Updatey update

So I'm skipping my personal archive of blog stuff I still need to put up, to tell you about yesterday and today.

Yesterday I saw the area missionaries for the 2nd time...we were all taking the same train. So they invited me to volleyball last night. It was really fun! Christina and Ryan came (JETs in my city, and Ube city, respectively). The volleyball was held in a local gym, and I guess we used all the gym's equipment...but I don't know what was up with that ball.

I'm so competitive, and hardheaded, I refused to admit that my arms were turning purple, and I was probably overexerting myself. Probably? I'm in so much pain today, its not even funny. If you see my arms, I look like the victim of domestic abuse, and I can't move because my leg muscles are literally on fire. I mean, it wasn't even competitive volleyball! It was a church game!

People there: the 2 missionaries-1 from San Diego, and one Japanese missionary from Fukuoka. The Branch President...Elder Best, his adorable adorable family (Sachiko and their baby Ana). 2 girl church-goers around my age, and 3 boy church goers (around my age). When I say around my age, I mean plus or minus about 8 years, because I really can't tell ages with Japanese people...

It was really fun playing in the mixed group. When I was on a team with Ryan and 3 Japanese peeps, I've never had so much team spirit. And we can't even understand each-other! I was so confused because they kept smiling and yelling "Oshi!" which to my ear was way too close to "Oishii". So they were being encouraging by yelling "close one!" and I was hearing "Delicious food!". Haha. But there was like a team high five every 30 seconds, and we were really having fun.

I'm not trying to be long-winded...it was just really fun. But I could tell by the time we were finished how painful it would be. And it only got worse today.

So today I went to the elementary school, for the 2nd time. It was really amazing. I love love love the elementary kids. But today I played with them at recess, and ooooooooh it was hard. I was pushed into a game of dodgeball...and a game of soccer/rugby/something. My body is dying here. I couldn't even walk up and down stairs, yet I'm being chased with a ball. Gold!

Well, today there was another English teacher there, that wasn't there on my first visit. He's and English guy named Tom, and he is super cool. He's married with a cute cute little baby. I actually saw him and his family at Hofu city's last school/city festival, and we gave each-other the "look there's another Gaijin (foreigner) wave". So we talked, he owns his own English company. But he is also a FARMER! He has this huge plot of land, which I saw because he gave me a ride home, and we stopped at the farm on the way.

So right now, as I type, I have a pot of fresh fresh fresh lemongrass tea brewing. My apartment smells soooooooo good. He gave me so much stuff! The picture on the top is some of it. When I say he gave it to me, I mean that both of us went around picking, and digging with shovels.

I never knew that peanuts grew underground like potatoes. I never knew that peanuts grew underground like potatoes. I never knew that peanuts grew underground like potatoes.!!!!

When we harvested those, I was just in amazement!!! I really thought peanuts grew on trees. Or on Monty Python's famed "shrubbery".

I got among other things: Okra, Sweet Potatoes, Lemongrass (which I will use to make my Japanese soups taste Vietnamese), Spicy Peppers, Bell Peppers, tomatoes, Basil/Eggplant (already used in dinner tonight), Mint...anything else? hmmmm I'm sure there was other stuff. Tomorrow morning--fried Okra and Bacon.

But for now...Lemongrass tea has been calling me for a few minutes, so Bye!