Monday night I teach at Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and last night I finished up the second term class. Most of the students will stay on for the next term starting in two weeks, only two students will not continue. Yoshi, one of the students who I have struck up a friendship with, is definitely continuing. Once in a while we have a couple of beers after class, and he really enjoys using English outside the classroom.
Yesterday and today have been the first days where it really feels like fall more than summer. I used to say that spring was my favorite season in Japan, but I’m officially changing it to fall. I can work in the house with the windows open, without air conditioning, and there is something about the smell in the air that reminds me of Halloween. It is a good feeling – especially after the long hot summer. The seasonal foods start to change over, autumn-only fruits (like persimmons and Japanese pears), autumn foods (like oden) and autumn-only beers (that taste exactly like all the other seasonal Japanese beers) start appearing in shops. The turn of the season is when you really start to enjoy living in Japan, because with it comes all the anticipation of the next season, and the knowledge that soon enough it will be over and the next one will begin. I used to get upset that seasonal items disappeared from stores after their one or two month run, but now I relish the short window of opportunity – it really makes you enjoy them more.
Tonight I’ll go into Kobe for another class with the very skilled Mitsuboshi Belting students. Hopefully I’ll get home from that class in time to make some easy Chinese food for Kuniko for dinner. The trip there and back should be quite a bit less sweaty – and much more comfortable now that the weather has changed. I’m certain that summer will still make an appearance now and then in September, but I’m really ready to bid it farewell and move on.
