Ice cream on a Christmas day

It was a cold winter Christmas in Japan, 8deg and very windy...

I was in a hot Summer Australia a week ago...

My Canadian friends emaied me they had a white christmas this year... which is unusual In Vancouver Island...

The Earth is interesting.

It's always nice to hear how and where is my friend from everywhere in the world.

My friend Satoko asked me to go get an ice cream tonight.

I ate a holiday ice cream, colored Red and Green (rasberry and Pistachio) was really good. Satoko ate another holiday special cappcchino and bisccotti.

It was too cold having an ice cream out side but I enjoyed eating ice cream and watching people at the entrance of a shopping mall.

The other day she and her room mate invited me a dinner. it was awesome Tuna and Abocado rice ball... Oisiiiiiiiiiiiii (Delicious)!!!! It's always nice to have a home taste after the life in other countries.

Satoko gave me a Christmas present. It was a original hand-made Chopstick case and a little bag. She made one before(you'll see the story on my blog), but she made new one for me. It's a special one. I can also bring a spoon and a folk .... my spoon & folk... isn't not great ??? I won't use those disposable prastic spoon&folk anymore !!

Satoko always use recycle clothes for making original creation things, she is 'Remaker'. I like those eco friendly things she is always trying in her life.

I spent almost whole day with my grand parents today. Time passed very peacefully and calmly... this time was a wonderful gift for me...

I had a good organic red wine myself tonight.

I had a good Christmas this year in Japan. Good night everyone.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas...

I walked around my home town today on a Chtistmas Eve.

My town seems still the same as my childhood days... many old people are busy with shopping for Christmas dinner. Young people are on the way to go a party. Couples are walking so happily. People are selling Christmas cakes or chickens on a street, some stores are waited in an ordinaly line. Christmas songs are heard from everywhere....

Those each tranquil sights on a street made me really happy.

The Christmas song ''Have yourself a merry little Christmas''... is one of my favorite Christmas song. I like the title.

I don't need fancy Christmas... I don't need any sumptuous dishes or any special gifts.
Each little natural things make me happy.

I am having myself a merry little Christmas this year... having Christmas dinner with my family, talking my grand parents, watching happy people in the town, listening Christmas song, having a hot drink at a cafe.... this all little things brought me joy... how great an ordinary hapiness is.... I realized... Little things and the things we can't see are always beautiful...

How's everyone spending time this Christmas ???
I wish you all have yourself merry Christmas...

I send you a Big laugh and a Big Hug to you all my people ....

Very very happy merry Christmas to you...

from Japan....Eri

Enjoy .....

The song '' Have yourself a merry little Christmas'' By Kenny G.....
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=JEyR8LOv8Bg

YUZU

The YUZU is a citrus fruit originating in East Asia.

The yuzu's flavor is tart, closely resembling that of the grapefruit.

In Japan, bathing with yuzu on the day winter solstice is a traditional custom. The whole fruits are floated in the hot water of the bath (sometimes enclosed in a cloth bag), releasing their aroma.

It's good for blood circulation promotion, povide backpain relief, prevent chapped skin or cold etc...

Yuzu is known for its characteristically strong aroma, and the oil from its skin is marketed as a fragrance.

In my grand parents' garden, There is a Yuzu tree.

My grandpa love keeping his garden.

Picking Yuzu fruits is usually his job, it's one of a pleasure. But he can't do that this year.

He has been suffering with cancer.

I came back in Japan to see him yesterday.

Eventhough he has a widespread cancer, now surprisingly he's getting much better than a month ago in a hospital. He is eating a lot and having clear mind since he came back his loving home.

My cousin Rena and Mika, they are lively grand daughters for him. They always give him a bright smile, and talk in cheerly to him. Sometime, Taking many meds and being hospital are not cure for us. He is getting good cures from his family now.

I will try to visit him as much as I can my stay in Japan this time.
So, I helped picking Yuzu fruits with my grandma today.

Yuzu have a little spine. We wore gloves and had nippers.

The tree is in a higher part of a slope, it was a bit hard to pick all the fruits with using ladder.

Grandpa has difficulty walking however he picked some yesterday.

We picked a lot.

Grandpa was happily sharing those Yuzu fruits to prastic bags. And he'll share the Yuzu to all our family and neighborhood.

My grandma is fun. She talks like a man with dialect from north part of Japan Fukusima.

Her little vest got caught in the tree so many times... and everytime she got stuck, she start laughing so quietly.... then after long laugh, asked me 'help!!'... it was funny....

Look her bright smile on the pic (left).. She looks so happy!!!

Seeing them is such a gift for me this time of the year.

I was away from home this last few years... so I am looking forward to spending a New year in Japan this time.

After We finish picking Yuzu fruits, We enjoyed the sun in Engawa which wooden veranda of Japanese style in a while. There was the good winter sunshine yesterday....


I like their house, it's quite traditional Japanese house and garden they have. I played a lot in there when I was a child.

I enjoyed feeling comfort in my mind with my home life and my happy family....

Matane !
From Japan

greets from Tropical North East Australia

How is everyone doing ???? I've been doing good in Australia.

I worked at the farm in Ayr Australia for 1 and a half month.
I stayed at the Hotel named Ayr hotel. It was crappy hotel but the people were so COOL, about 70 people from all over the world. German, Belgium, Korea, UK, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, Nepal, Taiwan, Scotland, France and Japan etc....
I really enjoyed working and living with all the people at there.



I worked at a basil farm most of the time. I really enjoyed working at there. I liked working with the smell of a basil and with nice people in the beautiful place.... It was so much FUN... I will miss the days in there... so I will remember the days when I smell basils... haha..


Working at a farm was sometimes hard so we always encouraged each other and enjoyed having a beer (or two or more!! ) after work ! It was so much fun with many different kind of people !

We are living in one world, we are one family... I truely feel that way through this experience!


It's much different staying backpackers as a tourist and staying working hostels as a worker. People can much closer and enjoy all the meetings.


Now, I left Ayr and am in Townsville. It's a beautiful city. I traveled with Christopher (from Belgium) and Axel (from France) who are good friends I met in Ayr. We went to the Magnetic Island (30min ferry ride from the city) for a couple of days together. Traveling with them was so much fun. Our plan is always No plan but it's always good adventure !!


We enjoyed swimming at the beaches and hiking at the National park which we can see most wild koara bears in this country. we were so excited when we found a koara !! They were all sleeping but was really cute !!

I'll say bye to my friends Christopher and Axel this afternoon.... I will miss them....such a good friends ! but We'll see each other some day again !! That might be in Sydney ? , France ? Belgium ?? or Japan ??? Who knows !?

Here QLD is really HOT now!!! I can't believe Christmas is coming soon.... It feels weird...

I'll be in Japan for couple of weeks this holidays. it would be nice spending time with my family. I was in Canada last year. so this would be special gift for me !

Have a nice holidays everyone !!
Love and BIG Hugs to you all !!!
Life is always Journey !! bon voyage !!

Eri

Moving on !

I am going away from the Cairns city for working at a Vegetable farm down South in a while.

The place named “Ayr”. I am not used to the Australian or British pronunciation of 'A','E', 'I',and 'R' yet, but sounds like people are saying 'Air'. well That's alright, unless I pass through the bus stop. hahaha wish me luck !

It was a wonderful relaxing time with my friends Hiroko and Yatsu last 1month.

They always make me feel very peaceful.

Hiroko and I went the same college about 10years ago.

We always talked about dreams or ideals in our future. We both wanted to go other countries. Soon after we gradurated, We worked hard for saving money, tried our dreams become true. Couple years after, Hiroko came to Australia and I went to Canada. Although we were far from eachother, we are always encouraged .

so now, It's great to be here with her in Australia... and I am really happy that she looks very happy with her partner now....

(tears;;) Life is wonderful...

Well, but I need to continue my journey for myself !

It's too comforting place for adventurer !!

Let's move on !!

I don't know when I can update my blog next time... but I sure will share my journey every now and then !!

Love and Hugs to all my people ..... from Australia ERIE

G'day !

I left Japan again... now I am in Cairns Australia.

It's my new start to be a Japanese teacher here or some other countries that need a teacher ...

I've been trying to find a way I can be a cultural bridge in my life. I looked back my past 10 years. I was saving money in Japan, traveling other countries and doing that over and over again. I think it was to know who I am and to know what I want to do.

After I arrived back home in Japan, I quickly tried to find my next step... couple of hopes weren't that I thought. so I again tried to think from beginning. Then one idea came up was a Japanese teacher. It's funny that the idea came up now. Because Japanese teacher was always somewhere in my mind, some of my friends are already working as a Japanese teacher and My foreign friends always encouraged me to teach... but I have never thought for real. However, this time was real. I tried to go a brief meeting at a Japanese teacher school near my house, and I thought that being Japanese teacher... it might really suit me !! it might be the one !! I want to learn how to teach Japanese !! But at the same time, I felt that learning how to teach Japanese at the school in Japan was little different than how I learned English as a second language. It was too grammatical , teacher and student style I mean Japanese school style.. I haven't learned my second language in that way....

Then I found a Japanese teacher school in Australia. They focus on practical learning. so I suddenly decided to get Working Holiday Visa to go Australia, so I can work and save money for school.

I am in Cairns and am looking for a job right now. After couple of months (or more) I work, I go the school in Sydney.

I hope this is the way I given.

Today is PEACE DAY