From the Heart of Tokyo 東京の中心から

Dancing in the Street

道で踊れている

 
If you don't have time to read all this now, turn your volume up, page down, and listen to the drums.  When you come back later, you can listen again...

It's already October, and here I am telling you about a festival we attended at the end of August, right after we returned from our summer trip.  Even though I still haven't completely dealt with the artifacts of the summer, be it overcharges from the rental car company, data from colleges, follow-up communication with those we visited this summer, and processing pictures, we are fully plunged into the details of the present and strategies for the future. ビデオの下にこの物語を書きました。読んでくださいね。

The children are in school, very busy, as football season is big for both.    Jonah plays JV Football, with practices almost every day after school, and Monica, in her role as athletic trainer, attends nearly every practice and most games.  But that's just extracurricular.  Each has a good load of interesting and challenging classes at ASIJ.  They are looking forward to JUMP, which is coming up.  (Japan Understanding and Motivational Program).  Add to this the usual stressors of Senior Year, as exams are taken and college aps are prepared. 

Martin's work in hybrid and electric car development is very interesting.  He is high energy as he travels around Asia and beyond, or talks on the phone or works at his computer for hours on end.  I'm not an engineer, nor do I have an MBA, but it's fascinating to hear him talk about his various projects.  I'm learning so much, and I think that every once in awhile, I might be lending good advice about working with people, as we take Toby for walks in the neighborhood.    The rest of the time, I am working on the church website, or doing a handful of hobbies like yoga, skating and ikebana.  And of course, I continue to study Japanese.  So, I have piles of things to do, but want to enjoy each day, knowing that my time in Japan is growing short. 

I always enjoy a festival, and the Awaodori Matsuri at Koenji, a neighborhood in Tokyo, is a lovely mix of music, dance and colorful costume.  It was absolutely beyond my expectations, as I didn't do my research ahead of time, and went assuming it was just another festival.  We were out of country during the Azabu Juban Matsuri this year, so the weekend after we returned, Martin and I decided to look around for another festival, and Google found the Koenji one for me. Turns out, this event is very special, comprised of many dancing groups, and has been held in Koenji during the last weekend of August for overy fifty years.  It has ties to other, centuries old traditions within Japan, like the Tokushima events, the Bon Odori of summer and even No drama... but you can learn about all that on this website, which is very good. 

Of course, Martin took beautiful photos, a few are here on his PIXBYMARTIN pro photo website.  And, just for fun, I uploaded these videos to Youtube.  Be sure to turn on your volume, and though my videos are not great quality, I think you'll enjoy the music and dance, especially the taiko drums.  Enjoy! 

 

 

 

もう１０月だけど、この物語は８月に祭りを見たについてです。あれはちょうどアメリカの旅行から帰ったときでした。夏の旅行はいっぱいなので、たくさん残り物があるけど、現在のことも未来のこともしなければならないから、いつものように忙しいです。

子供たちの学校で、現在はアメリカフートボールの間から、モニカとジョナは忙しいです。もちろん、ジョナは小さいだけど、チームの仲間です。毎日に学校の後に、稽古に参加します。殆ど毎週は試合です。ジョナはフットボールが大好きです。モニカは学生なトレーナだから、モニカも稽古と試合も参加します。選手のためにいつも色々な手伝います。あれ上に、普通な学校の勉強することがあります。学校は難しいだから、たくさん宿題があります。来月に皆高校生はJUMPに行きます。それはいろいろ日本の所に行って、日本の文化を勉強して、面白い経験を楽しみにしていると思います。ジョナは１０年生だから、皆同い年は長野区のトガリに行って、農業を勉強します。モニカは１２年生から、皆同い年はいろいろ小さいグルプと別の所に行くので、今どこが分かりません。

マーティンの仕事はいつものように忙しいだので、たくさん出張があります。韓国とか中国とかアメリカも行きます。日本にいるときにいつも電話の会議があるから、あまり自由時間がないけど、夜にトビと散歩しながら、話します。 私は彼の仕事について聞くことが好きです。電気車やハイブリドですね。　私には最近英語の生徒が少ないから、教会のウエブサイトを作ってみます。それはたくさん新しいことを習い覚えます。時間がかかるけれど、私にはそれはいいと思います。趣味もしているので、生け花とか、スケートとか、ヨガもします。もちろん日本語も続きます。たくさんすることがしなければならないけど、日本に住んでいるときは短くなっているから、日常生活の毎日に楽しんでみます。

そうすると、祭りが大好きです。今年に、麻布十番の祭りのときに、まだ帰らないから、行けませんでした。そして、マーティンと祭りを探したので、ググルで高円寺の阿波おどりを見つけました。それが分からなかったので、一緒に行きました。すごい！それはとても面白かったです。皆のダンスや音楽や芝居衣装もとても面白かったです。後に、研究をしたので、高円寺阿波踊りの歴史が知っていました。見に行ったことがうれしいですよ。もちろん、マーティンは写真を撮ったので、かれのプローサイトに載せました。私は上手じゃないけど、ベデオを取ったので、すれは上に付きました。

 

Roadtrip Rewind

遠征のリワインド

 
"How was your summer trip?" friends ask.  And whether the answer is in English or Japanese, it's difficult to explain.  It was just so overwhelming.  So I generally say, "Good!  Really good."  But there's so much more to it.  In summary:   

• +4500 miles in the rental van (Pamela, Monica & Jonah)
• 8 weeks in USA (kids)    4 1/2 weeks (us parents)
• 10 different hotels + 2 stays with family
• 14 Airline Flights taken between the four of us  (8 of those were Martin)
• Zero accidents / tickets / flat tires (YEAH!)
• 1 MLB game
• 1 Zoo Visit
• 1 Museum (with my Mom)
• 1 High School Reunion (me)
• Lots of Music
• 2 movies (Avatar and Inception)
• +12 college visits (some official tours, some just on our own)
• 160 miles on a motorcycle (Martin)

And so much more.

Cost: still in the process of being calculated (ouch!) 
Value: priceless

Now that school has started, and life is starting to get back to normal, Martin has already gone and returned from two international business trips.  I want to share some of what we encountered during that road trip around the middle of America during the hot, hot summer.  Here is just the story of the first few days...  more to come.

ーーー　下に日本語でかきました、もう少し下に写真にリンクがあります。これは最初の一週間だけです。  Below is this story in Japanese, and further down are links to a few photos from the first few days of the trip.  Please take a look.  ーーー　　

夏の旅行はどうでしたか？という友達たちは聞いています。そして、英語で日本語でも、答えて、説明しにくいです。あれは本当に圧倒した。それから、大体よかったと言っているが、控えめな言葉です。これはいくつな事実です。

• +7200 キロめートルはレンタルバンの中にいる　（パメラ、モニカ、ジョナ）
• 8 週間にアメリカに泊まる（子供二人）４週間半に泊まる（大人二人）
• 10 別のホテル＋二回家族と泊まりました。
• 14 航空会社飛行だ。マーティンは8回目飛行をしたので、皆以外二つだけ。
• ゼロ事故･スピード違反・パンクシタタイヤ・忘れ物　(よかっただ!)
• 1 メジャーリーグの野球試合
• 1 動物園に行くこと
• 1 博物館　(私の母と)
• 1 高校同窓会 （私）
• たくさん音楽
• 2 映画　(アバターとインセプション)
• +12 大学に見に行くこと (いくつは公式なので、いくつは自分でした）
• +250 キロメートルはバイクで　(マーティン)

など。

全体の値段はまだ計算する終らないが、全体の価値は値踏みのできない。

二週間以上前に、子供の学年は始まったので、マーティンは二つの出張に行ってきました。たぶん今から、夏のアメリカの回ったの旅行は経験について教えてみます。これは最初の六日だけです。。。

I drove four hours from Minneapolis to the camp to pick up Monica and Jonah after their month there.  Watched closing ceremonies. Drove them back to Minneapolis and the internet which they missed so much. ミネアポリスからカンプまでに４時間かかったので、運転をしました。モニカとジョナは一ヶ月にカンプに泊まったので、終わり日の会議を見ました。後に、ミニアポレスに戻したので、子供たちは久しぶりにインターネットを使っていっぱいなりました。　CAMP　

COLLEGE VISIT:  Western Michigan University 　HERE　Monica liked this college quite a bit, she plans to apply here.  モニカはこの大学が大好きだから、申し込みするつもりです。

COLLEGE VISIT:  Kalamazoo College 　HERE　This is a beautiful college, but the tuition is too expensive. この大学はとてもいいだけど、すごく高いです。　　

This portion on the road, the first 1000 miles. I took a few photos and wrote captions.  この部分は運転をしているときに、見ることです。いくつ写真を撮ったので、説明を書きました。　HERE

 

Mori no Ike

森の池

 
Mori no ike is the name of the lakeside village in Minnesota where Monica and Jonah stayed at the Japanese language camp they attended for a month earlier this summer.  Since I picked them up there in late July, we've been constantly on the move, and haven't had a chance to write about any of it here. 

 
The goal was for them to "level up" their Japanese, and though it's not yet certain whether or not that occurred, it is clear that the month they stayed at Mori no ike was an unforgettable experience.  In keeping with the concept of immersion, the campers learn about the country's culture, eat the food and speak and listen to Japanese every day.  For Monica and Jonah, it was also an opportunity to meet some American kids with whom they share an interest in learning Japanese, and actually let them experience a sort of reverse culture shock.  Each made some good friends at camp and we hope that some will come visit us in Tokyo before we move next summer.

At Mori no ike, all the campers and counselors chose a Japanese name, Monica became Yui and Jonah became Dai for the entire month.  When they get back to Tokyo, our Japanese friends are welcome to call them by their Japanese camp names, Yui and Dai.  Since camp ended, Yui and Dai have been able to stay in touch with some of their friends from camp via facebook and phone text. Some of their friends are Hiroto, Hokuto, Cupcake, Saki, Reijirou and Yuzuki. They also made friends with several wonderful councelors who are really not much older than themselves, but have very good Japanese.

Soon after they arrived at Mori no ike, the campers (known as gakusae) were given an assessment by the councelors (known as sensei).  Yui and Dai were put together in the highest group.  Every day, they spent several hours studying Japanese grammar and vocabulary, practicing kanji, and writing in their journals in Japanese.  Towards the end of the month, Yui and Dai created a final project together which they presented to the other gakusai and sensei.  Their project is a book, which compares a day in the life of a high school student with a gakusai at Mori no ike.  They drew the pictures and wrote the Japanese themselves.  It looks to be accurate, and is really quite a treasure.

But it wasn't all studying, there were lots of fun activities going on every day.  Just like any other summer camp with a lake, there was swimming and boating and all sorts of group activities.  They lived in cabins, slept in bunkbeds, ate their Japanese food galley style, and had to follow a rigid shower schedule.  Living with strangers in a group setting was a new experience for Yui and Dai, but they got used to it.

They attended International Day, where campers from all the language camps came together at one location, and half way through the month they all went to Fargo, to do their laundry and visit a mall.  The rest of the time, they were "deprived" of their usual electronic communication devices, such as computer, cell phone and ipod, so they could concentrate on advancing their Japanese without that distraction.  To this end, Yui and Dai each had an electronic Japanese dictionary which they used quite a bit, especially for new vocabulary. 

In a few days, we will return to Tokyo, and hopefully Yui and Dai will be able to communicate like never before with our Japanese friends.  Please give them as much practice as possible during this, their last year in Japan.

森の池はモニカとジョナは参加したのカンプの名前です。カンプは一ヶ月だので、３週間前に終わったときに、私は行って、会って、連れて来ました。あそこから、いつも動いてから、ここに書けなかったです。

ミネソタ州の日本語のカンプの目的はレベルアップです。たぶん、 経験はそれですが、もっともっと面白かったです。　　毎日に日本語を話した、日本語を聞いた、日本料理を食べたので、日本文化も勉強しました。　実は、モニカとジョナのために、カンプにたくさんアメリカ人の知らない人に会ったから、逆カルチャーショックの経験を体験しました。それから、いい友達たちが好ききたので、よく連絡をしました。

カンプにいるときに、皆は日本語の名前を選んだので、モニカはゆいなったので、ジョナはだいなりました。ともだちたちの名前はひろと、りじりょう、ほくと、カップケイキ、さき、ゆすきとか。日本に帰るときに、日本人の友達はゆいとだいも呼んだら、日本語をできるだけ話したいです。

カンプの間に、最初に、日本語の評価は起こりました。カンプの参加する人の中に、ゆいとだいのレベルは一番高いです。そして、一緒に勉強しました。毎日にたくさん文法と言葉も勉強して、電気辞書を作りました。漢字を書いて練習して、特別プロジェクトもやりました。 ゆいとだいは一緒に最後のプロジェクトをして、カンプの皆と見せました。もちろん、毎日に、一日中、日本語を話して、聞いて、練習をしました。

でも、全部は勉強することじゃないので、たくさん楽しいこともしました。池があるから、泳いで、カター、キャンプファイヤーのすることもしました。カンプの 間中に、ファーゴーに行って、洗濯をして、マールーに買い物に行きました。夜に皆はカービンに寝てので、ちょっと難しかったです。ゆいとだいはだれも知らないから、込んでいると思いました。カービンは１２人ぐらいで寝てので、慣れていてがんばりました。

カンプの間に、ゆいとだいは電子ことをしないから、恵まれない感じがありました。携帯とか、ペソコンとか、Ipodも持ってない。ゴールは日本語だけから、電気辞書を作れました。望みはゆいとだいはゆいとだいはたくさん新しい言葉を学びました。今年はマレー家族の日本に住んでいる最後の年から、私の理想は、ゆいとだいは日本語を上手になってので、友達たちは少しずつおしゃべり練習の手伝いことを感謝します。

 
  

Going By So Fast

早くにすぎて過ぎる。

What is going by so quickly?  Well, in this photo, taken by Martin at Kamiyacho station, it's the train that we just got off.  But really, it's TIME.  The weekend.  Our summer.  Our children's childhood.  Life.  I don't mean this to sound depressing, just practical.  If time is speeding by on you, it's better if you notice.  And for me, time is whipping by faster than that train.

The last time I blogged here, summer vacation from school had not yet started for the kids.  As I write this, I sit in a Minneapolis hotel room, during my one day recovery from the trip to America, and tomorrow I will drive nearly to Fargo to pick them up at the end of their one month immersion style Japanese language camp.  (By the way, this time, I'll put the Japanese together with the English).

何が早くすぎて過ごしますか？じゃ、このマーティンは撮ったの写真で、神谷町駅に、降りたばかりだ電車です。　でも、本当に、時間は過ごしています。週末です。夏です。子供たちの幼時です。生活です。うっとうしいじゃなくて、実用だと思います。時間は早くすぎて過ごしたら、気がついったら、いいですね。

ここの最後の書きことに、モニカとジョナはまだ夏の休み着いたので、長い時間前ですね。今、私はアメリカのミネソタ州のホテルにいるので、時差ぼけが病気だけど、明日４時間の運転で、一ヶ月の日本語のカンプから、ゲットをします。（ところで、今度、英語と日本語を書きます。）

After school ended, Monica and Jonah had about two weeks before they left for camp.  So they enjoyed lots of times with friends, some who were moving away from Tokyo.  (It's a fact of life for ex-pat kids that friends are always moving away.)  Also City Run skating, family dinners out, watching World Cup games and plenty of downtime.  And of course, the had to pack for camp.  学校年は終わった後に、モニカとジョナは２週間ぐらい前にカンプに行きます。そして、ひまのときに、友達たちと時間を過ごしました。じつは、あの場合は外国から友達たちはいつも引っ越します。残念です。それと、シティランと参加した、家族とレストラン料理を食べた、ワールドカップを見た、たくさんひまの時間をたのしました。それもカンプのために準備をしなければなりませんでした。

So, they left.  Immediately, I started mailing them letters, because I knew they would be homesick at first.  Also, it seemed that Martin suddenly had no business trips, so he was always around.  It was a good time for us to take Toby on long walks, and find dog friendly restaurants with outdoor seating.  There are several in our Roppongi neighborhood.  And we didn't keep to just our immediate neighborhood.  Martin loves to take Toby on the train and walk around Ginza at night, and Toby loves to get into the doggy carry bag to ride the train. But not when we go for sushi.  Toby stays home when we go there.  One unexpected couple thing we found, is that Martin and I liked watching Desperate Housewives together.  Who would have thought?  それから、モニカとジョナは出ました。直ちに、手紙を書いて始まりました。最初のカンプのときに、ホームシックになると思うので、手紙を貰ったらうれしいと思います。そして、その間に、マーティンは出張がないので、いつも一緒にいます。泣。 たくさんカプルタイムがあるので、トビと長い散歩をしながら、犬が好きなレストランを探しました。近所にたくさんがあります。でも、寿司屋は違うので、毎週寿司を食べて行くときに、トビは家にいます。そして、マーティンは電車で銀座にトビを連れて行く楽します。トビも大好きです。トビは犬の持つのバッグに早く入って、電車を飲んで、銀座のころに散歩をして欲しいです。予期しないことはマーティンと私はデスパレトハウスワイヴスを見て楽しました。それはすごいです。

Once in awhile we would get a letter from one of the kids, and we knew things were going fine at camp.  But Martin's work is very busy, and I had so much to do with preparing for my trip.  Still, we found time to participate in a few skating events.  Besides City Run, we went with Yagami-san to Harajuku to a fun lunch place, and most recently, there was an exciting Saturday Night Skate with Papa-san, ending at a yummy Korean restaurant in Nakameguro.  I took photos, which you can SEE HERE.  (mostly at the restaurant, because too dangerous for me to photog while skating.)  And Noro-san actually made a movie.  If you watch it, about half way through, he passes me going down a very long steep hill.  I'm going slow, because Kinopi is keeping me safe by pulling on my backpack.  To see the movie, click on the link toNORO's SKATE SITE  and then click on the link on the top right.  Looks like this picture.  ときどき、 子供たちから、手紙を貰ったので、安心と思います。マーティンの仕事はとても忙しいので、私の旅行の準備も忙しかったです。 それが、時間が取った、スケートをしました。もちろんシティランだので、やがみさんと原宿に滑って、面白いランチを楽しました。最近も、パパさんの夜のスケートを参加しました。とても楽しかったので、それ終わり時に、韓国料理を食べました。私は写真を撮ったが、危ないから、あまりスケートしながら、取りません。それで、たくさんレストランで写真はあります。のろさんは映画を作りました。見たかったら、リンクを使ってください。その映画を見たら、中間ぐらいにのろさんは長く険しい小山で私を追い越しました。私はゆっくりを滑ります。どして？きのぴさんは私のバックパックを起きておいた、安心しました。ありがとう

Friends are so very important.  Even when we are really busy, it's important to take the time.  I hadn't done a Zoom UP in a long time, but then, I figured that if I tried to fit just one in before I left, when I came back, friends would be more likely to join my fun little English class.  So I put together a class about soccer, right after the world cup ended.  We had seven participants and it was a good class.  I have a new friend, who just moved to Tokyo, Christine.  She's such a lovely girl, and she'll have a great experience here.  One sunny day, I met her and her children, and we walked around looking at nursery schools and potential neighborhoods.  Another very good friend offered to watch Toby while we are gone, and we decided that he would stay at our house and bring his family.  So I had a lot of preparation to do for that, but I am so relieved that I don't have to worry about my sweet little Toby.  Plus running around, trying to find last minute omiyage to take to friends in the US.  Oh, friends are wonderful to make and to keep.  友達たちはとても大切ですね。すごく忙しいですが、時間を取ったら、大切です。長い間にZoomUPを起こらなかったので、たぶんしたら、帰るときに、友達たちはもっと参加すると思いました。そして、ワールドカップの後に、サーカーのテームのクラスをして、７人は参加した、よかったと思います。新しい友達はクリスティンです。最近東京に引っ越したので、とてもいい女人です。最近は蒸し暑い日に一日中クリスティンと二人子供と近所を歩いて、家を探しました。大変ですが、手伝いました。そして、とてもいい友達はトビのお世話をします。私のうちに泊まったので、彼の家族も泊まるので、たくさん家の準備をしてが、私はとても安心しました。トビは大丈夫だと知っていることが大切です。それで、友達たちはとてもすばらしいです。

And not to mention Seoul!  Wow, crazy to try to fit in a trip to Korea just now, but with the kids gone, and Martin had a short business trip there, and I'd never been, and you never know... we could end up moving there some day, I suppose... so we went for a couple days, and it was really fun.  ソウルだ！大変だから、とても忙しかったが、韓国に３泊をしました。私は初めてので、マーティンは出張をしてから、いいチャンスです。もちろん分からないけど、来年あそこに引っ越したら、可能です。急がしだけど、とても面白かったです。

Plus, plus, this whole time, I've been researching and planning and contacting kind and helpful people about our college visit roadtrip.  Learning about colleges, trying to figure out which day we'll be in which town so that we could make a hotel reservation and a college visit appointment.  Seeing several different types and sizes of colleges should help Monica, and later, Jonah, make decisions about where to apply.  Assumptions can be made later about colleges that we didn't see, based on demographics of those we did.  もっともっと、それながら、大学校の探すことの旅行を計画をしてみています。研究をして、連絡をして、いろいろ親切な人と話して、努力をしました。大学校を見つけなかったら、大丈夫です。今から一ヶ月までに、もっともっとを分かると思います。

Soccer Girls

サーカーの女の子たち

 
School's out, as of today, so its time to finally finish this post and put it up.  I wasn't an athlete in high school, and never had the experience of playing a sport for an audience, let alone fans.  （下に日本語で書きます。） Not so Jonah, who enjoyed football in the fall, and wrestling in the winter.  During both of those sports seasons, Monica helped Iku, American School in Japan's wonderful Sports Trainer, and learned a lot about preventing and dealing with injuries.  Finally, Spring came, and it was time for Girls' Soccer.  Monica was pleased that she had advanced her skills via a soccer camp last summer at Hope College in Michigan, USA, and a few Sunday soccer games this winter with Coach Andy here in Tokyo, but mostly that she had stayed in shape by running and working out even while not doing an organized sport.  So, she made the Varsity team, and starting way back in February, began training with the team.  After going to school all day, those practices were tough, and then after the long bus ride, the girls wouldn't get home until about 7:30.  This was also a challenging time academically, with AP tests, Honors classes, and the SAT to study for. It's Junior year, after all.  I'm happy to say that she stepped up and did her best.  I've noticed that she has studied far more this season, goes to bed earlier to get more sleep, drinks more water, and sometimes even denies herself facebook in order to get her homework done.

In the meantime, her father has continued to work on his photography skill, learning ways to improve his action shots, and even purchased a new lens which may prove better in lower light.  Even with his busy work travel schedule, Martin was able to make it to several of her games to take pictures.  Each time, he would try his best to go through the pictures that very night, eliminating the blurry and redundant ones, and putting them up on his photo sharing site as soon as possible.  I would inform the other parents, who would enjoy seeing the photos of their daughters whether they had attended the game or not, and Monica would share the photos with her teammates on facebook, where they would laughingly critique their moves and download pictures for their own facebook pages.  Here's the whole album on PIXBYMARTIN.com, many photos from the five games that Martin attended during this year's soccer season.

So, in May, Monica went with her team, Coach Carlos, and Iku, to Okinawa, where they played in the Far East Tournament.  This year, there were twelve teams involved, several are high schools on American military bases in Japan and Guam, as well as international schools in Japan, Korea, the Philippines and Hong Kong.  Some of these teams were very strong, and even though ASIJ Girls Varsity won the Kanto Plains division title again this year, the tournament title was not within their reach, and they came in sixth place.  They worked hard that week, playing in the rain and extreme mud in the early part of the week, then came some sun which is more what you'd expect in Okinawa.  Team sports give the student that special experience of dealing with other people on and off the field, and traveling with the team brings an additional dimension.  Probably good practice for college and beyond.  Plus, she's made some friends for life within this group of girls, as well as profiting from a very skilled and experienced ex-pro soccer player turned coach.  Monica had a great time, but came back very tired, with lots of bumps and bruises and even admitted to being a little homesick.  High School sports is quite an experience for the athlete... and the family.  Thankfully, we have Martin's photos to always remember this season.

今日は子供の学校年の最後の日から、ついにこのポーストを終ります。現在インラインスケートすることが好きですが、高校ころにスポーツをしなかったです。ジョナは違うので、今年は彼の高校最初の年生だので、秋にアメリカのフートボールをして、冬にレスリングをしました。その間にモニカはスポーツをしなかったが、いつもスポートをしました。スポーツのトレーナに手伝ったので、チームプレーヤーの危害を防止してみて、医療も勉強しました。遂に、春は来たから、女の子のサーカーをできます。モニカのサーカーの手腕は中かから、去年の夏に２週間のサーカーカンプに参加したので、 冬に調布にコーチアンディといくつの日曜日の試合を遊びました。それは役に立つと思います。もう、ヘルシーになってみたので、十分の眠りをし、ラーニングし、ジムも使います。そして、３月から、チームは一緒に練習をして、殆ど毎日に、学校の後に練習するから、大体７時半の夜に帰ります。なお、その間は１１年生だから、学科はすごくチャレンジだから、モニカはもっと勉強しました。いろいろ試験のため勉強してながら、サーカーもすることができました。

その間に、マーティンは写真術の趣味をがんばります。新しいレンスを買ったので、薄暗い状態があるときに、そのレンスはよくなると思います。マーティンはたくさん主張だから、試合にあまり見に行かないですが、この春に５つ試合に行った、写真を撮りました。いつも、できるだけ早くに写真を分類して、悪い写真をなくなって、いい写真を載せます。他の両親はいつも教えて、たぶん試合に行ったかどか行かなかったも、写真を楽します。 モニカのチームメートも写真を頼むと思うので、Facebookで話して、笑って、自分のに載せます。５つの試合の写真はマーティンのサイトにあるので、Pixbymartin.com に見てください。

そして、今週にモニカとチームとコーチカロスといくさん（スポーツトレーナ者）も沖縄に行きました。それはFarEastTournmentです。（遠い東の大試合？）今年に、１２つのチームは参加します。チームは地域の高校から、アメリカの軍用基地は日本で、グアムで、日本や韓国やフィリビン諸島やホンコンも国際学校からチームは参加しました。ASIJは今年も関東の師団に一番プレースを勝ったが、他のチームは強いですので、沖縄に６のプレースになりました。　今週の沖縄の天気はチャレンジだから、最初の分に強い雨が降ったで、泥はすごいなったが、最後の二日はやはり晴れ渡りました。チームのスポーツはいい機会だので、チームと旅行も面白い経験と思います。　他の人に処理することの練習は大学とか生活のためいい機会です。今週に、何回もモニカと電話で話したので、彼女は大丈夫ですが、すごく疲れただし、たくさんいろいろ打ち身とかがあるし、少しホームシックなるそうです。高校のスポーツはプレアーのため、家族のためもいい経験です。

Ohanami Curry

お花見のカレー

 
Back awhile ago, when the cherry trees were still blooming, before we went to Europe and had our short trip extended unexpectedly by the volcano, we had a fun event with our skating friends.  (ところで、日本語は下に書きます。）Mipo-san has arranged these events before, and they are always pleasant and interesting.  She rented a room in a building overlooking Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens, and arranged with Imu-san to get some delicious take out curry from a special shop, and some others managed the drinks and other things.  All we had to do was sign up, participate in City Run that day, and then skate to the park and enjoy the food, friends and beauty of the gardens until late in the afternoon.  As usual, when we have these types of events with our Japanese skater friends, (including when we do a large porch party at our home) the cost is determined, and everyone pays the set fee at the beginning of the party.  Works very well for all concerned.

That day's City Run went from Ueno to Gaienne as usual, and from there, Papa-san led a small group by skate to Koishikawa Korakuen.  Apparently everyone else was either involved in the preparation and transport of the food and drinks, or would in any case travel there by subway.  The skate route was easy except for one very steep street down, which I didn't expect and was a bit scary for me as I've taken my brake off my big wheeled skates, but the street surface was smooth, and Papa-san timed our descent so that traffic wasn't a problem.

We arrived about the same time as the curry and most of the other participants, and after we got the financial details taken care of, we all had a campai and each got to choose between beef, seafood or chicken curry.  I chose beef and it was so delicious.  Japanese curry is quite different from Indian curry.  I won't pretend to understand it well enough to explain, but I do intend to take the family to this restaurant soon.  See more info about the restaurant below.  As usual, with these friends, the time passes quickly laughing and chatting.

The theme of this event was Ohanami お花見 (お O is honorific) (花 hana is flower) (見 mi is see)  which means cherry blossom viewing.  Since Martin and I had somewhere else we had to be, after the tasty curry and a pleasant social interlude, together we strolled through the park and took some photos before going back on the train.  There are several different types of cherry trees in this garden-like park, which was started almost four hundred years ago by the reigning Daimyo.  Some of the cherry trees are very old, and rely on wooden supports in this meticulously maintained garden.  One of the weeping cherries was completely finished flowering and had broken into lush green, while others were at their peak.  This Japanese garden is laid out in such a way that it seems much bigger than it is, with meandering paths, waterfalls, ponds and exceptional speciman trees.  You can almost forget that it sits here in busy Iidabashi right next to Tokyo dome.  In one of our photos, you can see the roller coaster going over the top.  The park is a lovely enclave of nature amidst the bustle. I especially like to see the many varieties of water birds living here.  

Here's a few relevant links:

Martin and I took photos:   HERE  　マーティンとパメラの写真です。

English page of the park .      小石川湖楽園のページ 

The website for the Curry Restaurant is only in Japanese, but you can understand the map and enjoy the very interesting photos on their blog:    This restaurant (Moyan) has four locations in Tokyo.  The closest to us would be the Shibuya location.  I definitely plan to take the family there for the lunch buffet, as Jonah really likes Japanese curry, and from what I sampled, this is delicious.  このリンクはカレーのレストランのウェブページです。四つ店があるので、私に一番近くの店は渋谷の店と思います。ジョナは日本のカレーが大好きだから、ランチバピュッフェに家族と食べに連れるつもりです。味を見たものはおいしかったからです。このレストランのブログの写真は面白いです。

Wikipedia's explanation of Japanese Curry is very interesting.  I didn't know that curry was introduced to Japan by the British as their version of Indian Curry while still in the Meiji Era.  Now, Japanese Curry is quite different from Indian style, with a unique set of parameters all its own.

先程に咲いた桜木の間に、ユーロッパに行った前に、火山から短い計画した旅行は長くなるさせた前に、スケータ友達たちと楽しいお花見のイベントは起こりました。みぽさんはそのようなイベントを作る上手な人ので、いつも面白いです。今度小石川湖楽園のビルの部屋を予約しました。イムさんは有名なカレー店から、おいしいカレーを持って来ていました。友達たちは飲み物とかも持ちました。 今度マーティンと私は何もない努力したので、いくつの人と公園に 滑りました。いつものように、スケータ友達と、そのようなイベントをしたら、値段が決心した後に、皆は払うと、乾杯をできます。家のポーチパーティーもしたら、同じ方法を使います。

あの日のCRはいつものように、上野から外苑まで行って、あそこからパパさんは小石川湖楽園に導きました。皆以外は電車か車で行ったと思います。あのルートは殆ど全部は簡単ですが、一つとても険しい下り部分です。最近、スケートのブレーキを外したから、それは私にはちょっと怖かったです。でも、道の表面はなめらかなし、パパさんは交通と下に行くことの時間調整念入りに連れて行ったし、大丈夫でした。

牛肉カレー、チキンカレー、シーフードカレーもあるので、ビーフを選びました。 それはとてもおいしかったです。普通日本カレーのほうがおいしいと思います。味はセイボリーだし、少し辛いだし、私の好みにぴったり会いました。もうやんカレーというレストランに家族と連れて行くつもりです。上にレストランのリンクです。いつものように、そのともだちたちと話しながら、笑いながら、時間は早く過ごします。

そのイベントのテムはお花見だから、出た前に、マーティンと公園に散歩を回りました。もちろん写真を撮りました。その公園はたくさんいろいろ桜木があるので、いくつは咲く終りので、いくつは花盛りでした。殆ど四百年間前に、大名はその庭のような公園が始まったので、いくつな木はすごく年を取ったです。保全から、シダレ桜はたくさん木造の支柱があります。その公園に自然は慎重な扱いだから、いろいろ鳥も住んでいるので、見て楽します。小石川湖楽園は大きい町真ん中であるですが、中の人はそれが殆ど忘れられます。曲がりくねった小道があるし、滝があるし、池だし、すばらしい木があるから、見かけほど大きいない。静かな飛び地そうです。

We Love PIC Saipan

サイパンのPICが大好きです。

  

PIC is the Pacific Island Club, and I'd like to hereby recommend this Saipan resort to folks who live in Japan and want to take the family to a nearby tropical island for a few days.   日本語の書き事は下にあります。Several years ago, we decided to "get away from it all" for a few days, and on the advice of a neighbor, we took the 3 and a half hour flight from Tokyo's Narita airport to Saipan and stayed at PIC for the first time.  Since then, as "Welcome Back Members", we've come back several times, about once a year.  For the last four years, we've timed our four day/three night stays to coincide with the Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Tournament, which has only added value to what is already a great time at PIC.  Here's FAMILY FUN PIX from this year's trip.

One of the issues, is that Martin often travels for work, but even when he is home, he is always working.  So sometimes he needs to relax and have quality family time, and it seems that a short family trip to Saipan is just right.  Martin always loves an adventure, but PIC has become more of a comfortable and welcome respite from the unknown.  Leave the adventures for the longer trips, once in awhile it's just great to go to Saipan to relax.  Accumulating frequent flyer miles is good, but, as anyone who travels for business knows, it is very difficult to actually use those miles with all the program rules, restrictions and black out dates.  By planning ahead carefully, we've sometimes been able to use miles for the family to travel to Saipan, but even if we can't use miles, the cost is comparable to most travel destinations within reach, and the time it takes to travel is less (such as Thailand, China, Bali, etc).  Much time and expense accumulates when you factor in the cost of the travel between our home and the airport, taking the car with the gas and the tolls and the parking, or taking the train or the bus, but that's always an unavoidable reality when traveling out of Tokyo. 

We've also stayed at the Guam PIC a couple of times, which is very nice, a different flavor resort, bigger and more elaborate, as Guam is as an island compared to Saipan.  Guam PIC sits on a wider beach with more exposed waves, so it is great for windsurfing and fine for snorkeling, whereas the Saipan PIC is in a calm lagoon with a lovely sunset.  The food at Saipan is very good, I am totally satisfied with the three restaurants at the resort, but the food at Guam is even more everything.  The facilities and staff of both PIC's are really great, but being bigger, Guam's PIC also has more activities to offer, (such as a great dinner show) so it really just depends on what you want.  Another reason to choose Guam over Saipan, would be if you wanted to shop, as Guam has KMart and lots of other stores, that is, if you choose to leave the resort... which we don't.

Our family especially enjoys going to Saipan to watch beach volleyball during the Marianas Cup Tournament, which is directed and emcee'd by Jon Cramer who currently runs the Guam PIC, and we see the same faces every year, people who live on Saipan or Guam and are involved as players, sponsors and spectators.  During the tournament, Martin can do his "Action Photography" thing, Monica gets to know the players, including some very cool pros, like Jen Snyder and Paul Baxter, Jonah enjoys being "ball boy", and I like watching the games, and following the drama of who gets to partner with a pro, and how that plays out.  This is a unique tournament, because many teams of two enter to play, then before the tournament starts, teams are chosen to partner with pros.  So this year, two male pros and two female pros from the US were involved, so ultimately, there were four teams which had a pro plus a good player in the mix.  These "mixed" teams are always fun to watch, but definately have competition from the semi-pro teams who are used to playing with each other.  It's also really fun to watch the exhibition games on Friday night.  This year, there were only four pros, all from the US, so they split up, Paul and Jen, against Andrew and Claire.  Jon was hilarious as he emcee'd the games, declaring that seasoned veterans Paul and Jen were competing against the youngsters.  With every point, Jon's myriad of ways to describe age vs. youth became more and more intense, and while the game itself was exciting the watch, it was just as fun to listen to Jon's play-by-play commentary.  

There are some things we do almost every day when we are at PIC, such as play in the Lazy River, play frisbee, ping-pong, and listen to the great live music at night.  There's lots of other fun activities, including Point Break, which Jonah really likes, as well as the very fun water slides.  We always play in the pool at night, right there next to the live music of the Buoy Bar, we shoot down the water slides a few times in the dark, then we play water basketball and water soccer.  It's crazy fun.  Over the years, we've also enjoyed archery, in-line skating, golf, tennis, scuba lesson, snorkeling, windsurfing and wall climbing.  But also simple walks on the beach, swimming, sunning, and just relaxing with a good book in the pleasant climate.  When the kids were younger, we'd often put them in "Kids Club" which they very much enjoyed, because of the Clubmates.  PIC has some great evening entertainment for the whole family, something different every night provided by the creative and personable PIC Clubmates.  You really don't have to leave the resort the entire time you're there in Saipan, though recently, Monica went into town with Jen and the girls, and she had a great time and said that the village marketplace was very interesting.

The three restaurants at Saipan PIC are the Magellon, the Seaside Grill and the Galley.  I recommend that you get the Gold Card, which lets you eat three great meals a day during your entire stay.  The Magellon has wonderful buffets, with vast and varied selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The especially nice thing about the Magellon, different from some other buffets, is how much care the chefs and servers take in presentation and quality.  With buffets, sometimes the other guests make a mess, but at the Magellon the staff handles that right away.  Remember, this place is truly kid friendly.  We always make a reservation for one special night to dine at the Seaside Grill.  This is like a fancy French restaurant, with great fish selections as well as steaks, and we always dine on the patio.  Once or twice each stay, we also eat at the Galley, because they have special yummy selections, like pizzas, Japanese bento, and some other cultural specialties.  I've noticed that now they are serving Russian and Chinese specialties, as well as Japanese and Korean daily specials, perhaps to reflect the nature of the evolving guest clientele.  Also, the Galley is open 24 hours, and does take out.

Over the years, we've gotten to know some of the staff at the PIC Saipan, and when we come back, we are immediately reaquainted.  Everyone says "Welcome Back" with a genuine smile of recognition and it really adds to the feeling that we are going on a nice little long weekend to a very familiar place.  Recently, our Welcome Back status seemed to increase, and we got all kinds of perks.  We had our room upgraded to an ocean view, (which was totally wonderful), we got free wireless internet, (YES!!) and they gave us these welcome back bucks which we could use for drinks during our stay.  We also get a good discount at the giftshop, which is a great place to stock up on good quality swim suits and other name brand clothes at American prices and sizes.  So, if you decide to go to PIC Saipan, please tell them that the Tokyo Murrays sent you.  And, "We'll be back!" (We hope!) 

Here are Martin's 2010 MARIANAS CUP BEACH VOLLEYBALL pictures from our trip in February.  These and more reside on his Action Photography website, Pixbymartin.com.

今度の物語はサイパンのリゾートホテル。８年間ぐらい前に、初めてサイパンに行ったので、何回もPICに泊まったので、私たちはとても推薦します。４年間前から、毎年サイパンにの旅行はボレーボールの勝ち抜き試合に同じときに行きます。今年のマーティンは撮ったのボレーボールの写真のリンクはここであります。 　マーティンは家族とか色々写真を撮ったので、それはここにあります。時間があったら、見てください。

すみませんですが、時々に日本語の書き事は少ないので、今度はそれです。次のブログの物語はいつものように、たくさん日本語で書くつもりです。約束。

 

Pretty Food

きれい料理

Too busy living life to write about it.  日本語は下に書きます。Last month, we went skiing with our skater friends, on our 4th annual skater's ski tour.  But that was followed immediately by a trip to Saipan for the 2010 Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Event, where Martin took some nice pictures, but had to leave early and go straight to India for business.  School, work, soccer season, tax forms finished, etc. etc.  First, here's a link to some photos of Monica taking a spill on her snowboard. and ending with a smile.

Thought I might post about the ski trip to Yuzawa and show a few pictures of the beautiful food served at just one meal.  Looking at these photos, I can readily recall the texture of these bamboo shoots above, and the various interesting tastes and pleasures.  This was a wonderful meal.  Thanks so very much to Sasaki-san and Chieko-san for organizing everything once again, including the arangements for the shinkansen and and our stay at the elegant Inamoto Hotel in Yuzawa.  Here's a link to a few of Martin's photos from the ski trip.  Unlike me, he doesn't take pictures of food, but does action photography.

We actually traveled to the ski area of Yuzawa a day early to take advantage of a Friday off school to get some extra skiing and snowboarding in.  That day, we skied at Kandatsu, and since it was Jonah's friend, Ellis's second time to ski, he had a lesson that afternoon, which was really helpful.  We five stayed at a local family hotel (minsyuku) the first night, which was less expensive, but with good hearty food, friendly host and hostess, and a good deal on the equipment rental.  Thanks so much to the Lodge Suehiro.

When our skater friends arrived on Saturday morning, there were 18 of us in all, and we transferred over to theInamoto Hotel which is very near the train station.  Then we set off for the slopes.  That day, we skied at Iwappara, and ended the day with a very fun snowball fight while waiting for the ski bus.  You can see this snowball contest in the You-tube at the bottom of this page.  Shige-san used some of Martin's photos, his videos which he took on the slope, and coordinated it with music.  It's really a worthwhile watch.  Be sure to turn on the the volume and set it to full screen.

It was that night that we enjoyed the offerings you see pictured here.  This kind of Japanese meal reminds me of ikebana, in that it is selected seasonally and beautifully arranged.  You can enjoy it in an asthetic sense, the serving dish is chosen to best present the selected food,  the scent, the colors, and of course the taste is all considered.  Sometimes the serving temperature of the food is also considered, but much of it is served at room temperature with no apparent detriment to the full enjoyment of the meal. 

Later, we enjoyed onsen and also played bingo and yoyo, with much laughing.  The next morning, we all gathered in the banquet room and savored a delicious breakfast.  This is when I found out about the eyeball food.  Ha ha.  This is what they call the egg which is cooked on the slow burner in butter at the table.  We laughed alot about this.  I always enjoy learning Kanji from my Japanese friends.  That day, we all skied and boarded at Kandatsu.  There was a lot more snow on Sunday than on Friday, so it was like a different place.  After we returned to the hotel and enjoyed the onsen again, we headed for the train station and went over to the sake tasting place.  For five hundred yen (about $6), you get a sake cup and five coins to try five different sakes of your choice from around Japan.  For 100 yen, you can also get a cucumber, which you can dip in various salts from around the country.  Whenever I go to Yuzawa, I alway visit this place before getting on the shinkansen (bullet train) to return to Tokyo.  Be sure to watch Shige's video below.

最近生活はしてから、忙しいくて、書きません。先月に、湯沢にスケータともだちたちと、 ４回目の毎年のスケータスキーツアーに行きました。でも、それ後に、サイパンに行って、今年のマリアナスカップのビーチボレボールイベンを見ました。マーティンはたくさんいい写真を撮った、次のポーストで教えます。でも、マーティンはサイパンに、早く出たので、直接にインドに行きました。私は仕事とか、子供の学校とか、サーカーとか、所得税があるので、忙しかったです。最初に、写真はモニカはスノーボードしながら、転んだが、微笑。

湯沢は楽しかったです、マーティンと私も写真を撮りました。それはここにあります。このポーストは、きれい日本料理の写真を使うと思います。上の写真を見たら、いい歯ごたえを思い出します。とてもすばらしい食事でした。ささきさん、とちえこさんも又にすべての計画を作ったので、新幹線とか優雅ないなもとのホテルも打ち合わせを作りました。とても感謝しています。

実は、金曜日は学校の休みから、一日間に早くに 湯沢に行きました。家族の４人やジョナの友達というエリスは金曜日に神立にスキーに行って、エリスは２回目の経験だから、レッスンをしたので、とても役に立ちました。湯沢の民宿に泊まりました。ロージスエヒロに何回も泊まったので、快適なので、良かったです。スエヒロのホストはおいしい料理を作ったので、スキーレンタルもできました。感謝しました。

土曜日に皆スケータ友達以外は着きました。そして、一緒にいなもとホテルに会いました。それから、スキー場に行って、いわっぱらにバスで行きました。よかったので、終わりときに、遅いバスに待ってときに、皆はスノーボールファイトをしました。私は見ただけですが、よく楽しかったです。このポーストの下に、しげしげさんのビデオを載せました。スノーブールファイットは含みました。しげさんはしげのスロープで取ったのビデオとマーティンの写真も使いました。音楽は上手につけました。見てください。音も聞いて、フールスクリーノモードを使ってもいいです。

このような日本料理の食事は生け花のような類似だと思います。両方は特定の季節で 選んだことです。美味しな配置しました。審美的な楽しめます。皿が念入りな選んだ、匂いとか、色とか、もちろん味も考えられました。そして、私には、生け花のようだと思います。上の写真を見ながら、竹の子の歯ごたえが思い出します。

あの夜も、温泉を楽しました。そして、皆はビンゴとヨヨも遊びました。次の朝に、皆はおいしい朝ごはんを食べて、そのときに、なおみさんは目玉について教えました。卵はテブルでバーターの中に焼いたので、おいしかったです。名前の漢字を学ぶことはいつも面白いです。よく笑いました。前の夜に、蕨の餅を食べたので、皆はワラビーを話したので、よく笑いました。

あの日曜日に神立に行って、金曜日よりもっと雪があるから、とても違うところだと思います。ホテルに戻したので、温泉に入れて、帰り準備をした後に、駅に行きました。湯沢駅は面白いお酒店があるので、５００円で小さいカップを貰うので、５個のコインも貰う、色々日本からのお酒を少量をできます。１００円も胡瓜を買うので、いろいろ日本の塩も少量もできます。しげしげさんのビデオを見て覚えてくださいね。

 

 

Most Dedicated

最高の熱中した

Here's a proud parent bragging. （日本語は下にあります） The ASIJ High School wrestling season came to an end with the winter sports banquet last week, and Jonah was awarded a special bobblehead trophy, Most Dedicated Wrestler (Attendance and Attitude)  We went to watch several of the matches this season, and know that all the boys on the team were working hard, as wrestling is a very demanding sport.  We're pleased with Jonah's dedication in his first season of Varsity Wrestling, and hope to see him apply himself to other areas with as much enthusiasm as he showed for wrestling.  Thanks so much to Coach Karnitz and Coach Wacha for their hard work throughout the season.

Starting back in November, right after football season ended, Jonah would stay after school to practice with the team, almost every night getting home around 7:30.  Even throughout the Christmas holiday, he would pay attention that he ate right and got enough exercise.  Jonah never had to worry about making his weight class, competing in the 101 pound division and weighing a few pounds less.  Instead he was trying to gain mass and strength.  Wrestling is one sport where kids of all different shapes and sizes can participate, and opponents are basically the same size.

After weeks of training, the first meet was held just before the Christmas break, with several more dual meets and tournaments in January and February, usually on Saturdays, but sometimes also on weekdays after school.  As usual, Monica worked as a student athletic trainer, but with her little brother on the wrestling team as well as several friends, she also volunteered as a team manager.  This meant that she helped with most practices as well as every meet, often getting up very early on a Saturday morning and catching the bus with Jonah and the team to some far away place for an entire day in a sweaty gym.

In January, when it's cold even here in Tokyo, the ASIJ Varsity and JV teams went to Okinawa for four days and competed at "Rumble on the Rock" against several other schools at a military base there.  Most of the time they were busy wrestling, but they also enjoyed bowling, a trip to the beach, and eating Nathan's hot dogs at the American Village there in Okinawa.

Jonah says that the highlight of the season for him was his last match, held in Futakutamagawa, where he pinned his opponent in only 40 seconds and walked away with the 2010 Kanto Plains League bronze medal for the 101 # weight class.  We were there to see it, and of course, Martin took pictures.  Martin's Action Photography skills are improving. 

American School In Japan (ASIJ) is a good size school for kids who want to be involved in sports while attending an international high school in Tokyo.  It's big enough that they participate in many events, as well as having excellent facilities and coaches, but it is a small enough school, that kids who might not otherwise be able to participate in JV or Varsity sports, can find a place on a team.  Monica's involvement in the student sports trainer program, headed by professional sports trainer, Iku, has been an excellent opportunity for her, and may lead to a future career.  We realize that this also may not have been possible at a smaller or larger school.

The winter sports season is over, and the spring season has begun.  Monica tried out for soccer and made the Varsity team!  So it looks like now that Wrestling is over, we'll be spending our Saturdays watching and supporting Soccer.

Here's Martin's Wrestling pictures from this season.

この書き事は概略だけです。　ちょっと自慢している。ASIJの高校レスリング時節は終ったので、冬のスポーツの記念イベントを起こりました。そしてジョナは特別なボッブルヘードのトロフィーを貰いました。最高の熱心のレスラーという賞です。私たちはうれしいですが、 レスリングチームには、全員はいつも一生懸命したと思います。コーチカーニツとコーチワカも感謝の感情があります。

１１月に、アメリカンフートボールの季節は終わりから、レスリングの練習をしました。殆ど毎日の夜に、学校の後に７時半に帰りました。クリスマス休み間も、大体ヘルシーな料理を食べて、運動をしました。チームの中に、ジョナは４４キロの体重で、最も小さいメーンバーので、４６キロのクラスで競争しました。彼は大体増えてみました。レスリングは色々寸法と形の人は参加できるので、いいスポーツです。

たくさん練習の週間後に、最初の試合はクリスマス前に起こったので、１月２月もたくさん試合に参加しました。時々水曜日に、大体土曜日に起こりました。いつものように、モニカは学生のスポーツトレーナーだので、今度弟はチームにいるとか、いろいろ友達たちもレスリングをしてから、チームマナジャーもやりました。そして、二人はチームと大体すごく早い土曜日の朝に、起きて、遠いところに行って、汗まみれのギムに一日中に過ごしました。

１月に、チームは一緒に沖縄に４日間に行きました。トーナメントは面白かったと言ったも、アメリカンのホットドッグを食べて、浜に行って、ボーリングもしてくれました。家族の中に、ジョナだけは行ったことがありました。

レスリングの季節には、ジョナのハイライトは最後のトーナメントだと言います。ジョナは４０秒の以下に相手をピンをやりました。二子玉川に起こったので、家族も見に行ったので、マーティンは写真を撮りました。それは関東地方の分割のブロンズメデルを勝ちました。

ASIJはいい学校です。いいサイズだので、いい教授団と設備もあると思います。 学生のスポーツトレーナはいいプログラムだので、モニカはいくさんというプロートレーナに最高の尊敬があります。とてもいい機会です。たぶん、学校はもっと小さいかどうか、大きいだたら、無理だと思います。

それから、冬季節は終わりので、春のスポーツ季節は始まったので、モニカは女の子のサーカーチームに適性検査のような、”Try-outs"したので、やった！バシティーチームにやりました。そして、ここから、私たちはサーカーを見に行きます。ところで、ジョナはパドミントンクラブに参加する決めていました。

マーティンのレスリングの写真はここにあります。

High Altitude

高い高度

 
We live at sea level here in Tokyo, so when we took our first wintertime trip to  Colorado over the Christmas and New Year's Break, I was immediately impacted by the high altitude.  ちなみに、下に日本語で書きます。Martin's siblings and their families as well as our adult son, Steve, all traveled to his parents' home in the mountains near Pike's Peak for an extended visit and to help celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.  The altitude at their home is more than 8300 feet (2500 meters), and some (myself) more than others spent some days adjusting to the decrease in available oxygen.  Happily, by the time we went to Breckenridge to ski, I could deal with the even higher elevation on the ski slopes of 11,000 feet (more than 3000 meters).

It was an amazing two weeks spent with 15 people who I love and enjoy hanging out with.  It's been more than a year since we visited with some of them, though Chris and Willy both made trips to Tokyo in 2009 and Martin had a chance for a short visit to Colorado last spring.  Seeing Steve again was awesome!  Monica and Jonah especially enjoyed the time with their brother, which was a surprise for me arranged by Steve and Martin.  The Mountain Murrays are totally wonderful hosts, and I'm sure Steve had a great time like the rest of us.  We didn't have a chance to see Jay, our other adult son, so we look forward to having that opportunity next summer, as well as visiting with our Michigan Family.

Yes, living abroad has brought many wonderful experiences into our lives, but living so far away from family is a big disadvantage.  This two week visit, which understandably took quite a toll on us and our wallet, turned out to be an experience that I would never trade back.  With all the pictures taken by Martin and myself, the memories will be that much easier to call up and treasure forever. 

We returned to Tokyo two weeks ago, and were reunited with Toby, who had been cared for by Hiroko-san and her family.  We very much appreciate this kindness.  A couple of days later, Martin was off on a business trip to China, while I  continued to deal with my jet-lag and two weeks worth of laundry in a more comfortable environment.  He returned home for the weekend, and then was off again, this time to Korea.  Tomorrow he will go to the USA , will return for a day and then go to India.  If he is ever home, I know he looks forward to going through his many, many photos of the family visit and choosing the better ones to share.  In the meantime, here are just a few to give you some idea of our multi-faceted visit to Colorado.

ここに東京で平均海面に住んでいます。それによって、クリスマスや新年の時に、最初の冬のコロラド州へ家族の旅行をしたので、直ちに高山病になりました。マーティンの兄弟と家族と大人息子というスティーブは両親の コロラド州のパイクスピークの近くの山中家に 旅行しました。皆は遊び に行ったの で、両親の５０年間の結婚記念日も祝いました。あの家は２５００ミトル以上の高度ですので、私は家族より現象したの利用できるの酸素が慣れていることに長い時間かかりました。運よくに、スキー場所というBreckenridgeに行ったまでに、もっと高い度高があるので、慣れていました。普通な使ったのBreckenridgeのスキーの上山は１１００フィットだので、３０００ミト ル以上高度です。

２週間の中に愛情を抱くの１５人と時間を過ごしました。最初の週にMの姉と家族はテキサス州から来たので、彼たちは帰った前に、兄と弟も来ました。弟の妻はいい人ので、初めて赤ちゃんに会いました。それから、息子スティーブも来ました。一年間以上から殆ど皆に会いました。除外は去年兄と甥も東京に来ま した。そして去年出張をしながら、週末でMは両親の家に行っ て、短い時間に会いました。スティーブと会うことはよかったで す。モニカとジョナもとても楽しかったです。その会うことはマーティンとスティーブは私にびっくりさせたので、とてもいいクリスマスプレセントです。マーティンの両親はいいホストだから、たぶん スティーブはも一回会いたいです。残念だから、長男に会うことができなかったので、夏でできると思います。今度、私の両親も会いに楽しみにしています。

そですね。国外に住んでいることはたくさんすごい経験 の機会があるけど、愛情の家族と遠い住むことは大きい不利です。この二週間の会うことは高くて、難しいだけど、経験は生活の大切なイベントになりましょた。マーティンと私はたくさん写真を撮ったので、思い出すこと は永久に秘蔵しやすいと思います。

二週間前に、東京に帰ったので、ひろこさんと家族はト ビのお世話をしてくれたから、とても感謝しました。二 日後にマーティンは中国に出張に行きながら、私は家に時差ぼけをかかったから、それより安楽で過ごしました。二週間の洗濯ことをしなければならなかったけれど、平均海面に帰ったから、よくなりました。彼は中国から帰った後に、韓国に行きました。明日、アメリカに行って、再来週にインドに行くつもりです。マーティンはあまり時間がないから、努力してが、ここまでにコロラド州 の写真を選ぶことができません。そして、私は少ないのを選んだので、いろいろ面  白い旅行について見せてみます。

Here's a link to a small collection of these photos.  More to come.  このリンクは少ない写真がありますので、もちょっと後にもっとのを載せるつもりです。　   　

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