New Apartment!

Greetings from the east friends!  I see I have not posted since Golden Week, so get you all up to speed let me start by confirming that I was indeed nearly volcanoed a month ago.  My trip to the big island was wonderful, and I got to see the lava coming out of the volcano the day before the eruption caused the closure of the viewing area!  Overall we stayed one step ahead of the volcano the whole 6 days and didn’t experience so much as a travel delay!

Back in Japan things are normal.  I work more hours this year, including a grueling 11am-10pm Friday, but classes are much more stable.  At the Friday meeting each week I get to hear the other teachers complain about the branches they took over from me, but other than that I have nothing to do with any of my students or coworkers from last year.  Oh well, moving on…

Last weekend I moved into a new apartment!  I had been contemplating it for months and finally pulled the trigger.  I moved just across the street and have the same land lord, but my new place is probably three times the size.  I have a nice big living room to have friends over, a veranda and two Japanese style Tatami rooms that I plan on never using or cleaning.  Let me know if any of you need a place to crash in Ogaki!  I’m also on the 5^th floor so I get a constant cross breeze.  I had my AC cranked up in my old place, but now don’t need it at all!  My rent is about $100 more a month, and I have to buy furniture still, so no loans for any of you this summer!

Besides that weekends have been a bit more fun and social lately.  I went to a strange rock concert in a one room venue in Nagoya.  After we paid and went through the door, we almost went into the wrong show because there two simultaneous concerts in adjacent rooms.  My coworker helped an American band fly in to perform, so I am one of maybe 50 people who have seen the Balinda Butchers live in Japan.

What else?  I found a free one room art gallery inside of a bank near my house.  I ate Hawaiian food for the first time after coming back from Hawaii (the restaurant Gravy Sauce is 20 minutes from my house).  I also spent a Sunday serving ice cream to kids at our annual ice cream party.  This year my students were actually invited which made it more tolerable.  Sadly no one brought red bean paste as a topping this year. 

I also signed up to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test on July 1^st.  I’m taking the top level this year so if I pass, I can actually say I speak Japanese.  Woo!  I’ve studied a ton over the last few years, but it always seems like there are a million things I’m still missing.  Oh well, wish me luck!

And hey don’t let me forget, I’m coming home over summer break.  I’ll be in MN from August 9^th to the 20^th.  See you then!

Okay that should do it from my end.  I am off to search for a sofa at the recycling shop.  Keep it real!