Week Ten

So I actually had to go to school that day. As usual noone remembered my Birthday and I had to tell them (even more pathetic). It's Spring break right, but we still had to go to school to farewell the teachers that were transferring out of Kita Highschool (WTF?) but I slept sitting up through most of that. Then home to sit by the phone and hope that someone at least, on the other side of the equator hadn't forgotten me.

And they didn't. In total I got calls from Lis in Brisbane, Jackie (the one turning 15) in Brisbane and my family which really made all the difference. Really, someone could have given my $100 bucks but the phone calls still would have meant more. I spent the day pacing round the house shouting into the cordless, much to my host-siblings annoyance. Hah! Suck on that! Sorry.

Then at 8:30 we (Jparents and Ai-chan) went to dinner at some french-italian place and had a multi course dinner (I didn't count), which was wonderful. I thanked them for it in the traditional way but they thanked me so I think they were happy to have an excuse to go out and eat foreign food.
Then we went home and Jmum produced some presents and a cake. What a cake! 1/3 sponge, 2/3s cream (with fruit so don't worry) just the way I like it. Japanese cakes are evil, they'll harden your arteries as soon as you look at them. *drools*
For presents I got a mini Ohinna-sama set (thats the Emperor dolls) made of silk that formed together to make a Cherry Blossom and a set of candles that said 'Happy Birthday'. My Jmum couldn't understand why I wouldn't let her burn them. I was touched because I hadn't expected anthing at all that day and to have dinner AND cake was totally wonderful. However we couldn't eat it until the next day because Komaki wasn't home (sleepover) and Jmum wanted everyone to have a piece. *sigh* But it was deeeeliscious.

So that was my 18th. It sucked as an 18th and I am expecting all my friends to throw me the biggest party ever when I get back to make up for it. However, as a birthday it was touching and warm, full of simple things and things from home. (But I still want the party when I get back.)

2) Komaki left for her Rotary Exchange in Australia on Sunday but I had to say goodbye to her on Saturday because I was going to Tokushima that day (more on this later). It was really sad to see her go and without a proper farewell. She said that she would come to the train station to see me off but when I went in to wake her up she said that she felt a bit flu-ey. I didn't want to make her sicker before her exchange so I said she should stay in bed and sleep. So I gave her a hug and told her how much I would miss her and that she would have the best time in Australia. Then I walked out the door and went to the train station. That was probably the last time I would ever see her (at least in the forseeable future) and she was blinking back sleep and still in her pyjamas. Damn it! Komaki was the coolest host-sister and its definately more boring without her. I am going to miss her so much. I lost a friend and a sister. Good luck Koma-chan! I hope you have the best time of your life! Ganbattekudasai!!!

3)So yeah on Saturday I went to Tokushima to spend some time with foreign friends and celebrate what was left of my birthday at that time. Took the train from Imabari to Takamatsu where I had to make a train change but Alex told me Platform 1 when really the train was Platform 3, which on a 4 minute train change is not a good mistake to make. However I realised just in time and got on with 30 seconds to spare, finding my seat just as the train jolted off. *grinds teeth* Arrived in Tokushima later that afternoon and was greeted my Alex. He took me around Tokushima CBD (dragging heavy bags behind me) before we took the train to the adjoining village where he lived. There we dumped the bags at his place and his host-parents took us out for some damn good sashimi before returning home to the house.
Actually I wasn't staying there but at Alex's ALTs house, Audrey. I would just like to take this moment to thank Audrey again for her hospitality in letting me stay at her house and I hope I wasn't too much of an incursion. Alex stayed there too in another room so along with Audrey's friend Cindy from Kyoto it was one big sleep over. However Audrey was a little low on bedding so we had to lug some over from Alex's house 10 minutes walk away. We must have looked so much like gypsies, what with all my bags and then this enormous bag of bedding that I carried on my chest, making me look like I was 9 months pregnant with octuplets. I don't know what the passing drivers would have thought.

The second day we walked to a cafe to have a late breakfast/lunch. The chef there had a funny custom of making animal balloons for all the 'younger' patrons and I guess all the stupid foreigners (who would be amused my that kind of thing). Hee hee, it was so cool, he made a monkey complete with bum-pads. The food itself was really deliscous but it took aaaaaaages to get there and even then I got mine first and was almost finished when the rest of everyones meals started to arrive. Then after that (3 hours later) Alex and I walked back to his place and played computer games for a few hours before his host-mum fed us dinner again. (I didn't expect that.) Then we legged it into town and walked around the park til 10:30 and caught the train home.
The park itself was beautiful and all lit up with lanterns to show off the Cherry Blossom trees and there was people sitting under them, having picnics on pieces of blue tarpauline. Then we climbed to top of the mini-mountain and looked out over the city while eating Cadbury Cream Eggs. Trust me, its lots of fun.

I actually was slated to go home at 6pm that day but it was so much fun that I rang home and requested another night (Audrey said it was ok) and amazingly my host-mum said it was alright. She actually sounded like she didn't mind. So the next day, Audrey had to go to work because it was Monday so Alex agreed to show Cindy around the town and stuff. So we walked around the Ginzas (thats the long outdoor covered shopping malls) and then went to a really cool Cafe for lunch. Alex ordered a Macha-Cappacino which I got to taste. Macha is the powered green tea that the Japanese use in the tea ceremony so the cappacino was of course, bright green. However it was totally deliscous.

Then Cindy had to go and take her bus back to Kyoto so Alex and I went and had some of that oh-so-devilshly-deliscous Tokushima Ramen for dinner. You have no idea how good it is. Its like the most delish noodles that you have ever eaten times a million. However it is very very salty and about 5 minutes after you eat it your whole mouth dries up and you are left gasping for water.
Eventually 6:13 rolled around and I had to go home but it was a nice, friendly way to celebrate my birthday with friends and I came home relaxed and satisfied. Ahhhhhh.
(Just as a note: The picture's of dancers from the Tokushima region doing the Awa dance, the special dance of the area. Tokushima's covered in pictures of these guys.)

Thanks for listening guys, I'm sorry that it was a few weeks late in the posting. As you can see, the weekends that I usually have to write these up have been taken up with other stuff. Until next time Ciao M'Amore...^-^

Oh and I'm trialling a new font colour because I have been hearing complaints that some of the 'older' members of my audience are having trouble reading it. Email or write in the guest book what you think. Thanks.