Saturday, 30 August 2008

Kochi Revisited

On Wednesday afternoon, I visited the Tokawa chugakkou (junior high) to meet with the JTE there. I spent a bit more time there than I did at the chugakkou on Tuesday. The biggest thing for me right now is preparing my introduction for the schools I will be visiting over the next few weeks, including A3-size photos of New Zealand and my family.

Thursday was just a regular day spent in the office. I watched a whole lot of World of Warcraft-related clips at Michael's house that night while he played Metal Gear Solid 4 on his PS3.

Yesterday, Nakawaki-san took Candice and I into Kochi city. We got our re-entry permits from thte Immigration office before having lunch at Hirome ichiba (market). A re-entry permit is used for when you leave the country and need to get back in. I guess it just makes it easier for Immigration, but it sure cost a bit: 6,000 yen for three stamps, which I assume means you can re-enter Japan three times.

After lunch, we went to JAF, where we had our respective driver's licenses translated. While we waited for them to process them, we went to Aeon mall to do some kaimono (shopping). I got a small suitcase -- carry-on size -- for when I travel around. I also got a hot water urn (with electronic dispensing) and a few things from the hyaku-en (100 yen) store.

After we retrieved our licenses and got the documentation from JAF, we left Kochi city. We stopped at a furniture and general merchandise store not too far outside the city. I bought a new pillow, which was really nice to sleep on last night.

In K-town (Kubokawa), I picked up a loan phone to use while my keitai (cellphone) is being repaired. They say that it is not an LCD leak but looks like another problem. Whatever the issue, I just hope that they repair it free of charge, since it was a brand new phone and is obviously a manufacturing fault.

Nakawaki-san and I got back to the office in Taisho very late. It was raining. I made dinner after I got dropped home (carrying all my stuff from Kochi up to my apartment), and also baked a chocolate cake. I had to put it through my rice cooker twice. I'm not sure if there is a different setting for baking in it because I can't read the kanji, but just doing a standard cycle twice seemed to work. The cake tastes nice.

This afternoon, Michael, Candice, Laurel and I are will be going into Nakamura (Shimanto city). There is apparently a small festival tonight, with hanabi (fireworks). Apparently the fireworks display will be more intense than the one we had here last Sunday, so I am really looking forward to that!

On a somewhat sour note, my laptop is not expected to arrive until Monday the 8th, so I have to wait for more than a week until I will be able to go online at home. My Internet, however, will be connected this coming Monday, so I won't have to wait for that to get hooked up -- I just won't be able to use it for a week. :(

Timotheos

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