Great day

Ant count: 0 (mmm!) Day count: 90! I've been here for 90 days now!

Today was awesome! I woke up feeling pretty refreshed. It was raining outside. My room smelled like rain because of my open window. A very lovely morning. I got ready in good time, remembered to grab my cord, and made good time to the bus. (Oh and yesterday's ant count: 1.) This morning's ant count: 0! (MMM!) The bus ride was good - the window's were all steamed up but I wasn't choking like last time (the last time the bus was that crowded and humid I had to fan myself the entire time). Because of the rain, several people who would have normally biked or walked were riding. So it was packed and we got to the school much later than usual. That was fine with me. It gave me more time to read. At one point I looked up in complete alarm thinking I had missed my stop, but it was fine and I was panicking about nothing.

When I got to the school, I immediately got working on my lesson plans and worksheets that I needed for Thursday. I only had a brief moment to do that as I was teaching first period. I was teaching with Hashimoto-sensei and we played the review game. It went over SO well. They really loved it and got into it (except for one student who is really struggling with English :/ I'm trying to think of things I can do to include him and make him feel successful). I got out the chair in the corner and dragged it to each table and sat with the students as they played. I had a BLAST. After that class, I got back to my desk and really jumped into my work. I worked so hard I realized I had blocked out the entire world. It was strange to suddenly look up and find myself in Japan surrounded by speaking that I did not, for the most part, understand at all. It was a mini culture shock all over again. A really strange, "Where AM I!?" moment. In any case, it passed and I reflected on how deeply absorbed I had been in what I was doing. I'm not sure yet if it is a good or bad thing, but I sure worked hard! And a very good product of that time: I got two more worksheets done, I made some more dice (since the students had sort of abused the other dice and they were starting to fall apart), and I started working on my alphabet games for Friday. In reflection I find I still have a TON of work to do! Eep! Good thing I have tomorrow! I was hoping I would not have to bring my computer as it is HEAVY, but I will need to do so. Oh well. At least I am not bringing my guitar AND computer. (The Music II lesson originally planned for tomorrow was cancelled because a famous author is visiting our school to talk to the students.) It also means I will have a little extra prep time tomorrow.

After all that prep I had another lesson. This class is so great! One of my favorites. They listened, they worked hard, and they got WAY ahead of the other classes. They are so intelligent I can joke around more with them than some other classes. THAT, for me, is a HUGE blessing. After I left that class and was walking back to the office, another group of my first grade boys passed me. They all shouted hello and then one said, "We love you!" "Oooh! Thank you!" They all laughed at that. :) It's good to be the queen! ;)

Back in the office I waited the few minutes until clean-up time. The two vice-principals were missing so though it was "deep-clean" day, I lacked the ability (and frankly the guts) to tell the students to vacuum. They waited around to be dismissed and so I waited with them for a few minutes. Then they said to me, "Finished?" I didn't want to excuse them in case the VPs showed up so I said, "Shirimasen." (I don't know.) They all laughed at that and after a few minutes, they all bowed to me and left. I worked on some more things until it was time to go and then went to catch my bus. On the way to the bus, I was struck by the beauty of these flowers (and I don't even LIKE flowers - allergies and they smell like rotting garbage to me, seriously). (Sorry pictures removed.)

When I got home I hurriedly ate some dinner, tried to cram in a little reading, and then went to Taiko practice. I really enjoyed myself there. I swear I was born to play drums! Then afterwards I hurried home as I still need to print some worksheets for tomorrow and needed to write this. Hope you all have a great day/evening! XOXO, A