5 - Attrition

I have some grave news to begin with. As many of you know, one of my great prides is being able to say that I have visited every single one of the world's Pokemon Centers. In a feat that spanned an entire year, I crossed a nation in order to purchase Pokemon paraphernalia all across Japan. However, last month, that achievement was made void by the duplication of the Osaka branch. Without my even realising it, I had let slip quite possibly the greatest accolade I will ever own. You cannot begin to imagine my torment. However...

... I have now once again earned the right to label myself as a Pokemaniac. Osaka's not that far away, not so far my dreams can't reach out and grab it. And that was my Monday.

Oh, alongside the taking of blood, ECGing and official registration in Japan that also took place.

So I guess there are a couple of things that need special mention today. Job training was Thursday and Friday, which was worth the time out of school. It's clear the staff at school aren't 100 percent sure what to do with me, I think the whole speaking Japanese thing is taking some getting used to. Still, gently does it; I'll be a fully fledged part of the team in no time. In the meantime, it's up to me to try and somehow make myself useful.

So training was pretty good. But Saturday kinda wiped it into insignificance with Kobe Winery's Bon-Odori festivities. Jumping at the chance to re-don a yukata, Steph and I were right there, only a half hour late. I'm sure there'll be photos about on Facebook on due time of my dashing blue gown, lessened only by the poor footwear choice and the fact you can see my tshirt under it. For those who don't know, Bon, or Obon, is a Japanese summer festival typified by expensive festival food, bright colours and dancing. This is the Japanese barn dance, to make a rough comparison, and the fact that we were both foreign and clueless didn't exempt us from giving it a try. However, disaster! Kobe winery was hit by a sudden thunderstorm as soon as we emerge from the changing rooms. It's a good hour and a half before the rain lets up enough to give people a chance to start. And once it did, though very rushed, it was pretty spectacular. Rather than limiting itself to just traditional Obon dancing, there were a number of performances of different cultures. And when you get down to it, having a bunch of sweet elderly women try to explain a quirky dance to you ain't that bad.

Oh, for the record, I was pretty hot on the dancefloor.

Sunday was more church, which continues to prove to be better than we could have hoped. Today's post-service event was bowling, which was cool. Left us both exceptionally tired, though; it's a wonder I got up for work at all this morning.

Well how about that. Just when I'd given up on 100 yen mega-Coke, I waltz into Family Mart to pay my bills only to find they've sold them all along. Once again, all's right with the world.

But yeah, I'm actually walking down the street while I write this. iPhones really are something.

So how's school REALLY going, I'm sure you're dying to ask. Pretty amazingly, all things considered. People are starting to recognise me, talk to me even, and in today's colossal meeting that I only had to be around for part of there was a definite sense that I was one of their's, not just a visitor. I'm also now the voice of the second year English listening mid-terms. That's pretty cool, I think. I even sent off a video letter to my elementary classes saying how excited I was to meet them, but also how worried I was that I didn't know their names nor their favourite foods. Apparently it'll serve as the intro to a name-card making exercise in the coming week, as well as help them recognise me when I finally turn up next Tuesday. Cute, huh?

Okay, home now. Time to kick back and enjoy a big can of sparkling sugar goodness while I beat the snot out of a transforming shark robot with my awesome guitar powers.

Thanks for reading.