Back in May a few friends and I dashed off on a mini-vacation to the sun-dappled villas of the Okayama region, self-titled "Aegean of Japan". I think they had some olive trees somewhere nearby, thus earning the title. It was a nice getaway from the everyday, but as Peter pointed out, they shouldn't publish their tourist brochures in the "we've kidnapped your daughter" font.

In the early summer our Osaka women's soccer team played in Japan's amateur championship. I joined them as waterboy and cheerleader. Our team came in first, due obviously to my hydrating and morale-boosting.

Around the same time, the special needs students from my school went on a day trip to the city of Nara, known around these parts for its gigantic wooden temple housing a gigantic statue of Buddha. I was asked to tag along for the day. I get along quite well with these kids; our relationship only improves as I continue to learn Japanese.