I finally got my first paycheck and it's pretty nice. I hope that next month, the full paycheck will be a little more than double this paycheck. The school had normal periods until lunch, and i had class with the third years. We just checked the tests, but it seemed like they did better on this midterm, because people actually got like 80's and 90's with 98 as the highest. Though i saw a few thirties, the average was 69.4. After lunch, there was a Benrontaikai, or i think an essay reading contest for the last two periods. There were nine students that read about 4 and a half minutes each an essay they had written for summer break. We don't have these in America anymore. I guess it would be similar to a speech contest, but those are done away with in America. I notice more and more from what my parents have said about their school, and what i have experienced in both America and Japan, that America is cutting many of the programs and things that other countries still have. I recently read an article that talked about how some high schoolers are unable to do their signature and the parents were shocked, and then they asked the schools why. Apparently handwriting and penmanship is a thing of the past in English with the advent of the computer taking over every aspect of learning. I guess i shouldn't worry about my handwriting anymore then. I got home and saw a notice from the post office, so i should be getting the package from America tonight. Thank you very much, Mom. I really appreciate it a lot. I know i will need the jacket pretty soon. I just hope not too soon, because as soon as I need a jacket the snow will not be too far away. I have started to look at GRE practice, and i am glad that it is on the computer and that it will most likely be my second to last entrance exam. The last will will probably be for the foreign service. I am okay on the math and grammar for the most part. I just am always worried about the writing part. I wonder what BYU average GRE scores are for the linguistics department.