Confusion

The last Language I tried to learn was Afrikaans, it was really easy... When I went to my first Japanese lesson yesterday it wasn't. I did a lot of smiling and nodding but I'm still not sure what I was learning. Kyoto city has a great system where you can attend free language lessons given by volunteers, I　don't think they are on community service. I had a very keen elderly gent who produced sheets covered in Japanese writing and started reading to me, every now and again he would type a word into his electronic dictionary so I could follow what was happening ... Well that's the theory anyhow!

The major excitement yesterday was that we were supposed to be getting hit by a typhoon. It rained a lot and then some more but we reckoned in the morning that it was a pretty pathetic attempt at a typhoon. When I read in the paper this　afternoon that four people were killed not all that far from Kyoto it was pretty sobering.

Thanks for the comments and e-mails I'm touched (not like that you pervert). I should point out that I have eaten more than just noodles and the Sushi/Sashimi is much better here than at home the Guinness however doesn't travel so well!

Ta, Roger

Would you like fries with that?

I have begun work, after a three day training session I am now probationary qualified to teach English at Nova. If this sounds like a quick training period it is not all that surprising.

Teaching at Nova isn't much of an art, you open the book and follow the steps they taught you and before you know it 40 mins are up and your student or students (never more than 3) can do something new in English. Simple! And to make it even easier on Friday we get a new textbook that has everything pre planned for you. Its easy but not really 'Dead Poets Society' stuff.

We have made return visits to our local izakiya (pub) and my dirty Korean friend has yet to resurface with a higher offer.

I'm beginning to feel official here I now have a phone and bank account although nothing to put in it yet. I'm living out of our local 99yen shop (about 50p) on a diet of noodles and fruit jelly!　Its really rather tasty. Work is right in the centre of town only about 45mins from the flat, so I can chill in the morning whilst Jon and Mike rush of to catch the early train (they both work miles away).

We have weird days of I get Wednesday and Thursday of which might be good on the travel front as most places should be fairly empty by then esp. When the ski season starts.

Life is still good really I know some exciting story will pop into my head as soon as I leave this internet cafe but at the moment content yourself with a dry account of my life.

Ta for now

Roger

A new dawn.....

Well I am softly tucked up in Kyoto now and start work tomorrow. Japan seems to be a pretty cool place. Although I can't communicate with any of the locals by speech I'm getting quite good at miming, but the country is so well organised it doesn't really matter.

I have a flat with two Americans, no seriously they are quite nice guys, Jon and Mike. The other night we went visiting to our local bar, a great experience. Except for one thing. After a while a man of about 50 came and sat next to me, nothing unusual I thought seeinf as the bar was on the small side of tiny. He smiles and starts gibbering at me, seemed to be pretty pissed, so I smile and Jabber back, the conversation lasted for a bout 45 mins before Jon who can speak some Japanese turns to me and says 'He wants to know how big your dick is' I smiled at the man nervously then he grabbed his crotch and made humping motions. Ohoho... It gets better because after he was unable to persuade me to sleep with him with tales of how handsome I was (you can tell he was drunk) he offered me 20,000 yen!

Apart from that scary experience it has all been rather cool. The local is a proper Kyoto local so I expect to spend much time and money there. We start our training tomorrow so we'll see how that goes.

Hope all are well.

Roger