Flat Juliette - A Travel Log

Dear Jessica,
I've had a really nice time in Japan.  It was a long trip over here (especially jammed in an envelope), but I'm glad that you sent me.  I had a really good time with your aunt, uncle and cousins, Maximo and Lola.  Let me tell you a little bit about what I did with them;

First, it's winter here, so it's pretty cold.  It's almost like Connecticut, but they get almost no snow in Kobe.  I spent the first week in Aunt Julie's classroom where I watched her middle schoolers build and create machines for Design class, but after a while, I got bored sticking out of her pencil holder on her desk.

I was lucky enough to get to go on the 7th grade Ski trip to Shizukuishi Ski Resort in Iwate, Japan.  This is north of Tokyo in Japan.  We flew into Sendai airport, which was demolished last year in the big earthquake, but it had been rebuilt.  Then we took a three hour bus ride into the mountains.  It was a great experience, although I only got out on the ski hills once with Aunt Julie.  It was really cold and I didn't have a proper jacket.

When we got back, I just hung around and got to know your family better!  You REALLY need to convince your mom and dad to let you come visit them!  Japan is cool.  They live on a man-made island and bike to school and to the grocery store or they travel by train, when they leave the island.  The seasons and flower blossoms are especially important in Japan.  The plum blossoms are starting to come out right now, so the first signs of spring are here!

 

(Strange Colors due to iPhone Camera effects)

 

The last week, we just did family things.  I got to go to Maximo's first soccer practice, but Lola tried to use me as a shovel on the playground when her mom was trying to take a picture.  (Luckily, Aunt Julie grabbed me and I survived!) 

Then we bought sushi and meat on a stick called yakatori.  It was delicious, and I tried to eat using Maximo's children's chopsticks.

By the time you read this, I will already be in an envelope coming back to you!

Can't wait to see you,

Juliette

Note: To anyone else reading this besides my brother and niece, Jessica had a "Flat Juliette (Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts) project she sent to us to get a Brownie Badge.  She hung out with us for a couple of weeks to learn about our lives in Japan.