August 26, 2002
Tonight Mizuki and I went to the Yoshida Himatsuri. Which is also called the Fujiyoshida Fire Festival. They carried these huge and heavy shrines down the street to this community center and then put them down there. One was of Fuji and one was supposed to house the goddess who protects the mountain. Then after these men, about a hundred or so to carry two big shrines drop the shrines off at the center the they go up and down the street for about 20 blocks (i'm not exaggerating) and light bonfires on wood piles in the middle of the street. Its fantastic to watch. Up and down the streets are also many many booths with different food vendors from squid and octopus on a stick to beef, pig and chicken. They had candied apples and chocolate covered bananas, cotton candy, and some other stick like candy substance. There was a traditional praying person and some Taiko drumming and women dressed in Yukata and my favorite the little girls dressed in Yukata. I took so random shots of Japanese little girls standing in awe looking cute or whatever. We had a really good time. Mizuki and I had a few Japanese lessons too. I am going to her school tomorrow for my first real lesson. I've been at the Junior High since Friday but I won't have a formal lesson there until this coming Friday. At Toyoshige Elementary (where I'm going tomorrow) they are going to have a Welcome Assembly for me. I really like the atmosphere of the elementary schools so far because the teachers seem to want to talk more than they do at the JH. They are really busy at the JH so they pretty much stick to themselves. I think tomorrow will be fun!

I found a digital camera that I want. Saturday before I bought my guitar I did some looking around for cameras and I found 3 I liked. I wrote them down and came home to check them out on the net. This one Canon has a great zoom and looks like it takes very clear pictures. They even have some samples in the store. So I have to keep my eye on that one. I'm narrowing it down, but with a purchase like that you can't just go out and buy any old thing.

My days are getting so much better and things are getting much clearer for me. I like it here now that I'm finally settling in. A got a box from my mom today. It was a prepacked box but she put a card inside for me. That was a surprise but made me quite happy as well. This box had some more slacks and winter sleep pants and thick socks which I really needed because it is getting colder here at night now.

Like Scarface said, "Today was a good day"