The Girls of Osaka: Part 1

As part of my on going service to the English speaking community back in New York I feel committed to bringing you the finest in educational services to increase your knowledge about Japan, it’s culture, it’s people and it’s lifestyle. So, I am please to present my first in a series about the girls in Osaka who I have known in my time here. This week we present the girls I haven’t seen for a while.

Junko: my former private student and a flight attendant for JAL, Junko enjoys karaoke, dancing and generally having a good time. Though I find her rather cute, she always insisted that her sister was much cuter than her. I can neither confirm nor deny this as the picture I saw was rather blurry. Junko disappeared late last summer and I have had no contact since, I think her new boyfriend is teaching her English now.

Chiaki: another former private student and office worker, who slowly reduced her lesson frequency to nothing. Like Junko I believe she is still paying the monthly fee to my private lesson company, NLE. Chiaki likes clubbing, drinking and no doing anything that requires real effort or work. This is easy as her company’s president is her father. Hope you’re doing well Chiaki, and email me if you want a lesson.

Kana & Mitsu: friends I met in a bar, they are always up for a good drinking session, some karaoke or a crazy drunken gaijin bash. In the end Kana turned out to be a lesbian and Mitsu just vanished. There was no confirmation of a relationship between the two, just friends as far as I know.

Keiko: Keiko was actually one of the first girls I met here, although when I first met her she was rather geeky and not all attractive. A year can definitely change a person because the next time I saw her she looked like this. I saw her at my Christmas party last December as she is friends with one of students at Berlitz, but we’ve lost touch.

Mika: currently resides in Salt Lake City where, I imagine, she’s slowly turning into a Mormon. At the moment she studies, ummmm… pass. The last email I received from her indicated that she’s bored out of her mind and is looking forward to coming back to Osaka for a visit in the summer. See you then, Mika.

Naoko: bit of a gaijin hunter, Naoko is in love with New York, but if you’re short, bald or not have enough money she doesn’t want to even look at you, let alone start a conversation. Apparently fat is a turn-off as well. Last I saw her, she switched teachers due to a mysterious scheduling issue that never existed.

Sachiko: mid-20s, fit and cute, Sachiko is a resident of Bentenchou, or more accurately Minami Ichioka 2-Chome, just a block and a half away. She’s a bit strange, sick about 6 days of the week and a 100% confirmed gaijin hunter. To be avoided at all costs.

Shino: waitress at the Hilton Hotel café in Umeda, Shino is a single mother, pictured here with her daughter Sakura, who I imagine is looking for a new father for her kid. She’s nice, sweet, but a wee but demanding. She studied English in New York City for nearly two years, but spent most of her time at the beach and so now can’t really speak much.

Tomoko: fun, friendly and diligent student at Berlitz. Tomoko is an office worker/departmental assistant, but from her demeanor it’s clear she is very responsible, well-organized and probably keeps her boss in check. Current rumor is she’s dating her coworker from her class.

Hope you enjoyed this week’s edition. Come back next week for part 2. In the meantime, leave a comment and tell me who you think is the best in the group. My favorite you ask? It’s a secret!

Wisdom of the Day: An apple a day keeps the doctor away, a mango a day keeps the ladies coming back for more.