We have been having some interesting times on our trip here in Japan and learning a lot about a culture that is so truley different than our own. I'm not sure that two weeks is even remotely long enough to even start to get a taste of what Japanese culture is all about. Sandi has, fortunately, been able to get more of a handle on it and it has been helpful to hear things from her perspective. The people here are very friendly and have a quiet sense of honor and helpfulness that is so uncommon in our western society. They love to go out of their way to help you in any way that they can and their dedication to service is commendable. Yesterday we had a chance to tour one of the schools that Sandi teaches at and saw her in action. We had a great time talking to the students and watching them practice their english on us. We had a meal with them and it was great. We also saw them preparing for their graduation ceremony as it is currently the end of the school year here. Amazingly they will get a week off and then start the next term. Tonight we attended Sandi's last adult english class and we had such a good time. Sandi certainly has a way of getting people involved and it was a joy to see all the students joining in with the activities and games she had come up with.
But the people are not the whole mystique of the orient. There seems to be such a quiet efficiency about the place. Everything has a place and everything is in it's place. Everything from the condition of the highways and roads down to the individual houses seems to be immaculate, but you never see anyone working on stuff, it just seems to be here. And there is such an efficient usage of space. There are things tucked away into every corner of the country side. Of course, everything here is much smaller. Many of the cars are very tiny, to fit on the tiny roads which wind here and there through the town and up and down the mountainsides like wayward vines.
At the end of the day yesterday we were able to relax in the onsen or hot spring. This is a favourite pastime of the Japanese and for good reason. Soaking in nice warm mineral spring water is very soothing and warming. We are planning to go back.
So far the trip has been very relaxing as Dianne and I have had a chance to just lounge around a bit while Sandi is at work. This weekend things will heat up, though as we plan to take the train to Hiroshima and then to the island of Mia Jima. On the way back we are going to stop in Kyoto to do some sight seeing and a bit of shopping before returning to Sandi's. Towards the end of next week we are trying to figure out a way to get to Tokyo before we have to head back to Canada.

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