My new address... basically the same as the old one with the numbers changed:
Ojika-cho Fuefuki-go 811-1
Kitamatsuura-gun
Nagasaki-ken 857-4701
JAPAN
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Movin on in
Today I am meeting with the owners of the house I am moving into. The school approved the move, so I'll be able to bring over the things that the school owns too. It is actually very good timing I think, because the new teachers will be coming in and looking for apartments to move into on April 1st.
So now begins the task of moving everything from the apartment to the house and changing over the utilities. I'm going to have to rely on Naoko and others to help me, because I have no way of getting the big stuff over there by myself. It would be a long bike ride with a refrigerator strapped to my back...and then a washing machine...then a TV...you get the idea.
The owners are going to share the cost of putting new tatami mats in the house. They will be swapped out when we get a nice day or two in a row. They are made from rush and rice stalks, and when new they are still slightly green. That means that they need to be installed on a dry day, and I'll have to keep wiping them down as the moisture escapes from them. Eventually they will turn from green to a tan color.
Other than the tatami mats there are a few other things I want to fix up around the place, but nothing too major as far as I can tell. The main task will be the garden outside. There is a very nice space for it, and it obviously has been used in the past, but it will need some work to get it into shape.
These little projects will be nice to have, it will help to make me feel more at home I think.
So, I look forward to getting comfortable in my new place over the next few weeks. I'll post pictures and video when I get a chance. I took some pictures of it a week or two back, but I havent uploaded them yet. I'll get on it!
So now begins the task of moving everything from the apartment to the house and changing over the utilities. I'm going to have to rely on Naoko and others to help me, because I have no way of getting the big stuff over there by myself. It would be a long bike ride with a refrigerator strapped to my back...and then a washing machine...then a TV...you get the idea.
The owners are going to share the cost of putting new tatami mats in the house. They will be swapped out when we get a nice day or two in a row. They are made from rush and rice stalks, and when new they are still slightly green. That means that they need to be installed on a dry day, and I'll have to keep wiping them down as the moisture escapes from them. Eventually they will turn from green to a tan color.
Other than the tatami mats there are a few other things I want to fix up around the place, but nothing too major as far as I can tell. The main task will be the garden outside. There is a very nice space for it, and it obviously has been used in the past, but it will need some work to get it into shape.
These little projects will be nice to have, it will help to make me feel more at home I think.
So, I look forward to getting comfortable in my new place over the next few weeks. I'll post pictures and video when I get a chance. I took some pictures of it a week or two back, but I havent uploaded them yet. I'll get on it!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
春一番 (First Winds of Spring)
Today Haru-Ichiban, the first winds of spring, seem to have arrived. The temperature is in the mid 60's and the wind is blowing fiercly. We have had some days with strong winds like this throughout the "winter", but up until now they had arrived accompanying a cold front, usually marking the coldest days. This is the first warm wind that has swept through.
It's quite a different feeling from Minnesota in February. While Northlanders are still in prime blizzard season, Ojika's plum trees are breaking in to bloom. The daffodils have been up for a month now, filling the open areas with a wonderful fragrance. Even a few of the early blooming cherry trees are showing flowers, although I'm told the majority wait until April.
As far as I am concerned, Ojika had one day of winter this year. Snow fell and stayed on the ground for that one day, and to me, that marks the sole appearance of old man Frost.
I am looking forward now to planting a garden and hopefully moving into a small, more traditional style house instead of my concrete and plastic apartment. I'm just waiting on the OK from the school. More on that soon. And hopefully pictures of the place as well.
It's quite a different feeling from Minnesota in February. While Northlanders are still in prime blizzard season, Ojika's plum trees are breaking in to bloom. The daffodils have been up for a month now, filling the open areas with a wonderful fragrance. Even a few of the early blooming cherry trees are showing flowers, although I'm told the majority wait until April.
As far as I am concerned, Ojika had one day of winter this year. Snow fell and stayed on the ground for that one day, and to me, that marks the sole appearance of old man Frost.
I am looking forward now to planting a garden and hopefully moving into a small, more traditional style house instead of my concrete and plastic apartment. I'm just waiting on the OK from the school. More on that soon. And hopefully pictures of the place as well.
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