Shinai vs Katana

So I went to kendo the other night. I watched it for a while again, but it's all just the same. No one lost a limb or anything, but then, shinai aren't known for their sharpness and ability to cut. Now, the Muramasa; that's a blade that not only cuts but has a style of its own. What I did achieve while there was to read through the second volume of Toriyama's Dragonball manga. I never did watch or read the original Dragonball series. Ah, the days of Dragonball Z. Natsukashi!

After kendo, Michael and I ate in K-town (see: Kubokawa) before going to his place in Taisho to watch good ol' YouTube.

Yesterday, we went to the Kubokawa branch of my bank so I could try and sort out a money transfer from my New Zealand bank account to my Japanese one. I eventually ended up faxing a form that my bank had me download. Even though communication was difficult, going to K-town wasn't a complete waste of time, as I was able to better understand the process of an international money transfer and get on the right track to applying for one. However, I have yet to hear from any of the parties involved as to the commencement, process or completion of said international money transfer.

I intended also to get a hanko (personalised stamp that often takes the place of a penned signature) holder, but my stamp is the wrong size for the holders that were available. Perhaps I will get one some other time -- or even replace my hanko with one of the small, rounded ones that such holders... hold.

At the end of the day, Michael and I cooked dinner at his house again and proceeded to watch a rather lengthy routine by one Christopher Titus, a comedian that had his own tv series for a time. He also helped me get back on track with my Japanese study (Michael, not Titus...). The course that all JETs have the option of applying for will not start until October or November, so until then I will do my own study from the textbook and workbook that I acquired for that Japanese paper in my final trimester at Vic.

After returning home last night, I read a book titled Japanese Made Funny: Gaijin Bloops in Nihongo, that belongs to Michael. I found a few (if not many) of the situations rather unbelievable, but Japanese really can be a twisted language. Fancy making the words for cute (kawaii) and frightening (kowai) so close in pronunciation. Kowai, indeed :o

Detailing today so far will bring this blog up to date.

This morning, Michael and I visited four schools where I will be teaching. I have one day a week at each of the two chugakkou (junior high or middle schools) in Tohwa (one in Showa and one in Tokawa, the two villages that make up Tohwa town). No one is entirely sure what is happening with the distribution of ALTs to the local shogakkou (elementary or primary schools), but last year, my predecessor Philip visited each of the two in Tohwa once a month.

It was nice to meet some of the teachers -- despite it being Summer holidays, not only were a lot of teachers at the schools, but even students were there. The Japanese sure like their extra-curricular activities.

So here I am in the office, having read up as much a I can on both GameSpy and the official site about Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Having completed this blog entry, it is now 4.30pm and time to log ou- erm, clock out!

Timotheos