This page hosted by
Get your own Free Home Page
I have come to the realization that the novelty of this place is wearing off. And with it, the oil and grease that was making life here go so smoothly. Although I was told to expect these feelings and although I know it will get better once I can actually talk to people, I can't help but feel betrayed by the people who said that I would have the best time of my life. Well, if getting up every morning and going to school every morning and sitting through 7 hours of utter bordom only to then go practise soccer for another 2 just so I belong to a club, then to come home and watch TV until I go to sleep is the best time of my life, then my life obviously sucks.
I am slowly learning the rules that have been heaped on highschool students so as to burden them during the time when they should be the most free. There are the usual laws: No buying alcohol/tobacco until your 20, no licence until your 18, etc. But beyond these, the school feels that it must put further restrictions on life. Highschool students can't drive, drink, smoke, etc. If they're caught, they're suspended or expelled. Having a boyfriend/girlfriend is discouraged, one can't enter a bar or pachinko parlor, leaving school grounds at lunchtime is forbidden, and many more. The students break most of these rules, of course. But, the fact that the rules are there in the first place seems ridiculous to me.
There's also nothing to do in this town. No movie theatre, or a place for people to just hang out. The only acceptable activities for highschool students in Furano are bowling, pool, and karaoke. Woopie! Doesn't that sound like fun? It seems that nobody throws any parties even though there are tons of farms around here. The nearest place to do anything is Asahikawa, an hour away. Oh, but wouldn't you know it...highschool students can't drive. That means that Mommy or Daddy have to drive you or you have to take a bus or train. It's obvious why you don't want your parents anywhere near you when you want to have some fun, and taking a bus or train means that you're subject to their time schedules (usually meaning that your back in Furano before dark). How's a guy supposed to have any fun if he can't go anywhere or do anything?
I was asked today if I was going to permanently join the soccer team. I don't fucking know! I haven't had a chance to practise with the rugby team yet and I sprained my ankle a couple days ago during the 1st of 2 days of intramural sports. This means that I probably won't get the chance to check out the rugby team before I have to decide in a week. Oh yeah, out school is having a marathon on Saturday. 17km! I don't think so. Luckily, there's a district Rotary meeting this weekend and I'll have to miss the marathon...or so I thought. Apparently, every student must run the marathon at some point. Maybe I can get out of it because of my ankle. It's probably pretty painful. I don't know for sure because Midori has put these painkilling pads on ankle and then wrapped it up in tensor bandages. I can walk fine, but climbing stairs and running prove very difficult and painful. This makes it hard to get to class on the third floor of the school. Midori constantly asks me if I want to go to the hospital. For me, the only time I go to the hospital is if I'm seriously hurt/sick or if I'm going to work. If my ankle is still swollen on Tuesday (a week after it happened), I'll go.
Anyway, back to the district meeting on Saturday. Hopefully, I'll meet some more exchange students. I need to speak English to someone at my normal speed every so often or I think I'll go insane. There is an assistant teacher who teaches English at the highschool who is from California, but she only comes once or twice a month. She was supposed to come yesterday, but since there were no lessons because of the intramural sports, she didn't come. I could call home, but then I end up talking to my parents. My mother tells me the most meaningless things like when my sister's working or what she ate for lunch. My father's worse: I can tell that he's really making an effort to try to find things to talk about, and even though I'm half-way around that world, he still yells at me. So I don't respond to all his E-Mails...they don't make sense half the time anyway or he asks me questions that I've told him the answer to already.
I'm tired of writing now. I'll write soon, hopefully in a better mood.