Thursday, October 2, 2008

Tokyo, Sumo and Yoga.

So its been a while. not because nothing's been happening, but simply because I'm busy, and when Im not busy, Im lazy.
My appartment is becoming more and more livable. It's still missing a lot, but it's getting there. I recieved an oven about a week ago (I celebrated by making marble cake, which everyone seemed to enjoy - now they want pumpkin pie for halloween), which will make life a lot easier, but it took the space of the microwave, which was on the fridge (and I cant put anything on top of the oven for safety), so currently the microwave is on the floor and the rice cooker is on a little stool. I need shelves. The art teacher told me he would help me make some, after the school festival.
The school festival is this weekend, which is why I have time off. There were no classes yesterday (but I was busy planning for a trip to Hiroshima), nor are there today and tomorrow, because everyone is preparing for the festival. The big event is a fashion show, which I think the kids (and the sewing teacher) have been preparing for for a long time. They are also selling cakes, I think, and there is an art show...plus Im sure several other things. I imagine that a lot of people are going to come.

So. Last weekend I went to Tokyo for a few days to visit people and buy some stuff - I didnt get to get everything I wanted because a) I was spending a lot already b) my friends can be quite the distraction and c) the stores were closed when I actually had a chance to visit them. A fellow Toronto JET (Steph), her friends and I went to a museum that had a miyazaki exhibit - the creator of movies like Spirited away, Princess Mononoke and Howl's moving castle - which was really fun, and again, expencive +P. But totally worth it.
The next day some of the island JETs decided to go to a sumo tournament, and my friends, Zac (another Toronto JET) and Hitomi and I tagged along. Freaking awesome. The arena was HUGE and the sumos were SO big. we were way up high in the nosebleeds, but you could still see very well - one of the people with us (who actually writes for Lonely Planet) brought binoculars, which was really smart. The matches are really interesting. They last between 5 seconds and 1 minute. There is only one match, and, in the higher-level battles, the winner leaves the stage with a wad of cash. After this we went to a restaurant that was I guess meant to be like a sumo thing. There was a fake ring in the middle (and we had excellent seats), and we wound up going on a day where some people (we dont know who) and an 80 year old woman was singing. As they sang, people (the audience?) had 1000 yen bills that were stuck between disposable chopsticks and put them in their belt, kinda like strip-club style. It was interesting.

Yesterday I went to my first Yoga class. It was really interesting, and very Japanese, but I think I did well dispite it...although there was a lot of looking around when I knew I was supposed to be relaxing. The yoga teacher speaks english very well, but he didnt use it while instructing (not that I expected him to), but Im guessing that, if I continue with this (which I think I have to), then I will learn what he's saying. I understand 'cobra pose' well enough, and I think sutte means breath out and haitte means breathe in.
After Yoga several people came to meet me - it seems that I was expected to come - one woman, who I had lunch with once with my pred (about a month ago) had a picture for me, which I guess she was bringing with her every Yoga class until I came. Others were all 'so YOUR Paulette's replacement!' and I think some people want to get together to learn english (which I have to organize, I guess?) and some others were talking about learning how to do a tea ceremony! So We'll see where this takes me!

I know Ive been promising pictures. I have to start updating when Im not at school so I will have my pictures with me.
Anyway, Im really enjoying myself here. Its relaxing and sometimes can be boring when theres nothing to do, but Im still glad I came. And I think I got an awesome placement!