Darlo's World

To read the original entry, please click here ( http://www.darlosworld.co.uk/2011/11/28/guess-it-takes-a-little-time/ )

Hello! Ok, about the song, I just looked on Youtube for a video with the words Takes Time in the title. I’m actually sat in a building in Shimonoseki city with my speakers down low, so I’ve not actually listened to the song … hope it works. It’s by Amy Grant and is called Takes a Little Time.

I know most of the people reading this have been following my antics and escapades on Twitter and Facebook, but I want to come back to the blog.

So what’s taken me so long? Well, to be perfectly honest I have no idea. I can’t say that I was having way too much fun and excitement to write anything, because I’ve had the time. In fact often I’m sat on my arse at home with nothing to do thinking “hmm … I could write a blog post”, but then end up just googling something weird with the telly on in the background.

That being said, don’t think I’ve not had my share of adventures. There’ve been sake festivals, national sports competition, me shaving off my beard, the war of the insects, visits to various places, trying to buy things online, and of course keeping up with my Japanese.

But I guess rather than try to given detailed explanations of each of those I’ll just show you a picture of me taken yesterday, and say “see you next time”.

Possibly the last of the British Samurais

See you next time!

So the result of the JET placements is in, and I’m pleased to say that I’ll be heading to Shimonoseki City (下関市) in Yamaguchi Prefecture (山口県). Am I pleased? Most definately! Though I did not specify any favoured locations on my application form, mainly because I thought it would be beneficial to show I’d be willing to go anywhere, I did have my eyes on a warmer than North area. Those of you who know me personally will have heard me talking about how I’d prefer a remote island in a warm area to Hokkaido. Though it is quite a distance from my beloved Osaka, I know that I’ll definately have the chance to go back and see some old friends at some point.

View Where Shimonoseki is in a larger map

For the past few months, well … for just under a year, I’ve been reading a Japanese novel that has yet to be translated into English (風の殺意・おわら風の盆 by Kyotaro Nishimura). I finally finished it the other day, and while I had been quite interested throughout the whole book (at sometimes more than others) I felt the ending left a lot to be desired. Similarly I have just finished reading Audition by Ryu Murakami (in English), and although I really enjoyed it throughout I couldn’t help feel it was missing something at the end, one more chapter perhaps. If you’re scratching your heads and asking yourselves where you’ve heard of that story before, chances are (if you’re a fan of Asian Cinema) you’ll have seen the film.

Oh, I read Audition in 4 days. For me, a huge accomplishment.