Year End Enkai

I'm off to an onsen, so I'll add more later.  But I'm declaring my Year End Enkai with the Junior High teachers a success.  

It was just me introducing the teachers to my friend Sauza, when the HOT HOT HOT HOT JTE (Japanese Teacher of English) from a neighboring town shows up and starts talking to me.  

I'm sorry, I don't remember all of it.  But I do know that I told him I talked with another ALT and we decided it wasn't fair that he was James' JTE and, you know, not one of ours.  Then a bit later I remember he said something like, "Wouldn't your husband be angry?" and I laughed and said I don't have a husband.  

The killer:  I got his email address!

Yes ladies and gentlemen, I have won the lottery!  Did I mention he went to the ALT Halloween party as a soccer player?  A really HOT soccer player?  For those of you wondering, he's a nice guy to (at least as far as I know now).

Three days ago I let go of my story that I can't find a boyfriend, that it's hard and it'll never happen.  I created the possibility of being popular with men, of dating, and of having a romantic relationship that is fun creative exciting and supportive.

And three days later look who showed up?  That's fast!  This totally rocks!

Okay, I've gotta go to the onsen now.  He he he.  Yeah, it's tough living in Japan.

Listening to the Rain

Hello Everyone,

It's been a rough couple of weeks over here.  Some good things have happened, some bad things have happened.  My attitude with my students is still great and with other people.  But recently, when I get home, I've started to show a little wear and tear.  I'm not really relaxing, and I've lost some of the shine that this place had for me when I finished work for the day.

I wasn't really sure how to react or what to do about it.  So I've bummed around and watched TV and played games.  I've studied some Japanese and talked with various people.  I started making these cards for classes with vocabulary works, adjectives, and verbs.  I do the letters in an artistic way and have designs on them.  It's been a lot of fun.

I also started an English bulletin board at my school.  I'm really proud of it.  

But everyday when I get home I'm exhausted, and I just go numb until it's time for bed (which gets later everyday).  

So tonight I stopped the TV show, opened my sliding door, and listened to the rain storm outside.  

Sitting under the warm kotatsu, and hearing the rain phase from wet to soaking and back again. And my wind chime roll on the wind.  Another new experience I will take with me.  

The rain clouds just sit over you.  Nankan is in a mountainous area, but actually a small valley where the clouds get trapped.  So when it rains, it sits right on top of you like a sibling that won't give up.

I'm giving up my story about why I'm not going into Kumamoto city to explore.  Country was fine.  I hadn't been out this far before.  But for me city means Osaka, and I didn't want another city.  It also scares the shit out of me.  I don't want to drive in the city.  So I'm gonna ditch my car at the train station and ride in.  

Not this weekend, I'm going to Osaka ;)