Cricketeers
Sunday was our annual Cricket adventure at the park. While I don't really understand the point of Cricket much more than last year, nor the need for games that last five days, I think we are getting a little better. Well, maybe Zach is getting better at cricket, I am getting better at wearing my whites. The day was absolutely beautiful-- I think it was in the 20s this weekend. Zach and I went on a three hour walk before cricket, walking the length of the river, and it was a great way to spend the day!! Let's just hope it lasts a little longer...
Wanderings around Kanazawa
The weather has been absolutely gorgeous here, so yesterday Zach and I went for a long walk through Kanazawa. Here are some pictures from yesterday.
Soccer Tournament
On Sunday, the Ishikawa team participated in a tournament against other Japanese soccer teams. It was very exciting because we came in second place, and Zach even scored a goal!!! Two important things to notice in the pictures are that the weather is still beautiful, because I hear it is snowing in Edmonton, and how beautiful the scenery is, that we are surrounded by mountains in Kanazawa and it is very beautiful!!! My favourite time is when the mountains have snow on them though, and then they look like real mountains.
Recent Ikebana Pictures
This past week I started my first week in the advanced level at ikebana. This is very exciting for two reasons: 1) it means that I will be able to earn my teaching license before I leave, and 2) it means that I have a new artist name that I use in exhibitions and things. My flower name is: "Kouka", which means "happy flower." These are my first few arrangements from the advanced level.
Up the Mountain
With of a mission of "heading to a park on top of a mountain," Monday we drove to Tsurugi, not really sure where we were going, but we knew that is where the mountains are. We ended up in a beautiful park on Mt. Hakusan. The weather was gorgeous, and we had a wonderful day playing football and frisbee on the mountainside. Every time we have such a beautiful day, we are a little worried that it may be the last one, but so far we have been lucky!
Canadian Thanksgiving
Last weekend we celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving in true Japanese style... well at least Jane and Zach style, with spaghetti (for Jane!) and a ton of wine (for Zach!). It was hard for us to believe that we could fit 20 people into our tiny apartment, let alone feed them, but 13 bottles of wine, one flat of beer and two angry neighbours later we were competely thankful. It was a lot of fun-- even if Canadians were definately in the minority!
Rope
For a year we had been hearing about this place in Hakui that we had to go to, so this Friday we piled into Chris' car and headed up to Rope. It was definately a great time! It is a karaoke bar, so of course we spent most of the night singing, although Chris spent most of the night with the cheese.
Welcome Lunch
This week we went out for a Welcome Lunch with the English teachers for all of the new ALTs-- yes, including me! It was a really fun time, plus I was very excited because the teacher I was sitting beside doesn't like sashimi-- more for me!!!!!!
Back to Nagano
We were back to Nagano this past weekend for our semi-annual soccer tournament. Every year team Ishikawa comes with high hopes and this year was no different. Zach played a combination of goalie and striker, and was great at both! I was guilted into playing, on the condition I be Sub #2 (of 2). However, due to several injuries to both of our goalies, I ended also playing goalie! I can't report on Zach's games, as we played at the same time, but I can tell you the girls' games were filled with lots of drama! In the first game, I didn't let in any goals, much to my surprise- although we still lost 1-0. The second game did not go so well, as we lost 4-0. The highlight of the day was the third game, which we tied 1-1, meaning the game went to penalty kicks. I was very excited as I even stopped one of the shots!!!!! The Saturday night party was great of course, with lots of dancing from the Ishikawa representatives. Sunday morning started out not so great, as the guys were eliminated in their first game, although it was quite close, but things turned around as we managed to win our first game!!!!! (And I had my first real shut-out, with a 1-0 victory!). While we lost the next game, it was perhaps the most fun of the games. Then, off to our curry rice lunch and home-- very sore and very sleepy!!
In the picture of Zach, the writing says "Zach"-- the name of the restaurant at our hotel. We had never noticed the name until this time!!
The weather and mountains were of course again beautiful! We love going to Nagano!!!
