It was around Spring Equinox and the florist in my little town made these flower arrangements.
Those are rabbits. Snow rabbits. In Japan sometimes people make little rabbits from snow and give them leaves for ears, usually bamboo leaves. I don't know why, but it's cute.
These rabbits are modeled off that idea.
I had to take a picture!
Anyway just to summarise; I have been living in Japan (in Hokkaido, the coldest part - eek!) for almost two years. I stayed because everyone has been so nice and easygoing. It was hard to adjust and I haven't fully adjusted, maybe never would, even if I married some guy and lived here.
But I don't think that will happen.
Anyway people up here in the frozen north are more relaxed and less traditional and formal than people in the warm south; which is funny because you would think in warmer places, people would have a warmer character. But nope. Southern folks are more traditional and serious about do's and don't's and so on (so everyone up here has told me a few times).
Hokkaido-jin are friendly enough I suppose. I like it here, but if you asked me why, I would have to say that it's hard to explain, it's complicated.
My students in junior high are charming for most part. They are more informal than I realised. Japanese school kids are hard working and study more than kids in New Zealand, (I think) but they are also rowdy like normal teens. A lot of them put their heads on their desks and ignore everyone around them if the class is a subject they don't like (such as English, sadly). They have no punishments for students really, just scolding. I can't talk too much about schools while I am on contract for the local Board of Education. One day I might be able to say more. But frankly there isn't any secret info to give or any bad stuff anyway.
Well, I must do my best to really throw myself into life here for my final year.
I fell in love with Japan when I came here years ago. My love remains.
One reason I love this place is because I was lucky to get a clean, tidy house to live in with real tatami mat floors. So happy.
I love my house.
I haven't had a place to myself in years. I missed it.
One more picture:
I will be sure to put up more pictures here and there if I remember. Possibly after I return to NZ and want to wallow in nostalgia.
People here are just nice. They are usually a bit more 'polite' (keigo, tatemae, look these words up on Google) than in NZ where being a straight-up type of person who is open about their feelings and 'honest' makes them kind of an asshole. Yes, kiwis, be honest, but we all need to think of other people's feelings a WEE bit more, that's all.
But you know, there aren't enough rubbish bins on the streets around here. Nobody really litters much though because eating and drinking in public while walking is considered 'weird'. Of course I do it all the time, mostly because that idea of it being 'weird' rankles a fair bit.
Don't stick out.
If you are careful, you will be ok and not upset anyone.
That's it really.
Listen and learn.
I am doing my best.
Ganbarimasu.
God bless
XXX
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