Sakura - 桜

The other night I was walking home when it started to pour. In part just to get out of the rain I ducked into a local Chinese restaurant for an early dinner. A high school baseball game was playing on a small CRT TV set up in the corner. The place filled up while I ate my stir fried vegetables and dumplings. Everyone was watching the game. When I settled up there were still a couple innings left and the owner warmly told me to hang out until the end. I don’t watch sports so much these days, but sharing this kind of experience with kind strangers on a rainy night is hard to beat.

Ruins of Toba Castle

Last Friday I picked up my car from the previous English instructor. He’s heading back to the States to spend some time with family before starting his dream job in Yokohama early next year. It was really helpful to hear about his experience teaching in Japan, specifically at the schools I’ll be starting at in April. We drove to nearby Shima for what was maybe the best bowl of ramen I’ve ever had. It was dark by this point but he stopped to show me a lookout point where you can see Fuji on clear days. We saw a distant lighthouse pulse across the bay and heard the sounds of frogs singing.

Ise-udon

The next day I took the train to Tokyo to pick up Gloria! I’m so grateful that my partner is here now. Together we’ve begun to explore some of the surrounding area. Some highlights include eating Ise-udon and walking among the cherry blossoms at Miyagawa-Tsutsumi Park in Ise. They’re almost at full bloom and whether walking, driving or taking the train, the experience of seeing the flowers sway in the breeze or their petals gently fall is truly special. The atmosphere at the park was festive, with a row of tents selling fried food and other treats. We got to see many cute dogs as well.

Miyagawa-Tsutsumi Park

This week I have started making visits to the schools where I will be teaching in order to greet the teachers there. So far everyone has been incredibly kind, and I’m very excited to meet the kids and start working. The commutes themselves are also a fun experience, including some winding mountain roads and a ferry. Between the friendly people, the beautiful landscape, the delicious food, and nearby places such as Ise Jingu, I feel that Gloria and I were incredibly lucky to be placed in Toba.

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