Monday, January 31, 2005
Workout Whore
Sunday, instead of going on my bike ride, I ended up going over to my neighbor’s apartment for a knitting session. I haven’t picked up my knitting needles since sometime in September, but this weekend I had good reason to. Hirano-san invited me in (just as I was putting my bike in the car, mind you) and gave me some small handmade dolls for the Ningyoo Matsuri (Doll Festival) in March. I knew about it only because I was in Japan in January 2003 and my host mother had started putting out her dolls before I left. I’m not sure what they mean or why they do it, but it seems many Japanese motherly-types do this and so I’m very happy that I have my own two dolls to put out for the month.
The woman doll from Hirano-san. (A few pictures from today where taken with my iSight camera for video-chatting since I STILL don’t have my camera back. I was taking pictures for my friend Peter and then sending them to him through iChat so I might as well share them with you too.)
Then Hirano-san brought out a knitted sweater and asked me if I liked the color. It was an awful lime green and yellow, very bright and obnoxious sweater so I pulled a, “Chotto…” which I thought was the best way to say “absolutely not” without actually having to say “Absolutely not!!” She didn’t really catch on though and said that she made it but it was too big for her. The knitting itself is very beautiful, but the color is just hideous. Once I realized that she was giving it to me I said that I really liked it and put it on immediately. I’m not sure I’ll ever wear this thing in public, but maybe I’ll wear it in my apartment sometimes so in case she stops by she’ll see me using it. Actually, true story: As I was leaving her apartment Koichiro was coming up the steps and he saw me wearing this giant pee-colored sweater and all my knitting supplies in hands and so I’ve already been caught with it on. I said Hirano-san made it for me and he gushed about how beautiful it was even though she was already inside the door—although perhaps not out of hearing distance. So, either he’s very gracious (and all the more beautiful because of it) or has very, very bad taste. But I know he’s got really good taste because I see him everyday and he’s never not hot. Japanese men in suits, yum!
So anyway, Hirano-san also helped me start knitting a hat out of some grey yarn I brought from America. I showed her my squid from last year, and she laughed, but I’m not sure she was impressed. Hatakeyama’s daughter, Hinako, loved it though!
Do you remember this squid I made and posted a while back?
I stayed for about an hour and she helped me through my first few problems, but now I’m on my own and it seems to be going fine. She’s mentioned that she and kocho-sensei’s wife want to get together with me occasionally and practice English. Many ALTs have eikaiwa’s (English conversation nights) already planned into their schedule, but I luckily do not. I wouldn’t want to be obligated to do it, but I’m happy to organize something myself. I haven’t started up my Children’s English Night again this year yet (for the children of Nakagoto HS teachers), but I do plan on doing that eventually—maybe when it’s warmer. So we are going to get together once or twice a month and cook something or knit together. I want to learn how to make korokke, fried mashed potatoes!! I also want to learn how to play the shamisen, an old Japanese string instrument, but I may have to wait a bit longer for that. Next time I hear Hirano-san playing I think I should just go down there and ask for a lesson.
My mother has finally gotten DSL so I’ve been video chatting with her and George recently. It’s been fun because I haven’t done much video-chatting now that my full-time video partner, Daniel, has a real job. We’ve also worked out some dates for her first visit to Japan and it looks like it’ll be this April—just in time for picnicing under the cherry blossoms. She’ll stay about three weeks and we’ll mostly hang out on my island, but we’ll spend a weekend in Fukuoka and perhaps another in Nagasaki. I’m looking forward to her company!!
Mama and George eating dinner whilst video chatting with me.
Hee, hee. Having fun with my iSight!
Kuro kuma-kun (my Jeep) and I are getting along fine although I’m not impressed with his gas mileage. It’s about 10 kilometers to the liter and I’m making frequent trips up north to the gym now so I’m paying through my nose. About $80-90/month in gas, but it’s still loads cheaper than the public transportation, nevermind much more convenient. Friday night I drove Koichiro’s car to karate because he doesn’t like to drive, but it was his turn. His Midori-kun is also a manual transmission and it’s so much smoother than Kuro kuma-kun. I had to remind myself that I own a Jeep, not a Rolls Royce and the ride’s just going to be a bit rough. I actually had an offer on it today by one of my teachers. He said if I don’t re-contract he wants to buy it in August before I leave! Your toys always seems a bit more special when coveted by others, don’t they? I still love Kuro-kun very much.
Which brings me to my decision. It wasn’t a hard one, although I made my supervisor sweat a bit this morning. The re-contract form was on my desk this morning along with an offer from the head honcho in Nagasaki for a new contract. He asked me to fill it out and give it to him before I left for Wakamatsu at noon, but instead of just circling the choice I turned it over (like they always do with these clipboards floating around) and said I’d do it soon. He looked at me like, “There’s no decision to be made; you’re staying,” and told me they all want me to re-contract and gave all these nice reasons about how everyone here likes me and they can tell I care about the students and blah, blah, blah. Not just blah, blah, blah because it helped me realize I was doing the right thing, so I turned it back over, circled number 1 and gave it to him. He smiled and accepted. Just now, one of the teachers came up to me and asked what my decision was. I told him and he said, “Yookatta!” (Good decision!) and shook my hand. This is the same teacher who’s offered to buy my car this August so it's good to know he prefers me over the car. It makes me happy.
Hatakeyama just told me that it’s supposed to snow several inches tonight and if there’s too much snow to drive we’ll leave from the apartments at 6:30 a.m… walking! Can you believe they would walk for an hour and a half in the snow to get to school? The students won’t be coming so it’s just because it’s not a scheduled day off. Oh, wait…I’m listening to them now…Okay, I wouldn’t have to go because I’m going to Wakamatsu JHS tomorrow and it’s much further than the high school, so if I can’t drive, I don’t go. Actually making the walk with my teachers sound like a lot of fun. I’d do it just to spend the hour with them.
Wait, there’s more… Oh, great, now my kyoto-sensei is saying that if I can’t drive then I’ll have to walk to the high school, catch a boat at the bay near the school and ferry a ride across to Wakamatsu (it’s another island you see) and then walk from that port to the junior high school!! And to get back I must… swim?!?—since I am training for the triathlon!! He’s got to be joking, but my supervisor looks serious. Oh, how they love to tease me! I guess I’ll get a call tomorrow at 6 a.m. and find how where I’m going and how I’m getting there.
I love my school; they are so funny. Now, I just asked what time the gym is open in Narao and kyoto-sensei said until 10 p.m. From 9 until 10 p.m. is when I can see the ghosts. The ghost of the bird I killed… oh, haven’t I told you yet? I hit a bird on my way to school last week and killed it instantly. It was a big bird too and when I got to school to tell my supervisor and kyoto-sensei they said we’ve have yakitori for dinner. Yakitori is BBQ bird. So tonight they say the ghost of the bird will be haunting the gym from 9 until 10. They are crazy, it’s past 6 p.m., I’ve got to get out of here!
This is me leaving work much too late.
Love, Sierra
Pictures I should have posted long ago, but only remembered now. Joelle, my sister, and my Aunt Lynne “ice-skating” during Oregon’s winter storm. They had to hang onto the car to stay on their feet. Look at all the fun I’m missing out on back home!!!
And my friend, Ken Hess, who’s going to be a rock star one day and I’ll be his biggest fan. Seriously, his music—guitar and singing—is amazing!! This picture is showing off his long blonde hair which he just cut off last week!! Can anyone say "That 70s show!"
