I thought I was lucky

turtles.jpg
Originally uploaded by selenahoy.

Last Thursday, I was very early for my lesson @ the Kitayamata branch of Smiley school, in Yokohama. The building wasn't even open yet, because I had gotten up at the crack of butt in order to get a ride to the station with Cassandra at sardine hour. So I wandered around near the school, along a pleasant tree-lined path that led to a park. A pond was set in the center, and as there were a few benches nearby, I wandered over. To my surprise, I saw something swimming near the surface... it turned out to be a turtle! Upon closer inspection, I realized that there was a fair population of turtles living in the pond. I saw at least half a dozen of various sizes, some swimming, some sunning themselves on the edge. They let me get pretty close to take this picture, and didn't jump in the pond, though they eyed me as I approached.
There were also koi in the pond, and ducks. I sat on a bench and whiled away a few minutes, and after a bit a small boy and his father walked by. The boy saw the turtles, and excitedly tried to sneak up on them. They let him get very close. Just as he attempted to grasp one in both hands, though, it plopped into the pond. They boy tried the other one. Plop! I laughed.

Mom said that turtles are a sign of luck in Japan. I wanted to take them as a good sign. A few hours later, though, I bombed my trial lesson and the moms wheeled their little screamers away, enryo-suruing. Maybe it wears off after a little while.