Proud to be Korean in China

This year's Asian Games in Guangzhou has drawn my attention to what it means to be nationalistic. China is currently heading for its 200th gold medal, while Korea and Japan follow a far 2nd and 3rd place in terms of medal counts. It also made me think about how Chinese nationalism differs from that of Korea, and today I'm going to discuss how I view Chinese and Korean nationalism, but mostly concentrate on the origins and development of Korean nationalism.

Let me begin with an interesting fact.

How many times do you think Big Boy China invaded its small neighbor Korea in the past?

50 times? 100 times? 200 times?

NO, the answer is 922 times. And China regretted every single one of it.

Surprised? Well, it is only fair then to give some credit to the doggedness of the Korean ancestors to protect and remain as an independent nation. I personally think that the roots of Korean nationalism can be traced far before the mythology of Dan-Gun, who is viewed by Korean as the father of the first Korean people. Legend has it that Dan-Gun's mother was a bear who desperately wanted to become human. Her dream obviously came true since she gave birth to the one of the greatest man in Korean history, but she was only able to do this after being stuck in a cave without sunlight, surviving only on 2o pieces of garlic and some garlic for 100 days. I guess she's the first Korean to go on a diet.

I want to further my claim that Korean nationalism probably formed much earlier and was much stronger than that of both Chinese and Japanese.

IF you ever take a look at the East Asia map, Korea really has no special geographic characteristics that can justify it being an independent nation. China is enormous and Japan is an island, so their state formation was quite natural. But Korea? Why isn't Korea part of some regional province of China? I mean, all Korea is on the map is a small protrusion on the side of China's belly.

Yet, Korea, after 922 Chinese invasions, after two World Wars, after the strategic power plays of big nations, still stands on its own. If the Korean people did not have a clear sense of who they were (Koreans often call themselves the "pure people"), resisted foreign invasions with all their might, there may not be a nation called Korea today.

Now, I would like to address how Korean nationalism differs from that of Chinese. If I had to pick one person who I think shaped the Chinese identity, I would pick none other than Lao Mao (老毛). Mao Zedong probably did more to carve a sense of Chinese nationalism than anyone else in Chinese history, despite his massive failures with the Cultural Revolution. Mao created the very spirit of the Chinese nation, and one-party system in which every citizen is to be responsive to the state.

Chinese nationalism is mostly state-driven. The Chinese term for nationalism is 爱国(ai4guo2), meaning “love for your country.” But I have been talking to some Chinese people from various working sectors, and they tell me that Chinese nationalism actually does not really exist in a concrete form. To the Chinese, nationalism is not so much “love for one’s country” but more close to “respect to the state.” There are also many indifferent Chinese. You can just take a look at the how the Chinese government fosters their Olympic athletes, for example. Unlike the club sport system of America and the U.K., Chinese government pays for the entire training of an athlete from the very beginning stage to the end. The athletes are, of course, expected to win glory and honor for the state in return. A contact of mine who works at the International Crisis Group told me that the reason why Chinese do not raise particular objections to the government is not because they think their present condition is fantastic, but because Chinese people have very low expectation of their government. For most of China’s modern history, people were starving and even getting through a single day was an arduous task. Now with the Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms, at least people have food on their table. So even with the stark wealth gap between the wealthy and the poor, environmental problems, and other problems bottling up, Chinese people still leave the government in charge.

Korean nationalism, on the other hand, developed on a much more citizen-based, grassroots level. Korea has always been a country in which the liberal sentiment has been particularly strong especially down in the deeper South (all of the contemporary presidents prior to current president Lee Myung-Bak have all been from the liberal party).

But as Korean pop-music, movies, and entertainment programs became hugely popular in other Asian countries starting in the late 90s, the Koreans’ sense of national pride also soared. The Korean ahjumas (a literal translation of this would be Mrs., but this word often carries a stronger connotation and refers to strong woman power) began to boast their nation’s pop culture success, and Korean students studying abroad in other countries also began to feel proud of their mother country. The peak of Korean grassroots nationalism was reached at the 2002 World Cups, in which Korean citizens created a striking cheerleading phenomenon known as the “Be the Reds.”

The Reds were completely citizen-organized movement that gained even greater momentum as the Korean Soccer team continued their marvelous victory strike.

IN 2002, EVERY KOREAN WAS THE REDS. EVERY KOREAN WANTED TO BE THE REDS. IT WAS A TRUE UNIFICATION OF THE KOREAN SOUL.

The extent of this cheerleading phenomenon reached overseas, where Korean immigrants in different countries also organized their own cheerleading groups. I still vividly remember the fire of this movement in LA, where after every victorious game, all Korean would march out to the streets shouting, clapping, and using their car claxon to recreate the cheer theme song.

This year’s Asian Games has been a great success for the Chinese. China broke several world records and will win the most medals. Best of all, most of China’s athletes are in their early 20s, which means China can look forward to more success at the 2010 London Olympics Games. No doubt many Chinese are extremely proud of their athletes.

But I’m still uneasy about the nature of this Chinese nationalism. When I say I’m proud to be Korean in China, I don’t think about the money that my nation has given me to win my medal, or the one-party system, which guarantees astronomical economic development. I’m proud to be Korean for the more natural reasons, for the singers, for the soccer games, normal things that any young people would be excited over.

Of course, China is currently in no mood to ponder about their source of nationalism, or many of the internal problems. Even though I have been noticing Chinese government is increasingly becoming more responsive to its people, the motto of Chinese government still remains “ACHIEVEMENT RIGHT NOW”, not five, ten years from now.

Perception and Art

What always amazes me about the Art World is that art is not only ever-so-changing and fluid, but the angle in which you perceive the object can mean EVERYTHING to an art piece.

Still, what does this mean? Truly coming to understand this has always been my biggest puzzle, and I will be the first to admit that I've said this many times without giving its meaning a second thought. I don't know if this was because I have just come to accept this as an established fact, or if it was because I somehow believed that saying this will win me an automatic entrance in learning how to truly appreciate art beyond the mere surface aesthetics of the focus object.

There's actually a perfect Chinese phrase for this that I just learned. It's 不懂装懂 (Bu4dong3zhuang1dong3), meaning you pretend to understand something when you actually don't.

I got very excited at an art gallery in 798 Arts District in China this weekend because I found the very piece that can perfectly express this incredible importance of the angle in which you perceive an object.

I now invite you to take a peek at this wonder yourself.

A human figure

Same Piece, difference angle, Part I

Same Piece, difference angle, Part II

Same Piece, different angle, Part III

The astonishing discrepancy among the three figures rises of course from the fact that

all of these figures are made not out of clay, but pieces of thin, Chinese traditional paper.

If you take a closer look at the human figure close-up (Picture 1), you can see the fine lines of thin papers lined on top of another.

I always find it always so fulfilling to make a discovery that can quench the thirst I held for the longest time. In this case, an art gallery in 798 Arts District, Beijing worked the magic.

Beijing Opera

This week, I went to see Beijing Opera, renowned for its history and symbolic movements.

First becoming immensely popular during the late 18th century Qing Dynasty, Beijing Opera

boasts more than 200 years of history and tradition. Some of my friends have already warned me not to expect to understand a word the actors are saying; not only do the actors speak with high-pitched voices, but they also tend to extend the sound of words, making it incredibly difficult to understand.

One extra unexpected bonus to seeing Beijing Opera is that you get to watch the actors

put on their make-up, for this part of the back stage is open to public. Beijing Opera Style of Face Painting, or Jingju Lianpu in Chinese, is characterized by its exaggerated features and different colors to symbolize the personality traits of the character. For instance, red and black painted faces both represent loyalty, uprightness, and intrepidity of character's personality. Yellow, on the other hand, symbolizes brutality and inhumanity.

Even though I definitely appreciated actors' graceful and controlled movements, Beijing Opera was not my cup of tea to be completely honest. I don't think I quite understood why it took

an hour just to act out a nun getting on to a boat. The story went something like this.

1) A nun appears saying that she has fallen in love with someone and laments her situation

2) Apparently her love has taken a boat to some other city

3) The nun decides to follow her love and looks for a boat

4) The boatman is a eighty year old man who's crazy and thinks he is eighteen because he can "throw" his age to the river

5) the rest of the story is basically the nun being afraid to get on the boat because she has never ridden a boat before, and the boatman assuring her that the boat is safe

6) the kicker is the nun's lover doesn't make one appearance, and the audience actually never even see them reunite.

But still, Beijing Opera's unique interpretation of the world around us was enough to

keep me in awe for the evening.

I just hope that Beijing Opera will soon find a way to revive the reclining interest of the public and bring about a new evolution to this ancient art.

What Chinese Influence On East Asia Can Teach Us

My blog entries thus far have resembled a form of travelogue.

But today, I'm going to try something new. In accordance with my blog name, Blogging through East Asia, I am going to attempt to bring three countries together, weaving their history and perhaps my own thoughts.

This past week, I visited Chang'an (present day Xi'an), the ancient capital of more than ten Chinese dynasties. My first impression of Chang'an was a mixture of surprise and disappointment. The modern Xi'an is dirty, crowded, and invaded by American chains such as Starbucks and McDonalds. Perhaps I was too naive thinking that inside the ancient city walls of Xi'an, I can at least catch a glimpse of the past.

Xi'an's world-famous archaeological site, the Terracotta Army, was impressive but not satisfying for I have already done enough of tomb sightseeing in Egypt. Besides, every time I see grandiose tombs, I cannot help but wonder why these kings spent so much time and effort on making things that they cannot take with them.

What did catch my attention, however, was the the connection that I found interlocking China, Korea, and Japan. In contrast to rather homogenous Europe, each country in East Asia boasts their distinct culture, language, and heritage, regardless of the fact that China played a big brother role for much of history in East Asia.

But before I go any further, I'm going to let you play a guessing game.

Here's a picture of a beautiful woman in history. Which country do you think she comes from?

Choices

A: China

B: Japan

C: Korea

D: border of Russia

E: none of the above

If you have guessed China, you're correct. This was one of the popular fashion trends during the period of the early Tang Dynasty and the Northern Song Dynasty. Notice the woman's piled-up forelock hairstyle. Do you think you have seen this hairstyle in some other country? Yes, you're right. It looks very similar to Japanese women's traditional hairdo.

I knew that Japanese people were excellent at taking foreign culture and adapting it as their own, but never did I suspect that Japanese hair style and make-up trend can be traced back to the eighth century Tang Dynasty.

There's of course more. Let's take Buddhism, for example.

To find out more about the Sino-influence in Japanese and Korean Buddhism, I visited the Famen Temple, located in Famen town, about 120 kilometers west of Xi'an.

Although India is the hometown of Buddhism, Buddhism was already flourishing in China by the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), and it is undeniable that China had the biggest role in spreading Buddhism in East Asia.

Buddhism was first introduced to the Koguryo court of Korea in 372 CE by the Chinese. Then, the elements of Buddhism slowly migrated from Korea to Japan in the fifth century even though the first official introduction did not take place until the mid-sixth century. It is said that during the war of different states in the Korean peninsula, the state of Paekche offered to teach Japan "new glorious truth" if Japan offered military aid.

The spread of Buddhism in East Asia was top-down. The elite families first adopted it, and then it gradually spread to the commoners. One of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism says that suffering is an ingrained part of existence. Given the elaborate life-styles of the nobles in East Asia, in addition to the enormous tax-free estates of Korea and Japan, I find it quite ironic that the nobles even bothered to adopt Buddhism. Maybe they needed something to be preoccupied with (i.e. building temples, coming up with lavish offerings, etc.)

I think I ended my last post with the irony of not being able to appreciate the present under the name of "future." I see a recurring tendency of mine to find ironies in society. Ironies are ecumenical in this world. The founder of a whistleblower website, WikiLeaks ends up on the run himself, Chinese intellect Liu Xiaobo is awarded the Nobel Prize for writing a book that made him a political prisoner in his own country, the world pays so much attention to Iraq and Afghanistan, but conveniently chooses to neglect the Somali Muslim insurgency in Africa, and the list continues.

Never mind that I may only be a twisted twenty-year-old college student somewhere on the east coast; never mind that I may be also be blind to a lot of things. Yet, I know my strengths and will work to mend my weaknesses. I don't think fighting to lessen ironies of the world is a grand goal. It's a matter of perceiving truth and doing something about it.

p.s. If you are also a twisted twenty-some-year-old college student somewhere on the east coast,

feel free to add on to the irony list, or to anything. I would love to hear your thoughts.

The Old Summer Palace of Chinese Royalty

Have you ever wondered how the Chinese Royalty spent their hot, humid Beijing summer?

Surely, there couldn't have possibly been air conditioners back then.

The Old Summer Palace （圆明园 Yuan2Ming2Yuan2) struck me as one of the biggest surprise in Beijing. Never did I expect such an incredible stretch of green and flowers in the middle of a city suffering from heavy air pollution and population problem.

People say autumn is China's most beautiful season. Strolling through autumn at the Old Summer Palace will cast a spell on you. There are trees, flowers of all colors, and occasional squeals of an excited child nearby.

How suiting that Chinese Royalty made their escape from the glazing summer heat here at the Yuanmingyuan. I wondered for a minute when was the last time I had time to walk so leisurely, without having to rush from one place to the other. We are often so caught up with the future that we so easily fail to appreciate what is right in front of us. Ironic. We give up the present for the future, but doesn't the future also eventually become the present?

I'm learning to walk through the present. Sometimes, I think I will just let things be.

The Long Wall of 10,000 Li（里）

The Great Wall of China

So the adventure begins again. After some initial hassle at the airport, Beijing has not been bad at all, albeit the amount of daily Chinese characters that I must learn is one too many. I'm somehow learning to manage partly because I have realized quickly enough that one more mistake on the daily quiz or 听写 (Ting1xie3) is not the end of my life.

Or is that just a convenient excuse to tune into more Winnie the Pooh in Chinese at night instead of furiously writing Chinese characters like some of my friends. I don't know. But Winnie the Pooh sure is 100 times funnier in Chinese.

My first "real" adventure outside of Beijing took place at perhaps the most famous historical site in China: the Great Wall. About two and half hour drive from Beijing, my ACC program 同学们(tong2xue2men:classmates) and I arrived at Jinshanling(金山领) part of the Great Wall.

Climbing the Great Wall was of course legendary (and lots of quadricep pain), but my favorite part of the climb was the discovering American fastfood invasion to the long wall of 10,000 Li（里）.

The invasion was ubiquitous.

I will let the pictures speak for themselves......

Scene 1: Chinese students enjoying some real lunch

Scene 2: Mickey D triumphs at the cracks of the Great Wall

Scene 3: Oh Chicken, can't forget thy taste

I came to the Great Wall thinking that I will be breathing cleaner air, ponder about the potential, future foreign invasions in China, and haggle with the lady at the top for a can of soda. Never did I expect that I will also be finding an immediate connection back to the States here.

But be "Carful" friends, we all know what lots of fastfood can do your stomach.

And here's the last shot..........I hope you guys are craving some sugar-high. Time for a study break? I think so.

Hello Beijing!

The much anticipated Beijing arrival didn't go smoothly as I had first planed.
First my luggage exceeded the weight limit and I had to pay about $80 in fine. Apparently from Seoul to Beijing the maximum weight that one person can carry is 20kg. I have been so used to traveling from states that I didn't even bother checking that traveling in between Asian countries may have different weight limit.

Then, my plane that was supposed to leave at noon was delayed for three hours and I ended up staring out my plane window watching a strange Kongfu movie for two hours. Then, when I finally got to Beijing, I got yelled at by the bus lady because I asked her the same question twice.
Gee, so sorry that I couldn't figure out your thick Beijing dialect (Beijing people like to attach Rrr sound at the end of a lot of words and phrases). Finally, it took me about forty minutes to find a cab because I arrived during rush hour and all the cabs that passed by me already had a passenger.

Now let's look at the bright side. I did finally manage to find a cab with a super nice cab driver who had so much to tell me on my way to Minzu University (where I will be spending my next year at). He asked me if I was Korean, and when I said yes, he was so excited because he is a big fan of a lot of Korean dramas and movies. He knew some Korean phrases himself, which I was pretty impressed by. In China, the drvier said, people who loves Korean culture and language are referred to as 哈韩族 (ha1han2zu2). There's apparently an increasing number of 哈韩族 as Korean dramas and music are increasingly becoming popular in China.

China is an interesting country bursting with energy, lots (and I mean LOTS) of people, and yes, bad air. Everywhere you go, you see people engaging in some type of activity. There are small vendors on the streets selling fruits, Kebabs, chestnuts, and other food. There are students playing soccer and basketball, and some people practicing Taijiquan (traditional Chinese martial art) at parks. There are also older people practicing their Chinese calligraphy with a huge writing brush on the floor. I may have just arrived in Beijing, but I can already tell that this year will be full of surprises and unexpected encounters. Hello Beijing!

What is new?

It has been about two weeks since I have returned from Tokyo to Seoul.

Some people who have been consistently following my blog (thank you) have already been

noticing that I haven't blogged since my return.

So today as I'm tuning into a live jazz podcast from the radio, I'm just going to babble for a while. Please bear with me here.

What is new?

I think I'm definitely taking less pictures now since Tokyo (actually none if I'm not counting one picture that was tagged by others on fbook which I'll share). There were couple of Yalies in Korea gatherings, and I'm spending quite of bit of time with friends and family.

But of course, if you know me enough, you probably would know that I may be up to something else. I am.

For one, I've decided to be more active physically. I started bellydancing.

Please don't ask me to bellydance for you. As I said, I just started. I have done cheerleading and some dancing in high school, but bellydancing gives me a completely different vibe and energy.

Hard, fast beats echoing across the room. It seems as if there's nothing but the air and the music. The Music. The drumbeats are really what I love. You experience this high when the consistent drum beats suddenly take a turn and become inconsistent. Yet you're body's still transitioning, trying to figure out the new beat. The smooth bellyroll follows and your breath become one with your motions. Let's not forget the seductive hand motions. To be honest, there are times when I just stare at the bellydance instructor rather than actually following what she's doing. I think I will soon develop a secret crush on her.

I have also taken interest in poker.

One of my friends, Dan, who's been playing poker for about seven years now, offered

to actually teach me poker. Given that I'm a complete novice at this game, Dan was really patient with me teaching me all the rules and skills. I was hooked.

He asked me why I wanted to learn poker.

I thought for a moment. I couldn't say why for sure. Maybe I find the principle "All or Nothing" inevitable in life. In fact, I was never a great multi-tasker. So throughout teen years (wow I guess I'm not a teen anymore?) I always had to give my everything to achieve one goal. Funny how I actually had "All or Nothing" posted on my desk back in California. Regardless what the reason may be, I find poker fun and exciting.

Apparently, woman player who can pull off innocent looks can be dangerous at a poker table. Because chances are everyone else is going to think that you suck when you might be pretty good. When I get hang of this game, perhaps I should head to Las Vegas (well once I turn 21 that is).

Finally, I have started reading blogs of all kinds. Friends, well-known journalists, random bloggers, teens, etc. Few of my personal favorites are Tavi of Style Rookie, Nicholas Kristof of NY times, Al Roth/Peter Coles's Marketdesigner.

Yesterday, I visited one of my really good friend's blog and got into thinking of what turns me on. She wrote "It seems that the reason it's hard to understand other people is that we are turned on by different things."

I can only add that it seems that the reason it's hard to understand other people is that we are still searching for what we're really turned on by.

I know I am.

I'm going to close today with a quote from Ingmar Bergman.

“My basic view of things is – not to have any basic view of things. From having been exceedingly dogmatic, my views on life have gradually dissolved. They don’t exist any longer.”

I think this is going to help me in dropping my guards in search for what I'm really turned on by.

So I ask, what turns you on?

Wrapping up my stay in Japan

Two months have gone by so quickly. I cannot believe that I actually thought that I had

a lot of time in the beginning. Other than my drastically improved Japanese skills and

my new take on Japanese culture & urban lifestyle, I think I have one other very important lesson

to take back home.

I have realized during my stay in Tokyo that some of the most precious moments come from

the most ordinary events with my host family. Japanese people value family time greatly, and even breakfast time is when the entire family gather around the table to eat and talk together about their upcoming day. This contrasts greatly from the American lifestyle, where everyone's too busy to even grab a decent breakfast if at all.

In the states, I think I often find myself making excuses that I'm too busy to do something whether it's spending enough time with my family, friends, neighbors, etc. But after my two months stay in Japan, I think my fundamental paradigm has shifted to appreciate family time, and also finding joy even in the most small, trivial things. This is something that I will keep within myself even after my Tokyo journey.

Potluck party & Watching Fireworks in Yokohama

In my letter to my host family, I have written that I would like to try on Yukata, or Japanese traditional summer dress during my stay in Japan. My host mom gladly agreed and decided to ask one of her friends to lend me her Yukata at my farewell potluck party. I have never tried on a Yukata before, so I was pretty excited. Trying on a Yukata made me feel like a traditional Japanese woman although I would have never expected that Yukata was so tight around the weight to the point when I couldn't breathe. Maybe this is why Japanese woman speak so softly. They don't have the energy to speak loudly when there is no air to take in.

But I had yet another chance to wear Yukata when Eru, my first Japanese friend, invited me to go watch fireworks with her in Yokohama. Eru and I first met in Paris in front of the Eiffel Tower this past spring break. Back then, my Japanese was not even close to where I am today so every sentence was slurred and it was a challenge just communicating with her. However, somehow our fate met again when I came to Tokyo this summer and we have grown especially close since then. Eru surprised me with a reservation at a hair salon, where not only did we get dressed into Yukata, but we also got our full hair done.

Watching the beautiful fireworks in Yukata was definitely an unforgettable experience.

I don't think you can ever go wrong with Doraemon (a famous Japanese anime character that looks like a cat robot), candy, and heart shaped fireworks.

On top of 12,388 ft

I wondered what it would be like to be on top of 12,388 ft.

Would I feel strong? surprised? proud? nothing at all?

Right before I left my host family's house to climb Mt. Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan,

I tried to visualize what it would feel like to watch the sunrise on top of Fuji.

Preparing for this journey was fun. I had a list of all of things that I would possibly need.

Raincoat

Towel

Extra Shirt

Flashlight

Thermal

Lots and lots of water

Food

Chocolate (this was definitely a separate category of its own)

Oxygen mask

Walking stick (a must unless you have spider fingers)

Money

Victory signs

There were seven of us, including myself, and we planned to climb Mt. Fuji all throughout the night and watch the sunrise from the mountaintop. Little did I realize that trying to forgo sleep while engaging in a strenuous exercise is not such a good idea after all.

But even so, there were so many people trying to climb Mt. Fuji that we literally had to walk in a line on our way to the top. The bright flashlights on everyone's forehead stretching miles below and above made it seem as if I were in the movie Spirited Away.

Two third of way to the top, my feet, lungs, and head started screaming for rest and oxygen. There was probably nothing more I would have liked to do than to give up and come back down, but given the fact that I was already more than half way there, I knew I had to continue.

Besides, it would be kind of cool to say that I have climbed the tallest mountain in Japan.

When I reached the top, I honestly don't know what I felt. I think my muscles knew it before

I was even able to make words. And a warm cup of milk tea never tasted better.

I think I have just conquered 12,388 ft.

A weekend getaway to Atami Beach

I have always wanted to go to one of the traditional Japanese Onsens (equivalent of America's hot springs), but the idea of being naked in front of people I don't know seemed strange to me to say the least. But an Onsen opportunity arose when one of the Yalies' family invited us to their Ryokan (a Japanese-style hotel) for a weekend, and naturally I couldn't resist.

It took us about an hour and half to get from Shibuya to Atami by Japan Railways and then we headed to New Atami Ryokan, unpacked and soon headed to the beach. There were already tons of people there, but yet the water was still beautiful and clear. I think the best part of the beach was making a human sand mummy though.

Later towards the night, after we had buffet dinner at the Ryokan, we all changed into clothes that were prepared for us and headed to the Onsen. The Onsens were seperated into women's and men's (if you were expecting something otherwise, sorry) and were located on the very top floor of the Ryokan overlooking the night view of Atami.

There are few rules that you need to follow in Japanese Onsens. You need to wash yourself thoroughly before entering hot water, you cannot enter the water with towels or swimsuits on, and many Onsens ban users with tattoos since tattoos are often associated with crimes or Yakuza (Organized Japanese gangs). Strangely, I didn't feel too awkward about being naked in front of everyone than I had expected to be. It probably helped that everyone else was naked too.

The warm Onsen water was quite rejuvenating especially under the night breeze, and while I

was enclosed in this bath, I felt as if I were fetus enveloped in my mother's womb again.

A Visit to Japanese elementary school

I haven't been able to update my blog for two weeks now, but I'm about to give all the details of what has been going on with my life.

On July 16th (Fri) our entire Japanese class went to a local Japanese elementary local to

become one-day teachers to the kids.

July 17-19

July 19 (Monday) was 海の日 (Marine Day), a national holiday in Japan.

Twelve of our Tokyo crew took a weekend trip to Atami, known for its beach and Onsen (Japanese hot spring)

July 23 (Friday)

I climbed Mt. Fuji (the tallest mountain in Japan!) with several friends.

I think I will start with the elementary school first.

One of the cutest things in Japan other than Pokemon, Totoro, and other small Japanese animation characters is the children. I have never really understood Lolitas before

but upon seeing how adorable these children are even I felt the urge to pack one of these children into my suitcase back home.

My theme of the day was "Halloween Party." Apparently, it is common for Japanese people to think that Americans eat pumpkins on Halloween. I asked the kids to draw a costume they would wear if they went trick-or-treating on Halloween, and what I got back was

pages full of ghosts and pumpkins. I promise I did tell them that they can be anything

they want for Halloween like Spiderman or princess.

I was in charge of 1st grade; the expression of children's innocence always fascinates me.

I know I was once a seven-year-old too, but I guess people always find youthful innocence of childhood nostalgic because they know that they can never go back again.

Another interesting experience was eating きゅうしょく(Kyoosyoku: Japanese school lunch).

The food was surprisingly really good. I think I could have easily finished another serving.

I will update my Atami & Fuji experience shortly....