G'day Mate!
So I have been pulling my hair for the past 2 weeks with nothing to do. I sit at my desk all day looking for anything and everything. I give myself assignments like learning about the life expectancy of ants or when turtles tend to lay their eggs. I have also begun planning my mother’s trip who will be coming the last 2 weeks in July. Cristina’s sister whose flights have already been booked is coming from mid-May to mid-June.
The only really notable thing I have done since last Sunday is beginning to train early in the mornings with the baseball team. On certain days I run the 5K with them or run to the Uchinoura mountain and climb up its 555 steps. I can definitely run the 5K faster, but I choose to stay behind with the slowest kid because I think it makes him feel better to have company now. As for the 555 steps, I stay behind with him but not by choice. I really just cant go any faster.
Friday night, Uchinoura welcomed its new teachers with a Welcome Party. For this welcome party, all the new teachers and myself were taught how to make sashimi out of a freshly caught fish. It was exciting and fun to do, but I really didn’t enjoy eating it afterward. Don’t get me wrong. I love sashimi; however, it grosses me out to know that I just got that sashimi from skinning and gutting a once living animal. The Welcome Party was fun. I was able to socialize with my two new English teachers. They seem nice and I am sure they are. I also met all the other new teachers which made for interesting conversation. The good thing about these parties is that when everyone gets drunk, everyone usually wants to converse with the foreigner and try to remember all the English they learned in school. I don’t mind because it is usually somewhat interesting. And, if I am ever in an uncomfortable situation, there is usually someone else waiting to speak with me that usually just butts in.
Saturday, Cristina made some hummus sandwiches and we headed to the cherry blossom park for some ‘hanami’ (cherry blossom watching). Hanami in Japan is very important. Everyday leading up to Hanami, the weather forecasters attempt to determine the first day of blooming. Then, once the blossoms are out, people usually go to a park and picnic, barbecue and drink while watching the blossoms with friends. Apparently however, these blossom watching picnics can get extremely out of hand. I just saw a TV show yesterday which was like ‘Cops’ where people were getting out of hand because of drinking and had to be rough-housed by police men. Lucky for us, that was not the case in Kushira. After an hour there, we were attacked by a spider and decided to leave. We then went to Kirishima Gaoka in Kanoya (the rose park) to stroll and to have some of Cristina’s favorite rose ice cream.
Sunday, we opted out of doing the 7K race because it was so far away. We went to the Osaki beach for a short while instead. Unfortunately, the day was not as beautiful as the day before. However, we enjoyed it with some combini food on a blanket in front of the crashing waves. After a couple hours there, we headed back to Cristina’s with Laura and Jill to watch 7 or 8 episodes of Desperate Housewives.
Now, what I have found to occupy my days, is planning a 8-day holiday Cristina and I want to take in September. Originally we were thinking Korea, but I don’t think that Korea merits that many days. The only place I am really interested in visiting is Seoul, and that’s probably only worth a long weekend. So, now we are thinking of Australia. We know we definitely want to do Sydney. We are still deciding between Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane for our second choice. So, if you have any suggestions, let us know.
The only really notable thing I have done since last Sunday is beginning to train early in the mornings with the baseball team. On certain days I run the 5K with them or run to the Uchinoura mountain and climb up its 555 steps. I can definitely run the 5K faster, but I choose to stay behind with the slowest kid because I think it makes him feel better to have company now. As for the 555 steps, I stay behind with him but not by choice. I really just cant go any faster.
Friday night, Uchinoura welcomed its new teachers with a Welcome Party. For this welcome party, all the new teachers and myself were taught how to make sashimi out of a freshly caught fish. It was exciting and fun to do, but I really didn’t enjoy eating it afterward. Don’t get me wrong. I love sashimi; however, it grosses me out to know that I just got that sashimi from skinning and gutting a once living animal. The Welcome Party was fun. I was able to socialize with my two new English teachers. They seem nice and I am sure they are. I also met all the other new teachers which made for interesting conversation. The good thing about these parties is that when everyone gets drunk, everyone usually wants to converse with the foreigner and try to remember all the English they learned in school. I don’t mind because it is usually somewhat interesting. And, if I am ever in an uncomfortable situation, there is usually someone else waiting to speak with me that usually just butts in.
Saturday, Cristina made some hummus sandwiches and we headed to the cherry blossom park for some ‘hanami’ (cherry blossom watching). Hanami in Japan is very important. Everyday leading up to Hanami, the weather forecasters attempt to determine the first day of blooming. Then, once the blossoms are out, people usually go to a park and picnic, barbecue and drink while watching the blossoms with friends. Apparently however, these blossom watching picnics can get extremely out of hand. I just saw a TV show yesterday which was like ‘Cops’ where people were getting out of hand because of drinking and had to be rough-housed by police men. Lucky for us, that was not the case in Kushira. After an hour there, we were attacked by a spider and decided to leave. We then went to Kirishima Gaoka in Kanoya (the rose park) to stroll and to have some of Cristina’s favorite rose ice cream.
Sunday, we opted out of doing the 7K race because it was so far away. We went to the Osaki beach for a short while instead. Unfortunately, the day was not as beautiful as the day before. However, we enjoyed it with some combini food on a blanket in front of the crashing waves. After a couple hours there, we headed back to Cristina’s with Laura and Jill to watch 7 or 8 episodes of Desperate Housewives.
Now, what I have found to occupy my days, is planning a 8-day holiday Cristina and I want to take in September. Originally we were thinking Korea, but I don’t think that Korea merits that many days. The only place I am really interested in visiting is Seoul, and that’s probably only worth a long weekend. So, now we are thinking of Australia. We know we definitely want to do Sydney. We are still deciding between Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane for our second choice. So, if you have any suggestions, let us know.
posted by Jesse Montano at
2:42 PM
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