Dartboard

Oh, where do I start?? Well, first things first, I suppose. I just got back from teaching my first English class at Nakagoto High School! And I’d call it a success! I am so happy that I don’t even care about the huge pit circles on my blouse. At home, pit circles would be totally unacceptable, I know, but it’s just too hot here! My friend Laura (pronounced Rora in Japan) says that she’s never talked so much about sweat in her life, and I just may have to agree. It does somehow become the topic of many conversations in Japan.

Me with my maps of the United States and Pacific Northwest.

Explaining to the students that I want them to write their names on cards and put them on their desks. I'll do my best to learn them all, but I'll need some assistance!

That's Tomonoga-sensei on the right. I'll be teaching three classes a week with him.

Today has just been a great day. I’ve gotten so much done! I was beginning to worry that I wasn’t doing enough work related stuff while at work. (hee, hee =) No! I really was beginning to worry. At the junior high in Narao they work poor Catherine to the bone. She’s done so much lesson planning, worksheet and poster making, and I’ll I’d done up until today was paste pictures to paper for my self-introduction lesson. But today I was on the ball! I asked about this weekly radio broadcast system that some of my predecessors have done and I’ve already got my first broadcast planned for next Wednesday. Who says I can’t use my Mass Communication major in rural Japan!!

Ah, another distraction. I’m keeping so busy… it’s almost time to go home already! So we’ll see what I can squeeze in in just 15 minutes.

Tuesday night I did indeed get Midori-chan. Hatake and I cleaned her insides out and then I took her for a spin to the grocery store. It was nice to shop without worry about how much I could carry in my backpack and two hands up my very steep hill. The freedoms of a car! I love my independence!

Also on Tuesday night I went to karate with Hatake. There is an optional class on Tuesday nights in a dojo (gym or place of practice) in Arakawa at 7:30 p.m. A student of Matsuzono, our Friday night master, has now also become a master and runs this Tuesday night program. This class was awesome because I was no longer a spectator but a participator! I learned one basic punch and two basic kicks. There are all sorts of minor techniques that I’ve never learned (of course because I’ve never tried a martial art) and it’s really challenging. Of all things, my calves are really sore today. When I stand up and walk after sitting at my desk for a while I limp! I was really expecting my glutes to be sorer than they are—those sidekicks are a killer!

At the end of class we lined up to kick and punch at someone holding a big punching-pad and I really surprised them with my strength! I’m really not any stronger than any other western woman, but in comparison with all my Japanese colleagues I kicked ass! It was fun because the Arakawa master is this young guy who’s really serious and never smiles and when I kicked him—ok, when I kicked the pad he was holding—it blew him away. He made all these noises of surprise and acted like I’d thrown him across the room. It felt good to throw him off for a bit.

Last night Catherine and I went for a drive in Midori-chan and we got this amazing view of the island. We could see most of downtown Narao, including Catherine’s apartment, and Wakamatsu bridge off in the distance. There was even a Jet Foil (fast ferry) coming in from Nagasaki that we watched dock in the port and pull out again for Fukue (the largest island in the chain, furthest south). Unfortunately I forgot my camera so I’ll have to go back and get pictures so I can show you the views.

Afterwards we went for our weekly restaurant trip and finally decided on what we think is “The Expensive Restaurant.” It is a yakiniku restaurant, which means Japanese barbecue, and it has been one of my favorite meals since my arrival. We’ve decided it’s where we’re going to take everyone who comes to visit us in Narao! It’s easy to order, the food is so delicious and actually it’s not that expensive after all, just about ¥1500 per person.

Well, it’s after 4 o’clock and that means I get to go home for the day. I have other stories but I don’t have time to tell them! Tonight is flower-arranging at the town hall and early to bed, early to rise!

Speaking of rise, look how yesterday's sun decided to do it!! This is what this world looks like at 5 a.m.!

"Red sky in the morning, sailor's warning. Red sky at night, sailor's delight." This statement has some truth in it. It rained all day Wednesday; it was such a nice break from the heat.

Love and first lessons,
Sierra