Balinese Christmas: Baby, It's Hot Outside.

It's remarkably easier for me to post pictures on facebook, so that's where they are. Check 'em out.

I'm lazy, I apologize, but a Bali story or two is pending post vacation. The parents are now in Japan, to be picked up shortly, and after New Years with Mr. Yamada (my boss) then we are off to Hiroshima and Fukuoka for the next week. Once I am back to the school routine, I will tell tales and add other photos for your perusal.

So this will be Christmas:

I'm Bali bound from the 21st till the 29th with some JET friends. Then back to Japan to adventure with the parents for a week. Not your typical Christmas but I think I'll survive in the sun, on the beach, in the mountains, with the monkeys...

Admittedly there will be a part of me wishing I was in cold snowy Canada with family, friends, Handel's Messiah on the stereo, eggnog, and Christmas carols around the piano. I suppose (or rather a friend of mine supposed and I agree with him) that it takes one experience to properly appreciate the other.

Wishing you much love, peace, and (of course) joy from this corner of the world to yours. May you have a very merry Christmas and the best of beginnings to your new year.

Shrimp: The Chicken of the Sea?

Recent evaluations of myself have led me to conclude that it’s time I find some self-motivation. There are a few things on the list, and tonight I tackled the idea of going out for dinner in my town alone. Self-motivation comes into play here because normally I prefer going out for dinner with someone, and not go out on my own.

So, I went to what I assumed to be a restaurant/bar that is literally just down the street from me. I was the only person there aside from an older woman (later to say she was 63) with something of a mannish face, and a younger girl, (maybe 25ish?) in a brown velvet tuxedo shirt (which only looked 1/2 as crazy as it sounds) who were behind the bar. I used my poor Japanese to say that I wanted to eat, which led to some funny looks, that I couldn’t interpret, between the two women, and finally they came to some sort of conclusion and said OK.

The older offered me fried chicken and fried shrimp, and I chose chicken. Here’s what I had for dinner:
-Friend shrimp (maybe 6 decently sized prawns)
-Salad Japanese style (aka shredded cabbage, some lettuce, carrot, and corn)
-Five pieces of sushi, which were given to me as a “presento”

The salad and sushi, I am quite sure, the younger went out to get from the supermarket once I showed up asking for food from, in retrospect, what seems to be largely a karaoke bar with some snacks. The shrimp were battered and freshly made by the older. Salad was nice, but the sushi unfortunately was old supermarket sushi and included fish eggs and squid, which I felt obligated to eat as it was a presento. The ladies were very friendly, despite the fact that I was clearly in the wrong place at the wrong time asking for the wrong things, and invited me to come back.

Let's Go!team

Last week Wednesday I went to Osaka to see the Go!team, a fantastic band from Britain. I have only just recently been introduced to their music, but I had the urge for some good "indie" band rock show goodness. I haven't seen live music (aside from at festivals) since I left Canada, a serious change from living in Sackville where there are shows every weekend. I skipped out of work early, caught the train to Osaka meeting up with friends on the train, and danced for over a solid hour to a fantastic energizing band, that was only 5ft away from me.

Differences between Canadian and Japanese concerts of this nature:
-the show started at 7:15 and ended at 8:30, then they shoo-ed everyone out off the dance floor and out of the club
-it was pricey (especially compared to my discount student life) at about $48
the club was on the 8th floor of a building, so when the dancing got really energetic, the floor moved, and a brief thought of the floor caving in flashed through my mind
-the "uniform" of all indie shows isn't as strictly followed. While there was a good amount of converse all stars and vintage ts, there was also a girl in a cream sweater set and pearls.

After the show we caught the train back and was in bed by 1am, to get up again to be at work by 7:50. Randomly and fantastically, I was in the Osaka station when I met Nobuko, the Japanese conversation partner of my roomate last year! Osaka station is HUGE and it took me a minute to realize who she was, but we exchanged details and I hope to meet up with her again and my conversation partner too.

Today's Lessons:

There was a man called Mike. He didn't want to take anything from anyone. He just wanted to give things to people around him. One day, when he was walking near a lake with his friends, Bill and Tom, he fell into it. Bill was going to help him and said, "Mike, ____ my hand, and I will help you." But he could not help him. Then Tom said, "Mike, ____ me your hand." Mike did as Tom said, and Tom helped him. Tom knew what Mike always did , so he knew what to say to Mike to help him.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know why he __ so popular.
I don't know why she __ happy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In 1993 the people of Sudan experienced war and hunger.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In 1947 the British left India, but their language remains.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------