So I have worked my first full week! It wasn't to bad at all. There hasn't been much activity in the sea due to a typhoon. It pretty much missed Izena but it has still been windy from about Tuesday to Saturday so the sea was quite rough. I keep trying to go and buy my own snorkel etc. but the fishing shop never seems to be open, maybe fourth time lucky. Apparently Nick had the same problem. It has become apparent that people drink quite allot here, they seem to take some pride in drinking more than main land Japanese. This is compounded for me by pretty much everyone wanting to drink with me, for example I drink after work with the board of education. Five minutes to going home time they suddenly decide to drink, then and there at work, so we did for several hours. Well so as I was saying I drink with the board of education one night and then the following night I am drinking with their sons who are at high school on the main island, it is quite interesting meeting father and then son. Last night I went to a funeral, although I think it was actually more like a wake. I expected a sombre affair but it was quite jovial, lots of people and drinking! It is a bit at odds with me trying to be fit and active, but it is a very good way to bond with the people here as it were. People in Japan are often quite shy to use their English under normal circumstances, so a more relaxed environment does help ;). Having said this I feel I should stress they don’t have a drinking problem like I think the UK does, this isn't binge drinking, it's good ol'social drinking, what we have been doing for hundreds, maybe thousands of years. Another thing I have noticed, which I like, is that this is a very relaxed island in terms of authority, in some ways at least. For example seat belts are mandatory and drink driving is a big nono in Japan, zero limit and severe punishments. However both these laws are more relaxed on Izena, well in fact they don't exist. Well I feel I have written quite enough, oh wait one more thing I would like to mention. I am going to be giving English lessons to the nicest/coolest older lady ever. Her name is Keiko-sensei and she is an artist from mainland Japan recently moved to Izena. She is keen to improve her English as she in involved in an artistic exchange with some Australian artists. She is a flower artist, she doesn’t paint flowers or do classical flower arranging...mmm perhaps I could post some examples of her work if that ok with her. So I initially refused payment for the lesson, although she seemed determined to pay, but anyway so instead she offered to show me how to do some of her art, or at least the techniques. So I am really looking forward to that, recently she made some jewellery from things found at the beach, its really very nice. Ok time out! Take care y'all, Cheerio! Ah yes, the picture of the tomb is of a traditinal Okinawan tomb, they are scattered all over Okinawa, people leave offerings of food in them and have 'parties' to celebrate/pay their repects to their ancestors in front of them. The other pictures shows a wall, of which Izena village is full of, you may notice it is not made from stone but coral. Semi-interesting :)/