Grrr to blog.com. We`ve made a new one at www.bjmartens.blogspot.com
Please join us there for the continued adventures of Ben and Julia.. Super English Teachers
Our super powers include making people think we understand their Japanese, and a koncho shield that prevents all attacks!
So, while Julia is out galavanting at Universal Studios, I was sitting at work, wondering what it was that she said on here about her trip today. Well, it seems as if blog.com has once again made some rather annoying changes as to bandwidth restrictions. Last month was the first time we noticed this, with our monthly quota being reached near the end of the month - but now, only 9 days into the month, we've already reached it again. Either this quota has been drastically reduced with little-to-no forewarning, or we have suddenly gotten a lot of press. I'm going to tinker a bit on here, and you're going to notice a bunch of neat photos that Julia put up on the main page disappearing. Unfortunately, you'll have to navigate the photo albums to find them (I'll try to reference them whenever possible), as I'm trying to reduce the total monthly amount of information that is sent because of this blog.
-Ben
conversation between my supervisor and I yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon:
Me: so, there are no classes on friday, right?
SV: yes, that`s right.
Me: the first years are going camping, and the second and third are going to Universal Studios (in Osaka) on school trips right?
SV: yes, that`s right
Me: So, um, will there be teachers here on friday?
SV: probably not.
Me: So, um, what am I supose to do on friday? (thinking: SV should say `oh, Julia, you should just stay home..`)
SV: Oh, I don`t know, let me ask......(later)... so, do you want to go to Universal Studios?
Me: Really?!! YES!!
Poor Ben has to stay home, and I keep having these awesome adventures. Sorry Ben (tee hee hee)
This last weekend I went with 4 other JETs to the island of Naoshima. Some of you might know this island from the Bond book `the man with the red tattoo` (there is no movie yet, altough the island wants one to be made). It is a small island in the Seto Sea, and the main attraction is the art that the Benesse Art site has aquired. There are three main art sites- Chichu art gallery, the Benesse House modern art gallery, and a series of Art houses. It is hard to explain the amazing experience it was, and since we could not take pictures of the art (they took our cameras away) I can`t really show you. We got to the island by a 55min ferry, and we stayed in these mongolian tents. These I can and will show, as they were beautiful, and worth the trip itself!
[edit: you can find the photos in the Naoshima photo album, bandwidth permitting]
The are the doors to the mongolian tents were pretty small, so it felt like crawling into a cupboard, but they were painted so beautifully!
[edit: you can find the photos in the Naoshima photo album, bandwidth permitting]
The tent ceiling was held up by poles that had painting of lizzard/dragon type things done in gold paint. It looked very chinese.
[edit: you can find the photos in the Naoshima photo album, bandwidth permitting]
There were 4 beds and a table, plus a fridge and desk. They were really roomy inside.
The campsite was right on the beach, so we could hear the waves at night. On saturday after we were settled, we went to see the galleries. The Chichu gallery is underground in a hill, with spaces that are open to the sky. All the art was lit naturally (amazing on the 3 original Monet`s) Other art pieces were based using light-James Turrell is an artist that creates amazing experiences with light. For example, we went into a building with no windows..it was so dark that we had to let our hands trace the walls so we knew when to turn. we were sat on a bench, in a large room, in pitch blackness. After a few minutes, I could see what looked like a movie screen infront of me. Very slowly it grew in light, until I could see it`s rectangular shape easily. Walking towards this `screen` I could see the sillouets of other people, and getting to the end, we found that the screen was actually a rectangular hole in the wall, with another room behind it, lit up by `black` lights. It was an amazing experience, waiting, not knowing what we would see. After a while, we could make out other people, and see the walls inside the big room aswell. the whole process took about 15 minutes. Leaving the room, we easily went around the corners we were stumbling though before. It was an art of waiting, of anticipation of something that you can`t rush. Unfortunatly, the ladies sitting next to me were chatting the whole time-a silent room would have been incredible to sit and wait in silence. The other pieces (rooms) done by Turrell had the same kind of `oh wow` experience with light, although this was the only one you had to sit and wait for. (an interview with James Turrell http://www.conversations.org/99-1-turrell.htm)
[edit: you can find the photos in the Naoshima photo album, bandwidth permitting]
This picture is taken at the entrance to a tunnel that leads under a shrine. the shrine has glass steps leading up to it that continue underground to a small cavern. You enter through this tunnel and you can see the light passing through the steps (there is no opening, the steps are surrounded by stone) and you see the steps reflected in a small pool of water at the bottom. It was really amazing to see, and the tunnel itself was an experience. The tunnel was probably 15m long. there were 4 people in the small cavern with me, and it was very crowded. Of course there were expensive books with all the pictures of what we`ve seen-and I wish I bought one! but, I bought some post cards instead.
The weekend was so much fun, but tiring. Saturday we stayed up playing Scum, and I found out that it is the Canadians that are the hard cores! In the group there was two canadians, two americans, and a New Zelander.
[edit: you can find the photos in the Naoshima photo album, bandwidth permitting]
This is from the hanami party back in April. I like Ben`s mischevious smile. (It`s my friend Amber`s hat)
Have you seen a James Turrell piece, or something like it? What is your favourite kind of art/artist? If you`re not artistic, what kind of art would you make if you could? Let me know!
Cheers, Julia
Summer is around the corner. It`s strange to think that a few months ago we were huddling under our electric table and wearing winter coats. The sun is out and the humidity is back baby! It is still pleasant enough, but it heralds of whats to come! We`ve been kicking around the last few weeks, not doing a lot, but having fun around the house. I made some banana bread last weekend, and baked it in our microvave/oven. It`s kinda hard to know how to compare it to a regular oven when it coming to timing, but it turned out great, thanks to the chocolate chips Mom Martens gave us!
[edit: photos removed from main page. You can find them in either the summer or the food photo albums, bandwidth permitting]
This is a picture of an apartment building across from one of the train stations I go to on tuesdays. You can see the futons drying on the porch railings. You have to air out the futon, or it will get moldy, and to keep away bed bugs. Seeing futons on railings or even roof tops is an everyday sight. (we usually air ours on saturdays)
[edit: photos removed from main page. You can find them in either the summer or the food photo albums, bandwidth permitting]
These are some of my studetns (highschool). Uniforms are slightly different for each school, but all girls love their `loose socks`. They are like `80`s leg warmers, but always white. Apparently, they make your legs look thinner (?). Junior high school girls arn`t allowed to wear them, so loose socks and a cell phone is the BIG thing for getting out of junior high.
Last Sunday we went to go swimming, and we happened to catch a kendo tournament in the gym at the pool. I`ve seen some students at my school doing kendo, but this was university level, and it was pretty intense! One guy was telling us the rules, and you have to stomp and give a good hit to the hands, torso, or head (I think). Light taps don`t count-they have to be intentional (hence the stomp first). Let me know if you know more than that, as it was a jenglish conversation (part japanese, part english)
[edit: photos removed from main page. You can find them in either the summer or the food photo albums, bandwidth permitting]
As summer is coming, so are the mosquitos.
http://www.diyhappy.com/quick-and-dirty-mosquito-trap/ gives a method to create a mosquito trap using a pop (pet) bottle, yeast, sugar, and water (as well as lots of other fun and strange inventive ideas). We have some neato mostiqto keep-away-things that we plug in (I don`t really know how they work) but Ben thought he`d give this one a go.
When my parents were here we were telling them how beautiful it gets when the rice is growing and everything is green. I don`t think they really believed that all the muddy fields they were looking at could be beautiful, but this was on my walk from the train station to my school on Tuesday. Often you can see cranes and other large white birds in the paddies eating tadpoles.
[edit: photos removed from main page. You can find them in either the summer or the food photo albums, bandwidth permitting]
this is at the train station near our house. I had to take a second look at the black and white gloves... not paticulary a welcoming gesture to those boarding the train. It is the most beautiful train station though, there is always flowers blooming.. I love it.
Well, there was a day in the life of us. We`re trying to fully enjoy each day as we see the end coming near. We`ve booked our flight home, for the beginning of August and there is lots we want to do before we leave. Ben has found out about his successor, another Canadian, but the highschool ALTs are placed later, so I don`t know who is coming after me yet. Strange to think that a year ago, we were only finding out about where WE would be. I finally feel settled, and it`s time to think about leaving. One year is either too short or too long.. it`s enough to feel at home, but too short to enjoy that feeling for long. A year and a half might be the right amount of time, but, the system doesn`t work that way. However, in the heat of July, I think I will look forward to going back home when it is the perfect time of year!
Julia
If you continue reading, you will find out that I am doing a `Canadian` cooking class for my Eikaiwa class. Of course things brings us to the essence of what is Canadian-nothing. Well, very little. Canadians enjoy the flavours of the world in their daily menus. So, yesterday I thought, well, what about perogies? (wareneki for you Mennonites). So, I made my first batch.. ever. The first few that went in the pot fell apart, but as I kept rolling the dough out, and adding more flour, I got the right consistency so that they would stay together. (miracle 1) The next miracle was that I (well, Ben) actually found cottage cheese, at a whopping $4 for like, 50ml. But, that means that Ben got to eat his favourite food! (although we were missing the farmer sausage). Three hours later, I finally got the kitchen cleaned up. I see why people don`t usually make them anymore. But that means we have left over wareneki for dinner tonight! However, I don`t know if it is a good idea for my class. It is difficult to make, and it takes a long time, so please continue to give me ideas!
[edit: photos removed from main page. You can find them in either the summer or the food photo albums, bandwidth permitting]
After finding the Guinness in the supermarket, I asked Ben what would make him so happy he could cry. First guess-farmer sausage.. (too bad) second guess-Guiness! Yup, I know what would make him happy. Beer here is genrerally really pale, and Ben likes a dark stout.
OK, since it is mid-term time, there are no classes in the afternoons (tests in the mornings) so I spent my lunch watching the baseball team practice. I`m always amazed at the respect and encouragement that the players show each other and everyone else. Walking past the field to get a seat behind the home plate, the guys took off their hats and bowed, saying konichiwa. This is a little unnerving for me, as I`m just not used to that kind of respect, but they do it to their own players as they come on the field, as well as the coach. Even off the field if there are baseball boys around, they will bow and say hello to their `superior` baseball teammates. These baseball players are usually among the best students in my English classes, and try the hardest. They are usually the most outspoken as well. It`s just really neat to see.
It appears to be the time of year that the new ALTs for JET are finding out where they are placed! I`m very much looking forward to finding out who will be coming after me. If you are a JET coming to Tokushima, Welcome! Feel free to ask us any questions. With Ben in junior highschool and me in highschool, we can cover a lot of ground!
(I did do a google search for Tokushima, and this blog didn`t come up, but it does if you google Komatsushima.)
It`s that time again! Typhoon Time! The first one is on the radar, although it will probably peter out, it is timed to hit us on Saturday, when we have a JET beach party planned. boo. (but good for the sufers) You can follow the weather at: http://www.jma.go.jp/en/gms/index.html?area=0&element=0
(I like how it can be animated, and you can watch the past 24 hours, see it twirling and coming closer... hoo hoo!)
[edit: photos removed from main page. You can find them in either the summer or the food photo albums, bandwidth permitting]
So (mom), we survived our motorcycle trip across Kyushu! All together we rode 1,600 km, each on our own motorbike. Unfortunately, Julia wasn't feeling so great for a bunch of it, so she often just suffered quietly (well, there's no way I'd really know - we were on separate bikes, there was lots of bike and wind noise, and I was wearing a helmet that covered my ears). Despite feeling worse as the trip went on, she survived with what seems to have been a fairly positive view of the whole thing.
While we were on Kyushu, the weather was good almost every day. On the way there and on the way back, however, we got fairly soaked. I never thought I would be so thankful for how the Japanese highway planners love to punch holes through mountains, rather than go around them, on the expressways - it gave us some blessedly dry periods where you could imagine drying a tiny bit before re-entering the deluge.
(this is on the ferry, cool eh!)
After getting off the ferry and driving into Beppu, though, the weather turned quite nice. The air was warm and dry, and there were palm trees alongside the road to greet us. The city of Beppu itself is actually quite the site, as it is a hot-spring town. Steam literally rises from all over the city, and almost every hotel or ryokan has its own onsen, naturally fed and heated. The many steam vents (no water coming out) were often harnessed somehow (I'm guessing for energy), and you'd see the steam pouring out through the steamstack at the top of small huts that dotted the fields and mountainside.
In Beppu we focussed on how nice the futons were at the hotel stayed at, as all other nights were being spent outside camping. That night, we made what I figure to be our best discovery. While trying to find a random free outdoor onsen in the mountain, I made a wrong turn somewhere and ended up discovering a different one, Hebi no Yu. This spring was very nice (apparently nicer that the other one, some other people told us), and even had a convenient spot that one could camp (to which we returned for our last night).
[edit: photos removed from main page. You can find them in the "bike trip to kyushu" photo album, bandwidth permitting]
The next day, we rode to another nearby hotspring town, Yufuin. Being Golden Week, though, and being a popular destination, it was *very* crowded. There was a voluteer at the train station handing out maps and explaining how to get around the town, which was completely full of vehicles and people. We were very glad for our motorcycles, as I don't think it would have been possible otherwise. We even managed to get some parking spots close to where we wanted to be - which would have been impossible in a car. There was an picturesque pond, carefully landscaped, surrounded by many hotspring-fed baths, art museums, cafés and restaraunts.
After this, we pretty much spent all of our time riding through mountains, hunting down both onsen and camp-jo (campgrounds). It seems as if every campground that we stayed at either had their own hot-spring, or had an onsen next door.
First we hit up the kurokawa area, where the camp-jo had a very nice rotenburo (outdoor tubs) and the local ryokan Oku no Yu's rotenburo - set alongside a picturesque river - set Julia's mind spinning with future hot-tub design ideas.
After this, we headed down to Aso-san, a volcano with apparently the largest crater in the world. This crater is the old crater, it seems, and the entire City of Aso fit inside the crater. In the center of this crater is the newer volcano, Aso-san. We visited a spring here which had one tub which reminded me of a passage in the Lonely Planet. It described the onsen culture in Japan, where people would spend months on end in onsen, if they could, held in place by a rock on their lap. I could believe it of this place. The tub was separated into many smaller, compartmentalized tubs by big wooden dividers. Each tub held a few older men who looked as if they hadn't moved in months, nor were they intending to move again in the future. Strangely, the water here was quite acidic, and I had been warned to take off all jewlery first, as it may quickly corrode - yet these guys still seemed to have all their skin intact. Either way, after getting out, rinsing off with fresh non-acidic water seemed like a good way to keep mine.
From here we had intended on bombing it down south, through the mountains on highway 265 all the way to Ebino city. Well, we ended up learning that a bold line on a map, outlined in yellow as if to indicate a major route may not really reflect reality in any way. The road seemed to have been the specific target of some typhoons and landslides in recent years, and those areas not under construction to repair this seemed to be under construction for some other reasons. With this to slow us down, there also were the incredibly windy roads - also not apparent on the map. Don't get me wrong, they were very fun to ride, winding tightly through hills and trees - it just added a lot of time to what we were hoping on getting done.
Towards the end of the day, it was getting dark, and we just wanted to get to the campground. We were firmly committed to this highway at this point, and we discovered an area under very heavy construction, so Julia got to practise her riding on gravel, - as it was getting dark. Now, up until this time, there had been construction-related signs the whole way, all in kanji, of course. Well, just as it was completely dark, we discovered that the road did not, in fact, go anywhere. We had passed many places that motorcycles could squeeze by where cars likely could not, but here we discovered that the road did not exist anymore. It had been completely wiped out by a landslide, and you couldn't even walk around it, not to mention take a bike. We were beginning to run low on gas, but if this had not happened, we would have been fairly close to our final destination. Now, low on gas and in the dark, we made our way back through the rough gravel area and into the closest town - where all the gas stations were, of course closed - and began heading the long way around, looking for anywhere that we could spend the night. Despite the earlier heat of the day in Aso, spending the rest of the day up in mountains had gotten us fairly cold. Well, someone was looking out for us, as we saw, in English, a sign for the Futago Campground in the middle of an empty stretch of highway, with a neighbouring onsen. That was a *very* nice end to what looked to be a frustrating evening with a bad camping spot.
Well, after this, we headed down to our farthest destination, Ebino city, saw some more volcanoes and crater lakes, camped in the cold, and then bombed back up to Beppu for the last night. We camped beside the same spring we had discovered on our first day, and it began to rain. The next day, we packed up and rode back to Tokushima in the drizzling rain and through cold clouds in the mountain passes of Shikoku, and were very happy when this last day was done.
All in all, it was a great trip with amazing views. Now, though, we know that if we'd do the whole thing again, we'd either want many more days to do the same distance, or we'd cut off the whole southern half of the trip so that we could spend more time exploring the areas we were in. We saw many highway signs to places we though of stopping by at, but didn't usually have the time or energy to stop.
Wow, I do write long entries - perhaps that's why I'm only allowed to do this on the odd occasion, if I've been good. :)
-Ben
PS we've already uploaded the photos
