Stories

The other day I was covering some classes for an absent teacher. My first class were these two 5 year old kids who were tiny, smart and cute. There was a jar of sharpened pencils which I was using to mark their homework, which after I had finished using, I placed on the ground - next to me. Then I started to do some ABC flashcards. I put the cards on the ground - also next to me - without looking. Then I felt a strange sensation in one of my knuckles...I had whacked my hand into the pencil jar and stabbed myself with a 5cm pencil lead. As I raised my hand, a 20 cm long pencil was dangling out of it. All I could think of was - I've scarred these 5 year olds for life with this image. I felt sick, but smiled, ripped the pencil out (which left a clean hole) and continued flashing "B - buh! C - cuh! D - duh!" - the show must go on, right? I snuck a look at my hand - and it had started to pour with blood. The kids by this point were looking at me with concern - "daijobu, daijobu sensei?" (are you ok?) they asked. "Yes kids, daijobu" I smiled - when all I wanted to do was vomit at the sight of the blood (I'm really squeamish with things like blood and stabbing oneself). So now I have a lead dot tattoo on my hand. I'm a really good teacher.

It's a Thomas the Tank Engine train for grown ups!!! I raced and raced to try and get a pic of the Gordon cart, cos I hate Gordon. He's so ugly and grumpy - big wide faced git! Could only get Percy before the train departed.



Shoes contrast. I could make an album of shoes I see on the trains here. I love looking at them so much. Those are Gareth's Nikes in the foreground.



It's Sailor Jupiter!!


This was all I could manage before someone busted me for taking pics of a school girl. But I had to, I loved watching Sailor Moon. Sailor Jupiter was my fave.



This is a place called Hirakatashi. I liked the balloon in the sky.




And that's a crane in the river. Bad pic - I need to take my proper camera out with me more. I keep forgetting!!



Naoko and Duma. We went to a place called Harborland in Kobe. There's a cool little rink for kids to drive around in. I couldn't fit in the train...



An Anpanman car. Anpanman = Red Bean Bun Man.



A Baikinman car; that's "Germ Man". He's pretty angry!



A GIANT Mario bouncy castle!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanna go in!!



A cool robot toy. I wish I had a sweet playground like this when I was growing up.



This is Erica.



She can do this. She's another Kiwi and a friend. She rules.



And finally, a crow on a ball. I was for the first time afraid of a bird seeing this guy. He was pretty close. I'm always concerned they're gonna swoop down and pluck out my eyeballs.