Still on vacation...

I know, it's so cool. I've been on vacation for about five weeks, and I've got about four, maybe five more to go. Does it get better than this? Of course it does! I could win the lottery (if I played it), or marry a really rich girl. But this job is great.

In the last few weeks, since my friend's wedding, I've not done a lot. Seriously. I've read a few books, the best of which was Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Very, very good. I bought a Nintendo DS, which is the new version of the Game Boy: a pocket-sized electronic device initially made for playing games. This new version has two screens, the lower of which is touch-senstive and allows you to write on it.
Now, while I may eventually get games to play on this, I have purchased it and only one program for the purpose of learning kanji (the Chinese characters used in Japanese). I've tried other methods, but so far the other methods are really boring, while this provides a variety of different exercises to do, including writing the kanji. It was recommended to me by a few people as the best way to learn kanji, and though I've only had it for a week, I'd have to agree.

This past Monday, I did take a short trip with my colleague Kathy to Shirahama, a small beach town in Wakayama, maybe a two and a half hour train ride away. Our other colleague Jean was supposed to come, but she got sick the day before and wasn't up to it. Shirahama is famous for a picturesque white sand beach (the name means "white beach"; but as a funny side note, after years of erosion, sand had to be imported from Australia) and for onsen. We stayed at this cute if a little old minshuku, something like a guest house or B&B. At 4000 yen a night (about $40) with no meals, it was a great deal, and very conveniently located. The weather was great while we were there, though windy on the first day. I was warming enough on the second day while walking around to take off my jacket and walk in just my t-shirt. On that day, the owner of the minshuku, a very friendly older man who speaks passable English, drove us about ten minutes outside of town to one of the scenic places, Sandanbeki (pictured), and dropped us off to walk back (only about 30 minutes of actual walking). He later drove us to the station...services they don't officially offer, but in the slow season, I guess he gives extra services.

That's about all that I've done. Most of my days now consist of things like reading, watching DVDs or TV shows I found on the internet (like Psych, which is a really funny show), studying Japanese, exercising, practicing aikido, hanging out with friends. It's not boring at all, I don't mean to make it sound like that...I have more than enough interests to keep me busy, but most just aren't noteworthy, I guess. That said, things are about to change, so you can expect to read more, and more interesting stuff, soon.

Next week I go to Tokyo for four days. I'm taking the night bus up, which will be an experience in itself. The week after I'll be preparing for my classes starting in April, and there's the graduation, my first as faculty at this university. The following week, on the 24th, I go to Seoul for a week, returning on the 31st. On both of my trips, I'll get to see former students from the ELI (where I was teaching in Virginia). Then, a few days after I return from Seoul, my dad will be coming for a visit, my first guest this time around! So, while I've not had much to report recently, I will soon, so be on the look out...I'll try to post more often in the month ahead to avoid letting it build up...