July 9-16 (Tues-Tues) - 心配ない: I didn’t eat the puffer fish

Tuesday: I think I taught some classes or something.

Wednesday: Class with Miki was interesting (though I was too tired!). I learned that she went to a high school where they didn’t allow the students to have jobs, but she did anyway (she was found out). She says most private schools don’t allow the students to have ‘baito’ (part-time jobs), but public schools usually do. (I think.)

Thursday: One of my least favorite classes has become my favorite. The teacher changed a few weeks ago, and the students are completely different. Really well-behaved and cooperative. Today the teacher took a minute at the end to tell the class they were doing good being so genki at the end of the day (last class of the day), and he told them to give me a good ‘thank you’ and that I would be coming back in September. So they all said ‘arigatou gozaimashita’ very properly and waived me goodbye :)

I learned that 1 + 1 = 42. And ‘ooohhhh’ is very funny. So is ‘toast’. 

Friday: Morning classes went well, and they were the last Elementary School classes until September! Waa! What shall I do with all the free time! I’m so excited. Even though I think after the break it will be busier than now... but maybe I can prepare, over natsuyasumi. Minna, ii natsuyasumi o!

That evening, Kaori and I attended shakai dance class for the first time in a while. It was super fun! Yappari, real lessons are good. We spent a lot of time on rhumba, which isn’t my favorite but thanks to everyone’s special attention (since we’re still the only 2 newcomers), I felt I actually got the hang of it. Then we spent some time on something that isn’t flamenco but kinda seemed like it — just for fun. Fun class. Yokatta.

Saturday: Was a tough day. I didn’t really get to see the fireworks. But I didn’t die driving in the torrential rains. I hate Saturdays. End.

Sunday: This day was great fun. Kaori, Mako, Mako’s friend Yuka, and I all did zumba then yoga. Then we all (including Hugh and Yuka’s husband Ayden(?) who is also from minami-africa) went to the beach!!!

So there, you people now at the beach. I’m not jealous anymore!!

Ok, maybe I still am. A little.

But it was great fun. The area was so pretty, hardly any people (!!!), the water was clear and lovely, but further out it got nice and rocky with tons of fish. We even saw fugu! Puffer fish. 

Like this guy.

But he’s dead. For sure. I’m pretty sure I saw a live one out in the rocks. I saw large shima-shima (striped) fish, smaller colorful fish, and so forth. Hugh says he saw a tiny octopus but it went away before I could see it. Meccha tanoshikatta!! I was so happy.

Monday: Kaori and I did zumba and yoga, walked to the store playing shiritori (myra: 1 win, 3 losses), made lunch, and hung out. In the evening I went to the wedding-celebration-party for Yuka and Ralph. Nice location.

I ate delicious yakitori. And some very strange not-so-delicious yakitori (chicken innards are a big thing here). And we did some karaoke :) I really enjoyed hearing everyone sing and singing along. I love karaoke!

So it was fun. But expensive.

Tuesday: Despite not sleeping until midnight, I woke at 7. So I was kinda tired as I kinda got stuff done.

Recent Japanese:

tsuna = climbing rope

fugu = puffer fish

betobeto = sticky (wet)

nechinechi = sticky, persistent 

kangoshi = nurse

jisaboke = jetlag

biidama = marble

hechima = spongue, loofah

otamajakushi = tadpole

baie dankie = thank you (in Afrikaans — I remember learning this from Rose!)