Evening Rain

First of all. I've probably mentioned the cold temperature right? Yesterday and last night it POURED! A friend and I were on our way home from Utsunomiya City after trying the 'best gyouza in Japan' when it started raining on us and after I guided her back to the hotel I ran to the office trying to see if I could get internet access (no) so I entered my hotel room soaking wet and red faced from the wind. All in all. Unpleasant.

I cranked up the heating, changed out of my wet things and slowly began to warm up, fell asleep and woke up freezing. I have heard 3 different people say that its the coldest hotel they've ever stayed in which I believe can be traced back to poor insulation and LACK OF INTERNET (actually its probably due to the first one - the latter just annoys me). The whole traditional aspect was fun, now its not as fun. Communal showering weirds me out and although I havent run into anyone and I lock the doors I'm worried that sometime soon I'll be sumimasen-ing my way out of a tremendously embarrassing situation.

Today I had a physical. A physical you ask? What is that? Do you pit each other against one another in a year-7-esque form of athletic competition to determine a social ranking? Close. But no natto, a physical is something that all teachers need to go through before becoming a teacher which includes, blood pressure test, hearing and sight tests, urine tests, a chest x-ray, poking and proding, and me taking off my shirt in front of Japanese men who had no time for my Gaijin-ness. I believe I passed. I'm not sure I can fail but no matter.

Theeeeen I met a whole bunch of other ALTs and awkwardly tried to introduce myself in Japanese. I did meet some cool people though so hopefully I can stay in closer contact with them at possibly visit them later when Otawara is boron. I also met an enormous Bogan named 'Lachy' which was like a cross between an irritating mature aged student and a hardcore Carlton supporter who managed to criticise the place I was going to live in about 5 seconds after meeting me. He's... he's just awesome...........

Very soon I am off to Gunma! Beautiful, cold, windy and cold are only a few adjectives that come to mind but I'll be driven there and have essentially free accomodation so I really have no complaints! Except the whole cold aspect, but its coming into Spring soon which means CHERRY BLOSSOMS. I am so keen. Are you? Mmm yes I imagine you are. After Gunma I hope I can my way to Otawara, my future home and possible country hick town. Immense.

Yey!