Thursday (12/13)-- Thursday morning was the my re-scheduled Kanji midterm exam. Although I had unexpectedly received an extra day to study, I still did not feel confident going into the exam. I have found that ever since graduating, and indeed for some time leading up to graduation, I have not been able to focus. It has been a struggle and a worry, but I have yet to break my pattern of procrastination that has crept into my behavior. Although I am fortunate to be able to pull things together in the end, it is frustrating and certainly not the sort of study behavior that I am proud of. I need to find a way to reinvigorate my passion for learning. It is not lost, but it is harder than ever to keep focused. I sometimes wonder if it is not the beginnings of an attention disorder finally overtaking me. For many years, I was able to overcome lack of focus and attention by working extra hard. These days it is more of a struggle to muster the will. Although I generally enjoy tests, because they provide an opportunity to learn exactly where your weak and strong spots lay, I found more weaknesses than strengths this time around. I am not good at memorizing many words at once--although if you give me a few shorts lists, I can learn them well--so the hundreds and hundreds of vocabulary words that have yet to sink into my long term memory were overwhelming. Nonetheless, it felt good to have out of the way. In the evening, I of course had track practice. I am not certain, looking back, what the workout was, though I have a feeling it was jumping across the gymnasium. This is probably the evening that I cooked my very own caramels, I should mention. I've always loved the taste of soft, homemade caramels and throughout the week I had been slowly accumulating the supplies. It was a careful process, especially because of my temperamental (or more bluntly, 'stupid') single burner. But they turned out to be very tasty if I do say so myself. By dripping some of the boiling mixture in cold water periodically, I managed to make them just the right consistency. Not too soft, not too hard.
Friday (12/14)-- December 14th was a day I had awaited with great anticipation. It was the release of THE HOBBIT! In the morning I had my grammar class, and Magali and I discussed our plans for the evening and when we could meet after class for our 7PM showtime. Both Magali and I have a 4:30-6PM class, so we agreed to meet at Sapporo Station as soon as we could afterwards and hopefully grab a bite to eat. The lecture that evening wound up being about forest resources and archeology! What a pleasant surprise! Although we met initially in our normal room, we walked together for the actual lecture at the archeology department a few minutes away. I have often considered going into archeology, and so this was a treat for me. Not only that, it was combining my love of trees directly with my love of history. Some of the Hokudai archeology professors/researchers shared the lecture and explained some of the longer (think thousand years ago) archeological significance of the land that makes up the Sapporo and particularly the campus. Because there are a couple of streams that criss-crossed the campus (now they have been altered, reduced, and tampered with as have virtually all rivers in Japan), there are a number of ancient building sites that have been unearthed mostly after starting construction on new campus facilities. The highlight of the lecture was, just as I thought it would be wrapped up, the lecturer directed us to a door in the back. The door led to a small room filled with artifacts, primarily pots, plates, and little items. It should be noted here that, similarly to the United States, archeology in Hokkaido cannot be easily separated from the legacy of "colonization." There was little mention of involvement of Ainu descendents in the archeology research, just as most United States museum for many years (and most still today) rarely involved members of the native nations whose artifacts they displayed. Some of these artifacts were stolen, or ought to have been returned, and many displayed without permission of native nations. (As a particularly poignant footnote, if you see moccasins in a museum that happen to have beadwork on the bottom, these were most certainly taken from a grave or a buried person.) I will have to do more digging on this matter on my own. At the moment, I let myself become caught up in the excitement of seeing such incredible history that the warning signs of cultural hurts--not mentioned once by the lecturers--flashed too dimly at the back of my mind. To emphasize, it was an honor to see these items. But I would rather they return to those they belong, or their descendents, to be given to archeologists if they wish. As class ended, I was becoming more and more excited for the Hobbit. Although I enjoy talking to my classmates afterwards, I needed to hurry on my way over the especially icey sidewalks that night. I made it to Sapporo Station by 6:20, worrying that I might have made Magali wait. As it happens, because of her class and the ice (somehow she is still biking!), it was not until around 6:40 that Magali arrived. We had wanted to eat Hokkaido-style ramen before the movie, but there was not time. We hurried downstairs to a bakery and enjoyed delicious caramel baked goods instead. We kept thinking that, because it was opening night there would be crowds upstairs for the opening of the Hobbit. But when we arrived upstairs at the Sapporo Cinema, there were no crowds to be found. Even at about 6:55PM when we entered the theater itself, the seats were scarcely populated. I was so surprised! It was an interesting feeling, to see such little enthusiasm or excitement, and yet to know how much energy there was probably in theaters throughout the U.S. Probably, few Japanese people were as excited to go see what for them would not only be a foreign film, but also in English. I am almost positive now that, when I bought my advance tickets to make sure we would have seats a week and a half prior, I was the first in Sapporo to do so--perhaps even the first in Hokkaido! The nearly empty theater could not dampen my anticipation. Magali, too, had been looking forward to the film and I was so grateful to go see it with her! I adore Tolkien's work, and in particular the Hobbit. It is a simple read in style, but in my opinion an example of a nearly perfect story. Because Tolkien was deeply interested in old English, and old Scandinavian fairytales and stories (a master linguist, I might add), you can see many of these influences in his works. If you have read Beowulf or the tales of Sigurd especially you can find parallels and some very profound messages. I have often found myself likening my own journey coming here to Japan, with Bilbo's adventure. Both he and I left the comfort of our homes for a completely unknown future, for an adventure. On the way, I have met all sorts of people and new companions. I have gotten myself into mishaps, found myself intensely missing my home, and at the same time ensnared by a sense of fascination for my new surroundings and each new experience. There have been hardships, balanced by absolutely incredible sights. When I fall into a troublesome patch, I try to remind myself of Mr. Bilbo Baggins: “Go back?" he thought. "No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” I am determined to do my best, and though the journey may be long and I may not return the same, there is something to be said for a little persistence and adventurousness, even in the face of challenge. I've been told I am quite Hobbit-like, in any case. I have an immense love of food (and a larger appetite than most know!), peace, quiet, simplicity and the familiar. I don't like things to be more complicated than they must be. At the same time, there is that Tookish strand in me that loves adventure (but only in certain doses!). I might mention that I also thought of myself much like Samwise Gamgee when I first arrived here, because of my inexperience, bumbling but persistent nature, and love of plants--Japan is certainly the farthest from home I've ever been! For all of these reasons, not to mention the inspiration that Tolkien's works have given to my own life and way of thinking, I have been closely watching the production of the Hobbit movie. To be frank, I must say that while I appreciate Peter Jackson's (the director's) passion for Tolkien's world, I do not like his excessive creative license one bit. In that regard, I do not trust him or approve of most of the alterations and flourishes he added to the film. I greatly prefer the book. Greatly is an understatement here. Nonetheless, there were some scenes and choices in the film that were enjoyable. I really did like most of Martin Freeman's performance as Bilbo, as well as Ian McKellen's slightly more grumpy and mischievous Gandalf this time around. Gandalf in the Lord of the Ring's films was far too kind with his words! At some point during the film, I gave up hoping to see the lovely story that I know, and accepted that I would watch the film for the film that it is. The highlight I will say were the lovely, breathtaking landscapes and backgrounds. Two of my favorite artists (John Howe and Alan Lee), long involved in the illustration of Tolkien's tales, painted some of the scenes almost directly into the film. That was a privilege to see. Anyways, I will not bore you anymore with my love of Tolkien, only to recommend the Hobbit book if you have not read it and want to come away from a story with a contented smile. I'd recommend the Lord of the Rings, as well, but they require a bit more tenacity. After the film, it was just after 10PM. Magali was very kind to humor me and go get ramen afterwards, since we had not eaten a real dinner. I rarely eat ramen here in Japan (it's good, but nothing incredible in my humble opinion), but it was quite tasty. We talked happily together as we ate, comparing colleges in the United States and in Switzerland. We collected Magali's bike once we were done, stopped at a conbini for her to get milk, and then parted ways. I felt content, and grateful for the fun evening. It was nearly midnight when I got back to my dorm, and I needed to get to bed in order to wake up for my morning track practice.
Saturday (12/15)-- Morning track practice was at the Sapporo community dome, which I have visited once or twice before. The workout was 2x2x800m, with 400m of jog in between the two 800s. Hanako-san met me patiently at Sapporo Station to ride with me to the dome. She gave me the option of doing the long sprinter workout, which was 6x300m. I was sorely tempted to accept her suggestion, but something stubborn arose in me and I decidedly nervously to agree to the middle distance workout. The whole time as I warmed up I second-guessed myself. I was not sure if I would have enough endurance to keep up, and I am so comfortable with 300m. I nearly piped up and asked at the last minute if I could switch, but the timekeepers said it was time to start and I was too bashful to say anything. So nervously I lined up with the small group of male middle distance runners and Hanako-san, the only other girl. I let her take the lead, because my main goal was just to get a feel for things and hang on. The first set went well, and I was surprised! By the second set, Hanako-san had asked if I could take the lead since I somehow had energy to spare. I was happy, excited, and nervous to finally, finally, finally take the lead. I have felt bad to always be chasing after Hanako-san, making her set the pace and just trying to keep up. I wanted to help out too, and to push her as well. So I took my task seriously. I was so nervous and excited I took off fast (not having been in the lead for so long). I didn't want to be too slow. I finished the 800m faster than the first set! And I was still going strong! In fact, I pushed us faster than our first set for all of the remaining 800s. And I stayed in the lead! I was so happy to finally feel the start of strength returning--and to be able to contribute to the workout! It felt incredible. I even had a little bit of energy left afterwards, although on the last 800 I could feel the tiredness creeping into my legs. It was one of the first practices where I've felt a big improvement. Boy has it been a long time coming. And no where near what I was perhaps once capable of. But here's hoping. After practice I even managed to navigate back on the subway all on my own! I decided to search for the second vegetarian, organic restaurant on my list for lunch. It is quite a walk from the station, and really hidden away. To my despair, I finally located the tiny place (in a basement!) only to learn that they had stopped serving lunch 15 minutes prior. I was so sad and upset by the news. It had taken nearly an hour to locate. Downtrodden, I made my way back towards the station, saying that I would return if I had time for the dinner set. It was really chilly out that day, and the sidewalks especially uneven because of the snowpack. But around 5:30PM, I made the long hike back for dinner. It was worth it, because the feel of the restaurant and the food were both delicious.
Sunday (12/16)--In the morning, the practice was weightlifting. For lunch, I decided to go to the Indian restaurant. My main goal was to give the owner a Christmas/New Year's gift. I had been trying to choose a day to go, and today seemed as good as ever. I needed to make sure I went before my trip to Tokyo, after all. The food was delicious as usual, and the owner really lit up to receive the gift. He even asked about Becca, and sent her his regards. I felt cheerful afterwards. I love giving gifts. In the evening, I attended the Hokudai World Music Festival, created by Hokudai international students. I met Diao-san at Sapporo Station and served as a navigator to locate the far-away concert hall. I put the address from our tickets into my phone, and did my best to lead the way through the dark, snowy, and icy streets. I had never been there before, and had little idea of where exactly I was headed. But I've just about mastered the street signs here, and so I was able to steer us in the correct direction through the combination of my phone and knowing the street address. We met at the station at about 6:20PM and arrived at the concert hall just before 7PM for the start of the show. The hall was filled with a decent sized audience. All the performers were international students. I particularly enjoyed hearing the music--the festival also included many dances, but I like to hear the songs from all over the world, like Indonesia, Korea, China, Russia, etc. Among the best performances was Joshua's group, called Sukiyaki Africa. It consisted of Joshua (Nigerian) on drums, a handful of Japanese students, and another international student from Africa, I believe Ghana though I am not certain. The collaborated with the Japanese students, and performed their unique rendition of "Ue wo Muite", a famous Japanese song known in the United States as "Sukiyaki." The singer had a rich, incredible voice and surprised everyone with his excellent Japanese ability with the lyrics. The song itself because a mixture of African rhythms (from the hand drums), Japanese saxophone and trumpet players, and Japanese tunes. I remember thinking to myself what a beautiful collaboration it was, and what a beautiful example of the incredible power of creativity and cultural collaboration. The song is one of my favorites, and to hear it performed in such an amazing way, with such palpable amicability, it brought a big smile to my face.
Monday (12/17)-- On Monday, in the morning I prepared cinnamon cookies to share with the teammate who had invited me over for Nabe in the evening. Then I attended Mao-san's practice PhD defense lecture around 2:30PM. There were only a few of us present. The contents are the same as I have heard at her previous practice lectures, though somewhat modified based on comments from professors. I enjoy and am happy to listen to the lecture. However, afterwards the couple professors attending continued to give commentary for hours. I watched the minutes waste away. There were many long pauses, and the whole commentary afterwards was drawn out to such a point that I really became antsy and disheartened that I would never escape. It was around 5PM when I finally did get away. There had been no reason for me to stay during the commentary, as I have little to contribute besides English grammar help, so alas for two hours I literally sat silently twiddling my thumbs. I had agreed to meet Rinko-san at the gymnaisum at 6PM, so before that I wandered to Yodobashi Camera to buy some capsule toys which my siblings seem to love (for some reason) and then to the library to try to study for a short time. Unexpectedly as I walked towards the library I ran into one of the timekeepers/helpers for the track team. She asked if I was headed to practice at the Sapporo dome. I looked at her with confusion. No, of course not. As it turns out, middle distance had a monday evening practice (usually monday is a rest day). But I normally have a lecture at this time, which I told her, so normally I would not have been able to go anyways. Also, no one had told me ahead of time. This made me really wish I was given the actual workout schedule, so I wouldn't have to rely on others for information. I headed into the library, then walked to meet Rinko-san. She is very kind, and very energetic. From what I've seen in practice, she is also very quick. I was really so flattered to have been invited over. She had rented Robin Hood to watch together while we ate. We were joined by Toi-san, who is more quiet and always seems surprised by what I have to say but is always very patient with me. First we walked over the snow-pack to the grocery store near here apartment. We picked out many vegetables, and they were both so considerate not to mind excluding meat. I encountered a new ingredient, as well, called "nira." It looks very literally like grass. I wasn't sure what it tasted like, but I was just happy it was not a slab of meat and I was intrigued by its grass clipping appearance. It turns out "nira" is, as far as I can distinguish, the leaves of garlic/chives. It tasted pretty good, in any case! When we got to Rinko's apartment, she admitted that she was embarrassed because even though she had tried to clean, she felt it was messy. I didn't think so at all! I tried to assure her that it was no trouble! Her apartment is up a set of narrow stairs, and consists of rooms connected by an even narrower hallway. But the rooms themselves are a decent size. About the size of my whole dorm room! I am admittedly jealous! I asked her if it was expensive, and she said no, so maybe I really should investigate an apartment. My tiny nest is alright, but it sure would be nice to have a bit more space. Especially a kitchen. With a stove that is not so temperamental. I really had a fun time. I adore the Disney Robin Hood film (although interestingly, it is considered by many to be the cheapest and among the more poorly done, recycling numerous images from previous films.) I enjoy it because it is so light-hearted, and there is actually nothing insulting or demeaning in it, as far as I can tell! That's preeeeetttty darn good for a Disney film. We watched it in English with Japanese subtitles. It was very interesting to compare the translations. I tried to explain (and my teammates also noticed a few times) that the Japanese subtitles left quite a bit out, or simplified the dialogue. We even discussed a bit of the history of King Richard, Prince John, and Robin Hood. I forget sometimes that a story that is so common to me has little connection to Japanese history, and so is fairly new to my teammates. The same thing happens to me, when Japanese acquaintances have to explain commonplace stories to me (although I am proud to say that I have impressed a few with my random knowledge of tales and trivia). It started snowing afterwards, and we all walked together part way back to the campus before parting ways. On the way, we listed other Disney movies, I tried to think of suggestions, and we recited Do-Re-Mi from Marry Poppins (with me trying to explain the meaning and fortunately remembering the lines).
Tuesday (12/18)-- On Tuesday, Mao-san gave her real pre-defense lecture. It was snowing hard outside. I gave her, Nana-san, and Koike-sensei some caramels afterwards as some motivation and congratulation.
Wednesday (12/19)-- My only notes for Wednesday are my morning grammar class, followed by a stop at the campus bakery where it was the first day special Christmas pastries were being sold. They would only be made for a few days, so I wanted to try them out. I bought a couple, in addition to the chestnut cream pan ('kuri pan') that I love so much. And then would you believe it, I fell asleep for far too long of a nap! In the evening, I attended my Field Bioscience lecture. To my great surprise and pleasure, Diao-san had brought an early birthday present for me! I couldn't believe it! She is so kind! She handed me a flowery bag, and inside it was filled with donuts! She knows me well, and they were delicious. I wore a grin the whole class because of her kindness.
Thursday (12/20)-- My 23rd Birthday. I am one year closer to embodying the old-person that I am accused of being. In the morning I had my Kanji class. This time it was Magali who surprised me! She had brought me a present! She had baked lemon bars (she called them 'biscuits' but to a Minnesotan, they were surely bars) and wrapped them beautifully in a box with a ribbon, and some chocolates from Switzerland. I was so shocked, because I had not told her and had not really expected anyone to remember! Goodness, I am thankful for kind and thoughtful people. Afterwards, since I had made a promise to myself (and to Becca!) that I would make my birthday a desserts-only day, I bought a number of pastries from the campus bakery to accompany my bars and chocolates from Magali. I decided to spend the day relaxing and enjoying the sunny weather as much as I could. I accomplished some work on my applications, and went for a glorious sunny run. That was my true present to myself---the cheerful run over the ice. The whole day, I had also wanted to make my way over to the Sugiyama apartment to visit Kotaro. He had sent me a message asking if I had time to come over, and so I made it a goal. But time kept slipping away. I had practice at 4:30PM (my last practice of the year before my trip to Tokyo!) and then I needed to meet my lab at 6:00 PM to attend the 'bonnenkai' ('saying goodbye to the old year party'). I kept thinking how much I wanted to make my way over to the Sugiyama house! But there was just no way. Practice was only the middle distance group, and only a handful at that. But Hanako-san had brought me some cookies that she had made for me, too! I had already run earlier, so I did a little warm up, a little lifting and abs, and then checked with Hanako-san to see if it was okay if I leave to make it on time to my lab. I wished her a happy new year! Since by the time I would return from Tokyo it would be the start of the winter vacation, it would be the last practice for awhile. I trotted my way over to the lab, half in workout clothes, half in normal clothes. I was also stressed because I had wanted to get to the lab early to attempt to use the printer and print my much-needed boarding pass for my flight in the morning. I barely made it there before 6PM, and one of my labmates helped me to try to print out my tickets. The printer (as is my usual luck) broke in the process, but somehow she pieced it back together and at the last moment we were able to print them before hurrying off with the second wave of labmates. We were headed to an Izakaya (japanese bar/restaurant). I have no love of such places. They are dim, smokey, and too rowdy for my taste. They combine three things I dislike: smoking, drinking, and meat. Fortunately, Mao-san, Nana-san, and Diao-san were all there. None of them drink, and so I enjoyed sitting with them. Mao-san was also especially protective of finding vegetables for me. One of her previous classmates at Hokudai was muslim, and so she had experienced how difficult it can be in Japan to follow specific dietary concerns. She was very sympathetic. As the evening wore on, I began thinking more and more how I would like to head on my way, and maybe make it to Sugiyama house. It is a darn good thing I stayed (there was no leaving early, anyways) because to my immense surprise Sakuma-san appeared holding a cake with birthday candles! It was my birthday, and also one of the other researchers. So both our names were written on the cake, and it was in the shape of a bear's face. I was so flattered, happy, and embarrassed. My lab has been such a welcoming place, and I could not ask for a kinder group of people (nor a kinder advisor). By the time things wrapped up, it was about 9PM. I knew that it would get to be far too late if I went to Sugiyama house at that point, because I would need to wake up at 5AM in the morning to catch a train to the airport. So I regretfully told Kotaro I could not make it there that evening, and if we could please celebrate when I returned. I also wanted to celebrate the fact that he had finished his graduation thesis. (A true accomplishment, considering that many Japanese students (or so I have heard) have a tendency to... well, not apply themselves fully to their graduation requirements. There is little fear of not graduating, of course, because university administrations are on the lax side of things.) However, my birthday wound up being cheerful and pleasant. I was nervous about spending a birthday away from my family and friends in the United States, but I need not have worried. I spent the last few hours preparing my small athletic bag for my trip to Tokyo. I tried to pack light. I set my bag next to my bed, laid out my clothes, took a breath, and set my alarm. The prospect of the trip ahead of me was both daunting and exciting, and I closed my eyes with these mixed feelings. It would be my first forage outside of Sapporo since I first arrived.
Friday (12/14)-- December 14th was a day I had awaited with great anticipation. It was the release of THE HOBBIT! In the morning I had my grammar class, and Magali and I discussed our plans for the evening and when we could meet after class for our 7PM showtime. Both Magali and I have a 4:30-6PM class, so we agreed to meet at Sapporo Station as soon as we could afterwards and hopefully grab a bite to eat. The lecture that evening wound up being about forest resources and archeology! What a pleasant surprise! Although we met initially in our normal room, we walked together for the actual lecture at the archeology department a few minutes away. I have often considered going into archeology, and so this was a treat for me. Not only that, it was combining my love of trees directly with my love of history. Some of the Hokudai archeology professors/researchers shared the lecture and explained some of the longer (think thousand years ago) archeological significance of the land that makes up the Sapporo and particularly the campus. Because there are a couple of streams that criss-crossed the campus (now they have been altered, reduced, and tampered with as have virtually all rivers in Japan), there are a number of ancient building sites that have been unearthed mostly after starting construction on new campus facilities. The highlight of the lecture was, just as I thought it would be wrapped up, the lecturer directed us to a door in the back. The door led to a small room filled with artifacts, primarily pots, plates, and little items. It should be noted here that, similarly to the United States, archeology in Hokkaido cannot be easily separated from the legacy of "colonization." There was little mention of involvement of Ainu descendents in the archeology research, just as most United States museum for many years (and most still today) rarely involved members of the native nations whose artifacts they displayed. Some of these artifacts were stolen, or ought to have been returned, and many displayed without permission of native nations. (As a particularly poignant footnote, if you see moccasins in a museum that happen to have beadwork on the bottom, these were most certainly taken from a grave or a buried person.) I will have to do more digging on this matter on my own. At the moment, I let myself become caught up in the excitement of seeing such incredible history that the warning signs of cultural hurts--not mentioned once by the lecturers--flashed too dimly at the back of my mind. To emphasize, it was an honor to see these items. But I would rather they return to those they belong, or their descendents, to be given to archeologists if they wish. As class ended, I was becoming more and more excited for the Hobbit. Although I enjoy talking to my classmates afterwards, I needed to hurry on my way over the especially icey sidewalks that night. I made it to Sapporo Station by 6:20, worrying that I might have made Magali wait. As it happens, because of her class and the ice (somehow she is still biking!), it was not until around 6:40 that Magali arrived. We had wanted to eat Hokkaido-style ramen before the movie, but there was not time. We hurried downstairs to a bakery and enjoyed delicious caramel baked goods instead. We kept thinking that, because it was opening night there would be crowds upstairs for the opening of the Hobbit. But when we arrived upstairs at the Sapporo Cinema, there were no crowds to be found. Even at about 6:55PM when we entered the theater itself, the seats were scarcely populated. I was so surprised! It was an interesting feeling, to see such little enthusiasm or excitement, and yet to know how much energy there was probably in theaters throughout the U.S. Probably, few Japanese people were as excited to go see what for them would not only be a foreign film, but also in English. I am almost positive now that, when I bought my advance tickets to make sure we would have seats a week and a half prior, I was the first in Sapporo to do so--perhaps even the first in Hokkaido! The nearly empty theater could not dampen my anticipation. Magali, too, had been looking forward to the film and I was so grateful to go see it with her! I adore Tolkien's work, and in particular the Hobbit. It is a simple read in style, but in my opinion an example of a nearly perfect story. Because Tolkien was deeply interested in old English, and old Scandinavian fairytales and stories (a master linguist, I might add), you can see many of these influences in his works. If you have read Beowulf or the tales of Sigurd especially you can find parallels and some very profound messages. I have often found myself likening my own journey coming here to Japan, with Bilbo's adventure. Both he and I left the comfort of our homes for a completely unknown future, for an adventure. On the way, I have met all sorts of people and new companions. I have gotten myself into mishaps, found myself intensely missing my home, and at the same time ensnared by a sense of fascination for my new surroundings and each new experience. There have been hardships, balanced by absolutely incredible sights. When I fall into a troublesome patch, I try to remind myself of Mr. Bilbo Baggins: “Go back?" he thought. "No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” I am determined to do my best, and though the journey may be long and I may not return the same, there is something to be said for a little persistence and adventurousness, even in the face of challenge. I've been told I am quite Hobbit-like, in any case. I have an immense love of food (and a larger appetite than most know!), peace, quiet, simplicity and the familiar. I don't like things to be more complicated than they must be. At the same time, there is that Tookish strand in me that loves adventure (but only in certain doses!). I might mention that I also thought of myself much like Samwise Gamgee when I first arrived here, because of my inexperience, bumbling but persistent nature, and love of plants--Japan is certainly the farthest from home I've ever been! For all of these reasons, not to mention the inspiration that Tolkien's works have given to my own life and way of thinking, I have been closely watching the production of the Hobbit movie. To be frank, I must say that while I appreciate Peter Jackson's (the director's) passion for Tolkien's world, I do not like his excessive creative license one bit. In that regard, I do not trust him or approve of most of the alterations and flourishes he added to the film. I greatly prefer the book. Greatly is an understatement here. Nonetheless, there were some scenes and choices in the film that were enjoyable. I really did like most of Martin Freeman's performance as Bilbo, as well as Ian McKellen's slightly more grumpy and mischievous Gandalf this time around. Gandalf in the Lord of the Ring's films was far too kind with his words! At some point during the film, I gave up hoping to see the lovely story that I know, and accepted that I would watch the film for the film that it is. The highlight I will say were the lovely, breathtaking landscapes and backgrounds. Two of my favorite artists (John Howe and Alan Lee), long involved in the illustration of Tolkien's tales, painted some of the scenes almost directly into the film. That was a privilege to see. Anyways, I will not bore you anymore with my love of Tolkien, only to recommend the Hobbit book if you have not read it and want to come away from a story with a contented smile. I'd recommend the Lord of the Rings, as well, but they require a bit more tenacity. After the film, it was just after 10PM. Magali was very kind to humor me and go get ramen afterwards, since we had not eaten a real dinner. I rarely eat ramen here in Japan (it's good, but nothing incredible in my humble opinion), but it was quite tasty. We talked happily together as we ate, comparing colleges in the United States and in Switzerland. We collected Magali's bike once we were done, stopped at a conbini for her to get milk, and then parted ways. I felt content, and grateful for the fun evening. It was nearly midnight when I got back to my dorm, and I needed to get to bed in order to wake up for my morning track practice.
Saturday (12/15)-- Morning track practice was at the Sapporo community dome, which I have visited once or twice before. The workout was 2x2x800m, with 400m of jog in between the two 800s. Hanako-san met me patiently at Sapporo Station to ride with me to the dome. She gave me the option of doing the long sprinter workout, which was 6x300m. I was sorely tempted to accept her suggestion, but something stubborn arose in me and I decidedly nervously to agree to the middle distance workout. The whole time as I warmed up I second-guessed myself. I was not sure if I would have enough endurance to keep up, and I am so comfortable with 300m. I nearly piped up and asked at the last minute if I could switch, but the timekeepers said it was time to start and I was too bashful to say anything. So nervously I lined up with the small group of male middle distance runners and Hanako-san, the only other girl. I let her take the lead, because my main goal was just to get a feel for things and hang on. The first set went well, and I was surprised! By the second set, Hanako-san had asked if I could take the lead since I somehow had energy to spare. I was happy, excited, and nervous to finally, finally, finally take the lead. I have felt bad to always be chasing after Hanako-san, making her set the pace and just trying to keep up. I wanted to help out too, and to push her as well. So I took my task seriously. I was so nervous and excited I took off fast (not having been in the lead for so long). I didn't want to be too slow. I finished the 800m faster than the first set! And I was still going strong! In fact, I pushed us faster than our first set for all of the remaining 800s. And I stayed in the lead! I was so happy to finally feel the start of strength returning--and to be able to contribute to the workout! It felt incredible. I even had a little bit of energy left afterwards, although on the last 800 I could feel the tiredness creeping into my legs. It was one of the first practices where I've felt a big improvement. Boy has it been a long time coming. And no where near what I was perhaps once capable of. But here's hoping. After practice I even managed to navigate back on the subway all on my own! I decided to search for the second vegetarian, organic restaurant on my list for lunch. It is quite a walk from the station, and really hidden away. To my despair, I finally located the tiny place (in a basement!) only to learn that they had stopped serving lunch 15 minutes prior. I was so sad and upset by the news. It had taken nearly an hour to locate. Downtrodden, I made my way back towards the station, saying that I would return if I had time for the dinner set. It was really chilly out that day, and the sidewalks especially uneven because of the snowpack. But around 5:30PM, I made the long hike back for dinner. It was worth it, because the feel of the restaurant and the food were both delicious.
Sunday (12/16)--In the morning, the practice was weightlifting. For lunch, I decided to go to the Indian restaurant. My main goal was to give the owner a Christmas/New Year's gift. I had been trying to choose a day to go, and today seemed as good as ever. I needed to make sure I went before my trip to Tokyo, after all. The food was delicious as usual, and the owner really lit up to receive the gift. He even asked about Becca, and sent her his regards. I felt cheerful afterwards. I love giving gifts. In the evening, I attended the Hokudai World Music Festival, created by Hokudai international students. I met Diao-san at Sapporo Station and served as a navigator to locate the far-away concert hall. I put the address from our tickets into my phone, and did my best to lead the way through the dark, snowy, and icy streets. I had never been there before, and had little idea of where exactly I was headed. But I've just about mastered the street signs here, and so I was able to steer us in the correct direction through the combination of my phone and knowing the street address. We met at the station at about 6:20PM and arrived at the concert hall just before 7PM for the start of the show. The hall was filled with a decent sized audience. All the performers were international students. I particularly enjoyed hearing the music--the festival also included many dances, but I like to hear the songs from all over the world, like Indonesia, Korea, China, Russia, etc. Among the best performances was Joshua's group, called Sukiyaki Africa. It consisted of Joshua (Nigerian) on drums, a handful of Japanese students, and another international student from Africa, I believe Ghana though I am not certain. The collaborated with the Japanese students, and performed their unique rendition of "Ue wo Muite", a famous Japanese song known in the United States as "Sukiyaki." The singer had a rich, incredible voice and surprised everyone with his excellent Japanese ability with the lyrics. The song itself because a mixture of African rhythms (from the hand drums), Japanese saxophone and trumpet players, and Japanese tunes. I remember thinking to myself what a beautiful collaboration it was, and what a beautiful example of the incredible power of creativity and cultural collaboration. The song is one of my favorites, and to hear it performed in such an amazing way, with such palpable amicability, it brought a big smile to my face.
Monday (12/17)-- On Monday, in the morning I prepared cinnamon cookies to share with the teammate who had invited me over for Nabe in the evening. Then I attended Mao-san's practice PhD defense lecture around 2:30PM. There were only a few of us present. The contents are the same as I have heard at her previous practice lectures, though somewhat modified based on comments from professors. I enjoy and am happy to listen to the lecture. However, afterwards the couple professors attending continued to give commentary for hours. I watched the minutes waste away. There were many long pauses, and the whole commentary afterwards was drawn out to such a point that I really became antsy and disheartened that I would never escape. It was around 5PM when I finally did get away. There had been no reason for me to stay during the commentary, as I have little to contribute besides English grammar help, so alas for two hours I literally sat silently twiddling my thumbs. I had agreed to meet Rinko-san at the gymnaisum at 6PM, so before that I wandered to Yodobashi Camera to buy some capsule toys which my siblings seem to love (for some reason) and then to the library to try to study for a short time. Unexpectedly as I walked towards the library I ran into one of the timekeepers/helpers for the track team. She asked if I was headed to practice at the Sapporo dome. I looked at her with confusion. No, of course not. As it turns out, middle distance had a monday evening practice (usually monday is a rest day). But I normally have a lecture at this time, which I told her, so normally I would not have been able to go anyways. Also, no one had told me ahead of time. This made me really wish I was given the actual workout schedule, so I wouldn't have to rely on others for information. I headed into the library, then walked to meet Rinko-san. She is very kind, and very energetic. From what I've seen in practice, she is also very quick. I was really so flattered to have been invited over. She had rented Robin Hood to watch together while we ate. We were joined by Toi-san, who is more quiet and always seems surprised by what I have to say but is always very patient with me. First we walked over the snow-pack to the grocery store near here apartment. We picked out many vegetables, and they were both so considerate not to mind excluding meat. I encountered a new ingredient, as well, called "nira." It looks very literally like grass. I wasn't sure what it tasted like, but I was just happy it was not a slab of meat and I was intrigued by its grass clipping appearance. It turns out "nira" is, as far as I can distinguish, the leaves of garlic/chives. It tasted pretty good, in any case! When we got to Rinko's apartment, she admitted that she was embarrassed because even though she had tried to clean, she felt it was messy. I didn't think so at all! I tried to assure her that it was no trouble! Her apartment is up a set of narrow stairs, and consists of rooms connected by an even narrower hallway. But the rooms themselves are a decent size. About the size of my whole dorm room! I am admittedly jealous! I asked her if it was expensive, and she said no, so maybe I really should investigate an apartment. My tiny nest is alright, but it sure would be nice to have a bit more space. Especially a kitchen. With a stove that is not so temperamental. I really had a fun time. I adore the Disney Robin Hood film (although interestingly, it is considered by many to be the cheapest and among the more poorly done, recycling numerous images from previous films.) I enjoy it because it is so light-hearted, and there is actually nothing insulting or demeaning in it, as far as I can tell! That's preeeeetttty darn good for a Disney film. We watched it in English with Japanese subtitles. It was very interesting to compare the translations. I tried to explain (and my teammates also noticed a few times) that the Japanese subtitles left quite a bit out, or simplified the dialogue. We even discussed a bit of the history of King Richard, Prince John, and Robin Hood. I forget sometimes that a story that is so common to me has little connection to Japanese history, and so is fairly new to my teammates. The same thing happens to me, when Japanese acquaintances have to explain commonplace stories to me (although I am proud to say that I have impressed a few with my random knowledge of tales and trivia). It started snowing afterwards, and we all walked together part way back to the campus before parting ways. On the way, we listed other Disney movies, I tried to think of suggestions, and we recited Do-Re-Mi from Marry Poppins (with me trying to explain the meaning and fortunately remembering the lines).
Tuesday (12/18)-- On Tuesday, Mao-san gave her real pre-defense lecture. It was snowing hard outside. I gave her, Nana-san, and Koike-sensei some caramels afterwards as some motivation and congratulation.
Wednesday (12/19)-- My only notes for Wednesday are my morning grammar class, followed by a stop at the campus bakery where it was the first day special Christmas pastries were being sold. They would only be made for a few days, so I wanted to try them out. I bought a couple, in addition to the chestnut cream pan ('kuri pan') that I love so much. And then would you believe it, I fell asleep for far too long of a nap! In the evening, I attended my Field Bioscience lecture. To my great surprise and pleasure, Diao-san had brought an early birthday present for me! I couldn't believe it! She is so kind! She handed me a flowery bag, and inside it was filled with donuts! She knows me well, and they were delicious. I wore a grin the whole class because of her kindness.
Thursday (12/20)-- My 23rd Birthday. I am one year closer to embodying the old-person that I am accused of being. In the morning I had my Kanji class. This time it was Magali who surprised me! She had brought me a present! She had baked lemon bars (she called them 'biscuits' but to a Minnesotan, they were surely bars) and wrapped them beautifully in a box with a ribbon, and some chocolates from Switzerland. I was so shocked, because I had not told her and had not really expected anyone to remember! Goodness, I am thankful for kind and thoughtful people. Afterwards, since I had made a promise to myself (and to Becca!) that I would make my birthday a desserts-only day, I bought a number of pastries from the campus bakery to accompany my bars and chocolates from Magali. I decided to spend the day relaxing and enjoying the sunny weather as much as I could. I accomplished some work on my applications, and went for a glorious sunny run. That was my true present to myself---the cheerful run over the ice. The whole day, I had also wanted to make my way over to the Sugiyama apartment to visit Kotaro. He had sent me a message asking if I had time to come over, and so I made it a goal. But time kept slipping away. I had practice at 4:30PM (my last practice of the year before my trip to Tokyo!) and then I needed to meet my lab at 6:00 PM to attend the 'bonnenkai' ('saying goodbye to the old year party'). I kept thinking how much I wanted to make my way over to the Sugiyama house! But there was just no way. Practice was only the middle distance group, and only a handful at that. But Hanako-san had brought me some cookies that she had made for me, too! I had already run earlier, so I did a little warm up, a little lifting and abs, and then checked with Hanako-san to see if it was okay if I leave to make it on time to my lab. I wished her a happy new year! Since by the time I would return from Tokyo it would be the start of the winter vacation, it would be the last practice for awhile. I trotted my way over to the lab, half in workout clothes, half in normal clothes. I was also stressed because I had wanted to get to the lab early to attempt to use the printer and print my much-needed boarding pass for my flight in the morning. I barely made it there before 6PM, and one of my labmates helped me to try to print out my tickets. The printer (as is my usual luck) broke in the process, but somehow she pieced it back together and at the last moment we were able to print them before hurrying off with the second wave of labmates. We were headed to an Izakaya (japanese bar/restaurant). I have no love of such places. They are dim, smokey, and too rowdy for my taste. They combine three things I dislike: smoking, drinking, and meat. Fortunately, Mao-san, Nana-san, and Diao-san were all there. None of them drink, and so I enjoyed sitting with them. Mao-san was also especially protective of finding vegetables for me. One of her previous classmates at Hokudai was muslim, and so she had experienced how difficult it can be in Japan to follow specific dietary concerns. She was very sympathetic. As the evening wore on, I began thinking more and more how I would like to head on my way, and maybe make it to Sugiyama house. It is a darn good thing I stayed (there was no leaving early, anyways) because to my immense surprise Sakuma-san appeared holding a cake with birthday candles! It was my birthday, and also one of the other researchers. So both our names were written on the cake, and it was in the shape of a bear's face. I was so flattered, happy, and embarrassed. My lab has been such a welcoming place, and I could not ask for a kinder group of people (nor a kinder advisor). By the time things wrapped up, it was about 9PM. I knew that it would get to be far too late if I went to Sugiyama house at that point, because I would need to wake up at 5AM in the morning to catch a train to the airport. So I regretfully told Kotaro I could not make it there that evening, and if we could please celebrate when I returned. I also wanted to celebrate the fact that he had finished his graduation thesis. (A true accomplishment, considering that many Japanese students (or so I have heard) have a tendency to... well, not apply themselves fully to their graduation requirements. There is little fear of not graduating, of course, because university administrations are on the lax side of things.) However, my birthday wound up being cheerful and pleasant. I was nervous about spending a birthday away from my family and friends in the United States, but I need not have worried. I spent the last few hours preparing my small athletic bag for my trip to Tokyo. I tried to pack light. I set my bag next to my bed, laid out my clothes, took a breath, and set my alarm. The prospect of the trip ahead of me was both daunting and exciting, and I closed my eyes with these mixed feelings. It would be my first forage outside of Sapporo since I first arrived.
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