Surprise!

Everyday is a little further away from Winter and closer to Spring, but I'm afraid to say that it still feels like Winter. Sitting under my kotatsu (heated table) eating my miso, goofing off on the internet, watching a movie, reading, and drawing are all nice enough... but it would be even nicer if I didn't HAVE to stay under my kotatsu in order to be warm in my poorly insulated apartment. I reckon in a few weeks all this will be different. At least I hope so.
So, Aaron has an exciting few weeks ahead of him. First, my man Jacob Kerner is coming to town. This is very good news, as he has been my partner in crime for over four years now. But I haven't seen him in 7 months! But our crime spree will resume in just two days. Fantastic. I have multiple things in mind, including a romp in Tokyo, a hang out in my town, a fire walking festival, an expensive rural hot spring bath, a German cafe reunion, and one last goodbye from Tokyo. I miss him already, and I haven't even seen him yet...
But I have already, announced this, so onto the surprise. 2 days after Jacob leaves Japan, I'm going to Thailand with Amber and my friend Shane. If all goes according to plan, I'll also be meeting my long time friend and international travel buddy, Lara, in Bangkok. And then, like all tourists in Thailand (at least the ones exclusively seeking legal fun, which probably a lower percentage than the Thai government would prefer) we will be heading to some beautiful islands and bum around the beach. We'll only be there a week, but the tickets were a great deal, and the expenses in Thailand are very low (7 days in Thailand may cost close to the amount for one night/2 meals at the ryokan me and Jake are going to). On top of that I have another buddy from college living and working in Bangkok who will hopefully be able to show the right places to go. I'm excited for my first international trip from this Asian home of mine! My first instinct was to go home this break, but that would have required me using all of my vacation days with months and the summer still coming, as well as dishing out mucho mullah for only 2 weeks at home. My plan is rather to save up my time and money for a long rest at home this summer.
I'm afraid I have no exciting pictures to post at the moment, but hopefully I will soon!
And for those who get anxious when hearing about me going places, I will consult a doctor and stock up on many meds before leaving. And we have no super ambitious plans to go hiking in the malarial typhoon jungles in search of the most poisonous invisible spider/snake hybrid in the world, ala Steve Irwin (RIP). This will all be pretty low key I think. I'll save the more exciting and parent-anxiety-inducing trips for later.

The only everyday news I have worth mentioning is that I witnessed my first graduation ceremony (soutsugyou-shiki) in Japan, and watched all 200 of my 3rd year Jr High Students individually walk across stage, bow, get their certificate, bow, and walk off. Followed by about a billion long boring speeches, the ceremony clocked in at a mind-numbing 3 hours.
The exciting part was the "sayonara" parade, when all the teachers and many parents went outside (it was super windy and cold) and waved goodbye and "omedetou!" (congratulations) to the students as they left Minami Junior High School for the last time. I got to feel a little bit like a rock star for a minute, as I was swamped by teenage girls (and sometimes boys) for pictures, handshakes, giggling, awkward english/japanese conversation, and even once or twice, a hug (which induced lots of whispering and looks). Funny, at the camp I worked at for many summers, I had to hug lots of stinky, snotty, smelly, kids-teens when they left, and I never really thought about it. I wouldn't say Americans are even particularly touchy-feely, but compared to the Japanese I suppose we are. It's as if the girls had to summon up all their courage and strength to awkwardly hug me for 2 seconds, before running away giggling. But I didn't see any other hugs, even from parents to their kids. Maybe it's only a Western rite-of-passage to be embarrassingly smooched and hugged as a teenager in front of one's friends. In Japan, I honestly don't see people touching each other much at all... Even though they are really cute.
I forgot my camera that day, which I really regret. But my image will live on with about 90 girls who did capture my picture. Maybe they can look at it a little down the road and decide they'd like a foreigner boyfriend one day, as he would go quite well with their Louis Vuitton bags and french poodles.

So, exciting news ne! I'll keep you updated before long, with even more about me and my life. Don't be a stranger and email me anytime. I'll gladly give out my address, and you can give me yours for a postcard or something.
Good night, and good luck

Aaron