The Fire

Today we burnt a huge pile of plastic. It was so bizarre. We finished the apple harvest today by lunchtime (which I am oddly proud of) and in the afternoon we did some pretty random things. Quickly sorted some apples, then picked up some big sheets of plastic paneling and drove it up the mountain to nagata's other house.... where we proceded to throw it in a pile and burn it. We added some wood and a lot of plastic crates and jars, two tires, a pair of rubber boots.... We all were shocked at what we were doing and felt horrible about ruining the ozone layer... and our lungs. On Nagatas wwoof profile it says that he has an organic mentality of sorts - I hardly think this qualifys as such. After that he took us on a walk through his beautuful jungle-like forest in the mountains and showed us some freshwater springs. It was very nice. Tonight we went to a hotsprings in town, which was lovely. It is separated by men and women and you have to go naked... but when you walk around cover just your private parts with something about the size of a hand towel. After we sat in the springs for a while (soooo hot) we took showers.... these were in the room with the indoor springs and we sat on little stools in front of mirrors and used handheld shower heads. it was a bit strange to be sitting on a little stool naked, showering with a bunch of japanese women, but at the same time i didn't feel uncomfortable. Oh, and the other night at our welcome dinner some how the phrase "honey girls" came up and nagata decided that we were going to be japan's newest pop sensation and that would be our group name... and our first single is going to be called "apple honey"... and you can't truly appreciate that without seeing the arm movement that goes along with. We promised we will make a music video. Nagata can only really say/remember my name so whenever he is talking to ashley, willy and myself he says "Mimi and three girls". Minus the plastic burning today I completely love him. He is so nice and generous. Going to go have some dinner, one of the other wwoofers made some sort of japanese meal (and is making mine without the fish flakes, woohoo). Ok love to all!!