Obon part 2

Sitting here in the train, playing with my mac computer… it’s weird because this is the first time I am actually playing a notebook in the train and it feels kind of weird to be honest… a well who cares.

Anyway, to come back to the Obon holidays, Tuesday Mayuko her sister came back home but unfortunately only for 2 days so we couldn’t go anywhere together (she also invited her friends over so we almost didn’t do anything with her. Because of that Mayuko and I went over to a Manga Kiss, where Mayuko was reading some Manga, and I was playing some games and played with the computer.

On Wednesday Mayuko and I had a very good, and necessary argument together about my life in here. We talked about that I should get more friends, do some sport, and study Japanese more… and you know what, she’s right. I have been here now for one year, and it’s time to do some more things. I got used to Japan, learned the basic stuff, got a job, and some friends… but there Is more. So yeah, tomorrow I will be playing futsal with some guys I have met on the net, and I started learning Japanese again since last week. I’m trying hard, and I will always keep trying.

Thursday.
Together with her mom and dad we went to Fruits and flower park, a 45min drive from their house up north. We had a BBQ (including Kobe beef… the cheap parts but still expensive if you ask me), played some putter golf, and did some go-karts with Mayuko.

Friday
On Friday we visited Mayuko her friend Chie, together with chiseru. This time Eisuke wasn’t the happiest kid on the block, but his sister Urara was. Was fun, and they are getting bigger every time we are coming.

Saturday
On Saturday we had some lunch at a Japanese lunch room, it really was a Japanese style lunch with fish, rice and some more stuff… how much it was? 1000 yen a person.

Sunday was Mayuko her last day of the holiday so we just relaxed at home, watched a movie (Disturbia, a very good movie btw).

I started working again last Tuesday, and it’s doing better and better, so I really hope to find myself a job similar to this one in the upcoming weeks/months… before upcoming MARCH… おねがいします。

I hope the rest of you also had a nice holiday during this hot summer months. Enjoy life.

The key of life, keep thinking positive no matter what may happen.

Obon

This week it is Obon in Japan, that means that besides the fact that it is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one's ancestors, we are also having some days off. Well, at least the most of us here in Japan. From Saturday morning we went to our Mayuko her parents (1hour driving), and we will stay here probably until tomorrow evening or Saturday morning.

Saturday.
On Saturday evening we played some Hachi-hachi a game where everyone will get 2 cards, and the highest card is the winner. You can bluff which of course works so now and again, and the bet is 100 yen a turn. We played it with 6 players so every time there was a minimum of 600 yen on the table, up to 3000 yen. It's a fun game.

Later on the evening Takuya and I went fishing from 1 until 3 o'clock. Which was fun because normally we go fishing in the morning, but again for the fourth time we didn't catch any fish.

Sunday
On Sunday we went to Shiawase No mura, (trans. Village of happiness) were we had a pick nick together with Frederic, Mayumi and Yoshi. We played some ball sports, and had a waterfight. After that we went to some Izakaya kind of restaurant chain, and had a small firework party together.

I'll be back with more.

Wedding anniversary, a new car, and my summer job.

Welcome back on my blog, and thanks to all of you whom are reading it and giving me comments. I love reading your responses so if you have any, don't hesitate to write me something.

Well, first things first. Last Friday was our wedding anniversary, we have been married for 2 years now and are planning on many more anniversaries as well.... so please check this blog again next year around this time ;)... anyway, we went out for dinner at a place called Sanda-ya, a famous restaurant here in Kobe with some delicious beef and a wonderful (even though they should have cleaned the windows a bit more... but hey you can't have everything, right?) view over the Akashi Kaikyo bridge. Mayuko gave me some great tickets for a Hanshin Tigers match (finally!!! I have been a fan for over a year, and this will be the first time that I am will be seeing them), and I gave Mayuko a nice neckless.


Because my brother in law had bought himself a new car last week (a nice Nissan Elgrand Rider to be precise), he was so nice to give his old car to us. And we are, we really are, soooooooooooo happy with it. Because we now have our freedom to drive to places in the weekend, go shopping by car instead of by bus and her mothers car.... We can watch TV in the car while we are driving (I did yesterday... wow). So yeah the car is just great. It's a Toyota BB, has a lot of power, space and drives very easy (according to Mayuko, because poor me doesn't have a driver licence yet).



last but not least, last week I also started working at my new summer job. I am teaching some kids from age 4-7 in groups of 8 students English at a school 1.5 hour away from here... which is a bit far, but it's work isn't. I guess it's not to bad, and it's really good for me resume but I will keep doing my best to get a better job a.s.a.p. ... if things work out.

Have a nice hot (it's over 30 here) week.

Going for a drink

Yesterday evening we went out for a drink together with 2 friends of us; Frederic and Mayumi. We went to a little Izakaya near Sannomiya. Everything in the Izakaya was 350 yen, even the beer. We drunk some beers, had some chicken, akashi yaki, meat, udon, and more before Mayumi her brother Masa and his girlfriend Emi-san came joined us.


Ltr: Masa, Mayu-chan, Frederic, Mayumi, Emi

Later on the evening we went to Bar Trinity a little bit north of Sannomiya where Mayuko her work partner from last year was playing the DJ. It was a small bar, packed with foreigners (5 co-workers of Mayuko were there as well), and some Japanese as well. The music was splendid and I was wondering what this guy (Dee) was doing in this small place... He got some radio interviews on Ibiza, and is working on a CD with some big companies in Germany and The Netherlands as well.

We danced a bit, drunk a bit and well, just enjoyed our evening. The only thing was that when we came home we were both pretty dead so we jumped into bed after we took a shower.

The Tale of Genji

About a year ago I had decided to buy myself "The Tale of Genji", but due the lack off time, interest, and all the other excuses you won't read here I did not started reading it until last week.

The tale of Genji is written by Murasaki Shikibu in the early eleventh century and is known as the first modern Japanese novel. Here is a the plot (coppied of course from Wiki):

The work recounts the life of a son of a Japanese emperor, known to readers as Hikaru Genji, or "Shining Genji". Neither appellation is his actual name: Genji (源氏, Genji?) is simply another way to read the Chinese characters for the real-life Minamoto clan (源の氏, Minamoto-no-Uji?), to which Genji was made to belong. For political reasons, Genji is relegated to commoner status (by being given the surname Minamoto) and begins a career as an imperial officer.

The tale concentrates on Genji's romantic life and describes the customs of the aristocratic society of the time. Much is made of Genji's good looks. His most important personality trait is the loyalty he shows to all the women in his life, as he never abandons any of his wives.[citation needed] When he finally becomes the most powerful man in the capital, he moves into a palace and provides for each of them.

Genji was the second son of a certain ancient emperor and a low-ranking concubine (known to the readers as Lady Kiritsubo). His mother dies when Genji is three years old, and the Emperor cannot forget her. The Emperor then hears of a woman ("Lady Fujitsubo"), formerly a princess of the preceding emperor, who resembles his deceased concubine, and later she becomes one of his wives. Genji loves her first as a stepmother, but later as a woman. They fall in love with each other, but it is forbidden. Genji is frustrated because of his forbidden love to the Lady Fujitsubo and is on bad terms with his wife (Aoi no Ue).

He also engages in a series of unfulfilling love affairs with other women. In most cases, his advances are rebuffed, his lover dies suddenly during the affair, or he finds his lover to be dull in each instance. In one case, he sees a beautiful young woman through an open window, enters her room without permission, and forces her to have sex with him (see rape). Recognizing him as a man of unchallengeable power, she makes no resistance, saying only that "Someone might hear us." He retorts, "I can go anywhere and do anything."[4]

Mary Arnold points out that, "Women in medieval Japan had little protection against male domination. The customs of the time expected women to be submissive to men, even to the point of rape. Men had no fear that they would be punished for rape, as evidenced in Genji's attitude."[5]

Genji visits Kitayama, the northern rural hilly area of Kyoto, where he finds a beautiful ten-year-old girl. He is fascinated by this little girl ("Murasaki"), and discovers that she is a niece of the Lady Fujitsubo. Finally he kidnaps her, brings her to his own palace and educates her to be his ideal lady; like the Lady Fujitsubo. During this time Genji also meets the Lady Fujitsubo secretly, and she bears his son. Everyone except the two lovers believes the father of the child is the Emperor. Later the boy becomes the Crown Prince and Lady Fujitsubo becomes the Empress, but Genji and Lady Fujitsubo swear to keep their secret.

Genji and his wife Lady Aoi reconcile and she gives birth to a son, but she dies soon after. Genji is sorrowful, but finds consolation in Murasaki, whom he marries. Genji's father, the Emperor, dies; and his political enemies, the Minister of the Right and the new Emperor's mother ("Kokiden") take power in the court. Then another of Genji's secret love affairs is exposed: Genji and a concubine of his brother, the Emperor Suzaku, are discovered when they meet in secret. The Emperor confides his personal amusement at Genji's exploits with the woman ("Oborozukiyo"), but is duty-bound to punish his half-brother. Genji is thus exiled to the town of Suma in rural Harima province (now part of Kobe in Hyōgo Prefecture). There, a prosperous man from Akashi in Settsu province (known as the Akashi Novice) entertains Genji, and Genji has a love affair with Akashi's daughter. She gives birth to a daughter. Genji's sole daughter later becomes the Empress.

In the Capital, the Emperor is troubled by dreams of his late father, and something begins to affect his eyes. Meanwhile, his mother grows ill, which weakens her powerful sway over the throne. Thus the Emperor orders Genji pardoned, and he returns to Kyoto. His son by Lady Fujitsubo becomes the emperor and Genji finishes his imperial career. The new Emperor Reizei knows Genji is his real father, and raises Genji's rank to the highest possible.

However, when Genji turns 40 years old, his life begins to decline. His political status does not change, but his love and emotional life are slowly damaged. He marries another wife, the "Third Princess" (known as Onna san no miya in the Seidensticker version, or Nyōsan in Waley's), but she is taken advantage of by Genji's nephew and bears his son ("Kaoru"). Genji's new marriage changes the relationship between him and Murasaki, who now wishes to become a nun.

Genji's beloved Murasaki dies. In the following chapter, Maboroshi ("Illusion"), Genji contemplates how fleeting life is. Immediately after Maboroshi, there is a chapter entitled Kumogakure ("Vanished into the Clouds") which is left blank, but implies the death of Genji.

The rest of the work is known as the "Uji Chapters". These chapters follow Niou and Kaoru, who are best friends. Niou is an imperial prince, the son of Genji's daughter, the current Empress now that Reizei has abdicated the throne, while Kaoru is known to the world as Genji's son but is in fact fathered by Genji's nephew. The chapters involve Kaoru and Niou's rivalry over several daughters of an imperial prince who lives in Uji, a place some distance away from the capital. The tale ends abruptly, with Kaoru wondering if the lady he loves is being hidden away by Niou. Kaoru has sometimes been called the first anti-hero in literature.

I have only read about 15 pages of the book so far, but I find it very amusing to read about their love life, and the way the story is written. It's a very difficult book for me (My English level is high, but this is higher than mine), but it's a challenge.

Here are some more links if you want to know more about "The Tale of Genji"
The Tale of Genji (wiki)
UNESCO - Tale of Genji

I will post more about the tale of genji, when I have read some more in the book... it's going to take me a while though.

Anyone else have been reading this book?

Run a typhoon is coming!!!

Well, it wasn't that bad as in the title for me, but it sure was for the people living in the south and south-west of Japan on the island of Kyushu.

About a week ago, I heard from someone on the forum where I am always at (jref) that a typhoon was on it's way and that it was a big one. I have followed it the whole week and it hit the islands of Okinawa first on Thursday/Friday, and it hit the mainland yesterday morning until today. On Okinawa the power fell out in a lot of area's and a lot of warnings were given by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Warnings such as high waves, hard rain, storm, thunderstorms and floods.

It hit this area last night and some warnings were given, but I almost didn't noticed anything except for a lot of rain and some more wind than usual.

Here are some news report on the typhoon called; Man-yi.


Strong typhoon hits western Japan, 2 dead, 2 missing, 68 injured
Warmer seawater is secret of typhoon Man-yi's strength
Tyfoon treft Japan

I feel sorry for the people in Kyushu, because whenever there is a typhoon or hard rain they are always the ones to get hit. Take care.

Presents and letters.

Well today was my last day at one of my Elementary schools, and what do you get on your last day? Presents and letters... All in Japanese (in exception of some). I expected to get some letter, but I really did not expect this much.







The pumpkin sure was original.

Thanks all you kids from F... ES, you have made me smile a lot the times I was at your school

Speeches

Because this is my last week at the elementary schools, the schools are asking me to give a "Goodbye, thank you, I have enjoyed this school so much" speech in front of all the staff.

Of course I already knew that the school where I went today would ask me to give such a speech, but they also wanted me to give a speech in front of all the students.

So there I stood in front of about 500 students giving a "Goodbye, thank you, I have enjoyed this school so much" speech in Japanese. I guess it wasn't that bad because all the students said good morning, replied on my "how are you" with "I'm fine" and "I'm great", and some of the teachers complimented me after wards.

So, today I actually noticed that this (giving speeches like this) is one of the things that I have learned in the last year. I don't want to say that I am good at it, but I can say that I can do it.

Saturday Class at my kindergarten

Today was my fifth time to work at the Saturday class at a Kindergarten in Toyonaka. I normally teach together with Noriko, my Japanese partner, but she had a day off today so I was working together with Mayu (not Mayuko).

We started with circle time, and introduced Mayu to the kids whom of course were a little bit shy *which was cute in some way*. After that we practiced Shapes, the alphabet, phonics, and this months new Vocabulary with the topic "In the sky". It was the first time to do the whole circle time by myself so I was a bit doki doki (nervous) for that, but it went very well.

After circle time we wrote in the journal, textbook, had lunch, played outside and last but not least we were watching 15minutes of "Lilo & Stitch" (one of the kids needed to cry because he was scared of stitch... how cute is that).

I had a very good day, well actually it was my best day at "Kinder kids", so I am very happy about today. But I am also very tired (Mayuko wanted to go shopping after work...), so I won't do anything tomorrow besides some small things.

Have a nice Saturday, and don't forget to smile just for nothing so now and then (or is it now and again?)

76 students

Because I only have 2 times left at one of my elementary schools (shougakkou), they asked me to give a special lesson to the second grade what of course was fine by me because I love the small kids.

The only thing was that I was not going to teach 1 class with 30 students but 3 classes with a total of 76 students in the Taikan (the sport hall). Because they are little I didn't notice the amount that much, but hearing their loud voice it looked like there were over 100 kids (especially in a sport hall). It went pretty good though, we did some "head, shoulders, knees and toes", "Color D.D.R", "Introducing yourself game", and the "B.I.N.G.O" song. The kids seemed to had a lot of fun, and that's what I think is most important of teaching at shougakko's.

Another nice thing is that we will probably get a present from my brother in law: His car. He is going to buy a new car so he doesn't need this car anymore. It would be great to get this car, because it sure would give us a lot more freedom in the weekends.

Have a nice weekend everyone... I have to work tomorrow and my partner is off so I will be working with someone else... I'm a bit doki doki.

It's getting hot

Well, I guess it's the time of the year again: Summer time.

It's about 26 degrees in the house, and last week was the first time to put the airco on again after it hasn't been used for about 7 months. I don't mind the heat, but it can be so humid that your body sticks to your clothes after just walking up the hill... it's annoying so now and then. But the summer also brings good things... Summer festivals.

I really hope to go to some nice festivals this year, especially some small local festivals (Matsuri). I have been to the Gion festival last year, which is one of the largest festivals in Japan, but it was too crowed for me and my girl. We will go to the Kobe firework festival for sure *which is on the 4th of August*. If anyone knows some nice matsuri's in the Kobe region than please let me know.

My summer holiday will start in 2 weeks from now, and I will be having 6 weeks off (maybe will do some summer work, but we will see). I am planning to work on my website and finally give it the long/needed re-design, study on my Japanese, make more friends, and find some sport in Kobe.

Beside that we will also probably head towards Takayama with the whole family for 1 or 2 nights. Looks like a great small village to relax and do some sightseeing.

Busy

Hello everyone, I know I know... It has been a while. 3 reasons for that:

1. I'm busy with my work
2. I couldn't log into my account, because of the new google account (google is taking over the world)
3. well... I should not find to many excuses but just post so now and then.

Okay, now back to what's going on in my life.


Since half June I started teaching at my new Elementary schools. This time I have 4 schools, and all of them are (again) in Kita-ku (north of Kobe). The schools are alright, and I have no problem with any of them. I'm also teaching at the smallest elementary school in Kobe, a school with only 19 students in total... a lot isn't.

Since 3 weeks ago I also started teaching at a Saturday class for "Kinder kids", the same company where my wife is working for, and I must say that it's a whole difference from teaching at elementary school; age (3-5 against 7-12), activities (singing, dancing, and phonics against keyword games, and bingo games), English level (Eigo ha wakarimasen *I don&t understand English* against "can I have ..." singing "incredible iguana"). It's fun to do, but because it's been a while it is a little bit stress ful for me.

Working 6 days a week isn't that bad, but I just have to get used to it.


I also want to thank everyone for their comments on our wedding party. It really was the best day off my life, and I do realize so now and then how much I miss my parents so now and then. It feels lonely here in Japan so now and then, even though I have my sweet wife *who really takes care of me a lot*, finding friends isn;t that easy.

Well, from the 19th of July I will be having another 6 weeks off (I know, it's also stress full), and I hope to find a summer job or a new job at that time. Wish me luck.



P.S. How's life in Docomo?

The parents, and "the Wedding"

It has been a while since I have posted on here, but I have been really busy with my last weeks of work, my family that came over to Japan, and the preparations for my wedding ceremony.

My mother and her wife came over half march and left Japan today. It was great fun to see them again, and we have enjoyed a lot together. I took them to Kyoto, Himeji, USJ, and other places around and in Kobe. We also went to Karaoke together where they song songs from Frank Sinatra to the Backstreet boys. It was sad to say goodbye today but they have enjoyed a lot and could see that I am in good hands with my wife and her family.

My dad and my brother came over the 23rd and will stay until the 11th of April. They also came to USJ and other places. Next week they will go to Hiroshima for a 2 days, and we will go to Osaka and Nara with them.

The wedding ceremony was just perfect, after weeks of preparation the big day had finally arrived. Mayuko arrived around 14.15, while I arrived around 14.45. Mayuko had her hair done, and we both put on our wedding clothes, I had a tuxedo, and Mayuko had a princes line white wedding dress. The ceremony started on 16.15 in the garden of the place, where I first picked up flowers from the guests to make a bouquet out of it. Then 5minutes later Mayuko arrived and I went down on my knees (again) to give her the bouquet and proposed my love to her. We then swore our love in front of each other and signed the papers. My brother was my witness while Chie was Mayuko her witness, so they signed after us.

After the ceremony we went back inside again, and Mayuko and I had a 10minutes break before we entered the party again. We had an openings speech and after that my dad and Mayuko her brother held a speech for us. We only had a couple of speeches because we didn't wanted everyone to fall asleep. I was glad that Mayuko her best friend Chie had a speech and our friend Yuka (whom we have met in Australia 3.5 years ago).

We changed into our Japanese clothes later on, Kimono and Hakama and cut the cake in the garden. The whole evening we were so busy that we had no time to eat the delicious food, so I really wanted to eat a part of our wedding cake that our friends and family had decorated while we were changing into other clothes.

In the end we had a speech to our parents, which was really emotional for both of the parents, and a speech to our guests.

It was a great day, and I could write a lot more about it, what I will maybe do later on.

Wedding ceremony

On March the 25th we will have our wedding ceremony here in Kobe. A lot of things need to be arranged before that, from clothes to flowers. I have only been to one wedding (my mom and her wife) before, so I can't compare too much with Dutch weddings but a Japanese wedding is on an average far more expensive than a Dutch one. An average Japanese wedding is about 3-4 million yen, (157 yen is 1 euro, so do the math).

Our wedding isn't that expensive, we will only spend 2 million yen (which is still a lot of money). But the good things are that first you will really have something nice for your wedding, and the second thing is that you will get back around 30.000 from everyone (we will invite about 45 people, so 1.350.000) so you will get half of the money back.

We have chosen our clothes, wedding dress/tuxedo and kimono/hakama, we have almost send out all our invitation letters, so the next thing will be what we want on the ceremony itself. After this we should choose the food (which was delicious when we tried it a couple of months ago), flowers, balloons, hotels for people who have to stay over, wedding gifts, etc.

Most of the guest are Mayuko her friends, I will only invite 2 because I havenÂ’t made a lot of friends yet (I am desperate please mail me I need friends ;), no joke), her family, and my family will fly over from the Netherlands (my mom and lientje, will stay for 2 weeks, and my dad and my brother will stay for 2.5 week).

I am looking forward to all, but I am also excited to meet the whole family, and if the two families will get along with each other should I care about that?

I am looking forward for some comments from people who also had their wedding in Japan.

Greets, and matane (see you again)
Dave

Photo's from our holiday in Toba Mie-ken

With the winter holiday we went to Toba for 2 nights and visited some local tourism spots, here are some pictures:



Here am I and the Meoto Iwa (夫婦岩) or the Husband-and-Wife Rocks. They are joined by a shimenawa (a heavy rope of rice straw) and are considered sacred by worshippers at the neighbouring Okitama-jinja. In Japanese Shinto belief, the rocks represent the union of creator gods Izanagi and Izanami. The rocks therefore celebrate the union in marriage of man and woman. The rope, which weighs over a ton, must be replaced several times a year in a special ceremony. The larger rock, said to be male, has a small Torii at its peak.


Futami Sea Paradise, which had some great shows!


Ninja Village near Ise, it was funny to see ninja's haha, normally you only see them in movies but this time I could be like a ninja, see ninja shows, and one even tried to attack Mayuko (I tried to hold him off with my umbrella but his fake Katana was to strong)


An Ama is a female pearl diver, and she did a small demonstration for us (it was really for us, because on that day the weather was pretty shitty so we were the only ones who were watching. See more info


Playing with dolphins at Futami Sea Paradise. First time for me to be this close with these beautiful animals, and to really play with them using balls was fantastic.


Together eating dinner in our hotel room :D


An attraction in Park Espania, where it was minus 31 degrees... cold.


Our dinner, more came later one. It was all Japanese food but I enjoyed it a lot.


Our morning view on the ocean from our hotel room.


Our room :D

Mothers and their children overseas

This post is for my mom.

My mom is a wonderful woman, and lives in the Netherlands far away from where I am now. Well the thing is that I have my moments that I miss her, but not that much as she is missing me because I started a new life, and everything is existed for me.

My mom is having a pretty hard time so now and then and she doesn't always know how to deal with things.

Now I am searching for parents who are expering the same thing as we do. A mother with her child being on distance. How do you deal with it, how do you contact, etc.

I am looking forward of any comments here, for me but mainly for my mom.

Please have a look on her website Kidsoverzee. (It's in Dutch but you might want to see the pictures or respond on that website.

Thank you.

Christmas in Japan

For most Japanese who celebrate Christmas, it’s purely a secular holiday devoted to the love of their children, or for the younger couples. Japanese people don’t have a day off like we have. In Japan time to celebrate with the family is with the New year.

But my Christmas in Japan was a pretty nice and warm one. First of all what Mikawa Ossan said in his blog, the Internet community is just great, we wished each other a merry Christmas, and it is heart warming, even on distance and from people you don’t really know well.

The week before Christmas, I had bought some Christmas decorations (2 snowman’s, small wooden Christmas tree, and 2 Christmas socks). We had a Christmas breakfast with Rookworst, cheese, scrambled eggs, and coffee. After this we exchanged presents, Mayuko received her favourite perfume from Tommy Hilfiger, some clothes, and a nice letter including something so that she can care more about her health the upcoming year. In exchange I received a DVD, Socks, and a new Porter Wallet.

After this we made our own Christmas cake (lots of chocolate, cream, and strawberries), watched some TV, started working on our wedding invitation cards, and Mayuko prepared a lovely Christmas dinner.

I enjoyed this Christmas a lot, even though I did miss my family, and the Christmas atmosphere we have in the Netherlands, but yeah maybe next year we will choose a different style.

Merry Christmas (bit late, but it’s about the feeling), and a Happy new year to you all.

I love you Mayuko


It's an ugly picture, but I just wanted to show you guys that I Mayuko didn't make the cake by herself.


The presents


Mayuko and food...


Oishii soooo ne (looks nice ne)

Uncle Dave part 2 (many more to come)

On the 17th of December my brother in law and his family came over to the family house, and of course the little girl “Nana chan” was there as well.

The baby is so cute, but aren’t all babies cute? Well, anyway I think she is VERY cute haha. I am looking forward to get my own child, but there are some other things that have to be done before that … (sex … ).

Anyway here are some new pictures of the new born Superstar Nana chan + family


Nana-chan


The Family, from left to right: Me, Otosan, Nana-chan, Mayuko, Okasan, Akiko, and brother in law Takuya.


Otosan and Nana-chan


Nana-chan

My Birthday in Japan

The 13th of December was my 22st birthday, and my first time to celebrate it in Japan. I honestly have to say that I don't miss my parents a lot, because I am just to busy with my life in Japan. But on my birthday I actually missed to have my family around me, because the only person who congratulated me was my wife and some of the teachers... even my parents in law forgot about it.

They don't celebrate birthdays here in Japan as they do it in the Netherlands or other countries, here it is just a Happy birthday and most of the times that's about it.

I was so happy to receive a packet from my parents with a lot of candy, and presents in it! and in the evening Mayuko and I went out for dinner at a local Izakaya.

For my birthday I bought a Nikon D50 camera, and Mayuko helped my buying it.

Here are some of my first Pictures with this beautiful camera.

Uncle Dave

I am a little bit late with this, but since a month ago I have became Uncle Dave.

My brother-in-law has got a Beautiful little girl, named Nana. The baby is healthy and the mother Akiko-san is doing great as well.

I can't wait to baby sit on Nana-chan, and it sure made me think more about having a baby as well. But I think that will take another 1.5-3 years before we get one. But until that day... I will dream about it.

Here is a picture from Nana-chan 4 days after she was born.