Ｊａｐａｎ

All I can say right now is that the place where I:m living in Gifu is there are NO words. I am not a president, diplomat, ambassador, moviestar...and that:s the kind of person who would stay at the house where I have been living. It is utterly breathtaking.

The flight to Seattle was 5 hours, Seattle to Tokyo 10, Tokyo to Nagoya 1.5, and one of the people I am with is an utter PIG...so...suffice it to say we were all pretty tired especially since the longest leg of the flight was completely full and there was nowhere to really sleep unless you could sleep scrunched up in your chair with lots of caffeine pumping through your body. In Seattle Gerry and his 2 friends downed several huge beers so I:m sure for them it was no trouble to nod off.

So the first thing we do is get to Gifu, go to Hop Step Jump School and meet our host families. I am staying at the Sasagawas. There is no way to compare staying in a country where it really is, not in generic hotels and buses.

The house where I am is traditional Japanese design. It:s 130 years old and been in the family for generations (the husband:s family). It was recently remodeled to the absolute traditional Japanese form. It is utterly and completely breathtaking. SEveral tatami rooms (one where I am sleeping), and every corner of every room is decorated in the simple Japanese design of square panel rice shoji doors, square wood with simple vases and sculptures and beautiful art. Every angle is thought of in this design. And now for the bath...the BATH is the most awesome room in the house...I am about to go to either a mall or temple with these 2 American guys here (sigh) ....or NOT....I:d like to see both but one of these people really bugs me...more on that later...yesterday was beautiful and warm and sunny. Today is raining and a huge typhoon is on its way! I:m excited!!

Ｃｏｎｔｉｎｕｉｎｇ　ｏｎ＾　ｗｅ　ｈａｖｅ　ｖｉｓｉｔｅｄ　Ｇｉｆｕ　Ｗｏｍｅｎｓ　Ｕｎｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙ　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｗａｓ　ａ　ｌｏｔ　ｏｆ　ｆｕｎ．　Ｗｅ　ｍａｄｅ　ａ　ｐｒｅｓｅｎｔａｔｉｏｎ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ　ｍａｊｏｒｓ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ａｎｄ　ａｓ　ｓｏｏｎ　ａｓ　Ｉ　ｕｐｌｏａｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｐｉｘ　Ｉ　ｗｉｌｌ　ｄｅｓｃｒｉｂｅ　ｅａｃｈ　ｏｎｅ．　Ｏｎｅ　ｔｈｉｎｇ　Ｉ　ｎｏｔｉｃｅ　ｉｓ　ｔｈａｔ　ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ　ｌｅａｖｅｓ　ｔｈｅｉｒ　ｂｉｋｅｓ　ａｎｙｗｈｅｒｅ　ａｎｄ　ｎｏ　ｏｎｅ　ｓｔｅａｌｓ．　Ｉｔ　ｉｓ　ｖｅｒｙ　ｓａｆｅ　ａｎｄ　ｓｅｃｕｒｅ　ｈｅｒｅ．　Ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ　ｔｈｉｎｇ　ｉｓ　ｔｈａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｏｌｄｅｒ　ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ｈｅｒｅ　ｈａｖｅ　ａ　ｖｉｂｒａｎｔ　ａｎｄ　ｈｅａｌｔｈｙ　ｌｉｆｅｓｔｙｌｅ．　Ｔｈｅｙ　ａｒｅ　ｆｏｒｅｖｅｒ　ｒｉｄｉｎｇ　ｔｈｅｉｒ　ｂｉｋｅｓ　ｅｖｅｒｙｗｈｅｒｅ．　Ｔｈｅ：ｒｅ　ｐｈｙｓｉｃａｌｌｙ　ｆｉｔ　ａｎｄ　ｑｕｉｔｅ　ｈｅａｌｔｈｙ　ａｎｄ　ｍａｎｙ　ｈｅｒｅ　ｌｉｖｅ　ｔｏ　ｑｕｉｔｅ　a ripe, ripe old age. They:re active and vibrant.

My hosts took me to a kissaten the first day- very beautiful- where we had coffee. A lovely, relaxing place. Lots of little old women taking tea. Then to Gifu Women:s University. Pictures forthcoming. Last night my hosts took me a bookstore where I got a new dictionary, another store where I just needed a cheap notebook. Got a few gifts for people. Then on to a steakhouse place. In the US there is nothing like this restaurant and I have pictures of that, too. They give you the meat and you cook it yourself on your own little grill.

Gotta go now, going to another school. Ｍｏｒｅ　ｌａｔｅｒ．