"It's the time for leaves to change their colours", Daniel said.

I go between feeling like I want to live in Honjo and Ine for the rest of my life and wishing I were living somewhere else right now. It's hard not to feel at peace when every day is beautiful despite the weather conditions and all the people are familiar and kind. Then I hear about other JETs "spontaneously getting together for dinner" and I feel that pinprick of jealousy that people live so close to each other that spontaneous get-togethers are an option. This has officially not been an option for me for the past year and 2 months. I don't think I'll ever get that used to it, even though I've learned to deal with things alone.

I am however REALLY good at being on my own now. I don't know if that's a "JET Programme life lesson" or something I just happened to be in the right place and right time for. For instance yesterday I finished the Ganbatte Times and I was so pleased with the issue that I jumped up and danced around my house. Self-satisfaction is one of the few things nobody can take away from me -- and I don't have it as much as I used to (like when I was in school).

Anyway onto proper blogging;

This week was interesting. I was expecting it to be dull due to standardized testing, but it turned out that only one of my schools had it so I only had a half-day of no classes. Which... come to think of it is like any ordinary day I'm at school! At Honjo JHS I joined the 1st year girls (of which there are 5) for some pinning and tumbling as they learned the basics of judo. It was really funny and there was a LOT of young Japanese girl shrieking. The highlight of that day was watching the 60 year old gym teacher tackle Minami, a 60 pound 12 year old girl.
I spent most of my days at Ine JHS this week staying until 6:30. On one day it made me forget completely about going to my calligraphy class... and I wasn't reminded of it until some 3rd year boys asked me the next day in English "did you go to shuji yesterday?" and I turned red and said "Ah!!! Wasurechatta!" Which means "Oh CRAP I completley forgot." They had a good laugh about that, and I made up for it on Thursday! In fact on the way to shuji that night I saw my very first tanuki! I guess before I had thought I'd seen a tanuki and even took a picture of it... but on second glance it was only a badger and I had gotten carried away with excitement. However I now know that Honjo also has badgers living in its forests. Neat!

Anyway the tanuki. I was driving up the hill in the dark to Kamitsuji-sensei's home and saw the neighbour cat sitting in the road like it does. But it was not the neighbor cat, it was way too fat and not orange. Then I realized it was too large in general to be any sort of cat. About the size of a small Labrador retriever, perhaps. It looked up at me and I found myself looking into the beady eyes of a very fat, fuzzy, adorable tanuki. Hot damn! And it was only 4 feet away! I didn't bother fishing for my camera, I just wanted to look at it as long as possible because it was SO cute. But it then sense that my car would have the ability to squish it, and decided to run away. But... it's hard for fat squishy creatures to flee at a rapid pace. So instead, tanuki-chan decided to squeeze into a rain gutter. A cat would have no trouble with this... but a pooh-bear shaped cat might. Tanuki-chan had to squeeeeze itself into the rain gutter, finding the most trouble doing so with its rotund behind. Instantly images of "Winnie the Pooh" danced throughout my head as I began to laugh. Finally, it managed to squeeze into the rain gutter and I continued on my way.

I made sure to check that it wasn't stuck in there on my way back. What an amazing little animal...

Other than that, Kirby and I are enjoying the fall weather. It's warm enough to feel happy and energized in the day and cold enough in the mornings to snuggle. Kirby even sleeps on my lap like he used to when he was littler. Yay!

I also taught my students an important expression in English during recitation contest practice this week, "I am like a proud mama." Because Ikumi can pronounce the "ou" sound (sound, found, round etc) and ... well... I am like a proud mama.

My laundry enjoys the warm sunny autumn day...

Over and out.

Macaroni and Cabbage

Macaroni & Cabbage, Together At Last

For lunch we had macaroni and leftovers, I think. It was macaroni and cheese with pumpkin, cabbage, mushrooms and other random vegetables. It was good in a way, but strange in a way. Cheese and cabbage probably aren't a delicacy, even in Japan. I think they had underlying intentions in trying to get rid of random veggies 'round the kitchen, but maybe it's just me.

Also I'm starting to help more kids get ready for the recitation contest, which is actually almost my favorite part of every day. I really like seeing them progress in the 30 minutes I get with them, and it's cool to see the kids one on one, as I discovered in shuji and hanging out with Lauren's high school kids for THEIR practice.

Anyway kids rock.

And now I'll find out if macaroni and cabbage will digest properly.

Good day at Honjo jr. High

So today was a good day at school, and in fact it was such a good day at school I didn't want to wait to write about it in my weekly academic digest (though after the past few entries, it's more of a drinking diary...)

I went to Honjo today. It was a rough morning in that I was exhausted from kimono class last night. Kimono class this week was better than the last, in that I felt less panicked and pressured to do things correctly (in fact I couldn't care less because I don't need it to be perfect, the novelty of owning and wearing a kimono is really enough for me). So that was nice! And it was fun running around in kimonos with Desi and Rizzu as per usual.

Although I didn't get back until 11 or so and then I had to get ready for school the next day (bother).

We started the day with an assembly that I stood/slept through and didn't understand. It was about 10 minutes, booooring. Then because it was Kenta's birthday (a 3rd year) we had a birthday party for him! We played ping pong for 1st period and then had pineapple sorbet! It was yummy and I lost badly to Kenta at ping pong, but it WAS his birthday. Then I talked with the math teacher, Ohta-sensei about ping pong and air hockey. The music teacher, Miyajima-sensei joined us as well and she was TERRIBLE at ping pong, so it was kind of hilarious to watch her scramble around in knee socks and hit the ping pong ball at random corners of the gym.

With the 3rd years we did a conversation class. They had to write out questions on a question hand out and talk with me for 10 minutes in groups. It was a lot of fun. The first group just kept asking the girls if they liked the boys and if I liked basketball or baseball better. They weren't too responsive when I asked them questions though, laaaame. But they understood me and I have decided to speak at almost normal speed/slang with them. They understand much more than they lead on, and they're off to high school soon (tear) so I gotta school 'em good before the other JETs get my kids! The second group was hilarious though. They were the more adventurous speakers and were asking funny questions like "Have you ever told someone 'I love you?'" and I said "Yes! My mother"! And they were all, "boooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!" so then I turned the question around on them and everyone started giggling because young Saori (the daughter of my calligraphy teacher) apparently told Yuta (the stud muffin of 8th grade) that she loved him when they were in 4th grade. Yuta then turned around and said "whatnow?" and every girl started giggling. I have a feeling things haven't changed much for Yuta and Saori. Or I could be making up gossip to make my own life more exciting. All the boys said with bravado that they had not said that to anybody. And then they asked me if I liked basketball or baseball better. Sigh.

For the 1st years we got to draw monsters. The game was "how many...?" So they would draw ridiculous monsters with 3 eyes and 5 noses and 16 ears and so on. Then they had to ask each other about their monsters and try to recreate them without looking (which is impossible, mostly). So it was fun fun draw/giggle time and I got to harass them about asking in ENGLISH and coached them and then screamed at them to draw FASTER FASTER FASTER! It was fun!

The 2nd years were soooo hyperactive today! I had to teach their class just after lunch, you see. So they kept giggling to mimic MY laughter (which is normally obnoxious but today I thought it was funny) and they had to write telephone scenarios. "Hello, this is BOB is ARNOLD there?" "Hold on a minute" and so on. They were making up funny names like Mr. Shoe, Sea, Jhonn Smisu (my fave) and much much more. I told someone how to spell a word, and used "M" and he made fun of me the rest of the class!!! Emmmmmm! EMMMM!!! MMMMMM!!! instead of the usual katakanaenglish "emmu" which is more correct. What do I know? I just speak the language. He had to go first. It was justice. We also gave them a daily word quiz. They giggled at the word "sad" and I will never figure out why they like it so much!!! They also think the name Carlo is hilarious. Although it is, when you pronounce is "Karuro". Hehe, Hispanics.

I also coached a girl after lunch on her speech for the recitation contest. I'll be damned if she doesn't walk away with one of the top 3 prizes. There was hardly anything for me to correct, and I have to help her the rest of the month??? I'll just start teaching her limericks instead.

Anyway I'ma go home and enjoy FREEE TIIIIIME... or just fall asleep watching Halloween movies.

Also it's autumn all of a sudden! I am whipping out the jackets, boots and sweaters and I feel like I could dance around singing about the leaves changing and the chilliness in the air! They didn't have it in Los Angeles!!! Even when it was cool, it was never CRISP. And so now everyday feels like Christmas and I couldn't be more excited not to live in California!