Emergency

This winter has been a mild one as far as snowfall, yet I've been feeling the cold.

The number of back country skiers in Hokkaido has been on the rise.   Getting into the wilderness and enjoying the white paradise and plush powder zones of Hokkaido is a newly booming business.  I include myself in the novice rankings of back country athletes as I have been in the know now for only five years now.  In those five years I have probably developed at a less than average pace and still feel a little nervous and even overwhelmed at times.

Thus far, I have relied on my friends too much and have resolved to become a more competent mountain guy this year.  Some things I do take are emergency sheets, rope, and a dry base layer.  Some things I don't take are a method for starting a fire, enough food, or maps.

Recent events have made me realize that I need to reassess those items.  There was a close friend who led a group up behind one of the ski resorts here.  The weather turned bad and they wound up sleeping on the mountain.  It must have been a long (13 hour) night.  I know they are a tough set of individuals with vast more mountain experience than I have.  They came down the next day without any trouble other than serious fatigue.  They hadn't planned nor prepared for spending the night on the mountain.  If it had been me, I can't be certain I would be able to tough that it out in style. I'd probably resemble that lad over there on the right. --->


Anyway... be careful.

Cautiously,

Pat

Happy New Year ( a little late...)

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Another year has come and gone and the new one is well underway.  Our classes at Kokoro Kindergarten will unfortunately come to an end and Grapeseed English Systems will step in to fill the gap.  We are trying to decide whether it is feasible to start a school in Tonden for those who would like to continue with English Island.  All things come to an end and as surely as the snow that has given us so much joy this year will melt away, Kokoro's Tuesday afternoons will be no more come April.  I'll do my best to make the right decision on this one.

In the meantime, a short winter vacation starts on February 11th.  Classes resume on the 15th. As always, I am looking forward to seeing everyone after Valentine's and making the best of 2016.


Waxingly,
Pat

Sightseeing in Hokkaido

   I don't really consider myself to be a tourist when I'm walking around Shinkotoni or anywhere in Kita ward for that matter.  I will admit to feeling out of place on the other side of town though. Hiragishi, Makomanai, and Toyohira are just names to me.  Hokkaido is a rather large island compared to where I grew up and even after 20 years here, I occasionally find a place that has somehow eluded me.  Last weekend, I went to one of those places.

   Orofure Pass is a road that goes through some of the most scenic points I've ever been to in Hokkaido.  It is a winding, dangerous road that is closed during the winter months, at least during the night. I think Horohoro mountain, Shiratakidake, and Mt. Orofure are the mountains it  goes through from Lake Toya to Noboribetsu.  I started in Noboribetsu and went toward Lake Toya in the afternoon which, unfortunately, left me looking directly into the setting sun. I definitely think starting from Noboribetsu and heading toward Lake Toya in the morning will give you the optimal light for viewing the magnificent beauty of Hokkaido.

Touristly,

Pat

The Far East

There's a snowstorm on for today in Hokkaido!!

I'm just a local boy from the Big Island.  I'd never had any fancy Far Eastern medicine before and although I wasn't actively doubting the efficacy of it, I honestly didn't have any high hopes for the minuscule sesame seed-sized pellet with a profound bitter aftertaste.  I popped my first dose last Saturday and to this day (exactly 7 and a half days later) the symptoms of breathlessness, rapid heart rate and an inability to climb even a single flight of stairs smoothly have ceased to appear!

I probably got about 3 or 4 hours of sleep last night.
I woke up at 4 o'clock this morning.
I hiked up a relatively small peak (1 hour?).

Here's the verdict...

I could do it and I'm still felling pretty normal.  A little tired, for sure, but not what it has been like for me lately.  Is it safe to say it?     ...I'm back... (I think).

♪　Kyushin ~♪~ Kyushin  ♪

Far Easternly,
Pat

Middle of Winter

Long time no post,

Happy New Year !!!

Summer came and went; autumn stuck around a while before winter crept in and took a firm foothold in the Northernmost Island of Japan.  Shoveling the classroom out from the encroaching frozen whiteness has become a serious task requiring the strategic planning of a general leading troops against an all too powerful enemy.  As I write this the snow continues to come down and the yardstick dips out of sight when I try to measure the accumulation on the top of my garage.  My true love is not to shovel or scrape the frozen precipitation to less obtrusive areas but to seek it out at it's deepest and steepest points, strap on the board, and race down over the surface while hooting pleasurably.

This year has been another year of heavy snow.  Both shoveling it and driving in it has proven challenging.  I complained about the snow to my mother on her birthday the day before yesterday and she seemed to misunderstand me and consoled me about becoming disillusioned with my job.

Allow me to climb upon the soap box.

I love my job.  I love sharing the learning experience with everyone at English Island. I love the challenge.  Learning English or becoming able to speak and use English (or any foreign language) is an extremely difficult concept.  It's hard and sometimes even painful.  Often times, in order to succeed, the learner must change his view of the world.  After twenty years of experience in teaching I don't believe in the "簡単に身につく" or "聞き流す" The companies who make these claims would like you to believe that it is possible to learn English painlessly.  At English Island we'd like you to learn how to understand and use English effectively, but first I want the people who attend lessons here to love learning and to love breaking down personal barriers and exploring new horizons.  Learning English is not only difficult, it is fun and rewarding as well.

Hope to see you soon.

Philosophically,

Pat

St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day might be a little late here today as it is the 18th.  But it IS St. Patrick's Day in the U.S. I asked many of the kids and some of the adult student's if they knew what St. Patrick's Day was and they all answered negative.  I gave them all a pinch anyway for not wearing green and I had a few too many beers last night just to prove I'm Irish.  

But I did drink Japanese beer.  I love that AOONI!!!

The Middle of Winter

I finally forced myself to look at the blog that I have been ignoring with a vengeance.  I haven't had time to write, I lost my password, and my fingers... yes arthritis has set in.  Alright then!  I don't really have an excuse except for the busy one and that's pretty lame.  Classes have been running at full steam and we have more enrollment than ever.  Coming up with appropriate material on a daily basis is my daily business.  BUT...  The net is also my business or at least where my business is being displayed.  I noticed Google doesn't rank my site on the top page anymore even though we are the most honest Eikaiwa in the world.  Anyway, I have been having a lot of fun in the classroom and I'm going to talk about it shortly.  For now, the blog is back and current and I'll be updating soon.