Home, Sweet Home

I am now safely home, among friends and family. For the time being. I head back in early October for my training. I'll now tell about the last bit of my trip.

Where did we leave off? Oh yes:
Much has happened since my last post. Many places have been visited, food been eaten and videogames played.
This was a wonderful Onsen with 3 separate baths, all looking out onto a waterfall and rapidly moving river. Fumipapa took this, and didn't seem to care that there were two naked men right in the center of this photo.



After the Onsen we walked around looking at shops, then sat and relaxed after eating some Japanese-style sundaes.
Later Shogo got the family and I entry into a packed sushi restaurant. We walked straight past the huge line of customers, because he knew all the workers there. He was their high school math teacher. It was very odd and funny to see kids calling this guy "Shogo-sensei!", because I'm so used to his goofy antics at home.

Fumipapa eating said sushi. It was pretty good. I've found a new love in Ika as I really enjoy the texture of it. This made me happy, as I'm trying to broaden my horizons and fish is the "final frontier" for me. Cooked fish however, I still nearly vomit after eating it.

Fumi and I spent two seperate days just lounging on the beach. Coincidentally they were pretty much the only two days when it didn't rain. We got lucky.

Here I am, blowing up a flotation device for Fumi, since she can barely swim.

No, I'm not wearing an undershirt. :(

Pictured here is some of the worst parenting I have ever seen. Second from the left is a toddler playing Pachinko with his mother on his right. Way to raise your kid, I'm sure he'll be the most upstanding gambler in all of the smoky, seedy Pachinko Parlours!


Much of my time was spent wandering around Fumi's local village with her friends...


As well as cooking and eating things. Cooking and eating is my favourite pastime.


Here I am with Fumi at her cousin Chika's wedding! I got to witness the infamous "Western-style" marriage. I giggled to myself a lot.

When I saw this however, I got depressed. Reminded me too much of church and so many Sundays of my youth wasted.

Here is the scheduled list of happenings for the event. Notice number twelve. I expected a hot, steamy kiss with the groom sucking the life out of his new bride's face... but he just gave her a peck on the cheek.

Here is the "minister". Some random foreigner who is paid to impersonate a priest. Note the lack of collar. He kept on doing weird stuff like whispering to Jesus under his breath, then promptly translating his whisper in whispered Japanese. Very, very creepy. His acting was alright, but his pronounciation of Japanese was with a heavy American accent. I came to the conclusion that he was reading off of romaji because he was otherwise seemingly very fluent. Anyways, it was pretty amusing to observe, as I've heard so much about this.

Here is the lovely couple (I sound like I'm 60 when I write this stuff).

Here is Shogo and Fumipapa. I think this picture accurately gives a feel for their personalities.

Sashimi served at the wedding reception. So, so, so, so good. Hamachi, Maguro and Ika Sashimi.

And before I knew it, I was sitting sour-faced with my girlfriend at the airport, about to depart.
And I did.
And now I sit here, back in Canada, writing this, feeling a little sad in that I have to wait three more months to see her again. We're pretty used to it though, so it shouldn't be too hard.