O-Yasumi Owatta Ne!

Wow, that vacation came and went so fast. It seems like it was only yesterday that I had the whole week off. However, it was in fact, over two weeks ago. I had intended to update everyday with what I did, however good intentions will only get you so far. I'm finding that last semester went by quick, but this semester seems to have been set on hyperspeed. I really don't want to come back to reality, I mean actual school, though, why dwell on the inevitable. There's nothing to do but enjoy the time left here.

Lately, I've found myself starting to enjoy watching soccer, or football depending on where you're from in the world. The world cup started in Germany and we've been watching games each night. The Japan vs Australia game was by far the most interesting yet. The common room was packed full of people on game night. The crowd was split about down the middle on who people were supporting. Some of the drunk guys in the front were really funny as they kept taking the piss out of the Australian team. What was really funny was that I think it was their first or second game ever to have watched and they were experts. The first half of the game was good, Japan scored and kept Australia at bay, for awhile atleast. Towards the end of the first half and beginning of the second, some of the more attractive members of the Australian cheering squad seemed to be getting bored. Though the never quavering faith of the men kept their side energized. Australia went on to score 3 goals in the second half, 2 within the last 8 min. if I remember properly. By the end of the game, with their faith justified, the Australian cheering section was on the edge of a euphoric high while the Japan side was feeling a little dejected. All in all, it was a really good game, and a good time had by all.

Later that night was the pitiful showing made by the American team. I stayed up to watch my country play. I wanted to be there for the action. I wanted to see them win their first game of this world cup. Colin, Kelly and I were the only American's whose faith didn't waver. The rest either went to bed or had proclaimed loudly that America sucks. We stuck by our countrymen in their time of need, only to have them not hold up their end of the bargain. The team showed no aggressiveness or desire to win while the coach looked like he would rather be anywhere but at that game. The Czech coach was up, walking around, shouting what could only be words of encouragement to his players. However, our coach, every time the camera panned to him, was sitting down in his chair looking like he was staring off into space. Even though they performed badly, I still stick by them and can't wait to see them face of against the Italians. Even though I have to listen to the American haters from around the world and the home grown ones, I know they won't let me down.

Yasumi Day 1

Today is the first day of a 9-10 day vacation from school. Needless to say, I was excited for it to come, but now that it's here, I'm bored out of my mind. I didn't really do much today, watched Enemy at the Gates with Keisuke and then went to dinner at Ogiya with Ed. It was delicious as usual. Other than that, I've found that computer solitaire delights in making me its bitch. Out of yesterday and today, I've only been able to complete 1 game. ONE freakin game. It makes me sad...Ah well, Jya Ne-

Snowboarding

I recently got back from snowboarding about 2 weeks ago. Not very recent though I guess, I've just been lazy about putting together my idea's for this post. However, I'm sitting here in my room right now, debating sleep. I decided that I'd better pen this to paper so to speak.

Joe, Patrick, Josh, Jim, Choji and I went to Nagano for a few days to go snowboarding. Joe is my friend from New Mexico while the other guys are his friends in Osaka. We met up in Kyoto to board a night bus to go to Nagano. It was really out of the way for me, but hey I wanted to see Joe. The night but sucked as usual, so I spent my time watching Matrix Revolutions on my psp.

When we first got to Nagano, it was really cold. When I went to get Joe's suitcase for him, I slipped and fell on my face because of stupid black ice. Since we were there to early to check in, we had to pay 1300 yen to use the hotel facilities and for breakfast. We were able to put our stuff into the A club next to some lockers. We would have put the stuff in lockers except no Japanese people were and it was decided that it was only clothes anyway, so why waste money. Breakfast each day was a Japanese style buffet which was kinda good.

It was a really interesting time trying to rent our equipment. We received a voucher saying that the snowboard rental was free. However, while we could use the snowboard, we had to pay for the bindings. On older boards it was 3000 yen for 3 days up to 6000 yen for the new bindings. They were also willing to let us use an older style, "keeping you less warm", style of clothes for free. However, they had a new wear style for 1800 yen. Also, if you were above their specified largest size, you had to pay an extra 1000 yen per item you needed. It was going to cost a but load of money now. The snowboard guy wanted us using new boards with the new clothes, so he kept haggling with us, making it cheaper until we finally chose to do it. He kept making the price cheaper and cheaper, until we finally got everything for 6000 yen. It was really funny, yet confusing.

The first two days of snowboarding were really painful because it was mostly ice. However, on the third day the snow was good and I managed to get down turning. On the second day, we decided to go to an onsen. It was my first time going and it was a lot of fun. I was reminded of some of the hot tubs back home. Apparently there are lots of different types of onsens out there. Might be interesting to go to a few more. On the last day, instead of going home on the night bus, I went by shinkansen to Tokyo to meet Adam and Fiona. However, that's something for another post.

Alkamahol

So last night was a fun filled evening with a movie and a shit load of alcohol. David, Adam and I watched cinderella man. It was my second time seeing it, though it was still good. We also were drinking shots of whiskey, vodka and absith. Every time the bell would ring we took a shot. Now I'm paying for it hehe........ugh

Oh the rain

Why, oh why must it rain so much here in lovely little nagoya. It's getting to be a real pain. I need to go up to the school so I can get my discount travel ticket for next week. I'm going snowboarding up in Nagano again but this time for 5 days. It promises to be really fun yet extremely painful, hehe..

ChinChin omatsuri, or maybe

Well, today we went to a 'penis' festival. It was interesting to say the least. The japanese people seemed to use it as an excuse to get drunk and act crazy. There were giant phalic penis's everywhere. Girls were walking down the street in the parade, holding wooden ones, and telling people to touch them. Within the temple itself, there are two testicles that your able to rub for luck. The right one is supposed to bring riches and the left fertility, or something like that.

After the parade, they had a mochi throwing event. It was really fun though kinda dangerous. There was atleast 250 people packed into a little courtyard with old men raining down hard pounded rice cakes on us. The crowd would surge and fall back as people would spot them on the ground or be reaching for the cake that's just out of reach. Little old japanese men were the worst, or best, because they would just elbow you out of the way and go for the gold.

I wanted to buy little penis and vagina candies for friends, or hazukashii okashi hehe, but the stores were all closed or closing as we were leaving. Zannen

Getting down to the wire

Well, this last month has just flown by so fast. It's hard to believe that just the other day I was surprising my parents with an unexpected visit. I've had lots of fun getting to reconnect with friends and enjoying activities here. I've seen some good movies, and others that I've deliberately missed seeing so I can watch them back in Japan. I've also determined that there's 3 basic things you can do anywhere:
1) Go to a movie
2) Go to a mall
3) Get drunk
Onto another note, now that I leave in a little under 48 hours for a long ass voyage to the land of the rising sun, I've found lots of stuff to do. I decided I needed to help out my rent's by replacing some stuff around the house and moving/cleaning up items so they don't have to do it. Granted the moving/cleaning is all of my junk that I've gotten out, the light bulb's and air filters are part of a child's duties.. hehe...

Since most of you have already read it, being we're all from I-house, If you haven't check out marks post about stragglers. mark always wins: straglers It is very funny, and sadly true.

A bit of an update

Let me start off by apologizing to all of my friends back in Japan and now Australia. I kind of get into a pattern of neglecting stuff when I shouldn't. Some might call it procrastination, I just think I'm lazy. Well, anyways, how about some updates on what I've been doing..
.
..
...
....
Nothing besides eating, playing video games and going to the movies. Oh, I did start going back to work for a little bit, but the closer I've come to returning to Japan, I kinda stopped going. On Saturday and Sunday, I went to the gun range with some friends , pictures should be available shortly, to shoot some really big guns. It was a lot of fun, albeit really loud. My friend Richard's grandfather has a .50 caliber anti-tank rifle. I thought it'd be cool to get some pictures shooting it, but sadly he couldn't make it last weekend.

It's been really crazy being able to understand everything around me, except for the occasional conversations in spanish. I hope I don't have some sort of reverse-reverse culture shock when I go back to Japan. Like a I cant understand everything to a ah, zenbu wakarimasu, to ah nope, can't understand everything again.

I also think I'm starting to come down with an ear infection again. This sucks because its right before I go back to Japan. I need to get it fixed here in America before I go back so it doesn't end up costing $400 again.