We’ve got the big heaters installed in the staffroom at school now. That means that it’s nice and warm when I get there in the morning. The down side is that in the afternoon when things warm up outside, they’re still cranking the heat up in the staffroom. It’s not uncomfortably hot, just warm enough to make you sleepy. Combine that with lots of studying for an exam, and you have one tired foreigner.
The good news is that I didn’t fall asleep and I kept studying. I went home early, about 4:30, and then did some studying at home as well. I’m starting to approach the burnout level, so I’ll need to be careful and to take a nice long break after the exam.
I cooked a big dinner of rice, beef, and red peppers, and was sitting around digesting it when the phone rang. It was one of the guys heading to the yakitori, and he invited me along. I decided it was a good chance for a study break, so I went over and hung out for a little while.
He ordered up some raw octopus and wasabi over raw potatoes (takosabi), and I changed my drink to shou-chu on the rocks. I listened carefully to the Japanese being spoken and was able to catch a little more than what I’m used to. Still not enough to get by – I’ve got a long way to go.
Everybody wished me luck on my exam, and the guy who invited me picked up my tab. It just goes to show you that when you’re sitting at home with a stomach full of food getting ready to hit the sack, that in no way precludes the chance to eat raw octopus and drink strange liquors surrounded by people speaking a strange language. Another huge reason why I love living here.
