Sunday, November 8, 2009-

There are some experiences that aren’t necessarily fancy or extravagant or impressive, but they can be memories that you will look back on years later and realize that what made a weekend like this so memorable was simply the place and the people. On Saturday morning I hopped into my Rotary counselor’s (okay this part was fancy-pants) shiny new Mercedes-Benz car, and rode westward to the mountains. The tiny mountain village that we finally reached had the perfect name for our trip 秋山 = あきやま ＝ Akiyama = Autumn Mountain. The trees were turning a brilliant red and gold as it seems like Fall is lasting forever here in Japan, certainly much longer than back in Minnesota.

To put everything in brief: the current exchanges students in Tochigi, next year’s exchange students from Tochigi, and a mixture of Rotarians and Rotex (students who have been on exchange and are now back) all got together in these fantastic mountain cabins where we did nothing but chat, play games (including Bingo, icebreakers, and a crazy game involving flower and candy- just picture bobbing for apples but with tiny bits of candy in a bucket of flower! It’s not at all pleasant and in fact I think I inhaled flower and almost died, but to see everyone’s faces covered in white powder as they came up for air was absolutely hilarious!). I brought much of the American goodies that my aunt and uncle had sent me last week and it turned out pretty much everyone else had the same idea.

So it was easy for us to stay up WAY to late considering we had blood sugar off the charts and nothing to do but sit, laugh, eat, drink hot chocolate, and finally feel intimate with friends again! It was fantastic. This morning we also gave speeches about our countries in Japanese to next year’s students because soon they have to choose where they want to spend their own years. It’s a good thing a picture speaks a thousand words because I am sure my commentary left them wanting more! And now, with that in mind, enjoy these next several thousand words, because I’m just too wiped out…

Bingo with great prizes at the end. For example, a Hello Kitty hot water pouch, but I didn't win it

The crazy flower and candy game

Our awesome cabin and stash of junk food

Morning exercises. The Japanese love these. Nice scenery too, eh?

Just a cool sun rising in the mountains pic

These are the outsides of the cabins we slept in! Aren't they awesome? I couldn't believe we all fit!

LIE! Haha That was a joke above, these are the cabin we stayed in (as Anaïs and I are demonstrating with our shadows). The previous ones are also open to rent though, if you're up for a challenge!

(I've got even more pictures for you too look at below, see the next entry for today)