Saturday, November 11, 2006

Chocolate Milk

Tonight I get to meet with Crazy Gym Lady. I avoided her like the plague for a couple of weeks because the last time we met, she invited a friend who then invited me to her house to teach her 26-year-old son English. "Oh, you born in 1-9-8-0. He born in 1-9-8-0." That's a bit too much for me. The other day, though, I went into the sauna at the gym and there she was sitting there. I couldn't just walk out. So, anyways, we set up this little playdate at Mr. Donut for the evening and apparently she has some omiyage (gift) for me from her trip to Kyoto. Nothing like making me feel bad... But she's still crazy.

Also, funny story from the other night. I was walking back to my apartment in the dark, approaching the stairs that I have to take to get near my complex... and leaning against the rail were two young people who had evidently been giving their lips a workout. I just kind of peered at them in the dark and gave them a "Konbanwa (good evening)" and got one in return. I didn't know if they were my students or not (no uniforms...can never tell) until the boy turns and says, "Sensei (teacher), secret..." with a finger up to his lips. A couple of lessons here: 1) Naughty children are everywhere. 2)Naughty in Okinawa is not quite as naughty as some of the things I witnessed with American students. 3)Students refuse to speak simple English sentences like "How are you?" and yet can throw out a "secret" when needed. Omoshiroi (interesting). :)

Finally in this random entry... I don't know what kind of littering goes on in this park, but that's some fine to pay.

7 comments:

P said...

That was quite the random entry. Let me see... You do have a crazy lady on your hands. Don't eat any gifts.

Maybe the sign is trying to tell you that if you walk your dog (and only if you walk your dog) gunmen might try to kill you. Maybe to get your dog. But I think you're safe since you don't have one.

P said...

Oh. And I am amazed by how blunt (and HUGE) their signs are. Unlike the Dutch where signs saying "do not drink the water" are engraved in Dutch and cemented into fountains like plaques. (All we understood was "drink water" so we did. HAHA. No one got giardia or anything).

Anonymous said...

I'm trying to figure out how "to damage or do grafitti in the park" or "the use of fire or of any other dangerous substance in the park" is depicted by a person walking their dog with a gun pointed at them.

Rachel said...

Yeah, I'm not sure how walking a dog has anything to do with listed grafitti or fire. Or guns. I saw the sign from across the road and wondered why in the world there was a guy with a gun. Thought it was a military park or something... I was afraid to walk around on a trail even though I kind of wanted to. :)

The signs are huge here for the most part. Like the dog poo signs. Maybe it's just here where I live since I am in the most military area and there are loads of not-so-bright personnel around. ???? Who knows. But I love the Nihonglish either way. Glad you didn't get giardia on your trip. Maybe Ken and I misunderstood a sign as well...

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't walk in that park.

Joyce Chapman, Consultant for Communications & Data Analysis said...

what was the omiyage from kyoto? oishii? who all is staying at your place for the midyear conference? are our donated lesson plans supposed to be anonymous? i hope so.

Rachel said...

My omiyage was a pretty fall handkerchief thing and a postcard... But she kidnapped me and took me to her house and force fed me onion rings from her work and this cheesecake bun thing. (Both delicious, but not needed)

Conference --- I have my apato booked for two lovely girls from the north so far. (Rhyme with Benny and ... ummm... Lamey?) I put my name on my lesson plan, but it is really dull and everyone has probably done it already anyways. Oh well. See you tomorrow!