back with the small people

by small i do not refer to anything except the size of all things japanese and it is not necessarily a bad thing i have discovered.  in fact, i have come to love the smaller size of things here and actually looked forward towards the end of my american journey to coming home to things that made sense porportionaly and not having to leave most of whatever i was served on my plate or feeling like everything was too large and too loud.  home is nice, i am so glad to be back on my little island in the sun now.

i returned on a saturday morning after leaving the states on thursday afternoon to find my new scooter (thanks kelly!) waiting for me at the port.  after some coaxing i got her started and was on a short ride back to my apartment.  what a feeling!  you will be getting updates on how our relationship is evolving just as soon as all of the paperwork is squared away with her.

my bags came in the afternoon (again, i sent them via baggage service.  about 20 bucks for them to ship them from the fukuoka airport to my doorstep instead of me lugging two HUGE (american huge) suitcases across town in fukuoka and then into and on the ferry with me and then home once i reached the island.  i love baggage service!)  and i hurriedly unpacked them and got clothes and gifts organized when my friend yoshi called me and told me that there was to be a matsuri (summer festival) that evening and that i should meet him at 5 o'clock.  OK!  i was anxious to get back into the swing of things so off i went and helped a bit with set up but mostly just enjoyed all that these festivals have to offer.  loads of my students were on hand selling the food/drinks and offering their help to all of the young and old in attendence.  it was a special festival that was set up for the old folks on the island at one of the retirement homes.  they were all tickled pink to have so many of us there and being able to celebrate the summer season with family and friends.  my taiko team performed (sans me, which i was soo happy about after missing a month of practices!) along with some other singing and dancing from all ages there.  it was generally a great time and everyone really seemed to be letting their hair down, as much as they do. ;)

this man was good enough to bring his tako-yaki van to the festival.  he served them up hot and delicious right from the back of the thing.  tako-yaki is a great street sort of food here and is like little balls of pancake batter with bits of octopus inside.  yum!

traditional dancing to a very old matsuri tune

it never fails, there is always a place at every event, no matter how small, for the "important" people to sit.  these are the guys and i have no idea how they are so important, but they are.  the good part is, they all semm to like me, or at least the novelty of me being around. 

more dancing and general enjoying!

i really enjoyed this little festival and felt like it was the perfect homecoming.  getting to see some of the folks there that i had missed and just being back into the thick of things.  it really reminded me how far i have come in a year and how much there still is to learn about these people, this place and its rich, wonderful history and culture.  i am so glad to be back here and to be starting another year in japan.  here is to one more and to having a clue!  yeehaw!