Elections are coming up. What they are for, I don't know. All I know is that today the large boards that were put up last week, are now covered with pictures of men and women running for office. I guess this is one way of letting people know who's running. This morning there were also cars going around the neighborhood with loud speakers on the roofs. I think that they were advertising for the elections. (However, they could have also been advertising for laundry poles. I wasn't quite awake enough to really care about deciphering what they were saying.)

Today, all of the English teachers became a scantron machine. Each of us is assigned a small section of the high school entrance exam to grade. We cruised through 300+ tests with our red pens for a good two hours. There are snacks on the table and tea on the counter for little breaks, which are important as we try very hard to keep our brains alert enough to mark the answers accurately. We double check ourselves. We double check each other. We are like a finely tuned grading machine.

Yesterday, the teachers were notified that the principal had received a threatening letter. They don't know who wrote the letter, but it said that there would be an attack at the entrance of the school this morning. (This type of letter is fairly rare in Japan.) So, all of the students were sent home early yesterday, so the teachers could get ready for an entrance exam that happened today. All of this is true, but 26 policemen and detectives also came to go through the building. Everything that could be opened (lockers, doors, garbage cans, windows, etc.) were "sealed" with stickers. Thankfully, nothing happened today. The teachers were sent out in groups to different parts of the building to remove the stickers. And let me tell you, they were everywhere! The students still have no idea what happened, and chances are they never will.

The students clean the school and lately there have been "big" soji (cleaning) days. I asked my senior students what was different about a big soji day. They said, "We clean longer, and we wash the windows."

As I was moving through the halls I came across a pair sweeping. Well...sort of. One hand was holding onto a book and the other a broom. Their heads were buried in a book while they were swinging their brooms. The bottom of the brooms were barely touching the floor and they were paying absolutely no attention to to where they were sweeping. It was pretty funny to watch. I asked them what they were doing. They informed me that they were studying for a math test later that day. Hands down, they were more concerned about their math test than cleaning. Yet another piece of evidence that they really don't clean. They just push around little piles of dirt every day.

Hello! It's been a while since I've updated this site because I have been in Tokyo. I camped out at my friend's house in Chiba. Miho graciously allowed me to camp at her place. I had a fabulous time in Tokyo. I felt very independent and sophisticated while I was there. The differences between Tokyo and Shimonoseki are like night and day. One of the biggest differences was the amount of foreigners I saw everyday. I saw more foreigners in one hour in Tokyo than I see in months in Shimonoseki.

The night before leaving Tokyo, I went to kabuki at the Kabuki-za. Seeing kabuki at the Kabuki-za is like seeing Phantom of the Opera on Broadway or the West End. This traditional form of theater is known for it the stylization of its drama and the elaborate costumes and make-up worn by the performers. I waited in line for cheap balcony tickets where you can watch two of four acts for $15. The two acts lasted 2.5 hours. I enjoyed the costumes, dancing, instrumentation and singing, and experiencing another facet of Japanese culture. One of the interesting things is that expert audience members interact with the play. They will yell out various words/phrases. I guess that this is used to express the audience's appreciation of the actor's achievement.

Probably seeing Mt. Fuji was the ultimate highlight. It was incredible. This snow-capped mountain rises out of nowhere, which makes it extremely impressive and majestic. I couldn't help but sit and stare at God's creation and be amazed. After spending an hour absorbing the beauty, Miho and I went to an onsen. We were able to relax and soak in water from the base of Mt. Fuji. On the way home, we watched the moonlit mountain until it faded into nothingness behind us.

We also went to Disneyland in Tokyo. It was a lot of fun! The park was packed with people, but Miho and I made it on several rides and enjoying watching the parades and fireworks. I think the longest wait was 140 minutes. My favorite ride was "It's a Small World," with a very merry holiday theme. We took a boat ride and saw how Christmas holidays are celebrated around the world, while hearing "It's a small world after all" in various languages. I also really liked "Pooh's Honey Hunt." We rode in a honey pot car and followed Pooh through the Hundred Acre Woods as he looked for honey. The car even bounced when we saw Tigger:)

I enjoyed exploring Tokyo on my own and with friends. I was able to visit with friends from Northwestern College who are in the Tokyo area. It was great to see and experience little pieces of where these friends have grown-up or now work. I saw the Imperial Palace grounds, the Diet (the national government building), the Prime Minister's official residence, Asakusa (a traditional area of Tokyo), Tokyo Tower, Roppongi (the Beverly Hills equivalent), Yasakuni shrine, Akihabara, Harajuku, Metropolitian Government buildings (view from the 45th floor), ate at the Tahitian Noni Cafe & Outback Steakhouse, went to IKEA and ate Swedish meatballs, and window shopped along the Ginza.

(Pictures from Tokyo Trip)