Ok SO here is a brief account of the camp I went to with my first year junior high students. It was a two day venture up to Norikura in the north of Nagano ken. We stayed in lodge and took a few classes on the first day. The classes were about how to dye fabric in the traditional manner, how to make sausages (half hour lecture on the history of sausages included, yawn), weaving and flower arranging. It was interesting enough. At lunch I ate with the boys and they climbed a wall for a while. It was good to get to talk to the boys for a while in a setting out side of class. Many of the boys in the first year class are very shy to speak. It is difficult for them to get to know me so this was a good chance. I spoke a little Japanese to them and they spoke a little English in return. It was a good exchange. That night we built fires and then cooked dinner on them. Then we had a giant bonfire and folkdance session, capped off with the dispensing of fire works and sparklers for all the kids. We could never have done this at home. It violated about 3 million health and safety rules. We lit the fire by tying a wired to the wood and the other end to a tree on the hill. Then they lit a bag of gasoline and slide it down the wire thus igniting the already gas soaked wood. It was a delightfully primitive feeling!
After this we had a very late staff meeting to discuss what trouble the kids got into and plans for the next day. Then we had a late night hall duty. We didn’t go to bed until 4 in the morning and then we had to get up at 5:30 for calisthenics and garbage clean up. I was not wearing a happy face for that I’ll tell you! If fact I would more accurately describe myself as surly. After that we had a cold breakfast that included sausage, egg, corn soup and salad. I wasn’t in the mood for it though. I was feeling to cranky and tired. Then we headed off up the mountain for a lovely hike in the rain and wind for about an hour or so. We got to the top but couldn’t see anything because we were standing in a cloud. It was still snowy up there. It was a nice bit of activity though. Then we drove back down and the kids caught fish from a slightly drained stocked pond. This was followed by gutting and cooking. It took 100 kids a long time to catch enough fish for lunch even in a stocked pond. Then we headed back to the school for a closing ceremony and welcome back tea followed by an enkai later that night. And that in a nutshell was camping. I learned a bit more Japanese and read a good book.
After this, I headed down to a few high school festivals in Kiso. The students did a bunch of ensemble dancing and singing, along with photography shows and the like. At the second school there was a complete recreation of Thriller by Michael Jackson. It was really cool! His reputation hasn’t been nearly as damaged here as Europe and North America. After sitting in an absolutely sweltering gym for several hours, Dec and I went for a swim in a very cold river. It was incredibly hot in those couple of days so it was nice to spend about an hour in melted snow. We went out for dinner at that swank Italian place in Kiso Fukoshima and then I headed for home around midnight.
On Sunday morning I headed to Tokyo for the long awaited arrive of my mom! It was a quite a thing to see her again after a year. We both cried at the airport. It took a while to get back into the city and get to our Ryoken. The map I had was complete crap and everyone we asked for directions gave a different response. We found it in the end though because the host came racing out t us on his bike and directed us the rest of the way. We dropped our things and grabbed some dinner at an izakaiya. I thought it was important that she eat a big fish as soon as possible. We had a beer which impaired her chopstick use but overall she was quite skilled ofr a new comer! I was impressed. So was the random Japanese guy we were eating with. It was good to just chill out and watch a baseball game. The next day, torrential rains began and they lasted until today. I never experienced rain like this. It has not let up for four days now. Tom’s school and many area roads and highways were closed due to flooding. Apparently some houses washed away in the rain in our neighbouring town of Okaya. It is in more of a valley than Shiojiri so the water tends to pool. The rain finally stopped this afternoon and the sun came out for about an hour. That is over now though and a dark sky has returned. I am not sure really what to plan to take mom to see now because it isn’t much fun to wander about in the rain. We will make a trip up to Nagano city soon but I think we will spend most of out time hitting the local festivals. I really love festival time. I think she should see Kyoto and Tokyo also but we will see if the weather co-operates. She wants to do her own update on her early impressions of Japan so I will not say anymore about what we have been up to. I will say how ever, thst since it has been raining, she used a day and half to clean and organise my house and garden. This was much needed but not my area of interest or expertise. Yes, I'm just lazy. There is a before and after of the garden and the newly organised shelves in the kitchen. Sweet Pea ha also been allowed back in the house based on her sympathy vote. Your not getting any sympathy from me, so don't even try it Sweetie Pea!