契約 (Contract) and Goodbyes

Small news this time. Actually, I'll confess to withholding a small insty wintsy bit of information. This whole Japan endeavor has been hinging upon Cosmo getting the requisite 中学校の野契約 (that's my, possibly horrible, translation of "middle school contracts"). I'll explain...In order for a 外国人 (foreigner) to teach in these middle schools, proper bureaucratic red tape must be strung about and subsequently ensnare the unwary foreigner. That is, there are contracts to be gotten, forms to be filled and in general the proper amount of stress generated. So Cosmo has been doing this for us. Thank you Cosmo, and in particular Brian Teramae! Apparently, X number of contracts are auctioned each school year, and private companies (or even individuals, I think) may bid for them. With said contract, one has those pesky bureaucrats satisfied and can henceforth venture into Assistant English Teacher-land.

So, Brian informed us that the bid-for contracts were accepted and we have the official, Japan-sanctioned green light to commence on this quest. Truthfully, I was probably a bit hasty in the whole let's-buy-plane-tickets! thing before these contracts were secured, but Brian had seemed pretty sure the contracts wouldn't be a problem (for the past seven or so years, Cosmo has received all of the ones it tried to get). Anyway, so that's that.

On a less red-tapey note, one of my fellow "housemate" Mike and I went on an awesome hike. It's called Mt. Olomana.

Mt. Olomana itself

For any lucky soul who's been to the Pali Lookout Point, this is the spire-like mountain you see to the north. The trail is trecherous—you don't hike the trail, the trail hikes you—

Mike and the treacherousness

It is long—it took us about four and a half hours, round trip. It is beautiful,

Peaks two and three

and just plain awesome. We were pretty beat into the ground after this one. But, man! was it worth every bit. The trail summits three peaks, the first of which is the highest but, funnily enough, the least holy-crap-death-surely-awaits inducing. As you continue along the trail though, this feeling becomes a constant and close friend. The picture above is taken from peak one. The vista are breathtaking! The silence is palpable. And the mountain truly is ancient. 

Aside from just wanting to share the awe, exhilaration and exhaustion with you, I bring this hike up because, for me, it's sort of has the feeling of saying goodbye. In my own way, I've been wishing a farewell aloha to Hawai'i, to the Palolo Zen Center, to friends and family, and to this whole, what could be called, chapter in my life. And the goodbyes aren't bittersweet. They aren't sad or happy. Somehow, though, it's a way of saying thank you and receiving the same.

Anyway, as you can see, I have a sappy side, and it's alive and well, I'd like to report. So, onward! But still right here in Hawai'i and with lots and lots of life.