(01/02/05 - 28/02/05)

 

See February's photos

 

 

01/02/05


Snow.  Big Snow.  

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03/02/05


Happy Setsubun

It's officially spring.  Despite the weather...

...and there are just twenty five weeks to the day until my contract expires!!! 
  

04/02/05

   
An enkai with a difference
In honour of the soon-to-retire tennis coach, the staff from Haruko put on a really special do.
 
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06/02/05

   
Angels in America
A big thank you to Adam for introducing us to this very moving film...and for letting us all gorge ourselves on chocolate at his place while we watched it...
 
 

11/02/05

   
Taiko Concert 
(National Holiday: Foundation Day)
WOW!  I am most definitely not exaggerating when I say that Norin Agricultural High School's taiko group are fantastic!  What a performance!  (There was also a guest appearance from "Otaiko" - Ota's world-famous professional taiko group). 
 
   

12/02/05 - 13/02/05

   
Crazy, Random, Fabulous Trip to Kanazawa
Tom and I trundled up to Kanazawa for a few days in the "big" city (as opposed to little Fukui).  A much-needed break (yes, even sleeping at your desk every day can be stressful...), and full of the experiences that remind us why were in Japan and why we love it so much.  A good way to pull through the winter blues!  
 
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14/02/05

   
Valentine's Day
;)
  
 

18/02/05

   
Ok, it's confirmed...the winter blues really are dissipating!
January and February are notoriously difficult months in Japan.  There's a tendency to feel more isolated, and home suddenly seems very far away.  I'm not usually prone to feeling homesick (the last time was during my first term at university - October 1999!), but I have to admit that the end of January/beginning of February weren't easy.  Last winter everything was still new and exciting, but when you know what to expect - the constant battle against the cold, the snow, the flu epidemics (although no where near as bad as last year) - it's just depressing!
 
Anyway, all that's behind now.  We can look forward to spring (the real spring, not Japanese official spring!) - bringing beautiful weather, plum and cherry blossoms, Golden Week, spring break, parades and festivals!
  
I took nenkyu today and spent 6 hours solidly tidying and cleaning the apartment, which quite frankly felt very liberating!  (I don't usually like doing housework...).
 
This evening a crowd of us braved the rain and cold to meet at Bear's Bar for a drink or two...
 
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20/02/05

    
Day at the Echizen Coast
Spent a beautiful day with Tom taking photos along the Echizen coast.  Unfortunately the narcissus season's just over, but the views were very stunning, especially since the weather was rather wild!
 
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21/02/05

   
Snow.
Just when we thought it was all over.  I'm not just talking about a little flurry of snow.  I mean...SNOW.
 
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24/02/05

   
Meal at Glass
Met Ruan's friends who are visiting Fukui at the moment.... I think the waiters were beginning to worry that the gaijin were taking over...!  :)
 
  

26/02/05

   
Guess what...
After two days of rain (and all the snow from earlier in the week having melted) we really did think it was over.  Will we ever learn?!  Woke up to another 6 inches or so.  But then again, it's Saturday, so I'm in a better position to appreciate it!  :)
  

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27/02/05

   
Showa Preschool Art Exhibition
Tom and I drove down to the Fukui Prefectural Art Museum to check out the work of the Showa Preschool kids.  Tom visits Showa on a regular basis.  We were so impressed!  The artwork was really good, and the exhibition had been very professionally laid out.  
   

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Sagicho
Saggy what?!  
Sagicho - the fire festival in Katsuyama... Well, we enjoyed it so much last year, we decided to go again.  And we weren't disappointed!
  

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28/02/05 - 02/03/05

   
2005 Conference for Returning JETs, Yokohama
Tick-tock tick-tock
Our time in Japan is rapidly running out.  I've got such mixed feelings about going - on the one hand I know I'm almost ready to leave, but on the other we're so comfortable here...and there's still so much we haven't done!  

Anyway, the conference was, on the whole, very good.  It certainly helped to put everything into perspective.  

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