Back from Yashiro

So the last four days I've been away at the local orientation for all of us in the area (quite a big area, about 75 people.) It was pretty fun. It was in this teacher training institute in this place called Yashiro, which everyone claims is the middle of nowhere, but seems to have more in it than my town :oS . Anyway so was wicked to meet people from around the prefecture and hang out with them for a while. We had some lecturey type things, and then just hung out drinking and talking.

We ate all the meals at the place, and they were okay, sort of like Uni hall type food (but Japanese food obviously), and the workers in the kitchen seemed pretty friendly. This will be important later. So first night we just hung out drinking and chatting, for my friends from music school, it was a lot like a tour sort of thing, we had the run of the place and all sharing rooms and corridors and stuff. The place itself was very strict in a sort of way, had loads of rules, and little speakers in each room which played floaty wake up music every morning at 7 with a Japanese soothing female voice saying 'everyone! good morning!' in Japanese. (Of course the current JET helpers got on the thing and did a couple of 'good morning vietnam' things.)

So anyway, second day we had more lectures, some Japanese lessons, workshops and stuff. In the evening, we had an official welcome party, speeches and buffet sushi etc, and we had to do a little 10 min skit about our country. I think the Brits did a pretty good job, we did a fake BBC style news report. For my tiny bit, I had to dress in a little vest and too tight shorts with suit shoes and socks rolled up to my knees with a knotted hanky on my head as I reported from Brighton beach... hmmm. Anyway after all that and a few drinks, general mingling, we had to clear the hall for half an hour or so so that the band could set up. (I love that - stop the party so that they could set up for the party. hmmm) The band? Okay, check this: it was the workers from the kitchen who are also the in house band! Crazy! They're pretty tight as well, really getting into their solos and stuff. They played loads of old old rocky stuff, Beatles and Chuck Berry, not my thing at all but they're the kitchen staff, how can you not love it. So anyway halfway through that, they announce a special guest... of course it's Elvis. JAPANESE elvis, a small guy in a bad wig. Okay so he (JAPANESE ELVIS) sings some old Elvis songs with the band (KITCHEN STAFF) whilst the washer uppers still wearing their aprons just chip in with some percussion. Okay that's surreal enough, no? NO. Out comes..... Japanese Elvis. Number two! So now we have two completely different looking Japanese Elvii on stage, and to finally complete the weirdness/amazingness of the whole thing, I'm talking to a friend I've met and she says that elvis number two is the PRINCIPAL AT HER SCHOOL. And not nearby, a couple of towns over! So he drove for ages just to come and be japanese elvis number two. Man, we were all just amazed.

The rest of the time was cool, but nothing really interesting for a blog. Sessions, drinking and socialising, you all know what that is, nothing exciting there. Met some people from a couple towns over which was good.

So anyway, time to leave, and although I really been enjoying it, going back home to my house in the middle of nowhere did seem a bit of a downer. But my supervisor is so cool, he shuffles up to the institute with his sharp clothes and stands out in a sea of middle aged white shirt black trouser office workers. We jump in his car, and he's blatantly put together this MD for me, he's rocking 'St Thomas' by Sonny Rollins, 'Sidewinder' by Lee Morgan, bit of 'Syeeda's Song Flute' by Trane. He say's 'so..... you must be tired, lets stop for a drink', pick up some coffee and snacks, then he invites me windsurfing next weekend with him and his brother! He's such a dude.

So back now, going to go down to Kobe (it's a long way without a car to get to the station though) tomorrow for a bit of a JET party (called a 'beer garden', sounds intriguing, with the people from this week thing, should be pretty good! So far nothing stays the same for more than a day or two, no time to settle down and get my head around stuff. It's crazy! Anyway that'll come later I guess.

So anyway, maybe more rural stories later, when I do something interesting. Okay, so enjoy some pics of the funky artwork that was up around the institution, a pic from the drive home (tell me that isn't beautiful), and a shot from a japanese tv kids show where they're singing 'puff the magic dragon' in japanese with a special guest of some old guy who had a wailing (but awesome) voice.



Oh yeah, and I tried many drinks this week (including a fully endorsed 'Thorpedo') but cream soda fanta is still King. Pics of my house still coming, its a bit of a tip, I'm cleaning this week, then pics. Promise.