etaindesigns

Originally written 6/30/2008

            I learned a new word yesterday, “ginseikai”.  I was practicing the kanji for silver and this rather interesting reading popped up.  It literally means “silver world”, but is used to describe a landscape covered by ice or snow.  A more accurate description of my home state than its actual name of “Vermont” orGreen Mountains. Vermont is only really green from late May through mid September.  And there’s the very real possibility that it can be entirely covered in snow from late October to early April.

Speaking of snow, I can’t believe it’s been over a year since I’ve seen the stuff.  Or that the vast majority of my students and colleagues here on Okinawa have never seen it!  Okay, there are some things I don’t miss –like driving through it, or leaving the house when it’s minus 20 degrees outside.  But growing up in and living my whole life the northern latitudes, its something that I’ve come to take for granted.  Something that Okinawa is seriously lacking.  And my world seems strange without it.

When one of my students or colleagues here tells me they’ve never seen snow, I usually respond by telling them they should travel.  Not necessarily as far as America. Japan being a country of almost infinite latitude, finding things like fluffy white ice crystals is as simple as a long weekend and a 4 man airplane ticket to the snow festival in Sapporo.