8/1/05

Steamy Concrete


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
Sprawling smoggy skyline of Eibsu in Tokyo.

Watermelon Squared


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
Yes, that is a square shaped watermelon going for the retail price of about 120$, just one of the many shockingly high prices for fruit in Japan. I won't miss paying 2$ per apple or peach, even if they are seemingly perfect.

Girl from the Alps


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
My good old friend Heidi of Kansas origins as well came over from her teaching job in Korea for a bit of business and a bit of fun, she is now a Muji convert, thanks to my slightly evil bidding.

Lite Traffic


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
This was relatively light traffic and the intersection across from Shibuya Station...

7/13/05

SAYONARA


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
So the two solid weeks of goodbyes before I leave started with force at a Sayonara party for the leaving and remaining JETs in my prefecture. I thought I'd cast the evening in a reflective light by going black and white with my photos (also because my entire outfit was black and white and I can't stop the urge to continue to coordinate).

It was a great night, in a nice club with good music and all my favorite people. The day started off with a quite afternoon at Claire's who supplied me with the movies to let my inner 80's child out. I've had great times at her place and will miss the family-like vibe we'd create for brunches on Sunday, and everything she owns from Muji. Mecha Arigats Ru!

Sappy Sepia


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
Here's me, Chris, and Natasha, oops, I mean Amy. Both of them are staying another year in Japan and I will miss them but feel comforted by the fact they are adding just that extra little bit of fashion sense to the teacher staffrooms in Japan, who need all the help they can get. Chris leads by example with a stunning 100 yen tie, reflecting brillantly here.

Jezanese


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
Though its entertaining, it is a pity this cap covered up a good haircut Jez had.

Under the Disco Ball


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
Folks on the dance floor, Johanna, Chris, and Abby were in top boggie form.*






*Abby not actually pictured here, but more like vividly remembered.

Mike and Phil


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
Can't get much cooler than these two, between the skinny tie and the fauxhawk...kakoii!!!

7/5/05

When in Rome...


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
I do the peace sign now without thinking anymore, I need to be broken of this shamefully cute habit. But being around Chris doesn't help, he is all to willing to throw himself into the cute of Japan as well...

Smooth Operators


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.

7/4/05

Steamy Niimi


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
So this is what most of Japan looked like the day we left for the beach in Tottori. Rainy season finally hit. The not so mighty Takahashi river is flowing at maxium capacity...

On the Road


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
This was as sunny as it got on our small adventure to the Sea of Japan on the Tottori coast. Philip and I are standing in front of a green devil (oni in Japanese). He was much more menacing in person.

One Cloudy day a South African and a watermelon walk into a bar...


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.

One Summer Night


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
This was a night spent at a Japanese beer garden, usually found on the roof of a department store. Everyone was having a grand time, and there were enough balloons for everybody.

Sweet Helium


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
Not many people know about Matt’s brief career as a children’s clown in Korea. His hair was green back then and he went by Chuckles MaHeHeHe.

6/27/05

Things I Find Odd


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
Typical Japanese bike. You can tell a lot about the owner by the presence of what I can only describe as oven mitts on the handle bars. Oven mitts are popular among older woman who are very sun concious and don't want their hands getting too brown from all the time spent in the sun on their bike. This is a pair of lacey light "summer oven mitts" that breathe in the heat...

Grubby Mitts


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
Here is a more sinister pair of oven mitts, winter oven mitts, complete with a quilted leather outer coating, just begging for some little hoodlum to fill with shaving cream...

6/6/05

New Viewing


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
It is officially summer, though school in Japan is still in full swing which has put me into a sort of timeless/seasonless state of mind, but attending BBQ’s is good summer therapy, I think. So this one took place on the roof top of an apartment building in Niimi, a city/town nestled in the valley of lots of modest green mountains.

Roof Top


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Originally uploaded by Carolyn Sensei.
The BBQ began, unofficially at 5:30 and trailed into the wee early morning hours, and had three grills with meat and chicken on them, lots of beer, about 50 people, including two delightful Brazilians who brought chicken hearts, and two visits from the Japanese police, which is like having your grandpa pop his head in the basement and tell you to keep it down, very menacing...