Skype Tuesday

Today is Skype Tuesday in Roo’s classroom. During lunch as the children are sitting orderly around their tables the mommies (or daddies, or grandparents) can make a brief skype call to the classroom to say hello. The child of the calling mommy comes to the computer to give an update on his doings from the morning. Today was my second time to participate. It struck me as funny and somewhat puzzling to see Roo act shy while talking to me over the computer. It’s like he wasn’t quite sure it was his real mommy. “Shy“ probably isn‘t the word his teachers or classmates would use to describe his character. Mostly he’s a confident little guy that is developing a reputation for being chatty. Yesterday he said to me “mommy, why do I talk a lot?”. Hmmm… how do I answer? I told him he’s a smart person with a lot to say!

A Christmas Party

Roo & his best buddy from school, Tsubasa.

Yesterday we attended a Christmas party sponsored by Roo’s preschool. The children enjoyed watching a silly clown, a brief appearance by St. Nick and the school teachers led the crowd singing both school and Christmas songs. One thing I’ve noticed is that the use of the word “Christmas” is not burdened by the political correctness that accompanies the word in the United States. There is little concern that you may offend if asking someone “what are you doing over Christmas?”, or “are you going to a Christmas party?”. My thoughts of why this is are: First, the word is used to signify the season, not the event. For most of the Japanese, the holiday is secular and the celebration of Christ’s birth is not connected to “the reason for the season”. December 24th is the day of Christmas celebration and on December 25th, the household adjusts their decorations and minds to the upcoming New Year festivities. A Japanese Christmas Cake is eaten on Christmas Eve and is simply a sponge cake with frosting, strawberries, and sometimes chocolate. Second, people in an expatriate community expect differences and therefore have a tolerance for the liberal use of the word “Christmas“. Roo has a book about the Nativity and last week he insisted on bringing the book to school to show the teachers and other children. I was somewhat hesitant to mention it to his teacher because in my American mind I thought “oh, no, we've brought a religious book to school”. I was surprised when her reaction was “oh good, we may have time to read it today”! Again, it’s another difference we’re experiencing and I have to admit, the capacity for tolerance is refreshing. Peace and goodwill to all mankind!

Disco dancing at the party.

The Spa

If I had access to unlimited funds it’s highly possible I would become a spa junkie. I love the spa. The smells, the tea, the robe, the music, the warm room, the warm towels, and of course, the treatment. My husband is supportive. So much so that he’s accustomed to taking note of the spa facilities available in the area when he’s planning our vacation travel. I do indulge even when we’re not on vacation by visiting my favorite neighborhood spa. For the most part, the process isn’t all that different from what I’ve experienced in other countries. Except, the receptacle for your clothing. What lady hasn’t been in the doctor’s office or the dressing room at a department store and felt slightly horrified when she realizes her undergarments are crumply pitched in a pile in plain sight? I can’t be the only one that hides my undies under my folded blouse and at times resorts to tucking them into the pocket of my jeans. Of course the modest women of Japan have given this some thought and developed a solution to spare others the embarrassment. It took me awhile to figure it out, but in every spa room, often in dressing rooms, and sometimes in the public bath changing area, there is a basket with a piece of cloth the same size to cover your clothing once you’ve placed your items neatly inside, keeping your privacy in tact.

Shichimi Togarashi

I’ve discovered a Japanese spice that makes carrot and lotus root sauté receive the distinction of “very good” from Ryan. Two words he doesn’t often use in the same sentence as carrot. I crave the dish. The spice is shichimi togarashi (7 spice pepper blend). It’s in every Japanese food store that has a decent spice section and a little gives a lot of kick. I use a recipe from a class I attended at A Taste of Culture, but I did find online a “pages displayed by permission” recipe from the cookbook Washoku that I mentioned in an earlier post. Shichimi togarashi is a quick and easy way to add a little heat to your palate and spice to your life!

A Sense of Humour

Roo laughs at his own jokes. He has since he was very small and way before his word development. Attempting to put a square block through a triangle hole on a shape sorter, he would pause, make eye contact, and then giggle as he tried the futile task. It was obvious he knew it wouldn’t work. So yesterday at his parent/teacher meeting I was delighted to hear his team of teachers describe “great sense of humour” and “fantastic laugh of glee”. Four is a fun age. Sure, there can be frustration but we’re all entitled to off moments. Sometimes he gets grumpy. Or, a little down on Japan. He has a unique way of saying the word Japan which makes a discussion about Japan notably cute.. He pronounces it jya-paan. He‘ll say he wants to go back to Minneapolis. Usually it’s because “they speak English there” but lately it’s transformed into “I miss my friends”, or “I miss the places we go there”. He’s certain his friends in Japan will visit him in Minneapolis. And of course he misses his grandparents. Yesterday he told me “we’re not meeting any Grandma and Grandpa’s in Japan”.

Ninja

Last night I went to a restaurant called Ninja with a group of mothers from Roo’s preschool class. In the dark, the ninja clad hostess led us to our cavernous room where we enjoyed drinks, most of the food, and magic tricks performed by an English speaking ninja. I said most of the food because there was one dish I couldn’t even consider tasting. Usually I‘m brave but when it comes to internal organs I’m afraid. Luckily two women in our group speak Japanese and were able to confirm that the white mass floating in the soup broth was indeed fish intestines. And, it did look very intestinal. A few of the woman reported that the broth was rather tasty if you could ignore the chunk in the center, but I don‘t believe any of us ventured beyond the broth. This restaurant is visited by foreigners and it is a fun place to go for a cultural experience. The intestine dish might be part of the course menu for the shock factor, but as they say, nothing goes to waste in the Japanese kitchen!

An "only in Japan" item

I’m constantly amazed by the gadgets available to the consumers in Japan. If you can stand the crowd and the overly heated subways and stores, shopping can be amazingly interesting. I used to think of America as the over abundance capital of the world, but the Japanese definitely have us beat when it comes to gadgets. At least in Tokyo. Whether it’s the multi level Daiso 100yen store, the mega shop selling stuff “for living” called Tokyu Hands, or the eight separate stores that comprise Yuzawaya, you can find just about anything your mind can imagine. Akachan Honpo, the baby/child store I visit, makes the car seat selection at Babies R Us look scant. At Tokyu Hands you can shop for a bike, chemistry beakers, yarn, makeup, crème de menthe for cooking, a samurai costume, a futon, an Anpanman clock, rain gear, a Christmas tree, 20+ different options of lights for the tree, lumber, or choose amongst several lunar calendar’s for 2009. This list doesn’t even begin to pick away at the merchandise available on it’s seven floors, each with it’s own A, B, or C wing. On a recent visit I couldn’t pass up this accessory designed to bring a bit of cuteness to the drudgery of housework. Why subject yourself to just a plain boring bottle of air freshener
When there’s a sweet little dinosaur cover available to brighten your shelf of cleaning supplies?

If you’re not fond of dinosaurs, there is a cow, a penguin, several breeds of puppies or a cat available. Reasonably priced, 100% polyester, and made in China.