Chestnuts roasting [or rather, boiling]

Chestnuts are very popular in Japan, especially this time of year. One of the children in my class, Chiaharu, went chestnut picking last weekend. The result was an abundance of chestnuts, some of which she brought to school for Miho and I to share. Her mother told Miho how to boil the chestnuts and Miho, being from Japan, knew the rest of the steps to enjoy the seasonal nut.

On Wednesday, Miho brought in the delicious boiled chestnuts for lunch. She cut them in half and we scooped them out of the shell. They were sweet and nutty; the perfect snack! After consuming about six or seven halves I found a little, white caterpillar nuzzled in one of the halves I was about to dig into. Thankfully I saw a full caterpillar and not a half. The poor bug had been soaking in the boiling water for the whole hour that Miho had cooked the chestnuts. It was beyond dead and thankfully I saw it, as it blended in with the chestnut meat! No harm done, to me. One of my friends I have made here in Japan said that her father always said, if there are bugs in the food, you know it's fresh!

Fortunately for me, living in Thailand has made me immune to bugs in my food. I threw the halve away, caterpillar and all, and kept on eating the delicious chestnuts that Miho had prepared and Chiharu had picked!

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Countdown: 4 days.

I have packed one box of books to put into storage, I have not picked out anything I am bringing to Thailand, my room is a mess with suitcases and laundry thrown everywhere, and I leave in 4 days. So of course, instead of packing or cleaning or moving, I decide to start my blog. I hope to keep up to date on the adventures I have in Thailand, although I cannot promise anything. But as of now, it is time to get my act together and get things in order for my departure on Thursday. Next time I write it will be from Thailand!

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