Summer Happenings: Part B
After a nice three-day weekend, thanks to 海の日 (Ocean Day), I find myself back at my desk…again.
Dylan and I enjoyed a mostly relaxing weekend, complete with non-stop rain thanks to the typhoon that blew through on Saturday. We went to Kyoto on Sunday to visit some friends and to experience one of the three biggest Japanese festivals, the Gion Matsuri. It didn’t start until almost sunset, but when it did, there was no question. The parade is today, so we saw the huge みこし (portable shrines), in their inanimate states. These heavy wooden floats are carried down the street by multiple people who not only endure the weight of the float itself, but also of the many people crammed into the top waving to the passing crowds. They also have no axles, so I’ve heard making turns in the crowded downtown streets are rather tricky. Maybe we can see the parade next year. This time, though, we enjoyed walking through the wall-to-wall people and food vendors. Many people were in traditional Japanese yukata, and I had to desperately resist the urge to buy かきごおり (shaved ice) at every other stand. I did get some takoyaki, and then we went to JUMBO for possibly our last meal with Shivana before she heads back to America. Dylan carried the camera with his new lens attached, so if you want to see pictures, please visit here —>. He has become quite the photography buff, so I don’t feel right putting his pictures on my blog. I’m looking into getting a new “not so intimidating” point-and-shoot, so hopefully I can start taking more “high-quality” pictures soon.
Speaking of yukata…
This is from the Yukata Matsuri in Himeji back in June. These are some of the great girls I’ve met over here, wearing their cute little outfits. I don’t know why I didn’t dress up. Could be that I don’t have a yukata, or maybe I’m just a rebel like that. I do know that I was A LOT cooler (temperature wise, that is) than everyone else.
So yes, back to #3 of the weeks of nothing to do at school. There is sure to be five or six more, so I’m trying my best to accept this situation of mine. So far, I have been enjoying reading the internet from front to back, going up to my classroom to watch The L Word on my computer, and reading Harry Potter and napping in my ESS closet. It’s been frustrating not having anything to do, but with the help of some of my friends who are in similar situations, I’ve been learning to like my “invisibility”. Also, with unlimited access to the internet, I find interesting reads like this. With certain events that took place over this last week, I don’t have much to complain about, that’s for sure. I’ve been in a right good mood, but it’s still good to get some perspective on things. Some of these tens tips for life improvement mean a lot to me right now. I don’t need to worry that I’m hardly talked to at work and most of the teachers don’t acknowledge my presence walking down the halls. They are very clearly busy grading papers, entering grades and making handouts, and I don’t envy them in the slightest. I get frustrated that I have to dodge most of the male teachers because they don’t understand “Ladies first”, but it’s no big deal. There’s just no need to dramatize things that happen over here, or to take the easy way out and make generalizations and hold grudges. I will gladly accept my paycheck every month and what I’m really here for are the students, anyway. I get a nice wave and greeting from most of them, and that makes it all worth it. I’ve already chatted with members of the tennis and table tennis clubs, and I’m going to start practicing with them when summer vacation starts.
Also, I may complain now and again about this country and its people, but do I really have anything major to complain about? No. Especially not like these folks. WOW! I don’t care how many times I’m not asked to go out to lunch, or not informed on why everyone suddenly went to the gym, I’ll never cut off my own fingers or cover myself with bees in protest. I’ll just watch that much more TV on the government’s yen!