspicious when I got a student with the last name Tanabe. Secondly, “Hide” is printed on his official swim-wear (right above the bum region so I noticed immediately =) and Ryohei has “Ryo” printed on his. Ryohei is his first name so it should be the same. Duh. I’ve never heard his first name before—Hidetoshi. It’s kind of unusual.

At the pool I met Mary, a Peruvian woman who Kerry told me about. We’ve emailed a couple times about getting together (in Spanish, yeah!!!), but we finally made a date to have lunch on Sunday afternoon. Although this is the first time I’ve met her, I’m much more connected to her family than I ever knew. I’ve been going to swim class with her eldest daughter Keiko! AND I’ve swam alongside her husband Tsuyoshi and their other daughter Yoshiko for months as well. No idea. In fact, I thought her husband was really young—maybe worked at the pool and did this one-on-one lesson specifically for Yoshiko because she’s autistic. But no. He’s a doctor at Kamigoto Hospital—a spine surgeon, actually, though he doesn’t get to do much spine surgery on the islands so he’s itching to get back to the mainland. But it was cool to make that connection.

Saturday night I went out with Tajima-sensei, the art teacher to see the fireflies on the river. It was neat. My first time to see fireflies. We shared an ice cream and tea on a bench in the quiet darkness and fireflies around us. I heard him say, “Really you’re supposed to be here with a guy you like,” but I pretended I didn’t understand him.

Sunday I went to Mary’s house for a Peruvian lunch. While I waited for her husband to pick me up at the Bichiku 会館　I spoke with some students from Wakamatsu JHS. One of them was Futaba, who asked me for an English penpal and now writes my cousin in America occasionally. She is so genki—wears one ponytail from the top/side of her head and just has so much life in her! Learned a new phrase too. 悲しい時。I think it must be from a TV commercial or something ‘cause I repeated it to some high schoolers yesterday and got huge laughs.

Can’t remember the name of the girl on the left, in the middle is Maiko, Futaba is on the right.

Me and the girls. Futaba’s the crazy one!

Lunch at Mary’s turned into an entire afternoon in their community. Badminton and video-tennis with the girls and neighborhood kids, meeting the doctors and all their children (they live in hospital housing), discussing autism in Japan and the world, and lots of Spanish conversations! I felt very comfortable with them (despite them constantly telling me they CAN’T BELIEVE I’m only 22!) and their daughters warmed up to me pretty quickly. It was hard to leave their home (particularly because they loved my car and didn’t want to see it go! =) but we’ve made plans to see each other again soon. And I’ve got 2 books and 2 videos on autism to read and watch before our next gathering!! Very interesting family. Dad’s English is superb (better than my supervisor’s for sure) and I speak Spanish better than him so I can have almost secret conversations in Spanish with Mom! It’s great!

Speaking of moms.

My Mama.

My mom in front of the house she grew up in in Illinois.

Okay, I have to go do some work. (Yeah, I wrote while at school again!!)

Oh, I’m just remembering Daniel’s parents’ blueberry bush. I bet there are a ton of berries on that bush now. It’s already been a year since I was home, eating blueberry parfaits and … yum. I love summer in Oregon.

And still no rain! 2/3 through the month already. I’m beginning to think this rainy season isn’t coming at all! I’m calling it “humidity season” from now on.
Love, Sierra

Just when you think the ocean is safe....