Yay! I'm going home tomorrow. Okayama airport to Seoul, Seoul to Heathrow, Heathrow to Ilford (OK, so the last bit isn't a plane journey, but I am doing my best to make it sound glamorous. It's been a busy 8 days with lots of going out, and as usual, lots of last minute shopping (my organisation genes are obviously suffering from some unfortunate syndrome. Again.) And unlike most weeks here, the nights haven't been fillde with booze. This is because I've realised the anti-histamines (which I've been taking for over a month now) have been working with the alcohol to make me an even cheaper and somewhat nastier date (cheaper in the sense that 4 drinks gets me smashed and nastier in the sense that 6 drinks gets me vomiting.) I am beautiful no matter what they say, etc, etc... I wouldn't bloody mind but I'm still itching all the bastard time (please repeat in grumpy Lily Savage style voice.)
Anyway, here's an abridged version of the week's events:
Thursday 9th December: Evening spent at Japanese friend Nao chan's house where she cooked an excellent meal, and my new favourite- agedashi tofu- and her husband got very drunk and knocked a pot of sho-chu over so that it went up the walls into the living room, all over the floor and soaked the tatami. Oops...
Friday 10th December: Baking cookies with 40 kids (and only 3 toaster ovens) at Katsuyama elementary. Successful though- no hot-plates. Evening spent in Okayama at Fiona's.
Saturday 11th December: Doctor's, visit to the orphanage where Abslance was Mrs Claus and Jez was Santa. Very funny. Went to eat with Betsy , Winkie and Ellison and we had those print club stickers done (photo stickers of yourselves.)
Monday 13th December: no classes at school, but in the evening- Dance Class! Went to a street dance lesson (means street style dancing as opposed to Martha and the Vandellas style dancing in the street). I thought I could move well, but blimey, the first hours was pilates-like stretching and was v. hard. Will never be able to do splits or put legs behind head no matter how hard I try or drunk I get. Second half of class was learning a routine at lightning speed. Or not-learning in my case and flailing about like a fish in a frying pan. Will go again, if only because I liked the music during the first hour, and spent much time singing like a loon.
Tuesday 14th December: Preparing for classes at school. Then an end of year party for English conversation class at a really good Chinese restaurant in my town.
Wednesday 15th December: Many lessons and a near baking disaster at Tomihara primary school (Master Baker Chris to the rescue)Then in the evening a meal with Christine and Johanna where we figured out some of the meals on the menu and I ate a whole roasted bulb of garlic. A double layered one too. It wasn't long before a smell wafted from me. And the garlic seemed to take on a bean like effect and kick start the old digestive system. Again, I am beautiful, no matter what they say etc, etc...
Thursday 16th December: 3 lessons at Junior high, unaccompanied by teacher, piano or orchestra. After school, met Nao chan and Johanna and went to Kuse for a meal and then to Karaoke! Johanna and I performed our professional-like duet of Wilson Phillips' "Hold On" for Nao chan, and then dazzled/ appalled her with our abilities on a variety of other hideous anthems. And I sang "All I Want For Christmas Is You". Again.
Friday 17th December: 3 lessons at Junior high and the bus to Okayama where Johanna, Saddam, Abslance and I porked out on tasty Japanese food, and I introduced Saddam to the delights of Agedashi tofu (mmm).
Saturday 18th December: Trip to the doctors (good value in Japan) and then bumped into Winkie and Ellison in Starbucks and had a good chat and coffee and cake before going to meet Chad and we went to another coffee place and had a good chat and an ice cream sundae and then met Johanna and Abslance and we went to Baskin and Robbins and had a chat and some ice-cream. And we then did some Xmas shopping. Had tea at a sushi restaurant in Kurashiki and Abslance took us home.
Sunday 19th December: Tidying up, preparing and Christmas shopping.
Monday 20th December: No lessons at school (preparing), but the third grade all made me Christmas cards. Went Christmas shopping in Kuse in the evening and did most of my packing. Made tomorrow's school lunch for the first time in three months.
Tuesday 21st December: 2 lessons, more cards from the third grade (thank you and Merry Christmas), updated web log.
That's it so far, tonight will go to Okayama and stay at Fiona's, tomorrow will fly!
See you all soon, and as I may be a) too busy, b) too drunk or c) too itchy to update this soon, I will say now Merry Christmas!
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2 comments:
If you want to bake bread go to Ochiai-cho and meet Ms. Hyashi-san. She lives in a temple called Korinji in Akano village (it's still in Ochiai-cho). Just ask someone at the Ochiai train station for Hyashi of Korinji Temple..they'll point you in the right direction.
Thanks for the info! I shall have to look up this lady, but not before I've thought of a good explanation of how I've come to know of her! I am envious of your local knowledge, one day I hope to know things,
Thanks again!
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