My last two runs were in...

t-shirt and shorts!

Now, we can deduce from this that either:

(a) It's actually becoming warmer; or

(b) I've convinced myself that warmer weather is so due that there is some crazy mind-over-matter action going on here.

(I'm still using the heater at night.)

Spent the weekend in Ashizuri with some people from work. There's an annual long distance relay held there and our town had a team participating, so I went along to support them (or something) and also got to do some sightseeing while I was there. It's a really beautiful spot, and the southernmost part of Shikoku. We had great weather so I have lots of blue and green photos :) Definitely going to take Mum and Dad there when they visit.

But now it's back to work. I just finished a Japanese writing task as part of an exam that I'll post off tomorrow. Glad that it's done, but next time I should start it sooner. (Reminiscent of uni days, that phrase is.)

This Wednesday I'll be going bowling with a couple of year 9 classes. Should be interesting... (I think I've been bowling twice in my life.)

The winter adventure with Bry, Sal & Dave was loads of fun.

Highlights were...

• Seeing my super great Aussie buds!
• The weirdest NYE ever (in Himeji)
• Freezing cold Himeji Castle (which featured in 'You Only Live Twice' as a ninjas training base)
• Meiji Mura (open air museum) near Nagoya
• Snow monkeys of Nagano - especially everyone's favourite pipe monkey!
• Being allowed to play a Steinway in a Tokyo piano shop - We think the lady thought we were actually contemplating buying. Not sure how she got that impression
  
• Meeting up with Steph in Kyoto - hisashiburi!
  

Lowlights were...

• "Mt Fuji" - terrible weather meant invisimountain
• The end of the holiday
  

Last Wednesday to Friday we had a prefectural JET conference. Compared to classes, it was an OK way to ease back into work. However, I'm definitely experiencing post-holiday blues in combo with an extreme longing for Oz and all its wonders (including wholegrain bread, real cheese, my family, friends and cat - not all of which I consider food).

Hoping that the routine of teaching (which, for me, starts up again this week) helps me settle down. (The post-holiday blues are reminiscent of early post-arrival feelings, which seemed to decline when routine kicked in...)

Something nice happened yesterday. I'd headed out for a run, and about 1.5kms into it, two primary school boys called out so I turned and waved. Soon they were riding alongside me on their bikes. They chatted to me and each other as we ran/rode along. "Where will you run till?" "Probably those islands." I reached Futanajima and said, "OK. I'm tired. I'm turning around." They kept riding alongside, and then stopped at a vending machine. I kept running, and then they caught up on their bikes and gave me a Coke. Of course, it's not the ideal beverage when you're exhausted from exercise, but I thanked them for their kindness and had to drink some. From there on I walked so as not to spill the Coke. They kept riding along with me until I was home. Very cute.

Cake!

Thanks to Saru for this photo! I had to post it here. It's not every day that you see your face on a cake :D

Hooray for the Internet! (Hup-hup... Huzzah!)

Dear friends and family,

I've had internet access at my house here in Nakatosa since Monday 20th - AND IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE :D It's been super excellent to be able to Skype Out to home, and to chat to people online and catch up through emails and newsletters which people have sent. Time has definitely passed more quickly since I've been connected. Being able to communicate freely with people back home makes this house feel much less lonely.

I have been keeping a diary in MacJournal, and I'll make a blog post with 'content' ;) some time soon. Until then, if you are interested in seeing some photos, I have posted a bunch through my facebook account. I believe you need to have a facebook account to view them, so my apologies to Saru.

I'll post a couple of photos here too, but not albums & albums' worth.

Catch you soon!

Bye to Shinjuku

Last night the Aussies went to our Embassy here in Tokyo. There were some informative and encouraging short speeches, followed by some food and drink. It was nice to feel Australian ;) When one lady showed a 30-second video snippet (from a website) about Australia, I even felt a bit emotional about it all.

Today the Group A JETs are being scattered across the country. In just a little while I'll be meeting with the rest of the Kochi Prefecture JETs, and we'll fly from Haneda Airport down to Kochi.

I'm glad to be going to the town where I'll spend my time this year. We've only been in Shinjuku for three full days, but it feels like longer - a week or something. There have been so many seminars, and there are over 5000 people at the hotel now. I feel peopled-out and drained. I look forward to being able to dump my stuff in a place I can call 'home', and make it a nice place (esp. for friends and family to visit!)

I don't yet know what I'll be doing once I get to Nakatosa today. Maybe they'll say, "Here's your house. Go and sleep." Or maybe they'll make me do work. Or maybe they'll show me around a little bit...

I hope to have internet access at 'home' in the near future, but I can't be certain about how long it will take.

We arrived in Japan at about 6:15am yesterday. With little sleep, and 5:30am breakfast, the day drags on and on. In the late morning it felt like it was mid afternoon.

We had to wait until the afternoon to check in, so after our bags were brought inside (this place is fancy ;) we sat down for a while here at the hotel before heading out to explore a bit of Shinjuku. It was very humid yesterday; we could feel it even walking through the tunnel from the plane to the airport. Sweat droplets were falling down my back while we were waiting at customs.

The attention to aesthetics in Japan has been immediately apparent again. The shops, stalls and food places make sure everything's perfect. The Japanese ladies around the place look classy and elegant.

There are people whose job is to operate a department store lift. They ask which floor you want, press the buttons, politely announce each floor at which the doors open, thank you for using the lift...

In the Keio food court near Shinjuku station, I saw a customer drop a coin while putting change away, and the cashier lady rushed out from behind her counter to pick it up for them.

There are thousands of JETs here at the hotel. There are signs at the lifts apologising for the delays at certain times of the day. I pity the other hotel guests :(

Because we're in a hotel at the moment (until Wednesday) I feel like I'm on a short holiday and as though I'll be home in a little while. My brain thinks things like, "What should I bring home to show people?" But I have a year to think about that...

Only 30 minutes till our 'Opening Ceremony' begins. There could be a delay on the lifts, so I'll make my way over soon...