The sunset on saturday night

Me with a student in front of all the rubbish that was collected

Time to relay my weekends various goings on to those of you who read my blog. It was a pretty decent weekend as far as these things go nothing to really write home about but on the other hand nothing to complain about either. On Friday I and the other junior high school teachers all ate and drank at the headmasters house. It was most enjoyable, the new headmaster is quite bonhomie, although I was flagging due to tiredness more than anything else toward the end of the evening. It amused me greatly to watch the male teachers struggle to prepare food before the female teachers arrived, we were literally eating frozen shell fish, but when the teachers of the fairer sex did arrive, oh boy! Plate of scrumptious food did follow plate of scrumptious food. The following day I took part in a beach clean up. As worthy a cause as cleaning up beaches are, and it’s a little tragic to see Izena’s stunning beaches littered with rubbish, my main cause for excitement was the chance to be a sea ranger for the day. Alas it was not to be! Due to a mix up, Kaichi thought the costumes were in his car when they were in-fact stowed away in the car of some unknown other person, I did not get to for fill my dream and be a sea ranger. Maybe next time! Regardless the day was pleasant and what a lot of rubbish we collected! The operation was fairly large scale and involved all the ‘important’ people on Izena (the Mayor, assorted village office staff, Board of Education members, teachers etc.) and I think we cleaned all the major beaches on Izena. After a short break during which I took a much needed shower and mourned my loss of Japanese study time (not really but I am going to struggle to complete this months test, I’ve been too busy!). I don’t find I pick up Japanese just by spending time with/attempting to speak to Japanese people, I really don’t. Which is unfortunate because I have more than ample opportunity for that, I need to sit down and study to learn, so we come across the odd situation that my spending time with Japanese friends is hampering my Japanese language studies. Back to the course of events. After the shower I was picked up by Teru and we went down to the beach to prepare for the obligatory otskaresama party or nomikai or whatever it was called. In grand Izena tradition it involved sitting on blue tarpaulin, consuming moderate amounts of food, imbibing copious amounts of awamori (local booze) and having a generally merry time. The food was good; onigiri, tempura and those little spherical cake things and I did proceed to stuff my face. I got a little bored later on but some elementary school pupils decided it was playtime, so after giving them an impromptu English test (they did very well and impressed the head of the BOE who was sitting next to me and I am sure scored me good browning points) I got down to being as immature as possible. I had a jolly old time with them and probably got a bit of a workout too (all that lifting, spinning and swinging)! Afterwards I watched a movie with Teru and then gratefully slipped into the land of nod. I realize my post is getting quite long now but I have more to say….. Oh the dilemma. Well ok briefly then, the snake I saw (the small brown one) was probably Hemihabu according to Teru and I don’t doubt him! That would be Trimeresurus okinavensis for those particular for scientific names. It is poisonous and a Habu, so I am not sure how they can claim Izena has no Habu, however they didn’t seem surprised or incredulous when I said I had seen one. Oh well. I also now know that a hermit crab can survive without food and water for at least 20 days! Pretty impressive for a species whose subphylum (sorry to be pedantic) have only VERY recently began to attempt to make the transition from sea to land. I also know (from previous lab work) that spider crabs (marine) can survive with no oxygen for about nine hours! Truly hardy creatures. I didn’t learn this out of cruelty or negligence I feel I should stress (ok well the latter was derived by deliberately cruel means but all in the name of science!). The last time I went snorkelling was 20 days ago and I found yesterday at the bottom of my snorkelling bag a hermit crab. I naturally assumed it was dead but after a highly scientific prod with my finger I noticed slight movement! A quick does of H2O and it was right as rain! It is now my new pet; called spiky (it has a rather nifty spiky shell). I have just finished a volleyball tournament between teachers and pupils, quite fun, this year school is much more fun than last year (pre April and teacher change over year). That is all for now!