On Friday I went to Enoshima (a Tokyo beach district) with a class of 42 x 16/17 year olds from my high school for their annual ensoku (class fun outing). We played beach volleyball then headed off for lunch at a local Denny's. They played out lots of the usual shenanigans - flirting, shouting and squealing, showing off and laughter. It was great fun. I do love hanging out with kids.

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But even more fun was drinking Coopers Green beers in Inokashira Koen later that night with my old roomie, Tim the punk rock pimp, Andrea, Kat, Darin, Tyler, Eric and Hughie. It was great weather for an outdoor party and the park was full of people - I could hear my name being called constantly as many dozens of kids from my high school roamed around in post-ensoku groups getting up to mischief, and actually I spent about an hour on a park bench with one of my favourite kids, a 17 year old returnee who lived in Ohio for 7 years and is kinda struggling with Japan a little at the moment. He declared that he is scared of Japanese people because they never say what they really mean and it's really messing with his head.

It's been a great week all round actually. Wednesday night I stayed over at my student Noami's apartment in Naka-Meguro for a party. Naomi is my hair-dresser (and student) Misaki's sister, they both own and manage their salon, Mint, and Wednesday night was a party to farewell one of their stylists, Tsushi (you may remember him as one of the cute santa boys from my Christmas post). It was a boozy affair and everyone got very emotional and loud and silly. The sun came up and the stayers crashed face down one by one..... I met this interesting actor there - he has a movie out next month so we're all going to see it together. I think it's the premiere - at least, I hope it is. Sorry, I forgot his name and the movie's name - too much beer.

And yesterday was Darin's bday picnic for which Andrea and I were a little under the weather for.... it was great to lay in the grass and play with the cutest baby I've met in ages, Nico. Off to lunch in Harajuku later today with a bunch of lovely ladies. All very societe, ne. It's amazing what a bit of warm weather will do for peoples social lives.