15th September

15^th September

“Survival is the ability to swim in strange water” Dune

There are a few habits I have brought with me from Japan that I think I will be stuck with for a while. Slurping my noodles, showing numbers with my hands differently, and bowing when I great people. The bowing is dramatic, just a small nodding of the head, but its still enough to stand out, and I cant seem to stop doing it! With regards to showing numbers, in Japan people count to 5 in the normal way, but show 6-10 by placing the extra fingers in the palm of the 1-5 hand, as opposed to separately, in the same style as 1-5.

Sorry for the terrible drawing! And slurping noodles is just easier, and there are no discernable table manners here which it might offend, so that’s ok.

Oh, I remembered that there were knives among the cutlery at the wedding, which I guess just shows that im not eating at expensive enough places here. Although watching the others on my table try and use them, would suggest that most people cant.

I have been playing football everyday, which has been great. The school team (or as many as are able, as many boys are made to do house chores after school – there are so many more here to do, as washing machines, vacuum cleaners etc are not common in the village. I am on the other team, made up of the younger kids, or the PE teachers/graduates. Its not as one sided as you might think, and the last two days we have been beaten. A lot of this is down to a lack of passing (with ages comes self confidence it seems) and putting the worst player in the goal. But still, its fun! Although the number of minor injuries ive picked up just make me feel old, with a pulled thigh muscle from last night the latest on the list.