ChanomiTalk

In the Midwestern United States, everyone knows about cow chips. After all, there are so many farms that at some point all Midwesterners encounter them. Unfortunately, such encounters are seldom welcome. Usually, the first time you find one it is really disgusting because cow chips are really cow dung! For fun, people in places like Kansas, Iowa, and Wisconsin started to make chocolate candy in the same shape. However, these cow chips are actually very sweet and nothing to fear. Today, many people still give cow chips as gifts and souvenirs.

　広島について、少し、お話しします。広島と云う町を思う時、私は懐かしい気持ちになります。当時、私は、ヨガと瞑想センターを開く場所を選ぶ為に、日本各地を旅していました。色々なところを見て回った後、私は、広島を選びました。広島の人達を好きになったからです。たいていの広島の人達は、本当に暖かい心を持った人達でした。又、町全体に、穏やかで、寛げる雰囲気があり、住み心地の良さを感じました。おまけに、地方都市独特の風情がありました。町の背後には、美しい山並みがあり、この町には、大きな町でよく見かける、雑踏がありませんでした。最後に、広島平和記念資料館です。そこで、私は、衝撃的なものを、色々、目にしました。それは、私にとって、一生忘れることの出来ない学びでした。私は、広島に住む為、いつかきっと、再び、広島に戻りたいと思っています。


I have very dear memories of going to Hiroshima. At the time I was travelling Japan to choose a location to live to set up a Yoga and Meditation Centre. After travelling to many places I chose Hiroshima because of the people. In general I found everyone to be particularly kind hearted. I also found the general atmosphere to be relaxed and potentially easy to live in. Additionally there was a country flavor to the city, I remember beautiful mountains in the background and a city absent of the hustle and bustle of most larger cities. Finally at the Hiroshima Peace Museum I saw lots of things that were a great shock and education that will leave a life long impression. I really want to go back to Hiroshima to live one day.

The last few weeks we have seen torrents of rain here in Murwillumbah where I have been living for the last few months. To see the sun peek through the clouds is very uplifting, and it really makes me appreciate sunny days! How I long for the sun. From this weekend Michael and I will be going to Melbourne, Australia’s second biggest city to teach massage. I am really looking forward to getting away from all the rain. Melbourne is at the very bottom of Australia just north of the island of Tasmania, and is a vibrant artistic city with a melting pot of international people from all over the world specifically Europe, and Asia. There is a “little Italy” as well as a “China Town” in Melbourne, because of all the Italians.

Preparing for Melbourne is sure hectic. We have so much to do. This is my first course teaching again for a while and I really want to make it a great success. Nonetheless the preparations keep me busy most of the day and into the night! I guess that is the way when one is restarting a new business. We are leaving this weekend and plan to stay in the centre of the city so we can go out inbetween teaching to some lovely restaurants and see interesting shows, museums etc.

It has been a while since Ive been to Melbourne and Im looking forward to it, I will check in next week from Melbourne with some interesting photos and an update. All the best!

At work, I typically have to attend two official office parties each year. One is at Christmas and the other is usually during the summer. In order to pay for the event, all participants are asked to provide some money. The cost is usually about $30 per person in a department of about 100 people. This pays for the food and beverage with a little left over for door prizes (about $2500 for the restaurant fee and about $500 for the prizes). Traditionally, games are always held at these parties so that everyone has a chance to win a little bit of money back through the door prizes. This means a lot of work for the person in charge who is usually a volunteer. That person has to arrange for the restaurant, raise the money, organize the games, and prepare all the prizes in advance. It is a lot of work but is very appreciated by the rest of us in the department that attend these parties.