Yama

I've been in the mountains with the ichinensei for the past few days...yesterday we hiked a decent sized mountain (Taradake, maybe?) - and here are some of the kids from class 1-7. I'll write again when I can move :)

The Sensei-tions! Play Place VBall Champs

Well, we placed 3rd, anyway. Even won some money (which couldn't easily be divided, so we just gave it to our local charity). I'm not exactly sure what "Play Place" is, but Jared (the guy with glasses on my right) rounded up some of us Isahaya ALTs (including Colin 'the Tall' and Dean - the Aussie) to participate in a "barebaru" tournament with this social group of young Japanese people. They were all very genki, but man it was painful to watch - I don't even think if there were refs that they would have had a clue as to how to call the game. So we just had fun. At least no one was too competitive. Though the game should have been easy (considering our height and the net's lack thereof!), we used a ball normally reserved for kickball tourneys and if there were lines on the court, I couldn't see 'em. But like I said it was still fun. It just ended up being about 4 hours long, and without having had dinner, we were all a little whipped by the time they snapped this pic. Of course, the night before I did my best to be social (despite the rumors, it really is a stretch for me much of the time) at "Body to Soul" in Nagasaki, so that could also account for the fact I was running on near empty.

Overtime

Even though I often wish that the students and teachers here "had a 'life'" (don't their families miss them a little? I swear - some of the teachers DO actually sleep in their desk at night and pop out the next morning), I do love walking around after school and hearing the constant sing-song of the softball and soccer teams; the grunts from the rugby players (who always seem to be in competition to see who can be the dirtiest and/or most injured); the shrieks from the kendo room (I seriously thought some violent crime was being committed in the gym the first time I heard them!); the yelling and steady taiko drum beat from the ouendan, and the random squeaks, squawks, and bellows from the band.
My work day officially ends at 4, but I'm often here afterwards, and I'm never the last to leave. At least the kids really make it worth my while. It's so nice not to worry about keeping an eye on them all the time...they just do what they're told/expected to do - or they're at least reeeally good not getting caught being naughty!
Today Dean sensei (the Australian ALT here) and I get to do an eikaiwa class (English conversation) at a local cafe/bar called Neutral. Should be interesting - he's hilarious and his Japanese is bang on, but he's allergic to planning anything ahead - and he roped me into this...oh, boy...

walking their humans

...just trying to get a different perspective...dogs usually seem so happy...especially when they're out walking their humans...
(sorry - mind is just blank at this hour...)

Sakura

It didn't hit me until today - the first day of the new school year here in Japan - that this is perhaps a more appropriate time for such a beginning...rather than dragging yourself out from from the sweaty underbelly of summer to become accquainted with everything a new school year has to offer. As I rode home tonight, I noticed that while I was in Fukuoka, Spring has swirled in, dropped her bags, and is now lounging around my little city...scattering sakura blossoms here and there at will...in the bobbing azaleas, you see her nodding her head sleepily (or is that just me? I think I'm falling asleep at my keyboard...)
Remind me to tell you about the "ohanami" - the parties that we have here under the blooming cherry blossoms...
(ps - for the technical photographic record - this is as close as I can get to the infrared/hand colored print that this tree is begging for...)

SBC 'nines

Yes, I missed you, too - hope it hasn't been too "ruff" (groan) on you. Just back from my Japanese language course in Fukuoka.
and Yes, I survived the earthquake - (what earthquake?) - I'm fine...but I actually had a bit of a life in Fukuoka (woo woo - bright lights, big city!) ...all play and no sleep makes Tracey a tired girl. I'll talk to you tomorrow, when, hopefully I'll be able to rub a couple of brain cells together to get a spark.