Happy Birthday to Me

Having skipped over the precipice leading well into the balk half of my twenties on August 23, I was honored by my co-workers with a surprise birthday party. I actually turned 27 while I was cruising at an altitude of 30,000 feet, pointed in the direction of Hokkaido where I spent four nights celebrating on my own. But upon my return, my friends - namely Oka-sensei, the nurse at Hokusho Nishi High School - organized a BBQ that was held in the parking area near teacher housing. (That particular parking area also happens to be the venue for the annual HSNHS BBQ after we all strap on our cleats and participate in the Ojika softball tournament every September.) Needless to say, I was deeply touched that this motley crew of characters who I love for so many different reasons, took their precious time (and believe me, in Japan, people really do believe time is precious), their money and their kindness to wish me a happy and pleasant year. This celebration replaces the one I had when I turned 19 - stripper included - as my all time favorite. If I continue to be loved like this, I can only assume that all the stealing candy from babies and prank calling elderly folks hasn't really bought me negative karma! Seriously, I I've got amazing friends and shall be filled with love and happiness as long as they are in my life, making me the person I'm happy to be.

Here's the BBQ from a far. The floodlights were broken out, the coolers of beer chilled and the kids rounded up.

Chiharu Oka, the organizer, and Ai-chan Yoshino, 1yr old daughter of Yoshino sensei, Japanese teacher extraordinaire. (Chiharu isn't the mom, just like holding babies, and who wouldn't want to hold that little doll!)
Some of my favorite co-workers. From the left: Ikeshita-sensei - PE, Me, Higashikawa-sensei - Biology, and Chigita-sensei - Math. Ikeshita-sensei remembered that my father had worked at Coors Brewery in Colorado and brought back some long-neck bottles for me as a present!


Posing with the principal. Now that my Japanese is a little better, I can have some conversations with him. We talked about the differences between hurricanes and typhoons as well as his trip to the US twenty years before. He'd visited Yosemite National Park as well as Boston. He was quite fond of that city. He also gave me a collection of beautiful, traditional Japanese dance post cards that night.

Higuchi-sensei cooking up some yaki-soba here on the griddle. The VP of the school contributed some fresh squid he'd caught that morning to the mix. Higuchi-sensei is the music teacher at school and extremely talented in many different areas. He's also my go-to man with computer problems. He also happens to be painfully shy and I don't think I've ever seen him with such a big smile!

We finished up the evening with fireworks and cake. I didn't get a picture of the cake, but it was delicious and made by Yoshihara-sensei, the Home Ec teacher and good friend.

The best part is that I not only had one party, but two! My good friends and the people whom I consider to be my Japanese family, also treated me to my favorite Japanese dinner - hand rolled sushi when I returned from Hokkaido. The Ito family invited myself and Yumiko Egawa to dinner to celebrate Yumiko's, Kana's and my birthday which all fall within two weeks of each other.

From left to right: Yumiko Egawa, Yumiko Ito, Grandma Ito, Mr. Ito and Kana Ito.