Information Dump
Jul. 10th, 2006 10:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
akujunkanAll the things I've been too busy to write about.
Farewell Party: Take One
Was held at the International Center last Friday. I showed up after elementary school just in time to catch the tale end of the preparations. I was slated to play Irish Trad, and had brought my pennywhistle. Nakaya-san, one of the women I'd played for at the onsen, expressed severe disappointment that I hadn't brought the flute as well, so I returned home for that. Played one Cuachain Andai on the flute, then switched to the whistle for Aoibhneas Eilis Nic Cheallaigh/Liz Kelly's and the Christmas Eve Reel. Flubbed a few times, but damn, considering how nervous I was the first time I played for one of my kindergartens, I've improved leaps and bounds.
See, Irish Trad is meant to be played in a group setting. You're playing for and with the other people there, and so the atmosphere is completely different. It's okay to drop into or out of a tune, whereas the focus is naturally on you when you're playing solo for a group of people.
Anyway, they liked it so much I was requested to do an encore, so I played Tully's/Killarney Boys. Got lots of questions about the music and much applause. It was pretty sweet.
Turnout was good, and although the event suffered from the usual confusion (too many people trying to do too many things at once), it went off very well. Got interviewed for television, and the camera guy was pretty stuck to me when we were learning Owara Bushiya--a traditional harvest dance specific to the prefecture.
For some reason, I picked it up in a snap, although I'm usually the most uncoordinated person on earth. The instructor even came up to me personally and complimented me on how well I was doing, which was a big ego boost.
Anyway, a good event that will help me leave the city with a good taste in my mouth.
Leaver's Party: Take Two
Saturday saw me heading to the southern mountain range after my Korean class (which will get a post of its own shortly). It was a beautiful day, and I had great company in the car.
We arrived in the early evening to find people weaving about in drunken stupors (they'd apparently been there since two or so), and just in time for the food and general drunken revelry. Even managed to score futons (which is often easier said than done at these events.)
Had a lot of good chats with some really cool people before heading off to bed relatively early (in my old lady-hood).
Went to a Tibetan meditation center the next day, which will also get its own post because the overwhelming coolness deserves to be documented in detail.
This was followed by a terrifying drive back down narrow, rainswamped mountain roads.
I'd been dreading today, as it was my final day at my favorite school. For whatever reason, I just slotted in perfectly at this place. I've been there for seven months, love all the kids, get along wonderfully with the teachers and principal, and really look forward to my visits.
I was really heartbroken when I had to leave. I tried not to cry in front of the kids, but it didn't really work.
The principal was so kind to me--she even held a mini tea ceremony in my honor, and I got a great poster from all the kids, on which they'd each drawn a portrait of me. The three features most commonly emphasized were the roundness and color of my eyes and the nose stud, which they're fascinated with. I'll have to put pictures of this up somehow. It is truly adorable.
Stayed two hours late at the school, until all of the kids had left and then proceeded to the monthly CIR meeting in Toyama. Which formally ended right as I arrived. So I then got to spend the next several hours chatting with my coworkers over coffee and Indian food. It was just what I needed, as I was an absolute emotional wreck after leaving the yochien earlier, and left me feeling rather optimistic about the next step after I leave Japan.
That will be all.
Farewell Party: Take One
Was held at the International Center last Friday. I showed up after elementary school just in time to catch the tale end of the preparations. I was slated to play Irish Trad, and had brought my pennywhistle. Nakaya-san, one of the women I'd played for at the onsen, expressed severe disappointment that I hadn't brought the flute as well, so I returned home for that. Played one Cuachain Andai on the flute, then switched to the whistle for Aoibhneas Eilis Nic Cheallaigh/Liz Kelly's and the Christmas Eve Reel. Flubbed a few times, but damn, considering how nervous I was the first time I played for one of my kindergartens, I've improved leaps and bounds.
See, Irish Trad is meant to be played in a group setting. You're playing for and with the other people there, and so the atmosphere is completely different. It's okay to drop into or out of a tune, whereas the focus is naturally on you when you're playing solo for a group of people.
Anyway, they liked it so much I was requested to do an encore, so I played Tully's/Killarney Boys. Got lots of questions about the music and much applause. It was pretty sweet.
Turnout was good, and although the event suffered from the usual confusion (too many people trying to do too many things at once), it went off very well. Got interviewed for television, and the camera guy was pretty stuck to me when we were learning Owara Bushiya--a traditional harvest dance specific to the prefecture.
For some reason, I picked it up in a snap, although I'm usually the most uncoordinated person on earth. The instructor even came up to me personally and complimented me on how well I was doing, which was a big ego boost.
Anyway, a good event that will help me leave the city with a good taste in my mouth.
Leaver's Party: Take Two
Saturday saw me heading to the southern mountain range after my Korean class (which will get a post of its own shortly). It was a beautiful day, and I had great company in the car.
We arrived in the early evening to find people weaving about in drunken stupors (they'd apparently been there since two or so), and just in time for the food and general drunken revelry. Even managed to score futons (which is often easier said than done at these events.)
Had a lot of good chats with some really cool people before heading off to bed relatively early (in my old lady-hood).
Went to a Tibetan meditation center the next day, which will also get its own post because the overwhelming coolness deserves to be documented in detail.
This was followed by a terrifying drive back down narrow, rainswamped mountain roads.
I'd been dreading today, as it was my final day at my favorite school. For whatever reason, I just slotted in perfectly at this place. I've been there for seven months, love all the kids, get along wonderfully with the teachers and principal, and really look forward to my visits.
I was really heartbroken when I had to leave. I tried not to cry in front of the kids, but it didn't really work.
The principal was so kind to me--she even held a mini tea ceremony in my honor, and I got a great poster from all the kids, on which they'd each drawn a portrait of me. The three features most commonly emphasized were the roundness and color of my eyes and the nose stud, which they're fascinated with. I'll have to put pictures of this up somehow. It is truly adorable.
Stayed two hours late at the school, until all of the kids had left and then proceeded to the monthly CIR meeting in Toyama. Which formally ended right as I arrived. So I then got to spend the next several hours chatting with my coworkers over coffee and Indian food. It was just what I needed, as I was an absolute emotional wreck after leaving the yochien earlier, and left me feeling rather optimistic about the next step after I leave Japan.
That will be all.
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no subject
on 2006-07-10 02:40 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-07-10 02:47 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-07-10 10:20 pm (UTC)And I agree with Sara. *points up* You haven't said much of what you'll be doing next even when we chatted before. Is it a secret? :D