The rainy season has come late to Japan this year. It's been raining on and off for the past week and a half. And if it's not raining, it's humid! This makes it really hard to get anything dry...our washing is piling up in the basket and on the lines, because things are taking so long to dry! And Beware if you leave washing in the machine overnight, it comes out reeking mustiness from being damp, squashed-together in the humidity. Michael's shoes were soaked for a few days from walking in the rain, and boy, did they smell like wet-dog, and took ages to dry too!

Kyoto's weather is so full of extremes! This is what I think. 5 months of the year, we are dying from heat and humidity, 5 months more we are freezing of cold and miserable from no sunshine, half a month is rainy season, and half a month is spring, half a month is monsoon season, and half a month is autumn. So, out of 12 months, we only get about total 1 month of tolerable weather!! Why do people live here...??

We ate Okonomiyaki and sang Karaoke last night. Finally, the last of the Farewell parties for the JETs leaving Japan. Today is their last day at work, then they get to go Hooome! Lucky things. I forgot to take photos of Okonomiyaki... My favorite is Seafood + KimChi Okonomiyaki. Imagine, seafood and kimchi, in a savory egg/flour/cabbage pancake, with bbq sauce and mayonaise on top.

Karaoke wasn't the best last night. Coz we had a few old Japanese people there, and they made us a bit uncomfortable, coz they were uncomfortable, so everybody's singing wasn't as carefree as usual. A bit stiff really. Typical. Nevermind, they came to farewell Kim and Gordon, who work with them, so that was nice of them, but they didn't need to crash our party...

Today, I'm so tired from the eating and singing last night. Too much social life! This year has been so different from last year. Last year, I didn't have any good friends in Japan, this year, I've made lots of friends (all gaijin) and I've had a busy/social 7 months of the year, and now, they are all leaving me to get on with their lives in America/Canada, etc. I reckon after this weekend, things are going to quieten down for me and Michael, and we'll be back to our solitary selves again for the rest of the year... the travelling life is the transient life!

10 Days till the Philippines!

This weekend was kinda busy. On Sat, Michael and I went into Osaka "America-mura" (America Town) to buy his sister a birthday present. America mura is amusing to go to... you see America represented by the Japanese. Which equals a lot of 'hippie' stores, second-hand shops, and disney paraphanalia. Anyway, we were looking for belly-button or tongue piercings for his sister (her request!!)... and Osaka seemed to be the best bet. We found a perfect belly-button ring for her,... pink jewelled butterfly with little pink jewels hanging down.

Also  bought me a mosquito net! Never again will I hear their threatening buzz in my ears at night! And my bed looks very pretty too. The gauze is light pink, and around the top of the netting are little crystals...very girlie... poor Michael.

Hmm, haven't eaten anything new this week or last week. I've broken my resolution for this year. We ate a late lunch of Mexican on Saturday, and it was so full of cheese, we felt like fatties after that.... worse.... we went to Kim's place in the evening, and were fed freshly baked Chocolate chip cookies for dinner, and wine, and margaritas, I couldn't sleep that night for all the sugar buzzing round in my system!

Sunday, was Kim's 2nd-to-last day in Japan. So, we went to the movies with her and Maggie. We watched Pirates of the Caribbean, it was very cool, Johnny Depp was the star, as usual. I thought there was maybe too much 'crustiness and gloom' in that movie though, you'll know what I mean when you watch it! We didn't feel like eating any seafood for lunch or dinner that day!

Kim and Maggie dragged me and Michael around Kyoto, as Kim wanted to buy lots of Last Minute Things. She showed us this 'boutique' incense store, where there are a million different 'flavors' to choose from! And not the old-fashioned temple-smelling incense, but fresh, flowery or fruity or perfumey incense. I really should give them a try.

Tonight, we're going to eat Okonomiyaki (a huge 'pancake' of egg, flour, cabbage, seafood or meat... with bbq sauce and mayonaise on top) for Kim's last dinner. I'll take a photo so you know what Okonomiyaki looks like!

2 more weeks, and we'll be on the beach in the Philippines. Can't wait to be in different & new culture again. I just read today on BBC News that a Volcano in the Philippines is expected to erupt in the next few weeks! I hope it's far away from the Islands I'll be on!

One month of office-trapped holidays. We're all sitting here pretending to be busy with 'something'. What a waste of time. Today I ... slept (I slept so deep, I thought I was at home in bed! Gosh, I got such a fright when I woke up at my desk!), watched Monsters Inc. in the LL Room, and started reading a book about famous Art pieces in Europe. I guess the reading is productive. I'm expanding my artistic knowledge. And when Michael and I go to Europe next year, we will visit all the Art Galleries, and I'll be able to chatter on about the 'symbolism' and 'technique' etc..etc...:b I'm sure that learning about these famous artworks & their painters now will help me to better appreciate them when I see them for real.

If you're wondering about my 'taste' in movies... the ones I watch at school are not of my choosing. They're the school's DVDs. Maybe I'll use them for English Club one day. But Monsters Inc. really is a cute movie isn't it?! I also have Babe (the Pig). And Harry Potters. And The Simpsons. Yes, filling my head full of 'good stuff' haha.

Actually I watched a good one yesterday. It was an Audrey Hepburn movie, called "Roman Holiday". I got a good glimpse of Rome! oh...bring on next year...I want my Roman Holiday! Right now, I have to contend with sit-on-ass-in-the-office holiday.

Sunday night was the Eve of the big Gion Festival in Kyoto. There are many events leading up to the festival, so a couple of days before, you can walk around at nighttime and view the large Floats all lit up, and play the festival games and eat the festival food. We were a little disapointed because it was so crowded that we had to shuffle along the roads, at an achingly slow pace. There are too many people in Japan. And the floats and lanterns were all covered in clear plastic (which doesn't look very nice in photos), as it had been drizzling on and off throughout the day.

Anyways, here's some photos I took...

The crowds, and the lanterns hung on some Floats.

Colorful Prizes hanging from the festival stalls.

Here's something I didn't see last year. Is it the latest trend?? Many girls were buying these inflatable plastic bottles to hang on their backs... like backpacks... except you can't put anything inside but air... seems like the most silliest, most inane decoration.

Sat night - we went to support the JETs playing music to raise money to go to Cambodia. At the Pig & Whistle Bar in Kyoto.

Met two 18 year old boys from Texas at the bar. They were just travellers, and had decided to extend their stay in Kyoto for the Gion Festival. But all the accomodation in Kyoto was booked full for the festival season, so Michael and I told them that they could stay with us for the weekend. They were very nice/good boys, so they were no trouble.

Dinner in Kyoto Station. Fast Food Japanese-style. Looks very good, but is pretty mediocre. And the service was pretty brief...if you want good food and good service, don't eat at the busy station! But anyway, we were hungry, and it was cheap. Can't get this kind of fast food in NZ!

Oh yes, we managed to grow some Sunflowers in the small backyard! I'm so proud.

Yesterday at school, I spent most of my time in the LL room. LL stands for 'Language Learning Lab'. Really should be LLL room then huh? Anyways, I go there because in the school holidays, I have nothing to do, and my desk in the Teacher's Room is right opposite the Vice-Principal's one. So, I feel tense when I'm reading a book, or surfing the net, and I can feel his disapproving presence looming across from me. Even though I shouldn't feel bad. Yes. I'm at work, but I don't have any work to do, and is that my fault?? No.

Anyway, so I escape to the LL room, nobody goes there, the teachers say it's like the 'haunted house' of the school because it's dusty and no one ever goes there. Well, I've decided to make it my unofficial office, for my 3rd year at this school. I cleaned it out and it looks good now. There's even a little fan that can blow straight on my face, to compensate for no Aircon in the room!!

So, what did I do yesterday in the LL room?
I slept...twice, for about 40-50 minutes each time.
I read my book. It's called "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova. Very good book! (about the mystery of Dracula, aka. Vlad the Impaler).
I played with photoshop.
I stared out the window.
ooh and I ate lunch, really slowly.

hmmm... just why is the Japanese government spending so much money on JETs, when they do things like this in the holidays and get paid a handsome sum for it?? Maybe they could let me go and do 'volunteer work' outside school and pay me for it, instead of paying me to while away the hours in the LL room?? How dumb. But anyway, I've signed up for one more year. And I'll stick it out.

22 Days till the Philippines!!

The kitchen has been driving me nuts.

Why don't I clean more regularly? I should clean more regularly. Maybe if Michael and I cleaned regularly, I wouldn't have to do this traumatic big clean ever again...?! 

Kyoto JETs Farewell Party!

This weekend, we Farewelled many JETs who are not re-contracting for another year in Kyoto. Many of them, I have known for 2 years. It's a little sad. But then, new JETs are coming in August, and maybe I will make a great friend with someone new. Most of the JETs are leaving in late July, so we still have 2 weeks with them. I will be seeing my good friends a couple more times before they leave. Which is good, as I hate saying "goodbye" to people. Anyhow, if I ever go to Australia, Canada, or America, I will have friends there.

A large group of us went to sing Karaoke after the farewell dinner. It was so much fun, we stayed till our voices were run-out and our throats were sore from singing. I went to bed at 4am.  Next day I was pretty grumpy and still tired. Had an afternoon nap after doing the groceries in the sweltering heat. Mum and Dad woke me up from my nap with their phone call, I wasn't very happy at first, but I warmed up, and we had a good chat.

My summer holidays have started!  Actually, at school the students have exams, and then summer holidays, so, I don't have to teach till early September! I have 1 and a half months to do nothing...although I still have to 'show face' 8 hours a day at school. 

Plans to keep me occupied for the holidays:
1.Buy and read many many books. 
2.Figure out Photoshop...
3.Watch movies on my computer in the LL room.
4.Practice calligraphy in the Art Room.
5.Write my blog.
6.Write emails. 
7.Sleep...
8.Eat lunch really slowly.
9.Go to the Mall for 2 hour "lunchbreak".
10.Learn more about the Philippines.
11.Spend 10 Days in the Philippines!! 

ummm...any other suggestions?
I wish school would let me do 'cultural' things in the holidays, like visit temples or learn a craft, or volunteer work with animals, but I have to sit at my desk. Oh well, no complaining this year. Not many people can get paid well to do nothing for 1 and a half months eh? 

I saw that a Japanese man won the hot dog eating competition. Congratulations. This reminds me of a question I have whenever I see food-eating competitions: "Why are some of us stuffing ourselves with food, totally over-eating to the point of throwing up, when there are still so many people starving in our world??" It seems like a real waste of food.  

There is obviously an excess of food in some countries (who can afford to do food competitions) whereas in other countries, people are eating dirt and tree-bark because there is nothing else. The unfairness is sick.

A BIG Happy 24th Birthday today to my bestest friend Ruth! Hope you're having a great time in Thailand celebrating your birthday!
Luv, Victoria.

Monday Night - I went to Kim's house for a 'Mexican Night'! We made Tacos and Burritos, I ate so much, it was deeelicious! I ate 2 burritos, 1 taco, a custard-cream puff, raspberry jelly, and 2 Daquiris...wish I lived further away from Kim so I could walk off my meal that night, but I only live 2 minutes walk away.

Kim's friend Makiko brought her "Shamisen" (very old traditional Japanese instrument that Geisha used to specialize in). Makiko has only been learning the shamisen for 10 months, so she played some simple children's songs for us. It was great to hear such a traditional instrument in such a relaxed athmosphere. Usually the shamisen is made out of cat skin, and very expensive, but Makiko's is just a beginner's one...and I dunno if they still make it out of cat skin. Hope not!

Then, inspired by Makiko's Shamisen, Ashley got her musical instruments out!

This is a "Koto"  -another very old, traditional Japanese instrument, that women play usually. This Koto was kindly lent to Ashley by her koto teacher. It was the teacher's grandmother's Koto. It's awesome, how it's all made out of one large piece of wood. Ashley's only started learning the Koto, but she can already play some simple traditional songs "sakura...sakura..." etc.

 I got to try playing the Koto! It was fun...but as you see, I'm better at posing than at playing.
When you play the Koto, you need to wear special 'Nails' made of Ivory to pick the strings. It felt rather glam!

Another instrument!! This one is called the "Shakohachi". It's a traditional bamboo flute. It has an amazing tone. Very husky, earthy, haunting sound. I wish I could learn it...

Isn't he cute?!
I may just get more!! Turn it into my 'cyberzoo'! hehe.. Click on the link to adopt your own!

Hey check out my cool sister!
Her first time on a Dirt Bike! And she didn't fall off! Pretty stylie pink-&-brown gear too eh? Being married to an extreme-sports journalist/photographer might have something to do with it....

Tried a new Restaurant on Friday night. It's called "Luisiana Mama's". Michael and I followed Kim's 'easy directions' and couldn't find it at first, and my toes got rubbed really sore from my cute new sandals. Anyway, we asked at a Convienence Store, and found out that the directions we were following were actually 'too easy' and there were a few main things she'd not said ... but anyway, when we finally got there, it was a great meal Buffet Salad-bar and Drinks-bar, and oh-so-tasty Salmon and Capers Spagetti. Mmmmm... have to go back again soon.

Tonight, we're going to a 'Mexican Night' at Kim's place. Nachos, here I come! Only 3 weeks till most of the old JETs I've known for the past 2 years go back to their home countries. New JETs are coming at the start of August. Have to make new friends again, and I'd only just got comfy with the others! Me and Michael are the Old-Crusty-Crazy-3rd-Year JETs this year. I never thought I'd be one of those...