day of rest

So I literally did nothing today, well I went to the local library to do some preparation for school tomorrow.
Have to wake up at 7 so gonna keep this brief,
I had a crazy nap which threw my balance out and my host big sister, she's too young to be my mother had a friend round and I enjoyed trying to chase the conversation and got involved,
Got me thinking to get a Japanese flat mate once I return to the big bad England--bleugh.
We drank the fortnum and mason tea and enjoyed the shortbreads i procured from London which was kinda delicious.
Organised a meet up next week for Kaiten sushi which should be good.
I have plans everynight form tomorrow till Monday which is good but I think I need to stop making plans as plans cost money. I need a job but my visa status wont allow it.
Tomorrow is a Bachata party which should be cool.

Enjoying yourself Ari??

Yes I am

Blending in

There are foreigners in Japan
plenty but few of them stand out as much as I did on the rush hour train this afternoon. Yes there are differences between the typical Korean or Chinese/Cantonese person from the typical Japanese such as bone structure etc but what makes me different is noticeable from a mile away.
It causes the gawps and stares from some people and the smiles and waves from others.

I moved into my residence for the next month which is a nice apartment in Esaka, northern Osaka with a couple who rent out their room for foreigners like myself who want to experience real Japan. we cal this a homestay.
I was met by my host at Esaka station and escorted minutes away from the station to a nice APAATO building. took the ERIBAITA o the 3rd Kai which is our 2nd Kai as the Japanese don't have a ground floor (oooh spooky)

Today was my level test for a japanese language school 214 questions which graded me as intermediate. i sampled a couple of classes and have agreed to start on wednesday 3 times a week for a month, which is what I could stretch to financially.

how much can you cover in a month i wonder. Ganbarimasu I think.

I am shattered I have a full diary from tomorrow I think and my legs are killing from football the other da. Tomorrow I am going to study and rest, study and rest. My futon is already spread out so, now im a roll into bed i mean Futon and watch Naruto.

Yaye internet is back

where am I..

Looking around me I would believe i was in a basement club in a caribbean Island but then i focus on the clientele who are 99% Japanese ,please believe.

I am in Rub a Dub jamaican reggae bar in Kyoto where you can get anything from curried rice to ackee and saltfish. For real and you will get some real reggae music played by Bedi who is from Indonesia but looks and sounds like a sibling of damian marley.

spent a portion of the last 3 nights in this eatery.

Had a few Jerk sausages especially after 2 hrs of 5 a side soccer in Osaka which finished me off physically.
Today was hot bordering on 30 degrees, spent my day walking by the river and diving between STA BA and a Kissatern an old school coffee house- im tired after hitting the town. From tomorrow it's homestay in Esaka and school--oooh oooh oooh

AINT NO PARTY LIKE A...

So yesterday was eventful.

Jazz festival with not much jazz and not much festival.

best part was having a conversations one with a 10 yr old boy who told me he dreamed of being a shinkansen driver, pretty cool aye.
Went to a house party of a Professor, Dj Photographer and just enjoyed that vibe, bar one terrible thing happening to me which i will not share.

House was live, kinda setup i would love.

Saw a couple of examples of how not to handle your drink and the fact that you can take a dude out of Kingston but not kingston out of the dude, some any racist guy against your own brothers. Just dumb.

MC D's breakfast yes please Captain.

38 years and PuriKura

IT IS Relatively early I am in Bed at 1am and I went to Osaka from 1pm to meet my friend that I met at a language event in England. Had enough time to eat some okonomiyaki and do some Purikura which is the most feminine ditsy thing you can do. No doubt if you go out with girls in Japan you will do Purikura.
think a normal photo booth, then add, pixie dust, rainbows and gumdrops
I went in though, gave it 110% .

no homo though

Went to a BBQ all you can drink language party in Osaka with my boy Francis afterwards and then chilled at various bars got good news from my mrs and dodged going to Karaoke (although I wanted to go) and grabbed Takoyaki in time for the train back to Kyoto.

met a guy who had been here for 38 years
i could not blame him
at all
he was so 'shiawase' happy

I quote- i love kansai'

お誕生日- My Birthday

Today is my birthday and I am by myself ,I don't feel like I celebrated my birthday by myself because I celebrated it in Wales just over a week ago with my Mrs.

I just slept for like 12 hours straight which is double my normal sleep time.
I blame the clubs that close when the sun rises. And my social life which seems busier than it was in London @ the moment anyway.

I hit Osaka to try and do some shopping and just hang out with one of my friends which was cool. I love Kaiten Sushi we need to sort it out in Endland without it being overly expensive.

One thing struck me on the way to and from yodoyabashi though. No mater how busy it was nobody wanted to sit next to me, and I know I didn't smell but the coldness I feel from some people gets to me. You know that if I was Japanese the space next to me would have been filled by anybody but because I am Gaijin and not a small one at that people are hesitant. I try not to let it get to me, but my skin is not thicker than anybody elses really and it got my back up a bit.

But on the contrary there are a lot of really warm people flashing smiles and giving high fives and the over friendly DUDEs at clubs gawping at your muscles. TABOO.

I think I will go to my river spot and read a book for a couple of hours. Before I go to El Rumbita to ZOuk and Salsa my evening away.

tsukareta

Yesterday , `Ended up at Salsa Candela the first night of the salsa festival, was a pretty cool experience was nice to see the Hoohah from the DJ and Bar manager when I stepped in the building. Just need me some Zouk and it's all over. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

That is a result of faling asleep on your mac, because you're so tired. Checked out the Ginkakuji in Kyoto and waled along the kamokawa river which is my favourite spot to chill in kyoto at the moment and watch the Tonbi- eagle like birds fly about.

Surprised at how good Francis Sans cooking was and then crashed for a few hours before we hit butterfly a club in kyoto with perhaps the best entrance corridor I've been through. My days start with Muesli but end in Kebab, so I'm tryna balance it out.
Today I'm off to Osaka and back. So Mata kondo ne.

Tomorrow is my birthday , how will that feel