There were penguins in Osaka. In fact, Osaka was peopled entirely by penguins, flapping their flightless wings and conducting penguin business as only penguins can. Seeing the little penguinlings chase jolly whirls and dances as they headed off to another day of Penguin School and asking directions of the grandmotherly old penguins in broken Penguinese was great fun, but I do think it's odd that no one ever mentioned the Great Osaka Penguin Takeover of 1994 before.
Other than discuss penguins and their affairs, there has been little to occupy my time. I have been reading manga lately, although it shames me to admit it, and have recently discovered the advantage of buying in bulk; just today I bought an entire 12-volume series for five bucks, which I think is not too shabby at all. If anyone has any good manga recommendations, why don't you go ahead and tell them to me; I hardly know anything good, but I figure the one time I'm in a place where it's easy to come by, I may as well pick some up. On the comic-y note, I also scored a copy of Tintin and the Secret of the Black Isle in Japanese, which is pretty much the greatest thing ever.
A Chinese friend decided that I was going to teach her how to speak English and she was going to teach me how to speak Chinese, and so far it has been working fairly well; that is to say, I never study and neither does she, but we sure feel like we're learning. It's my first time ever teaching someone to read from the very beginning, and despite some challenges, it's been pretty fun. I'm excited because after only three meetings seperated by a week each, she can sound out most simple words. On my end, I can say and sort of write "That looks delicious" or "Did you go to school today?" and if I really think hard, maybe "What's your name?" This is very exciting, but I think if she were teaching me things like "My pants have come alive!" or "Destroy the infidel with fists of justice!" I would have more motivation to learn.
- Gyaa! I'm give up
Naka-ku, Hiroshima
730-0803
JAPAN
