Well the sakura were beautiful. This weekend was a lot of fun. On Friday, we went to see one of my friend's friends DJ and show off their dance troupe and fashion at a club. Beforehand, we talked at another friend's house and had some fun there. Then on Saturday, we had our hanami party with a bunch of people. It is amazing how when some foreigners with drums get together, there can be a huge dance event. The lunch was good, then we walked around Maruyama park and saw all the blossoms and such. Passed a matsuri around the jingu, and then we played Frisbee in the park. Then we all went to the local pub and had some fun there talking some more. Sunday was a nice slow day with McDonalds in the park, then we walked around Odori park afterward. Then we just took it slow and watched some stuff at my friend's apartment.

Today i got to go to the DMV to take the written test. I submitted the papers for the translation of my american license, then waited an hour and a half, took the test for 5 minutes, then waited and paid some stuff, took a quick eye exam, and then waited some more. I will take the driven part on the 31st, so wish me luck. I would like to pass it the first time.

I will put pics up from the weekend eventually.

Today was better. I actually taught some with the elective english classes. So that was okay.

I hope i will see some Sakura this weekend in Sapporo. It should be fun. Then  i got Monday off to take the written test. It looks like it is a good day to take it off since there is only one English class on the school schedule. So i guess it is good for this weekend to take the day off.

Today was a welcomed change of pace. I went to Onari Elementary and the kids were all great and energetic. I am going to be teaching there a lot more compared to last year. Only ten times for each grade last year, and this year 35 times for the 5th and sixth graders alone. The teachers changed since last year, and they even have a female principal, which is not common. She had pretty good English and talked to me in English in order to get info for the introduction that she gave me in front of the new first graders.

The kids were all very good, which is kind of a change from the middle school, that i realized as soon as i came back and one of the kids flipped me off from the top floor when i was coming in since lunch had just finished. I mean seriously, i look at Japanese translations of the F word and other expletives, and they do not translate well. I serious believe in the idea that the Japanese language has no expletives, or concept of it. I kind of wanted to just hit the kid real hard to give him a good lesson to show him just exactly what that means and put it into a culturally apt situation, but i can't. AAAARRRRGHH! I hope the kids in the bigger cities aren't like this. It sucks to know Japanese sometimes, because you see how rude some of these kids can be. No respect, just no respect sometimes. Even to other teachers. I love the American idea of education more and more everyday. Seriously, the teacher needs to have a room, and not the kids with the same room. The kids need to move to show them that the room is the teacher's domain, and you should respect that.

Oh well, i get Monday off to take the written driving exam. That will be fun.... not. But it isn't hard at all i hear. Just ten questions, and they are easy. It's the physical driving test that will be hard.

Lake Touya

Had a pretty good day going to Lake Touya. It is in the middle of a crater and there are islands in the middle of the lake. Then there is some other volcano activity still going on and a hot spring close by. It looks like it would be fun anytime of the year based on the videos that were on the ferry.

Then i went to lunch at a German Restaurant that was a big disappointment. The owner worked at a restaurant in Munich for four years or so and the only thing he really learned how to make was some sausages. That was all they served there. That and curry rice. I was expecting a little more than just some sausages. I wanted spatzle and some other stuff. Oh well, guess i will never find that stuff here.

I get the 17th off to go up to Sapporo and take the written portion of the driving test. That should be fun. Though i think i will just stay there the whole weekend and come back on Monday afternoon. The company gave it to me to take the test, so no arguments from me there.

Now to start another week. Yeah... ... ...?

Fiddy