Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays everybody. Hope you had a good one. Like whoa.

Home is....

great because of:
* Jayne
* Steve
* Family
* lasagna
* general stranger friendliness
* real Christmas Trees
* opinions
* Jello Pudding Snacks
* DAWG

crap because of:
* traffic
* bad customer service
* angry fat people

It's been three days and things are going pretty well. Tryin to handle a few creeping holiday blues, but having lots of fun. I do prefer American Christmas, yet there are some things I miss.....

Hooray!

I just went to a Christmas party where the Principal dressed up like Santa Clause and did the robot. Then we played Bingo.

No more school until January-keg stand!

できた！

Finished the Japanese test last weekend-now I feel like doing this!



It was long, it was tough, but I think I passed. Let's hope so. Incidentally, it was the most International event I've been to in a while. There were at least 20 countries represented. Hope I did mine proud.

Less than a week, folks, and I'm headed to the land of the free and the home of my bed that isn't on the floor.

I've been working like crazy to make a fun Christmas lesson for the students. Also at work, I've been looking for jobs online. It might be the worst thing ever. Today I read this want ad:

"Woman voice needed to talk to customers-no sex talk."

Okay.




Slowly and slowly I feel more like this. Every time I leave the teacher's room I get shocked by the metal handle on the door.

It seems like almost everyone who's someone in my life is going through some major shit right now. I love all of you, and I'm here with the Christmas hugs if you be wantin em.

Last weekend.....

...I took a weekend trip to Yamanashi ken to visit my friend Chelsea. I met her in Atlanta before we came over to Japan, and I hadn't seen her since. Here she is looking tough in crocheted hat and scarf combo.



She lives in a delightful little town called Minobu. She met me at the station on Friday night and took me to dinner at a local restaurant and from there the weekend was a whirlwind of fun, new people, blueberry pancakes, delicious curry, temples, steps to temples, fruit parks, onsen, hot sake, and noodles.

Lots to say, we did a ton, and it was great to see Chelsea.

Minobu is famous for wine.

View of Fuji from the Fruits Park onsen. Can you see it? It's behind those smaller, insignificant mountains.

Minobu San-287 steps to Enlightenment.

After the steps. If achieving enlightenment really means feeling the embarrassment knowing that two people in their 60's beat me to the top of the steps, then yes, consider me enlightened.





Houtou, famous Yamanashi noodles.