Doing Laundry

So, I thought I'd post some pictures of what it's liked doing laundry here.

Washing my clothes is the same as in the US. Just the washing machine is a bit smaller.

But drying my clothes is interesting. I hang my clothes outside on my porch.




This picture is from inside my apartment looking out.




This picture is of my sheets drying on the line.




Another picture!! Can you see the blue thing with laundry clips toward the top right?? They have tons of devices like that here. It's handy because I can clip a lot of clothes onto it and maximize space.

Hope you enjoyed a piece of Erabu life!!

P.S. I wrote this whole entry on my iPhone. How cool??!!!

- Love and Miss you!

Steph

January Update!

It's been so long, I'm such a blog slacker! Sorry!!

Since I last updated, I've visited my cousin and her husband in Korea, saw some snow, and enjoyed American food! I am now back on Erabu and back to teaching.

I've also decided to only stay one year, so I'll be back to the States in August!!

Not much new going on here. I've joined an Eisa group. We practice every Thursday. I'll post up a video soon!

I'll be heading to one of the bigger islands around me in a few weeks, Amami Oshima. I'll be visiting a friend who teaches on my island once a month. Then we'll both return and celebrate Valentines Day out on the town!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Oh, and for Uncle Scott: Japan has two main religions: Shinto and Buddhism. But, most Japanese aren't really one religion or the other, nor are they very religious. So, Shinto is used for wedding ceremonies (but nowadays more people are opting for a "western" wedding, in a church, but not for religious reasons), and Buddhism is used for funerals. So the same family can have a shinto wedding and a buddhist funeral. Interesting, huh?!

Christmas songs anyone!

So, I'm preparing for my Christmas lessons now -- making paper christmas trees, paper snowflakes... basically the works -- and I stumbled upon everyone's favorite christmas songs in JAPANESE!

So, I thought I'd put them up here for everyone to enjoy. You already know the tune, just read off the Japanese and you'll be singing Japanese-style Christmas songs before you know it!

Enjoy!!!


Jingle Bells [JINGURU BERU]

Hashiresoriyo kazeno youni
Yukino nakawo karuku hayaku
Waraigoewo yukini makeba
Akarui hikarino hanani naruyo

*JINGLE BELL JINGLE BELL
Suzuganaru
Suzuno RIZUMUni
Hikarino wagamau
JINGLE BELL JINGLE BELL
Suzuganaru
Morini hayashini hibiki nagara

Hashiresoriyo okano uewa
Yukimo shiroku kazemo shiroku
Utau koewa tonde yukuyo
Kagayaki hajimeta hoshino sorahe

*repeat 2 times

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer [Akahana no TONAKAI] ** I sang this song today with my preschoolers**

Makkana ohanano TONAKAIsanwa
Itsumo minnano waraimono
Demo sono toshino CHRISTMASno hi
SANTAno ojisanwa iimashita

Kuraiyo michiwa PIKAPIKAno
Omaeno hanaga yakuni tatsunosa

Itsumo naiteta TONAKAIsanwa
Koyoikosowato torokobimashita

Santa Claus Is Comin' Town [SANTA ga machini yattekuru]
*Saa
Anatakara Merry Christmas
Watashikara Merry Christmas
Santa Claus is coming to town
Ne kikoetekuru desho
Suzuno negasugusokoni
Santa Claus is coming to town

~Machi kirenaide oyasumishitakoni
Kitto subarashii Present motte
Saa
Anatakara Merry Christmas
Watashikara Merry Christmas
Santa Claus is coming to town

*Repeat

Christmas Eve wo yubiorikazoeta
Osanai omoidemo koyoi natsukashi
Saa
Anatakara Merry Christmas
Watashikara Merry Christmas
Santa Claus is coming to town

~Repeat

Here Comes Santa Claus [SANTA KURO-SU ga yattekuru]

Santa Claus ga
Santa Claus ga
Yatte kuru
Suzuote hibikase hashiru SORI

Kutsushita tsurushite
Minna machi mashou
Tanoshii koyoi
Saa Santa ga kuru

Santa Claus ga
Santa Claus ga
Yatte kuru
Ookina fukuru wa PUREZENTO

Jingle Jingle toukude
Hora kikoeru
Minna no heyani
Saa Santa ga kuru

Santa Claus ga
Santa Claus ga
Yatte kuru
Chiisana uchioo kinauchi isoga shii

Deck the Halls [Saa kazari mashou]

Saa kazari mashou
FALALALALA LALALALA
Kireini oheyawo
FALALALALA LALALALA
Hiiragi kazatte
FALALALALA LALALALA
Saa utai mashou
FALALALALA LALALALA

O Christmas Tree [Momino ki]

Momino ki momino ki
Oiya shige reru

*Momino ki momino ki
Oiya shige reru
Kokage wo samayoi
Kata rishi omoide
Momino ki momino ki

Ima nao koishi

Otomeyo otomeyo
Nanji wa izuko
Otomeyo otomeyo
Nanji wa izuko
Kokage wo samayoi
Chikaishi sachi no hi
Otomeyo otomeyo
Izuko ni yukishi

*repeat

Oiya shige reru
Ima na okoishi

We Wish You a Merry Christmas [Omede tou KURISUMASU]

*Omedetou CHRISTMAS
Omedetou CHRISTMAS
Omedetou CHRISTMAS
Oiwaishimashou
Minnashite asobi mashou
Omadetou CHRISTMAS
Oiwaishimashou

*repeat

Oishii okashiwo
Oishii okashiwo
Oishii okashiwo
Tsukuri mashou
Minnashite asobu mashou
Omedetou CHRISTMAS
Oiwaishimashou

*repeat

Silver Bells [SHIRUVA- BERU]

CHRISTMASga yattekuruyo
Tonakaino hiku SORIde
SANTA CLAUSno isshoni
Tanoshii CHRISTMASga kuruyo

Tooriwa kireini kazararete
CHRISTMAS TSURI-ni higatomoru
Kagayaku hoshiguzu kirarihikaru
Minna tanoshii CHRISTMAS

*SILVER BELLS SILVER BELLS
Ginno suzunarashite
RIRIRIN RIRIRIN
Tanoshii CHRISTMASyo

Mashiroi yukiga otomo nakufuru
ZAKU ZAKU funde kaeru
Matataku ILLUMINATIONni sasowarete
Tobimawaru kodomotachi

*repeat

Silent Night [Kiyoshi Konoyoru]

Kiyoshi konoyoru hoshi wa hikari
Sukuino miko wa mabune no nakani
Nemuri tamou itoyasuku

Kiyoshi konoyoru mitsuge ukeshi
Makibi to tachi wa miko no mimaeni
Nukazukinu kashikomite

Kiyoshi konoyoru miko no emini
Megumi no miyono ashita no hikari
Kagaya keri hogarakani

Joy To The World [Morobito Kozorite]

Morobito kozorite mukae matsure
Hisashi kumachi nishi
Shu wa kimaseri
Shu wa kimaseri Shu wa Shu wa kimaseri

Kono yono yamijiwo terashitamou
Taenaru hikarino
Shu wa kimaseri
Shu wa kimaseri Shu wa Shu wa kimaseri

Shibomeru kokoro no hana wo kikase
Megumi no tsuyuoku
Shu wa kimaseri
Shu wa kimaseri Shu wa Shu wa kimaseri

Heiwa no kiminaru miko wo mukae
Sukui no nushitozo
Home tataeyo
Home tataeyo Home Home tataeyo

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus [MAMA ga SANTA ni KISSU shite]

Sorewa kinouno yoru
SANTAno ojisanga
Omoifukuru katani katsuide
Sotto oheyani haitte kitara
MAMAwa yorisoi nagara
Yasashiku KISSU shite
Totemo ureshisouni
Ohanashi shiteru
Demo
Sono SANTA wa PAPA

All I Want For Christmas is my Two Front Teeth [Maeba no naiko no KURISUMASU]

Remember, you can't say the "SU" in KURISUMASU! Gotta have front teeth for that!

*Boku daketsuite naimaeba
Komacchatta yannacchatta
Dakarasa kuchibue AUTO
Koreja MERRY MERRY KURIFUMAFU

Zutto akogare no akko chan ni fuite ageru
Sutekina MERRY KURIFUMAFU choushikurucchau

*repeat

Henna kaoshina ideyo
Chotto marya wakarudaro
Imasaradouni mo Shou ga naikedo
Tada konya wa KURISUMASU IBU
CHANSU nanoni

*repeat

Zutto okogareno okko chan ni fuite ageru
Sutekina MERRY KURIFUMAFU choushikurucchau

*repeat

Koreja MERRY MERRY KURIFUMAFU
Yannacchatta

Winter Wonderland [Suteki na yukigeshiki]

SORIni notte yukou
Kireina yamanamimo yondeiru
Tanoshii WINTER WONDERLAND
Aoi torisae itsumo saezuri
Koino uta utatteru
Tanoshii WINTER WONDERLAND

*Yuki darumawo tsukutte aino kotobawo kaki
Futatsuno kokorowo kataku musunde okouyo
Yukino tenshimo futarino katani
Shiawasewo mottekuru
Tanoshii WINTER WONDERLAND

*repeat

Shiawasewo mottekuru
Tanoshii WINTER WONDERLAND
Tanoshii WINTER WONDERLAND

Christmas Decorations

So, two people asked if they decorate for Christmas here and they definitely do!

In Japan, I feel like Christmas and New Years have switched holidays. Christmas is more commercialized and honestly has little to no religious value (since a majority of Japanese aren't Christian). So Christmas is like New Years with lots of parties and people hoping to catch their crush's eye!

New Years however has tons more meaning here. Like how we send out christmas cards, Japan sends out New Years cards. The family gets together for New Years and celebrates it together. And on New Years usually you head to a local shrine for the First shrine visit of the new year.

So, there are TONS of Christmas Decorations because Christmas is a commercial holiday. So, you don't see as many Christmas lights on houses, but you see stores (even on my small island) decked out in Christmas gear.

Tonight, I'll go by the stores and the one house (that I've seen) that are decorated for Christmas. I'll take video and put it up on facebook.

Get excited!!

Love ya!

Steph