Tarui Pia Festival 2011!

I’ve been meaning to write about this weekend for a while now, but I’ve been quite busy in the last little while.  I am sorry! 

So first, let me tell you a little bit about the Tarui Pia Festival.  I live in the town of Tarui, and every year on the first weekend of November, the town has it’s largest Festival at an Athletic Park.  Every year the English ALT teacher (that’s me) has a little booth that’s setup to showcase the yearly Canadian homestay.  (The Japanese homestay involves having about 15-20 Japanese students going to Calgary for eight to nine days in March.)  So the students’ from last year’s Canadian homestay make decorations for the Canadian booth and they volunteer their time during the festival.  My job is to organize a craft and/or a fun activity for the kids who visit our booth.  (So basically the students did a lot of the work and I simply needed to show up!)

So, I brought a homemade hockey game for the small kids where the kids had to shoot a ball/bean bag into the laundry basket past the goalie.  The goalie was a giant, stuffed happy face.  (Check out the pictures below to see proof of this strange, hockey game I created to entertain the kids!) 

I also organized a couple of Christmas/Winter crafts.  I had origami paper, tape and scissors so that the students could create small, 2-D snowflakes or big, 3-D snowflakes.  We decorated the booth with these snowflakes so you’ll see these crafts in the pictures I will post.

I also had Christmas colouring sheets that I created, but the office staff that was responsible for bringing my supplies had forgotten about this activity.  I didn’t think it was a big deal, though, because on top of it all, one of the volunteer teachers created and brought a ring toss.

I brought prizes, like Canadian stickers, Canadian fake tattoos (those were a big hit as you will see in future pictures) and Canadian pencils.

Here are a few pictures of our booth with the decorations.  Also, here are a few pictures of the students who volunteered their time at the Festival:

Last year’s Tarui Pia Festival was cancelled because of a typhoon, so when it started raining, I was happy it was only rain and that the Festival wouldn’t be cancelled.  However, when it rained, many people went home and time seemed to drag on since there weren’t a lot of people who came by to visit our booth.  Many of the students who were helping us had their friends visit them and they kind of “hung out” with us.  Also, the rain meant that the hockey activity had to be put away.  Also, it meant that the “Mochi Toss” had to be brought inside the gym instead held on the stage.  The organizers of the festival still wanted the Mochi Toss to be held on the stage, so instead of a toss, it ended up being more of a hand out.

Now, you are probably wondering what a “Mochi Toss” is.  “Mochi” is like a sweet, rice cake.  And toss means, well, toss or throw.  A couple of people and guests, including myself, were supposed to stand on the main stage and throw these rice cakes into the crowd.  From what I have heard from other people who have experienced the Mochi Toss in the past, it’s a crazy-fun event where people get really excited and worked up.  Apparently they put on Mortal Kombat type music (so music with a heavy beat and a fast techno melody) and it’s every person for themselves during this event!  My experience was much different.

I was given three buckets of Mochi that I was supposed to “hand out” to the townspeople.  So I was standing on the stage with about 10-15 other people in a row, and people lined up with their families to take some Mochi from us.  Sounds like a great plan, right?  I mean, it was too muddy for people to stand in front of the stage and have the Mochi  thrown at them in the mud, right? 

Well, I had an interesting experience to say the least.  You see, unfortunately, I was the second last person standing at the end of the row and so everyone would grab the Mochi from the first five people and then walk past me.  The person on the very end was a Junior High student, and he was experiencing the same thing as me!  Both of us laughed and held out our bags of mochi.  We would desperately call out “Mochi, Mochi!” as we shook our bags as if to try and convince some people to take the sweet treats from us.  We had a couple takers…but not many. 

Finally, the front people were running out of Mochi.  This was our chance!!  But suddenly the organizers stole, I mean “took” ;-) one of my buckets and gave it to the people at the front of the row.  So the people who ran out of Mochi to give away now had my Mochi to give away.  They did the same to the student beside me.  We both looked at each other, stunned, and started laughing again.  What a funny situation!  It was like we were being rejected by the town…but not intentionally, of course!  When the organizers tried to grab our second bucket full of mochi, I clung onto it and jokingly said, “No!”  I also defended the student’s bucket in a similar manner, too.  (The student was too shy to do anything so I felt the need to protect his Mochi for him.)  The organizer laughed and ended up grabbing it when we weren’t paying attention.  This was an interesting event!  I was determined to give away my final bucket of Mochi and to not allow anyone else to take away my Mochi!!

At one point, there was a cameraman who was standing beside me, and he was trying to persuade people to take the Mochi from me so he could take a picture of the Tarui English ALT teacher, but nobody really saw him from the position he was standing in.  Finally, a group of about eight people came charging past everyone towards me.  “Now is my chance!” I thought.  The cameraman started to focus his camera.  Unfortunately, the group of people apologized to me and pointed to the student and explained that they were his family.  I was happy for the student!  I mean, it was one thing to be an adult and have this kind of rejection, but as a teenager?  I’m glad he had a good sense of humour and joked with me the entire time.  I was a little jealous, though.  Could he have not spared an Aunt?  How about that annoying second cousin?

Finally, the people at the front of the row ran out of mochi and I made eye contact with the thief…I mean, the “organizer who kept taking my mochi and giving it to the others”.  He simply smiled and held out his hand as if to say, “It’s all yours.”  AHA!!  This was my chance!!!  I held out the mochi and exclaimed, “Mochi!  Mochi!”  I think the people in the front of the row that ran out of the Mochi thought I meant them, because they came over and started taking the sweet treats from my bucket and went back to their place in the front and continued giving away my Mochi to the townspeople.  

There was nothing I could do but laugh.  I mean, I wasn’t going to fight over these rice cakes…especially since the people stealing (I mean “taking without asking”) my mochi were much older than me.  What a funny experience!  Either the Tarui citizens simply grabbed the Mochi from the first person they saw and shyly walked by the rest of us, or I (and the student) had done something insulting, which resulted in a full-blown town rejection!  (I’m joking, I’m joking.)  It was hilarious, and I didn’t really mind.  In fact, the part I was most disappointed in was that the organizers didn’t play any music.  I was looking forward to the thrilling, dramatic techno music to our activity.  Perhaps the organizers realized that upbeat music was too over the top and dramatic for a “Mochi Hand-out” when compared to a real “Mochi Toss.”

Speaking of dramatic, I saw part of a performance on the main stage that was completely epic!  You know the television show called the Power Rangers?  I grew up loving this show!  Yes, I know, it’s over the top cheesy.  Look it up if you don’t know what I’m talking about.  And if you know what I’m talking about, I’m sure you won’t be surprised to know that it originated in Japan (I think…I should do some research before making such a bold statement.)  I think this show originated in Japan. 

Well, if you were a fan of the show, listen to this: They had a live performance of a Power Ranger group on the stage!  Sweet!  The teachers and students were surprised at how thrilled I was to witness this.  I ran and grabbed my camera.  I stood in the crowd (of mostly small boys and parents) and cheered on our heroes and I started booing at the bad villain…although his powers were not as frightening as you would imagine.  He had a weapon that made our heroes act like an animal.  So we had our protagonists acting like a dog, a monkey, and other various animals.  Hmmmm, this isn’t as epic as I had imagined…it was better!  Extra cheezy!!  Unfortunately, I had to go back to my “Canadian Booth” and represent Canada (no pressure), but I did manage to get a few photos of the Power Ranger group:

On the second day, I was able to take a break and see various things going on at the festival.

In fact, even before I got to the Canadian Booth, the School Board office staff kidnapped me and showed me a "Secret Booth."  It was like an outdoor staffroom!  They offered me tea and chocolate.  What a great way to start day two!

Some of the booths had games.  These people had a fishing game.  They were really enthusiastic and gave me a prize.  Nice!

Here is a wood working booth.  People got a chance to make stools at this booth.

In one giant section of the festival was a food area.  I cannot stress how large this section was and how busy it was.  The food was cheap and tasted even better.  I had one of the best bowls of Sobe noodle soup ever!  And it only cost about four Canadian dollars!

Speaking of food, there were strange sweets, too.  Unfortunately I never found the booth.  But here is a picture of one of the teachers eating a strange, sticky sweet treat.  The treat was actually a student’s but she wouldn’t pose for me.  Her loss, the teacher' gain!

They also had green tea soft serve ice cream.  Do you think I bought some?  Actually, I guess the real question is not “if” I bought some but “how much” did I have?  I’m not answering that.  It was a rhetorical question and it shall remain a mystery…

That reminds me…I really should get that gym membership soon.  I hate (and love) the fact that Japan has sooo many delicious treats!  Anyways, focus, Sheena.  Focus.  Tarui Pia Festival!  Right!

Also, I was taken to a tea ceremony.  I have been to several tea ceremonies, but I never get tired of the tradition.  In fact, I have great respect of the people who train and do this tradition.  It gives me goose bumps every time I witness it.

Here are some pictures of friends and work colleagues. 

This is a picture of me and my supervisor.  She's a wonderful, hard-working lady!

One booth had origami.  I hate origami.  No, really.  I am horrible at it.  When people try to show me, they end up grabbing my paper in frustration and doing it themselves.  But I get to keep it and pretend it’s mine and that I made it.  I really hate origami.  Ok, fine.  I hate that I can’t do origami.  There.  I said it.  But here are some cute (and talented) kids working on some origami crafts.  Nice!  Good for them!  (I hope that didn’t come across as bitter, because I actually am really impressed with these kids.  Some of them are really talented…and much more patient than me!!)

Here is the Police Bugle Band.

They even had traditional Japanese singing (opera?).

Flower arranging is huge in Japan!  In fact, they had a display in the gym foyer of the different flower arrangements people had made.  They were amazing!

Here is a picture of the Tarui flower store booth.  It was gorgeous! 

Here is a picture of some Japanese sweets.  The people at the booth were really kind and kept giving me free treats.  I said I would take a picture of their sweets and post it on the Internet.  Here it is:

There were a lot of dance groups that performed and one of them had a huge flag routine.  And by huge, I mean the flag itself was huge!  Nice!

Speaking of huge, check out this balloon that some friends gave me when they passed by my booth.  Mario would have been happy in Super Mario Two!!  (I apologize for all of the TV, video game references.  First, the Power Rangers, and now a Super Mario Brothers 2 reference!  I hope some of you understand what I’m talking about.  If not, just disregard those comments.)

These dogs passed by my booth and I spent some time petting them.  I miss my girl back home!  Love you, Lacey!

It’s funny; I don’t really get homesick until I see a dog or a cat.  I guess I just miss my family.  Oh, I miss you, too, Erik!  (That’s a pathetic shout-out to my husband in Toronto.  Sorry, honey!!)

Anyway, back to the festival before I get into any more hot water. 

AHEM, there was a fire-truck demonstration.

There was also a strange, giant ball activity that I participated in for ten minutes.  The ball was huge, but light as a feather.

I guess that’s it…except for one thing.  The night before the festival, my Japanese friends from Shizuoka (who are actually my Japanese mother and father) took my friend and me out to dinner.  They drove all the way from Shizuoka to Tarui to see me at the festival and to have dinner with me.  It was a three-hour trip for them one-way and I was really happy to see them and have their support.  Here are some pictures:

The restaurant we went to looked like a castle!!

I need to stress that in this blog I may be giving the impression things didn't go my way, or that anything that could have possibly gone wrong did kind of go wrong for me (it rained the entire time therefore my hockey activity was closed, my colouring activity was forgotten at the office, I had to hand out Mochi instead of tossing it so I was rejected by the entire town).  I need to stress that I didn't care about these things and that I had a blast and wouldn’t have changed a thing!!  If Japan has taught me one thing, that would be to enjoy your time in the now…even the bad or unpredictable.  Time has gone by so fast so far in Japan.  I’m already 30% through the year and it has just flown by. 

Besides, Tarui Pia Festival wasn’t that bad after all.  The rain made me get to know my students better because nobody was visiting our booth except for other students.  If we had the colouring sheets at the booth there would have been too many craft activities to do and not enough room…just look at the hockey activity; we simply didn’t have enough room!  And the Mochi thing has brought a smile to my face and if anything, it’s a funny story that I will always remember.  I am lucky to be here and experience it all and I treasure every second of it.  Now when I go back home in the summer, I plan to do the same.

Hooray for Tarui Pia Festival 2011!!!