The Language at my Fingertips!

Awww yeah! Got me a dictionary! I just bought a second-hand 1971 edition of the Compact Oxford English Dictionary: compact meaning it comes in two multi-thousand page volumes, complete with it's own magnifying glass so you can read the tiny print! There are THAT many words in it. The full version is something like 15 volumes, so I think I'll wait before I buy that. James Murray, I salute you! And it was a snip at Y3000 (15 GBP).

Isn't it funny how just getting outside your own head for a while can totally turn your mood around? I spent Sunday and Monday in the city, getting my haircut, meeting friends that I haven't seen for ages, and getting to know some of the new JETs. I had a really nice time, and am feeling altogether better about the coming year.

On Saturday night, there was a "well done" party for Minoda-ren, my Awa Odori group. The Awa Odori festival has now well and truly finished for the year (what a shame!), so it was time for our crew to finally relax properly and pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Of course, it was total fun from beginning to end, but it was also hard work, so our celebration was well deserved. Not that the dancing is finished for Minoda-ren this year: far from it, thank goodness! We dance at our local spot in Miyoshi twice a month until well into November, and there'll probably be things in the way of weddings and other assorted performances that we're asked to dance at. Saturday night was a good time: I didn't go too hard, but I had a lot of fun chatting to people and eating some of the best Japanese food in town at Fujimoto's restaurant.

Sunday saw me hang out with Jenna for the first time in about six weeks. We had a lovely time catching up, and we were joined for an okonomiyaki dinner by Dave, Joe and new Higashiiya ALT Nate.

On Monday, I had the chance to get to know Nate much better, as I joined him zooming around the city in his little Suzuki to run errands. He's a top bloke, has great taste in music, is a climber and frisbee player (joy!), and is totally laid back. We're planning on doing some climbing, some frisbee playing and some hiking in the very near future.

Jo just came back from making his assault on Mount Fuji (I still can't say the name without shaking with anger at how that mountain treated me!). It's a great story, it'll make ya laugh, as Jo is a really great writer. Read it here.

I made some kick-ass yaki-soba last night (stir fry noodles and veggies). So good, I'm going to make it again tonight to use up the vegetables. Healthy, cheap and quick. That's what we like!

The Typhoon Cometh. Not.

Maaan. We were supposed to get a 'super' typhoon this week. And the bugger has decided it doesn't like Shikoku and has veered off north-east. Damn. There's something about typhoons that I really like.

Although I had promised myself that I would simply enjoy Japan, and not worry about What Comes Next until October, it's pretty hard to do. Especially in the frame of mind I'm currently in (read: bored, homesick, getting a bit lonely). So I did some research, and apparently, I should become an archivist. Did some reading into what the job entails, and it sounds like the sort of thing I'd like doing. Connected to the academic world, but not overly.

I'm having daydreams of rainy afternoons in Edinburgh, sitting in the window of Black Medicine, one of my favourite coffee shops, with Pernilla and Jo, and talking about the world. Or going into the Dean Gallery to look at the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibition that's on now. Or cooking up a storm in the kitchen for my friends. Homesickenss is a funny old thing.

It'll get better. I have AJET. I'm going to have the JLPT. Structure is good, keeps me from going totally mad. Who'd have thought it: me liking structure in my life.....

God's Mountain

Had a nice quiet weekend just there. On Saturday, Joe and I went to meet some friends for a BBQ beside the picturesque Anabuki River. Unfortunatley, given the good weather, we weren't the only ones who had the idea, and we arrived to find the river and surrounding area swarming with Japanese families out enjoying the last few days of summer. Oh well, laughs were had, so that's all that matters. :)

Joe and I didn't stay long, however, as we were due at the last orientation event for the new ALTs: the Kamiayama party. Kamiyama (literally 'God's Mountain') is a beautiful little town nestled deep in the mountains at the very heart of the prefecture. It has a very internationally-minded, arty community, that each year, has a homestay event for the new JETs (whereby they go and live with one of the community's families for a couple of days). The party is sort of the highlight of the weekend, with live music and dance performances, and a lot of mingling and INTERNATIONALISATION!!! Joe and I, while we didn't do the homestay, decided to go to the party as it's normally a good time.

We drove up a crazy road from Anabuki, via a couple of very high mountain passes, and a few tiny villages. We arrived about an hour after the party started and proceeded to chat to the new ALTs (most of whom I met in Tokyo but didn't really get a chance to get to know), and some of the familiar faces of Kamiyama. I met a girl who, I believe, is deaf and (for want of a better word) dumb. She was very nice, really friendy, and we ended up swapping email addresses. I know a very little of Japanese sign language, so maybe we'll muddle through somehow!

The new JETs seem like very lovely people for the most part. I'm not sure how well I'll get to know them, but I hope I do.

Joe and I drove back to mine, watched 'Team America' (watch it!!) and then went to sleep.

Up early the next day, as I thought I was playing rugby. However, as I neared the city, the heavens opened, and a phone call to Dave confirmed that the planned afternoon of playing touch, followed by a BBQ, had indeed been called off. What a shame! Especially since the city is such a long way away! I did some shopping, then hopped the next train home.

Last hurdle of the weekend: doing battle with a mammoth spider. Don't know how it got in. Shudder. I killed it but wished I hadn't. But this thing was way too big for the whole 'glass and card' routine. The rest of the night, I kept on imagining I could see things scuttle across my floors and walls.

Back at school today. The term starts next Thursday. Looking forward to it. I don't like having my days so unstructured. It makes me very unproductive. Also looking forward to some colder weather. Heat is exhausting!

Same thing, I wrote this last night, but am posting today:

My Birthday and Awa Odori Part II.

This may be quite a sizeable entry!

So I woke up on my birthday morning to a nice pile of parcels and cards that had arrived through the post from home. Always nice to be thought of!

I headed to the city and arrived by midday. Stepping off the train, you could literally feel the festival atmosphere in the air. It was positively buzzing. It reminded me of Edinburgh at festival time, except without so many daft Europeans wandering around. I spent lunchtime with Kenji in Big Brothers (Kenji's second home). He treated me to lunch, and the folk at BBs gave me a double helping of chocolate brownie for dessert, topped with birthday candles, and a rendition of 'Happy Birthday'.

I headed out to meet Dave quickly, who was holding my birthday present from my Tokyo friend, Linda. Linda is Singaporean, very beautiful, and very electric. She's such a live wire! We spent an afternoon together when I was in Tokyo last month, and ended up guttered by 3pm. I met her when I was editing Team Taught Pizza. She was the person assigned to head up the printing of the book. We have remained in touch despite the book being finished. She's rather poorly just now, so my thoughts are with her. Anyway, she sent me a beautiful bracelet via Dave, which was rather a surprise.

Left Dave to his Awa Odori, and wandered round the city to soak up the atmosphere. I ran into my friend Dan, and we sat by the river and chatted for a while. Then it was time to take my seat for the early evening dance performance, at one of the most famous street venues, Aibahama. Tickets for this go quickly, and I was lucky enough to be offered a spare one from some friends of a friend. The show was great and certainly got me fired up for the start of my own Awa Odori season the next day.

The show ended, and I met up with Dan again, and then our friend Stephi, whose Mum was here to help Stephi get home (as this summer is sadly the end of her JET tenure). I had intended take the final train back west at 10.20pm, but I was having such fun, so I was persuaded to stay out and party the night away. We danced in the street, drank beer, did some weird fairground game involving catching plastic fish, went to Ingrid's briefly, and ate some raamen. It was a really nice way to spend a birthday, even though all my closest friends were otherwise engaged. Or in another part of the world!

I didn't feel so hot waking up for the 5.45am train mind you! I got home with enough time for an hour's kip before I had to start getting ready for my own Awa Odori performances.

And my, what performances!

Admittedly, we got off to a shaky start, with broken shoes, messed up formations, and missed calls. But it went way up from there! We had a good first three runs at our usual haunt, the Highway Oasis, a quick bite of dinner, and then we piled into two coaches to head to Ikeda, the capital of Awa dance in the west of the prefecture. When we got off the bus it was like a minature Tokushima: the same vibe ran through the streets, people looked happy and relaxed, and it felt good to be there. When our turn came to dance, it was impossible to keep the smile off my face (which is good, as you are supposed to smile!). I shouted “Yattusa!” louder than I have ever done, and generally gave it my all. The highlight of the night was Ekimae, a street in Ikeda leading to the train staion. It was packed, and it is a very long distance to dance. But the spectators were great, applauding and cheering, and my smile only got bigger the further up the street I got. I saw some rafting friends, who cheered for me and took my picture. At the end of the street, I had sweat dripping off my nose, and running into my eyes, but I felt so alive and happy. What a great time! We danced through another couple of streets, and then, exhausted but happy, climbed back aboard the coaches for the short drive home.

The following day, we gave four shows at the Oasis, with a mini enkai at night at one of the local Japanese restaurants. Again it was fun, but it was nothing compared to the previous night!

On Tuesday, it was the last day of Awa Odori for the year in Tokushima. After dancing at the Oasis, we headed for Ikeda for one last dance through the streets. By this time, even I was feeling tired, but again, as soon as we stepped off the buses, the atmosphere hit us like a brick wall, and, if it's possible, we gave it even more effort than we had on Sunday night. Dave came out to watch us in action, but of course got pulled into the thick of it, even without a yukata. He loved it! As did we all. We even got filmed for telly. It was another late night, but well worth it. I love Awa Odori!

I was clever enough to take today off work, so I could catch up on some sleep. I did that, did some shopping, some cleaning (though barely touched the tip of the iceberg in that department!), and went to visit my friends Hanna and Kunihiro in Mikamo-cho. They recently got married, and I think maybe they haven't many friends around here (as neither of them are natives to Miyoshi-gun: Hanna's from the south of Tokushima, Kunihiro from Aichi-ken, near Tokyo). They are lovely people, and between their half-baked English, and my quarter-baked Japanese, we get to have some good conversations. We're planning an overnight trip together to neighbouring Kochi-ken next month. Should be a good time!

The pictures are of the dancers at Aibahama, a rather tired-looking me with Dan on my birthday, and of the Minoda-ren dressing room, a hive of activity just before we start dancing for the day.

Back to school now. Back to the grind. Looking forward to the kids coming back to school, the holidays are boring without them!

I'm posting this today, August 18th, but it was written one week ago:

Awa Odori 2005

I went to see the zenyasai performance at ASTI Tokushima yesterday. It's the big show the day before Awa Odori proper starts. I was totally blown away. I have never seen anything like it. The main reason I went was to see Dave dance, as I had not seen him with his new ren yet. I was sat too far back to see him properly, but when a 6ft something giant comes shimmying on stage after all the small Japanese people, well, it's pretty hard to miss. :) Suffice to say I was able to pick him out no worries. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to be proud of Dave, but that was the word that came to mind when I saw him on stage yesterday: I was proud that my friend had got himself into such a fantastic show, and was being taken seriously by his new group. I was happy to be able to say “That's my mate down there!”

The standard of dancing I saw yesterday was phenomenal. I was totally overwhelmed, so much so that I just cried from beginning to end. I don't know why, but when I saw the perfect harmony of the onna odori, and the absolute power and enthusiasm of the otoko odori, together with the fantastic effort of the kids, well, I couldn't help but compare all that to what I'm doing with Minoda-ren. And we don't have a patch on these people. Compared to them, we are nothing. I was in absolute awe that such a perfect spectacle could be created with so many people. Legs lifted at the same angle, to the same height. Arms swishing back and forth in total unison. “Yattusa” answered with audible and enthusiastic “Yatto yatto” s. Directions changed at the blink of an eye with no stragglers. Not that I am in any way ashamed of my ren, or regretful of how we dance, but when I look at these dancers, I can't help but think that that's how we should be. That's what I aspire to. I'm not sure I have a chance with Minoda-ren. Which is part of the reason Dave left. If only we all had the same style of arms, or all had the same beat in our heads. We try, but looking around tonight, I saw just how much the dancers in my ren, at least in onna odori, are left to their own devices. I try to eminate the dancers in the city, as I have done for some months now, but then there's how Hori-san dances, how Junko dances, and everyone else with their own interpretation. There are girls who've been dancing for a year or so, who sort of have the basic step, enough that they can keep in time with the rest of us, but their form leaves a lot to be desired. Not that I'm much better, but I think we really need to be brought into line, cause we're all different, and it doesn't look great. Mind you, it doens't look AWFUL, but... I don't know. It's hard to explain without sounding like I'm putting Minoda-ren down. I'm not. I just noticed, for the first time, the difference between the big rens and our small family.

I love my ren so much. We have fun. We dance. It's a great relationship. Joining a big professional ren would, I fear, rob me of that wonderful sense of belonging. Or maybe not. Maybe it would just be a different sense of belonging. Not such a familial feel, more of a team than a family. Maybe that way, they get more work done: they haven't as much to talk about outside Awa Odori. I don't know. But they look great, and it's something that one day I would love to be a part of. That won't happen, though. If I keep to my three year tenure, as I am intending to at the moment, then I'll end my Awa Odori days with Mindoda-ren. And that won't be a bad thing at all.

But I want so much to do what these girls do. They look great. They look professional. I think that's what made me cry, just the realization of how it should be, how I want it to be, and how it's just not. And I'm jealous of Dave, getting to dance with these people.

Our dance season starts on Sunday. And I'll have a great time. I know I will. I can't wait. One wonders what will happen next summer, though…. Will I be dancing my last Awa Odori with Minoda-ren before boarding a plane bound for Scotland? Or will I be dancing my last Awa Odori with Minoda-ren before heading to the city as a fourth year JET just so I can join Uzuki, Ebisu, Aoi, Miyabi, or Tonosama ren? Maybe not, but these are just some of the many questions that will need to be answered in the next few months….

Early parties

This coming Saturday I turn 24! Yikes! To celebrate, my eikaiwa class (my adult English conversation class) got together to throw me a small party last night. I'm always touched when they remember things like this, and when I arrived last night, I was met by a spread of sushi, fresh melon, fruit jellies, and some sort of weird but delicious youghurt-and-fruit-mousse-cake that dear Ito-san had made specially.

I hadn't seen them in some weeks due to being in Tokyo, so it was nice to sit around, chat, eat good food, and talk women's talk. Even though poor Miki-san, the sole male of the class, had turned up to wish me well! I read them their horoscopes from the Marie Claire, which they always get a kick out of, and all in all, it was a lovely way to spend a Tuesday night.

Tomorrow, I'm heading to Tokushima in the afternoon to watch Dave dance in a show. I think, in Japanese, it's called 'The Night Before Festival', because Awa Odori proper starts on Friday. I may stay in the city on Thursday, and watch some dancing on Friday, before heading home for MY final dance practice that night. Saturday is a rest day for us, before we get stuck into dancing proper from Sunday to Tuesday. On Saturday, I'll once again be in the city. I have a ticket for seats to watch official Awa Odori parades, so I'm pretty excited. But I know that once I see them all come dancing down the street in front of me, I'll want to be doing it not watching it!

The summer is dragging by, and I really should get into studying. I just have no willpower. I'm so bad.

Flashing Balls of Love

Ah yes, it's that time of year again, where ALTs all over Japan are to be found in disused classrooms with one or two of their kids unfortunate enough to have been chosen to represent their school in the annual English speech contest. My school is, as ever, putting forward one student, a third year girl named Yuki (the name is as common in Japan as something like Claire or Laura in the UK. Maybe moreso). Yuki's a great student, she likes English, and wants to be an interpreter, so I hope doing this speech contest (practice for which can be mind-numbingly dull) will encourage her.

It's also my last speech contest, since my JET contract runs out next August. So I wanna win! Joe, the ALT in nearby Nishiiya, and I have a sort of friendly rivalry going on over it this year.

My weekend just past was pretty good. Nice and relaxing. Joe dropped by with a carful of new JETs, on their way to a welcome party in the city. Instead of that, I went to my local summer festival, danced a lot, watched lots of fireworks, spoke to lots of people, and drank some beer. Always a good thing. During the fireworks, I had an encounter with a small girl called Yuriko. I had never seen her beofore, but this wee thing decided she was brave enough to speak to a sweating, red-faced foreigner dressed in Japanese clothes (as I was; I had just danced). She tugged at me, introduced herself, and asked me all sorts of questions. Most of which I was able to answer, thankfully. Finally, she showed me a toy ball that had all sorts of lights flashing all over it. It had an English word printed on it, and she asked me what it said. In Japanese 'daisuki', in English 'love'. I thought it sort of nice that the first English word I was able to teach Yuriko was 'love'.

On Sunday I woke up to a blisteringly hot day, and cycled off to Mikamo sans sunscream (silly me). I came back with a brand-spanking new phone. It's cool. I love my phone.

Back at school today enjoying the free AC and coffee. And internet. And reading the new Harry Potter book. It's pretty good, actually. Though I should really be studying Japanese for the test I intend to take this December.

Finally, whilst in Tokyo, Tim gave me a CD with 170 tracks on it. Mostly Latino. If you are in the throws of a hot sticky summer, there is nothing better than jamming on some Buena Vista Social Club, grabbing a really cold G&T (it should really be rum or tequila, both of which I sort of hate), and listening to the hot, sultry sounds of South America. Even better if there is a summer thunderstorm raging outside. Oh, and throw open the balcony doors, let the sounds of the cicadas in. It's magic.

And so it goes....

Well, at last I am back in my wee town. I arrived late last night, far too late to go to dance practice. I finally crashed out on my futon about 1am, after a beautiful long shower, and a good hunt around the apartment for any unwanted guests that may have moved in during my absence.

Walking home from the station in the dark (yes, WALKING, with my 15 kg pack, and 8kg hand luggage! No taxis.) , I was able to savour the smells and sounds of the countryside which my senses had been denied whilst in Tokyo. The rice is really coming away now, and there is a wonderfully heavy, moist quality to the air near the fields. It struck me as I walked, that two years ago, practically to the hour, I was howling for home in my new house. I had been left alone for my first night, my house was less than impressive, and I didn't have a clue where to start. Everything was scary. Now? How different! I recall stepping off the plane in Tokushima, and asking one of the sempais with us, who was going into his third year out here, if returning to Tokkers from Tokyo felt like coming home. He said that yeah, it sort of did. That's how I felt last night. I heard the frogs and semis, I smelt the rice, and it felt like home. It's a nice feeling.

At the same time, I realised that I now have less than one year left on the JET Programme, unless I decide to apply for any fourth year posts. Not sure about that yet. I think I'd like to be in Edinburgh for a while. But the thought of leaving here fills me with such apprehension. It's impossible for me to say at this stage where I'll be this time next year.

Now all the new JETs are safely ensconsed in their towns. I hope they are having fun. i look forward to getting to know them, but at the same time, it'll only be for a year. It's an odd feeling...

I've posted a couple of pictures. There's the Tokyo skyline, an image of Shibuya, an incredubly busy and youth-oriented part of Tokyo, and then three friends from the National Counci who went to climb Fuji in the few days between the Orientation conferences. These lads are really great. They all live on Kyuushuu, and I'm looking forward to visiting them sometime in the near future. However, Nate, in the middle, says "seriously" a lot. Now I do, too. Damn you, Nate!!

Tokyo'd out

Here I am in Tokyo meeting all the new JETs that arrived in Japan this week. I was also here last week for the first lot of new arrivals. It is a lot of fun, and I have met so many really interesting people. I love meeting new people! It's just a pity that most of them are heading off to all four corners of Japan, and we are unlikely to meet again. However, 30-odd of them are heading to my wee corner of Japan, Tokushima-ken. It's always good to have the opportunity to make new friends, and I hope that these guys have as great a time on the JET Programme as I'm having.

I find myself thinking of when I myself was a new JET, and how overwhelming it all seemed. The fast-forward to two years later, and here I am, on the welcoming commitee, navigating the Tokyo subway system like I've lived here my whole life. Truly, coming full circle like this is a "You've come a long way, baby" moment! :)

But two weeks in Tokyo is plenty for me, thanks very much! I like Tokyo, and it's good fun to come and experience big-city living for a while, since I'm so far out in the country all the time. But I find myself missing my rice paddies, cicada noises and limited choice of food! It takes a lot energy to live here, and I think it's something you need to get used to gradually. But we are busy all the time here, and I feel myself approaching something like exhaustion now. Looking forward to going home!

But of course, home doesn't equal rest and relaxation, especially during August. August in Japan is O-bon time, and in Tokushima, O-bon is Awa Odori time! Yeah! The festivites start on August 11th, with a "night before" performance danced in ASTI Tokushima, by some of the most well-known rens in Awa Odori. Dave will be dancing with his new group, and I'm hoping to secure some tickets to the show. August 12th is the last rehearsal for my group, Minoda-ren, and on the 13th, I get to go to the city to check out Awa Odori proper! It's my birthday that day, and hopefully some friends will be around to have some drinks and watch the dancing with. Minoda-ren dances from 14th-16th August in Miyoshi anjd Ikeda. Can't wait! Then maybe, just maybe, I might get a long-lie sometime after the 16th! ;)

But it's all good fun, and I wouldn't want to spend my summer any other way!