Stories from Sendai, Issue #6, February 11, 2002

MEOW Everyone...Hehehe...It's Nigel here. I have sneaked into the computer room while my humans Todd & Barbara are asleep, and have decided to tell you a little about what I've been doing. I have noticed they keep talking about what THEY do, and what THEY see, with hardly a care about my feelings. Well, now it's MY turn. 

This apartment is smaller than the one I had in Cairo, but I like it a lot better. The closets are the best. There are three of them. They are super deep, and you can hide in them. One of the closets is used like a pantry, with cushions stored underneath. When Todd keeps that pantry door open, I love nestling myself on top of the cushions. Jumping up onto the closet ledges is fun, too, and gives me yet another area to explore. And even when my humans shut me in the closets (accidentally, I'm sure), I don't make a fuss because I'd rather be on a soft cushion in the dark than anywhere else. And when it gets boring doing that, I just meow and get them to open up the closet. 

The food here in Sendai is superb. Don't get me wrong, I get to eat my regular staple of Iams (the absolutely delicious ocean fish and rice formula, for those who wonder) every day. But on those rare occasions when Barbara and Todd order sushi at home, my mouth begins to water that much more. You see, one day they had ordered sushi and had left the shrimp tails on their plates. As I cannot resist fish in any form, I hopped onto the table, sniffed around and tested these shrimp tails. And, oh, I guess I couldn't help myself because they were so crunchy and tasty and...shrimpy. My humans hardly ever feed me from the table, and truth be told -- human food is for the birds (pardon the joke). All, that is, except crunchy, tasty, shrimp tails from that sushi place...Oh, just thinking about it makes me slobber. 

One tradition that got started in Heliopolis, Cairo, was what my humans call "smooshing." I call it "love-kneading" or "showing my affection." As soon as one of them goes to bed, I begin.  Apparently my human Todd doesn't appreciate it. He keeps jostling me back and forth so that I cannot get back on his feet or legs to give him that extra special signature of my love. My human Barbara is a bit more tolerant, though I get the idea that she doesn't like it much either. I only like doing it in the cold winter months, and I will have to admit I have done it more often and more intensely here in Japan. But that's because I am so happy and in love with this country that I'm overly emotional and lovey.

There aren't many playmates here (there were lots in Cairo), but the humans Harriette, Daryl and Sue sometimes say hello. I like them. They scratch me in just the right places. My humans do, too, of course. But my absolute favorite playtime comes when my humans pick me up next to the ceiling lamp. There's a delightful pull cord hanging from the lamp, which I almost always want to push with my front paws. And if my human holds me just right, or gives me just the right amount of time to play, I can hit that string so hard that it swings to the top of the lamp and stays there. Sometimes I don't play that game with the cord. Sometimes I put the plastic attachment at the bottom of the cord into my mouth, and pull the cord with my mouth. That makes the lights go on and off -- and that kind of power (lights on, lights off, lights on again) is better than catnip! Oh yes...and I almost forgot. I have also acquired a new skill (other than typing) in my playing. Here in Japan, the toilet and the bath are in two separate areas, and both are not easy to enter. However, I have managed to figure out how to get my humans' attention when they are in both places. My front paws are small enough to reach underneath the toilet-room door, so that I can tap whoever happens to be in there to let them know I am still alive and purring. And as for the bath-room door, I have figured out a way to push that two-bend accordion-style door open enough to where I can squeeze my body into and underneath the V-shaped opening. The tub is quite deep, and the tub ledge so thin that I am somewhat afraid to jump up often to lick the condensation or tub water (even with the soap, a much cleaner bath than Cairo or Texas). So, instead, I make my way to the living room windows, and lick the condensation off of those instead. Cool, delicious, and ... uh oh... I can hear them waking up. I'd better skedaddle. Hey...hey...give me that camera... no... oh MEOW.. 

Say sayonara, Nigel! It's our turn now. 

As January (and a new year) got rolling, both of us were somewhat apprehensive and anxious about our school's planned ski trip. Nigel would have loved the snow, but we had to leave him home for that excursion. Todd had skied before in Aspen, Colorado, with his roommate -- all of 12 years ago. Barbara had never skied before. Needless to say, they both took lessons. The day-long ski trip was just long enough for both of us to take lessons, get comfortable with our abilities and promise ourselves another trip before the season ends. Todd spent about two hours on the slopes, and a few others taking pictures for the TIS yearbook; Barbara also spent two hours doing some runs on the kiddie slopes. Our headmaster, Dr. Yutzy, was no exception as he shuffled down the slopes like a pro, helping us new-comers to stay balanced and upright. Our only question remains: How do you STOP?!  The Japanese instructors tried to give some pointers in Japanese, but alas, all she could do was slide down the hill on her back.  Finally, after some helpful tips in English from Dr. Yutzy, she managed to make it down the hill upright - but plowed into the webbed fence!  Later, as she learned to stop, it was mostly first graders that had to watch out!  The snow in Sendai's Izumi mountains was a welcome addition to the trip, as it gave most of our kids and parents a thrilling boost to do it all. 

This year, Barbara's New Year's Resolution came a little bit late.  Thinking about all the extra weight gained from eating too much wonderful Japanese food, she decided to finally join the gym downstairs.  Yes, we actually have a gym in our building on the ground floor.  Two other teachers had also been thinking about it, so we all took the plunge on Feb. 1st.  The three of us are now members of "New Concept - Outret (sic) Sports Club."  Most nights it is as if we have the place all to ourselves.  There are about 12 treadmills, 6 stationary bikes, and two stair steppers.  However, we have only seen about 4 people using anything at once - and that includes us!  The price is only 3000 a month (about $23), and it is sooo convenient.

Even though we teach at a small school, and there are relatively few expatriates in Sendai, we feel very fortunate that there are a large number of younger people who attend our church, Sendai English Fellowship.  Several of the people we know teach at MeySen Academy, a Japanese kindergarten with a big English program.  At the beginning of February, we had an ice cream social at the Takamori Friends Center, an annex of the Academy.  It was hosted by Jess and Candice, two of the teachers there.  The school is huge and beautiful, with amazing play areas.  They took us on a "Nighttime Slide" expedition, where we slid down every slide in the campus (about 20!)  One of the slide contraptions has a slide that goes at a 60% angle.  The steep drop made Barbara shriek like a kid.  Since the campus is built in a hilly area, the grounds have many fun places to explore.

Every Sunday evening, a large group of us go out to dinner together, usually to a restaurant called Gusto, just down the street.  This last weekend, we tried something different, as one of the members owns a restaurant called "The Mosaic Fish."  He usually is closed on Sundays, but last Sunday he sponsored a special "shakuhachi" concert.  The shakuhachi (click for a picture, description and sound sample) is a Japanese bamboo flute, that has a very haunting sound.  (Some of my sixth graders at AIS last year saw a videotape about woodwinds - and the shakuhachi sound made them giggle!)  The mouthpiece is notched in a V, and the player blows air across it.  To get a vibrato, the flute is shaken quickly up and down.  The notes also slide up and down using the player's breath control.  He played one piece, which lasted for about 8 minutes.  It was an unexpected treat!

Chances are that while many of you celebrated Groundhog Day on February 2, the Japanese were celebrating Setsubun. This traditional  ritual of spiritual spring cleaning is performed at shrines, temples, and people's homes around the country, and involves throwing soybeans at people dressed in demon costumes while chanting "fuku wa uchi, oni wa soto" ("fortune in, demons out"). This year, Setsubun was on a weekend -- but that didn't mean that the fun was lost on the kids at school. At morning assembly, some of our parents introduced the tradition to our students. They selected Todd to play the demon. His kids liked that! He put on a goofy demon mask and was asked to step outside. The kids were then given peanuts by the bucketful to throw at the demon as he walked back into the room. At one point, Todd had come into the assembly room, ducking behind chairs and tables only to be ambushed by kindergarteners. Oh, the humiliation of being pummeled with peanuts pitched by 4- and 5-year olds! And of all the kids at school, the most merciless bunch were his own 3rd graders. It seemed as though they had a vendetta against their beloved demon...uh...teacher. To find out more about this tradition, check out a fuller explanation of Setsubun.

PICTURES:

Here is Barbara getting her first instructions on how to ski, in Japanese.

Finally!  After repeated slides on her back and crashes into 6-year olds, Barbara can stay upright and even stop!

At the ice cream social held at Takamori Friends Center.

Some of MeySen Academy's incredible slides!

Todd wearing his "Oni" mask for Setsubun.

The demon is pelted with peanuts!

The shakuhachi player at the Mosaic Fish restaurant.

These are several of the people we know from Sendai English Fellowship.