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Jane's Top Things You Didn't Need To Know But She Is Telling You Anyway
1) So ok, on Wednesday I went on an Ensoku to Imabari Castle. Whats that you ask? Why its a picnic in the park, usually in the company of family, or in this case, small children. Why you ask? Because I am now the cheapest English Language Teacher (ELT) in Imabari. That is, I teach for free! Isn't that horrible, (yet so kind on my part). Anyway, so I went on a picnic with the Fouth Year Students from the Junior School that I am liased with. I was told to be there at 10:30 but at 11 they weren't there and again at 11:30. Finally we located the group inside the actual Castle grounds (and not outside like they said) and I joined them. However first I was shown about the castle but one of the teachers (who looked like he had been smooshed in the face with hobnailed boots at an early age) and told about the history of the castle. Honestly all I remember is the totally scary Samurai armour suits and my guide's trashbin breath. I know this is an exceptionally bad recount of him but in the interests of reporting the news without lies or bias, I have to be truthful about such things. *shrugs shoulders*
After this I sat down under a tree and ate my lunch. Yes, this was my Ensoku, sitting under a tree with one other teacher, silently eating my lunch while crazed children ran whilly nilly around me trying to catch eachother in a strange version of Tag. Actually joined in after a while. I had pigtails that day so I bet I looked like a giant version of the little students around me. God, I felt so old! 5 minutes of running around with them and I was buggered. One of them commented on how lovely my hair was (thankyou very much kind sir) and then asked me if he could plait it. Hmm, ok, you may. TUG!TUG!TUG! YOU HAVE PRETTY HAIR! TUG!TUG!TUG! Ok, stop now please. TUG!TUG!TUG! Grrr, wrench! Thankyou, my plait looks lovely, I'll fix it up now. *Sigh* I love 10 year olds. Then it was time to leave. But not before Mori-san (my teacher guide lady) took me to the art gallery to show me some of the local art pieces. Actually the gallery was full of fairly modern paintings and I quite enjoyed it. Yay, culture.
2) Not much to this story other than on Thursday I wanted to go to FujiGrand, which is Imabari's answer to a shopping complex (sadly, not as good as home). However, neither of my Jparents could drive me so I decided to go alone by bike. I had remembered seeing FujiGrand in the distance when I went to Imabari castle. Maybe if I made my way to there I would be able to find my way, as long as I kept the FujiGrand Logo in sight. Eventually I managed to find my way to the castle itself. I took what I thought was a shortcut along the river but ended up riding through the seedy, rundown part of town. Not to worry, especially if you're a lone girl on a bike and its semi dark because of the ominous clouds overhead. However when I got to Imabari Castle I couldn't see the logo anywhere, and when I did find something like it, it turned out be a advertising sign, a cruel mirage. Round and round I went, through back streets and main roads, passing Imabari Castle (again?)(and again?)(what the f**k!? again?) until I had even lost sight of the Imabari Kokusai Hotel (which was my one guiding point all along as it is the only skyscraper in Imabari). AAAAHHH! FREAKOUT! Then all of a sudden I recognised something. Wait a minute, I thought, I know that rice field! Dude! I'm within spittin distance of home! Arrrrgh! I'd done a huge circle. So I started from scratch, headed in the general FujiGrand direction and eventually found it. One and a half hours later. Ouchy. Any hope I had of walking around for hours and hours shopping was dashed as my legs now hurt so much from all the cycling. On the bright side though, I now know how to get to FujiGrand.
3) Ok, again, nothing much to this story. I was riding along the road with my Jsis Komaki and my mate Maho on our way home and then all of a sudden Maho's like "Oi! there was a pig back there!" and Komaki's like "Yeah it was dead! Like this! *pulls mutilated pose and face*" I'm like, what the hell, so we pulled a U-turn and rode back to have a look. Wish I hadn't though. Some men had slaughtered a pig outside their house on the next road over and had hung it spread-eagle upside down (or at least I thought so as it HAD NO HEAD!) to bleed it. What does your pork chop look like before you get to eat it? Pink and wrinkly and with bits of veins and entrails hanging out of its wounds, and no trotters in sight. I gagged, Komaki went pale and Maho made a funny noise. Never again. I will never again eat Tonkatsu (thats deep fried pork schnitzel) unless of course I have to (like next time its served). What!? I'm Australian! I'm a carnivore! What! What! *Evil Face*
Until next time we meat, I mean meet, my cherubs. *Evil toothy smile* ^-^