Yesterday was . . .

Wow, it is just hot here!!

Okay, yesterday started early, because I couldn’t sleep. This morning it’s about 5am, and I slept good until now, but it’s just so hot (and I nervous about tomorrow) that I’m having trouble going back to sleep. I haven’t even gotten under the covers yet. :P

I can see what Julia meant when she said on her blog that it was just so hot that she cut all of her hair off. Seriously concidering it . . .

Okay, yesterday. Got up early and had breakfast with Marnie and Chris. Chris left first for Niigata at around 8. We hung around and saw her off. I cried. I’m not really upset though, it was just like America; I’m going to miss not being able to see her whenever I want. I think we’re planning to get together in September at her place, before it gets too cold. And there’s a National holiday, so maybe I’ll be able to take only one day off—leave on Friday, after school and travel all day. Spend Saturday, Sunday and Monday (holiday) with her, then travel back on Tuesday and work Wednesday.

After Chris, we went back to Marnie’s room for a little bit and hung out with her roommate, Laura, who will be joining Marnie in Wakayama (she’s really nice too. Honestly, I haven’t met anybody except that guy on the elevator who wasn’t nice). I set up my Skype account to (almost) be able to accept and receive calls, it was really complicated. And I would be trying to talk to people now, but . . . I’ll get to that.

When Marnie had to leave (I cried again) I went to the AJET room to pick up a neat book that might help me when I’m stuck with a teaching idea. I also talked to this nice Hawaiian guy who is the AJET treasurer. He was nice and friendly. After I met up with some of my Oki-JETs and hung around until 10 when we departed for the airport.

On the bus I sat next to . . . I want to say Masahiro, but I know that’s just wrong. He’s one of the important enough to come to Tokyo official Okinawa boss people who doesn’t speak the best English. I practiced my conversational skills. It was nice.

The biggest problem of the morning was that on the bus Ann realized she’d left her suit in the closet. They called the hotel and because Mas~~~ will be come back to Tokyo to escort the Group B JETs, he’ll just pick it up then.

And we were almost late for the plane. After we checked our bags we were told “meet here at 12:30” and broke off into groups. Veronica and I decided that the Italian place would just be funny to try and Gabe, our PA from Naha (he was on that video), joined us (he wanted something not fish). It took longer to eat than expected and we were the last to arrive. But everything went great. In security they never asked me to take out my passport once. And my bags were over weight and no one cared.

On the plane I sat next to Melody from South Africa who talked a lot (and you know how I love to talk) before passing out, and Veronica who proceeded to just pass out. I took out my “Idiot’s Pocket Guide to Living on a Budget” which I’m about ½ way through now. It was really helpful and at some point I have to ask all of the “what am I expected to need money for” questions. I’m totally down with that. Melody was awesome when we had a bit of turbulence. She was totally okay with me just gripping her arm and continuing to talk normally.

In Naha we met Taira Noriko-san, my supervisor, and apparently all of the Muni-JETs’ supervisor here in Miyako. She walked us back through check in (we had to go out to get in), oh wait. Before that I was welcomed to Okinawa and handed a fruit juice that kinda tasted like lime, and a beer. Okay, we had to check in again (Teresa had soooo much stuff :P ), then rush to the gate. Taira-san called somebody and met up with her, I can’t remember her name, and she waited with us, but she was much more front on the plane itself. The plane to Miyako was smaller than the one to Naha (which took 2 hours and 40 min~) and only took around 35 minutes, but was some how more comfortable.

Flying over Miyako for the first time was something kind of magical. It was so pretty, and the scale of it! It looked bigger than I had thought in my mind. When we got off we immediately knoticed a difference. It was so much quieter. And there wasn’t an escalator to get downstairs. And there was only one luggage convayer. And the bathroom had only one stall (and no soap) and reminded me of the ones on the train, you know what I’m talking about Jeanelle? Where you had to press a button to make the big sliding door close, then another to make it open?

After we collected our luggage we were greeted by about 7 people and a huge welcome sign. I was welcomed home and we were wisked away to our respective apartments. Nick is still living in my apartment until the 11th so I’m next door in the bigger but hotter apartment of Justin, who is visiting . . . somebody. It’s defiantly a boy’s home, though. I’m also staying with Mike who was a JET here 2 years ago (he’d stayed for 5 years), because he has nowhere else to stay and it really is big enough. And Nick vouched for him and he promised not to steal anything or rape me. :)

He’s suppose to be back by now and sleeping on the floor, I’m kinda surprised that he’s not. So I’m sitting on the bed with the AC on and two fans directing the cold air at me, pouring sweat. But that’s okay, whenever I get up to go to the bathroom I just turn the shower on my legs and arms and feel much better. The thing about the situation that kind of upsets me is that Justin apparently turned off his internet so that if I want to talk to people on Skype or email or whatnot I have to do it in front of other people at their houses. Which I was really looking forward to calling a few people and just bawling so . . . I’ll figure something out. Ask politely for Nick to go chill out somewhere else while I interwebs or something.

Nick is REALLY laid back. This whole island time thing is really going to bug me at first. I was told by Mike that I should have brought two extra suitcases with me. One full of a sense of humor, and one full of patience. See, Leo? I’m gonna have to learn patience! But it should be okay. I’ll get used to it, and maybe become more leanient if people show up at my house late :P

But anyway. Like I said, no internet, so I’m just typing this now for future use. And the computer is producing enough heat that it’s uncomfortable. So I’m off to bed and I’ll try to talk to y’all later. I love you all!

PS: Oh, that’s why I’m awake! The sun’s just come up! Weee, normal awaking time. If I continue to do this, it would be awesome because in theory I could talk to all of you! It’s like 7pm right now over there.

Can’t sleep, so more detail. At the airport we were met by a lot of people, who I’m not going to remember all of, so I’m sorry. There was Nick, Janine, Mike, Mike who is visiting from Kyoto, Jonathan, some other guy, and maybe someone else? Ken, Teresa’s predecessor wasn’t there, but shrug.

After we went to the apartments. My apartment was again bigger than I thought. Oh, and my car’s an automatic :D. My bedroom alone is 6 tatami mats, each of which is about 2 x 5 ft. They are arranged in a little circle with one in the middle. I have a large closet full of futons with space for clothing (and some old teaching material). The kitchen is huge. There isn’t a sink in the bathroom, but that’s okay. Justin has one of the converters to make the toilet a western, and it’s wonderful so before Nick leaves I will be picking one up.

After chilling for a bit (and sending out quick “I’m Alive” emails to family) we went to some restaurant that is on the same street as my apartment. We had a bunch of different things for apparently only 300y each. I had some tea (yeah, detox) and some mango juice (oh! My new love) and I found out that I don’t like goya (apparently very famous in Okinawa, good to know). Everyone else when out to play pool afterwards and I died a happy death in my bed. I guess I got about 6 ½ hours of sleep, and I feel good so . . . ah well. I’ll probably adjust to my usual lethargic self when I can settle in and have my own bed right under the AC.

Oh, and I’m not allowed to drink the water because it will give me kidney stones, but this water shop right next door sells 2 liters for 30y on Tuesday.