October's done and gone...

October was a very busy month, as all of us at Bowers English School had to work overtime, as our new teacher didn’t pan out and had to leave Japan.

On top of covering some kids and adult conversation classes, I started teaching a few more Business English, TOEIC and TOEFL classes.

Two big current event involved Japan this past month: Japan brought in a new Prime Minister in Shinzo Abe, as well as North Korea testing a nuclear weapon very close by. But, you wouldn’t know about either by speaking to your average Japanese, as many don’t seem to care about current events all too much. In this environment, I too have pretty much lost touch with world events. This is a far cry from when I was watching three TV newscasts and reading three newspapers a day, while teaching media before I came to Japan a year ago.

Speaking of which, it’s a few weeks shy from my first anniversary in Japan. Time flies! I dunno what I’ll do for the anniversary, but I think eating and drinking will be involved.

I am planning to stay on for at least another year, so anyone planning a trip to Asia, please try and visit.

Early in October, I bought an iPod, which officially puts me in this decade, and on the same day, Bowers English School presented me with a brand spanking new company vehicle. It’s a tiny Suzuki Alto and its colour is called Café Latte. My chances of picking up girls in this vehicle are about as good as the Chicago Black Hawks winning the Stanley Cup this year.

I helped DJ a fun-filled evening of funk and soul music at POT on October 21, where a whole whack of folks showed up and had a great time. Here is the flyer I made and some photos:

Yes, it was once a hobby

Me and Nobuo Hasegawa, Bowers' family friend, Tabla player and a deadringer for Tommy Chong

The following week was Halloween, which consisted of a scarcely attended party at POT. I dressed up as a gangster. I got decked out a suit, dark shirt, tie and hat. Then armed myself with toy guns, strategically place on my body. It was tricky driving my car, especially with the pump-action shot gun stuffed down my pantleg, but I managed. I’m just happy I didn’t get pulled over; it would have been interesting trying to explain to Japanese policemen about Halloween, as they don’t celebrate it here – the heathens!

The gangster and the smoking gun

The past month I had my first few dinner parties at my new (tiny) place, including a Jamaican Jerk Pork dinner for the ladies Misato and Mariko, as well as squeezing in a gathering of six adult students who prepared takoyaki – small Japanese pancake-ball morsels, stuffed with octopus. In the words of Colonel Sherman Potter: “Dee-lish!”

Lunch!

Me learning the tricks of the takoyaki trade

I’ve recently gotten into renting Japanese DVD’s and digging their fare of indie, film-fest type films. If that’s your thing, check out the Japanese films called Scrape Heaven and The Hotel Venus. As well as a guilty pleasure called Always, a big budget, tearjerker about a modest neighbourhood in late1950’s Tokyo.

As usual, I am slowly progressing in my learning of Japanese and surfing. Fortunately, I’ve been doing both fairly regularly lately and I am the walking example of the saying “No pain, no gain.”