Last week jitters

(No I'm not referring to that last week of 90 day court-required rehab that leaves your entire body in tics for that first snort of horse or boot of skag)

The last week in Japan has been busy with everything and everyone getting it all together before I leave the year abroad. It looks like everything will be fitting in my suitcase(s) so I don't have to panic about. I don't have to, but it doesn't mean that I won't.

Tuesday I went into the Hosei International International Centre to give my final (crap) speech (ie: "thank you very much everyone. I had a great time in Japan and thanks to your help I enjoyed it all very much. I learned a lot and won't forget it" ) I signed some last papers and gave back my student ID. "Why?" You may ask. I don't know. This is another fascinating unsane (different than "insane") Japanese practice of not being able to keep your ID cards. Because heaven forbid you pose as a student and save the 200 freaking yen on your horrible excuse for a "student discount". Then I had a goood chat with Hiroko about the good times at Hosei. I generally like the people who work at the Baylor International Centre, but I wouldn't mind to add Hiroko to the staff. We took a picture on her camera and somehow ended up like this. Good times.



Also on Tuesday I had 2 last lessons with a couple of my students. I'll definately miss them and the feeling that someone thinks of me as a teacher. (it's such a power trip)

Oh, and on a random note. This summer in Tokyo has been really mellow. I was always told by everyone, "just wait..". But I've waited and it really isn't too bad. There was a really humid and hot week or two in there in June, but last week was like 20 degrees (68 for the anglos). And the night usually is quite cool. Sure...it's the humidity of a hungarian midget wrestler's armpit, but not as hot. So Tokyo summer gets a C in summer grades. Whereas Minnesota generally gets an A and Waco gets about a B+. (note: waco gets this high purely for the sun. after living in Tokyo where a sunny day is only available indoors my pale skin needs some vitamin D)

2 days ago I got a haircut and....hairs were definately cut. Once again my english system mind mistook 1 inch for 1 centimetre. And I thought I was completley metric friendly. I consider it a small bump on the road to complete conversion. (side note: metric names are really sterile and beige compared to their english system counterparts) Anyway, this lady who cut my hair had some bizarre accent that I couldn't understand at all. For example the word 大丈夫 (daijoubu meaning "ok") sounded like だいじぇーぶ (daijeibu). So I just kept on saying "yes" and "sure" to whatever she suggested. I thought I could leave Japan and just get one more haircut without problems. But no. Oh well. I've always secretly wanted the hair on my arms to be longer than my head.






Some pictures of the fireworks the other night.


Toei Shinjuku line/Keio New line station at Shinjuku.