PSA

PSA: I am taking this very seriously, but I am also well on my way to moving past it.

Just as other rabbit trailers could tell you, the way is not always filled with wonderful sites and intrigues. On occasion, it is actually fraught with peril and and we must step with trepidation so as to not incur the wrath of the mome raths underfoot.

Well, it seems her time had come last Friday (Friday the 13th, as a matter of fact).

While the weather outside had been frightful (snowing at a constant rate since the day before) she was delighted by the prospect of calling on a friend in the next town over--an easy distance that would normally take 15 minutes. However, as the weather had treated the roads in a similar way as a Zamboni machine, she was prepared to take extra time, to drive with glasses (which help her see better at night), to turn off the music, and to practice all of the other safety techniques a naturalized Michigander grows up knowing. Unfortunately, against the un-plowed, un-salted, un-graveled raised and twisting Japanese roads (this one being a main one between cities) and gusting winds, there was little precaution that would be more effective than chance.

Recall that in Japan, the roads and cars are opposite. And so as she was following the curve left and her car kept sliding straight, she was fortunate to hit the tree on the left (passenger) side. This fortunately knocked the car perpendicular to the ground so that when its nose struck the field 10ft below, she didn't roll. And although the passenger window was shattered out, her backpack thrown into the snowbank, the windshield fractured as if a stone was thrown into a pond (but from the passenger side), and the airbags had deployed-- she was fine. She wasn't cut to pieces by all of the glass, she found her glasses and phone intact, her window was also whole and therefore blocking her from the terrible wind, and she could move all her limbs. She was also comforted to realize that though anxiety attacks had seized her in the past, she was able to remain calm during this rather terrifying event (listening to music like this helped a lot).

passenger airbag and dashboard

windshield +glass

Driver's side (safe from that wind...)

Passenger window gone and a bit of the embankment the car fell down

A quick call to her friend started the hour long waiting process, but she had her down blanket and so kept herself adequately warm. Her friend had called their Japanese friend who ever-so-kindly handled calling the police and wrecker to get her out. Everyone arrived, the wrecker driver kindly let her sit in his heated truck, she answered the polite policeman's questions, was assured the tree wasn't hurt so she shouldn't worry, and then was conveyed on to her friend's house for a hot cup of tea, an adorable movie, and a place to stay.

While the eventual medical examination confirmed that one rib was cracked, she still can only smile knowing how blessed she was to literally walk away from the accident. The paths she wanders have led her to marvelous things. It's a comfort to know that when they do take an unexpected turn, she can keep her balance and momentum to keep moving forward.

生活: Just a Slice of Daily Life

It's that time of year again folks! yay recap!

Seriously though, life here's been pretty great, even if it's been ordinary.
For instance: during lunchtime, the students get to choose a few songs to play over the loud speaker. Usually songs I don’t know. Until they decided to have a Perfume day and played Natural ni Koishite, Laser Beam, and Nee on the same day. And of course my colleagues looked at me as those songs were now my trade mark since I disastrously attempted the first at karaoke the first time we met. But it was also fun when they played Sailing Day and Karma (but I kept my knowledge of these to myself). There are also the small victories of being included in random conversations, even if I don’t understand a lot of it. But mostly it was staying after to help them practice that made me happiest. They could be silly and talk about what they were interested in as well which helped. On the performance day I could barely hold back my grin as they each took the stage, expressing better than they ever had in practice and so happy afterwards. They truly did try their best.

I checked out the library and raided the kids sections and found this delightful book about a boy (Toby) and his cat becoming sea captains when their house goes adrift in a huge storm:

It seems like everywhere I go there's a Murder...

So, sometimes everyone in the staff room leaves...

 ....and they don't tell you why...

(Speaking of work, this is just a piece of the view)

(Song courtesy of Leggers)

 Obihiro (the nearest city about 30min away by car) has a large collection of the redeads, take care ;3

 But they also have an Irish pub, so I will brave them for fish-n-chips

 ...and creepy empty trains at 10pm...

 But at least it always feels like I'm coming back home

 I've been able to see such beautiful things

 ..and still get to act silly~

Even though it seems sometimes that I'm not wanted/needed...

...I have a collection of small drawings and things my students have given me, and their laughing faces are the only gratitude I need.

 (It's rather interesting the parts of America they've latched onto though...)

Every morning I wake up, and I can here the bells

Because these "hills" are absolutely alive with the sound

(listen to this)

It may seem that I'm lonely to be out here "all alone", but I never feel far from comfort~

Speaking of comfort, I made mixed CDs for my adult English class for Christmas

And was surprised the same day with a Christmas CD of my own

It's hard to make the everyday happenings sound exciting to you if you're not here to see them, because though they are small, they are many. Things like the boy and the girl first years (7th graders) who sit next to each other and help each other on their homework; both teasing relentlessly but in a way that makes me want them to get married someday. Or the third year girl who loves the Little Green Men from Toy Story and has pencil cases and folders covered with them, and still gets excited to talk to me before and after class or to show me a new acquisition. Or the second year boy that taped drawn eyes to the insides of his glasses during class and caused me to laugh uncontrollably for five minutes before the class and I could calm down. Maybe I shouldn't encourage them, but I can't help but treasure each one's flairs of personality in an otherwise structured environment. The boys who read the dialogues in funny voices; the girls who wave excitedly when I smile at them; the students who laugh when they accidentally respond to my "Good morning!" with "Ohayo Gozaimasu!" before returning a bashful "Hello~".

It's hard to articulate the contentedness I feel here, and the right-ness of it. Be assured that I miss everyone (and a LOT of things) back home something fierce, but I also understand this is my time to be away and test my faith and trust. I pray that you are well when you read this, and know that I am going to try to be more consistent with posting in the future (yeah, sure, that's what they all say...) ^^;

In Which Ashley Felt Very Blessed

When asked what her plans were for her birthday, she replied with satisfaction concerning her intent to transcend to the state of hermit. Surprisingly, this was met with some surprised disbelief. Was she not lonely all of the time, anyway? Was she not already separated from all of the comforts she was used to in her daily life? Was she not more distressed, or at the least morose, to imagine her one special day without these usual supports? How could she think of depriving herself from seeking companionship in the few acquaintances she had here? To answer shortly: she was selfish; or at the very least indulgent. She did not feel the numb hands of loneliness wringing her, nor was she cut off from the comforts of home entirely. And besides, one who celebrates their Un-Birthday on a healthy, regular basis need not feel the sharp disappointment should their “one” special day go awry. She would own that there were few better excuses to be so indulgent as calling upon the “Birthday” Card, but we cannot expect a natural introvert to exert herself in company all of the time. 

In fact, she was sociable all day on the sixth and celebrated for herself the day before. After entertaining the luxury of staying in bed and dozing the morning away, she went about her “morning” at a rare leisurely pace. One order of business she attempted was to pick up a package from the Post Office that had arrived while she was at school the day before, yet it seems she would be obliged to wait as it is closed both Saturday and Sunday. With little more than bemused anticipation, she returned home to prepare for the day. Her mission was simple, yet of the upmost importance to her: to find a place in the forest to read her new book “North and South”, to drink earl grey tea, to eat a peanut butter sandwich and an apple, and to leave an egg for a fox. To put it succinctly she intended to fulfill her own version of “These are a few of my Favorite Things”. With neck and head scarf alike donned, she set off in search of a rabbit-hole to a world of her own.

The bridge to somewhere...

Desperately wanting to climb...

Perfect cloudy day in the forest

The Way Is Shut....

A forest gift

There's a happy fox somewhere...

going further

Bridging of worlds

Reaching through the centuries

( I should be more scared of this...)

(...seriously. This screams "run away"...)

(but a cool respite is more welcome)

(just my borrowed little corner of the world)

clouds among the mountains

(as close to a 'selfie' as I'm getting...)

Perhaps a modern rabbit hole...

painted silhouettes 

 Later that evening, feeling quite satisfied in her adventure, she was content to while away the hours lazily before returning to sleep. And yet most astonishingly, past the hour of six she was startled by the ringing of the bell. Dashing to the door she found the postman apologizing for missing her earlier (as if it were his fault) and depositing the package. Her father had made it just in time, after all. 

Thanks Dad <3

(To be fair, Mom & Gramma's came a week before)

The next day she encountered everyone with a light heart and never felt their company to be the least taxing. Church in the morning with people possessing beautiful hearts for God, kaiten zushi and pumpkin ice cream with Y-san for lunch, and back to the missionaries’ house to help prepare for the visiting pastor’s birthday surprise dinner. That’s right. It was his Birthday as well, and she was bemused to frost and cut and stir and cook in the kitchen without uttering a word of the little coincidence. However, she had shared the fact with the pastor in the morning as an anecdote, not knowing at the time the plans in place for his surprise. And so after he had blown out the candles on the kiwi and peach chiffon cake she had helped decorate, he let the metaphorical cat out of the bag. And so after re-lighting the candles and repeating the process for her, they sat down to a delicious feast she had the satisfaction of having helped prepare. They even gave her the flower crown they placed on her had for the occasion~

(*shamelessly becomes a hypocrite...*)