Another night in the George...

I just can`t keep away. I was planning to stay in, but bumped into Erica, who I trained with, on a train earlier in the week and she suggested we meet at the George. As a vegan, the izakayas are off-limits. Karen and I got ourselves together, only for Karen to not be able to get hold of Erica (I actually think she didn`t try, but I am not saying that to her) and found it was only us and Matt DoS in there. I prefer these intimate get-togethers. George had time to sit with us and chat and I consulted my DoS on Shane`s policy of dating other teacher`s student`s parents. A guy at one of my schools seems overly keen, so I may invent a policy against any such interaction myself.

He is the father of another teacher`s student and has been suspiciously friendly since I arrived. He seems to compose a few sentences to recite to me before every lesson and makes a point of making a few garbled compliments. Last week, he thanked me for my heart-warming holding at the children`s Christmas party and this week he thrust a small Japanese-style Christmas card at me. Well, this was his lie. It was actually a calling card wrapped in shiny kitchen paper with a message to call him and his contact details. He calls himself Mr Dandy. On the back of the card were extensive instructions on how to leave an answerphone message (after the `pee`) and what details I should give him: where I live; when is my spare time; and my contact details. His son, apparently, is `eagers to see [yours] -----`. He didn`t finish the sentence, but I doubt very much his son would be interested in seeing anything of mine - unless I quickly stocked up on Harry Potter videos.

Last night Ken got overly amorous and kept trying to hug me and suggesting we go somewhere else to drink. He`s fairly safe, I`m sure. The romance element is almost a joke between us now, but I was too tired to contemplate the juddering conversation we would have had, so decided to turn him down. As George and I were leaving, we bumped into two American guys who took me to a host bar. They were fat and awful, but I wasn`t ready to go to bed yet. The bigger one had decided I was his and danced a la David Brent to woo me (seriously, he even did the arms and everything), but I had no one to laugh at him with so I soon got bored and decided to run away. As I was getting my coat, I found his friend sat at our table with his top off and tattoos on display. He was wrapped in an inky rope, quite a sight to behold! He claimed to be hot, although I was shivering a bit. Sadly, by leaving, I missed the hosts doing a boy band-style dance show. I must go back, perhaps with more savoury company. I popped to the Suraj bar upstairs and found Ken again. He was more drunk and more amorous so we ended up having a small argument in our respective languages as he wanted to hug me and I wanted him to sit down and leave me alone. He then started shoving ￥1,000 notes at me, but this was because he was leaving and wanted me to get a cab home so I forgave him his tactile attack. I spent another gin and tonic having a more sensible conversation with the incredibly cute barman and an artsy customer who tried to insist on taking me to a restaurant as I tucked into the bar snacks too enthusiastically. As the barman was acting as translator, I again refused the hassle and effort of conversing via a phrasebook.

Friday night, I picked up my coach ticket to Osaka. I have nine hours to contend with, but am told it is a good way to travel as you get to see Japan (I can`t imagine I will see anything as it is an overnight trip). I had my friend Aki help me out, which was fortunate as there were so many options and questions, I couldn`t have handled the conversation alone. We then headed back to Omiya and to an izakaya for something to eat. We were sat next to a group of young men who were very interested in us, but not drunk enough to speak yet, so we left at a sensible time having only drunk non-alcoholic sours. Bizarre for the both of us. I`ve just left her again today, having heard all her stories of hostessing, one of which involved pretending to be gaijin and being taken for Korean food, which disagreed with her and all the beer, so she threw up at the table! She is the least Japanese person I have met here, but is hilarious to hang around with. I never imagined my best Japanese friend would be pseudo-American!