April 10, 2005

• HANAMI: so on SAT we had did some hanami. we did some today too. i showed up to the city early so i could wander around a bit and buy a bentou/box lunch to bring to the park where we were meeting. i ran into other JETs who were going to do their hanami on Mt Bizan on the other side of the city. just said hi, but i could change my plans. then i wandered around the park to look at all the babies. DIE BY CUTENESS!!! there in the park i saw some other ppl, some JETs and some non-JET teachers from the city. that was a little awkward so i was relieved when julie and others showed up. we ate some food, took some pictures and played Uno, spoons and Hey Jack. a couple of the guys from the takoyaki party came and there were a few other ppl from julie's town and then Iya Joe and Jordan from out west. after it got dark, lights came on so that the flower enjoying didnt have to stop. we stayed from about 4-8 or 9. then half the group left and i went with some ppl to do the bar thing and karaoke. the bars were not crowded even tho it was saturday night. since everyone gets drunk at the picnics, i guess they dont need to go to a bar later. it was Joe, Jordan, Taku and Makio. we did some karaoke. had a couple of drinks (cept Joe because he was driving us home). we left and went to get the car but decided to peek into this place called HOP that claimed hip hop and grafitti on the sign. we saw a couple of the ppl we knew there and turns out they had sent a cell email to Joe saying to come there. QUEL CHANCE! so that place was not really crowded and the music was decent, tho not DJed (or even faded between songs) and as an added bonus, only one person was smoking so we could breathe! i wonder if i smoke free business would ever succeed in japan. like a bar or resto. doubtful. i loved that about the clubs and bars when i lived in Boston. we ended up staying there for another hour or so and then the whole idea of getting home early-ish was shot so we went to a 24 hour place to get food on the way home. those are always the best and worst meals at the same time. joe and jordan stayed at my place and enjoyed the company of MASHI.

  HI STUDENT... IN A BAR!!!: as a side story that happened during all that, after hanami, we were meeting Taku plus one at this foreigner hangout in the city and not everyone wanted to have food because we had just spent hours and hours eating so we chilled outside. i thought i glimpsed someone who looked like one of my students. not impossible, its a sandwich shop. then i went with joe to move his car and as we passed the station, i swore i saw the kid again. hmm. THEN at the HOP place he was there. !! drinking too!! it was Carter, the 16 year old kid from Maryland who is doing homestay in japan for a year!! i called him out on it and said it was ok. he was pretty drunk tho so i advised him not to drink anymore as i left. he has moved to the city to change families, and now he lives super close to the sketchy part of the city!! but he will still go to my high school. and now that his homeroom class has advanced to 3rd year students, im not sure if i will actually teach him or not. i mean, it could be interesting. hmm. but HIM in that BAR with beer and dancing (separately). !! a little crazy. the bar is kind of cool. its new and it has little games at the tables like the alligator dentist game where it snaps your finger. and jenga (prolly bad idea) and some other old games that i loved. (um lone pine tavern?) not smokey and no eastern european hookers (yet). i might have to go back there next time i have a night out (you know, in another 3 months or something).

  • 5:53 am
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