Uhhh...Lots of Information...(and culture note #3)

Yay! Not much happened today but I thought I should inform that I don't have class for the rest of the week. While wednesday through friday will be taken up with school festivities, tomorrow is completely free. So Andrew and I decided we are going to TOKYO DISNEY!
Yay!
Anyway...
I also received an email from the guy from bridging about the couple...it reads as so:
Jessica,
This is Rick Dyck (your near neighbor in Ota-ku).
If successful, this will establish an e-mail link.
I will try to set up a meeting with Mrs. Fujisawa for English lessons.
The Fujisawas will, I am sure, open new windows for you into the area
of Japanese traditional art. Mr. Fujisawa is a well known art dealer.
He is a colorful, fairly flamboyant man. Mrs. Fujisawa is a more demure, typical
Japanese lady ( as with many Japanese ladies, she has more authority in the
family and the business than her demure exterior would suggest).

It is a happy coincidence that the Fujisawas live close to you.

We need to figure out the fees for the lessons. Do you know the going
prices these days?
I think the Fujisawas can afford to be generous.

Another matter: On November 13 I will help host a reception at the
International House. Are you free? The Fujisawas will both attend.
I can explain the purpose in a separate e-mail; but briefly, the reception will
be in honor of Mrs. Peter Drucker and their collection of Edo Period
Japanese art.
More later. I am with my family at our mountain cabin and it is time for dinner.
Rick

Sounds amazing right? I thought it was a volunteer type thing but now I find out I could be getting paid! and decently too! PLus..Ill be learning about traditional Japanese art and making connections in the Japanese art world. How amazing, right? I'm so pumped about this whole thing. It's a little funny. I feel like for me...jobs and other connections and experiences tend to fall in my lap, real easy like...It seems a little unfair but I am so grateful! I can't believe it sometimes!

On another note I put up pictures in a folder in photobucket called Manami schoolfest-akihabara...or something of the like. It has a lot of pictures in it. Ive decided tho....since my mom (and the rest of my family as well as andrew's) are probably missing Seeing us a lot....I'm going to post pictures with us actually in them here! I'll also be posting some tea cermony pictures since I especially enjoyed that experience.




oi..actually I've realized I have to change the file types of the tea cermony pictures so I'll have to show you that later. Alas...

on to...
Culture Note #3!

So...in Japan I have noticed that the majority of the dogs are much smaller and cuter than the dogs in America. I don't know why this is but I do know that the dogs and cats here are vastly more expensive in comparison. For instance...a young kitten can cost anywhere from 130000 to 150000 yen. yes...very expensive..this translate to average around 1400 us dollars. why are they so expensive? I have no clue. I asked Okaasan about it and she could not explain. She did say that you also have to buy exensive liscences for your animals. Interesting, no? But it may explain why I haven't seen too many stray animals around the city. In any case...witness the cuteness that is puppies and kittens:



Peace!