Halloween!

Based on this picture alone, it's going to be a good one ;-)

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As soon as the calender hit October 1st, teachers at one of my junior high schools asked me to give a lesson about Halloween. For the 7th graders, I gave a short speech about the three things most people do--1) decorate the house with jack-o-lanterns, spider webs and the like, 2) put on a costume, and 3) go trick or treating. I show pictures of me in past costumes, like the Spice Girls and as an Oompa Loompa from the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie, but sadly I am met with a whole classroom of blank stares. Some things (old pop culture references) just don't translate. After the speech, there was a quiz, and then we played Halloween bingo.

Outside of school, I had two Halloweens! Imagine that, in a country where no one goes trick or treating! Last weekend, I headed into the city with Vanessa to attend "Halloween Salsa," a party/concert/dance event which made me really confused as to which country I was in. I was given free tickets by a teacher at one of my junior high schools. After school hours, he is the lead singer of "Salsa del Oriente," Fukuoka's (only?) salsa band.

The event gathered a good crowd, there was delicious Spanish food, fun music and many talented salsa dancers. Most people dressed up in costume, Vanessa and myself included. We fit right in at the party, but I felt pretty rediculous on the train home.

Not wanting my costume to be "lost in translation" again this year, I opted for the not so subtle "kabocha." Between West Coast (used clothes) and the Daiso (100 yen) I think the whole thing cost me less than $8.

October 31st started out as a school day like any other at a mildly disfunctional elementary school. The first class I was supposed to teach forgot about me for a good 20 mins, and then the class I was supposed to eat lunch with forgot about me completely, so I ate with a mixed group of office staff and volunteer mothers in the principal's office. The all comented about how weird the day's menu was, and I would have to agree. The main dish was a tasteless concoction of tofu, boiled cabbage and quail eggs in a gelatinous sauce. At least the rice and soup were good.

Friday's main event was going bowling in costume. Nine ALT's and two slightly embaressed Nihon-jin met up at Kurume's Sports Garden to share candy and hurl brightly colored balls at unsuspecting pins. Everyone looked pretty amazing in their costumes. Our group had a cowgirl and cowboy, devil, James Bond, turkey, Santa Claus, reindeer, pumpkin and a pirate. We all called it a night after two games, but in that was plenty of time for me to eat enough candy to feel sick!

Keizo's first Halloween!!! I made sure he went all out costume wise, but I don't think he got a stomachache.