Utsunomiya again

Yes ladies and gentlemen it's me. Some of you probably thought I was dead or illiterate or something. I assure while one or more of these may have occured it was dealt with and I'm back. Although whether I'm back by popular demand or because I have three very angry men staring accusingly at me right now is a matter on which I'll decline comment.

There is a strange feeling one gets after being a train, I find it's even worse when you fall asleep. The only thing I can equate it to is when you take one of those really heavy naps and wake up not knowing where you are or what you're doing, only when you do this in Japan there's the added bonus of everyone speaking a different language too.

Anyway we emerged in Utsunomiya still wandering in post train limbo and were promptly greeted by the friendly face of Mike, the awesome uncle every young man wishes he had. He whisked us off to his apartment, a very pretty little place just off the major river in Utsunomiya. Where we collapsed gratefully all over the floor and all slipped off into dreams wondering what teaching two classes of cute nurses would be like.

The next day dawned brisk by Japanese standards, which is to say 75 degrees with humidity, never have sweatshirts been so useless. On the way over Mike gave us the briefing on how the classes were going to work, he had made lists of questions and answers. Basically what we were going to do was demonstrate the questions and then separate off into the class and work with whichever girls we felt like. Questions included: How old are you, how long have you been in Japan, whats your email, whats your phone number, would you like to meet me for coffee... Ok so maybe they weren't very subtle but Mike is still wicked cool.

The first class went really well. The girls were happy and giggly in all the right places Mike standing like some kind of tall Irish romantic ringmaster in the middle of the room directing their attention at us. The second class was a bit more reserved. Although granted they had a bit more to take in off the bat what with Mike parading the entire first class into the room and making everyone sing me happy birthday. Oh yes, did I metion it was my birthday that day? Well it was I'm twenty now, bon voyage to the teenage years, you were fun, can't say I'll miss you that much. Anyway the embarassment did not end there before the other class could leave the room Mike made sure that every girl wearing blue gave me a kiss on the cheek. He later confided in us that at a quick glance around the room he saw the prettiest girls were mostly wearing blue. I'm pretty sure Nate also took a video in which he swears I'm blushing so deeply I glow, if enough requests come down the pipe I'm sure he'll post it somewhere and embarass me further. The whole thing concluded with a kind of Japans most eligible bachelor contest where the girls voted on which of us they would most like spend additional time with. The score stands thus:

Ian: 9
Nate:14
Dane:15
Shan:23
Mike:10

Personally I think they were generous with me because it was my birthday but hey, it was still a good feeling.


After class there was much email exchanging, Ian got one number, and enough pictures to make King Kong run for cover. Nate put it best, "Well now we know what national monuments feel like." Then we took a taxi into town and got lunch, we also got a lesson from Mike in how to chat up the bints in the local lingerie shops. Nate also picked up a nifty leather jacket. We then did our normal thing and took in the town grabbed some drinks to start off my birthday night and headed home to dress up.

Later that night we went to a couple bars, one painfully American the other painfully expensive and wound up in a nightclub dancing like maniacs until the wee hours of the morn. Dane went home early, Nate played it cool, I karate chopped a metal chair while dancing, and Ian got his groove on.

The night ended with me and Ian sitting watching the river near Mikes apartment passing a bottle of water back and forth. We talked like old friends talk, about nothing in particular but in a very meaningful way. We were there and that was enough, then low and behold another Tanuki walked by, they really are very interesting creatures...

So that was my birthday, I assure you we are trying to catch up on the events as fast as possible, but life just keeps rushing by faster than our fingers can type it.

As always Semper fi,
S.