The winter term at ICU is off to a chilly start and with one week to go before the Christmas vacation, holiday break fever is most definitely setting in. This term I've tried to tone things down a bit and really focus on the research and writing needed for a completed MA thesis in June and it's hard to believe that the final deadline is only about six months away. The countdown has officially begun.

Sean trying the famous "black eggs" cooked in thermal steam in Hakone that are said to add 7 years onto your life

I'm taking the last two classes required to graduate and so far they are pretty interesting. One is called "Gender and Peace" and focuses on the dynamics of males and females in all processes related to peacemaking and conflict resolution. The other course is called "Peace and Sustainability" and concentrates on the new Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Other than that I'm the Spanish Department teaching assistant like last term and a writing support desk tutor for the library.

Sean is staying busy working three days a week at an English teaching company called "B Cafe" that caters to retired women looking for someone to practice English with. He's still playing a bit of frisbee and picking up a few other contract jobs on the side like voice recordings for new smart phone applications and writing essays and short statements for research on the English of foreigners in Japan.

We're both gearing up for working at an English Immersion Ski Camp with the company English Adventures from December 24 until January 7. Although I'm excited, I'm a bit more nervous than Sean is to corral and entertain multitudes of Japanese kids, many of whom are skiing and speaking English for the first time. I have a feeling it's going to be much more exhausting than graduate school.

Having cute desserts and hot chocolates with Madeleine and Ida

We were able to take a long week romantic getaway to a nearby town called Hakone and enjoyed touring the area by boat, bus, cable car and ropeway. Our room had its own private natural spring bath which we enjoyed as much as possible as well as the elaborate dinners and breakfasts that were provided. We're also looking forward to our next visitor, Jen (Sean's sister), who is coming in January. We have a weekend ski trip and visit to the snow monkey hot pools when she's here.

Picture in front of the poinsettia tree in Hakone

There's no email access at ski camp so we'll be out of digital contact for awhile and I look forward to writing again in 2017.  Thank you for reading and may your holidays be full of peace, love and family.

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