New Years Japanese Style!

(EDIT: I thought that I had actually published this entry, but it was only saved as a draft. I'm sorry it's so late!!!! Also, Happy 23rd Anniversary Mum and Dad!)
Well, New Years Eve was a bit of a let down... I decided to go to the gym, but it was closed. So instead I went to the movies. I went and saw Mr and Mrs Smith... that's how sad I was! It was a pretty crappy movie. Angelina Jolie just looked like she was doing Tomb Raider again or something.

New Years Day was great though! One of the teachers I work with, Kubota sensei, took me to Nangu shrine in Tarui.
The entrance to the shrine. See the woman in white carrying an arrow type thing? Kubota sensei bought me one too. You're supposed to write your wishes on it and in a year's time, you throw it into a bon-fire at the shrine.
This is where you go to pray. You have to wash your hands first, and then throw 100yen into the little pit and then bow twice, clap twice, pray and then clap once. People were pushing and shoving to pray. I did the pray thing. It was fun and completely different to trying to survive the normal New Years Day hangover! After the praying, I got my fortune for the year read out. I am going to have medium luck this year. It also advised me that I should not move from where I am now (so I am definitely staying in Japan!). I shouldn't get married. I should also seek my parents' help with romantic relationships. (In other words, you have to scout out eligible boys for when I get back!!! Hahah)Here I am with the Kubota family. On the left is Hiromi and on the right is Hiro. Hiro is starting junior high school this year. He's a shy but very sweet boy. He likes baseball and tennis, and his English is fabulous given his age. Hiromi is also a teacher. I think she's a junior high or elementary school teacher. Her English was really good.Here is a photo with the family again. Kubota sensei is on the right. He's an awesome teacher. His methods of teaching are extremely different to the usual Japanese way. We always improvise classes (we never plan classes beforehand). He turned 40 on Christmas day (or maybe eve, I forget)This is the street outside the shrine. It was like being at a fete or something. They were selling squid on a stick (ew), Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes), fairy floss and so on. The Kubota family treated me to a lovely lunch.

So that's it for the New Year. Bring on 2006! I have revised my new years resolution and have decided that I should go to bed at 10pm. Let's see how long that lasts....