Today I awoke to the sun shining and was able to sleep in. It was the first weekday I have been off since school started, so I was eager to make it to the post office to send some postcards. I actually managed to send the postcards with no problem and I think I have noticed progress with my Japanese. I sort of even had a conversation with a lady that I passed today. I am so used to saying ‘ohayou gozaimasu’ in the morning that when she made eye contact with me and said ‘good morning’ I replied ‘ohayou gozaimasu’, which I think was as much a surprise to her as it was to me. I later saw the lady outside and she asked me if I spoke Japanese. I told her I spoke very little and she said she speaks very little English. We managed to have a decent conversation about how I was a teacher at Iwadeyama Junior High School in Japanese.
Into the late morning, the sun was out and it was warmer than I expected when I walked outside. I went for a run and decided to go a different way, to the back side of the onsen. It turned out to be another hill and then I saw the most beautiful waterfall, cemetery, and shrine that I had no idea were in my backyard. I ran for a while, and the views were really beautiful along the way and kept interrupting my run because I had to stop to take pictures. There were many farmers out working in their fields and giving me strange looks as I ran past them. After this I had a really refreshing onsen bath, did laundry, and then went for a long walk for ice cream and food. I think spring has finally found me.
“I’m ready to go anywhere
I’m ready for to fade
Into my own parade
Cast your dance and spill my way
I promise to go wandering”
-Bob Dylan
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