I Wonder How Turkeys Say "Gobble Gobble" in Japanese

Or in my case, Turkish.

In lieu of a turkey dinner, Ingram, Alisa, Ted and myself went to have Turkish food. For Thanksgiving. According to Alisa, she put in "turkey" and "Kyoto" into the Google searchbar, and a Turkish restaurant is what she got.

For it certainly turned out to be an expedition. We got to the restaurant, only to realize that we needed reservations, even though the place was crowded. Japan is very weird in this respect - there are certain rules and even the Japanese don't get them.

So Alisa gave the lady her cell number and we trooped back outside, in search of a replacement. Thing is, this is the busiest weekend in Kyoto and all the tourists were out in force. Again, it's momiji madness - the autumn leaves. Pfft. My inner New Yorker says "Go away, tourists! Shoo! How can you NOT hear my bicycle bell!"

This Thanksgiving, I didn't need to take the bus down to Kyoto Station. It took me an hour last year!

But it took about an hour's wait for the Turkey - I mean, Turkish food. Good things come to those who wait because we were traipsing from place to place only to find they were full when Alisa's phone rang. Mmmm...Turkish food! Almost like Greek so I was really happy.

Lamb and chicken souvlaki, hummus, yogurt dip, the works. Not exactly turkey and gravy and mashed potatoes, but the company was the most important thing. To be around friends and have a good time, even if you are in a foreign country, where the largest oven to cook the smallest turkey is practically non-existent. For that I was thankful. We all had laughs and shared memories and overall had a great time.

This Thanksgiving was quite different from last year. Last year I spend it with friends and their mothers and had both turkey and then blowfish the next day - quite different experiences, but being with them was like being with family, and reminded me how mine wasn't there. Add that I was barely two months in Japan and I actually cried from all the emotion surrounding the holiday and being away as I walked home from the bus back to the house that I lived when I first got here. I actually felt very much alone then, and lost.

But now, while I miss my family - and thankful for their support in me being here - it doesn't hurt so much. I am not being cold, but rather thinking that I have changed and grown up a lot during my time here. Being away from family during the holidays does suck, but it happens. I think I am better at dealing with things like that, as if I have gained my footing on my own in this world, and can stand up by myself.

I am also thankful for living in this city and having the opportunity to live here; if it weren't for the scholarship, I would most certainly not be here. Kyoto is great for students and wonderful overall; it's not like Osaka or Tokyo, this big fancy metropolises. There are so many things happening and even though the tourists are annoying I know they are crucial to keep the vibe going. This place is not just filled with little old ladies in kimono. It's a thriving city with a distinct heartbeat.

And because I live in this city, I get to see things that I normally do not see on a regular basis since I grew up in a major metropolis. There are lights everywhere in NYC even in the quiet neighborhoods such as mine and you really can't see the stars, save for Venus and the moon. Lately, on my bike rides back home at night, I noticed that on clear nights, the sky glittered.

When I was in high school I had to prepare for this one event at the science competition, which involved my partner and I memorizing the constellations. I was pretty good at it; I forgot most of them, but when I looked up at the sky tonight, I recognized the Big Dipper.

I had seen it several times before in the past few weeks, but this was the first time that it was as clear as day. Not a cloud in the sky, and the moon was particularly bright. I never get to see a lot of stars, but tonight was spectacular.

It may sound silly, but for that I am also thankful.

Accents Galore

Imagine a 6'2" bear of a man with a very thick Greek accent when he speaks English. Think Kosta, Toula's dad from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," but deeper. And my dad is certainly taller than Michael Constantine.

Now imagine that accent, trying to imitate an Australian accent.

That is my dad for you.

We Now Returned to Your Regularly Scheduled Blogging

There was a really stupid reason for why I have been on hiatus for more than a week:

I couldn't blog from my laptop. Ringo was resting for a week.

Never mind that my sister has her own laptop - it's password locked and she won't let me use it (it's a 12" PowerBook and her baby). Never mind that we have wireless in the house: I couldn't get my laptop onto it for some damn reason, and now my sister tried the EXACT same thing that I kept on doing it for a week and she got it. Pfft.

Never mind that my mom has her PC always on the net - I HATE using regular computers. Never mind that I can also use Mel's laptop, however from the hours of 9-12 (around that time) the internet is off limits, so he can trade from home.

I just simply want to use MY laptop. I am used to it. Other laptop users could probably relate.

So, roundup of what I have been doing:

1) Flight: TWENTY-FOUR HOURS of travel, literally from door to door. There was a delay in Detroit because of some strange weather system, otherwise, it would have just been 21 hours. I ended up spending $50 on books from the Borders in the NWA terminal, and picked up a fancy Lancome travel compact with eyeshadow, lipstick and blush and a two pack of Clinique Happy (parfum) from the duty free. Because I wasn't going international, I had to pay the taxes (since I couldn't get this stuff at Kansai due to the stupid rules on cosmetics) but the taxes were cheaper than NYC. Going to get another Lancome compact when I go back to Japan, the colors suit me really nicely, and I get a nice rosy glow with the blush, very fresh.

I JUST made it under the weight limit, but I still had to leave those 10 books behind. Meh. However, I can say that I am pretty seasoned traveler, to go 24 hours and not look completely horrible and gross. And, I beat the jet-lag demons: I stayed up the entire night before my flight, drinking coffee, chatting with Elisa and watching Grey's Anatomy, so I was right proper tired when I got on the plane, and promptly clonked out. I am able to sleep on planes. So no jet-lag whatsoever when I leanded in NYC which was great!

2) Last Week: Started making the rounds to see people. Had dinner with Fordham girls, and the rest of us are planning to go to the Beer Garden over here in Astoria, the last one in NYC. So the rest of the Fordham people will come there, since everyone hasn't been to the Beer Garden yet and want to go. Saw my mom's godson and his family, and have started to drink the frappes like no tomorrow. I promised Alisa I would bring back a shaker and the Nescafe for frappe in Japan.

3)Personal: Eyebrows threaded, hair cut, nails manicured and pedicured (Essie's Capri). My mom was at the salon when my sister and I got our cuts, and she likes me with the golden highlights, and I am going back to get a half head of highlights. With the postponement of the wedding, I chopped my hair, got bangs and asked my stylist to use a razor to cut my hair to give it more oomph. Got my Neutrogena face stuff and it all FEELS good. Had steak too!

4) Mel and Maria: I got a Trek bike! I think its a 2007 or 2006 Trek Hybrid 7200. Mel and I split the cost and it was my anniversary gift. It was our 7 and a half year anniversary this past Sunday, and we spent it riding our bikes to Astoria Park and had lunch. And enjoying the East River view. It looks sorta like this:

However, the black is in blue. At first, I really didn't like it, but then I listened to the bike guys there and they know what they are talking about - I am too big for a women's bike since I am 5'9". It's either a men's bike, or a 20" step-through for me. However, I really couldn't get my leg over the men's bikes and I couldn't afford the nice women's road bikes that come in more sizes (like the one Mel has) so I stuck with the 20" and I am glad I got it.

It's got seat and front-wheel suspension, BIG comfy seat, and flat-proof tires. I'm going to add a rack to it in the back with maybe a side or top-pack so I can put my bag in, a light for night; say if I end up in Cambridge or Princeton, I can zip around like I do in Kyoto (I already zip around in Astoria, but I still need to get a lock, but Astoria and NYC has alot of bike paths, and Central Park is closed to vehicles on the weekends. I am going to try to increase my endurance to get over the Queensboro Bridge to get to Central Park and not rely on the subway). Kinda hard to get on and off, because now it the proper way to do it - I need a lot of space to extend my legs, so I need a big bike. The guys at the shop were aghast at my height. Not really sure if I am into the real hard-core cycling yet - however I got into cycling because that's all I do to get around in Kyoto - but it's a pretty good start, since I am on a hybrid bike.

4) Misc: I learned how to knit! Well all I know now is how to do a long-tail cast on and the knit stitch; this week, I am going to learn garter and purl from the girls in the local knitting group here. I have started a scarf for my mother on size 13 needles with a dark lemony-yellow yarn that my mom chose for her scarf. However, I got a little to cast-on happy when I finally figured it out, so my mom's scarf is going to be like a mini baby blanket, but she doesn't mind. However, I might run out of yarn, unless they restock at the crafts store here. Now that I got the hang of it, I am going to get a nicer/thinner yarn than I have now, on maybe size 9 needles.

Have I started studying yet? NOOOOO. (^_~). And now?

My Aunt Stella and Uncle George (the ones who actually ended up visiting me back in October) are here right now; I am blogging from the back porch of my house. How nice! So they, with my mother and sister they are looking at Google Earth and her dorm in Rome. Tomorrow, I go to Woodbury Common Outlets - woot!

My Dad's Potatoes

It was a while since I had really good Greek food. When Deena told me that there was a Greek restaurant aptly named Santorini in Itaewon, I was totally game and ready to pig out ever since I landed. But we waited till after the DMZ.

Itaewon is the forienger's district in Seoul, kind of like Roppongi in Tokyo. But Itaewon as mega dirty and I told Deena that compared to Roppongi (I have seen pictures and heard stories, but of course this is a empty opinion since I won't be there till June) this place was worse in terms of the "creepy gaijin/ickiness" factor, and she said that some of her coworkers that just went to Tokyo said the same thing. Guess my opinion wasn't that off. Again, will confirm in June.

Deena has been to Santorini before, and I was eagerly awaiting the yumminess that was Greek food. Oh, taramasalata. After many hills and stairs (Itaewon is actually above Seoul, yikes) we finally reached our destination. When I walked in, I felt like I was in Taverna Kyklades, one of the best Greek restaurants in Astoria. Of all the Greek restaurants in New York City, 80-90% of them are in Astoria. Oh, HEAVEN!

The decor was perfect. Deena said that unlike some other foriegn restuarants that take the foriegn food and "Korean-ize" it and then make it worse, this place was practically untouched. I totally agreed. The menu was not only in Korean and English, but also in Greek. I think the owner must be Greek - how else would it be as good as a place in Astoria? Never asked though.

Have to say it was a wee bit expensive - then again, even when I go to the restaurants back home, I never order the feta cheese or spreads appetizers because it's such a rip off even there. Since we arrived during lunch time, we got the lunch specials - SOUVLAKI! And even better, the potatoes that they had were like the ones that my dad makes. You heat up a pot of olive oil, put the potatoes cut into french-fry size and make them like french fries; when done sprinkle parmesan and basil on top. Yum, yum. I love my dad's potatoes, though these weren't cut french-fry style but rather in small round slices. Still delicious and you can tell that they used olive oil - french fries cooked in olive oil tend to be a wee bit soggier than those in regular cooking oil, but the flavor is great. You just have to be a bit more careful and not keep the french fries in the pot too long.

Since the lunch was pretty cheap, Deena and I split a platter of spreads with warm pieces of bread, from left to right: Tzatziki (cucumber/yogurt), Taramasalata (caviar), Eggplant Spread and Skordalia (garlic):

And to top it off, I had a FRAPPE as a dessert. It was about 6 bucks, but it was big, light and sweet just how I like it and best of all, the straw was sticking straight up in the center of the foamy part of the frappe. That's how you know whether or not a frappe is well made. Totally worth it, as I forgot to bring Nescafe and a frappe shaker back to Japan with me.

Guess Who's Back, Back Again...

Here is my version of the Mastercard commerical:

1) Plane ticket from Osaka to NYC: 1400 USD
2) Shuttle bus from apartment to Kansai International Airport: 3000 JPY
3) The looks on my parent's faces: priceless.

The flight was really long. There was a guy in the next section over playing Final Fantasy 3 (in Japanese) on his Nintendo DS Lite. At that very moment, I resolved that I had to get myself a Nintendo DS. I was somewhat concerned about the lack of a pink DS in the States because DS's are rather expensive in Japan as compared to the States. However, when I finally went on the internet and to the Toys 'R' Us site - pink! I am going to get it today. On a side note, the DS will prove usefull - there is a game that serves as a denshi jisho. Until I scrape the money to get the real thing, it will do for now.

Regardless, I couldn't sleep. Too excited and was still suffering from my cold. Detroit was well, Detroit. Gray and industrial. Our flight was delayed because of baggage issues from connecting flights and I landed at LGA at 4pm, a good 20 hours after I left Osaka. Flying to Japan is one thing. Flying to New York is quite another; with the jet lag, I think it's harder to come stateside than it is to go to Japan. It is now 5am here in NYC and I am still jet-lagged.

I met up with Mel at the airport - so happy! We drove back to my house - I live 10 minutes away from LGA - and Mel didn't park the car in the driveway. My mom tends to look out the front window when she hears a car pull in and we didn't want her to see any vestiges of me. So I sort of had to duck as I went to the basement door (the entry to the garage and the basement outside slopes downward. Mel and I entered quietly and then we began to make our way upstairs.

Mel: (coming through the basement door) Can I give you my present now?
Mom: Sure! (Goes out of kitchen into dining room to get Mel's gift, returns to kitchen) Oh my GOD!
Me: Hello! I come from Japan, bearing gifts and a cold.

My parents were totally shocked. They had NO CLUE. As in, my dad was in disbelief for a few good hours and still laughing about it and my mom nearly had a heart attack and said it was a good thing she wasn't holding anything.

Pretty much, anyone in my circle under the age of 30 (with the exception of Mel's parents, as we asked his mom for help in finding a plane ticket) knew. My mom called her friend Katherine who is Ellie's mom:

Mom: Katherine. Ask Ellie if she knows anything about my Christmas present.
Katherine (calls over to Ellie): What's this about Helen's Christmas present?
Ellie: I dunno.
Katherine (turns to mom): What are you talking about?
Mom: Ask Ellie if she knows about Maria.
Katherine (turns to Ellie): What's this about Maria? isn't she in Korea?
Ellie: Um, no. She is in Astoria.

I even called my relatives in Florida and they were shocked too. My mom is going to have the best story to tell at work; like I mentioned, she told all her coworkers (as they like to keep updated on my status) that I was going to Korea.

Got them!

Over the Ocean and Across the Continent...

...to my parent's house we go!

One important thing about this blog entry:

I am not publishing this until December 24, 2006. My mom reads this blog and thus, publishing this on the date when I begin this journey of 6000+ miles and my American Express card doing some tough exercise to the tune of about $1400 entirely defeats the purpose of being on my parent's doorstep on December 24, ringing the doorbell and saying "Yoo-hoo! Guess who is here?" in a high-pitched, grandmother-ly voice (which, I think, is hilarious). Or, I can come up through the basement, and then just APPEAR in the living room.

Oh, the options and elements of surprise. I just hope I don't give my parents heart attacks.

(Note: Obviously, this is going to be a LONG entry. You were warned.)

November 21, 2006: Operation - Surprise the Parents

It all began with the following premise: I have two weeks off at the end of December. Before I came to Japan, I was exploring my options of what I will do over the holiday break, which I probably have sketched out in previous entries. To clarify:

1) Go to Hong Kong with Deena

OR

2) Go to Philippines with Mel.

Over the course of my first two months in Japan, another option presented itself, because a ticket to Hong Kong is $1300 from Osaka (WTF?!?!?!?!?):

3) Mel comes visit me in Japan.

The idea of visiting Deena in Korea over Xmas was nil, precisely because I have those 6 weeks off between Kyoto Uni and Ritsumeikan Uni. So I knew I was going to Korea in February or March. Hong Kong was out because of the ticket price; I found an amazing hotel that was reasonably priced from The Frugal Traveler column in the NYTimes so that was ok to go, as Jodie Foster would say. However, since I did not know when my vacation was exactly (and neither did Deena hers), I couldn't make any travel plans before I came to Japan (when tickets would have been cheaper). So, bye bye Hong Kong. I'll visit it through Wong Kar Wai movies for the moment, even if they do take place in the 60's.

Obviously, I did not want to just sit on my butt during the holidays. Yeah, I know "OMG, COME ON you are in Kyoto! Celebrate it Japanese style!"

I got a year and a half here. Don't worry. There is still another October-March set come next year. So I get two chances to see pretty autumn leaves and two chances to see the temple bells ring 108 times at New Year. Besides, I am coercing the familia (that is my parents, Leah and probably Mel, if he can) to come HERE for Xmas and New Year '07, as opposed to my mom and sister coming in spring '07. I want my dad to come too and since he runs the ice cream truck in the spring and summer, he isn't able to travel for extended periods of time during the hot months. We go out when it rains. It's a quirk of the family. All families have quirks.

Quirkiness aside, the idea of Mel coming to Kyoto was slowly being put on the back burner because of this revelation and another option:

4) It is cheaper for me to come home than for Mel to come to Japan,

SO...

I will come home for two weeks. Specifically, 17 days.

It's holiday season in the U.S. In Japan, people go back home for New Year (remember the inaka from your lessons!) and Christmas is more of a couples holiday. So travel is normal, not crazy. Hence, ticket prices aren't unreasonable.

And besides! Nothing kicks butt more than Christmas in New York. I have been to Times Square on New Year's twice already. It rocks. And I still need to go ice skating in either Rockefeller Center or Central Park's Wollman Rink. Last time I went skating, I was 5 years old at the Queens rink. There is a video of me, going around on my toepicks and whining the whole time. Oh, the embarrasing memories.

I had mentioned in passing to my mom (gotta love Skype) that I am considering coming home, but I haven't brought up the subject again. Since she knows that it's too expensive for Mel to come to Japan, I told Mel, Deena and my sister (who I told that I wanted to surprise the 'rents) that I am going to KOREA. To visit DEENA. NO NYC.

So now, I am in the process of finding my ticket. Mel is better at searching than me, so he was able to get the Osaka-Detroit-NYC and vice versa; I was getting results that would have me either in a 12 hour layover in Honolulu going to NYC (via Minneapolis, so then it would be two connections), or an overnight layover in Columbus going back to Kyoto (then Detroit, then Osaka so two connections again), and me losing out on time with the familia.

Granted, a 12-hour layover in Honolulu would be sweet. I was looking foward to getting a lei. But I would have arrived in NYC on December 24, at 10:30 am (at LGA which is like a hop skip and jump away from my house, but still). Yes, it makes the whole ambiance of "coming home for Christmas" very sweet, but no.

Need.To.Maximize.Time.In. NYC.

Hence, I am skipping class on January 5, a Friday. We have vacation from 12/23 to 1/4, but we come back on the 5th and THEN we have a three day weekend. They should have just given us the Friday off. Bah. I double-checked the requirements for that class, and since its just weekly quizzes and no midterm, I can skip safely. Plus I am going to tell my teacher; we had to write an essay in Japanese on our "O-Sho-Gatsu" (New Year) but for the kids from the US and Europe, New Year is just one big party where you're up all night then you pass out the next day (because you were up all night), she told us we can write about Christmas. I wrote two pages on Christmas in NYC, so I think I will be in the clear, as I got really nice comments about my essay.

Stay tuned - still need to get my ticket.

November 22, 2006: The Most Essential Piece for the Plan

I got my plane ticket. Or rather, Mel got the ticket for me and charged it on my credit card - I was on Skype when he did the whole thing. Unfortunately, I will not be arriving on the 23 of December as originally planned, but on the 24th. Nonetheless, there are two upshots:

1) ticket is $100 cheaper

and

2) I do not have crazy layovers lasting more than 12 hours. This is a neat and tidy KIX-DTW-LGA and LGA-DTW-KIX plane ticket.

So, turns out I will be surprising my parents on Christmas Eve. However, I will not jump out of a box, as someone (I won't mention who) hysterically mentioned.

I'm still debating on just coming up through the basement (point being, totally shock them by just simply acting as I would if I was already in the house, leading to the reaction of "Where did you come from?!?!?") or ring the doorbell. Unfortunately, I cannot take a poll on this, as it will spoil the surprise.

Think, think, think. As Winnie-the-Pooh would say.

November 29, 2006: Of Bed-Lifts and Coercion

I was complaining to my mom about how the curtains in Japan are ridiculously expensive (4000 YEN A PANEL?!?! WTF?!?!) or this cheap crap from the 100yen shop that will fall apart within a week. I got curtains for now (lime green and totally clashes with the pink and brown motif of my apartment, but I need them for now), being that I know that when I go home, a trip to Ikea is in order. My mom was going to send me a care package anyways with cereal (as in right proper Corn Pops, Costco size!) bed sheet set, etc. because she is a mom, and was clamoring for my new address.

I then told her my fib: "Ma, don't send me anything. I am going to Korea to visit Deena for about a week so if you send me anything, I probably won't be home to accept it. So mail me the stuff AFTER the Christmas break."

She totally bought it. Even asked me when I was going to go - "Oh, December 24th so I can be there Xmas Eve and all," was what I said. Haha. I am going to be flying in her direction the 24th.

But I almost let it out. Instead of just a mattress, I might be buying a bed frame and keeping that bed unit thing up against the wall, since the mattresses at Muji and Nitori (Japanese version of Ikea) don't fit the unit's bed frame exaclty. However, if my futon mattress fits in the part that is slightly sunken in so that the mattress will lie plumb with the frame and won't sink, then I will get just the mattress. Maybe.

Point is, I was looking at bed lifts (you know, the ones college kids use to raise the beds in the dorms so that they have extra storage underneath) and I told my mom as I was explaining my mattress problems, "I am looking at Bed Bath and Beyond right now so that I can buy bed lifts to raise the bed frame...which you are going to have to ship to me in January." OoOoO, I almost left her hanging there.

And I think I will go with the coming-through-the-basement route. Cat told me that when she surprised her parents on Columbus day, she just walked into the living room and since her mother wasn't expecting anything, the look on her face was priceless. I will probably get the same reaction if I ring the doorbell, but I think coming up the stairs in my slippers and with a "Ho-hum, what's for dinner?" attitude, the reaction will be even better.

December 3, 2006: A 25-Day Late Cake

I am still going to have a cake, but in NYC. I’m thinking that Mel and I will celebrate our birthday’s together, as his is on December 31. And I will go out with the girls as well so not only do I get to see them but I also go out for my birthday. 25 days late but who is counting?

December 16, 2006: SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!!!

I really need to shut up. I almost let it out to my mom on two separate occasions. However, according to Leah, the parents are totally oblvivious - even though we got 4 tickets to go see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. My mom found out about that; she was planning to go to Florida after Xmas and Leah was like NO!

Mom: "Why?"
Leah: "Because...oh drat, we got you and daddy tickets to Phantom of the Opera."
Mom: "OoOoO...Daddy is going to love that! But why four?"
Leah:".......Mel is coming too!"

December 23, 2006: Subbering brom a Stubbed Ub Dose

I was reading over this blog, checking for spelling mistakes because I am a horrible typer. I noticed that I wrote that I would come up from the basement in my slippers - but I don't wear slippers at home.

Point is, I wear slippers in Japan because everyone does. Shows that I am getting used the Japanese lifestyle here.

Nonetheless, I return home to the States a sick person. My parents will be recieving an "Ill Maria" for Christmas.

It never fails. Almost ever December/Janaury, I get sick. I have been taking Vitamin C pills, using Purell, washing my hands AND I live in a country where people wear face masks when they are sick so they don't get the people around them sick. My immune system is WEAK. Boo, immune system.

On Thursday night, I felt the all too familiar tinglings of a sore throat. All too familiar because I have a LONG and extensive history with them, especially as a child. I was in a bit of a panic, because I didn't want to get any worse - anyone remember when I had the abcessed (sp?) tonsil before I came to London? I didn't want to get any more sick than I was.

So, Friday morning, I hightailed it to the doctor at the health center. He probably thought I was a paranoid American pill-popper. Seriously - the first question that my flatmate asked me back in England was, "Are all Americans pill poppers?"

It's not that I am a pill popper. It's that I have a history of bad sore throats. Do I want to get any worse? Plus, I have over 24 hours of traveling ahead of me. Thank god I was able to get an aisle seat at least.

Cost of session with doctor and prescriptions: 320 yen. Awesome. I got medicine for 4 days. One of the medicines is actually this salty powedered stuff - heaven help customs if they try to take that away from me. My prescriptions don't come in the standard bottle that they have in the States with the printed label, its just in an official little envelope bag with my name (in katakana) and indicating how long the medicine is for and how many times a day I have to take it (3x, with food). My pills are Mucosolvan anyone heard of it? I googled it before I took it and apparently, its one of the most common medicines in the world used for coughs and colds. Go figure, I don't know it because the FDA hasn't approved it yet.

Good thing is that within a day or too the tingling was gone. Preventative measures worked! So now I have just a cold. My mom just noticed on Skype so I had to admit that I had a small cold, which is nothing major anyway. Just that sore throat thing worried me.

So my bags are packed, I'm ready to go, and I'm standing here in the airport with a lot of packets of tissues in hand. My mom is totally clueless. She told her coworkers at work that I am going to Korea for Christmas. The only people that know I am coming are a few friends (both college and family), Mel and Leah. None of my relatives know, and none of the relatives of my family friends (which are like family) know.

Tee-hee. EVERYONE is going to be surprised.

"Hi - achoo! - I'm home!"

People! Visit Me! That's an Order!

Japanese Lesson #5:

Ginkakuji: The Silver Pavillion (that is not really Silver, since they ran outta money back in the day to make it silver plated, as a contrast to Kinkakuji).
Momiji: Japanese maple trees, when they turn vibrant colors that are even better than the trees in New England.

Because I was lazy last week, I had neglected to mention one very important thing.

I had visitors!

This is I hope the first round of many. To the college mates - you can stay with me!
(And that means you Elisa, even if you have to take a sedative to survive the flight.)

:::My audience scratches their heads - Already? You have been there less than a month!:::

Not just any visitors. Cool visitors, to be exact.

My Aunt Stella and Uncle George came from Greece. They aren't really my aunt an uncle by blood, that is - Uncle George is my dad's best friend from childhood, and he has known me since I was born. They used to visit alot when I was younger, but the last time I saw them was back in 2002, when I went to Greece with my mom and my sister.

They were in Okayama for a conference (Uncle George is a biochemist, so he is another academic hero of mine, even though it is totally different fields) so they decided to come to Kyoto for a few days after the conference. Total coincidence - they knew I got the scholarship to Japan, but they didn't know what city I was in or when I was going. Through the grapevine that is known as "The Family in Thessaloniki," they found out that I was in Kyoto the same time that they were going to visit. So Uncle George emailed me and we set up a time to meet up last Monday.

It was fun. I took them to the tonkatsu restaurant that Deena and I went to on my second day in Kyoto (the one at Kyoto Station - it's SOO good! I am going to take EVERYONE there) and they enjoyed it alot. Uncle George and Aunt Stella like to take alot of pictures; if that is one thing that I remember growing up it's that I had alot of pictures with them whenever they visited.

I told them what's going on with me (engaged, scholarship, plans for grad school, etc. etc.) and updated on the "NYC Family." On Tuesday I didn't meet up with them since they went sightseeing all day, but on Wednesday, we went to Ginkakuji before my class at 1pm.

The landscaping of Ginkakuji is gorgeous. Very Zen-like. Uncle George didn't like it because it wasn't like Kinkakuji. However, at Ginkakuji, I can get a more serene feeling out of it. Maybe because it wasn't sivler, so it was more "in harmony" with the natural surroundings. The silver plating would make it stand out ALOT.

Still, I plan to visit both places after a good snow. I saw pictures and it's gorgeous, so I hope to see it for real. And in the fall when the momiji turn colors and in the spring for "Sakura Madness." It's still very warm here - 70 degrees!! - so the leaves haven't changed yet.