Sushi and Samurai

I have the coolest neighbors! The lady who lives right next door to me is a school nurse, and my other neighbor is an English teacher from America. Today we had a pot luck sushi lunch at my apt.! Wow- real Japanese sushi is nothing like "American sushi." It is SO much better!!! The way the meal works is that you build your own sushi rolls. You'll see all this in the pictures, but there's a big plate of rice, and other small dishes of cucumbers, egg, raw fish, canned tuna, or whatever you like. Then you have your seaweed, called "nori," and your soy sauce and wasabi-mmm! So we sat and ate sushi after sushi after sushi, and drank our green tea, and then at some more. Japanese meals tend to be very relaxed and move at a slow pace. We enjoyed conversation while we ate, and we ate slowly, so we didn't get too full too quickly. Its a remarkable way to eat and enjoy dinner and friends- I think the US could take a few lessons! Here are the pictures!


Amanda and I also showed Hirose where we are from on my huge map! I am so thankful for my giant map, or "chizu." It comes in handy so often!

This was the first sushi party, or party of any kind that I've hosted. It will not be the last... OH- but then Amanda and I opened this mysterious box that has been in my apartment since I arrived. Wouldn't you know it- it was a sword!!! Not just any sword- I believe its a Samurai Sword!!! We will find a great use for this!