Day 31.

Today i feel totally drained. We had a big big big working day. Basically, I did 8 hours with 10 minutes break. The work itself wasn’t too hard, but still - the fact that i wasn’t able to just lay down and relax kinda made me really tired.

Today we did language game with Yumi, so she gets to learn some english and i get to learn some japanese and in the evening she was brave enough to join me and Reiko for an evening swim. What a great girl!

Even though today was a dreadful day because of long work, and even though i found a chance to complain, i cannot say i started disliking this place - quite in opposite, i come to love this place every day more and more. Here i am finally able to block thoughts about normal life pretty well, so i’m just living a dream at the moment and being happy about things and people surrounding me here and now.

My sunburn is still killing me. I cannot move properly, cannot sit, walk, lie down so it’s a big headache, but i will live. I’m not sure about my back, but blisters are starting to form on my legs. I’m a little bit afraid, but damage is done and i guess i just have to leave it be.

Day 28.

I got another sunburn... This time my back side. I wanted to get a tan, but i fell asleep and can give you a tip: two hours under japanese sun is too much! I’m totally red again and aching like shit. I also learned that sunburn on your back side is way worse then the front side, because when you’re burned on the front, you at least can sit properly, but i’m struggling every time i have to sit down, no matter where - couch, chair, floor and even toilet! It’s really strange that my hands became brown during the day, even though they were also really red, but my legs and back stayed red and aching.

I think i also got exposed to the sun way too long, because afterwards when we went to the city i got really dizzy and had to stop suddenly, sit down, regain my strength. I was a little bit dehydrated but it was also the sun - i just couldn’t see anything and it wasn’t black in my eyes, it was white!!! Never had this. I got worried a little bit, so i ate chocolate and drank 2 liters of sugary apple juice right away. I think i should take my health a bit more seriously, because sometimes i just don’t care about myself, which is actually against my own principles of living.

Today was Hiro’s birthday, so we decided to prepare something nice for him (and us!). We couldn’t bake a cake, cause it’s just impossible to do that here, but we made some nice jelly cups with fruits in it. We made two layers - strawberry and

melon jelly and it was soooo delicious and refreshing! We had to collect some money for that though, so some of us just didn’t eat it. Well, more for us, huh?

It would have been nicer if we did something all together, but some of they guys were off to play golf, the rest was just somewhere, so we had a quiet evening. Even though Hiro is japanese, he’s quite different than a regular japanese man, he’s not as shy, but has fair amount of modesty. Everyone really liked him, even though he wasn’t the one who was in the center of attention (like me, Toby or Joe or some other people who left already), but he’s always helpful, doesn’t complain and knows quite a lot. We might meet in September, when i’m in Tokyo - that would be really great!

Day 6.

Today is the day when my true self came out - i'm the most stupid person in this world. Really, i'm not kidding. Even though it is really funny... The story is rather simple. So there i was, going to Zushi beach today, which is by the way really nice and not far from Yokohama. I wanted to get tanned a little bit, because during this trip i got tanned unequally because of different t-shirts, so i'm lying in the sun for an hour or so on my back, then i went to swim and came back with the plan to sunbathe some more, because my back still hasn't gotten any sun. And you know what?? I started packing and went home!!!! I FORGOT to turn around, so my back gets tanned. So right now, my front side is completely red and my back side is completely white. That's what i get for an equal tan, huh? I'm pretty much pissed at myself, because from tomorrow i'm working, so i don't know when (if at all) i get the chance to lie down in the sun. I really hope i can get my day off soon, so i can go to any park and just lie down and i won't care this time about being considerate towards japanese culture. Normally, they wouldn't lie down in parks just in bikini, but i don't have any other choice!!!

Despite my huge fail, i have to say, that i enjoyed Zushi beach except that huge wind. Because of the wind, i really had to leave earlier than i planned (maybe that's why i forgot to turn around) - it brought sand really everywhere: my hair even my ears were full of sand, not very nice. But the sea was really cozy if i may use this word, water was salty just as it has to be in the real sea, really warm and welcoming. It's a pity i was alone, so i couldn't just relax - i had to observe my things all the time. I really suggest this beach for everyone who's in Yokohama/Kamakura area. It was strange though, for a foreigner, to pass the Kamakura station and go to the beach, but since i've been to Kamakura already, i decided it's ok not to visit it this time. The whole Zushi city is a real seaside city - almost everyone's tanned, you can see people in beach outfit, with inflatable balls and so on. It has a nice shopping street, where you also can eat out - sucha big variety! So it is recommended by me, yes.

In the afternoon i just had dinner and fell asleep... This night i had really unpleasant dreams (killing people, seeing people killed and stuff), so i didn't rest too well. So that nap was just about what i needed. For dinner i had nattou. It's probably like a curse for most of the foreigners because of its smell, structure and taste. For me it's not as bad, but i have to admit - it's not my thing. I can eat it, but there's no pleasure. It's a shame though... Because i've tried it once back in Europe and i kinda like it, but that one was slightly different than this one i had in Japan today. And i wanna believe that this nattou is more original, than the one i had. For me the smell is ok and i like the structure, but the taste was a little bit to intense. But then again - maybe there are different sorts of nattou.

Today i also met Kenjiro in the evening... It's been a long time since i've seen him! Last summer was the last time... We went to eat unagi (eel), which i actually like very much. I have eaten that before already couple of times, but today again i got upset stomach. I always do, so probably i should make some conclusions. Well, when i'm eating it it's really delicious, but afterwards i get upset belly and this sweetness taste in my throat all the time, so i think i should stop eating it. Maybe it's just too rich for me... It's a shame though, because it's tasty.

Today was a strange day. And it's my last day before i start working... I got my last host in Kansai, Sasayama ind Hyogo prefecture and i'm really happy about that! I was worried, i might not get a place for August, but now it's all ok. Also, i'm gonna meet Natsuko's brother, because i'm staying at his place for night in Kyoto. I'm sure it's gonna be just splendid! I also bought the tickets today from Tokyo to Osaka and from Kyoto to Shizuoka, so right now it's really just the last thing's left - start going there and here. The first week was full of experience and good memories, i hope it's not gonna be ruined.

I would like to work next year in Japan a normal paid job, but for that i need good japanese, so maybe i'm setting my goals to that one. It's always easier to learn or do something when you have clear goals... Who know's how it's gonna go in the future. Today i a strange day as i mentioned before, i feel somehow gloomy, upset, confused... I cannot say i feel bad, i wouldn't even dare saying that i'm being treated wrong, because i feel like at home here! Even better, they're all taking a good care of me... So it's not the cause of my mood, but something's ruining it a little bit. I've noticed that i'm becoming pissed and annoyed really fast the whole day, i feel a little bit empty. Maybe it's just pms, coming on me again, but it kinda feels different than normally. Anyway, right now it's time to sleep and not sit at the computer, so i'm saying a warm good night to everyone...