Yuki Matsuri

I've now been in Sapporo for the last four days and I'm fairly tired of walking through snow and ice constantly. Yesterday the Yuki Matsuri (snow festival) started, so there are huge ice and snow sculptures located in three separate locations around Sapporo. I saw my aunt Maureen yesterday, who is here on vacation from Hawaii (yeah - left a warm, tropical vacation destination to go to a frigid, icy snowscape. go figure) and saw some of those sculptures, some of which are extremely impressive. I particularly like the ice sculptures, which somehow seem like they take more skill or artistry to make. The fulbrighters also decided to go ice skating, which has for long been one of the things I'm worst at (reference numerous junior high birthday parties at glacial gardens for the proof), but I surprisingly did a little better than usual yesterday. I was able to skate around with a little bit of speed and I didn't fall. It was an accomplishment. Last night the Fulbrighters went out for some decent but expensive sushi and then hit karaoke for a three-hour songfest. It was a good time. The night before, the meat eaters (there are two vegetarians among us) went to the Sapporo Bier Garten (or, beer garden for you non-germans out there) for all-you-can-drink beer and all-you-can-eat grilled 'Genghis Kahn', which is really just mutton you barbecue at the table. We filled ourselves with meat and beer like Mongolian invaders until there was no one else left at the restaurant, and then got into a drunken snowball fight with Japanese kids outside the restaurant. We then drunkenly wandered home, fighting with snow the whole way. It was excellent - I feel like I'm getting pretty close to the Fulbright kids through this too-long vacation in Hokkaido, especially the guys. It's weird that the midyear conference in a few weeks will be the last time I see this group of people together.

Right now I'm taking a break from trying to decide if I'm going to China. See, I've been having problems getting my visa, and now I'm having coldfeet about going at all. There is a rather roundabout way I can get my visa for sure today (don't worry, it's all very legal and official) but I'm not sure if I want to go now. Blah.