Happy New Year! 2011

And so another year comes to an end. A lot of good things happened to me in 2010 including a new better job, a new city and many new friends and for that I will be forever grateful to God and his use of 2010. Last new years I said that 2010 would be the year of no regrets and it was indeed that. I look back at nothing and wish it didn't happen. 2010 was also my first full year in Japan. But alas it is now 2011 and new blessings will be had. New trials lurk in the distance, and new adventures await. 2011 will be the year of action and one thing I look forward to is the chance to grow closer to the Lord from the beginning of the year. May I be a much more refined person by 2012.
So cheers to 2011, the year that 2010 could never be. Also the last New Years Eve before the idiots come out next year causing mayhem in fear of the end of the world =)


This New Years I went with some friends to Saijo Inari temple in Okayama. Although the countdown and immediate celebration following after left more to be desired the temple area was quite nice and there was a huge festival after which was nice to just stroll through with friends.

Enjoy these pics until I can stop being lazy long enough to post one of my biggest adventures in 2010, my trip to Taiwan.

Happy New Year everyone!

Tis the season to be crispy

The holidays are upon us and Christmas is near which in Japan means it's time to go to town on some fried chicken. I'm not sure why this is (their image of an western Christmas meal?) but fried chicken is a pretty big deal during the Christmas season with food chains such as McDonalds and KFC releasing special set meals to commemorate the birth of Jesus.


Here Mcdonalds is offering up a variety of chicken including the always festive Mcnugget.




KFC being the go to spot for fried chicken does it even bigger.




And of course the already uncanny resemblance Colonel Sanders has to Santa Clause makes for an obvious role play. It sure is finger licking good.

While I realize in Japan Christmas and fried chicken go together like Sushi and chopsticks, coming from my background there isn't anything more sad than eating one of these meals on Christmas day...except maybe eating cup noodle.

Christmas Cards

My 6th grade elementary students made Christmas cards while listening to such Christmas classics as "Someday at Christmas" by the Jackson 5. Here are a few of their creations.

Top Six (12-16-2010--12-13-2010)

(Now that's a hotel decoration.)

(Christmas tree near Okayama st)

(Japan likes their Christmas lights.) )

(Welcome to Momotaro Fantasy Land.)

(A change in color.)

(Doing it up Christmas style at church.)

Winter Vacation 2010: I've chosen a country. Ni hao ma!

(Taipei 101, Taipei Taiwan)

I've bought tickets to spend 5 days including Christmas in Taiwan. This will be my first time in Taiwan and I am pretty excited to go there and see what it has to offer as well as visit some old friends there who I haven't seen in a bit. I am also happy that Taiwan is a tropical country and will therefore not be freezing cold near the end of December. I will definatley post my experience and pictures later. If anyone has any recommendations in Taiwan and Taipei in specific please feel free to share them with me.

It will be a little sad being away from the US on Christmas this year but hopefully seeing some familiar faces in Taiwan should help ease that. As for the rest of my winter vacation, it has yet to be decided. Excuse me while I brush up on my almost nonexistant Chinese speaking abilities.