Hello from AJET: April 2014

Spring is happening on Awaji, and love is in the air! Oh and pollen, mostly pollen…

As a grumpy old dude trapped in a 27-year-old’s body, I find excuses to hate on things for no other reason than to feel superior in a miraculously childish way. Example: Baseball caps are dumb. With simple unfounded opinions I can make anything look stupid inside my own amazing head! Sorry baseball cap dudes, I’m now cooler than you.

I bring this up, because one thing I’m having a hard time trying to make stupid is the beautiful land of Awaji Island. This makes me believe that maybe it actually is a place/thing/object/idea that isn’t bad, and therefore, it’s good!  Now, about this time, you are probably asking yourself, “Ryan, why are you bringing this up? Also, does this look infected to you?”  Well, I’m bringing it up because, this coming May, there will be an awesome opportunity for you to come see the wonders of Hyogo’s best island, Awaji, and yes, that does look infected. Get to a doctor yesterday.

“Tell me more about this Awaji-tunity you mentioned!” you say.

Well, reader, Awajishima has an awesome cottage campground, next to a dolphin park and fishing park which is also quite near Awaji’s famous puppet theatre and Naruto whirlpool-viewing boat port. You, yes you, and up to 19 of your JETiest friends will have the opportunity to see these things, BBQ with cool people (and me, a moderately decent people), sleep in a cabin with said people, and see many more awesome things!

But, that’s not all! Awaji is home to the Awajishima Monkey Center, where you can frolic amongst the primates like your inner-nature desires. And the food, don’t get me started on the food (it’s good – that was the purpose of my usage of that cliché).  Keep an ear out for more information on the Hyogo AJET Facebook page, so you can be first on the list to participate in the campingness on May 31^st!

Also, about that pollen I mentioned in the title, sorry spring hay-fever sufferers! I don’t really have any thoughts on pollen, but that title was funny, right? Right?

-Ryan Hertel.

P.S. April is pretty cool too, so don’t forget about it! Get outside and enjoy the increasingly nice weather. However, continually remind yourself that it can’t possibly be as cool as camping on Awaji in May will be!