More more more, how do you like it? How do you like it?

Not very much that's for sure.
Monday this week was a mess. I seemed to lose the ability to keep my eyes open and this was at it's worst during school hours. I could say it was because of the three earthquakes on Sunday evening/ Monday morning, but I slept through them all. I could say it was because I was tired from over exertion, but the only things I've over exerted recently are my two typing fingers. Very sore they are. Anyway, it was a pretty quiet day, did the self introduction a couple of times with the third year classes at Junior high, and they were cool. They think I look like Tom Cruise. I love school children.

Tuesday was typhoon number 2, and it was due to hit Katsuyama at noon. So, I thought with glee, a day in bed for me! Not bloody likely. I get the same phone call as before and have to hall arse into school, where I find no-one doing anything. A few teachers were catching up on things, but some appeared to have caught up, and were catching up on computer games and newspaper bargain shopping pull-outs instead (and this included the headmaster). In my tired state I became more and more irritable and angry about having to sit in an office with nothing to do other try and not pass out at my desk. This anger grew even more once the typhoon kicked in and it wasn't safe to leave the building. Although somehow a man turned up at the school doors selling bread in the middle of the storm (!?). He had what appeared to be lovely stick bread, so that momentarily brightened me up and I bought a loaf.

At 4 o'clock our deputy head announced we could leave early. I was not hugely impressed as 4 is the time I finish and the rain was pelting down by now. Sideways in sheet formation. So, I left to walk home having not ridden my bike due to the weather. Within 500 yards of the school I was soaked through, so I decided to head to Lawson's to get a plastic bag for my bread, only I got confused and asked the shop girl for a big desk instead. Doh! (part 50,007). And when I got home, said loaf appeared to have a faux-creamy filling. Doh! (part 50,008).

Wednesday was better, and the tiredness seemed to peak. Only one class at school, and then I went for tea with the elementary school headmistress' daughter and her husband. It was really good. her English is perfect, and he was very funny. I'd been for lunch with her before when she was preparing for teaching exams as she wanted to practice her English. She didn't need to practice...

Thursday was a real trial. I had to watch rehearsals for school sports day, and sit in the heat outside without falling asleep. I couldn't read a book or send text messages or learn Japanese as usual. Hot damn! Still, the evening made up for it as I got my hair straightened Japanese style for an amzing equivalent £50UK. It was 10000 yen. And it's wonderful. It moves when the wind blows, and it takes hours and hours to dry, just like real hair! I am in love.

Friday was business as usual, with two classes, both were cool, and after work we went out for Christine's birthday. Abbey came over from Shingo Town, and me, she, Christine and Johanna went to a restaurant which was real nice, but the 50 year old waitresses were on crack or something. They were in a different world for the whole time we were there, and they made wicked drinks. Johanna's rum and coke was equal parts rum and coke. We will return. Hopefully at a time when our Japanese has improved so that we can order properly rather than just randomly select from the menu.

From there we went back to the Outback bar in Kuse, and was greeted with a chorus of 'Kurisu' by someone I introduced myself to a few weeks ago (I remember because his teeth were shocking) and his posse of friends. This led to drinking games with two of the guys, one of whom kept talking to me, but I he was drunk and I can't understand Japanese these days, so I was clueless (as usual). Games of Janken Po (Japanese Paper, Scissors, Rock game) decided who would drink shots of vodka. Christine and I made an early exit- I had sports day on Saturday and I was drunk from the restaurant...

Well, Saturday came, and I was hungover. Not too bad though, not friends-with-the-toilet bowl bad. Just a headache. And I had to run in a race. So, to school for 8:20 as usual, and then onwards to undokai as they call it. It was very like our sports days, with tug of war and games involving pushing a bicycle wheel around the track with a stick. Teachers had teams in certain races and unflinchingly came last every single time. This went over my head as I became psycho boy, convinced that I could win my race as all the teams had fat kids in who wouldn't run fast. Only, once our relay started I realised that fat kids can run faster than fat adults and, despite some strong athletic turns on our team, we really stood no chance. But I was fast. Damn fast. Or so I was told by the teachers and the kids afterwards. Although these are the people who are amazed that I can eat food with chopsticks, so perhaps it was my being faster than a corpse that surprised them. Who knows?

As sports day came to a close we started to prepare for teacher's night out. We had our enkai in a restaurant in Kuse, and imbued with alcohol and an iron will, we re-enacted the games from sports day with a few props and a lot of booze. The head and deputy head of the school threw themselves into things without abandon, and the whole thing was a right laugh. Everyone drank like the pubs were closing in ten minutes, although we had a huge (and I mean huge) supply of booze and it was only 6 o'clock. A massive amount of food was laid out and the school secretary impressed me hugely by refusing to eat some sort of shellfish, and when I asked her if she liked it, she said 'grotesque'. This was the first English word she'd spoken to me, and lord, her timing was perfect. I was a bit drunk, and proceeded to laugh maniacally. Not as much as during the games we played, or when we redid the kids' dance routines which they'd performed in the day. Class.

After the main meal, we went on to another bar which had karaoke. At first only 3 of us went on, then my favourite teacher (who leaves at the end of this month) turned up- she is a shocking drinker, and likes the drinks I do. I think we'll stay in touch. I sang Abba which was very well received, and then, by accident, 'The Eye Of The Tiger'. Which is just really a load of rubbish, in't it? Anyway, more teachers joined us, but before they settled in, they conga-ed into the bar with their tops off, and then conga-ed out again. Then they repeated this in only their underpants. I was rather dismayed to say the least. More drinks were had, and then it was decided we should leave. This bar had plates of snack food on the tables (Japanese seaweed crackers, chocolates, soft cheese). The deputy head decided that I should have these, and together with my favourite teacher, proceeded to fill my bag with goodies which I ate for breakfast. I stumbled back into my flat in an alcoholic daze with the intent of cleaning and tidying today, but other than a two hour walk round town where I discovered 'culture' again (and photographed every little bit I saw), I haven't done anything at all.