Day with Mitsue

The pic above is of me at Yonago Train Station at 5am, Jeremy and I decided to take some funny pics...
I had a great lesson with Mitsue today, we took a hike outside at a nearby trail up a mountain. It was quite beautiful, and at the top we could see the surrounding mountain range and the Sea of Japan on the other side. It was a lot of fun hiking with her because we spoke in Japanese most of the time, except when I had a story I couldn't tell in Japanese. We talked a lot about family and I learned a lot more about her. She is going to Paris in a few months and wants to get into walking shape for her adventure. She goes abroad once a year with her husband and has been lucky enough to see most of the world. After the hike we went back to her house and I showed her pictures of the family. I forgot my camera at my apartment so I couldn't take any pics....shoot. I'll get a picture of my Sensei up soon though.

Mitsue also told me of an opportunity to volunteer once a week at a day care for kids with disabilities. I would be teaching them English after my lesson with Mitsue and it will be very convenient because the day care is right across the street from her house. I am excited to volunteer and help out these kids who otherwise would not have the opportunity to learn English.
After that I went home and packed for Tokyo!
I am off to Tokyo on Thursday, so get ready to see some amazing pictures soon!
JB

Teaching and More Teaching

I have been pretty busy over the last two weeks at work and haven't really been able or willing to do my usual exploring. I am excited because in ten days I will be on a Bullet Train headed for Tokyo. I don't know exactly what Jeremy and I will do once we get there, but I do know that it is going to be awesome. We are going to visit the famous Nikko Shrine where Ieyasu Tokugawa is buried, of the Tokugawa Shogunate. I love learning about Japanese history because it is so long and interesting. Samurais, Shoguns, Ninjas, Geishas, Temples and Shrines. The list goes on and to be able to go to such an interesting place is going to be awesome. In Tokyo we are going to do the tourist thing, go to Tokyo Tower (Japan's Eiffel Tower) and Asakusa Temple, and the famous Electronic District where robots walk around...not really but the most amazing technology in the world can be found there. I am also looking forward to seeing the busy streets and subways. We are also going to meet some of my friends from Fukushima there, I am so excited because these people are so much fun. Jeremy and I got hotel rooms in the middle of Shibuya which is like the Times Square of Tokyo. It should be a good time. Until then, I am not doing much, just working like usual and hanging out.
This weekend Jeremy DJed at the local club that we go to, it was a good time because our friends from Yonago came and this other Foreign band played. I also met some really nice Japanese girls and talked to them for like an hour in Japanese.
I had a nice lesson with Mitsue today, as usual it was a lot of fun and she made me some pancakes. Except they don't use Maple Syrup here, they use honey or jam. The honey was good, but it made me think of my mom's delicious pancakes and how I could really go for a stack. As usual I miss everyone and have to give a shout out to my guy Dahm for sending a nice birthday package filled with Candy.
I might not post again until Tokyo, so until then.
JB

Cherry Blossoms are awesome.

So this past week was a little hectic at work, but I was rewarded this weekend with the amazingly beautiful Cherry Blossoms (Sakura). They come out for about one week each year and they are spectacular. I have never appreciated trees so much until I saw the amazing Cherry Blossoms in full bloom this weekend. I am a person who loves trees, just ask my family about my favorite boy time hobby, climbing trees.
Jeremy and I went to Mt. Kyusho on Sunday at about 3 pm. They have a festival all weekend to celebrate the Cherry Blossoms. We found a spot to hang and we chilled for about 3 hours. After that we moved to this giant wall on the Mountain and watched the sunset, a little gay, but it was beautiful. I listened to relaxing music as I took the Cherry Blossoms in. It was probably the most relaxing thing I've ever done.
The next day we went and had a picnic under the Cherry Blossoms. This is called "Hanami" and it is a lot of fun. We went to this local river that is lined with Cherry Blossoms and sat under a tree and ate dinner. We drank sake, listened to music and exchanged stories. Jeremy and his friend Todd are hilarious, they are big time video game nerds. I have a hard time relating because the only video games I play are COD and sports games. Jeremy enjoys listening to Video Game soundtracks, it is too funny. Anyways the Cherry Blossoms are beautiful and it was a true pleasure to experience them this weekend.
Tottori is a beautiful place, but the Cherry Blossoms made it a wonderland this weekend. They are literally everywhere you go, they turn a normal street into heaven. Staring down at the Cherry Blossoms from Mt. Kyusho made me feel like I was looking down at clouds, that is how beautiful and fluffy they look.
Another things that I did this weekend was to purchase a Bullet Train ticket to TOKYO! Jeremy and I will be heading there at the end of the month and I am so excited. We are going to visit Nikko (my favorite Japanese Temple), climb Mt. Fuji and party it up in Tokyo. I can't wait!
Enjoy the photos, for the complete album go to facebook, and until next time....PEACE!

John Kelly Kennedy Budge (my older students laugh at my long name)