Turkey Day 2006
After Halloween's success, Chris and I felt like we could not just sit by and watch Thanksgiving pass up Aikiyo. We underestimated Coz, however, who delivered us this semi-unconventional Thanksgiving feast of chicken (I think) and some other unknown potato-type block.
We were thankful, yes, but certainly not down forcing our American ways down the throats of our hosts. I made a trip down the grocery store to look for something to make.
Halloween was an unobserved holiday in Japan...Thanksgiving was nonexistant. This makes sense due to the lack of Pilgrims, Native Americans, and turkeys...for example.
I decided the best course of action would be to get some cake mix and things to decorate the cakes with. This way, even though there was no "thanksgiving cakes," we could just create our own.
I ran into a few challenges on my trip. First...I can't read Japanese. This made it difficult when I was trying to pick an item to purchase. What kind of cake was I getting? Only God knows...well...and everyone else in the grocery store except myself.
Challenge number 2...my bicycle broke. The chain fell off the gear and the only way to get it back on was to take the bike apart with tools...which I don't carry with me to the grocery store. I stopped and asked for help...but I just got a lot of the two handed "X" which is the Japanese signal for "No."
"Sume masen."
Yeah, I'll bet you're sorry.
Luckily for me, my ears were treated to the most beautiful sound in the world. "Matto son?" YES! One of the women from Aikiyo happened to be at the grocery store. They drove me back to Aikiyo, sparing me a painfully long walk. Matt 1 - Bad Luck 0
The next day it was time to begin worked on the feast. This is when one of our the aforementioned problems once agained showed its ugly head. I can't read Japanese. This is what I was dealing with.
Thankfully I had many willing assistants. Let the games begin!
We made two cakes, two of which are shown below.
Once rehearsal had ended, it was time to enjoy. We invited Coz and Hatsumi to join us and most of Aikiyo came out for the celebration. I said "grace" through the help of my translator, Mitchi. We explained to them what Thanksgiving and told them how in America, the holiday is an opportunity to give thanks for family and friends. We told them that we wanted to thank them for treating us like family while we were and that we were having a great time.
Then Coz cut the cake and everyone said it was "Honto ni oishi cata." (It is delicious.)
Of course it is...I made it.
We were thankful, yes, but certainly not down forcing our American ways down the throats of our hosts. I made a trip down the grocery store to look for something to make.
Halloween was an unobserved holiday in Japan...Thanksgiving was nonexistant. This makes sense due to the lack of Pilgrims, Native Americans, and turkeys...for example.
I decided the best course of action would be to get some cake mix and things to decorate the cakes with. This way, even though there was no "thanksgiving cakes," we could just create our own.
I ran into a few challenges on my trip. First...I can't read Japanese. This made it difficult when I was trying to pick an item to purchase. What kind of cake was I getting? Only God knows...well...and everyone else in the grocery store except myself.
Challenge number 2...my bicycle broke. The chain fell off the gear and the only way to get it back on was to take the bike apart with tools...which I don't carry with me to the grocery store. I stopped and asked for help...but I just got a lot of the two handed "X" which is the Japanese signal for "No."
"Sume masen."
Yeah, I'll bet you're sorry.
Luckily for me, my ears were treated to the most beautiful sound in the world. "Matto son?" YES! One of the women from Aikiyo happened to be at the grocery store. They drove me back to Aikiyo, sparing me a painfully long walk. Matt 1 - Bad Luck 0
The next day it was time to begin worked on the feast. This is when one of our the aforementioned problems once agained showed its ugly head. I can't read Japanese. This is what I was dealing with.
Thankfully I had many willing assistants. Let the games begin!
We made two cakes, two of which are shown below.
Once rehearsal had ended, it was time to enjoy. We invited Coz and Hatsumi to join us and most of Aikiyo came out for the celebration. I said "grace" through the help of my translator, Mitchi. We explained to them what Thanksgiving and told them how in America, the holiday is an opportunity to give thanks for family and friends. We told them that we wanted to thank them for treating us like family while we were and that we were having a great time.
Then Coz cut the cake and everyone said it was "Honto ni oishi cata." (It is delicious.)
Of course it is...I made it.
posted by Matt at 2:50 AM
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