2 months in

So a few days ago was the first time I seriously considered staying here longer than a year. I'm just thinking out loud right now and I never plan anything that far in the future. I've gotten over almost all of my initial concerns and complaints and I'm really just enjoying being here right now. My lifestyle (the absence of my friends and family aside) is much better here than it was in Boston and there's so much for me to do and see here that I don't think I can get it all accomplished in a year. Also, coming back too soon might not really solve the problem that I was having in the first place. I want to see the world and have fun and not commit to a job that is going to devour my best years just yet. If I come back prematurely than I'll be in the same antsy position that left me unhappy in Boston. So, just as a preliminary warning, I've been thinking about it guys...

I think having good and bad days is just something that you can't get away from. I would say that I have all of the tools necessary to teach great lessons at this point, but I still manage to fuck them up every now and then. The other day I had a few terrible ones back-to-back. It's the worst feeling to be teaching and know its not going well but then being unable to fix it. Some classes are just destined to suck I guess.

Ahhhhhhhhh... I guess that's about it. I know there was tons of shit.... oh yeah! My Zen class!

I went way the fuck out of my way on Tuesday to Aichi Gakuin Univerity for a class on Zazen. I had a brochure that said classes were taught on the first Tuesday of every month and when I checked out the website it was in English and Japanese so I just hoped for the best on my way out there. I should have called. I really really really should have called first. First of all, the class this month isn't being taught on the 4th, technically the first Tuesday, but the 11th. Second, the class is entirely in Japanese. Third, it looks a little bit scary. A woman that I was barely able to communicate with gave me a how-to guide in English and what happens in their meditation sessions at the temple. The Zen master (or whatever) moniters everyone and hits you on the shoulder with a cane if your mind wanders. I guess he uses Zen magic to know when this is, but the thought of getting hit from behind by a cane to clear my mind and then performing a ritual to find my path again seems a tad frightening.

The campus police were unbelievable though. I got to the university's campus (my first Japanese university by the way) and tried to ask some questions at the information center. No one spoke English so a security officer drove me to the international center on campus where an English-speaking woman was located. She was able to understand what I was asking for and then told the security officer in Japanese. He then drove me to the temple and showed me to the front office. Thank god for that guy. None of it mattered because I had the wrong day, but that guy was awesome.

The cherry blossoms here are in full bloom and they're very pretty. If you want to see them do a google search. I'm already bored of looking at them.