Hanami - combination of two Chinese characters, 花 ('hana') meaning flowers, and 見 ('mi') meaning look, see, watch. Sometimes translated as 'flower/cherry blossom viewing,' my preferred translation here would be 'Going to see the cherry blossoms with eating and drinking in large groups.' But I do admit the shorter version has its merits.
We planned to have a nice Hanami picnic last Saturday, until the rain came and washed the barbecue plans out the window with it. So that plan was scrapped, changed to dinner at Pentola Mamma Italian restaurant, and we changed the date to Sunday.
Sunday, I trucked out one of the barbecue grills left to me by my predecessor to Minatoyama Park. Satoshi prepared some veggies for barbecuing (onions, bell pepper, kabocha squash, and shiitake mushrooms), and I iced the pants off a Japan-sized cake. (unfortunately I forgot to take a picture, so hopefully someone else got one)
Once at the park, we set up our tarp, table and chairs, grill, and started to get going (around 6 PM). Took us a while to get the grill going, had to get one of the Japanese girlfriends to go ask for some firestarter. Also I didn't bring the top to the grill so we mac-guyver'ed a solution by using a smaller one and propping it up with chopsticks.
It started getting kinda colder but around the grill it was warm enough. People trickled in and by then end there were about 12-14 people there. We ate kilo after kilo of pork and beef. Yummay. The sake got pulled out and passed around, but I was the safety driver! and didn't have any paint thinner this time.
I left the park around 10:30 PM smelling of smoke and beef. YUM.
昨日花見のバーベーキューをした。めちゃ楽しかった！私と智志はケーキと焼く野菜を持っていった。友達たくさん居た。たくさん焼肉を食べちゃったぁ。湊山公園は本当にいい場所やな。パーティーのあとに焼肉のせいで臭かったけど、次のバーベーキューを楽しみぃ。
Showing posts with label win. Show all posts
Showing posts with label win. Show all posts
Monday, April 6
Monday, March 9
I can cook! うまっ！
Tonight I finally got the chance to go cook dinner with Hara-san, a member of my "old ladies eikaiwa" group.
"Most young women in Japan probably don't know how to cut up the squid. I must teach my daughter how to do it before she gets married."
We're trying to make thin egg sheets in the egg-pan...there was a bit of failure on that part but it still tasted like EGG so, win-win! ちょっと大失敗なんだのに、結局に同じ味があったから、大勝利だったね！
"When you are preparing the tempura batter, don't mix it too well." This is one of my favorite tempura articles - Japanese "pumpkin" called "Kabocha". イカを揚げたときに、怖いほど油が飛んだ。イカは水っぽいだからぜ。
THE FINISHED MEAL! (From upper left, in a clockwise manner: Miso soup with Tofu and Wakame seaweed, Shaved Daikon "oroshi" and soy sauce for dipping the tempura, Chirashi-zushi (sushi rice with simmered carrot and Shiitake mushroom mixed in, topped with shredded egg, shrimp, and some random greenery.), spinach and crushed sesame seed salad, "nagaimo" and seaweed salad (slimy yet satisfying), and finally, tempura.
It was WAY TOO MUCH food and yet if I had to eat it all again, I would. I would eat it all.
I can make all these things now!
原ママは私に教えた料理を作れるようになってきた！これから、お客さんとかあったら、もっとおいしい日本料理を作れるから良かったね。
"Most young women in Japan probably don't know how to cut up the squid. I must teach my daughter how to do it before she gets married."
We're trying to make thin egg sheets in the egg-pan...there was a bit of failure on that part but it still tasted like EGG so, win-win! ちょっと大失敗なんだのに、結局に同じ味があったから、大勝利だったね！
"When you are preparing the tempura batter, don't mix it too well." This is one of my favorite tempura articles - Japanese "pumpkin" called "Kabocha". イカを揚げたときに、怖いほど油が飛んだ。イカは水っぽいだからぜ。
THE FINISHED MEAL! (From upper left, in a clockwise manner: Miso soup with Tofu and Wakame seaweed, Shaved Daikon "oroshi" and soy sauce for dipping the tempura, Chirashi-zushi (sushi rice with simmered carrot and Shiitake mushroom mixed in, topped with shredded egg, shrimp, and some random greenery.), spinach and crushed sesame seed salad, "nagaimo" and seaweed salad (slimy yet satisfying), and finally, tempura.
It was WAY TOO MUCH food and yet if I had to eat it all again, I would. I would eat it all.
I can make all these things now!
原ママは私に教えた料理を作れるようになってきた！これから、お客さんとかあったら、もっとおいしい日本料理を作れるから良かったね。
Tuesday, March 3
Tuesday, February 24
Who care what I accomplish, at least they're having fun.
Today was a really GOOD day of elementary. The past few I've had a number of frustrations but today, really good. Lessons went smoothly, the kids were having fun, I was having fun...it was all good.
I will tell you the story of my 4th grade class today:
In 4th grade, we started learning some new vocabulary last week, places. We practiced the pronunciation and such and played a game using a previous grammar point 'Where do you want to go? I want to go to the ________'
Today I said we'd try a directions game. I didn't really prepare totally since I fly by the seat of my pants as a habit. At the beginning of class we did the usual 'What day is it? How's the weather' song and dance, then started out reviewed the names of all the places. We also introduced some direction-giving vocab like 'turn right/left'. Once that was done, I move the places around on the board a little and drew some lines connecting them.
Then I drew a stick figure at the end of one of my 'roads' and said 'Ok, everyone! This is ME!' and I pointed from myself to the stickman and back again. Then, I said something like 'Can you tell me how to get to the bookstore?' with emphasis on bookstore. Then the kids all together shouted out directions to me 'Go straight! go go! stop! turn right! go up!' etc until I got there.
As the game progressed I started adding more story to the proceedings. All of which I illustrated with chalk-drawn stickmen. I had them lead me to the flower shop and bought some flowers for 'Hada-sensei', then had them take me to school so I could give the flowers to 'Hada-sensei.' Then, feigned epic hunger and asked them to please tell me how to get to the bakery. Once I bought some bread at the bakery, I went to the park for a picnic. However, I drew myself alone, so the kids started saying like 'oh she's all alone!' so I responded by saying 'Oh! I'm all alone! sabishii picnic! LONELY!'
After that I told them that I was really really tired, and I wanted to go home. Along the way there, I kept yawning and falling off the path and going the wrong way which they got a kick out of. Once at home I drew myself in a futon, and then said it was morning and I felt good again! For my finale, I got a package in the mail at home. I opened it up to find a candle from my mom. I lit the candle and put it by the window. I started watching TV. While I was watching TV, the candle set the curtains on fire. I called for help! The kids had to get the firetruck from the station to my house.
The day was saved thanks to my 4th graders and I thanked them profusely first in English then in Japanese for SAVING MY LIFE!
Actually through the magic of acting and using a limited English vocabulary, pretty much all the kids seemed to understand my story (although they wanted my candle to be DYNOMITE...boys will be boys.) and whenever I asked them to tell me what they thought I said back in Japanese, they got it, perfectly. (for example, after I said 'Oh man! I am SOOOO tired! I want to go home and sleep! I asked (in Japanese) 'Do you understand? Tell me in Japanese what I said!' and I got the instant response of 'You're sleepy and want to go home')
So happy elementary was fun today.
今日小学校で（無料？）道案内ゲームをした。九割英語を使ってたのに、みんなだいたいわかったそうだ。授業をしながら話を作って、馬鹿みたいジェシカはエンターテイナーになった。生徒の案内おかげで、まだ生きている。
I will tell you the story of my 4th grade class today:
In 4th grade, we started learning some new vocabulary last week, places. We practiced the pronunciation and such and played a game using a previous grammar point 'Where do you want to go? I want to go to the ________'
Today I said we'd try a directions game. I didn't really prepare totally since I fly by the seat of my pants as a habit. At the beginning of class we did the usual 'What day is it? How's the weather' song and dance, then started out reviewed the names of all the places. We also introduced some direction-giving vocab like 'turn right/left'. Once that was done, I move the places around on the board a little and drew some lines connecting them.
Then I drew a stick figure at the end of one of my 'roads' and said 'Ok, everyone! This is ME!' and I pointed from myself to the stickman and back again. Then, I said something like 'Can you tell me how to get to the bookstore?' with emphasis on bookstore. Then the kids all together shouted out directions to me 'Go straight! go go! stop! turn right! go up!' etc until I got there.
As the game progressed I started adding more story to the proceedings. All of which I illustrated with chalk-drawn stickmen. I had them lead me to the flower shop and bought some flowers for 'Hada-sensei', then had them take me to school so I could give the flowers to 'Hada-sensei.' Then, feigned epic hunger and asked them to please tell me how to get to the bakery. Once I bought some bread at the bakery, I went to the park for a picnic. However, I drew myself alone, so the kids started saying like 'oh she's all alone!' so I responded by saying 'Oh! I'm all alone! sabishii picnic! LONELY!'
After that I told them that I was really really tired, and I wanted to go home. Along the way there, I kept yawning and falling off the path and going the wrong way which they got a kick out of. Once at home I drew myself in a futon, and then said it was morning and I felt good again! For my finale, I got a package in the mail at home. I opened it up to find a candle from my mom. I lit the candle and put it by the window. I started watching TV. While I was watching TV, the candle set the curtains on fire. I called for help! The kids had to get the firetruck from the station to my house.
The day was saved thanks to my 4th graders and I thanked them profusely first in English then in Japanese for SAVING MY LIFE!
Actually through the magic of acting and using a limited English vocabulary, pretty much all the kids seemed to understand my story (although they wanted my candle to be DYNOMITE...boys will be boys.) and whenever I asked them to tell me what they thought I said back in Japanese, they got it, perfectly. (for example, after I said 'Oh man! I am SOOOO tired! I want to go home and sleep! I asked (in Japanese) 'Do you understand? Tell me in Japanese what I said!' and I got the instant response of 'You're sleepy and want to go home')
So happy elementary was fun today.
今日小学校で（無料？）道案内ゲームをした。九割英語を使ってたのに、みんなだいたいわかったそうだ。授業をしながら話を作って、馬鹿みたいジェシカはエンターテイナーになった。生徒の案内おかげで、まだ生きている。
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