Kagoshima

Hey everybody,
Just got back from a great little holiday in Kagoshima, right down the bottom of Kyushu. Spent a lovely couple of days walking around the beautiful gardens, catching a ferry over to the active volcano across the bay, on Sakurajima (island), cycling on dodgy rented bikes, discovering beaches and staying in the cheapest accomodation on offer. We were on a pretty tight budget, but we still managed to do some really fun things, including seeing the first movie I've watched at an actual cinema since coming to Japan. Pirates III was good in parts, dragged in others, and included topless Jonny scenes, so nothing's all bad eh? It's going to be hard going back to work this afternoon after a bloody marvellous 4 days, but someone's got to earn the money so's I can spend it right?

Countdown is 10 days now. A few more exciting things to do in the meantime, including a day at the baseball next Sunday, where you can take in your own booze and food, so long as there's no glass or metal. The Fukuoka Hawks (otherwise known by all as the Softbank Hawks, but I simply refuse) are playing the Swallows (what kind of intimidating mascot is that we all wonder?) from I don't know where. We also have a friend from Osaka coming down to stay for a few days the weekend after. Then there's the skin-tingling prospect of many an innoculation and malaria tablet before Thailand. On top of this we also plan to have a leaving do. So it's all go.

Am both sad and excited to be leaving Japan. I'll be leaving behind some wonderful people, saying goodbye to one person in particular for a long time, but on the other hand I'll be coming home, which makes it all that much easier.

My biggest regret so far is definitely that I was too lazy and comfortable in my ignorance to make a concerted effort to learn Japanese. A few rudimentary phrases have sadly sufficed. Not that I'm making excuses, because I easily could have arranged some lessons, but everyone here is so content to put up with non-Japanese speaking gaijin, and so wanting to practice their english, that the need for Japanese only arises occasionally. Even then, you can usually get away with a stupid look and a shrug of the shoulders. This is not a good thing.

Anyway, enough with the chit chat. See you all very very soon (I hope).

Hey, What's the Dealio Yo?

So after 1 month of silence, I post, like, 20 pictures, and nothing! Am I getting a taste of my own medicine? Fair play. So I guess I owe you a little more than that hey? Well, to elaborate, I'm now on the working days-to-go countdown. I officially have 16 days of work before the glorious end of an inglorious teaching career. I'm super excited. The days creep by... and yet in some ways time has sped up. Stu and I are really good, I must say I'm not looking forward to the separation... but enough about that.

Next week we've got 5 days off to explore more of Kyushu, so we're either going to head to a reputedly beautiful beach in Miyazaki, or perhaps to a volcano down in Kagoshima. Beach versus volcano, tough choice (or not). We'll see who comes out on top on that one (me). Karaoke party to plan, leaving party to plan... yes, that's right, we finally found some friends down here! I know I know, you're thinking: Why is she sitting in front of the computer on a Saturday night if she has friends? Sadly, although I usually have Sundays off, tomorrow I have to work. But that's my last one day weekend no more bloody overtime or shift swaps, yay! Seriously though, we have met some lovely people here, I'll be sorry to move on so quickly. It's been particularly nice hanging out more and more with the Japanese staff, something that wasn't so much an option in Himeji/Kakogawa. Things down here are much more relaxed. I've even started to flaut some of the more insane dress code rule - ie - employees must wear stockings even in 35 degree heat. (Bugger that I say). No more ladders/ holes/ waistbands to worry about, it"s a fucking fantastic feeling. In the end it's always the little things isn't it?

Enough blabbing for now, here are some more photos for the more visually-inclined! Love and smooches to all, not long now, yeehah. Mez

The Long Wait is Finally Over!

Patience is a (Hard-won) Virtue

Hey everyone, the answer a few snide comments/questions: No, I`m not dead. I have pictures, I might even have a lead as to how I can upload them finally. I just have to wait until Thursday when I get paid. I`m so poor, it`s been the old $10 a day fiasco for about 2 weeks now, which is fast becoming a royal pain in the arse, as I finally have some really lovely friends who are always going out, and I can`t afford a pot to piss in.

Oh well, one more month. I`m in the middle of another long working stretch right now, only one day weekends for the next few weeks. But then I have 4 days off to go and explore some more of Kyushu, which will be great. My last day at Nova`s on the 14th of June and I couldn`t be happier to have it over with. of course there are good days, but they`re thin on the ground right now, especially with the sleeplessness afflicting me at the moment as I battle both hayfever and the endless vivid dreams of reunification!

I`m a little anxious, but truly excited to be coming home. I`ve bought my tickets, my bags are (rehearse) packed - no, not really, I`ve restained myself from going to such anal lengths, but I really really really want to. In short I`m on tenterhooks. The only two things currently keeping me sane are Stu and a good book. Fortunately at my poor excuse for a school, where there are more free lessons than teachers, I have plenty of time to read. I`m fianlly getting into all the books I said I would read last year, but just never found the time for, barrelling through each new novel at a frightening pace. It can only be a good thing right now as I struggle with the extremely poor conversational patterns that naturally develope when you are constantly rephrasing you language all day for esl speakers. Sentence formation and natural structures, including word order were the first on the chopping block when it came to communication here. Now vocabulary is falling prey, but thanks to loads of free time I`m slowly gaining back.

Anyway, back to my travel plans. As it stands, I`ll be heading off to Thailand on the 17th of June, then onto Shanghai on the 30th, then back to Fukuoka (just me, Stu goes on to Beijing, then home via the Trans-Mongolian Express) for one night, then I fly to Sydney on the 4th of July (Independence Day!). I`m staying in Sydney with the lovely Webby Webstar for about 5 days, then on to Melbourne to catch up with everyone there (send me a message, let me know contact numbers everyone please), then finally, home to Adelaide on the 16th of July, poor, destitute even, but happy to be home!

So I hope that answers some of your more immediate questions and that you won`t all give up on me completely in this time of lean blogging. I absolutely swear I`ll get those pictures up the next time. Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. Love you all, can`t wait for this next month to hurry up and be done with, but rest assured I`ll enjoy every minute of it anyway, well, almost every minute.

Stu and I had our one year anniversary on the 10th of May. He forgot.