Jishin

This has been an intense week. I've been in Kobe literally every day since Monday (for a test and two birthday dinners) and have a big work party in Himeji tonight. Don't mind it, but considering alcohol is the ichiban no social lubricant in this country, it's not a huge shocker that everyone gets pretty wasted, so I'm expecting it to be another wild night. Just been a string of late nights... probably a good thing we've got a four-day weekend coming up.

Jishin

Random, but funny story for ya'll. I probably eat in the school cafeteria twice or three times a week. I try to go before the students and usually eat alone or who whatever other staff members are there. Because I am eating during a free period, there are often still classes going on in the gymnasium (located directly about the caf).

Well, today I went to the cafeteria, got my food and sat down. After a few minutes, Fujisaki Sensei, the Information (IT) teacher sits down and says hello and we chat a bit. As we're eating,t he ceileing is literally shaking everytime the students in the gym upstairs run back and forth, so I made a comment about how it sounded like an earthquake (jishin).

The rate at which the man jumped actually made me jump. He looked back and forth, asked me if I was serious, and it was only when I explained to him that it was a joke and that I meant the shaking ceiling - not a real quake - did he calm down. Um...Whew. Few lessons learned here. Do not joke about earthquakes in Japan. Do not use sarcasm. Also, skip the caf if you are the jumpy type. Eeek!