Dartboard

I just got back from the weekend in Naru. I'm happy to be back in my own home--yes, I'm beginning to take ownership and call this little apartment "home"--watching the Olympics in Japanese, eating my udon and broccoli with chopsticks. James, an Irish, second year ALT, who likes to debate and flirt with me, hosted the Gotos Block event in Naru. Oh yeah, do you remember I mentioned at the Nagasaki Orientation there was a guy who kind of depressed everyone with his warnings of isolation and loneliness? Well, this is the same James, hosting a very poorly attended party. I hope he doesn't wonder why there were only five of the ≈15 of us there. Catherine didn't end up going either, she had friends in Nagasaki City that she wanted to visit.

Friday afternoon I rode my bike to Wakamatsu (Are these names beginning to sound familiar? This is where I'll be teaching junior high twice weekly.) Port and caught the ferry to Naru. The bike ride was in the middle of the day, but the heat wasn't too bad. I made it to the port in just 40 minutes and even got to explore some "beaches" along the island. I put beaches in quotes because it's where the water meets the land, but it is very rocky and doesn't really summon the word beach in my mind. Maybe coastal land would be more appropriate. I even got to see my first wild boar! I think I scared it and so I just saw his tail-end as he ran up the road-side ravine. It scared me too though! I imagined what I would to veer out of it's way on my bike. But it all happened so quickly that I didn't need to make any decisions, I just kept going.

I took these steps thinking they might lead to the beach...

...and this is the view I got!

I rode my bike all along the road on the other side of the water, across the bridge pictured above and into the town of Wakamatsu.

I arrived at the port about an hour early; because I had no idea how long it would take me to get there I wanted plenty of time to spare. The roads here are very hilly and it's been so long since I rode a bike, and I didn't know how I'd do in the heat, and I was unfamiliar with the bike, and my recent knee surgery... need I go on? I enjoyed some grapes outside on a bench until the port opened and my bike and I boarded the ferry. The trip was about an hour and pretty straightforward. James met me at the port in Naru and we hung out together in town for the afternoon.

I took this picture from the ferry. I live just on the other side of that closest green spot.

We met the other second year ALT on Naru island, Nick, and one of James' friends, a police officer, for dinner. I can't remember the policeman's name, but he is one of two police officers on the entire island! Talk about a small island! Or maybe just an uneventful island. We were going to go for karaoke but luckily they were all full so we just went out to the boardwalk and watched the falling stars, dipped our toes in the ocean, and talked about things for the evening. I spent the first night in James' apartment, which was certainly the cause for commotion in the town, as typically two members of the opposite sex should not be alone together in Japan. But even if I had only been there for a one day visit it would have solicited many questions about our relationship from the gossipy villagers--imagine old ladies saying "girufuendo?" while pointing at me behind my back. Apparently it will be the same for me when I have other male JETs or visitors from home, but you can't let it bother you or you'll go crazy.

The next morning two first year ALTs from Fukue Island, Rhienon and Amber, (from NY and Australia, respectively) arrived by ferry. Fukue is the largest island in the Gotos, furthest south, but has an actual city on it. We spent the day watching kayak races, swimming in the ocean, biking around the island, barbecuing chicken and vegetables and then watching an amazing fireworks show. By the way, this weekend we're celebrating the Obon Festival in Japan, where most families return home to care for the graves of their ancestors and celebrate their past lives. Well, I think. It hasn't really been explained to me.

We stayed the night in a nice little cabin near the bay and had our first mucade sighting. Mucades are poisonous millipedes that we've been warned about many times. Their bites will kill small children and make an adult sick for a couple of days. James took a broom and started beating the thing until he could sweep it out the door. It looks harmless so I might have just left it alone; lucky there was a veteran around so I know exactly how to freak out next time.

The next morning Rhienon and Amber took an early ferry back to Fukue. I woke up with them at 7:30 to show them the way back to the ferry. We had to bike it in the rain, but it was kind of refreshing for a morning ride. I left Naru on the first and only ferry back to Narao around noon. This ferry was quite different from the ferry I took over; instead of chairs inside people just laid out mats on the floor and ate, slept, and talked to pass the time. It was very crowded because everyone was leaving the islands after Obon, but I got a spot on the floor and watched all the interesting people. I was almost worried, because of a huge line at the terminal, that I wouldn't be able to get a ticket and have to stay yet another day in Naru. But I got home okay, biking, huffing and puffing my way up my hill to my apartment.

Tomorrow's plan is to clean my apartment, completely finish unpacking my luggage and then going for a run or bike ride (if my butt bones are up to it) to Narao's best beach, Takai. I still haven't been and I really feel I should go before the jellyfish take over. Catherine will be back from her weekend in Nagasaki City tomorrow and we plan on going out to dinner together. I have two more days off (Mon and Tues) and then when I return to school I'll get serious about work. Making lesson plans and worksheets and real job stuff.

Love and mucades,
Sierra