Chili, Chapatis, Murder Mystery, and 80's for Haiti

Despite having spent an entire week of January in Thailand, the rest of the month in Japan was pleasantly action-packed. Three weekends ago, I convinced eleven friends to venture up to my end of the Noto with the promise of a hearty meal, boxed wine and cheap karaoke. I was a little concerned with trying to fit sixteen (11 friends + 4 Wajima coworkers + me) people in my apartment, but everyone was accommodating and didn't mind the snug fit. Though even with sixteen people breathing, eating chili, and drinking wine, the draft current that runs through my apartment was unpleasantly, still present.

Maggie, Teranishi, Karen, Loki, and Adam on our way to karaoke.

After dinner and a few rounds of Catch Phrase (Thanks for my present last Christmas, Dad.), we headed to the karaoke bar a few blocks from my house. Though probably not as classy as Kanazawa's karaoke venues, at 300 yen per person, it is less than 1/8 the price. I find this more than acceptable because it's hard to maintain class while belting out Abba's "Dancing Queen" in a nearly-tone-deaf squawk.

Loki, Karen, Maggie, Luke, and Adam

Dipika and Luke...both stellar at karaoke

After closing the karaoke bar closed, we returned to my apartment and sorted out sleeping arrangements. In the end, my apartment looked like a sardine can, with the sardines lined with cushioned padding.

Allie, Adam, Karen, Kate, and Dipika in the bedroom

Luke, Maggie, and Loki in the living room

On Sunday morning, we headed to Soji-ji, a nearby Zen Buddhist temple. It is almost as stunning as the temples in Kyoto, and only a twenty minute drive from Wajima. There was still a blanket of snow on the ground which looked lovely against the temple. The visit was the perfect end to a wonderful weekend.

Dipika cleansing her hands

Maggie, Kate, Allie, Karen, Adam and Loki

The next weekend, I went to my friend Dipika's apartment with Bic, a friend and artist, who lives in Wajima in order to study Wajima nuri, lacquer ware. We had a movie and cooking night. Dipika, a former JET, who now works for a software company in the Noto, taught us how to make proper Indian chapatis, something that I am very excited about. We also watched Strictly Ballroom, a rib-splitting, feel good, Australian movie from the early 1990's about ballroom dancing.

As if that was not enough excitement for one month, this past weekend was AJET's Murder Mystery event and 80's for Haiti. Both were spectacular social and fundraising events. The Murder Mystery event involved about 30 ALTs dressed in 80's costumes and playing a wacky cast of characters, while trying to solve a murder mystery at a high school reunion. Overall, the story was very fun to play out.

My partner in crime, Zach and I: class president and class vice-president.

Zach and I played characters who came from old money and lived in a mansion with our six kids. We were "happily" married, though there were some suspicions about his sexuality and my fidelity. In an exciting twist, it was discovered that I had burned down a shopping center owned by a fellow classmate for revenge and had him framed for it. I got away with my crime and as Michael, the murderer, was being arrested, I evilly confessed the crime I had gotten away with. Muwahahaha

Adam and Allie the class clowns put on a show just before the culprits were caught.

After the mystery was solved, the 80's for Haiti event began- an 80's disco that was taking donations for Haiti all night. The turn-out was great. Dipika organized the event and DJ-ed. Thanks to her hard work, AJET was able to collect nearly $1,600 (160,000 yen) that night. All in all, it was solid end to January. Now, I have turned my focus to surviving February, the shortest but coldest month of the year, in my paper apartment.

Next up: a tour through one of Wajima's lacquer ware factories.