At our women's Christmas party (for my women students and women from church), Mrs. Adachi's husband performed traditional Japanese singing/movement.
For our high schoolers' party, we had tacos and played some games.
While in the middle of making fudge, I realized I didn't know how to use the can opener (on the right)... after attempting to rip a hole in the can and squeeze the condensed milk out, I looked online and found the solution. It was a little late, though. With the can already half-mangled, I couldn't get the lid fully off. The fudge turned out great though, and I now know how to use the can opener. "Trial and error" seems to be the way I learn a lot of things here :)
A view of Mt. Iwate from the bus on Christmas morning as I headed to Takanosu.
We had delicious Swedish meatballs for Christmas dinner with the Nordaases! It was the first time I'd been there since our training session in August - really made me think how much has changed in the last four months! After supper we watched "A Very Brady Christmas," complete with TV commercials from the 1980s , and went to the onsen (hot spring).
Before I came back to Morioka, Kaila and I took the train to Odate, where we shopped and found this great little coffee shop - no two coffee cups are the same!
Now onto New Year's:
Our New Year's Eve dinner was amazing - temakizushi (hand-rolled/do-it-yourself sushi), crab, oysters with three different types of dressings, abalone - raw and cooked (raw is really hard to chew, but cooked is soft), and lots more... Then we watched some crazy New Year's Eve special on TV - singing, comedy, etc. I fell asleep from about 10-11:30, but I woke up in time to count down to the New Year :D
Early on New Year's Day, I went with my sisters, Mifumi and Honami (this is the inside of Mifumi's cute red car), to the mall for some sale-shopping. Every store sells "happy bags" - a grab bag - ranging in price from $10-$100+. Can you imagine spending $100, not knowing what you're going to get? I didn't buy any happy bags...
After the shopping, we came back to the church for a New Year's Day service. Most Japanese visit temples or shrines over the New Year's holiday (which lasts for a few days), so we have a service on New Year's Day.
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I really appreciate all of the cards, letters and packages I received over the holidays! I love hearing from you!
