東京のクリスマスラン
日本語で要約を下に書きました。Yes, yes... I know. Christmas is over. The time leading up to Christmas has expanded to several weeks, but as soon as the day has passed, it's old news. Let's revisit the Christmas theme for a moment here on this third day of the New Year.
Our family usually enjoys a ski trip to Niseko in Hokkaido in December each year. Generally, we go to Christmas mass at our parish church here in Tokyo, then take the trip after that, but this year we actually traveled to the northern isle on the 24th. Working with Ski Japan for our accomodation in Niseko, I got a line on a Catholic Church in Kutchan where we could attend Christmas Eve Mass. It was cold and snowy, and the bus transportation a bit confusing, but it worked out fine. Christmas Eve mass was conducted in a fine mixture of Japanese and English. The American priest was very sincere and kind, and spoke in Japanese about going home for Christmas and the gift he would give his father. In English, he talked about his work as a missionary in Japan. I found it all very welcoming, and was intrigued when he invited us to leave our various burdens at the altar. With that done, I can now make my New Years Resolutions with a fresh start.
When we returned to the ski lodge, we watched a movie we had brought, "The Polar Express." This is a fun family movie to watch on Christmas Eve with good narration, graphics, sound effects, and a TRAIN that morphs into a Roller Coaster! However, due to political correctness, 
I suppose, this movie about Christmas is quite notably devoid of any mention of Christ. And the characters, while repeatedly referring to the spirit and meaning of Christmas, apparently are talking about friendship and gift giving and believing in Santa Claus, because the "reason for the season" never came up. Just a movie, but a good way for the family to pass a peaceful Christmas Eve with the cold wind piling up snow outside. I'll share some pictures of the ski trip later.
The day before we flew to Hokkaido, we four participated in the Tokyo Christmas Run. Oh, what a fun time that was. The spirit of the Tokyo Christmas Run is reaching across barriers of culture, age and familiarity, while having fun on skates dressed as Santa Claus with friends old and new. Please see these pictures taken by Martin and I on the December 23rd, 2008 Christmas Run.
I've attended the Tokyo Christmas Run for several years. Now the whole family participates and I've helped Yagami-san these last two years with the event organization. Actually, he does all the work, sets up a website, communicates the details, figures out a route, leads it. All I do is work with the restaurant, Zest in Roppongi, to organize the party for the skaters at goal. This year, instead of collecting the money at the end, Yagami-mama (Junko-san) 
and Kaorin-san and Don-san went to the restaurant early and set up a receiving line to check us in for payment as they do with a Japanese wedding party. It was very efficient and kind of them to take that on. Unbeknownst to me, they were having everyone sign a birthday card for Monica. When I asked Junko-san about it, though my Japanese isn't very good, I understood her to say, "never mind what it's for, just sign it." Thank you, thank you, thank you. It was a very special day for all of us, especially Monica who had turned 16 just the day before.
We had almost 60 people participate, including kids, though some only attended the skate, and some only attended the lunch. Besides fitness and fun, one of the outcomes of our involvement with the skating activity is to do language exchange, practice our Japanese and assist friends practicing their English. Doing Language Exchange is not easy, even if you are really motivated. Fear of making a mistake can prevent someone from taking the opportunity to practice even when it is quite convenient. Developing friends in the group helps overcome that barrier. 
As Monica and Jonah become more comfortable with the other kids and adults in the group, they try harder to communicate. In-line Skating every week in the City Run (without the Santa suit), means we can and do make lots of friends and find those who are good language exchange partners.
Unless its raining, we can skate all year round in Tokyo, as snow is rare, and cold can be managed. We four will be out there tomorrow, meeting at Ueno before the 9:30 start. You are welcome to join us any time, as long as you are an adequate skater and come prepared with the right gear and be personally responsible for your own behavior. It's not necessary that you speak Japanese, as there is always someone who can speak some English. Please let me know if you need more information, or see Iwa-san's City Run Website. Currently, Iwa-san has up a retrospective of the 2008 skate pictures. Just two pictures, the gathering shot and one other, from each City Run that he attended, plus Saturday Night Skates and a couple of Long Runs. I very much enjoyed looking through these photos and remembering the various people who joined throughout the year and all the fun we had.
この日本語は要約だけです。そうそう、クリスマスは終わったけど、ちょっと話したいです。毎年、12月に北海道に行って、ニセコにスキーをします。いつも前に、家族はクリスマスに六本木の教会に行って、後で旅行をしてけど、今度24日にニセコに行ってので、クリスマスイーブに倶知安の教会にミサに参列しに行きました。倶知安へのバスはちょっと難しいだけど、できました。そのときも、スーパーに行って、週間の食べ物の買い物をしました。倶知安の教会で、アメリカ人の司祭は優しくて、正直な人と思います。ミサは日本語と英語で混ぜたので、 
歓迎な感情と思います。
スキーロージに帰ったときに、映画を見ました。それはポーラーエクスプレスという映画です。それはクリスマスについてが、政治的正当性から、神は全然ちょっと言わなかった！でも、それ以外に、映画はいい家族がクリスマスイーブを過ごすの映画です。グラフェックスとか、ナレーションと顔ともいいだので、一番いいものは電車はローラーコースターをなりました。見ながら、窓外に雪が降った、寒い風邪は吹き込んでいました。 後で、スキーの写真を見せます。
北海道に行った前の日に、4人家族は東京のクリスマスランを参加しました。それはとても楽しかったです。皆はサンタスツを着て、滑って、新しいと前の友達も楽しかったです。そのクリスマスランの写真はここにある。たくさんクリスマスランに参加してので、今度全体家族は行って、もっともっと友達も参加します。 
やがみさんはオーガーナイザーだので、私は手伝い人です。やがみさんはウエブサイトを作って、皆に連絡をして、ルートを作って、スケートをリードをします。私はレストランと話して、パーティーの準備をしました。そのときに、やがみママと、カオリンさんと、どんさんも早くレストランに行って、お金を集金をしました。日本の結婚のようなと思います。それはとてもいい考えと思います。
皆は入れて、一人ずつはカードをサインをしました。私はじゅんこさんに、何ですかと聞きました。私の日本語は悪いだけど、”いいのよ、サインをしてください”と分かりました。笑。それはモニカの誕生日のカードです。とてもよかったです。彼女は前の日に16歳になって、ケーキとカードと歌を貰った、喜んでいました。
殆ど60人はスケートかランチか両方に参加しました。スケートは楽しくて、いい運動をしても、いい言語の交換の方法だと思います。言語交換（ＬＥ）はとても満足を与えられるので、始めにくいです。友情があってなったら、練習はよくなると思います。モニカとジョナはだんだんグルプと話せる安心します。学校で日本語を勉強しますので、話す練習は要ります。必要です。日本人の友達もＬＥから利益を貰います。英語を話す練習をできるので、英語を聞くことを慣れています。そして、内気な感じを負かします。
雨が降らなかったら、一年中に東京に滑ることができます。毎週の日曜日の朝に皆は上野に集めて、一緒に滑ります。グルプはオーペンだので、いい振る舞いとか自分の責任を取ってのスケータは歓迎られます。そして、参加したい人は十分なすべてできったら、連絡をしてかどうか、上野に会いましょう。今ＩＷＡさんのサイトで２００８年のスケートの写真の回顧展があります。それは毎参加したスケートイベントに二つずつ写真を載せたので、私は見て、たくさんいい友達の会うことを覚えて、楽しむを覚えました。
I would've thought Martin would have given up the shaggy hair and scruffy facial hair by now or did he? Is this his second growing maybe a winter coat for the season. Looks like you had fun, all is well here, we had a good christmas(spoiled the kids) and quite new year (just what I like). I'm pumped for the new year with lots of new expirences in store, I'm sure all of you have some fun planned too. Talk to you soon.
Posted by: Nikki Jorgensen | January 04, 2009 at 02:16 PM
Merry Christmas all!
Nice beard, haven't seen Martin with one since his Rolla days.
Posted by: Matt Scholl | January 07, 2009 at 08:37 PM