Family Videos
Recent Photos
Recent Videos
- TFiJ34-Trekking the Japanese Northern Alps, Day 1Last year young Luke climbed his first mountain, Mt. Tateyama, here in Toyama Prefecture. This year's trekking trip was more ambitious- 3 days, 2 nights in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture. What an amazing trip! This episode, the first in a series of three, tells the story of our 1st day, one that featured a climb up the largest field of year-round sn […]
- TFiJ33: Luke & Max's 1st Vegetable GardenFor his summer English project, my son Luke uses English to tell the story of a vegetable garden he and his sister Max planted this past spring. Papa wrote the script, Luke worked hard to learn the lines, then we spent a couple of afternoons recording and filming. It was a lot of good practice for Luke! He's not totally smooth, but it's so cool to […]
- TFiJ32: Shredding Cow MountainThis video is all about a family having a lot of fun together, doing something they're all passionate about: carving tracks in pure, soft powder snow (shredding)! We live only 25 minutes from the Ushidake (which means "cow mountain" in Japanese) ski area in Toyama and have enjoyed going there a lot this season. Here are some rock and roll high […]
- TFiJ31: Moments of Gratitude 2009As a year comes to a close, I get into a reflective mood, often thinking back on how things went. Here is a short clip that highlights some of the fun stuff we did as a family this year. I hope by watching our family you can think of your own and feel grateful for all things both little and big. And, if you can, answer me this question: What were you most gr […]
- TFiJ30: Luke goes on a field tripIn the heart of summer here in Toyama, papa tags along with Luke and his classmates as they go on a science field trip to the park near our home in search of bugs. This short clip showcases our neighborhood, Luke's daily walking route to school, the beautiful park near our home, and a bunch of cute Japanese 2nd graders hunting for bugs! […]
Hello! My name is Gerald Talandis Jr, and I'm the webmaster of this blog. I'm using it as a tool for staying in touch with family in friends around the world. I've been in Japan since 1993 and currently teach English at 
This is my wife, Shinobu. She's originally from 
Luke was born on July 29th, 2001. He is now an elementary school student and loves sports, like his mama. Each week, Luke swims, plays soccer, and goes to a gymnastics class. He is also studying English and dreams of visiting the USA someday and becoming an Olympic swimmer, like his hero Michael Phelps.
Our daughter Max was born on March 7th, 2007. She is currently attending nursery school and is learning to walk, talk, and eat by herself without making a mess. She is growing by leaps and bounds, and loves Micky Mouse, Hello Kitty, and Anpanman.