Last Weekend in Shinjo

July 24
Woke up, had breakfast, and then headed out to grab my bike from the city office since I had left it there the night before, since drinking and riding your bike is as big a no-no as drinking and driving your car. That only took me a little under forty minutes or so, so I got back and showered, and then headed out again to meet up with Will to do a little shopping.

Now That's What I Call a Friday Night

I tried to sleep in a little today, but it's pretty much impossible to sleep much past 7:30 now for me, so I woke up a little bit before then and had breakfast, then got ready and biked over to the Nishidas' around 9. I hung out there pretty much all day, only leaving like twice--once in the morning to buy stuff for lunch (soba, sashimi and grilled eggplant), and then again after lunch (and an unintended nap) to do purikura with Aya, Mai, and Mai's boyfriend at the game center that we always go to to do purikura. Then we went back to the house and chilled, just kind of talking and hanging out. Taku came home after school around 4, and then I left  around 5:15 to head to the Shinjo city office to meet up with Will, Andrew and Takahashi-san so we could go to an izakaya for a party with some of the Shinjo city office workers.

The Final Countdown

July 20
I biked to a new school today, Meirin Junior High, which is right next door to Numata Elementary. A few minutes after I'd arrived and sat down and cooled off a little, because it was freaking hot, the phone rang and apparently it  was for me--Nishida-mama had seen me riding my bike up the overpass on my way to school and had called to see if I wanted to get together tonight and eat dinner. Of course I did, so we made plans for me to head over after I was done at Meirin. I was really happy to hear from her--she had said previously she would let me know when her days off from work were, when I was at the Tamiyas', but I never did get a message from her... oh well, better late than never.

Summer Fun

July 18
Happy 19th birthday to my little sis!
Anyway, Misaki came to visit again today from Yamagata. She got back at a little bit after 11, so we hung out for a while and ate lunch, and then I helped her study some English. Her textbooks for her English class are really interesting; in the one for listening and dictation, there are songs from like Mariah Carey and the Backstreet Boys, which is really funny because not only do the worksheets have the students fill in the missing words to the lyrics, they actually have them analyze them as well.
After a while the two of us went out on our bikes and did a little shopping, Misaki buying a new wallet, and then we went to the library, where Misaki studied some more while I watched Nausicaa and The Nightmare Before Christmas in Japanese. It makes me want to go find and buy a copy of the latter movie, just so I can have the Japanese version since the way they translated the songs was amusing.

A Full Day

I slept in today--and by slept in, I meant woke up at the same time but didn't get out of bed until a couple of hours later.

When I finally did get up I went downstairs and ate breakfast, and then at about 9:30, Mama-chan took me to a place about five minutes away to make some pottery. It took me back to my kindergarten and elementary school days; it was good to make something like that with my hands again. It takes about three weeks to bake and glaze the pottery, so I won't have to worry about taking them home with me and them breaking in my luggage. Mama-chan says she's going to send them to me when they're done--just another example of their insanely selfless hospitality. I really need to make sure to send them lots of American goodies when I get back.

Nothing New

July 15
Andrew came to Numata for today and tomorrow, so we hung out a little at school and watched some of the first Evangelion movie during our break time. He left a little after lunch and I had to stay since I had a class during fifth period, but I just watched some more Kimi wa Petto and then went home.
After dinner I went for a walk with Mama-chan, came home and showered. I must have pulled something on the top of my right foot though, since it had been hurting during the day and then when I got home from our walk I realized it had swollen.
Luckily Mama-chan and Papa-chan put some ice on it and then one of those gel pads that takes away heat, so it's getting better. It's just kind of sore.

It Just Keeps Getting Better

July 13
Nothing of note happened today. I got up and went for a jog, joined half-way through by Papa-chan, and showered and had breakfast when I got home.
I rode my bike to school, helped out with the classes and went home by 3:30. I got back and had some jell-o-like (calorie free!) grape-flavored snack, then worked on uploading some pictures and even watched some Kimi wa Petto, a drama with Matsu Jun in it. Had dinner, went for a a walk by myself since Mama-chan and Papa-chan (that's what the parents asked me to call them, tee hee) were gone at a concert, and then went to bed.

Lucky, Lucky!

July 12: Almost Sick with Optimisim
I knew that the Kontas were awesome the first moment I met them, but I didn't know just how awesome.
After I had finished my blog last night, Misato came in and asked me if I knew how to call overseas, which I didn't; then she left and came back like ten minutes later with the house phone and a number to use to call numbers in the US. Apparently since I had told them I missed my mom, in passing, they wanted to let me call her and talk to her. I asked them how much it would be to call overseas and they wouldn't tell me--they told me not to worry about it and just to call her! I about cried. So I called Mom and we talked and I've decided I'm going to get their address so I can send them lots of American goodies when I get back as thanks. I'm really so grateful to have gotten placed with this family, I can't express how much I love them already!

(One of) The Best for Last

July 11
I woke up this morning a little earlier than I had wanted (I had wanted to sleep in till about 7 or 7:30 so I could have a late breakfast, get ready and go without lolly-gagging too much), so I kind of paced around my room for a little before going out and eating, and then getting everything together to go.
The Kontas were a little late in picking me up, but that was fine because they are awesome. The mom, Eriko, and two daughters, Misaki (who's 18) and Misato (who's 14) came to get me and take me to the Ajisai Festival ("ajisai" are hydrangeas).

By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea

July 8
This is my last day at Numata for the week, thank the gods. We have some sort of opera performance we`re going to go see tomorrow instead of going to school, so we`ve got pretty  much a three-day weekend, which is much needed on my part (and probably Andrew and Will`s, too).
Anyway, rode my bike to school, sat through fifth grade classes in which we did the exact same thing (literally) as the first graders yesterday. After I was done with classes I rode over to a Japanese supermarket and bought an apple for a snack, then rode home, ate the apple, napped, had dinner, showered and went to bed.

Nothing New

July 7
Nothing remarkable today. I biked to school, where I helped out with the sixth graders, came home, napped, watched Fight Club, ate dinner, showered, and went to bed. It`s almost not even worth blogging about, except for that it`s Tanabata (a Japanese festival--look it up on Wikipedia or something if you want more details) and that`s kind of cool. We got a yummy peach dessert in honor of the occassion with lunch at school.
I managed to keep Sonomi and Hiro from coming in my room in the afternoon, by holding the door shut whenever I heard them running up. I felt bad, but they can`t just come into my room whenever they please. Sue me if I want a little privacy.
I wrote some tonight, too, which pleased me. I haven`t written anything (creative) in far too long, so I`m glad I finally made myself sit down and do it.

Same ol`, same ol`.

July 5: First day at Numata Elementary
A teacher from the school, Sato-sensei, picked me up this morning and took me to Numata, the new school I`ll be teaching at for the next two weeks. The principal, Takahashi-sensei, showed me around the school and talked a little bit about her time in Colorado when she visited the States about twenty years ago.
I helped out with the third graders today. Nothing new to report, since we`re basically doing the same stuff here as at all the other schools; introductions, asking questions, number practice, et cetera.
I got home a little after 3:30 and sequestered myself in my room for a long nap, since I was really exhausted for some reason. I woke up and went for a walk, then came home and ate dinner, then showered and went to bed.

O Say Can You See

July 2: Last day at Hokushin
I bet you can`t guess what I did in the morning. If you said woke up, ate, and biked to school, you`re right on, good for you. Have some gold stars!
Anyway, when I got to school some students came into the teachers` lounge to give me a little momento of my week at Hokushin, which was some laminated photos that I took with the classes, and of me helping out around the school. I read some Densha Otoko in between classes, then ate lunch with the teachers and biked over to Shinjo Higashi High, Tamiya-sensei`s school, when I was done.

Over the Hill

Over half way through, whoo-hoo! I`ve got a little over three weeks left here, and I am really looking forward　to getting home even though when I do I`m going to be freaking busy. I`ve got GUIDE training that starts the day after I get back, then that same weekend I`m moving in to an apartment with Edie and Megan (YAY!), and then I have to kick my ass into gear to finish my Harley Quinn cosplay for NDK. It`s a good thing I`m getting used to going to bed late and waking up early here.
Anyway, here`s what I`ve been up to the past couple of days.