Well there wasn't
really too much excitement. No rice getting
stuff on my toes...no missed
trains as I wound up in some far unknown land.
Pretty much a rather boring
week in comparison...so with little expectation here
goes. On Monday my
boss, the Superintendent (recall he is the grandfather
type that sings old
American folk songs with me), asked if I was eating
okay since I was a guy
and guys do not cook because it is "a woman's job".
I reassured him that I
was eating just fine and I cooked spaghetti and french
toast quite well all
the time...not to mention my expertise in tunafish
making to give my diet a
change. He then mentioned how weight is equal
to health (Americans should
be the healthiest people in the world...we weigh the
most!!) and how I
should watch my weight to make sure it doesn't go
down too much. Well I
checked it the other day and I was 85.6 kilograms
which didn't mean too
much to me until I got home and did the calculation...188lbs...so
I don't
think weighing too little is affecting me at this
point.
Also on
Monday I began the 5 day Japanese language lessons at the
office down the road. When I got there they,
the 2 teachers, started
talking in Japanese...was I in the wrong class?
I didn't know a thing and
I just sat there comtemplating the importance of language
and
communication. Finally they asked in english
if we had any questions about
anything, to which I responded that "I didn't know
what I didn't know and
therefore didn't have enough information to even ask
a
question"...amazingly they understood this though
the other ALTs in the
class had no idea what I said. So at least by
the end of the 5 days I did
know what I didn't know but I am frustrated just the
same...still we had a
few laughs especially when we had to come up with
questions that they would
translate into Japanese. Mine consisted of the
following: May I have my
train ticket? When is the last train to Nakanojo
leaving? Is there
another stop and change of train I should know about?
How far is Nakanojo
>from here? and last but not least "How much
is taxi to get me back to
Nakanjo?" Needless to say last week's excursion
to never-never land is
still very much in my mind...not to mention in the
minds of my office mates
who remind me of it..just in case I forgot.
At least it is a good
icebreaker with people I just met, i.e. the school
teachers and principals
I met last week...and eventually I am convinced it
will be worth the 15,000
yen it cost me to experience. Also if
you have no idea what I am talking
about you need to read the last email or ask me to
send it to you.
Also on
Monday I went to another spa place...let's just say you are
naked with a bunch of people of your same gender...enough
said...let's move
on.
All week
I had "dance lessons". I am going to participate in a
festival with my office and we are going to do this
dance which reminds me
more of the back up dancers to Gladys Knight than
actual dancing. I
haven't heard yet on what we are supposed to wear
to the festival but I
sincerely hope, for the sake of others and myself,
I don't have to wear a
towel only...that would be really bad. I also
found out a reason why they
want me to participate. It is said that a man
who can do a dance will get
food made for him by many women. So the basic
reason I am dancing is for
food...hmmmm...well I guess if it works out when I
get back to the States I
won't be a teacher but will do a dance for money...for
some reason I think
Americans won't be so kind.
Yesterday,
Saturday I played in a softball tournament that the town
office sponsored. Each section played each other
and my section didn't win
it but we got a box of tissues for our participation.
I did okay and every
clapped when I made a catch in foul territory from
shortstop...aftewards
everyone went to an enkai which is adinner party...that
was fun and free.
I ate chicken, pork, fish that was still in tact and
shark jaw and
gills..isn't that quaint?
This week
is pretty short but next week should be better. I am
preparing to go with other JETS to climb Mt Fugi on
the 29th...I will let
you know how that turns out...I have to go make a
tuna fish sandwich.