::bamboo for dinner:: http://bamboofordinner.blog.com Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:15:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 en hourly 1 it’s been awhile! http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/10/02/its-been-awhile/ http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/10/02/its-been-awhile/#comments Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:15:51 +0000 .katie.&.allie. I don't remember if I've said anything about the trip yet. Well, Saturday and Sunday will be spent with the 6th graders hiking on a mountain I am not quite sure the name of...I'll have to find that out. :)  I think the interns are on kitchen duty so we have to get up REALLY early to prepare their food(yikes!). 
Let me quickly fill you in on the events of this past week...
    Sunday- we went out to lunch with a lot of people at an amazing beef place and then a few of us went with Melissa to karaoke. It was absolutely amazing! Katie and I rocked out to a few songs and made everyone else rock out too!
    Monday- same ole, same ole
    Tuesday-yep, yep
    Wednesday- we went to a Japanese baseball game! It was quite an adventure--the score was 17-0(we lost) :(. Definitely not the most exciting game I've been to :) We walked around a bit during the game and after browsing all of their options for food and getting more than our share of stares, we opted for KFC...a great choice in Japan, huh? There were about 50 people from Meysen at the game so that was really fun because we basically had our own cheering section!
    Thursday(Today)- Mt. Zao was on the agenda for today. We drove about an hour and a half away to this crater up in the mountains that was absolutely gorgeous! It was reaaallly cold up there so in all of the pictures we look frozen...We stopped at a couple more overlooks on the way back before heading home for a nap. 
Well, I think I am all caught up--sorry it isn't more interesting...Gotta go take more vitamins now!
]]> Okay, I know it has been awhile since I posted last, but Katie and I are starting to get sick so all of our spare time is spent taking vitamins and sleeping! A lot of the kids in the classes are sick so we probably got it from one them. I am hoping we get better before the trip this weekend…

I don’t remember if I’ve said anything about the trip yet. Well, Saturday and Sunday will be spent with the 6th graders hiking on a mountain I am not quite sure the name of…I’ll have to find that out. :)  I think the interns are on kitchen duty so we have to get up REALLY early to prepare their food(yikes!). 
Let me quickly fill you in on the events of this past week…
    Sunday- we went out to lunch with a lot of people at an amazing beef place and then a few of us went with Melissa to karaoke. It was absolutely amazing! Katie and I rocked out to a few songs and made everyone else rock out too!
    Monday- same ole, same ole
    Tuesday-yep, yep
    Wednesday- we went to a Japanese baseball game! It was quite an adventure–the score was 17-0(we lost) :(. Definitely not the most exciting game I’ve been to :) We walked around a bit during the game and after browsing all of their options for food and getting more than our share of stares, we opted for KFC…a great choice in Japan, huh? There were about 50 people from Meysen at the game so that was really fun because we basically had our own cheering section!
    Thursday(Today)- Mt. Zao was on the agenda for today. We drove about an hour and a half away to this crater up in the mountains that was absolutely gorgeous! It was reaaallly cold up there so in all of the pictures we look frozen…We stopped at a couple more overlooks on the way back before heading home for a nap. 
Well, I think I am all caught up–sorry it isn’t more interesting…Gotta go take more vitamins now!
]]> http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/10/02/its-been-awhile/feed/ Video show and lots of food. http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/28/video-show-and-lots-of-food/ http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/28/video-show-and-lots-of-food/#comments Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:25:35 +0000 .katie.&.allie. Today we are going to yet another church because the one that is English/Japanese is going to be in all Japanese this morning. I guess a bunch of the teachers/staff at Meysen meet every once in a while so we will all meet this morning and have English church. After church we'll probably go somewhere for lunch and then hit up the karaoke joint...it should be amazing! Melissa leaves tomorrow so it is our last chance to do it with her...:( 
Now that the temperature is getting down to 60 during the day, Katie and I are having to bundle up...just take a look at the pics! :) We have had so much fun here so far--I don't know how we'll go back to normal life after this. Well, I guess Katie has already done it once, but it will definitely be hard. 
Next weekend we are going on a trip with the 6th graders to a mountain for some hiking, marshmallow roasting, and early rising...we can't wait! (Well, we can wait for the getting up early part, but it's all a package so we can't complain!)
Alright, have a fabulous day--more soon. 
]]> Well, that was what we did yesterday. Katie and I helped out at their video show event all day yesterday and they served dinner…so, of course we got to chow after it was all over and we definitely ate waaayyy too much. If either of us had any hopes of losing weight on this trip, those definitely got shot down last night! :) 

Today we are going to yet another church because the one that is English/Japanese is going to be in all Japanese this morning. I guess a bunch of the teachers/staff at Meysen meet every once in a while so we will all meet this morning and have English church. After church we’ll probably go somewhere for lunch and then hit up the karaoke joint…it should be amazing! Melissa leaves tomorrow so it is our last chance to do it with her…:( 
Now that the temperature is getting down to 60 during the day, Katie and I are having to bundle up…just take a look at the pics! :) We have had so much fun here so far–I don’t know how we’ll go back to normal life after this. Well, I guess Katie has already done it once, but it will definitely be hard. 
Next weekend we are going on a trip with the 6th graders to a mountain for some hiking, marshmallow roasting, and early rising…we can’t wait! (Well, we can wait for the getting up early part, but it’s all a package so we can’t complain!)
Alright, have a fabulous day–more soon. 
]]> http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/28/video-show-and-lots-of-food/feed/ Catching up http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/26/catching-up/ http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/26/catching-up/#comments Fri, 26 Sep 2008 04:47:34 +0000 .katie.&.allie. I know I am not supposed to have favorites, but....:) Luke, Tim, and Zachary are probably the cutest ones of the bunch! I pretended I was the cookie monster the other day and by the end of playtime my voice was completely gone, but it was definitely worth it. Now they all say "Hello, Cookie Monster!" whenever they see me and it's so cute! 
Katie and I have been doing a lot of office work in the afternoons--FC is having their open house soon and the teachers have to prepare for that-- and one of the jobs we have to do is make a kite that a) flies and b) the kids can make...that has been fun/annoying at the same time. We both love making and flying kites--who wouldn't love going back to when they were 5?-- but no matter what we do we cannot figure out how to make anything fly. So...if you have any ideas on kite-making your insight would be much appreciated! 
I don't really know what you want to hear about, but if you could give me some ideas on what to post here that would also be awesome. 
--Okay, so Katie and I have both decided that instead of consuming alcoholic beverages at the end of the day, we have a new alternative--lemonade and chocolate. Which, by the way, we are running low on both so if you are feeling extra generous, feel free to send some over the ocean(which would also be much appreciated :) 
Something, according to Katie, that is "blog worthy" is the absolutely amazing fruit stand/store that we made today at work. The new unit that all the kids are starting is working on learning their fruits and vegetables so Katie and I were given the task of creating a store made out of a cardboard box. I know, it sounds...really bad, but we will take a picture of it for you so you can experience our day with us. It is a work of art if we do say so ourselves! :)
Some great inside jokes--
    -will it get cold?
    -if it wasn't wrong, I'd take a picture (Katie)
    -It stinks and it's hot in here. It probably stinks because it's hot. You stink, 'cause you're hot! 
Well, I know you don't understand any of those, but it is really entertaining to write them down and share them with someone else! 
Okay, so Katie has yet to write on here, but tonight was from her as well...she helped me write most of this because I am so out of it. 

Cheers,
Katie and Allie (or Arrie) 
]]> I am currently listening to some gorgeous music so I am feeling quite inspired. Sorry I haven’t posted in a while…it is quite crazy here! When we’re not working, we are catching up on sleep or eating chocolate so it’s hard to find time to write and inform you of the happenings in our lives. 

I know I am not supposed to have favorites, but….:) Luke, Tim, and Zachary are probably the cutest ones of the bunch! I pretended I was the cookie monster the other day and by the end of playtime my voice was completely gone, but it was definitely worth it. Now they all say “Hello, Cookie Monster!” whenever they see me and it’s so cute! 
Katie and I have been doing a lot of office work in the afternoons–FC is having their open house soon and the teachers have to prepare for that– and one of the jobs we have to do is make a kite that a) flies and b) the kids can make…that has been fun/annoying at the same time. We both love making and flying kites–who wouldn’t love going back to when they were 5?– but no matter what we do we cannot figure out how to make anything fly. So…if you have any ideas on kite-making your insight would be much appreciated! 
I don’t really know what you want to hear about, but if you could give me some ideas on what to post here that would also be awesome. 
–Okay, so Katie and I have both decided that instead of consuming alcoholic beverages at the end of the day, we have a new alternative–lemonade and chocolate. Which, by the way, we are running low on both so if you are feeling extra generous, feel free to send some over the ocean(which would also be much appreciated :) 
Something, according to Katie, that is “blog worthy” is the absolutely amazing fruit stand/store that we made today at work. The new unit that all the kids are starting is working on learning their fruits and vegetables so Katie and I were given the task of creating a store made out of a cardboard box. I know, it sounds…really bad, but we will take a picture of it for you so you can experience our day with us. It is a work of art if we do say so ourselves! :)
Some great inside jokes–
    -will it get cold?
    -if it wasn’t wrong, I’d take a picture (Katie)
    -It stinks and it’s hot in here. It probably stinks because it’s hot. You stink, ’cause you’re hot! 
Well, I know you don’t understand any of those, but it is really entertaining to write them down and share them with someone else! 
Okay, so Katie has yet to write on here, but tonight was from her as well…she helped me write most of this because I am so out of it. 

Cheers,
Katie and Allie (or Arrie) 
]]> http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/26/catching-up/feed/ link to pics http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/20/link-to-pics/ http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/20/link-to-pics/#comments Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:44:45 +0000 .katie.&.allie.
photobucket.com/ithinkiamturningjapanese

enjoy! 

p.s. there aren't very many yet so don't get too excited!
]]> ok, so they’re not in chronological order, but that would have taken forever so from now on I’ll try to put them that way for those of you who are OCD or CDO or whatever…:) 

photobucket.com/ithinkiamturningjapanese

enjoy! 

p.s. there aren’t very many yet so don’t get too excited!
]]> http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/20/link-to-pics/feed/ our.adventure. http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/20/ouradventure/ http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/20/ouradventure/#comments Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:01:36 +0000 .katie.&.allie. After getting back to our apartments we rode straight to dinner and then ate some amazing jamocha coffee ice cream at Baskin Robbins. I am going to attempt to put some pics up now, but we'll see how it works out. :) 

]]> that pretty much explains it. we had a fabulous adventure today which involved biking 22 miles seeing a waterfall and eating Baskin Robbins–it made out for an amazing day. Two of the teachers, Sara and Kevin, took us with them on a beautiful bike ride to a waterfall that was definitely worth the ride! I am sore in many places I didn’t think I could be sore in, but I would recommend it to anyone. :) 

After getting back to our apartments we rode straight to dinner and then ate some amazing jamocha coffee ice cream at Baskin Robbins. I am going to attempt to put some pics up now, but we’ll see how it works out. :) 

]]> http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/20/ouradventure/feed/ First Week of Work http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/19/first-week-of-work/ http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/19/first-week-of-work/#comments Fri, 19 Sep 2008 04:59:53 +0000 .katie.&.allie. We start out with the immersion kids which are 4-6 year olds and are in english classes from 8:30 until 2:20 except for a 40 minute Japanese lesson in between. There are three classes that we rotate between each day and all the kids are absolutely adorable! Most call me "Miss Arrie" because it's hard for them to say their 'l's--so cute. 
At 2:00, Katie an I go back to our apartment until 3:30 when we have to be back for Friends Club. Katie and I go and meet the buses at 3:55 to say hello to the kids(We say hello to each one so in all I'd say we say "hello" and "goodbye" about 550 times a day...wow) and then go to our classes that we're assigned to for the day and play for a while and then help out doing whatever needs to be done in the classroom. Today, to practice forming sentences they all lined up and asked me questions--one asked me if I liked rice, another asked if I liked "nato"(it's fermented beans that you mix with water to make it a slimy mess --i don't know what they find appealing about it) to which I told her "no, I don't like nato," then everyone started laughing when I told her that. I guess they all must like it... :) crazy Americans. 
We are both crazy disappointed because we are going to miss Thanksgiving dinner!!!! But thanks to Evann Bremner we are going to have Thanksgiving when we get back home...we already have the whole meal planned and who is making what-- I can't wait! 
This weekend there is swing dancing at some tiny place somewhere in Sendai(we're not exactly sure where) that we may try and go to. We are also trying to decide if we should go bike riding to a waterfall  tomorrow with some teachers which would mean riding 8.5 miles uphill one way then a hike to the waterfall and then 8.5 miles back...it could be interesting to say the least! :) I am not exactly a bike rider...
Change of subject--Election. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts on it...I think Katie and I are going to sign up for an absentee ballot this weekend as well so hopefully we will be able to vote in our first presidential election! I am very excited to finally be a voting citizen...
Well, sorry for the rambling, but there's not really any other way to do it unless I write a book with many short chapters which is not going to happen! 
Ciao
]]> SOOO, the first full week of work is almost over and it has been great! For those of you who don’t know our schedule yet…

We start out with the immersion kids which are 4-6 year olds and are in english classes from 8:30 until 2:20 except for a 40 minute Japanese lesson in between. There are three classes that we rotate between each day and all the kids are absolutely adorable! Most call me “Miss Arrie” because it’s hard for them to say their ‘l’s–so cute. 
At 2:00, Katie an I go back to our apartment until 3:30 when we have to be back for Friends Club. Katie and I go and meet the buses at 3:55 to say hello to the kids(We say hello to each one so in all I’d say we say “hello” and “goodbye” about 550 times a day…wow) and then go to our classes that we’re assigned to for the day and play for a while and then help out doing whatever needs to be done in the classroom. Today, to practice forming sentences they all lined up and asked me questions–one asked me if I liked rice, another asked if I liked “nato”(it’s fermented beans that you mix with water to make it a slimy mess –i don’t know what they find appealing about it) to which I told her “no, I don’t like nato,” then everyone started laughing when I told her that. I guess they all must like it… :) crazy Americans. 
We are both crazy disappointed because we are going to miss Thanksgiving dinner!!!! But thanks to Evann Bremner we are going to have Thanksgiving when we get back home…we already have the whole meal planned and who is making what– I can’t wait! 
This weekend there is swing dancing at some tiny place somewhere in Sendai(we’re not exactly sure where) that we may try and go to. We are also trying to decide if we should go bike riding to a waterfall  tomorrow with some teachers which would mean riding 8.5 miles uphill one way then a hike to the waterfall and then 8.5 miles back…it could be interesting to say the least! :) I am not exactly a bike rider…
Change of subject–Election. Would love to hear everyone’s thoughts on it…I think Katie and I are going to sign up for an absentee ballot this weekend as well so hopefully we will be able to vote in our first presidential election! I am very excited to finally be a voting citizen…
Well, sorry for the rambling, but there’s not really any other way to do it unless I write a book with many short chapters which is not going to happen! 
Ciao
]]> http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/19/first-week-of-work/feed/ Sendai Cup 2008 http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/15/sendai-cup-2008/ http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/15/sendai-cup-2008/#comments Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:38:36 +0000 .katie.&.allie. I miss you all! Would love to hear news from any of you--feel free to write!
Au revoir,
Allie
]]> = absolutely amazing. We (Sara, Laura, Katie, and I) went to the Sendai Cup on monday which was awesome because it was a weekend-long tournament between France, Japan, Korea, and Brazil so we got to see them all today. There were two games–Japan vs. Korea and Brazil vs. France– but the Brazil vs. France was probably the best game out of the two because they had some pretty amazing moves…unfortunately my camera battery ran out during the first game so I don’t have any great pics of those moves. :) During halftime of the second game the video was going around and putting different people in the crowd on the big screen and Katie and I had just been joking about it coming onto us when it actually did which was pretty fun because we were some of the only white people in the crowd waving at the camera…’twas great. We have a pic of it so I’ll try and put it on here soon. 

I miss you all! Would love to hear news from any of you–feel free to write!
Au revoir,
Allie
]]> http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/15/sendai-cup-2008/feed/ Jazz…Japanese style. http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/14/jazzjapanese-style/ http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/14/jazzjapanese-style/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:00:02 +0000 .katie.&.allie. We are going again today and there is supposed to be swing dancing which should be really fun! Katie looked up this festival on youtube and found some great videos of some amazing dancers so we're hoping they'll have it again this year. Well, we are off to church, so I'll sign off now. Keep it real. ]]> So we went to Jozenji Jazz Festival yesterday in downtown Sendai which was great because I don’t think I heard one jazz song the whole day. It was pretty much just a music festival because they all played whatever they wanted–I’ll put up pics and videos of some of the better bands. 

We are going again today and there is supposed to be swing dancing which should be really fun! Katie looked up this festival on youtube and found some great videos of some amazing dancers so we’re hoping they’ll have it again this year. Well, we are off to church, so I’ll sign off now. Keep it real.
]]> http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/14/jazzjapanese-style/feed/ .hello blog. http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/12/hello-blog/ http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/12/hello-blog/#comments Fri, 12 Sep 2008 05:49:50 +0000 .katie.&.allie. So this is where Katie and I will be posting our experience and thoughts from this trip. I hope that you all enjoy our ramblings because I will do it a lot--ramble that is, not exactly blog. :) We will let you know when we have a photo bucket so you can all see the things we are talking about in here instead of just taking our word for it. I can't wait for you to see the slides and playgrounds because those have to be seen to be believed. 


Cheers


]]>
So this is where Katie and I will be posting our experience and thoughts from this trip. I hope that you all enjoy our ramblings because I will do it a lot–ramble that is, not exactly blog. :) We will let you know when we have a photo bucket so you can all see the things we are talking about in here instead of just taking our word for it. I can’t wait for you to see the slides and playgrounds because those have to be seen to be believed. 
Cheers
]]> http://bamboofordinner.blog.com/2008/09/12/hello-blog/feed/