the ubuyama society

Yes the whirlwind has been blowing.

The number of social events that I have attended are numerous and plentiful. Just got taken out to a really nice onsen in Oita-ken (where the minerals in the water formed large deposits where they are pouring into the baths) and then brought back to town for sashimi, shochu, and Asahi super "Dry."

The other day (picture above) was the coming-of-age ceremony and after that was a small enkai and then the rest of the day off. All the kids who are turning twenty this year were there. There were about three t.v. cameras as well. These kids are kind of a big deal. And I am happy they are.

Then a couple days ago I visited the nursery. It was one of the best days of my life. These one, two, three, and four year-olds are the most adorable people I have ever met. They did not even butt poke me! There is actually a word for that in Japanese: the kancho. Hilarious I tell you.

And when I was eating sashimi tonight the family I was with (my boss's family, not supervisor's) was watching a t.v. show dedicated to this one chimp and his pet dog. They were the cutest duo I have ever seen. Just another example, Nick, of what I was trying to say. Here the chimp gets the same viewership as a reality t.v. show does in the U.S. (well, maybe per capita). You need to see this chimp with his/her overalls and the dog! They are amazing. They are so human, so alive, and so curious (and such good friends).

Oh yeah, and the question of how long to stay has already been a topic of conversation here; everyone wants three years out of my poor soul. Do they have any idea how isolated it is here? I know they know that this is one of the coldest places to live in the winter (thanks to summer insulation), but the isolation? I adore the people here, as you can probably tell. But I won't make any promises about how long I'll stay. It's a secret.

ciao for now.