Orienteering is such fun.

Except when you're being oriented at.

Okayama was a blast, but for all the wrong reasons.
The bus was twice the expected price (the ticket booth doesn't open before 9 when you live in hicksville, Japan), and on arrival we were walked like toddlers to the prefectural office. By the time we got there we were soaking through, which was to be to our benefit as the vice principal chancellor type told us that we in Japan the water is so clean you can drink it straight from most taps. Much wringing of shirts into bottles followed...

From there we met with English teachers. The one I met couldn't understand English. Only American. So I spoke to another one instead. After that, they re-read the JET general handbook to us (again), which pretty much describes wednesday's activities as well.

Tuesday night was a marvellous bonding experience. For a clearer picture of what really went on, replace the word 'bonding' with the words 'drunkenness and obscene conversation'. It also started the nicknaming which led to our group becoming 'exclusive'. We don't do outsiders. Raewyn, the New Zealand girl became RayVon, Sarah was soon to become Saddam, and I became Cleatis, which is fitting as it sounds a bit white trash and I do live in the mountains. After drinking numerous bottles of ume wine (made from peaches and alcohol) at a very good Japanese restaurant we went to the Aussie bar. Abby became DJ for the night, which led to songs being changed halfway. On our way back to the hotel we made acquaintances with the man behind the counter at Lawson's (Japan's number 1 24-hour convenience store), which was to be a good thing as he ended up serving us at all hours of day and night over the following three days.

The highlight of wednesday's lectures was being given a handout which stated, amongst other things, that we should 'try not to be aggressive' as if we knew no other way. Still, with expectations this low, they surely won't be disappointed...

Wednesday night was the night we socialised with other people. It nearly brought the house down. We all went ot Betsy's for us tea. She's from Kansas or somewhere similar in America, and she's really down to earth. We bought lots of food at the supermarket, and then Betsy got her booze out. Other people came to join us and drinking games began. I got told off for trying to lose. By 9:30, the neighbours were banging on the ceiling. We assumed they wanted us to quiet down, which could be well explained- Betsy's favourite song is 'Who Let The Dogs Out'. So we all left at 10:30. She had a letter from them next day, and I don't think it was welcoming her to the building...

By Thursday it seemed impossible to open our mouths without uttering either a) a swearword, b) an insult or c) a sarcastic comment. Good to see that I haven't changed, eh? We were being shipped on mass to Bisei town, a town of about 20 people. First port of call was a fruit and veg market, as to why I still don't know. They told us we may want to buy fruit and vegetables. Which makes sense, as you usually would do a weekly shop when you're staying in a hotel for three nights and have a two hour bus ride home... From there we went to some touristy thing which was very good, and our free lunch (for which we'd had to pay 1000yen) was very tasty. We saw charcoal being made (have you ever watched someone burn wood before? Very interesting), saw traditional dance (which was highly bizarre and alarming in places), visited an obsservatory (where they told us that for one to be able to see stars, the sky must be dark. Go figure...) and finally did cloth dyeing, which was actually very much fun. I have a personalised tie-dye square hanging on my wall right now. Lord, I am trailer trash.

A big party had been organised in a beer garden for thursday night, and everyone was going, so we went to an Italian restaurant and then karaoke instead. I actually joined the karaoke place for some reason (!?). We had a free drinks menu, and boy did we use it. All the classics were rolled out, and a new selection, 'Dirrty' complete with rap section became a highlight for me. As was Johanna's rendition of Lauren Hill's 'To Zion'. The walk home involved a trip to Lawson's where the same man served us who had served us that morning at 9:50 and the night before at 11:30. Japanese labour laws must be harsh. He looked old, but was probably only 22.

Friday's lectures were useful and we learnt how they want us to do a lesson. We also had a Japanese lesson. And we left early. Shopping ahoy! A whirlwind shopping trip was followed by the worst meal ever in an Italian restaurant where the menu was only in Japanese and there were no pictures. We figured out some of the meals, and ordered. 2 margarita pizzas turned up in 10 minutes, followed 25 minutes later by chicken dishes for Fiona and Abby. These consisted of gristle and lettuce. Johanna and RayVon's pizza came after a further 10 minutes. It wasn't so much a pizza as a giant pringle with spray cheese and a strip of meat arranged on top. I remembered the word for 'delicious' in Japanese. This upset me, because I clearly would not have the opportunity to use it here.

A quiet night followed as I stayed at Fiona's and we watched a very funny English film, the name of which has gone from my brain.

On Saturday I made numerous attempts to meet Claire, but instead ended up meeting an Aussie JET called Philip, and we spent much of the day walking round Okayama in the sun. We eventually ended up at Betsy's where Claire joined us and I stayed the night. Plans failed and we ended up sitting in chatting which was good, and so I felt vaguely rested for my journey home on Sunday. Except that I wasn't relaxing at all as with 15 spare minutes I rushed to do some last minute shopping before returning to the land of 'Bonnie's' and bars that are closed on Mondays.