Winter Break, 5th of 5 posts!

So, I only made it to 4 of the 5 special sites in Myanmar. The last one is called the Golden Rock... and I just ran out of time to get there. It is a bit southeast of Yangon in an entirely different part of the country. Not too far away, but too far away this time. Thus, the last two pictures involve my return to Japan. I was a cheapskate (and wanted a Subway sandwich) so I took public transit into the city from the airport when I arrived to Fukuoka. After the sandwich, with all of my baggage I was stopped 100 meters short of the train station. A small bald man with a fake bow tie approached me and decided it was in our best interests if he interviewed me... so we went out to the camera crew, stationed on the street and I the journey continued!

All in Japanese, I was asked why I looked so disheveled (3 weeks no shave and a full backpack and a side bag!). I was then brought across town to be shown some customary Japanese New Years traditions. I was all over TV in January but only a couple people saw it. I ordered a copy of the tape from the director because even I didn't see it. Then, last week, the girl in the bread store asked me if I was on TV. Students at 3 schools approached me about the show. Then the woman at the post office counter. I even got it from the folks who work in the ramen shop! Apparently, it was not only broadcast on that lowly Thursday the week after New Years. The director sent it to the local news channel and THEY showed it again, a month later! EVERYone here watched the news, so my face (not at its best, mind you) was plastered over the screens in the houses of everyone in my entire community. It's pretty cool that they all ask me about it, but it sucks too because now there is REALLY no escape... such is life.

A great reason to bust out the stereotypical Japanese (peace) pose for a picture. Outside of Kushida jinja in Nakasu, Fukuoka.

Chin-nen (the interviewer) called me James for the majority of the interview because the director (holding the sign) had written down the wrong name. When I called him out on it, he was grossly apologetic. That scene was the one that really got my students laughing!

THAT'S THE END OF MY WINTER BREAK. TIME FOR ANOTHER VACATION!