La Japoneisa: Winter

And suddenly the world has changed. Just like that. Without a warning it has suddenly all gone white. And quiet. Its as if a blanket of peaceful silence fell over it, almost like a filter or insulation or double-glazed windows! The snow covered life suddenly feels as if it was wrapped all over by a thick layer of cotton wool, its soft and quiet and all you have to do now is just close your eyes and wander off in your dreams.
Walking down the old fashioned streets, away from the main-stream walkways, unshoveled, they are left to resemble deep white winter rivers and you feel like you are the only soul left on earth, walking your way through to only more whiteness that seems, in its cottony silence, there forever.
I never imagined snow would get me this extatic one day. The moment I stick my nose outside a grin of an idiot child settles on my face and my soul vibrating with unreasoned for happiness makes my voice sing out my heart. And of course, all the christmas carols I know.
I am in love with the world!

La Japoneisa: The Job

One of the most rewarding things, once you get yourself a job that is (even if it is volunteering), is when you can see that there is a trace of some sort left behind you, and its even better, if it is an impact of a positive value.
Miss Ueshima told me last week after the class, that Yuta (her son), walks around the house occasionally slipping English words into his conversation, instead of using their Japanese equivalents. Today she told me that he keeps asking her how to say that or that word in English. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside, makes my heart smile.
Or when Aira comes running into the school in the morning shouting "私のベロちゃん！私のベロちゃん！" （My Berochan, my Berochan!). Or when Shunsuke and Taito are agreeing that they want to become Berochan (...mmmm...?????...).