  I just had the pleasure of participating in a Japanese tea ceremony (sedo) with a few women in my office.
It was wonderful... so precise and thoughtful, every step. As much as sometimes it is hard to be all by myself up here, I am certainly exposed to a number of things that people in the city might not get to experience, and for that I am truly grateful. (About my feet though, I sat in seiza properly for about half an hour during the ceremony and I really have never had them get quite so thoroughly numb before.
It was a little bit scary! ) One of the women doing the ceremony approached me just after lunch and as far as I could understand she was asking me if I would help her learn English, which of course I am more than willing to do. I am going to try to work out an arrangement, though, if this is the case, where I teach her English and she teaches me the ceremony.
I will have to wait and see if I actually understood her correctly, but I will certainly keep you all posted. (Although perhaps I should try something that isn't quite so delicate... I'm likely to trip on something and spill tea all over anyone I try to serve!! ) Have a wonderful weekend, let me know if anything exciting happens with the Olympics, and frollick like children of the night!
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