Yes, I know I missed posting last week. I have no good excuses, except the business involved with jump starting a new year. Here in Kyoto everything is getting increasingly chilly. February is reportedly the month when the cold weather really hits....and as we creep closer to the end of January, I'm starting to believe the reports. We turn on the electric blankets on the beds and steam rises as the bed warms up. Water from the faucet is as cold as--or colder than--water kept in the fridge. And when we do turn on the electric wall air conditioner/heater units (which we rarely do since it costs and arm and a leg to run them), they have to sit and hum for a while, warming themselves up before actually stepping up to the task of warming us up. Not to mention the freeze-dried clothes hanging on the clothesline.....
But we've actually done more than just huddle around the heaters. No, really! Well, okay, we've done a LOT of huddling around heaters. But in between heater visits, we've been plugging away...
New Year's Day and All's CLOSED
So as I 've said before, the turning of the New Year is a family time here. A time for traditions and coming together. It is a time when people plan ahead for special foods and trips to special temples.
And really, people must plan ahead because from December 31st to roughly January 4th or 5th, a good portion of Japan is closed. As with the United States, holidays for bigger department stores and convenience stores mean an opportunity to get more sales, so these places stay open. However everything else closes up. Small neighborhood shops, neighborhood grocery stores, smaller restaurants. And since we live in a neighborhood made up of nothing but small shops, tiny restaurants and small neighborhood grocery stores, it meant that everything around us was shut up tight.
Luckily, we were able to acquire the all important milk, bread and onigiri (rice balls--Aya's passion), from the nearby convenience store. And I had planned ahead (drawing on my previous habitations in Japan), and had stocked up on most other food's we'd need.
But there is something solemn and peaceful about walking down a street, storefront after storefront bearing signs announcing they are closed for the New Year holiday. There is something very healthy about accepting that the people who work in stores and restaurants also deserve time away from chasing the almighty yen, to walk with their own families on a cold winter night to hear the temple bells ring in the new year.
Some people would call all these closed shops inconvenient. I call it the right thing to do.
Gearing Up to Fill Up 2012
Our first 6 months back in Japan have been a time of getting up to speed, as it were. Getting the kids really transitioned from their lives in California to their lives here, getting all of us used to the ins and outs of the virtual school program. Getting our Japanese skills back on the road to functionality.
But now we are heading into the next 6 months. For Patrick, this means keeping a tight grip on deadlines, starting Japanese lessons and beginning his guitar lessons. For Aya, this means staying on top of homework, fostering new friendships, digging into Japanese lessons and starting piano lessons. For me, it means keeping up on my Patrick and Aya's slowly growing lives and looking into possible teaching work for next year.
High on Patrick and Aya's motivation horizon is our upcoming trip back to California so that they can take the Star Tests in conjunction with their school program, which is run through the Elk Grove School District. And they feel that taking these tests is a very small price to pay for the chance to see family and friends again.
And yes, I have added this return trip to my arsenal of motivational tools for them. You know me...all about logical consequences. If you can't finish it, we can't go. Harsh? A bit, yeah. But logical. Absolutely Logical. They haven't been able to come up with a counter argument either, which is refreshing.
Me: You know, if we can't get a jump on these assignments you're going to end up doing them
on Grandma's computer instead of visiting with your friends.
P or A: No way.
Me: Way.
P or A: Grumble, grumble. GRUMBLE.
(Note: "Grumble" indicates "Darn it. She's right. But I can't ADMIT that she's right. I'm Trapped!")
And so off I go, conscience clear, blog updated, ready to begin another week filled with icy rooms, homework deadlines and frozen clotheslines.
Until next time....
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