still alive and kicking!

hey - well, i finally bought a bike today at jussco and rode all over town in the rain. then, i lugged my laptop up to izakaya ja nai (local foreigner bar) to upload some overdo pics and check email. the rainy season is officially underway and i just finished my second week teaching at my school.

everyone i work with is great - i have to say. they are constantly baking applie pies, marble pound cakes, and banana bread for all of us to get fat on. i met some japanese aerobics instructors last night and will be employing their services soon. the food here is just too damn good. i'm enjoying a chicken caesar salad at the moment - that's right, i'm not veggie anymore. it's too hard here and i want to be able to try all of the local specialties, so, i said screw it!

anyway, my students are also really nice - usually a joy to teach. they are so quirky and entertaining and make me laugh everyday.

i came up to this same bar last night by myself and ended up talking to 10 or so different people from all over until about 1 in the morning. i had the funniest conversation with 3 japanese girls (my age) about japanese men and men in general. turns out things aren't that different on the other side of the planet.

so, i'm finally getting settled here. i found the grocery store, the starbuck's, and i got a bike. i can't think of anything else i need to do now.

my manager invited me to go cormorant fishing with her in a couple of weekends (i'm not really sure what it is), but i think you go out in a boat and watch big birds catch fish and have dinner on the boat?? (see the link)

tomorrow, my co-worker, kit, and i are going to go exploring on our bikes - act like tourists in okazaki. i'll take some good pics and post them soon. hopefully, i will be getting internet in my apartment soon. i have to wait to get my alien registration card until i can get a bank account, a cell phone, and broadband - so, i'll be visiting this bar frequently until that happens.

well, i miss everyone and hope y'all are doing well. take care.