Farming Part 2

From a sleepy (but nearly clean!) farm girl ~

Here are some highlights of my day:

At the farm shed early this morning I wrapped twine from one stick to another (so it can be re-used). The man (Mr Fuji) who assigned me the job squatted down with another Japanese guy (Mr G) & helped us out. Mr Fuji casually asked the other guy in Japanese, "So who is this person working with us?" Mr G gave a short summary saying I'd taught English in Shizuoka & I'm volunteering at the farm for a few days.
Mr Fuji: "Oh, so she understands Japanese?!"
Mr G: "Um, yah"
Mr Fuji (looking at me with an embarrassed expression): "Excuse me I'm sorry..."

We all laughed about it, and later, when I stopped at the office to ask if I could meet with ARI's founder, I asked the first person I saw (a kind looking Japanese woman). She let me babble on, & finally, when I finished she apologized that she doesn't understand English & looked desperately at the man who just walked in - Mr Fuji. Mr Fuji said to her, "Don't worry, her Japanese is good." Haha. He got busted earlier in the day & then busted me!! ;)
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A group of participants left this morning for a 12-day training in another area of Japan & it made me feel so good when 3 of them made distinct efforts to thank me, exchange email addresses, and say good bye. For the first day or two that I was here, I felt lost & out of place, but saying good-bye to the group this morning made me realise I've built relationships quickly & made many good memories. Even though I often still feel like I don't know what to do, I'm more comfortable with not knowing, and I can see things that can be done & jump in to help.
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Tuesdays & Fridays are "harvest days." This morning for 'food life' work Patrick (from Liberia), Pieter (from Indonesia), and I harvested tomatoes, kankong (a leafy vegetable that people feed to rabbits in Liberia) ;), and wingbeans (new to me - pictures coming!). It was so cool to sit down to lunch & eat stir-fried kankong that Kailey (from Georgia, USA) made. And because of the rainy afternoon, I got to help in the kitchen for dinner and we made a few dishes with the tomatoes I'd harvested before breakfast!
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Before working in the kitchen this afternoon, I stopped by the founder's house & visited with the incredible 82-year old man, his precious wife, their daughter & grandchildren. They appreciated the story I told of my grandfather's connection to Japan & ARI. Even in the papers I brought that my grandma saved since 1965, they recognised a missionary couple's name who worked with them in Tokyo.
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Tomorrow I'll help with morning chores, eat breakfast, attend the morning gathering, pack up, & head to the airport to go to China. I'll only make a 24 hour stop in Japan again next week, and it's starting to hit me I'm really leaving my home of the past 2 years. I'm going to miss this place. A lot.