My Near-Chikan Moment

This week has been crazy busy... even though it was only a four day work week for me (Elders' Day on Monday... so, no work).

On Tuesday and today I went to my school that is nearby. It was pretty fun and I'm really interested in the afterschool activities. I joined in on some volleyball stretching and basketball drills with the girls (Jenny might enjoy that bit of information). Then I just watched the volleyball girls practice, do drills and then play a game. I was really hoping that I'd get asked in to join since I like playing volleyball... but, such was not the case. Especially since the two instructors/coaches didn't even acknowledge me. I know if I would've stuck with the basketball club, I would've gotten to join in... well, actually... that did happen. I saw the girls running so I joined them and the basketball coach had me join in on the drills and was really accepting... but, yeah... I suck at and don't like basketball... so, I proceeded to watch the girls in the hopes I would be allowed to join in.

Today... I was more successful in joining in. Tomorrow there's going to be a sporting event (not to be confused with Sports Day... which is like the equivalent to Miami's Field Days) where a bunch of the surrounding schools will partake in different sports. So, they were first setting that up and I walked around and watched a bunch of the clubs so that they won't feel like I favor one over another. After the boys volleyball group finished setting up for tomorrow... I returned and saw that they were practicing... so, I watched them for a few minutes before the instructor/coach asked me to practice with him for a bit. It was pretty fun and then I practiced with a student. Poor kid was tired after a bit... I could hold my own in a game of volleyball... but, when it comes to actually drilling and aiming towards your partner... I kind of lack the perfect aim... so, he would eventually have to chase after the ball. I wanted to keep drilling... but the poor kid looked beat and I asked him that it was okay for him to stop. I sat down and just watched them finish drilling. When they got ready to play, I got next to them... especially since I saw one side was down a player... but, alas, I was too late since the other coach joined in right when I was about to ask to join in. But, hey... I did drill for a little bit. And I'm going tomorrow to watch them play in the competition... so, maybe next time I can actually join in.

Wednesday (I know it's a bit out of order... but, I wrote the first part according to subject) turned out to be my last day in my special needs school for like two months. When I arrived the Fukukoshou Sensei (I believe it's his official title... but, don't really know what position that is in relation to Principal and V. Principal) explained that because this and that... I wouldn't have to return until after their cultural festival... which happened to be the 15th of November. I felt I should at least show up to the event since I wouldn't be there for a while, and that seemed to go well when they heard that. If that wasn't good enough... they then asked me to leave right after that last period since they were having a staff meeting. I usually stay until about 4:30... but, when I realized the staff meeting wasn't going to start until I left... I hurried up and left... heh heh. I don't think they did that to be rude though... I really believe they didn't want to start with me packing and interrupting them... so, I didn't get insulted by them just staring at me until I left... heh heh. I had things to do anyway... but, I find it funny that even though I'm already not going to see them for two months... they also made me last day a short one... maybe they are trying to get rid of me... heh heh... ::shrugs::

As for yesterday... just thinking and writing too much about it will probably tire me again.. but, yeah... it was a long long long ass training. We (Rob and I) got up at 4 to catch a 6:01 train heading to Morioka. Nothing really amazing happened on the ride there... but, we did make it alive without getting lost... heh heh. Then was the longest training of life... until about 5 (but because I pleaded to hurry up since I had a train to catch to return home). This company swears I'm made of money. I took a loan out... but every week they seem to ask for more money... before I even get my first pay check. I had to pay for the trip to Morioka and back out of pocket... and though I get compensated... it isn't until my first pay check. I don't understand why though... if they're going to pay me one way or another... why not just pay me from the start. Then they went on to tell me I have to pay my car's rent for the month... though I only had it for like two weeks. And yeah... before I get my first pay check meaning I don't have the money to pay for that. I brought this information off... but, they gave me another... uh, get back to us on that... ::sigh::

I was really stressed and even though I basically had an idea my train was at 5:47... I said it was around 5 and that we really needed to get to the station. Turned out to be a good thing since at 5:16 was the speed/express-like train which stopped less. So, not only did we leave earlier, the trip also lasted less time. How awesome... I was really dead tired and wanted to be back home. The train ride went from interesting to "interesting." Rob and I caught two other people from our meeting heading to the town where we switched to head to Ofunato... so, we at least spent the whole trip entertained talking to the two of them and a lady one of the girls was talking to who spoke pretty decent English. Turned out, even though a little older, she was studying English in a university in Morioka... so, she was interested in speaking and hearing us so she could get some practice. Then... enters the chikan... which is Japanese for like molestor on a train or something. Just to clarify... he wasn't really a chikan... he didn't molest me... but, he was very annoying and very drunk... and his breath reaked of alcohol and just nastiness. After Rob and I Rock, Paper, Scissored to see who got to sit down... I won and sat down. The man eventually then try to speak to Rob, and since out of the four of us my Japanese was the best... Rob and I decided to switch positions so I could talk to him.

Yeah... that didn't work since... he was so drunk... and yeah... didn't make heads or tails as to when he was speaking English, Japanese, or just slurring drunkily. He the tried to get me to speak in Japanese and English to some high school girls... and he approached them and tried to get them to speak to me. I don't know if he wanted to set me up with them... but, I just resisted so that I wouldn't bother them. But, the persistent old drunkard eventually dragged me and I just introduced myself and apologized. That quited him down for a short while... until he persisted in getting me to sit as opposed to remain standing up. I pleaded saying that I didn't mind since I wanted to talk to my friends... but, he then got very pushy and kind of started hurting me. And this old drunkard had some freakish strength on him and was squeezing my neck and arm and hurting me. I remained calm and just kept saying, "itai, itai, itai..." meaning "it hurts..." over and over again... but, he wouldn't stop. He finally gave up... mostly because he toppled over in his drunken stupor and I was relieved. He kept trying to get me to speak to students (and I swear his tapping got lower and lower and he was almost tapping my butt by the end... but... I think it was just his being drunk... or so I'm hoping) as they came and for a second I thought he was going to caress a girl and look up her skirt... so, I got worried and was ready to grab him and yell "chikan" so that everybody can look at him and get him in trouble... but, it turned out he was just trying to get her attention. So, he proved to be somewhat harmless... heh heh. We finally reached the town where the two girls lived and where Rob and I would change trains to come home. We hurried over in case the drunk dude decided to follow... and just hoped that he was too drunk to keep up. We were safe... and made it home in about half an hour where... yeah... we got some food and I passed out immediately after eating.

So, yeah... my near-chikan moment... stupid smelling old drunk... jeeeeeebus.

Anyway... guess that's enough. Still a bit tired... luckily I have a 5 day weekend coming up... two cancelled schools and a holiday in the middle. Hopefully I should have internet by Tuesday if all goes well and then tomorrow I'm going to the sports event at my school.

Oh, and next Friday is my "play" date with my teachers and then another drinking party... woot woot! Next week looking good... anyway... laterness!