Thiessen Twosome Does Japan: Family Outings and Barbecued Squid

My first week here in Sapporo has been nothing short of amazing. Everyone has helped me so much that I feel right at home here, like I never even left a life completely different from this one. The Japanese teachers of English who I'll be working with are all great and incredibly friendly...one helped me to set up all of my bills for direct deposit out of my banking account; one drove me all over the city to get important foreigner things done like getting a hanko (personal seal stamp which acts as a signature for all things important) and setting up my bank account (he and his wife then invited me to their home for lunch); and one constantly helps me everyday with anything and anything I can possibly think up to ask, including how to order a bento lunch from the school's tea-lady!

There is one person...well, family...who stands out though, and that's the Tanechi family, consisting of my Kyoto Sensei or vice-principal (also my supervisor), his three lovely daughers (24, 22, and 19 years old), and his fabulous wife. They live just two houses down from me and have really gone out of their way to make me feel a part of their family! Eri, the oldest daughter, speaks excellent English and has been my guide for everything Sapporo! Aya and Risa, while limited with English, are hilarious and like to communicate in Japanglishsignlanguage, which I totally understand most of the time (seriously). Mariko-san is mom to everyone...I've rarely cooked a meal since coming here because of her. And last, but not least, my Kyoto Sensei in all of his glory:

Vice-principal, father, bear-lover.

Sunday, Kyoto Sensei and Eri loaded me up in their mini-van for a fun trip to the town of Otaru, which is famous for its historical canal and waterfront shops, as well as seafood and glass blowing

Ice cream (actually, I should say "soft cream"), is a Hokkaido speciality, among other things (such as all things dairy, the freshest seafood in all of Japan, lilacs, lavender fields, cows, onsens (hot springs), skiing, national parks...)

Here, you can puruse such soft cream flavors as lavender, melon, milk, and cold water...mmmm...cold water:

This building says "House of Crystal"

Rich Chinese tourists looking for expensive glass souviners. People with teacher's salaries can only take pictures instead.

Ahhhh, the best little street-treat I've had so far...scallops grilled in their shell with a hearty pat of Hokkaido butter!!!!!! Cost about a buck each!

After Otaru, we made a brief feet-soaking stop at one of Sapporo's city beaches...this one in particular was called Dream Beach. I LOVE this city! Beaches, mountains, skiing, dairy farms, snow festivals...all within an hour or less of me!

Last stop of the day...some good 'ol Hokkaido soft cream!

After our venture out of the city, we came back in time to prepare for my welcome BBQ party with my two neighboring households!

On the "menu": cow tounge, cow colon, lamb stomach, beef flanks, grilled squid, grilled vegatables, fried chicken bones, grilled chicken, potato cakes, and beer, beer, beer! Yes, I did try everything, and no, nothing killed me! Actually, for the most part (aside from the cow colon and lamb stomach) everything was quite tasty!

Mariko-san and Kyoto Sensei...grill masters*