Its been a while as they say, the reason for this of course being Christmas – ah Christmas. It really becomes apparent to you that you might really have left home when you spend more than one Christmas in succession away. Despite the disapprobation of my family I chose to spend the hols in the US this year. It seems it is twice as expensive to travel to the UK than it is the US from Japan; it makes sense geographically when you think about it. It is, however, about two days worth of travel. Jet lag meant that for most of the hols we were knackered by 6pm, in bed by 9pm and up and about at 3am. We spent Christmas and New Years Eve trying desperately to stay awake. By the time we had readjusted it was time to come back. I am nodding off as I write this (though that might be because this is a tad dull no?).

So, Christmas with the Burfields was a laugh-riot; Larry and Sharon are some of the nicest and welcomest people I know (though of course I know they’re reading this, so I’m bound to say that. Incidentally I learned over the break that quite a few unexpected people read this blog. I was much surprised on shaking one of Robin’s relatives’ hands to hear “Great to see you Geoff, say, I laughed my ass off over that clap your hand song!” Several of Sharon’s co-workers apparently also find a strange comfort in my ramblings. I’m trying awfully not to get stage fright). A Burfield Christmas is much the same as at my house – lots of sitting down, snacking, drinking, generally relaxing, punctuated by family meals (Sharon’s chilli – mmm chillllliiiiiii) and board games. It’s also reassuringly western. I say this in contrast to Japan of course. It was great being back in a land where I didn’t spend every single morning in pain after smacking my head on my own doorway; where I didn’t have to bend way over to do anything that involved sinks; where I could wander to the shops and ask about products; where I could work out by reading whether this sauce or soup is infested with some fish-related affront; where I could buy clothes and shoes that fit me; or, if I were so inclined, make idle chit-chat with the natives.

We spent the ten days in Columbus trying to get in as many of the things we couldn’t do in Japan – we saw ten movies at the cinema, we went out for pizza, giros, Red Lobster, decent coffee, we slept two feet off the floor. We got haircuts (you can of course get your hair cut in Japan but you really wouldn’t want to). Robin went to the dentist (you do not want to do that in Japan); I drank more decent beer than is good for me. We spent a few days in Washington DC, where we met up with some friends, saw museums, and I got to go back to the funnest place in toyland, the Hawk n Dove pub.

We also spent a day or so in Tokyo seeing my friend James and his lovely fiancée Hiromi. James, the kind of man who can use the word ‘Byzantine’ properly and quite easily in conversation, was in fine form

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Originally uploaded by pedroalhambra.

It was just like old days, but without the drunken violence.

The first day or so back in Toyama was taken up by general unpacking and grocery shopping, and in a general sense of foreboding at the coming first day back in work. Being back in Japan has pretty much cemented our opinions against staying a second year. It took not long for work to get back to the constant effort it is, except for the entertaining opening ceremony: the Principal gave a stirring speech on the perils of influenza, with colourful ‘virus’ props. It would have been more effective I think had the speech not taken place in the gym, where the students stood in only their school blazers in temperatures below zero. I muffled a cry of disbelief as a student interrupted the venerable principal halfway through his speech by collapsing from a fever and having to be dragged away by some teachers. Somehow the word ‘ironic’ just doesn’t do it. Here’s an idea to ‘the man’: illness should not something to be endured in school; neither should temperatures of -3 degrees C.

Robin, the other day, showed me once more the ways she is generally cleverer than me. We were discussing church weddings. “Church to me” said my esteemed partner “is just architecture, I’d really rather just admire the buttresses…”

Though we differ in our beliefs in the divine (some versus none) we’re both generally uncomfortable with the establishment of religion – churches. I, particularly, am uncomfortable with the trappings of religious ceremonies when you’re not religious – christenings, weddings etc. People want the white wedding in the lovely country church, but really, when was the last time they went to church, other than for the banns and the rehearsal? The ‘faith’ community can be of great benefit to society, despite their sometimes-divisive beliefs, but it is a sad and hypocritical reflection of society for their great edifices to be reduced to merely ‘pretty places’ to get hitched in.