Ah yes, new people, new people, or maybe a rediscovery of old. Still. I went for a walk the other day to start working on the jail break from sickness. I didn't make it far. Less than 50 feet from my house I ran into a bunch of teachers I work with, one of them I am going to Sapporo with tomorrow to see a traditional Japanese dance. Should be interesting. She told me she has never driven to Sapporo before and so is very scared and not sure if I should drive or what (enter shock here). This woman has been living here for 4 years and she has never driven to Sapporo? I found out the next day, that she drives 40km/h on the highway and is terrified of driving in general. Bascially, I think I am going to be driving, for both our sakes.
That was that brief encounter (basically). I walked 50 feet more and ran into one of my eikaiwa students just going into his home and so he invited me in for coffee. First of all I don't drink coffee, but it would also be really rude not to go. So I went in, we chatted, mostly in Japanese. He showed me all his play station games (the guy is 69 years old), and showed me his radio room where he has a machine that lets you broadcast the morse code (which is totally cool). I asked him how he knew the code and he told me he was a navy officer for 35 years and that he was in the war, and went all over the states on board a huge ship. It was extremely fascinating, what impressed me besides the story was that I could understand it. Sweet, the Japanese is coming back. After that he showed me Kanji charts and explain to me about my last name, that it dates back 800 years ago and it doesn't mean middle of the rice field, but rather the middle of the field is the best place for you to build your home, and so it has more to do with settling and living instead of hanging out with rice. Good to know to be sure. Anyway, I finally excused myself after 2 hours, and walked back home. I was way to exhausted and the next day (yesterday), was going to be a big one.
Yesterday, I met the new student teacher. She is 23 years old, and by far the most attractive Japanese woman I have ever seen. I was pretty taken back because when they first told me I was going to be working with her they told me she was old, so I was thinking in her later years. Yeah, but she is HOT! That and she was pretty funny, super nervous, but yeah. So the next bit of news is that I am going to be working with her for 3 weeks instead of just 2, which doesn't bother me. Although it does me that I am REALLY busy. So I was there the whole day, then met Megan who was teaching at the high school and brought me homemade chicken noodle soup then we hung out at my house for a bit, and then went back to work.
At work I found a package from my parents. YAY. Always nice to show up here to a box on my desk. Happy happy day. Filled with candy and a chocolate Simba, two of my dresses and MY CALGARY FLAMES jersey!!!! I am super excited about that one. The fact that I wore that religiously when I was 7 or so adds to it, but also they won the first game in the finals for the Stanley Cup. I REALLY hope they win the cup. I mean, they are playing Tampa Bay, and nothing against Florida, but yeah the cup really should be brought home. All I have to say.
Okay so after work was done, I went for a walk and ran into the baseball team doing practice, and so decided to go hang out at the Junior High for a bit. It was pretty funny and all the teachers were kicking back and eating cup o noodle. Anyway, I got invited to a young teachers drinking party tonight. Sweet. Today being my last day of antibiotics and all, and driving to Sapporo tomorrow, a night of drinking is just perfect. My hope is to nurse one drink, be a clown, then bow out and go home and sleep. We will see how that goes.
So one more day and the weekend, which is just as packed with an open mic for charity, so there are will be a lots of music and more drinking, possible mountain climbing (if my lungs can handle it), and yeah, good times for all.
The sun is back out people and it is shinning!
Peace!
That was that brief encounter (basically). I walked 50 feet more and ran into one of my eikaiwa students just going into his home and so he invited me in for coffee. First of all I don't drink coffee, but it would also be really rude not to go. So I went in, we chatted, mostly in Japanese. He showed me all his play station games (the guy is 69 years old), and showed me his radio room where he has a machine that lets you broadcast the morse code (which is totally cool). I asked him how he knew the code and he told me he was a navy officer for 35 years and that he was in the war, and went all over the states on board a huge ship. It was extremely fascinating, what impressed me besides the story was that I could understand it. Sweet, the Japanese is coming back. After that he showed me Kanji charts and explain to me about my last name, that it dates back 800 years ago and it doesn't mean middle of the rice field, but rather the middle of the field is the best place for you to build your home, and so it has more to do with settling and living instead of hanging out with rice. Good to know to be sure. Anyway, I finally excused myself after 2 hours, and walked back home. I was way to exhausted and the next day (yesterday), was going to be a big one.
Yesterday, I met the new student teacher. She is 23 years old, and by far the most attractive Japanese woman I have ever seen. I was pretty taken back because when they first told me I was going to be working with her they told me she was old, so I was thinking in her later years. Yeah, but she is HOT! That and she was pretty funny, super nervous, but yeah. So the next bit of news is that I am going to be working with her for 3 weeks instead of just 2, which doesn't bother me. Although it does me that I am REALLY busy. So I was there the whole day, then met Megan who was teaching at the high school and brought me homemade chicken noodle soup then we hung out at my house for a bit, and then went back to work.
At work I found a package from my parents. YAY. Always nice to show up here to a box on my desk. Happy happy day. Filled with candy and a chocolate Simba, two of my dresses and MY CALGARY FLAMES jersey!!!! I am super excited about that one. The fact that I wore that religiously when I was 7 or so adds to it, but also they won the first game in the finals for the Stanley Cup. I REALLY hope they win the cup. I mean, they are playing Tampa Bay, and nothing against Florida, but yeah the cup really should be brought home. All I have to say.
Okay so after work was done, I went for a walk and ran into the baseball team doing practice, and so decided to go hang out at the Junior High for a bit. It was pretty funny and all the teachers were kicking back and eating cup o noodle. Anyway, I got invited to a young teachers drinking party tonight. Sweet. Today being my last day of antibiotics and all, and driving to Sapporo tomorrow, a night of drinking is just perfect. My hope is to nurse one drink, be a clown, then bow out and go home and sleep. We will see how that goes.
So one more day and the weekend, which is just as packed with an open mic for charity, so there are will be a lots of music and more drinking, possible mountain climbing (if my lungs can handle it), and yeah, good times for all.
The sun is back out people and it is shinning!
Peace!
<< Home