Stop Buying Crazy Food

Ok, I didn't get on last night, I was tired.

It's been a full 8 days, and I have seen again the classes I saw on the second day I was here. I took my hand at the first actual grammatical education. While it was hard to understand for the students, it was just as hard for the teachers: the uses of 'on', 'at', 'until', and 'for' when referring to time spent and leaving. While Stuart has a good explanation, he had difficulty in seperating them completely, and when I had a theory for an explanation that I couldn't explain without diagrams, I took my board marker to the board and set about talking about duration and one off events, and I think they just about understood. I sat down and they asked about how the past tense was used with this formation. I almost screamed, but it's exactly what I want to do, at least for a few years. Stuart has a very easy life, and I am jealous of his entire way of life. But, time will pay off.

That is damn Roehampton could find my submitted coursework. They have lost 3 pieces of coursework in their beurocratic system. Admittedly, two were late submissions, but I have "No Resit Permitted" on the courses, and those only arise when you do not attempt every piece of coursework, and I have attempted every piece of coursework, and I have proof. Bitches. They will not ruin a perfect holiday.

On the brighter side, I got a first in most of the modules (just missed in Programming Fundamentals, by one percent, but hey), and Qian has passed Quantitative Methods, which is a huge relief. She actually did pretty well.

Anyway, yesterday, after the Advanced class, we all went to a restaurant and ate a variety of raw fish and wasabi oriented foods. I tried a few strange things, but kept my experimentation minimal. Today, the same thing happened with two other students, except they ordered the most outrageous food they could. It was normal for them, but I had never eaten... eel wrapped in egg, dried ray fin (actually really nice), bamboo, just plain raw fish on a plate, spicy things on bread, and cucumber with a strange dipping sauce. All rather odd, all strangely edible, but some more than others. I prefer sashimi on rice, but each to their own.

Earlier, I had spent the day cycling around Osaka, mainly Midosuji street, as I had briefly yesterday as well. Though today, I tried takoyaki, and was pleasantly surprised. It was pretty tasty, and the people selling it were fluent in English. I almost said I was German so that I could order in Japanese, but people here are more willing to practise their English than I am to fight to say what I want in japanese, so, comme ci comme ca.

Anyway, I have been online for about two and a half hours. I should sleep. Without even knowing it, I have been invited to party Friday and Saturday night, so I'll be catching the morning trains those days. Tomorrow I take my elderly lady class again, and then I cycle up a seemingly endless mountain to teach at the salon once more.

I wouldn't exchange this holiday for anything.

Emma: I know you're coming soon, so I eagerly await my dancing, skating and aimless wandering partner.

Mizuki and Koji: You're already here, so I can't wish you over, but I'll see you soon.

Kaori: Very much sorry to not have you here, it won't be the same. Hope England treats you well while I'm gone.

Shun: Your city rules. I'm going to keep it.

Carlos: Even if I were in England, I wouldn't see you, so I'm not missing much here, but still, your wry comments would be truly well placed here.

Erin: Hope Spain is fun, hope California is more suited to your peculiar weather tastes. See you next... year?

Yukina and Jenny: I am very much missing the late-night-early-morning-mid-morning-early afternoon conversations shared. Spending late nights alone isn't the same. And Yukina, I'm sorry about that letter, it shouldn't have been.

Dan and Julia: I hope that your new flat is like Japan; warm and welcoming, and full of Japanese people and prompt trains. Apart from the people part. And train part.

Slack: You sound far too young.

Natasha: Si vous est a regardez c'ette page, j'ai beacoup des "merci"s pour vous, parce que vous a ecoutez a moi. Apologies for the appalling grammar, spelling and general lack of language skill. And accents. Try doing accents on a Japanese keyboard.

Qian: You don't read this, but congratulations anyway on passing.

Xing: You probably passed, so congratulations. You don't read this so it doesn't matter.

If there's anyone I have missed, I am truly sorry, but my 2 AM brain doesn't function without vertebrae stimulation, and this chair is awful. I miss you all, but this place is a huge amount of fun. I'm trying to imagine how much fun it would be if you were all here as well. But that kind of fun was not meant to be imagined when it's so late and I'm so tired.