I Got Some Tail

Today is my one-month anniversary of arriving in Japan! It feels like so much longer! Not because it's been a bad time, which it certainly hasn't, but because I've done so many things, seen so many places and met so many people in that short time. Including living!

Today I was at my LES and we had a field trip (yea! Field trip!) to Agigawa Dam, which you can actually see from the school. I lucked out and got to be in K-sensei's group. I was hoping so because he speaks English pretty well and it was fun getting to talk to him a bit during the walk.

Basically, we walked or stood all day, with the exception of a couple hours at the top of the dam where we had lunch and played games. The sun came out during that time, which was extra special, as it wasn't that warm otherwise.

The gist of the day was "Orienteering," a word which I've heard before, but couldn't give you a definition of. It involved going from one point to another and finding at the spot either a question or a task. Like, how many students are in the school, how many cars passed us within one minute, etc., etc..

First we stopped at a shrine.

Then we made a stop amidst the rice fields

And then it was on to the dam.

(Aren't the hats cool - they're reversible - perfect for making teams - no ugly pinnies!)

Here the kids played around a bit: the Japanese version of Red Light, Green Light and Freeze Tag. I played a little Freeze Tag, but my shin splints were mortal today so it was a lot of big steps and nonchalant walking.

From there we were on to the Scary Tunnel

where I was sure to start the ghost noises - which caught on rather quickly. I was inspired by the sub-overpass hooting from the Turkey Trot. (Yea, Buff!)

Once inside we had a not-very-interesting explanation of some sort of big noisy blue contraption and then waited for the elevator to take us to the top. It was a long wait, because that joint is SLOW and only so many of us could fit on at once. While we were waiting the largest number of teenage boys I have ever seen filed past on their way to the stairs. The elevator was so slow, that once my group got up, the boys started pouring out of the stairwell door, and all of them beat the next elevator group. It's like 100 meters or something.

We took a big group picture and then broke on through to the other side (sorry, I don't even like The Doors) where we finally got to take a load off and have some lunch. I'd brought a PB and honey sandwich and some yoghurt, but they had ordered bento for me so I ate a random assortment of tentacles, sushi, whole fish, and other sundry items. I've found that if you just don't think it's gross, it's not. I did, however, set aside the ebi (not Abbey) - shrimp. If it's plain, no can do. Tempura, can diddly-do.

The kids had their own bento, packed by their mothers and typically including onigiri, party wieners and other little kid things.

The kids all had their own little plastic sheets to sit on - basically large versions of their placemats from school. I didn't have one, and neither did K-sensei, so the kids shared with us. So cute! And so cute using their little kid chopsticks!

After lunch it was fun and games, with my team winning the pass-the-loop-along-the-chain game two times running. Then we played the Shippo game, where you tuck the end of a plastic ribbon in the back of your pants, both teams line up at opposite ends of the field like armies, and then charge at each other and try to get someone's tail before they get yours. I got a tail just before my own was snatched. Good Times.

Before heading back, we went inside for a presentation so boring I won't even post a picture of it. Some of the sensei's thought it was so intriguing, they had to close their eyes to think about it further, without distraction.

Then it was back down to the slow elevator, through the Scary Tunnel and back to school. All in all, a good day, lots of PR with the kids - my camera is Good Times for them, because they can see themselves being photographed!

And here I am, early, and pooped!