Thanksgiving Day

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day. Dave and I invited Hisano-san and her family over for dinner. We rented a table and chairs and put together a traditional Thanksgiving meal. We had corn on the cob, mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows and coconut streusel, stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, a spinach quiche, apple sauce, cranberry sauce, biscuits, and of course Turkey. Although the turkey took longer to cook than expected, everything came together in the end. We topped it all off with pumpkin and apple pie. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it!

昨日は　Ｔｈａｎｋｓｇｉｖｉｎｇの日　でした!　ヒサノさんの　かぞくは　私の家に　ばんごはんを　食べに　来ました。みんなさんは　たくさん　食べました。楽しかった！

"too much turkey"

食べすぎました!

Yummy

Here it is, Okinawa Soba!!!! This past week I finally finished an entire bowl of Okinawa Soba. (That's because I finally found a place that serves a half-size bowl)..hehe....
やった!　やった!　たいてい、沖縄そばが　おわれません、でも、先週　沖縄そばを　おわりました!　「だけど、半そばでした」はははは!

がんばります!

Sampin cha!!! The big bottle here is my favorite tea, sampin cha (a light jasmine tea). On the left is Dave's favorite tea..karada meguri cha. It's basically a mix of a bunch of teas. It's ok, but there's no way it's better than my sampin cha.
さんぴん茶が　大好きです!　デイビットさんは　よく　からだめぐり茶　飲みます。私は　さんぴん茶　のほうが　からだめぐり茶　より　おいしい　だ　と　思います。

ADA

This weekend we went up to the northern part of the island with some friends. We had a BBQ at Kuni-san and A-chan's house in ADA. We all had a great time singing, cooking, eating, drinking and laughing. The northern part of Okinawa is all mountains, so not many people live up there. It was a very peaceful place.

先週末　ともだちと　あだに　行きました。国さんと　あーちゃんの　家で　ｂｂｑと　カラオケを　しました。みんなさんは　歌って、食べて、飲んで、わらいました。沖縄の北　たくさん山　あります、だから　へいわな　ところ　でした。

All night we took turns singing different songs as Mattara-san played the keyboard. Here I am with Chika-san singing "Hanamizuki", later I did "NadaSouSou" with Hisano-san.

ちかさんと「ハナミズキ」を　歌いました。そのあと、ヒサノさんと「なだそうそう」を　歌いました。マッタラさん、ありがとうございました!

Here is Kuni-san helping Dave with the Eagles tune "Tequila Sunrise".
国さんと　デイビットさんは　Ｅａｇｌｅｓの歌　しました。

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Here is Hisano-san performing her original tune "YOU".
ヒサノさんは　マッタラさんと　オリジナルの　きょく「Ｙｏｕ」歌いました。きいて　下さい。

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Fun times with friends in ADA.
ともだちと　の時　楽しいです。

Cousin Carolie Visits Okinawa

This week my cousin Carolie is visiting Okinawa. She lives in Sasebo, Japan, so the trip down here was only about an hour and a half plane ride. After picking her up from the airport on Tuesday, we hit the laquerware and glass factories in Itoman. This pic is of me playing the ping-pong ball game at the glass factory. I "won" 2 glasses!!! I can't go to the glass factory without playing this game. hehe...

今週　私の　いとこは　沖縄に　来ました。　かのじょは　させぼに　すんで

います。　火曜日に　こうくうに　会いました、それから　いとまんに　行きました。グラスと　りゅうきゅう　しっきの　店に　行きました。グラスの店で　ゲームを　しました!　かちました!

On Wednesday Carolie and I went to the Ryukyu Mura. The Ryukyu Mura is a good place to learn about pre-war Okinawan culture. Here is a picture of me with Carolie and our new friend. This old woman poured tea for us. She was very excited to be talking to us, especially after we asked if we could have a picture with her. She kept hugging us... and what a death grip!!! She was soooooo incredibly happy! I love Okinawa!

水曜日　カロリちゃんと　りゅうきゅう村に　行きました。沖縄の　ぶんかを　ならう　ところ　です。私たちは　とても　しんせつな　おばあさんと　話しました。楽しかった！沖縄が　大好きです！

Curry Cooking Lesson

Today Chika-Mata came over to teach me how to make curry.

今日　ちかーまたは　私の家に　りょうりのじゅぎょう　するに　来ました。Here is the katsu-curry we made! It was sooooo delicious!!! I hope that next time I will be able to make it taste as good.
かつカレです!　おいしかった!　こんど、じぶん　がんばります。

Here are Chika-mata and Emi-Deibi.....

Next time is my gyoza lesson!

Thank you for teaching me, Chika-san!　

ちかさん,　カレを　つくる　ことが　おしえて　くれて　ありがとう! :)

Tsubohachi/Karaoke

This is my favorite izakaya, Tsubohachi, it just re-opened after being closed for about 3 months.
お久しぶり！

I love gyoza!　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

ぎょうざが　大好きです!

After going to Tsubohachi, we all went out for an hour of karaoke. Here is Chika-san singing a Japanese style song. She sounded great! 　
つぼ八に　行く　あとに　カラオケに　行きました。ちかさんは　日本語の　うたを　うたいました!　うたう　ことが　上手です!

Rock on, Saki-san!
サキさん!　

Hisano-san and I did a Madonna medley!

ヒサノさんと　マドンナの　うたを　うたいました。

Nada sou sou

Today I went to see my first movie in Japanese! Nada sou sou is a drama that was filmed in Okinawa. I didn't understand as much as I had hoped to, but I was able to grasp a good bulk of the story. I went with Hisano-san and afterwards she explained the parts of the movie that were a bit confusing to me.

今日は　日本語の　えいがを　見ました。 はじめて。
この　えいがは　沖縄で　つくりました。　話しが　わかれました　でも　ときどき　とうわく　して　いました。久乃さんは　えいがを　見た　あとに　せつめいしました。

Toothpaste Wars

Yet another round of the "toothpaste war" has come to an end... this time the winner is.........Dave Proulx!

ディビットさんは　かちました!!!!