I can't even think of a creative title for this entry. i think there are just too many possibilities... :)

I don't know why it's so hard for me to admit to myself that I'm having a good time. For a while I couldn't because I somehow knew that if I did, even just to myself, that bad stuff would start to happen again. I couldn't let myself be happy. And now it's like I am having a good time, enjoying my job (even sometimes LOVING it) and still, it's hard for me to actually ACCEPT that I am enjoying my life here! Yes, I get homesick, or nostalgic, probably at least once a day (more if I'm listening to any kind of sentimental music ;)) but more and more I am thinking about how homesick I will be for this place once I leave. Every day when I take my gorgeous scenic drive to work, I try to appreciate it the same way I did the first time I drove it, because I know it's probably one of the most spectacular natural things I'll ever see in my life.

Lately I've been getting so much more comfortable with teaching. It also helps that it seems my teachers have confidence in me, and are pleasantly surprised when I teach. I love interacting with the students, and I find that even the classes I can't stand (i.e. the kids are either extremely disruptive or could very well have sewn their lips together before class) surprise me during certain types of activities. Now if only I could get my co-teachers to speak some english we'd be all set...

I really wish the teachers would have more confidence in the students' abilities. Far too often they give the Japanese before letting students think through what the teacher has said in English. "Open your books to page 86" while physically opening the book does not need to be translated, just perhaps repeated. Alas, too often it is almost immediately translated into Japanese...which by the way is "pay-ee-jee" for page. soooo different..

This weekend will be pretty busy--Friday night I have dinner with my friend Hiroe and her friend and his family. He is the one who sold me my car! He has two young kids so hopefully it will be super fun! We are going for Chinese! mmmmmmmmm! Oh that reminds me--I am liking Japanese food more and more! YAY! :D

Saturday I will hopefully be taking my car into the shop in the morning (the other night the electricity shut off for a second THREE TIMES while i was driving--pretty freaky!), then 2 of my students from Joge High School are competing in a speech contest at Fukuyama University, so I'm going to go to that. I need to pick up something little for them.. Also Fukuyama Univ has a festival that day, so it'll all be going on, which is so fun! I might be meeting up with my friend Faye and walking around, then going to an Indian restaurant by her house (SO DELICIOUS! おいしい！) then on Sunday Faye and I are going on a day trip with my teacher Nunoyama sensei, our Kyoutou Sensei (Vice principal), and Kyoutou sensei's daughter, who is in college. Faye used to visit my school so that's how she knows them. I think we're going to some island or something, I can't really remember. It will be good practice for my Japanese as Kyoutou sensei speaks no english and I don't think his daughter speaks much either...we'll see! Should be fun!

Other than that, I really need to upload some pictures, but I've been too lazy to even get them on my computer yet! Hopefully this weekend at some point, if not before! It's already basically thursday, wow! Time is flying this week! Dinner tonight with Nicola at the italian restaurant by her apartment...yummmm. Hyaku en (100 yen which is about $1.00) store trip first! i am seriously addicted to that place...

ケイト