When we got back from the day in Nikko we went to kugenama-Onsen to find a hostel. When we got to the hostel there was a girl that was working was from Chicago and it was so nice to talk to someone who knew English. She told us about this sween party that was going on in town! check it out!

we met a geshia and her friend and got a picture with them! fun stuff...

One of the temples we went to in Nikko
Hear no, speak no, see no evil...


Engrish is great...

Hello. Hello...
I have had a ton of fun these past few weeks. I have been to Nikko, kugenua-Onsen, Tokyo, surfing in chiba for a week, climbed Mount Fuji, and played with kids in the ocean. I will post more photos in a bit.
Take Care

On the way to the best weekend ever!
Heather and I in the trainwe found a little candy shop in Nikko with tasty little treats

a really popular bridge in Japan. Really neat... Pagdoa

I WENT GLASS BLOWING!!!!!!

Water Camp!

So, the first week of water camp is over. I was a loot of fun, a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be. We had pre teens (4th -6th graders) they were so good and they loved all of the activities that we planned for them. We went moterboating on the ocean, tubing, kayaking, sailing, snorkeling, and had a fun little treasure hunt. How could they not like it, right? I have another week of water sports next week and then I have surf camp which I am looking forward to. At surf camp we stay in a pro surfer's beach house on the beach, surf all day, soak in an onsen at night, and eat raman for dinner. Gosh I can't wait to go! Kids learning how to snorkel
Lane after Cliff jumping
Chelsea, pretty intense...
Jumping off of the cliff with Sara
Sara and her sweet Ninja moves!

I love Food!

Here is Japan they are obsessed with Italian food. It is kind of funny, but they do have some of the best italian food I have ever had. this is a little place that we found in Tokyo. yummm, so good......
Maybe I like it a little too much...
The best little pizza ever

Fun Times

Heather and I went to the Zoo in Tokyo for her birthday on the 3rd of July. Here are some of the pictures from the zoo and the area.

Konnichiwa

It is getting so hot here! the temperature is not that bad but the humidity is getting ridicules! All day I feel sticky and clammy. I went to the beach yesterday which was a huge party. last week the town of Zushi set up several little shacks that play live music, has bars and lots of little restaurants. We left around 5:00 yesterday and the party was already getting out of control, I can't imagine what it would have been like around 7:00. Once we left the beach we went to Kamakura which is one train stop to the North from Zushi. When we got off of the train we quickly realized that they were having anther celebration in Kamakura. They were celebrating a holiday about the love of two stars. Anyway there are whole streets that will participate in the celebration. They decorate the arches and shops with colorful tags that look a lot like prayer flags. It was a fun and exciting environment to be in. While we were walking down the street we came apon a little coffee and sweets cafe that was tucked back into a little alleylocated on the 2nd floor. We were intrigued so we went in. It was a beautiful little shop decorated like old Italy with fancy coffee makers and beautiful tea sets. The staff was so friendly and helpful. We were just going to get desert but I guess you have to order a drink no matter what, so I ordered strawberry tea (which was like heaven) and Ellie got a $7.00 (or 700 yen) glass of apple juice :) We didn't realize that is was going to be the cost of a meal but so worth price. I can't wait to go back, the experience was great, the atmosphere and the staff were warm and inviting.

My roommate heather went down south to the next peninsula (Isu Peninsula) yesterday with a trip that MWR offers. She picked this orange yesterday for me. She is so sweet!!

Beautiful Japan and the things I do

This is in Ikego (another section of Base) looking into a pond filled with turtles there are so many crazy signs that are poorly translated, it is so funny. This is just an example of one that I thought was hilarious! Seriously did they really need to put that in a stair well? oh, the joys of Japan.
we were able to go up to Minakami, which is up in the mountains. A beautiful place with great water, what more could you ask for?
Not only were we able to go rafting in Minakami but we went canyoning. Canyoning is diffrent here than it is in the states. Here they dress you in two or three thick wet suits, helmet, lifejacket, harness with a rubber butt, and gloves. Send you down the canyon water either head first or on your bum. As you go through the canyon you come in contact with waterfalls such as this one that is 65 feet high. And yes we went down it, the guide will lower you about half way on a rope and then drop you :) it is a blast!!!!!

Here are some pictures of Alcatraz canyon in Southern Utah. It was so much fun, anyone who likes canyoneering should try this canyon.

The Adventure of Life

I thought that I would try out this whole blog thing, so that all of you out there can know what is going on in my life. Things have been pretty crazy these past couple of months. I finished up school in Rexburg and went on a last fun trip called Spring Summit with the school. It is a trip where you go down to southern Utah for a month of fun in the desert; hiking, survival, backpacking, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, and canyoneering. The trip created some of the best memories of my life. The group of people that I went with were amazing and now they are great friends that I cherish. I learned a lot about my self and the people around me. What is important and what is not.
The day after summit I flew out to Japan to do my internship working for the Navy as an MWR employee as a recreation specialist. I work with kids taking them out into diffrent parts of Japan rockclimbing, surfing, sailing, snowboarding (yes there is an indoor snowboarding hill here, so cool), wakeboarding, rafting, canyoning, and much more. I have learned a lot while i have been here, not only about hard skills like surfing and sailing but about the people and the Japanese culture. The Japanese people are amazing, there are over 120 milling people that live in a space the size of California! They are maticulisly orginized and clean. there is a job for everything here and every job has their own uniform, its so crazy cute. They love cute and cuddly things like hello kitty and they are obsessed with American Pop Culture, its kind of funny. The people are some of the most gracious, kind, and loving people i have ever met. They will go out of their way to help you if you are lost or confused about what to do ( I have first hand experience in this). As far as the land goes it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It has the beautiful ocean, grean lush forest, and everything in between. If I had the oppertunity I would live here for the rest of my life. It is truely a great place.