After that amazing hike, I returned to a short few days of work and getting ready to move to my new apartment. Although I’d tried to get some packing done before Naomi came to visit, like most people (I know, at least), I waited until the last minute to really pack. That meant an evening of climbing followed by about five hours of packing. . .which made it about 4 AM before I got to sleep that Saturday night. Waking up at 8, I finished up and waited for my friends to come help: Scot (colleague), Moto (another colleague) and his friend Maki (whom I’d never met, what a nice guy).
Maki had a large van and Scot had a small one, so between the two vehicles, we got most of my stuff here in the first trip. After it was all unloaded, we figured we could do the rest in one trip in the van, so Scot went home. We got the rest of the stuff and by 5 PM I was alone with a lot of stuff to put away. I got a good bit of it done that night, but I couldn’t go past nine or so, and crashed.
Then I was in the last week of school, so between work and trying to spend time with Naomi before she left, I had little time to finish putting my place in order. Nevertheless, it’s done now, or is for the time being. I plan to buy a bed and mattress when I return, and that should pretty much complete my apartment.
The area I now live in is called Kigawa. Here are some interesting tidbits about it:
- It’s about a 15-minute walk from Shin-Osaka station (which is a big station one stop from Osaka, and where the Shinkansen, or bullet-train, stops).
- It’s rumored to be a Yakuza area. . .but so far, I haven’t seen any scary looking guys wearing shades and driving large, black imports. I’ve been advised that, when I introduce myself to my neighbors (which I’ll do when I’m back from Hawaii), I should do a pinky check. That is, I should check to see if my neighbors have their pinky finger, since some Yakuza don’t.
Tomorrow I head out to Hawaii for nearly five weeks! I can hardly believe I’m done with my second semester teaching. Amazing how fast time goes by. With my new contract just signed last week, I’ll be here another year, probably two more, maybe more.
In Hawaii, I’m looking forward to:
- seeing my niece and spoiling her rotten before I leave
- visiting friends and family
- motorcycling around the Big Island with my dad
- hanging out on Kauai for a week
- trying to climb the rocks at Waimea Bay
- eating shave ice at Baldwin’s in Waimalu
Probably some other stuff, too, but that’s what I’m thinking about right now.
Well, I’m off to meet friends for something to eat. See some of you soon! Aloha!
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