Elena Meets Japan
Last Wednesday we picked up Elena from the airport. It was funny to see someone we know from the States all the way over here. It was really unexpected in a way. Cristina and I were waiting for her in the airport and I was the one that spotted her first. She has cut her hair and dyed it red. It really suits her. Actually, now she looks even more like her mom in this picture that they have in their house. The resemblance is truly uncanny (except for the height). We picked her up and were surprised to see her with two 70 pound bags. She kept on telling us that one was just full of stuff for us, but somehow I found that hard to believe. In any case, we lugged her luggage into my funny looking Kei-car and took her to the restaurant I was taken to when I first arrived. It is really traditional and specializes in noodles like udon and soba.
After being lost for a while on the way back from the restaurant, we finally made it home. Elena was charmed by Cristina’s humble abode and quickly settled in. She opened her bags and indeed one had been completely full of things for us. It seems that we have the Cuban supermarket of Sedano’s in our kitchen now. We will use some of it to introduce the Katos on this Saturday to the tantalizing and exotic taste (at least for them) of Cuban cooking.
On Thursday, we took Elena to meet the Katos. They were excited to see, meet her and introduce her to some Japanese culture and food. As always, their cooking and hospitality was amazing. We also got to play with 1-year-old Yume before she returned to Okinawa with Kokoro. Although Yume was hit like always, I believe the true hit of the night was Elena’s frequent tastings of the squid caught in the Uchinoura Bay. Since foreigners in the past have not liked squid, they assumed that she wouldn’t either. They were also surprised that she likes mochi (sticky rice thing) just like her older sister.
Friday I was in a bit of a panic. I had spent the past two weeks planning for this bonfire party in the secluded beach of Hetsuka. My main concern was actually that there was not going to be enough wood to last the entire night. In any case, I went there after school to mark the hard to find roads with inflated rubber animals and some cones. After arriving on the beach, I set up our tent and began to gather some more drift wood and dig a pit for the bonfire. Jill arrived early with a back seat and trunk full of wood that we had spent gathering the entire week prior. As we were lugging that down, Cristina arrived with Elena and some more supplies and helped gather some more wood. Before we know it, the beach is filled with over 20 more guests that are setting up their tents. As darkness began to fall, we lit the fire. At that moment, I felt proud. Those two years in the Cub Scouts had really paid off. I had made shelter and fire for me, my woman and countless others…. GRUNT, GRUNT, GRUNT. Everybody had a great time and kept on thanking me. People had their laughs, kebabs and plenty of marshmallow s’mores. I, on the other hand, had too much beer and passed out just a little past midnight. Apparently, on the way back from putting me in my tent, that’s when it happened. Heather saw a someone passed out a bit further up on the beach. Alarmed, some people went a bit closer to it. Was it a dead body? Someone who we missed? IT was a sea turtle. Bona fide ginormous, barnacle-backed loggerhead sea turtle. I got to see the pictures and I guess that I can go back to the beach to see it again if I want. However, I was really bummed and had to settle for seeing the tracks the next day. The turtle had dug a pit, but did not lay any eggs. According to Fergus who knows about these things, it was a practice round. They do not begin to lay eggs until next month. I have to remember to tell my elementary schools that I want to go with them to collect them and help them tend to their hatchery. I also want to be part of the release in mid-August.
Saturday morning was pretty much spent sunbathing. Some people played by the shore, but the waves were very dangerous. At about noon, we packed up camp and I am proud to say that we left it cleaner than how we found it. Later that afternoon, we went to Tarumizu for a gallery opening of one of the ALT’s husband who had been to the bonfire the previous night. If you want to check it out, his site is www.scrapingby.com.
Sunday, we took Elena to Kanoya to introduce her to 100 yen shopping, purikura (print club) and the Blue Bird Tea Room.
After being lost for a while on the way back from the restaurant, we finally made it home. Elena was charmed by Cristina’s humble abode and quickly settled in. She opened her bags and indeed one had been completely full of things for us. It seems that we have the Cuban supermarket of Sedano’s in our kitchen now. We will use some of it to introduce the Katos on this Saturday to the tantalizing and exotic taste (at least for them) of Cuban cooking.
On Thursday, we took Elena to meet the Katos. They were excited to see, meet her and introduce her to some Japanese culture and food. As always, their cooking and hospitality was amazing. We also got to play with 1-year-old Yume before she returned to Okinawa with Kokoro. Although Yume was hit like always, I believe the true hit of the night was Elena’s frequent tastings of the squid caught in the Uchinoura Bay. Since foreigners in the past have not liked squid, they assumed that she wouldn’t either. They were also surprised that she likes mochi (sticky rice thing) just like her older sister.
Friday I was in a bit of a panic. I had spent the past two weeks planning for this bonfire party in the secluded beach of Hetsuka. My main concern was actually that there was not going to be enough wood to last the entire night. In any case, I went there after school to mark the hard to find roads with inflated rubber animals and some cones. After arriving on the beach, I set up our tent and began to gather some more drift wood and dig a pit for the bonfire. Jill arrived early with a back seat and trunk full of wood that we had spent gathering the entire week prior. As we were lugging that down, Cristina arrived with Elena and some more supplies and helped gather some more wood. Before we know it, the beach is filled with over 20 more guests that are setting up their tents. As darkness began to fall, we lit the fire. At that moment, I felt proud. Those two years in the Cub Scouts had really paid off. I had made shelter and fire for me, my woman and countless others…. GRUNT, GRUNT, GRUNT. Everybody had a great time and kept on thanking me. People had their laughs, kebabs and plenty of marshmallow s’mores. I, on the other hand, had too much beer and passed out just a little past midnight. Apparently, on the way back from putting me in my tent, that’s when it happened. Heather saw a someone passed out a bit further up on the beach. Alarmed, some people went a bit closer to it. Was it a dead body? Someone who we missed? IT was a sea turtle. Bona fide ginormous, barnacle-backed loggerhead sea turtle. I got to see the pictures and I guess that I can go back to the beach to see it again if I want. However, I was really bummed and had to settle for seeing the tracks the next day. The turtle had dug a pit, but did not lay any eggs. According to Fergus who knows about these things, it was a practice round. They do not begin to lay eggs until next month. I have to remember to tell my elementary schools that I want to go with them to collect them and help them tend to their hatchery. I also want to be part of the release in mid-August.
Saturday morning was pretty much spent sunbathing. Some people played by the shore, but the waves were very dangerous. At about noon, we packed up camp and I am proud to say that we left it cleaner than how we found it. Later that afternoon, we went to Tarumizu for a gallery opening of one of the ALT’s husband who had been to the bonfire the previous night. If you want to check it out, his site is www.scrapingby.com.
Sunday, we took Elena to Kanoya to introduce her to 100 yen shopping, purikura (print club) and the Blue Bird Tea Room.
posted by Jesse Montano at
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