Kaja, Kayla!: March 2011

Hello! Here is a March update for you. March begins the new schoolyear in Korea, so many changes have happened at school. 2 of my previous coteachers are now homeroom teachers, and 1 is soon departing to have a baby. So I have 2 new coteachers and am no longer teaching 6th grade, so I will not have another. We also have a new principal. Also there is new curriculum for every grade, with very non-user-friendly interfacing. CD Rom menus all in Hangul! Thanks a lot! haha. It is all very strange so far.

I like the one new coteacher I've worked with a lot, although communication is a real challenge so far! I have great hopes this will improve with time and practice. I've only just met the other new co- so fingers crossed for a good situation! I'm sad to see the pregnant coteacher go. She and I worked very well together.

Recent things:

I made new posters and revamped the display board in my classroom.

it's a shame I didn't have a "before" picture. I think it's 100% better.

I crocheted slippers for one long lost coteacher (now banished to the 6th grade).

I went out dancing in Hongdae a lot, which meant I stayed in Bucheon with Lisa and Bilbo.

he's a sweet doggie!

I crocheted baby booties for the departing new mommy.

the unfinished booties looked like boats. I was knotting boats for baby's feet.

completed booties

I also finished crocheting the blanket for Sam <3. I would put up a photo, but don't want to spoil Ra's surprise! :)

The air feels fresher and warmer lately! Spring will be here very soon. I miss the eternal greenness of Washington ... the fact that everything's still brown and dead here makes it feel like we've gone backwards to Fall instead of forwards to Spring! Hopefully we'll get some rain soon to freshen things up more.

I'm greatly anticipating May when Mommy will come! and flowers blooming. I am in a country where lotuses grow! I cannot wait to see them. Went to see, and greatly enjoyed Black Swan this Friday night. It scared the pants off me more than once, but it ended beautifully! and I do love ballet.

Since Friday, I've been continually horrified by the disaster in Japan. my thoughts go out to them!! I sincerely hope less lives will be lost than it now looks.

Flowers for now: the cactus I bought at the grocery store last weekend.

Love,
Kayla

Listening to: Meiko Kaji, Zenyoku Shu (Best-of album). 1970’s singer/actress with a very soulful voice. 2 of her songs were more recently made famous by their use in the Kill Bill soundtrack.

Thinking of Japan with a heavy heart right now. The earthquake and tsunami hit Friday and nothing but horrific reports have been in the news since. I had the honor and extreme delight to travel to Kyoto, Tokyo, and Osaka from January 25 – February 1 this year.

There were SO MANY things I loved about Japan! The best way I can think to elaborate right now is with a list.

Flora: camellias in bloom everywhere, flowers and plants in front of every shop and apartment building, ikebana floral arrangements in shop windows, actual leaves on trees (Korea’s been brown since December and remains so in early March), orange trees which somehow magically produce fruit in late January, a Winter PEONY garde (my favorites!), unexpected flowering plum trees—knowing that the cherry blossoms bloomed later I did not anticipate seeing any pretty flowering trees – I felt like Christmas had come early! SOOO happy.

winter peonies! in their little huts

Fauna: Koi fish in a temple stream (!!!), 2011 being the lunar Year of the Rabbit – adorable bunnies decorated almost everywhere I went, cats! I saw many kitties – chillin’ outside apartments and shops and running rampant in Ueno park in Tokyo

on the grounds of Senso-ji temple, Asakusa, Tokyo

Seeing Mt. Fuji from the Shinkansen. It is a beautiful mountain! And reminded me of home … Korea doesn’t have volcano-mountains, just soft rolling hills. Riding the shinkansen (bullet train) in general was a nice experience.

The friendliness of the people. When I was lost and standing on a street corner with my map out, looking pathetic, a lady came up and personally walked me to my destination. People don’t push and shove (like in Korea); they actually line up for things and apologize if they step on or run into you! It was great. Koreans are not unfriendly, but there’s no denying that they are very much up in your business all the time. The personal space I enjoyed in Japan was a lovely change!

Food: Japanese curry, karage (delicious battered & fried chicken cubes), udon, ramen, yummy onigiri (individual convenience store sushi – like the triangle kimbap of Japan) and the full gamut of convenience store food. All of the above is budget-food, but I was quite content! I also enjoyed Umeshu, Japanese sweet plum wine. Very tasty!

amazing salmon onigiri! cheap breakfast :). how I've missed salmon! Korea isn't huge on it.

Buddhist Temples: Buddhist temples in Japan are very different from those in Korea. I love both, and it was interesting to see them in Japan and compare. Japanese temples have fewer colors: instead of the elaborate under-eaves paintings at Korean temples (see the top image embedded on my page), they stick with bright orange, black, white, and green highlights. Understandably so (ZEN), Japanese temples are much more minimalistic. Either way, I have decided that Buddhist temples are some of my favorite places in the world. They are set into beautiful landscapes and feature calming and beautifully made aesthetics. Peaceful images and designs. Koi fish and lotus blossoms! Some of my favorite things.

Senso-ji temple, Asakusa, Tokyo (loved it so much I went twice!)

entering Kiyomizudera Temple in Kyoto. there were many buildings! it was a cool place.

Shinto Shrines: Unique to Japan (I think), are Shinto shrines. Before Buddhism came to Japan, the native religion was animistic, and to the various animal deities little shrines are in almost every neighborhood. Something I really like about Japan is that these two religions lie in harmony with each other. Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines are usually situated side by side – they do not compete but simply complement each other. I like it.

Shrines are very cool as well. My two favorites that I visited were to a pig and a fox, respectively. Shiny dark green leaves and bright red flowers on blooming camellia bushes, lanterns lining a walk, torii (the iconic gates), stone animals revered by a large bell and paper hangings. It is a Shinto belief that paper purifies things, so shrines and many important buildings (including the Minami-za theatre famous for Kabuki, No, and Geisha) featured hanging paper installations.

So there was my general list of beloved things. Here I will break it down for you by city with less detailed lists, and the two best photos I took in each place. (picking the 2 best photos = VERY difficult!!) For ALL the photos, I will insert a link to my photo site!

KYOTO: my traditional guest house, visiting a neighborhood sento (public bath) on the first night after the sweaty boat ride, Pontocho historical street, Kiyomizudera temple, pig shrine, Yasaka-jinja (shrine, BEAUTIFUL at night), okonomiyaki (Japanese “pizza”), traditional craft center with a whole floor dedicated to woodblock prints, Shijo-dori shopping street (crepes with Leona, 100 yen shop, Lipton Tea Shop)

in Gion, Kyoto (district famous for Geisha). Okonomiyaki restaurant, my first night in Japan. the chef and owner kept practicing their English on me and teaching me bits of Japanese. a wonderful time!

women praying at the Jishu love shrine on the grounds of Kiyomizudera temple, Kyoto

Kyoto photos. (not all are uploaded yet, but there are a good many!)

TOKYO: Asakusa, Senso-ji Temple & Asakusa-jinja (shrine), Meiji shrine, Harajuku, Shibuya, Ueno park and market, winter peony garden, shrine with flea market, government building viewpoint of the city, izakayas