Japan loves baseball! It is a beloved national sport. We were lucky enough to get tickets for a game in Fukuoka recently – not an easy feat, as the tickets sell like hot cakes! We were in the cheering seats, the only place with tickets left 20 minutes after they went on sale…the cheering seats…
Category: Life at 30
More Flower Fun
Our new hobby, flower arrangement, took a big step forward this week…We made some ornamental gardens! They looked pretty fine if you ask me. It was an amazing 90 mins of total concentration from me and Dan. And, I should add, utter relaxation! Flower arranging really is enjoyable…I guess this is what happens when you…
スペースワールド
We recently visited the now infamous Space World スペースワールド in Kitakyushu. Space World made global news in December 2016 when it controversially used frozen fish in its ice skate rink to make people feel like they were skating on the ocean. A few days later it was back in the news again announcing its closure…
Wisteria Garden Part 2 and Another Date Weekend
So, as ‘wisteria garden part 1’ suggests, we took a second shot at wisteria heaven. The second shot was a little more successful than part one, this time at least the garden was not a stick garden at least. There was even evidence that at some point earlier in the week there had been a…
Japanese Warriors and Grandmothers
On turning 30, we had not realised that our hobbies would branch out to include activities inspired by Japanese warriors and Japanese grandmothers. Each week we practice Kyudo, or Japanese archery. This is a surprisingly difficult form of archery, which follows a specific etiquette and process. We have also developed a taste for a hobby…
Universal Studios Japan
Wow. What a day. I was thoroughly overstimulated and couldn’t sleep for hours after our day-trip to this famous Japanese theme park. The big not-so-hidden child in Dan was awakened as we explored Hogsmeade Harry Potter village and went on the Flying Dinosaur rollercoaster. Hogsmeade was wonderful and was really well-done by USJ! There were lovely…
Metaphor of the Day
The end of the academic year is near. An unusual clock ticking process in the second period wins the ‘metaphor of the day’ today. The end of the day is not in sight; we are in the second class of six and it is only 10.a.m. We are waiting on a student to answer her…
Fukuoka Flower Circles
Dan and I ventured to our nearest `big city` for a brilliant weekend of Asahi brewery beer touring, ramen eating, and gallery exploring. Fukuoka is Japan`s sixth largest city and a mere hour and half away from ours on the bus. That may feel like an age in the well-connected UK city scene, but for…
Dinosaurs with Secrets we all Need to Know
It may be the kerosene heater highs, but last week my class highlight (teaching aside…of course…) was stumbling across the worlds happiest dinosaur stickers. I have never seen a picture of a T-Rex smile with such delight, and I was a big fan of the BBC’s epic ‘Walking with Dinosaurs’ series. It gave my students…
Having a Down Day? Fear Not, I Have the Ultimate Stupid Solution!
The other day I was feeling a little unwell and had to spent the afternoon at work being wound into a tight ball of stress by the pen clicker sat next to me. You know the type, those that click out what I can only assume is a tune in their mind on a pen….