the Weekend

I'm at school, the right school (!), and thought I'd blog before I have a class. The weekend was a good one, not too strenguous but wasn't all sitting around doing nothing.

On Friday night after work, I went to Nitanda and met Louise, and Zoe, who was back in town sorting out visa stuff, and some J-friends and teachers. It was jolly fun, drinking, eating and catching up. Then at 10.30pm I got the train to Yamaguchi city to stay at Tori's. I had to go to the loo as soon as I arrived at the station, and nearly got locked in for the night! After watching a couple of episodes of Friends with Jenny and Laura, while Tori slept, we went to bed!

On Saturday I went to the EIL English Seminar. Turns out EIL stands for Experiences in International Living. There were about 40 high school students and about 10-12 native English speakers. We were put into 6 teams and then had English games against each other to get points. Paul and I were in the Orange Team, with 5 students. Through skill, speed, and a little well executed cheating we won the days competition to the disgust of Jimmy and Tom!! Honestly I think all us gai-jin got more competitive than anyone else!! It was a really fun day, and I recommend any JETs staying to help out at it next year!

So after that, we had a nabe dinner with the organisers, then Jimmy, Tom, Chris and I went back to Chris' to meet Louise, Tori, Bruce, and John and we drank and played Tekkon! When the others arrived we started playing Mario Bros Racing, and we continued for the next 5 hours! It was rather fun actually, even won a few times! But the party stopped at about 1am. I think it was after I came from 4th to 1st in the last minute of a race, and yelled and got a bit excited! The the neighbours started banging on the walls!

On Sunday, we woke up, sat round, then Tori and I went and met Alex, Dan, Rosie, Rei and Jimmy at Xavier Cafe for lunch. Jolly nice it was. We then wandered around town a bit, had coffee, then it was home time. But that was delayed to as Jimmy and I ended up back at Tori's, and we watched more Friends, and couldn't move..! Then it was home time...end of a jolly nice weekend!

bugger!

This morning I came to Mine on the train. Nothing new, cos I come to Omine High School every Friday. Well, most. On the Thursday I get an email from my JTE telling me she'll meet me at the station at 9am. I teach 4 lessons and English Club, then I go home.

So, where is this story going you ask!? Well, after teaching the first class, we get back to the Teachers' Room, and the other English teacher comes running up and tells me, my supervisor had called and I'm meant to be at Kusunoki JH! Oops! So now I feel rather bad that I didn't go to the school! But both the teacher and I didn't bother checking the schedule, and I do remember getting my outline for Kusunoki this week, but I just didn't think much about it cos I'm going there on Monday.

So note to self, and anyone else out there who goes to lots of schools, but also has regular ones that are generally every week, on the same day: CHECK YOUR DIARY!!

the end is pending..!

It seems talk is definitely on the winding down of our JET lives... I was meant to write last week about my handing in of the not-recontracting form. So I did, and my supervisor said, "I think it is a good idea"...now for a minute I thought, "whoa, I thought you liked me!" Then I remembered, and it was verified, that my job is changing. If I was to stay, I would have to move to Ube or somewhere to be based in a high school, and I wouldn't be in Asa at all. So yeah, it all went smoothly and it really is scary to think that in 6 months it's all over Red Rover!

It does seem weird to think that I've been here for 18 months. I mean, the time has flown on some levels, but on others it seems like an age since I was in NZ, and it seems like I have been biking to the station, and going to different schools everyday for so very long...

One thing that often comes to mind is how I've been living alone for 18 months. Now I'm not someone that has always needed company, and been a wreck living alone. But I enjoy company. Before Japan, the longest I lived alone for was about 2 months during one uni summer, when I worked up at the lakes. Even then though, I was about an hour from home, and my friends and fam came up over the Xmas/New Year. But, now when I think about how I have been living by myself, it kind of surprises me. I can't even remember thinking how I was in this apartment alone at night...not that I've actually been a scared of people attacking in the night type of person..! Having come to Japan straight from living at home, and uni with another 180, 6, and 4 people respectively thru my 3 years, it's kind of cool to think I have fended for myself, entertained myself and generally been quite content living by myself for this long..!

There are times however, that I wish I did have flatmates, someone to hang out with, chat with, at night. I hate having to cook for one. I love cooking, but inspiration runs dry when you are having to buy the food, cook the food, clean up after it all...without the enjoyment of sharing it.
I'm looking forward to going home, and being able to talk to real people every night, not just by phone, or IM! I will be able to go out easily and visit people, and people can come to visit me easily. I can cook for people, and be cooked for! When I cook a meal at home, and my brothers come for dinner, I won't have to do the dishes! Oh the things to come, and it's only 6 months away...

My arms are sore from bowling, even my right arm..? Go figure..? And I have been teaching in 3 classes today and my voice keeps breaking when I try to say my part... I don't even think I yelled on Saturday night..!

But poor Louise emailed and said she was considering goin g home she felt so shit! Yeah, she was PISSED on Saturday!! The poor thing!

It's cold and I have to wait at school until after school cos I am coaching a girl for a speech competition. She had to say 'little white rabbit...little black rabbit...' over and over again in the speech... The poor thing is struggling with her 'r' and 'l' sounds...why oh why did the teacher choose this speech!?

fun times...fun times!

yeah, fun times! Fun, drunken times with mates! Gotta love it! The occasion was Lauren and Kat's birthdays, and there ended up being a good 22-28 people there throughout the night. We went bowling, and it was jolly fun, lots of high fives all round for effort! Then on to Yaki-tori at the Red Lantern. This place is great. As a dedicated chicken fan, the fact that a restaurant is dedicated to chicken (and isn't originally from Kentucky) is just marvellous!

After a few (many) chu-hais between the bowling, walking, and dinner I and many others were well on their way to being well pissed! The bar with pool tables and darts is were things got most silly! Conversations were flying about random things left right and centre! It was discovered that Paul and I are compatible huggers which is lovely. And a number of us also decided which Dawson's Creek guys and girls we would shag, snog or throw off a cliff, among other stars! Oh the fun that was had!

So by the end of the night, Osamu, Jo, Louise, Selena, Tom, Lee and me were dancing at Q Bar is varying degrees of drunkeness (varying from really drunk - totally shit-faced!)! And then it was home time, where we cramped into Jimmys spare room, and as promised I called Paul at 5.50am so he wouldn't be late for the train to Hofu for skiing. The conversation went something like this:
ME: hhhhrhghuguh
Paul: Ohayoo (in a tired very early in the morning voice)
ME: huurhghghrrrhuh ( there may have been a word in there but I can't remember..)
Then I hung up!

At 9.30am, Osamu and I got up to go to Yamaguchi to meet a couple of women from his eikaiwa at the international festival, hungover and feeling like hell! We hung out, dying for water, had a nice time in spite of our conditions, then headed off to go keitai shopping. Then somehow it got from 3pm to 6.30pm, and we ended up in Onoda, finally got a keitai, and some dinner. Then I got home before, and have had my drugs finally! Honestly I don't think I've had such a lingering hangover headache in a long time..! So yeah, fun times and it was so nice to hang out with the peops, catch up, act like fools and have a drunken good time! Oh and Tom, bless the poor bugger who was told he can skip...! I have never seen such a sight in all my life!!

Signed, sealed, and almost delivered..!

It's official, I'm going home in August. I knew I was, but I have signed the paper and I just have to give it to my supervisor today. It really doesn't seem like that long til it's hometime... I remember last year when others were leaving and it came by so quick. In any other world August is ages away from January, about 2/3 thru the year in fact! But here in Japan, it's going to come by way quick!

This week I feel really busy, and really I have been doing bugger all! I was however at school on Wednesday til 6.30pm! I left the house in the morning at 7.15am and didn't get home til 7.45pm! Hows that for dedication to the job! Yesterday I had to done a white coat and pretend to be a doctor! This is with the same teacher who once made me wear this big McDonalds hat to do takeaways! I like this school though, cos its one of my regular ones (as in I go about once a month). A couple of the 2-nen-sei boys have worked out that if they say "smile" I can't resist! Must work on my poker face, cos it never has been good...! The 3-nen-sei guys think its funny that I know Japanese so they'll casually say "ima wa nan ji desu ka" and I impulsively look at my watch! Then they crack up..! Small things..!

Today I'm at Omine High. Some of the students are so nice, and actually talk in the class. Love that! But it's nice that outside of the class some of the girls come up and chat. I haven't been here since before Christmas, and a few are even like "Oh, hey, ohisashiburi!" How nice! And I've only got about 6 months left to go. Maybe I will crack the English club before I leave...it'd take a small miracle me thinks!!

This morning I had to get a bus at 7.45am. I set my alarm and it went off, but then I must have turned it off thinking I would get up. Next thing I know, I look at the clock and it's 7.38am!!! Arghh! I jump out of bed and run for dear life to dress and ran out the door! Luckily the bus stop is just across the road, but unluckily it's the state highway (Route 2), and it's a bitch to cross. I had to run across when the lights were red for me cos the bus was just pulling into the stop. Thankfully I showered last night, so didn't feel completely arsy, but nothing like a 7min dash to get to school on time!

Ths weekend I turned down a night out in Fukuoka. Amazing but true. Instead I went to Yamaguchi and met Rei, Rosie, Dan, Christine, Bren and Sarah and later Jimmy. We went to the Picasso Exhibition. It was very good. Heaps of his works, and not all obscure ones either. It's the first time I've been in the presence of a whole exhibition of one particularly famous guy's works. After that we went back up to Hagi, yakiniku-ed and went for a few drinks. It was a very pleasant time. Also for my first time on the JET experience I was in the majority nationality group, well for most of the weekend! Us Kiwis had 50-75% throughout the weekend! It was fun to be able to talk about random shit from home. Also I has a new DVD to watch, lent kindly from Dan, of this new NZ cartoon called 'Bro Town'! It appears to be rather funny, so I can't wait to watch it!

Sorry to keep on about it...but it's freakin' cold!

Yip, I'm going to be so bold as to say it's colder than last year..!? I have taken to sleeping half under my kotatsu until I warm up, then sleeping under my blankets on my futon. Last night I even had to done me ol' fleece jacket! I didn't venture to wear the pants as well, but I can see it coming to that! I know how sad you must be Abra and Meag, having thrown the 2 stripe fleeces never to be worn again!

So yeah. That's all I had to say. I'm heading to Yamaguchi City soon to me the Northern Guch people, and see the Picasso Exhibition that is there. Nothing like a bit of culture!

Up to schedule again!

And you haven't even missed anything exciting from the last week cos I haven't done anything! It has been to damn cold to do anything, so I have been living under my kotatsu. What makes this even more exciting is that I have a new Kotatsu cover, adn it is so cosy!

That was as exciting as the weekend got actually. Louise and I watched DVDs on Saturday night, while drinking a couple of chuhis. On Sunday we woke up late, watched another DVD, went to Joyfull for lunch then went shopping at Marukyu!! I tell you we know how to have fun here in Asa! We decided we'd shop hard in Marukyu too, like actually browse BOTH floors! We did in fact end up buying a few bargains, namely my kotatsu cover, and Louise stocked up on a new duvet, fluffy blanket and electric blanket (bless the child is finding cold). So yeah Asa is well and truly crankin!

Today is my first day back at school. I'm at Ube High, which has grown on me and I now like, apart from teaching with the odd teacher who annoys me... Yesterday I was at the office for the last time in a while, so my supervisor asked me about if I'm going home this summer. Now, I know I am, but I still can't bring myself to say a definite "yes"! I still say, "yes, I think I'm going to go home" with a slightly dispondent edge! I will sign the recontracting for to take on pay day next week, so then it will all be out! It's weird. Of late, I have have been missing being able to hang out and go drinking with my friends at home, and I want to chat on the phone without it costing a bomb, and it always being a catch up of the past month or more. I think that comes with the holiday period. I also miss my friends who left Japan, they should've stayed in Japan!! But on the other hand, I am sad that I will be leaving Japan, and friends here are all going off to their homes (or staying). I am leaving Japanese friends too, which sucks cos there are many people I like here! When J-friends ask if I'm staying I kind of feel guilty for not - but of course not enough to stay! (No Jo, I will not be re-contracting!). Oh well, I am old enough and all that to know that life goes on, blah di blah, and I'll just have to keep working so I can afford to travel the world and visit these people!!

Right lessons to be in and all that, gotta go..

Last day in Vietnam, and last day in Ho Chi Minh staying at the Red Sun Mini Hotel. The staff at the hotel are so lovely, I would refer them to anyone! It was even a little sad saying bye to the wee guy who was around the most, Vinny!

So, with only Jo, Gerard, Louise and I left we spent our last day doing final shopping, and spending all our money! Well, I spent all the rest of my money anyway! Us girls got in a final bit of sight seeing with going to the Post Office (big, beautiful building, with most of the times on the world clocks being wrong!), and the Notre Dame Cathedral (with tacky nativity scenes and neon lights!).

We met up with Ange and Eve, who we first met on the Halong Bay tour for drinks and dinner. They are friends from Aussie, and honestly cracked me up! It was a nice way to spend our last night, and as we were sitting there, Margarita and Maren, who were also on the trip came by, so it was quite the wee reunion!

At 9.45pm we headed back to the hotel and got our shit together to get to the airport. And that is the details of Vietnam 2004-5!

My thoughts on Vietnam…

• I liked it.
• I liked Thailand’s beaches better if I must compare
• The vendors, shop people weren’t too in your face, generally
• I lacked trust with the people most of the time, always feeling like I was getting ripped off (sadly)
• They love to toot the horn of the vehicle like nothing else! I will forever think of Vietnam when I hear a car horn!
• Crossing the road was a mission, but an exciting one once you got the hang of being at one with bikes/scooters/cars…
• It is damn cheap, which makes any place a great place!!

I’m sure I have more profound thoughts rattling around up there but will leave it at that for now…!

Yesterday and today was our last ’trip’. Louise, Gerard, Jo and I went to the Mekong delta for an overnight tour. It was good, but ended up being different to what we were expecting. For starters, the tour guide arrived in the morning and said there was only room for 2 on the first bus, so Jo and Louise headed off, not to be seen again until that evening! And it was Gerard and I in the next bus.

We spent the first day getting to the Mekong, then going in a boat to an island, wandering, having lunch, getting a boat somewhere else, going to a coconut candy-making place, then to a honey tea place. Finally going up a beautiful canal lined with water coconut trees in row boats, before getting the main boat back to the bus to go to Can Tho where we were staying.

We met up with Jo and Louise getting on the ferry across the river. It was crazy, people waited in the upstairs balcony-thing, while below was crowded with motorbikes/trucks/cars and buses! When we got to the hotel, Gerard and I were again shafted to a different hotel because the other one was full! We did get to have dinner all together though!

Day two, saw us going around two floating markets. They were good to see, and it was cool how the boats would hang one each of the fruit and vegies that they sold from a pole so everyone could see. We also wandered along the river, through a village area where regular people were living, and kids were running along with us. Very nice, except I kind of felt like a bit of an idiot being the “tourist”! These people are just living their life, and troupes of ‘gaijin’ stroll through checking it all out!

After a final boat ride up through the country area amongst banana trees and rice paddies it was back to the bus and we headed for Ho Chi Minh with a poor select few on our bus being psychologically analysed about love and “being comfortable with yourself” by two Canadian friends!? It was a nice two days, relaxing and peaceful, but I felt a little like I was waiting for the big climax to happen, and then never came!

Happy New Year!!! So New Years Eve celebrations were fun. Not as big as last year, but I think to have topped Bangkok's N.Y, would've killed me! All the same though it was fun.

We went for dinner after the trip, and arrived back at the hotel to find the staff had prepared a New Years party for the guests! So lovely! We drank some at the hotel, then headed to the street party. There were lots of people, and the main party was at a bar called Allez Boo. We drank, and danced and wandered around to other places...you know how it is!

The highlight would sadly have to be, requesting One Love for old times sake, and Louise, Jo and I dancing hard out to that! Despite seeming like a relatively calm night and getting home at about 3am, photos do show Selene looking quite pissed!!

The rest of New Years Day was pretty chilled out. Went for some lunch, ran into some guys I'd seen during the night, and they were still drinking at 1pm - now that's dedication to the celebrations! The big plan of the day was to go to Chinatown to the big market there. So Louise, Jo and I were to meet Gerard and Erin there. It didn't happen like that though! We arrived, the market wasn't open, the others didn't arrive, we walked around for a bit, were pestered constantly by cyclo guys, and I mean Pestered!! So we get a taxi after a while and the guy ends up getting us lost! So after an hour, we get back to our 'hood, and the price is over double what we paid on the way. So we pay the amount we paid the first time, and the driver wasn't happy, and wanted the full price, so I got tough and was like, "Listen, no Listen..." and told him how it was, and we got out!

The night ended with the others finally getting back from their own adventure, and we went to an Irish Bar. After that Gerard went home cos he didn't want to return to Apocalypse Now! In the end though, us girls ended up doing the 'Lonely Planet Pub Crawl" where we went to the bars listed in the lonely planet! We had a drink at every bar, but only a quick shot if the bar was bad! We even got a free shot at one place (cos I peeled the candle wax off the table I think!). We got home at about 1 or 2am, quite pissed, so a good start to the new year I say!

The last day of 2004! I can't believe this year has gone so fast, but then again I say that every year!

Today we went on a day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels via a Cao Dai Temple in Tay Ninh. Ah yes, you say! It was pretty cool. The temple was pretty amazing, very colourful and kind of magical looking. I can't remember much about the religion, but basically it has taken elements of Eastern and Western religions such as Taoism, Confusionism, Buddhism and Christianity.

After the temple and lunch we headed to the Cu Chi Tunnels. These are some of the tunnels which Vietnamese built during the war are used for hiding out, and living in. They're pretty amazing and supposedly architecturally genius. So after watching a video that was entirely propaganda and referred to the Americans as "a crazy batch of devils", we went on a tour of the tunnels and weapon building area and saw traps which the Vietnamese caught enemies with. Then it was our turn to go thru a tunnel or two. It was terrifying, for me at least. I don't care much for small enclosed places. So I was about to go through among to others, then I decided I'd wait for the others to go before me. So in they all went. I figured I might as well do it, since I was there and it couldn't be that long. But it was awful. I ended up crawling through, and the man in front kindly took my bag, as I kind of continued through freaking out, and beginning to hyperventilate! Once thru, I came out and declared, "that was so awful", and began to cry! I'm sure there is a freak out in every group, well that's what I like to tell myself! Anyway, I did it, and became the official bag carrier for the other two tunnels!

At the end of the day people shot guns. Big, real guns. I didn't, but just hearing the banging of them and the loudness was pretty frightening. It's amazing and scary to think of people hiding out underground and navigating those tunnels for a long period. Listening to the constant sound of gun fire and warfare during combat. And to thing it's happening again now in Iraq. Very scary and I don't know how people are handle it.

So yeah that was the last day of 2004 a bit of excitement to end the year! We got stuck in a traffic jam on the way back to the City, with hundreds of motorbikes, buses and road works! So I saw in the NZ New Years at 6pm in the bus, not even a beer on hand!