Puberty, etc.

So now that I've been at my school for almost a year, I can definitely see some changes in the kids. There are so many reasons for this: they feel more comfortable with me talking about that kind of thing, I can understand their Japanese more, I know their individual mannerisms more, etc.

A couple of weeks ago, as I was leaving the school to go home, I went out the main door and a girl jumping rope with her friends came up to me. The first thing she said was, "Kimmu, mune ga nai!" which means, "Kim, I have no boobs!" I think I just laughed because it was so cute. Then she asked for mine, and her friend came up and said "Kimmu, biggu boin, biggu boin!" which is saying that I have big boobs. I offered mine to them, and they laughed.

And last week, I was hanging out in the library looking at books that I can't read, and two third year boys (freshmen) were looking at a book about AIDS. One of them asked if I had it, jokingly, and I said of course not. Then he pointed to a picture of condoms and said "I have some!" I told him he was way too young for that kind of thing, what does he think this is, blahblahblah. Then he said, "Yeah, AIDS is really sad, but it sure is fun to get!" I told them they were going to get us all in trouble and left, but it was one of the more ridiculous conversations I'd had. The Japanese have some of the weirdest attitudes about sex, though. It's something you're nevers supposed to talk about, but there are love hotels all over, and in the newspaper yesterday I read about a 14 year old who paid his classmates for sex. Crazy! Most of the kids I have are usually so childlike that I can't really imagine them doing it.

Anyways. I took some pictures of funny books that I'll put in my next post for you.

A couple of weekends ago we went camping! The boys went surfing, but I didn't feel like it because it was so cold. We made yakitori on the barbeque and then all huddled in the tent because it was so cooold. Also, the spray from the beach kept on getting everything wet. Next time I think we're going to go forest camping, because I like that way better than beach camping.

The next day we woke up, and there were all these people everywhere! They said they were from a school and they were going to use the grounds for an athletic meet. Ok, whatever. But then more and more children and families kept on appearing, and soon the place was overrun while we were just trying to pack up the tents and load up the car. It's rather strange when you have the post camping grossness and then you have to navigate through crowds of people. I always thought camping was supposed to be secluded. How rude. They even set up a lot of festival booths, so it was such a mix of roughing it vs. party atmosphere. Very strange.

Then we went to an onsen to clean ourselves up, and went to the Air Force base at Misawa, which is just about an hours drive north from where we were. We all had to get signed in by someone who had gone camping with us, and then we went to the grand old American style buffet. I paid with yen and they gave me change in dollars. It was amazing, while in Morioka we can hardly find anywhere to eat for breakfast, here they had hash browns, bacon, pancakes, french toast, everything! I hadn't seen it in so long. I ate until I was in pain, and then we went to the store to get American toiletries and such.

We were actually there for a few hours, and by the end I was ready to get off American soil and go back home. But it was awesome, because we had so much loot we could hardly fit it in the car. I even got a couple of bras! Hooray!

Today is Sunday and I have no plans. I keep on meaning to go to the gym, that was my plan today. I just got paid, I can sign up for a membership easy. 1, 2, 3...Go!......darn, still here.