Ding Dong! (or "ping pong" in Japanese)

Living in big apartment building in Beppu has many advantages such as smelling other people’s dinners cooking, hearing other people’s children screaming, and having random folks ring your doorbell with all kinds of exciting things to tell you.

Just this morning a girl came by asking if I had any kids who would like to join her English conversation class. Her question was funny on a couple levels: 1.) I don’t have any kids…I don’t even have a spouse…so the thought of having a kid old enough to speak is crazy! 2.) I already speak English…and I speak it rather well, if I do say so myself…so if I did have any kids, I think I would be their English conversation teacher.

I’ve also answered the door to the familiar Jehovah’s Witnesses (who always speak advanced English!) with their many pamphlets and endless attempts to get me to join their Bible study. I’ve learned how to respectfully listen and then firmly tell them I’m not interested so they don’t keep sending delegations to save me.

Of course the most unique group who has came a’knocking was what I call, “the happy sunshine people” who meet every morning at the city park at 5am. They are on a mission to make the world a better place through early morning meetings and group breakfasts (or something like that…I didn’t catch it all). They were very nice ladies.

Ah yes, the many 5 minute visitors who patron my doorbell with smiles and offers. I never know who is going to stop by next. Perhaps it will be a CoCo curry deliveryman with the wrong address—one can only hope!