Thankful Thanksgiving/Host sister`s Birthday Happy late-Thanksgiving! Although it isn`t a holiday that`s recognized in Japan, I was lucky to be able to celebrate with my host family. I whipped up a couple of fall classics: mashed potatoes, pan-roasted brussel sprouts with garlic and bacon, and applesauce. Ingredient shopping was a bit of a challenge. Despite Tokyo having excellent access to many foreign foods, there were concessions that had to be made. Fresh cranberries would be too hard to find, so applesauce was made instead (Japan has many delicious, if expensive, apples, often from the northern prefecture of Nagano). Japanese bacon has much less fat than American bacon, so I had to add some butter to the pan (interesting, considering that I think that many of the other cuts of meat sold are often quite fatty). Also, of course, turkeys aren`t available, so a turkey gravy was out of the question. Despite the differences, everything turned out yummy, and we had a lovely d

Passing into Autumn When I turned on my laptop at the office this morning, I was shocked to see that it`s already the fourth of November! I`ve been in Japan for over two months--my exchange is already 1/6 of the way over... This fact was hit home further when our Mexican intern, who`s program was scheduled for a duration of two months, departed for home earlier this week. Our group of interns has really formed a great team, and it was very sad to see him go. I am reminded that I will have to say goodbye several more times this year--to my host families, exchange students, fellow interns... Not to mention all the people I already said farewell to back in Wisconsin. It`s a part of life, and I am grateful for the many good memories, but parting ways is always tough! However, not all change is melancholy in nature. As the days have passed, so have the seasons shifted. The typhoons and toasty days of September have passed, and as of the end of October, a north wind has passed ov