Tokyo: Asakusa's Sensoji Temple

We stayed in an area in Tokyo called Asakusa and LOVED it. It was the old, traditional Tokyo, full of traditional architecture, shrines, shops, and restaurants. The most famous site in Asakusa is the Sensoji Buddhist Temple, Tokyo's oldest and most famous temple. It was only a few minutes away from our hostel, so we had many opportunities to check it out.

So many people around the temple.

Just a guy chillin' out at his temple food stand.

In the front of the temple was a big basin with steam coming off of the top.
Everyone was waving the steam into their face, so I did, too! When in Rome...

At night, the temple looked amazing!

Tokyo: Tsukiji Fish Market

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! This Saturday's big graduation festival is the last Saturday that I have to work for awhile, my accounting course will be finished in 2 weeks, and I got through the presentations I had to give at the seminar last Saturday. It was quite possibly one of the most uninterested crowds I've presented to -- it didn't help that right before my presentation, I had to have a meeting with all of the foreign teachers of the different Feinschule branches (that's what these seminars are for -- the other Feinschule schools) and they expressed their utter DISDAIN of these seminars and how much they hate being there. Trust me, I don't want to be there any more than they do, but I think one person wrote on their comment sheet that the whole experience was "insulting." Needless to say, it didn't exactly give me the positive encouragement I needed to make my presentation sparkle with enthusiasm. Regardless of the fact that all I could see written across every person's face in the crowd was "insulting," I got through my presentation as best I could.

Anyway, who wants to dwell on the stress of the present when they can linger on the joys of the past? I didn't know where to start with my posts on Tokyo, so first up is one of Tokyo's most famous sites: the Tsukiji Fish Market. Every morning starting at about 5:00 am, the tuna auction begins, and the morning is spent throwing around huge fish that are sold all over the world. I was told this is the world's largest fish market. Ali and I didn't quite get there at 5:00am--that was the plan, but due to missed alarm clocks and a serious communication glitch at the bike rental shop, we arrived around 8:00am, and spent the morning bustling through tanks of odd looking sea creatures and dodging the very aggressive scooter-type-things hauling fish from one place to another. And we couldn't leave the fish market without trying some sushi, so we stood in line outside of one of the little sushi joints and enjoyed $40 worth of some of the world's finest sushi by 11am. Definitely a part of Tokyo that can't be missed!

Tuna!

Cutting up the fish.

The hustel and bustle of the market. Don't get in their way!

Waiting in line for the sushi place.The little sushi shop we went to by the fish market.
The old Japanese guys making the sushi.

Our sushi chef!Breakfast is served.Happily full of sushi!

Once Upon a Time, I had a Life

Ah, life, WHY?!? That's what I’ve been asking myself the last 6 weeks. Since coming back to Korea after Christmas, life has taken a turn for the “OMG I’m Freaking Out!” thanks to a ridiculously busy work schedule and a blissful (ha!) online accounting course that I have to take as a prerequisite for grad school next fall. I was never a big fan of numbers, unless it pertains to the amount of vacation days I get per year, the amount of episodes of Friday Night Lights I manage to watch in a week, the amount of bread rolls I get for free when eating out…but I’m particularly not a fan of numbers when it means entering them into spreadsheets for hours at a time. This is really not the part of my arts management degree that I’m looking forward to. I’m more about the “arts” than the “management”… (and if you’re wondering if this leads me to question whether or not I’m doing the right masters program, the answer is “YES!” Please, oh please, don’t make me do more accounting, arts management degree!)

So I squeeze in my accounting course into mornings (I’ve turned into an “early riser,” readers!), evenings, and weekends, and try to survive the busiest two months of work in my life! Two huge presentations (one finished, one next week), both on Saturdays, a huge graduation festival with two drama performances to prepare for (again, on Saturday! Yes, Feinschule, take away my weekends! Who needs free time?), and trying to keep up with writing all the books and the music for 3 more levels of Hollywood Kids, since the WHOLE curriculum must be finished before I leave in June.

I feel pulled in so many directions! I literally have no down time, I’m racing around work every moment with a “to do” list longer than Barbara Streisand’s nose (a few more Barbara jokes like this and I'll be next in line for the latest member of Glee!) and every day, a new problem arises like...how will we the tiny little 5-year-old Big Bad Wolf in Three Little Pigs blow down the house when he can barely tie his own shoes? And on that note, we have no houses for him to blow down in the first place! Or...what costume will Mowgli where in the Jungle Book since his attire is literally a pair of red undies. Or...why doesn't my mac EVER work when I do a presentation and why doesn't anyone in Korea know anything about macs?!?

March, will you ever arrive?

However, I was given a little “oasis” in the craziness last week, when Ali and I spent 5 days in Tokyo for Lunar New Year! Tokyo = coolest city ever! We also celebrated our "3 years ago we met in Beijing" anniversary while there. More on this to come, but here’s a little sneak peak. Sarah Jane and Reuben let us borrow their SLR camera because we haven’t had time to get one and because they’re awesome. Enjoy the "teaser" pictures!

Christmasing in a Winter Wonderland

Remember that I went home for Christmas? Well, I did. For those of you who read my blog that aren't part of my immediate family (all 2 of you), here's a little tour of that little farm in Iowa that I call home.

This is my house. We had lots of snow.


















This is where we sit in the summer and sip lemonade.

























This is our barn. When I was little, we did this in there: raised baby cows, played every game imaginable in the hay mow, and found where the baby kittens were born every spring.











This is my mom and dad. They're great.













Mom mom makes LOTS of food. It's reeeeeeeally yummy.
















These are my sisters and brother (plus Grant). I was going to put the "normal" picture of us, but then I decided to do the one where Tricia is grabbing Kristin's boob. Cuz that's just what kind of family we are.









But here's a normal one of us, too, since we're not always doing things like grabbing each others' boobs.











Tricia gave us all pedicures one night -- even dad!















This is Tricia's dog, Chloe. I couldn't leave her out because, she's, well...a presence. Just look at her stand there all queen-of-the-world-esque.













One day, Tricia and I went snowmobiling just like the good ole days. Only this time, we're weren't trying to get out of Saturday cleaning.












This is what it looks like around my house. There's a whole lot of nothing. And it's beautiful.











Everything was really frosty! It was like a winter wonderland.










I love going home!

Monday Music Time

I'll be in the air, flying home for the first time in a YEAR AND 9 MONTHS, and I think it's safe to say that I am completely incapable of focusing. So I'll grace you all with more videos of my little kiddos that I'll miss so much while I'm gone. These videos were taking from Monday Music Time!

My 6 year olds (American age 5 -- it's annoying that I always have to clarify that, isn't it?) singing their hearts out to "My Bonnie."

My 3 and 4 year olds rockin' out during instrument time!


And my favorite part of music class -- the lullaby! At the end of each class, they all pass out during a sleepy song. And if you're wondering how I get them to all lay still..."NO SLEEPING, NO STICKERS!"

I'll be Home for Christmas

I leave for America in 2 days! My mind has been in a whirl -- tying up things at work, last minute Christmas shopping, giving Ali a haircut, packing, unpacking, repacking, realizing my suitcase has gone WAY beyond weight limits, unpacking again, packing into two separate suitcases, remembering how much I hate packing...

Why can't Thursday just be here already?!? I had a nice conversation with Alligator Class about Christmas today, that is, after we cleared up that Sam had apparently taken a quick trip Haiti to see dinosaurs on Sunday...

Ali's Birthday

And just like, I'll be going home for Christmas in 2 weeks. In fact, exactly 2 weeks from this very moment, I'll be on a plane heading to Tokyo, and will just be a hop and a skip through Dallas away from landing in Omaha for the most epic Sybesma family reunion of all time! :)

Last weekend was Ali's birthday, and we celebrated in style. I'll let the pictures do the talking.












Firday night, I took Ali to a French restaurant with 7 courses! This was course #6: AMAZING steak! Almost as good as steak from Iowa. :)












The restaurant was called Chez Simon, and was up a little staircase down a little alleyway in an amazing part of Seoul. Great atmosphere, great food, great company! :)














Then Saturday, we roamed the streets of Seoul with Taylor, had coffee from one of the one hundred top espresso machines in the world (the pope has one!0, and then had an afternoon beer.











Saturday evening, we met up with friends at a little Spanish restaurant called Pakito.















Birthday cupcake with crooked candles!














The wine and beer was a flowin'.











Then we went bowling and drank white russians! (Which we brought ourselves.)












Go girls team! Me, Sarah Jane, Mary Soo, and...Olivia! (Olivia is really Oliver, but he very graciously played with the girls to even things out...)











Boys team! Ali, Taylor, Reuben (with a seriously gross mustache for his soccer game the next day), Ross, and...Olivia! I mean Oliver.



Welcome to your 26th year, Ali!!!