Nee ban - Japaneasing myself into it......

I have been here over a month now - its been a blast and a real eye opener........ the cultural differences are huge. I have been introduced to a number of things, all of which i at some certain level thought i was ready for but during these new experiences then realised i had quietly and completely mis-judged these moments...... for example i thought they all just ate rice and whale here......... maybe the occasional cat or dog..... the food here so far has been far from tiresome. Yes a lot of it is rice and you're going to turn into a walking paddy field if you dont mix it up - but mixing it up so far has resulted in me eating raw chicken, cartilage bits, raw liver and the heart of some animal i know wasn't a chicken because it was too big, and wasn't a lamb because it was too small.......... the questions surrounding that evening out hmmmmmmmmm (no whale eaten yet quintip or leon) ha ha.......

so i got myself along to a really flash karaoke bar here in Okayama..... i sung, i drunk, i went along with it.......... i still HATE karaoke and cant understand the neurological affliction associated with so many people liking it here...... cultural difference exhibit b!

I visited Hiroshima (peace museum very moving), Osaka (i flew in their too so blah blah), and Kobe (earthquake massiveness) over the last few weekends - Hiroshima you cant really plan for - any expectation you have will not be what you find in this alive and busy, yet historically sad city.

Electronics - 2 of the 5 people reading this have asked me about it and.......... its the same as back home - just done better, and more you have much more selection regarding whats on offer. I saw a navigation system for your car the other day that was in (accurate to your surroundings) 3D........and an external hard drive........ wow wee you may say but...... it was a terabyte for $200..... thats nz dollars......... or as my cousin says "5 really nice shiny stones from back home should do it"!

Well i have my classroom now......... new new new sums it up best. Everything is spik and sp sp sp span spanking new.

about 15 children over two classes ranging from 4 years old to 6 years old....... you cant help but feel, as one friend put it, "a little paternal".

which brings me to my next point....... i swear without a word of a doubt i have been asked "would you like a girlfriend"? and been given a short list of desirable ready for the ongoing tasks of serving my needs, on multiple occasions all be it only missing a brochure or pamphlet to order them with......

Now driving (sorry mum but this really gets on my goat and expletives till now have been well restrained) - these guys are SHIT! Everyone here is living in a bubble, and driving around with those things that race horses use to cover their eyes! I was out with one of the girls from work the other night and she backed up to the restaurant that we were going to..... back..... back..... back..... SMACK. She basically backed her car into the front door of the restaurant at walking speed......... and if i didnt think that was bad - well i got a huge surprise the other day when i saw a guy who had 3 lanes to choose from sitting at the lights on the wrong side of the road!!!!!! DUDE!! ARE ALL THE CARS COMING STRAIGHT AT YOU NOT TELLING YOU ANYTHING???? 3 LANE OPTIONS AND YOU PICK OPTION NUMBER 4.............. DICK HEAD!!!!!

ok rant over and done with......... and so too shall i end the bigger blah biddy blah here......... i have a class to go and join........ i wonder how much is being learnt when all the kids do is throw balls at the teacher........... maybe japans next shot putt team i have in the making.... their aim is getting better!

oh yeah and random tidbit i have learnt - the masks they wear that i always thought was to protect from pollution.......... not the case at all. Its to protect others from sickness - if you see someone wearing the mask then they are probably feeling a little sick themselves and are wearing it to protect YOU from getting sick.

and cherry blossoms are........... just WOW......... so gorgeous.

So from here in Japan, catch ya later bros!

chur chur