Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Christmas Holidays

I guess I had planned on coming home for Christmas for quite some time now. This is in fact the longest time I have been away from home; almost 16 months now. But just after I had definitely decided to go home I found out that a friend was getting married in late June in Ireland. So I was faced with a dilemma. Go home for Christmas and miss my friends wedding, a guy who I lived with in 3 different houses over a period of many years. Or go home twice. I decided on the latter, which meant sacrificing most of my holidays going back home to Ireland as opposed to taking advantage of traveling Asia while I am here (again). So I went and bought my ticket home; December 15th to January 6th.

About a month after buying the ticket I found out that another friend was going to get married in mid June! I knew that I didn't have enough holidays left to go for a 3 week holiday at Christmas and a 3 week holiday in June. So again I was faced with another dilemma.

I decided to cancel my trip home at Christmas and go home for a 3 week holiday next June instead, catching the first wedding just as I arrive in Ireland and the second just before I leave again.

I'm disappointed that I won't get to see many of my friends and family this Christmas. I was looking forward to some spending time in Limerick, Galway and of course Kilkenny. My eldest brothers' three daughters are growing up fast, and another sister-in-law is due to have her first baby in January. I was really hoping to see her before she gave birth. All will have to wait until next June.

On a positive note, I've decided to travel to Taiwan for the Christmas and New Year with a mad Irish man from Kerry. We're going to go hiking for a bit and then return to Taiwan for the celebrations. Hopefully it's going to be warmer there than in Akita. We are expecting it to start snowing here in a week or so.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Ringo Bushi

This is my shamisen teacher, Kuroki sensei, playing ringo bushi (りんご節). This is the latest song he is teaching me. This song is an Aomori song; ringo means apple, bushi means song. Aomori is the most northern prefecture in Honshū, and it is famous for apple orchards.