1985/7 Japan
Okayama
12
March 1987
c/o
USA Academy, 238-6 Izumida, Okayama-Shi
Posted
12.03.87; received 16.03.87
Gleetings!
We
are having the strangest weather today. Something that appears to be a cross
between snow and hail is falling outside. SN-AIL? Yesterday was really warm too
– and now this.
Well,
I got my visa for Korea.
They have only given me one month, but I hope to get it extended to six weeks
while I am in the country. The consulate here is a real pain in the butt. First
they said I HAD to apply for the visa in Kobe.
Then when I got there, they said I should have applied through my local travel
agency. Now they refuse to return my passport to me by post or hand it to a
friend of mine who lives in Kobe.
All on the grounds that it is too risky! So how many people are going to walk
into the consulate and ask for Gail Day’s passport that have not been sent
there by me? I have now sent them a self-addressed and registered envelope and
a letter acknowledging that any risk involved in posting the damn thing is
entirely mine. The visa itself is costing me ¥3000 and to get to Kobe and back would cost
an additional ¥6000 and 5-6 hours in travel time. Bureaucracy sucks! ANYWAY. I
am getting really excited about my forthcoming travels. I have decided to try
and utilise the OSAKA-HONG KONG part of my ticket by applying for a transit
visa at the Japanese embassy in Seoul and then
returning to Japan briefly after my time in Korea. I am in the process of
getting the time limit on that ticket extended until mid-May. Therefore please
continue to send my mail to the above address until the end of April where I
can either pick it up or get it forwarded to me in Seoul. I have no idea what the mail is like
between SA and other Asian countries and as I’m a little nervous about things
going astray, I may have to organise some sort of mail drop in Britain after
May. Instead of calling on the 1st of next month, I will call on your birthday,
mom. I am not sure, however, whether or not it is possible to make collect
calls between Korea
and SA so if you don’t hear from me…
I have almost
completed my second block and am looking forward to seeing the results. My
teacher took a whole series of photographs of me “working” on my block and then
holding up the finished product. When I went to my lesson last week, he had
framed one of the photos and hung it on his wall alongside a framed copy of my
first woodblock! His wife and he are planning a party for me on the day of my
last lesson. My ikebana ladies too are planning a party for me. And all of my
students are sad about me leaving which makes for nice warm feelings. I shall
be a little sad to leave too and could quite happily spend another three months
or so here. As usual, however, immigration officials allow me little choice.
And then again, it is also time to move on. I’m not sure which is the stronger
force!!
Thanks for your
latest letter. I trust your arthritis has improved a little by now, mom. And
that the course will continue to go well. Communal homework sounds like fun. So
if Korea
is out, dad, what are your overseas plans for this year? You never know. If
visa availability proves impossible in Asia, I
might be joining YOU. I have decided to hang on to that money I owe you as you
suggested on the phone just in case I have no choice but to get myself to
Europe or somewhere else more expensive than I have bargained for.
I went to an orchid
exhibition this week at one of the local department stores. What an incredible
variety. From tiny flowers the size of this Q to bigger softer varieties in
gentle pinks and vibrant purples to waxy blossoms with a “waiting” look that
was almost ominous.
One night last week I
went with two of my students to a “fried beef” dinner. You cook your own food
at the table as you do with a fondue, but everything is fried. Thin slices of
beef, stomach!, liver, tongue, etc. A side dish of raw beef mixed with raw egg
which tasted loads better than it sounds. Also veggies. It was delicious, but I
paid for that excess of protein over the next couple of days!
All for now guys.
Take care, huh!
Lotsaluv
Gail
P.S. Any news from
the RofR re my tax return?