well, as I'm sure at least some of you know, North Korea launched a multi-staged rocket over my head today.
North Korea said several weeks ago they planned to launch a satellite for their space program, and in 1998 they used a similar story to test their ability to launch a nuke, so people suspected a similar thing this time naturally. Japan also claimed it would shoot down whatever was launched regardless of what was inside. So I and every other exchange student and every other person who cares about political stability in Asia was living for several weeks with the small possibility of impending nuclear death, or even worse, having to go home because of political instability. One friend actually did go home, but he's rich enough to go home for a stint and come back.
It was an interesting time to be in Japan, all though not the funnest. My host family laughed at me for being scared and told me this kind of thing comes form north Korea about once a year, but I talked in depth with people who were very worried. so there was a satellite in the rocket, not a nuke to be tested, everything's gravy, but it still shows how well, fast and far N Korea can launch something like that, and that's what they wanted to show off, personally I think a space program can wait until you feed your countries starving masses. In fact I think space programs should be international.
, but we won't get into that. All I can say I'm glad its over.
Here's an article from today, sorry I never told anyone, especially you mum I didn't want you to woooorry,
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30035197/page/2/
On a lighter note, last weekend Me and and the Australian, went to Yuni, a small farming town like 2 hours out of Sapporo by train, Yuni is where the other Australian lives and our Japanese friend who will go to Australia on our program after I go home. We had a really fun time, he said we were definitely the most foreigners that had been in Yuni at one time, ever. It was a nice change from the city in terms of atmosphere and scenery, but also in terms of people, people all new the Australian so they weren't so terrified of us and very interested and excited to talk to us, especially when they found I could speak Japanese. It was really cool to see life on a farm, and live on a farmhouse, and stay out late in the wilderness.
Then yesterday and today, the Australian from Yuni came to my house overnight, the train ride is beautiful but expensive enough that he can't come into the city that often and wanted to make the most of his time so he showed up early in the morning and came to the rotary meeting with me, where I gave a speech about him and my trip to his town, which I made up on the spot.
We spent the day on what Australian aboriginals call "walk about" which is where you walk about and don't have any particular place you're going. It is traditionally done as a manhood rights thing in ancient aboriginal tribes, but It can also be done by international exchange students in Downtown Sapporo. The results were as follows; furthering the clarity of the map of this city that is burned behind my eyelids, finding and abandoned restaurant in the middle of the city, using stealth to get on the rooftops of several buildings for city skyline viewing, mountain viewing, sunset viewing and the like, all very cool things I've been wanting to do but never had a willing partner before. This is a great place for urban exploration, but you didn't hear it from me.
I'll put a few pictures up, please excuse my spring break beard.
Here's on from my balcony outside my bedroom, the view is this good now, but you should see it in summer or in autumn, I've seen both,
