Sunday, 28 Nov 1999 03:43:41 EST - Subject: Home Stay

Dear Folks,
    It is Saturday night November 27.  I am at the home of Marika (the wife) and
Yukitako (the husband) Takashina.  She teaches English at the middle school we
will be touring on Tuesday. He teaches middle school science. Their two daughters
are Saya who is 6 and rather quiet and Yuri who is 3 and quite active.  We have
just finished a lovely dinner of tempura with Marika's parents and I have had the
traditional bath.  FMF has taken great pains to teach us the proper way to
bathe Japan style.  I think they took equal pains to teach the host families
what to expect from the gaijin (foreigners).  I think they liked the omiyaki (gifts).

    Our home stay agenda began with a tour of an old traditional/historical
house that had been moved to this town from another 12 hours away.  There
were many tools and artifacts that were tools and equipment used in Japan
many years ago.  Then after a brief tour of the waterfront, we stopped at a
fish and vegetable market. Marika said this was the first time she had
shopped there, so I think FMF coached them to take us shopping at a
traditional market.  It was small and outside there was a large variety of
fruits and vegetables in boxes stacked around.  She said the prices were much
better there, but I noticed when we got to the supermarket she bought much
more and seemed more comfortable.   Then to their home for a lunch of
okonomiyaki .  This is a relatively new popular dish in Japan.  Maybe only 10
years or so.  The Tomo in Arcata should look into it.  It is an egg/potato flour base
pancake with cabbage mixed in.  Then you drop bacon and shrimp on top
continue cooking and serve with drizzle of mayonnaise.  (I think I may have
written about this before, if so, please forgive me.  Everything is a jumble
- so many new experiences.)

 After that, we drove through two neighboring towns and took a road through a valley up
a mountain (Mt.Ishizuchi) - to a shrine that was number 64 in the famous tour of 88 by the
Monk Kobo Daishi. The road up the mountain was very narrow.  Almost all of the
time only one car wide.  Once we met a bus and we had to back way up.  There
was also a lot of construction.  It is important to remember that these
mountains are considerably steeper than ours.  There were numerous places
where the road has slid  out.  There is a tram (Mt.Ishizuchi Ropeway) up to where
this temple is.  There is also a ski lift.   We met two other FMFers and their host
families coming down the tram.  I bought some Shinto prayer beads.  (Here are some
other links about this area:  Mt.Ishizuchi Guide,  The seasons of Mt. Ishizuchi, and
Japan's Field Vol.22.)

I am especially proud that I ate some sea cucumber.  It looked like a slug,
but Reiko san (Marika's mother) cleaned and cut it up in small thin pieces and
served it in a marinade of vinegar, sugar, soya, and diakon.  It was pretty good.
Yukitako didn't eat it though.

We returned to their home and began cutting stuff for tempura.  Mariko's
parents joined us.  Mom went right to work taking care of the food.  She
brought the pot and some other stuff and we had a good old time.  Marika's
mother, Reiko, was born in 1941, as was I, so we hit it off.  She did most
of the frying.  The girl's go to Reiko's house after school.  They go to
kindergarten and are finished around 4.  Marika doesn't get home until nearly
6.  They live just a few doors away from each other.  The parents used to live
in the company housing for Sumitomo that was torn down to make way for the
hotel I am in .  This happened about 10 years ago.

Marika's mom and dad remember being hungry in WWII.  Her father lived in a
munitions town so he was sent to live with family in Matsuyama.  This was a good
thing because his home was ultimately bombed.

Mariko and I talked a long time about bullying that takes place in schools. She says
it happens only to boys and is not based on socioeconomic status but on the boy's
personality.  The shy ones and sometimes the very smart ones. Apparently the
problem is worse in the junior highs.   There are stories to tell in this place.  They
want to leave tomorrow at 9:00 for the town of the paper factory.   It's a two hour
drive.

Yukitako helped a great deal with the children and with the meal preparation.
He also called some toy stores to try to locate a fish tako (kite).  He went to
Niihama University while she went to Tokyo University.  He is a science
teacher for a small mountain middle school of 70 kids.  I think he also
teaches wood shop or crafts.  I'd say he did not fit the stereotype of the
Japanese male for me and that is a very good thing.   He seemed to take equal
part in the care of the girls and helped a lot in the kitchen although he did
something wrong with the squid and mother-in-law had to scowl and laugh.

I will be sleeping in the family tatami room which is also where we ate our
meal.  The meal reminded me of thanksgiving in that there was way too much
food and many servings.  Mom and Mariko and Yukitako were up and down
frequently getting new dishes.  Marika forgot to plug in the rice cooker so
the rice and miso were served after the rest of the meal.  It was still very
good, but obviously a great deal of work.  They cleaned it all up so that
when I got out of the bath, the room was a guest room for me.

Tatami are the wonderful padded mats made from bamboo I think.  If so, it
is of very fine, grass like thickness. The room is about 10x12 with
sliding doors or shoji on 3 sides.  There is a  shrine place in which there
is a scroll with a vase and pink calla lilies in a pot.  The rest of the
house is more western yet there are Japanese style cupboards, toilet and bath
are separate.  The toilet seat is padded and heated.  I didn't want to get
off.

Sunday, November 28.
The second day of our home stay was a family excursion to the other side of
the island to see a paper making museum.  We made paper and had an udon lunch at
a small place, then went on to a larger and more complete paper museum.  There
I got to do a real hanga, which is wood block printing.  I still could not find a source
of the blocks.  I think maybe they are not made anymore.  I got some card
possibilities and much paper for school projects.  The road was incredible 19 tunnels
- one as long as 5 km.  Grandma and Grandpa went too.  It was a very nice time.

I am going to curtail these phone charges from Niihama to Hiroshima since they were
running something like $17.00 each time (that is because there is no local AOL number
in Niihama - and this is in addition to the AOL international call fee) --- could this be
Hiroshima's payback???  I will spend more time reading and responding to mail when I
get to Tokyo.

It has been really cold here and there is Yuki (snow) on the mountain tops.

Love, Peggy san

Monday, 29 Nov 1999 09:49:11 EST - Subject: Monday in Matsuyama & Niihama

Dear Folks,
    It is now Monday night, November 29, and I am at the hotel in Niihama.
Today we visited with the PTA  representatives in the morning.
In the afternoon, we visited the University in Matsuyama, a city of 300,000
and the capital of Ehime Prefecture.  There was a very frank discussion of
the basic problems facing Japan in their crisis in education.  Not the least
of which is that the university is considered a four year holiday after the
pressures of getting in.  Some students even choose to go abroad so they can
get a better education.
    I made a hurried trip to the stamp store where I had ordered a little
stamp with our name on it.  ("Wheeler")  Then I bought two others: one for
"auspicious" and the other for "celebration"  I plan to use them on our
Christmas card.  I got some paper at the paper store and I hope to make a
block print of some Japanese design for the card and use the stamps on it.
    In the evening we visited a Taiko Drum class which had prepared their
"good bye to the new year" party a little early in our honor.  Bix (our
drummer friend from Westwood) would be in hog heaven.  We'll have
to send pictures.  They had prepared much sushi and shabu shabu, a thin
sliced beef and vegetable dish cooked in hot water at your table.  We also
took wine and a few of the group drank a little too much.
    Tomorrow we check out of our hotel and go to the junior high where
Marika san, the mother in my host family, teaches English.  Then we go to
the ryokan.  Many people are unsure of the nude baths.  It will be interesting.
We leave from there the next morning early on the ferry and go to Hiroshima
Peace Park and then fly to Tokyo.  This is some adventure.
    I'll make this short as I have to pack to send most back to Tokyo ahead
of me.
See you soon.
Love, Peg

Wednesday, 1 Dec, 12:30 PM, Mad River time - Update from Tokyo via telephone

A phone call was just received in Mad River from Mrs. Wheeler.  It was 5:30 Thursday morning, December 2, there at the New Otani Hotel in Tokyo.  She is very, very tired, but okay.  She is having difficulty getting connected to AOL again, so she might not be able to send any more updates before she flies out for home on Saturday, December 4.

She reports that the previous night, Tuesday, was spent at the ryokan or Japanese style inn.  The following morning, Wednesday, she and her group left Shikoku by ferry to cross the inland sea.  They arrived at Hiroshima and spent about one and a half hours touring the Peace Park there.  They merged with other groups of FMFers and soon there was a group of over 80 flying back to Tokyo where they all checked back in at the New Otani.

Her schedule now calls for two more days of the FMF Program in Tokyo before she returns home.

She reports that she has appreciated all the e-mails she has received while on this trip.  She had good intentions to respond to all of them, but she now realizes that there is just not the time to do so while following this heavy schedule.  She hopes everyone understands.

Hopefully, she will be back on-line soon with a few more installments before her odyssey is over.  Otherwise, we will all have to wait for her final report which will be written after she returns home.  She then will also have her film developed, photographs scanned, and pictures posted to her web site.

Thursday, 2 Dec 1999 09:58:43 EST - Subject: Back On-line & Photos & Pearls

Dear Folks,
    It is Thursday night, December 2, here at the New Otani Hotel, Tokyo.
I made it back on-line with AOL here finally.  It was just a number game
(and sometimes we English teachers don't do numbers well).  Anyway, I'm
here, back in contact, I'm very tired and only have one more day before we
head home.

    I succumbed to peer pressure this afternoon after a long day of meetings
and tackled the taxi system with 8 others of my group and hit the pearl
lady's place.  I got some really nice pieces.  A bit more than I intended but
I'm glad I did.  I put some 43000 yen on visa.  I am trying not to feel
guilty.  I got some nice gifts for some family members.   I came back to the
hotel on the subway and packed all my stuff and rearranged suitcases.   Still
need to find a fish kite for our son Richard.  Tomorrow is the day for that.

    I had an accident with the big duffel bag from Thailand - one of the wheels
broke clean off.  This was the very cheap one we bought in the market place
in Bangkok and had a very suspicious Samsonite label on it.  I am dragging it
on one wheel when I have to move it, but I shouldn't have to do that much
anymore.

I took my computer to Ann Mary's room and we downloaded some photos.
There is one of me ringing the peace bell.  I haven't seen it up close.  Do hope
it turns out.

Here are the photos.
    1.  Me ringing the Peace Bell, Hiroshima.
    2.  Thanksgiving Dinner at the Chinese restaurant in Niihama Japan..
             L-R:  Me, Peggy Barrett, Ann Mary, Cathy Dannenberg & Katie Bellaveau.
    3.  In hotel lobby with Christmas decorations.
             L-R:  Joyce, Peggy B., Peggy W.,  Sue, Theresa, & Jennifer
    4.  Me receiving a gift at Kinei Elementary School, Niihama

Love,
Peggy

Friday, 3 Dec 1999 09:47:14 EST- Subject: Last full day in Tokyo

HI
    It is 11:30 at night Thursday here in Tokyo.

    We had our farewell reception tonight and I invited everyone up to my
room to kill a bottle of plum wine I finally found.  They only just left.

    Yes.  I am still scheduled to arrive at San Francisco International on
United flight #838 at 11:10 am Saturday.  I check out here at 11:30 am
tomorrow, leave hotel at 2:00 and wait at Narita Airport until 7:15 pm.

    Success!  I found fish kite for Richard.

    The trip that includes a Costco stop for film developing sounds great.
I have  nearly 30 rolls.

    I have a couple of pictures I was going to post but no more words except
that this has been a very humbling and invigorating experience.  I have
earned the right to be somewhat obnoxious about talking  at length about
this country and education.

1. View from my hotel room of the garden below.
2. Our group tonight as we said good-bye to everyone.

Sunday Evening, December 5, 1999 (California time) - Subject:  I'm Home

Dear friends and family,

     I returned safely yesterday to San Francisco where I was met by my friendly and supportive husband who whisked me off to California reality.  Most FMFers had at least one more flight to get to their destinations, some had several.  I'd had either 3 or 5 hours rest on the plane, and I slept on and off on the 5 hour drive home which did not include a couple hours to get the 29 rolls of film developed.  (Thanks, Fairfield Costco.)  I'm back now and getting ready for school tomorrow.  I've gone through the photos, sorted envelopes chronologically, and made piles of the various other artifacts and gifts I brought back.  It's hard to know how to begin sharing this experience.

     I will be discontinuing my AOL account soon, but you can still reach me at pwheeler@tcoe.trinity.k12.ca.us   I'd still love to hear from you -- just use a different address.  My body is still on Tokyo time so I am working on retraining it.  Not too much success at the moment.  Wonder how long it takes to get over jet lag…?  I'm looking forward to getting some of the photos scanned and up-loaded in the near future, so don't go away.   In my current daze, I am not sure what format I will be using at my web site.  I have so many experiences and impressions to share, I am just currently overwhelmed.  Please check my home page periodically for updates, changes and additions.

Love,
Peggy

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