Keeping the bugs at bay

I have complained again and again about the mosquitos in this country.  They are blood thirsty and determined.  Last year we stumbled upon a natural spray that has proved very good - when we remember to use it!

The absolute best solution is to stay out of the places they love.  So far in 2020, that hasn't been a problem.  But at some point, we are hopefully going to be spending a lot more time outdoors.

The convenience of it

Have you ever wanted something from the convenience store, but can't be bothered to actually get yourself there?  Well, if you were in Japan, have no fear - you can have it delivered!!!  Since you can get practically anything at "combini", this service can actually bring a lot to your door.

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw this little delivery car.  Not only is it super tiny and adorable, it helps those that don't want to (or can't) venture out.  And I thought the McDonald's delivery scooters were funny!  This one takes the cake.

Covid numbers on the rise again

Tokyo's infection rate is on the rise again.  There have been 334 new Covid-19 diagnoses in the past week, averaging almost 48 per day.  Of course I don't want to live closed up and fearful for the next couple of years.  But this is discouraging.

Many fingers are being pointed at bars, especially host clubs where people pay for a companion to sit and drink with them.  I have never experienced a host bar, but they are very popular in some areas, especially in big cities.  They don't tend to be quiet private affairs, but more like have a party at your table with very energetic "friends".  I've heard they can get quite spendy (over $100 per hour, not including drinks).  But this is all just hearsay.

Host clubs are not sexual in nature.  They are for fun and having someone to hang out with - giving the client someone's (or multiple people's) undivided attention.

I've never heard of such a thing in the US, but it isn't the circles I generally run in.  So, maybe they are there, I just don't know about it.

Haircuts in the garden

I'm not ready to send my boys to the barber.  It is a place that was deemed essential by the Japanese government during our Covid closure, and they remained open for business.  While the guys like going to the barber, I have been hesitant to let them go.  But it was LONG over due!  Since I am not able to make sure they are taking all the proper precautions, I decided to bite the bullet and cut my boys hair myself.  

This is pretty scary for me because I don't want to mess it up!  And people go to school for a very long time to cut hair professionally.  It isn't something I would normally do.  

I went to the store today and bought an electric razor.  I suddenly had flashbacks to my mom lining all four of us kids up and cutting away.  I sported a bowl cut for many, many years (as did many kids in the 80's).

I prepped myself by reading the instructions very closely and reminding myself that if worse came to worse, I could send him to the barber tomorrow.  

I went slowly.  I was more grumpy than I should have been ("Hold your head this way!"  "Stop moving!!!").  I even nicked my son's ear.  But I just kept plugging away.

Soon both boys were done.  I threw lots of tufts of hair into the garden containers to use those nutrients.  And I sent the boys to shower off all that hair that stuck to their shoulders, neck and face.  

When they came back for a final check, I was impressed with my work.  I didn't do a horrible job!  I'll never be as awesome as a barber or my lovely hairdresser back in the US, but at least I didn't do damage.

Hopefully when they need another cut I can send them back to the barber to get a GOOD cut!  Until then, at least I know I can help them out.

Until we meet again

Saying goodbye to friends is part of life as an expat. Non-native people tend to make friends within the international community. There is a common bond between those who immigrate and choose to live long-term in foreign countries - an understanding of the chaos, bliss, and frustrations of living in a new place. Over time, it is inevitable that some of these friends will stay and others will go.

I am in the process of saying goodbye to a dear friend who is moving back to New Zealand.  She came crashing into my life a year and a half ago (I dropped something off my bike and she helped me), and has been a wonderful friend ever since.  She has been my coffee date, therapist, cheerleader, and so much more.  I've loved sharing new places and hidden gems with her.  Our family sushi dates have always left me feeling refreshed and reinvigorated.

As she boards her plane (the first going into New Zealand in a long time), a piece of my heart is going with her.  She's an amazing human and I will miss her greatly.

Luckily these days it is easier to keep connected with people, but it still doesn't make the miles any easier.

Swallow your pride

We decided to go out for dinner the other night.  When we showed up to the restaurant, it was at capacity.  After putting our name on the list, we stood outside and waited for our turn.

As we looked around, we noticed there was a orange cone next door in the middle of the walkway into the train station.  It was decorated in white and black dots.  We spotted a bird nest up above the cone.

Although it was now filled with baby birds (cute!!!), I was surprised that they left it when it was just a nest.  But then my husband explained that having a swallow's nest is considered lucky in Japan.  People go out of their way to accommodate the little birds.

In Fung Shui, having a door facing the northwest is considered bad luck.  In fact it opens the door to demons.  But swallows never make a nest facing northwest, which adds to the adoration of these birds.  Another aspect has to do with their poop.  Baby birds poop a lot and require a lot of cleaning.  Having a clean entrance, brings good luck!

Another reason Japanese people admire and appreciate swallows is that they eat bugs that do damage to rice crops.  A cherished crop, any animal that aids in its production is beloved.

Our son was super interested in the baby birds.  He especially enjoyed watching the momma bird flying around, catching bugs, and returning to feed her babies.

It was a nice little piece of nature in a crazy cement city.

It is bugging me

My son and I are constantly discovering new things in the park - usually of the insect and animal variety.  Today he spotted a dead beetle unlike I've ever seen before.  We snapped a few photos so he could look it up when we got home.

The beautiful iridescent and green beetle is a Tamamushi or jewel beetle.  It is a wood-boring beetle that lives three to five years in a tree as a larvae, but only several dozen days as the beautiful iridescent adult.

These beetles are so interesting that many people raise them in captivity.  The gem-like wings have been used in arts and crafts since at least the seventh century.  

Tohoku Kogei, a company located in Sendai, about 300 km north of Tokyo, makes a special type of lacquerware called "Tamamushi lacquerware" because it is painted in the likeness of the captivating colors and gloss of this beetle. The pieces of functional art focus on stationary (pens) and dishes (bowls, chopsticks).

There is even a shrine for the tamamushi in Nara Prefecture. I haven't been to it, but it might get added to the list of things to see when we visit Nara next time.

Bump on the nose

After homework was completed and dinner was cooked, my son and I had some time to kill before dinnertime.  I made a couple suggestions and he picked going to the park, even if it was only for 20 minutes of play time.  

We walked over and he quickly got busy playing on the equipment.  He spent a couple minutes on the swings, did a couple passes on the monkey bars, and whipped around the zipline loop several times.  Up next he wanted to show me how he flips around the horizontal bars.

The first flip went smoothly, but the second ended with his nose whacking the bar on the dismount.  

Luckily there wasn't any blood, but the bridge of his nose quickly started changing color.  I told him we should head home and put ice on his nose.  As we headed back, I texted my husband so he could have the ice ready.

Once back, we knew his nose was going to be just fine.  But I was less than fine.  Once again, I am confronted with one of my biggest fears  - an emergency with my child where I cannot communicate with people what is wrong or needed.  I hope to never find out.

The flavor of fruit

I wonder if these have made it to the US yet.

When I wrote about breakfast cereals available in Japan, I hadn't seen this one.  

What will they think of next?

A gift for a gift

Something that I may never understand about Japanese culture is the need to give a gift as thanks for receiving a gift.  While some American women and men might have a gift wrapping closet, Japanese women (in particular) have "gift exchange" closets.  

Often times when I go to a friend's house I will take a hostess gift - cake, crackers, lotion.  Just something little to say thank you for your hospitality.  But then they send a different gift home with me!

Yesterday, we gave a small cake (called a castella) to a neighbor whose son has walked our son to school each morning and helped him adjust to elementary school life.  It was a small gesture of gratitude to the family.  Today, they brought us ice cream that you can only get at a certain shop.

Recently, someone we know had a baby, so we sent a gift of silicone blocks and a stuffed animal with a blanket attached.  Today, we received a gift box with dashi (fish broth) inside.  Of all people, a new mom should not be worried about sending out thank you gifts!  I know lots of moms in the states that struggle with getting out thank you cards and that takes significantly less effort.

And, although we have not attended a Japanese wedding since moving here, those are mind blowing.  Guests give cash as their gift.  It is standard fare.  The bills need to be crisp, new bills and they are gifted inside a special envelope.  When the wedding is all over, the guests walk away with huge thank you gifts, often including wine, dishes, cakes, and more.  Wedding guests can often be spotted on trains, as they are dressed very formally and carrying around matching gift bags.

When I give a gift, it is simply because I want to give a gift.  I don't expect things in return.  Sometimes, I even feel uncomfortable receiving a gift for my gift.  Maybe some people think I am rude because I don't have a closet full of gifts in case someone gives me something.  But it is something that I just cannot get used to.

Give some space

We went out to lunch today at a sushi restaurant.  This, in itself, is not unusual at all.  Between take out and dining at kaitensushi (conveyor belt sushi), we probably eat raw fish once a week.

When we started going back to sushi restaurants we noticed some differences.  When entering any restaurant, there is sanitizer spray at the entrance.  The spray is also at all the stores we've entered into since the lifting of the suggested quarantine.  

There is also plastic sheeting between the customers and the cashiers.  I've heard this is pretty standard in the US as well.

The big difference from pre-Covid to post is the plastic sheeting and other forms of dividers between seats.  

Is this the new normal?  Will we be wrapped in plastic for the rest of time now?

From a volunteer

Last October a tiny little volunteer tomato appeared in a container.  I left it alone, barely ever watering it over the winter even though it was under the overhang and unreached by rain.  It lived through the winter, which was shocking to say the least.  Slowly it grew tomatoes and yesterday we were able to enjoy the first fruit of the season.

Tomato - Vernissage from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

There is nothing better in my book than the taste of homegrown tomatoes!  But ones that I didn't even baby are even better.  

Since the seeds that I planted back in March have not even flowered yet, this is an extra lovely treat.

Return to sender

After reporting on my beloved small packet shipping earlier this week (after mailing another package to the US), I had a package returned!  

After returning home from my son's ballet class, I was busy cooking dinner.  The doorbell rang.  Using the intercom camera, I was excited to see the postman had a package for me.  I hadn't ordered anything, so it was very exciting.  When I answered the door, he handed me a large envelope with a package inside.  

I was a bit confused because the envelope has a Japanese return address.  Who would be sending me something from Japan?  I ripped the envelope open and found the package I had mailed on Monday.  There were also three sheets of paper - a form letter, a form, and a sample form indicating what I need to complete on the form.

The letter explained that due to Covid-19, flights between countries have significantly reduced, resulting in a lack of transportation to send things via air.  If I want, I can resend the package using surface shipping (aka by boat), but it can take up to four months to reach its destination!  F-O-U-R months!!!

The form is to get a refund.  Well, a refund of sorts.  I can opt to have the money deposited into my bank account or I can get the equivalent amount in stamps.  They are not offering a cash refund, even though that is how I paid.

While I might normally shrug my shoulders, I am pretty sad about this news.  The package contained a very special gift for a very special little girl and I'm sad that she won't receive her present.

The feeling of being trapped is getting more and more intense.  Now I can't even send packages in a timely manner to my loved ones.

Meeting the big man

Today was parent teacher meetings.  I would call them conferences, but they were 15 minutes long.  So, it was more of a quick meet and greet with a few details about our child.

Our son has reported daily that he adores his sensei.  The teacher has made a great impression on him.  It is so nice to see his eagerness to go to school everyday, in part because he as a very enthusiastic teacher.

Luckily we have a friend that was able to watch our son for the few minutes of the meeting.  It was a fair trade, since we watched her sons while she met with the teacher during her time slot.  I am so lucky to have friends that can watch my son when we need it.  I often think of the people who have just arrived in a new town or country and don't have the contacts.  I'm so grateful to her, since she has also agreed to be our emergency contact - a much needed thing when family is an ocean away.

The meeting was a bit peculiar since the teacher had us sitting in kids desks placed more than 6 feet (2 meters) apart, plus we were all wearing masks.  He gave us a few facts about our son and the school environment.  We asked a few questions about the school year and expectations (there will never be more than 1 hours worth of homework while he is in first grade, gradually increasing from the 5-10 minutes that he's doing right now).

It was quick and painless.  I am looking forward to learning more about my son's schooling, as I'm sure it is quite different than the US.  But a more in depth conversation will have to take place at a later date.

Ruined pillow

Today I decided to wash our pillows.  It was another hot day, so I figured I could send them through the dry cycle and then hang them outside to make sure they were fully dry.

Unfortunately, sometimes I forget that I don't have my huge American washing machine and dryer.  I could only fit one pillow inside.  After most of the washing cycle, the washer emitted an error alert.  It couldn't wring the pillow out.  

I removed the pillow and wrung it out as best I could.  I then placed the pillow back inside the machine.  I ran the spin cycle.  Figuring it was fine, I walked away and busied myself with making yogurt and granola for future breakfasts.  

When I checked on it a bit later, the pillow was just as wet as the first time I pulled it out.  Oh, how frustrating!  I figured next I would try just drying it.  So, after squeezing the pillow out once again, I put it in the dryer.  

After an hour, I checked on it.  It was not getting dry at all!  I forgot that my dryer uses steam to dry clothes.  It was not making a dent in the pillow.  I squeezed it out once again and hung it outside.

After hanging out there for over 6 hours, the top half was dry, but the bottom half wasn't.  Oh, goodness!  I need to get this pillow dry before it starts raining again!  

I have it hanging in my washing room overnight.  There is one more day of sunshine before the rains hit again.  I bought it not too long ago, so I really hope I didn't ruin it.  

Cold noodles

The weather is crazy these days!  On Saturday and Sunday, we saw downpours and temperatures of 70-76°F (21-24°C).  But today, the sun came out and so did the heat.  We had a high of 96°F (36°C)!!!

I stayed inside most of the morning, but in the afternoon, my son wanted to go to the park.  Knowing that the rain was going to come back, I decided to take him even though I knew I would be a sweaty mess.  Luckily, there was a strong breeze and lots of shade at the park, which made it actually pretty tolerable.

However, when I got home,  I still needed to make dinner.  The thought of standing over a hot stove or warming up the house by using the oven really did not appeal to me.  So I enlisted my husband to help me make hiyashichuka (he-ya-she-chew-ka) also known as cold noodles or cold ramen.  

My husband did all the hard work by boiling the noodles and cooking eggs into crepe-thin layers.  After he cooked the noodles, he rinsed them in cold water and let them sit for a couple minutes in some ice water.  While they were chilling, he stacked up all the egg-crepes and cut them into thin strips.

I gathered the cold ingredients and cut them into match sticks.  While only ham, egg, cucumber, and tomatoes are traditional, I also cut up kamaboko (fish cake), red bell pepper, and egoma (sesame leaves).

Our son was eager to help, so he was tasked with assembling the plates.  He first placed a mound of noodles on each place.  Then he put a small pile of each of the cut ingredients on top in a colorful pattern.

Typically we make our own sauce, but today we just used the packets from the noodle package because I bought an actual hiyashichuka set.  We simply spoon the sauce on top.

In less than 15 minutes, dinner was served.  It was refreshing and cool.  Just what I wanted to enjoy on such a hot day.

********************

Hiyashichuka

Noodles:

3 servings fresh ramen noodles (6 oz fresh noodles per person)

Toppings (everything cut into matchsticks):

1 cucumber

3-4 slices ham

6-9 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 eggs with a small amount of dashi powder

or other ingredients as desired (like egoma or shiso, sautéed bean sprouts, and microgreens)

Dressing:

6 tbsp. soy sauce

3 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

1 tsp la-yu (Japanese chili oil), optional

1. Gather all the ingredients.
   
2. Combine all the noodle dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk all together. Keep it chilled in the refrigerator.
   
3. For eggs, you make thin egg crepe. Whisk together the eggs and dashi powder. Heat the oil in the pan over medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook on both sides. Cool the crepe and slice into very thin strips.
   
4. Cut all the topping ingredients.
   
5. For the noodles, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook according to package directions. Drain the water and rinse the noodles to remove starch. Put the rinsed noodles into a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain completely and divide the noodles on plates/bowls.
   
6. Place all the toppings and pour the dressing on top before serving. 
   

A small package brings big joy

I love to send packages.  I also like receiving them, but that's not my point here.  Over time, I've spent a pretty penny on postage.  But luckily, not as much as I could have!  Japan Post has a small packet price that saves me a lot of money.

If a package is less than 2 kg (4.4 lbs) as well as a combined measurement of 90 cm (35 inches), including the length, width, and thickness of the container, the price is considerably less than a "normal" package.  There are little rules about minimum sizes and so forth, too.

It has been great, especially during this difficult time of not being able to go visit the US.  I can still send birthday gifts and random little tidbits to brighten people's day.

Raindrops on roses

To start the rainy season, we were treated to downpours today.  I found myself waking up to the rain and not wanting to leave my bed.  I laid there for hours (thanks to my husband getting up with our son), listening to the rain hit the ground and surrounding roofs, drifting in and out of slumber.  It was such a treat to hear it falling.

It rained all day today, keeping us indoors except for a quick walk to the store.  We chose to have a very relaxing day.  Even after 3 months of being stuck inside, we all would rather be together rather than anywhere else.

All dressed up

Summers in Japan are very hot and humid. Without proper attire, people overheat.  There are lots of outfits that are moisture wicking and very lightweight in shops to help battle the heat.  Another popular choice is a traditional summer outfit called a jinbei.  Jinbei is often worn at festivals throughout the hot months.  While it is more commonly worn by children, adults often wear the outfit to keep cool during the festivities.

When my son was first born, my mother made his very first jinbei.  He wore it to a Japanese festival in Seattle's International District when he was super little.  Since then, he has always had hand-me-down or store-bought jinbeis to wear each summer.

For some reason, I decided that I could and wanted to make him a jinbei for this summer.  Through a series of visits to various fabric stores, I was able to get all the supplies I needed - including seersucker fabric, known as "ripple" in Japanese.

It took me some time since I have never sewn clothes before (but I did watch my mother do it all my life) and the pattern was in Japanese.  Through a lot of guessing (some educated, others wild) and a bit of translation by my husband, I was able to complete the project.

As soon as I finished it, my son put it on.  He then refused to take it off for the rest of the evening.  That in itself made all the work worth it.  Plus it was nice to challenge myself with something new.

Much more than essence

When I could not find vanilla extract in regular stores and import stores, I knew I was going to have to make it myself.  Luckily, it is super easy.

My sweet husband ordered some vanilla beans online for me.  As soon as they were delivered, I cut open one and a half of them and added them to my old bottle of vanilla, which holds 120cc (4 oz) of liquid.  The required liquid is vodka - 80 proof is best.  Let it sit in the back of the cabinet for at least 2 months.

This, once again, is another example of how a little bit of ingenuity and a tiny bit of work can take my needs and change them into haves.

*******************

Vanilla Extract

1.5 vanilla beans

120 cc/4 oz 80 proof vodka

Cut open the beans (splitting down longwise) and insert into the bottle.  Pour vodka into bottle.  Keep in cool, dark place for 2+ months.  Shake periodically.

Pesto for the win

I love a good pesto.  It isn't something you can typically find on the shelves in Japanese shops (various forms can typically be found at import stores).  Luckily, it is a cinch to make.

I have nuts from Costco, cheese from the shop, as well as basil and garlic from my garden.  Add just a pinch of salt and a bit of olive oil and put everything through the food processor.  When it comes to pesto, I never measure.  I just add and adjust until it tastes amazing.

The yearning for pesto was very timely as our rainy season is about to begin (next week), so I needed to harvest the basil and garlic before everything got soggy.

The virus continues to spread

As Covid -19 numbers continue to rise in Japan (especially Tokyo, reporting 147 new cases in just the first seven days of June), I have the unsettled feeling that things are going to get worse before they get better.  

Just a short distance from our home, they have set up a drive through testing facility.  It is an interesting concept considering how many families I know that don't own a car.  But for those that do have a car and a concern that they've been exposed, I'm glad it is there for them.

As I watch the numbers rise again, it makes me question venturing out.  Are we doing the right thing?  Are we putting ourselves in danger?  How long can we survive without seeing our friends?

I don't have any answers.  But many people I know have gone back to their pre-covid lives.  I'm just not ready yet to think everything is alright.

The beetle obsession continues

Last year I took my son to look for bugs in the park. He talked about our adventure seeking and finding Japanese rhinoceros beetles called kabutomushi (caa-boo-toe-mush-ee) and other fun bugs for a very long time.  Although I am not a fan of the summer weather in Japan, it is the perfect environment for some unique, interesting, and big bugs.  

As the weather gets warmer (we've been hitting 30°C/86°F regularly for over a week), he's been on alert for bugs once again.  Last week we spent the afternoon at the park in an area that hadn't been mowed in a while.  He chased butterflies for over an hour, catching several in his long handled net.

Although we left the butterflies at the park, he still came home and tried to look them up in his bug encyclopedia.  

Knowing that our neighbor is also interested in bugs, our son told him about his discoveries last year and his yearning to find a stag beetle or kuwagata.  While the rhinoceros beetle has a large "horn" protruding from its chin, the stag beetle has pinchers that make it easily identifiable.  

It turns out that the stag beetles come out much earlier in the year than the rhinoceros beetle - June versus August.  And our neighbor had actually rescued one from a path in the park.  These beetles often fall in the paths and get crushed by runners and bikers.  He kindly gave the rescued beetle to our son, along with a large plastic jar he was using as a house for the little guy.

As soon as our son got him inside, he looked him up in his encyclopedia to confirm this stag beetle is a male and most likely full size.  We are now making sure to always have bananas in the house, as this is what you feed stag beetles.  

Too bad they don't have show-and-tell in Japanese schools, because I know my son would love to show off his new beetle.

Listen to the music

Whenever we go to the park these days, we are serenaded by various instruments throughout the park.  We had such a chuckle today as we heard hand drums, guitars, French horn, saxophone, clarinet, and more.  We didn't laugh because of all the instruments.  We laughed when my son said "they need to practice because they aren't playing together at all!"

Later in the day, we took another long bike ride.  While pedaling around, my husband noticed a sign for an apartment.  They were advertising the ability to play music in your apartment at any time of the day or night.  Japanese apartments are notorious for not having any insulation whatsoever.  We can hear our neighbors vacuuming and going up and down the stairs.  It's really... endearing.

Most apartment complexes don't allow tenants to play instruments at all.  So, I am guessing an apartment building that has soundproofing and allows people to play music is really enticing.  In fact, we could only find 19 buildings offering 493 rooms (in three prefectures) that advertise musicians welcome!

I love that they call a properly insulated apartment a "music mansion" or "Musision"!  (Mansions are condos in Japan, not actual mansions.)  I'll remember that descriptor for a while.

Tiny bento

Today, we decided to venture out of our neighborhood for the first time in about 3 months.  In fact, all three of us have not been on a train since early March, when my husband started working from home (weeks before the state of emergency was declared)!  But, we didn't get on a train today either.  We decided to go to Ikebukuro by bike.

While 10 km (6.2 miles) each way may not seem very far to some people, to 2 - 40-something year old's that haven't exercised much in months, it was a little daunting.  However, in order to progress in my projects (more on that later), I needed to go to a fabric store.  After asking around, we realized that the fabric selections in Nerima were pretty slim.  Nippori, also known as fabric town, is 14 km away.  For purely geographical reasons, a large fabric store, called Yuzawaya, in Ikebukuro was our destination.

I saw many familiar sights as we pedaled down the street.  Places we've never actually stopped and visited, only seen from a bus window as we whizzed by.  One such place is a bright yellow, teeny, tiny bento shop.

We have ridden past the shop many times on our various treks to Ikebukuro on the bus. It stands out, not just because of the bright yellow painted exterior, but because it is really, really tiny!

I don't know why the little grab-and-go restaurant intrigues me so much, but it does!  My husband says it borders on obsession.  But this take-out restaurant is probably smaller than my bedroom.  Food trucks don't mystify me nearly as much, but the brick and mortar shop does.

We only paused long enough for me to take a couple photos.  We weren't in the market for bentos.  So, the obsession continues.

I've searched online for it and have found nothing other than it used to be a different restaurant called Kikuya.  When the building was repainted, the Kikuya sign was removed and now a (much smaller) sign reads "Homemade Bento".

I am now confident in my ability to ride my bike to Ikebukuro.  So, I will most likely actually go to this mysterious little shop someday in the future.

Pain in the eye

It feels so nice to go out for bike rides with my family.  And I must admit, that since wearing a mask during our bike rides, I've eaten a considerable less number of bugs in the last two months.  However, a mask does not protect the eyes and unfortunately something hit mine tonight just a block from home.  My husband can't see anything in there, but it is still pretty awful an hour and a half later.  Sometimes the dangers of bike riding isn't what you expect.

Tantrum

I wanted to throw a tantrum today.  I wanted to stomp my feet and scream and say things I would later regret.  But the I thought of all the things going on in the US right now, and I bit my tongue.  My problems are so trivial in comparison.  

Who really cares that I can't seem to find actual vanilla (not "ba-ni-ra essence", which is NOT the same as vanilla extract) or that the fabric store didn't have what I needed after biking 20 minutes each way to go there?  Because in the grand scheme of things, these are minor irritants.

I can come home to the sanctuary of my family, where my husband will help me to figure out solutions.  I felt like such a brat for having such big feelings.

In all honesty, I'm just tired.  Between the stress of living in a foreign country and the terror of Covid-19, plus the horror of the riots in the US, I'm at my wits end.  So much in life right now is out of control and terrifying.  I don't have any answers.  But right now I am talking to my son about racism and what it means to him, as well as others around the world.  It is one of the most uncomfortable conversations I have ever had with him.  

We have been reading a lot of books and I've been trying to answer his questions, but I don't have all the answers.

All I really know is that people are hurting and they are tired of being mistreated.  I get that.  And me having a tantrum over not getting my way is just ridiculous.

Not much to report on today

I wonder how much I can ramble on about living in Japan when I barely leave my house.  It has been months now and I basically only venture out to the grocery store, my son's school, and a periodic park visit.  When will I get on a train again?  Probably not for a very long time.  

My family is busy figuring out a new schedule, as we adjust to all the new things with elementary school.  It is a fun adjustment, especially for our son.  He loves school.  He enthusiastically does his homework each night.  I hope this keeps up!

Two steps forward, one back

The numbers are not looking good for Tokyo.  Just one week and one day after lifting the state of emergency, the Covid-19 numbers are back on the rise.

It is no surprise at all to me.  But with 34 cases diagnosed today, it is more nerve-wracking than I'd like to admit.

Tokyo might be enacting "Tokyo Alert" tomorrow, asking the people of Tokyo to be on high alert regarding Covid-19.  

With a child restarting school, I will be monitoring this very, very closely - especially exactly where those new cases are located.

Ready or not, it's time to go

After 59 days of homeschooling, the school officially opened today in Nerima.  It wasn't what we originally envisioned, but happened nonetheless.

The kids in each class were broken up into 2 groups.  Typically, Japanese school children walk to school in small groups of children.  Parents don't take their kids to school - even first graders.  Older children are paired with younger kids to escort them a few times until the younger child gets the hang of the route.  Since school has not be in session, the older kids were never assigned a charge.  So, yesterday, we received an email from the school telling parents they could walk their first graders to school for a while.

Our son was perfectly fine to have us walk him to school.  I think he wanted us there in case his randoseru got too heavy!  I couldn't believe how much it weighed!  I actually filled it up yesterday with all the required items and had him practice walking around with it on to get used to the weight on his shoulders.

All three of us successfully made it through the rain to the school.  Our son was so excited to get in there and start learning, that he quickly waved goodbye and headed inside.  No drama whatsoever.  Sniff, sniff.  That's fine.

Instead of heading home, I took the opportunity to go to the grocery store.  I then read a book (Michelle Obama's Becoming) while lounging on my couch, with only periodic disturbances from my husband.  (He LOVES to try to talk to me when I'm reading.  It's been a family joke for years.)

The two hours passed very quickly.  It was soon time for me to go pick up our son.  He must have been let out of class early because he was waiting for me at the gate when I arrived.  I was the only parent there to pick up their kid.

As we walked home, I peppered him with questions.  What was it like?  How was his teacher?  Did he make a new friend?  What exactly did he do? 

He tried answering my questions for a bit.  It was fun, but hard to sit in his desk for 2 hours straight.  He only got out of his seat twice in the two hours, once to bow when they started class and the second time to take something to the front of the room.  He washed his hands and used sanitizer when he arrived at school and right before he left.  His teacher was nice.

Soon, he stopped and looked right at me.  "Mom.  I am tired from my first day at school.  It feels like you are interviewing me.  Can you please ask all your questions later?"  His honesty made me laugh.  I really was interrogating him.  I could at least wait until after lunch to do so.  As the day progressed, he gave me several more little tidbits of information and I felt satisfied.

Overall, he had a great day.  He's excited to go back tomorrow.  I guess the details don't matter so much.  It is just that I've never gone to school in Japan and the more I talk with my husband, the more I realize just how different the school systems really are.  I hope my son will be eager to shed more light on the subject as he builds up his stamina and gets used to the new environment.