NeW FrIEnDs and FaCEs

Taira, Nobuko and Junko...all of us work @ the Yakuba (town office). So happy to have met these women dancing in the Taneichi Festival Parade! We have been having a great time ever since! More times to be had with this group...watch out Taneichi!

Isn't Nobu a doll!? What a great woman--smart, beautiful, funny and English proficient! Always love seeing this gal around!

Junko is a sweet pea! We met dancing in the parade and she also works in the Town Hall (where I check in before heading off to school each day). Junko has recently invited me to start playing with her intramural (or the equivalent) basketball team every week. Way excited to play some bball with other

"vertically challenged" women!

Masato, good pal that he is, worked overtime one nite to translate for me!

Thank you! Anata no Eigo wa sugoy des!

Taneichi's finest Gaijin crowd!

Damian, me, Zach and his wife Laura

Taking this teeny town by storm!

This is Hikage-san. His family has been so amazing and generous! He welcomed me into his family upon arriving in Taneichi and has been a wonderful mentor ever since! Pictured here, he is busy barbequeing for me...that was another one of those 7 course meals (octopus for starters, followed by the scallops and chicken hearts....) All in good fun right! You are fAntAstiC! Domo arigato gozaimas!

Molly is living the "Survivor" life on a teeny island 3 hours off of the coast of Tokyo. What an experience this gal is having! We also share a mutual friend from Minnesota---small world eh? Im pulling for you Molly!

This is Damian. One of the local Taneichi JETs from England. Love hanging out with the guy, I just can't understand his thick accent at times! Sorry pal, my English needs work!

This is Masato--the most helpful, selfless, thoughtful friend/teacher and translator! Thank you for all that you do for me! You make my life SO much easier! I couldn't have done it without you!

This is Karl. Another MN JET who is also way down south...great guy and amazing stories about life in a village of 200 people!? Eating not just raw fish, but the WHOLE raw fish--lips and all. Your emails are the best form of weightloss!

This is Mayumi--the swEEtEst woman ever! Another friend*teacher*translator, she has been a godsend and constant sources of support! She is set on teaching me how to cook--it will definitely be a test of her patience! But if she is up for the challenge...... Thanks Mayumi!

Here is the MN JET bunch. We made the journey from Minneapolis to Chicago to Tokyo --and had a super time doing it! Dan, the guy next to me, is from Sauk Centre! How weird was that to just randomly end up sitting next to him on the flight to Chicago...kinda a relief to know that there is some hometown support out there! Next to Dan is Aaron--a much bigger sushi fan than I--both of these sluggers are in Joetsu. Big squeezes to you folks! I wish you all the best in southern Japan...and April I can't wait to visit Osaka!