Fun visitors!

Last week, Julia and Travis (two friends from UPS...and more redhair!) came to visit since they had a week off from their 9 month tour of Asia which is part of UPS's Pacific Rim study abroad program. During Julia's three day visit and Travis's two day visit, the highlights included: taking them to elementary school with me where they helped me teach and play games related to the months of the year, taking a sake factory tour at my neighboring factory, playing darts at the one and only late-night bar in my city, meeting up with two of my other JET friends where we rented bikes and rode on a path (without cars!) in Okayama (on the big island) making stops at shrines, pagodas, and emporer's buriel mounds, strolling through one of Japan's top three gardens, staying at an international "villa" (basically a big fancy house for 10 people which is supposed to bring in tourists), and hiking up to the highest mountain castle in Japan. It was so so good to see some familiar faces and hear about their crazy trip! Here are some photos from their visit...and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Travis and Julia during the post-elementary school signing autograph time
Sake factory tour, I think we were their first foreigners so it was quite the operation finding an English guide


This is the time of year to celebrate girls who are turning three and seven years old and boys turning five and so we saw a lot of cute little ones like this at one of the shrine bikeride stops




Our timing was perfect for fall leaves!