Lucky Chances

I am superstitious. I admit. And so I am almost afraid to mention what I want to mention! Whenever I talk too much (read blabber!) about something that has the potential to be advantageous to me, it fails on me. Is it some kind of a punishment for being unsubtle? But am I being immodest just by talking of what makes me happy? So God forgive me, but I am happy to finally see some clear direction in my life!

What a positive decision it was to decide to take off to Yamanashi for a whole month to do volunteer work this summer. I emailed the owner of the Solar Café and Organic Farm about a month before going there, I said I was interested to work at the café and would also be interested to help at the farm. But I ended up doing what I had really wanted, that is, work at the café (sorry Farm Manager!) And so I spend 30 days, almost entirely, in the kitchen, which I was fortunate to be allowed not just to use but also to use it freely!

When I think reasonably, putting aside all my complaints and bad impressions of Japan, that I, personally have been lucky here by having good earthly opportunities coming my way.

And I am also beginning to think that I have some special connection with Mt. Fuji, which in turn I’d like to believe, has to do with my lucky chances. Or is it just my fancy? Even if it is, it’s not a bad thought.

I have been very lucky, when it comes to seeing the world famous mountain. Very often I have viewed it from one of the major stations in Urawa ward, Saitama prefecture. And even from the distance, or precisely because I know its far away and still catches my eye, its magnificent to me.

And what a great opportunity it was to go so near and see it every single day for a whole month, doing the kind of work, I discovered, I love to do!

I was in Yamanashi ken for the month of August, doing volunteer work at an organic Farm and Café situated at the base of Mt. Fuji. When I reached there, it was the clearest day of all. I was told that even there, the Mt. Fuji isn’t so clearly and sharply visible as it was that day and that it is like this only about four to five times a year.

The mountain certainly has the greatness to bring people to its environs; people who want to climb it, just view it or receive some kind of blessing from it. It emits a sort of energy that, I am sure affects people in some way.

During this time I discovered my passion for cooking. Isn’t it great to make such an important discovery about oneself? And in my case it was under the watchfulness (that is how I felt) of Fuji san. I spent one of the happiest times there. And what made it even better to work there was to be able to meet, talk, listen and sing with people from many parts of the world including of course Japan, with different back grounds, all there for one purpose; to be near Mt. Fuji.

Some of these people became good friends. It was great to feel at ease amongst those I have known only for a short while. That is how open they were and most probably also because of the environment of the place.

The area where this Café and Farm is situated is a delightful place. The air is delicious to breath and water refreshing. Having lived in the not-so-green Karachi city of Pakistan, almost all my life, seeing so much greenery is always a treat. The walking and hiking tracks around the vicinity are beautiful. The locally well-known dog, Montana (called Monja, Monti, Monchan by various people) belonging to the Café is known because he is an efficient guide through the hills and woods of that area (though I was abandoned by him when I went for a walk! But his son Indiana stayed with me though out my walk through the woods)

The other animals that are residents of that Farm are two sheep, one male called Rueben and a female named Eva. I always wondered (and still do) why they are there at all. The only thing they seem good for is getting loads of grass being fed to them. But according to the owner of this Farm and Café called Earth Embassy, these sheep are its ambassadors! Apparently, the male sheep Reuben is some kind of a celebrity. He appeared on some music video that was shown on MTV after which one of the local TV channels also took interest in him. They plan to make some program with Rueben as the main star!

And finally a small fiery rooster called Kuku, who pecks around the Café all day, suddenly jumps on a high branch of a tree or the roof of the Café, cries a number of loud kokekokkooooooos and eats Montana’s dog food because Montana himself is more interested in the freshly baked pizzas of the Café, which the customers are glad to share with him.

These happy creatures along with the staff of the Café and organic Farm plus the owner, an American who can be identified by his rickety and ancient van with his dog Indiana at the back riding with him, make up the lively and friendly Earth Embassy. This is where I learned to live a kind of life style totally unimaginable to me before, and once I experienced it, it was a lovely feeling of achievement, but with a sense of calmness that came along with it. This is what Fuji san gave to me and I hope I will continue to have the connection with it in the future as well.