Doshisha Days

You may wonder why I am wearing a dress. Believe me, so was I. This past weekend, I returned to Kochi and to Ogata town and Nakamura City, now known as Kuroshio and Shimanto respectively. It had been three years since I had been there and it was an excellent visit. Friendships were reaffirmed and ties with the community that I had left in 2003 were reforged in the beaches, beer halls and snack bars of this wonderful community. I didn't even spend that much money, at least not that I remember.
But I digress. I am wearing a dress because I was told to put one on. I admit that I was not coerced. Very few Karaoke bars are as fun as Miwa were cosu purei (Costume Play) is the name of the game. I was of course slightly - if not fully inebriated - and the cheongsam was calling me. Good memories, however fuzzy they happen to be.
I stayed with a friend of a couple friends of mine named Nina. I had never met her before, but we had heard nothing but good things about each other (i.e. outright lies). I was deeply appreciative of her hospitality. I also met up with Shiota-san, my former running partner and mentor. He is injured at the moment, but is staying in shape by swimming. He was even kind enough to give me a lift back to Osaka as he was heading there anyway on Sunday.
We went to the beach, ate excellent food and drank heavily. It was the thermo-nuclear blast of fresh air that I needed, and I return to Kyoto a man reborn, more than ready to face the final weeks of school and get on with summer vacation, and the fun that comes with it: a trip to China...