Week 76: My Toes are COLD

It's still cold here.

In case you were wondering.

I mean, OK, it's above freezing, so I'm one up on the parents.

And I have pretty good heating.

But those schools are kept COLD.

I mean, not actually KEPT cold, but fresh air is considered healthy.  So yes, they will have open windows in the winter.  They'll close them while teaching is going on, but open them again between classes, so of course all the warm air flees.

Let's see, things to talk about.

Hina-matsuri (princess festival, also known as "doll festival" in English) isn't TECHNICALLY until March, but displays are going up already.

Friday school is showing this one off.

This will likely be up until the actual festival day.

Two of our missionaries left!  An Elder and a Sister.  The Elder finished his mission and is going home (so now someone else has to translate for me)  And the sister is moving to Sakai.  I wish her luck.

There was a going-away party!

WITH FOOD

and singing!

I had been craving pizza.

And we'll miss the missionaries, of course.

I've been feeling much better this week, all well now.  Still not riding my bike. I've decided I"m not going to until it's above 40* more often.  Doesn't even have to be CONSISTENTLY, just more often.  Right now it is 32* with a wind chill factor of 5*-10* WAY too much.

Tuesday was fun, because that's the 6th graders doing Lego fairy tales?  And they got to match their story telling to the pictures, so after each class, I sat down and re-named files to make it easier for the teacher in charge to click through them.  She was very grateful (and surprised) and I was like "Ok, this isn't that hard, but I appreciate that you appreciate me."

I think, when they do it next year, they will be much more prepared for it.  :)  This year was a lot of "will this work? No." and "you know what we SHOULD have done..."

Friday was very interesting because I don't remember it.

The entire day I was like "wait, did I teach this class?"  "Is it lunch already?" etc.  I mean, if I REALLY focus, I can remember my classes.  And I remember they went well.  I just...have to really TRY to remember.

Saturday, I was informed by a friend that we were going to Toei Kyoto Studio Park.

Well ok!

Toei is a theme park and filming studio for shows from the Edo period.  Sometimes there is filming done there, but not when we went.  It was fun!

the entrance!

They had a section of town that was just a re-creation of the "Nagaya town houses."  They were basically budget apartments.

They were one room houses

with REALLY thin futon

And a communal well and bathing area.

the well.

Might be part of where the popularity of "public baths" started up.  Who knows?

They also had a school.

I'm in charge.

And some merchants houses

FRESH FISH, we catch 'em, you buy 'em!

And a HORSE

and pony.

And I got to feed the horse carrots!

they think it's cold too.

There was a God of Fortune!

he popped up and talked to everyone. Kinda freaky actually.

And a "sea monster"

what's Japanese for "Nessie"?

And some wanted posters!

I want the guy on the right.

There were shows to see, where, thanks to my friend, I got a little translation.

this is a "snake oil salesman"

though apparently in Japan it's "frog ointment"

And there were sword fighting demonstrations!

He was talking a lot about how to do "TV sword fighting"

OOOOOh

He dies.

And there was audience participation of course!

for kids. I TRIED but they wouldn't let me.

There was an English kid up there, his name was Jack, so of course the first thing that popped into my head was "Samurai Jack!"  :D  It was really cute and fun, and of course I didn't think to get video or pictures.  SORRY!

There was also a "maze" full of optical illusions!

like the tilted room.

Though, let's be honest, A room tilted at 11*, and me in socks?

I spent most of my time sliding down it.

Anyhow! I'd suggest it if any of you make it to Japan, it's lots of fun, but don't go in February, it SNOWED.

Hope you're all doing well!