Space World!

What a day! A few weeks ago our supervisor told us he was going to take us to Space world, which is an amusement park in Fukuoka (big city in the bottom island of Japan).
Despite Dad's prediction that it would just be a big open field ("wow, look at all that space!"), it actually turned out to be a really awesome trip. First we found Dairy Milk chocolate made in NZ - we practically cleaned them out of that. Then, at the park, we started with a roller coaster with a 60m drop - bloody terrifying - and went on to do a straight up and down roller coaster that goes at 130km/hr. I was so scared I couldn't even scream! There was a 4D movie thingy which was pretty trippy, a simulation thing where you stare at a big screen and your chair moves, a log flume (of course I got soaked. I was just surprised I didn't fall in) and heaps of other stuff. Good times. Bloody tired now, though. Thank god it was a school day today so I could have a rest>_<
Bugger, I've been trying to chuck some pics up, but I keep getting error messages. Sorry guys. You'll just have to trust me - it was a blast!

Party!

So last Friday I got to have a Halloween party at one of my elementary schools. It was for an hour and a half, and the whole school came, so there were 19 students.
We played a ton of games, including 'mummy making' and find the pumpkins, which I hid all around the school - good times. The kids also got candy for pretty much everything they did, so everybody was hyperactive for the rest of the day (insert evil laugh here).

Some of the costumes were brilliant! There was a jedi, several witches and vampires, death, Jason, a farmer, a tiger, a rabbit, a pumpkin. . . it was awesome!

This is one of my favourite kids. I couldn't resist taking the opportunity to shut him up for 15 minutes - the silence was worth all the hurt looks he gave me >_<

One more picture from the sake festival

This is Matt. On the train from the festival back into the city. He was tired. He wanted to sleep. He climbed into the luggage rack and got in a half hour nap. He got away with it, too!!

I love the Japanese dudes expression!

SAKE FESTIVAL!!!

The title says it all. This weekend a huge bunch of us went to Hiroshima for a sake festival, which is basically the same as a wine tasting - all you can drink for about $NZ10. What a weekend!

And so it began - I think Steve chose the better sake this round. . .

Chris Mack . . . words fail me (and him by the end of the evening)

So we met this random Japanese guy who had the kanji for sake shaved into the side of his head. How cool is that??

We just started talking to these Japanese boys, and they ended up going out in the city with us, too. They were good fun :)

Things just got better from here. Ok, after this point, I was too drunk to take any more pictures.

And I'm back

Ok, so out comes the usual excuse - I've been really really busy. Even so, I'm not sure the lack of updates really warrants a text message at 6:30 in the morning, mother!!!!
Anyway, since school started back up I've attended 2 sports days (and even took part in one), coached 10 students for the English speech competition (one of whom went on to place 5th in Yamaguchi - I'm very proud), been running a seminar for elementary school teachers and started an English conversation class for the community. So I reckon I have an honest excuse. Oh yeah, and I had a ripper of a birthday! The celebrations lasted for a week - presents from teachers and students, several birthday cakes (I didn't think it was possible, but I am all caked out) and more than a few drinks!
Ok, enough with the writing ; pictures!

Sports day fun. Relay race.

The dance competition.

Elementary school kids race (good photo, huh?)

Speech competition winners. I coached both girls over summer, the girl next to me came 5th in Yamaguchi.

The celebratory dinner - good times!