Today was cool. nice and cloudy. There were only four classes, so i went to one at the middle school, and then two at the elementary. Then i went back to the middle school. The soccer boys had a match for the middle school tournaments so i went to see their final match. They lost, but it was double overtime, so they gave them a good run.

Not much else to talk about.

I passed my driver's license test, finally. I feel a lot better, and now i have no more strenuous things to do here. I also went to the immigration office today to get an extension on my visa, and i will have to wait on that.

I had a pretty nice calm weekend. Went shopping at a restaurant supply store and found some great stuff to cook with. Atta and dried coconut, i am so happy. Then we went to a baseball game for one of the middle schools my friend teaches at. They lost, and they were all crying at the end like it was the end of their lives or something. They won the first round, so i do not get why they cry so much and then they have everyone go around, and so pretty much the same things, and give their viewpoint on the game. Then as we were waiting for the bus, we got carded by some police men because there were reports or something of suspicious people around, and since we were not in a part where tourists would go, i guess somebody got scared. oh well, i am almost done with my dealings of the Japanese bureaucracy for this year.

Went to the elementary school today, and the kids that i ate lunch with were a little vulgar. For some odd reason the fourth graders are very fat. Like at least 5 kids are very heavy set. Even i wasn't that heavy as a kid. They look like sumo wrestlers, and it just has me wondering like what is it with these five in this one grade. No other kid at any level is their size at all in any of the schools. But i digress, the vulgar part was some of them asking in their best attempts at English if i know about some weird crotch gesture that looked like "suck it" from wrestling a little while back. Then some others were asking me if i like "bust" (breasts i assumed, i.e. bustline). Then for some odd reason like a lot of the boys were just interested in my crotch for some reason almost making grabs at it. I remember this class form last year, and they were sort of the same. At least the third graders should be nice, i remember really liking how they treated me when i ate lunch with them.



Other than that nothing else is going on this week. It has been raining here, and i walked to school in a light rain, and walked home in heavier rain today. I couldn't find where i had put my non-broken umbrella. I need to buy a new one that is bigger so my pants don't get wet when i walk to school.

I can't wait for the Doctor Who season finale, and from some spoilers it looks like it should be good. I just hope that it doesn't turn out to be a dream since one spoiler said the ending was similar in resemblance to the Wizard of Oz.

just a couple of no class days. It has been pretty boring, i have only three classes for the entire week at the middle school. At least the next three days i have elementary school classes. Then on monday i am going to get my driver's license. Yes, i am. I will. I have the test on Monday, and i also have to do my immigration stuff then as well.


I did get hit in the crotch today during recess when i was watching the kids, and it kind of hurt. Those kids. I still do not understand the rules for the like reverse monkey in the middle ball throwing game that all the boys play.

Jen for her birthday night out

Of course Gaga for America

My new haircut.

This weekend was pretty good. On friday night, i met with some friends and had a birthday dinner for a friend. Then on Saturday, me and Amber went to Iwamizawa for a mini international festival there for the community. I helped with the Jamaica booth with serving Ginger beer and putting stickers on the kids passports as they went around to each booth. Then that night i had my awesome concert by Kibaco. I loved it, though i would have loved to have seen their concert this past December at the planetarium. Sad, stupid snow. Then we went out to some clubs and bars to see the World Cup matches, and did some Purikura. Today, i had my driving lesson, and i feel better about my next time. Below is a Kibaco video. Kibaco is wonderful, and the vocalist is just so cute with her voice and style. i almost cried at the concert because it was so good.

Another long week, but it ends with a fun weekend in Sapporo. I have to go to my last elementary school on the list that i haven't been to since last year. I wish i could see them more because it seems odd to go to one elementary 35 times in the year, another about the same, and then the others less like only 10 times in the year. One school is doing the alphabet already so those two 6th graders will hopefully be ahead next year but, what are you gonna do?


The weather has been rainy and cloudy for the past while. The rain has stopped, but the humidity hasn't. I have a little dehumidifier that i bought last year and i put it by my laundry when i do it so it can dry faster or at least not be so humid.

I have been doing some planning for my trip during the summer break this week, and i have pretty much all the accommodations setup, and i will have to pay for my Wicked tickets that i bought. I am gonna go and see it one day in Osaka, and take the train from Kyoto. I can't wait, second row aisle seat, left side of the theater for 100 bucks. The only thing that could make it better would be to have it in English, and then with Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, but this will do for 100 bucks. The other would be a fortune, and most likely the only way that would happen again would be if they did a movie for it. RENT was good, but i don't know if they would try a movie for Wicked again. But hey i say a Wicked movie would be better than a reboot or a prequel about the Wizard.

Rainy all day today. I had to drive up to Sapporo after lunch in order to reserve the driving course for Sunday for my driving lesson. I just need some more time in the car itself i think, and going over the course a couple times will really help i think.


The Australians came to the middle school yesterday, and it was okay. It was a little hard for the kids to understand them because most of them do not even like English. Then trying to explain the differences between American English and Aussie English was pretty much a fail. We ended up playing old maid, and the duck duck goose for some of the small groups. Then we tried to show them how to play Aussie rules football.

Fail #2

failed my driver's test again. I rolled over the curb as i was coming out of the S curve after doing the hard part all good. Apparently, if i had stopped there, as i was turning into traffic on a road, and backed up and did it again i might have been okay. Weird. Driving in Japan is just something that is starting to piss me off more and more. It doesn't make sense.



Oh well, the Yosakoi festival was going on and it was awesome. Basically is it a big group dance contest with all these traditional garbs and dancing. Very fun stuff. Then the day in the park was fun playing with a beach ball and then having some other Japanese kids and people join us. Then we went to a party with some other foreigners and had a pretty good time there. The today i went with my friends to one of the schools that she teaches at to see their baseball team play. I also saw Ironman 2 on Saturday, and it was okay, but i was a little distracted since i was waiting for another friend to come when i paid for her ticket, and she didn't come.

The weekend was good except for the license thing. Next weekend i will go to my concert for Kibaco. I like them, and i can't wait. The Aussie exchange students are here this week, so hopefully that will be fun to see them and interact with them at some things they are doing at the schools this week.

Had fun teaching the kids today, and i felt like i was pretty good of a teacher with the pronunciation classes and with the third year elective class. I am trying to reach some of the kids that don't talk as much in class, and i was working with one, and she has improved some. If anything i want to teach some of the kids to have some confidence in themselves. I know i may not have had that as a child. But if i can touch their lives in any way i want it to be to give them self-confidence.

Going to Sapporo this weekend, for the hopeful completion of my driver's license. Second time is the charm, just like it was on my US one hopefully. Then there is the Yosakoi festival going on this weekend, and it is a dear friend's birthday today, so hopefully i will see her there to congratulate her.

Hindi is going fine. Been into the grammar, and doing like 30 minutes a day. Just trying to be exposed to it daily. But that is the way to go. Odd to think that if people ask me what you learned in Japan, i could answer "Hindi."

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Another day with great weather. Though, now the bugs are coming around more and more.


Still learning and having and interest in hindi. I am sort of in love with this one song "Promises"



I hope you like it as much as i do.

Just another school week starting. I get Friday off to take my driver's test again. Then today i had a meeting at the elementary for the next time. By the end of the meeting, the vice principal was sleeping but was still sort of there by his successfully placed nods of yes. I guess Japanese people have faking paying attention down in their sleep. Hahaha. Other than that the weather has been gorgeous.

Sports Day

here are the shoes that reminded me of your shirt, Amber.


Just another slow weekend. I had my health check today, and nothing new to speak of. No problems. Then i went driving around and then i came back and went walking around the river park. The weather was very nice today, though the river was still very cold. I just put my feet in there for a little while and it was nice, but very cold.