minnesota nice in japan. . .

the superintendent just offered to take me out to eat sometime at a restaurant of my choice (french, italian, usw) because he thinks i have lost weight since i got here. . . i am pretty sure i have gained weight because of all the carbs, but i'm not about to argue with a free meal! (if you are worried about me, i honestly have learned to cook! i discovered this grill like thing under my sink that makes really great meat. i also have lunch at school during the week now, and i usually make bacon, eggs, and toast for breakfast. . . i honestly do not think i have lost weight!) tatekun was really surprised and said i was quite lucky! guess the super doesn't do this often! he has really been very kind to me. . . for those of you who do not know, he paid for my car instead of me taking out a loan (i.e. no interest!). . .

in other news. . . i had a "salt making experience" this weekend with some kids and their families. we went to the ocean (a three hour drive resulting in one child getting bus sick literally one minute before we arrived) to learn how they extract salt from the ocean water. . . i got some neat pics but still have not had a chance to post them. . . anyway, the kids were cute, and i now have some great salt for cooking. . .

on sunday, i went to the kochi junior high school volleyball tournament (like a state tournament) with kawamura-san. . . kahoku got second place!!! it feels funny to be part of the parent/teacher cheering section now, as opposed to the student pep club. i felt like i was back in highland, kansas (only the cheers were in japanese). . .

after the game, we went shopping at this amazing second hand store!!! i ended up with four or five new shirts and a new skirt for approx $35!!! i think kawamura-sensee will be a bad influence on me because we both really like to shop! this is the second time we have gone in the three weekends i have been here!!! oops. . .

oh, so the typhoon is on its way. . . for some reason, there is a man outside the board of education in a rain suit, cleaning the building with a high pressure sprayer??? why now? it's already raining . . . i really wouldn't care to be out in this wind. . .

the people here are so cute. . . last night, one of the junior high boys (oh, there are now students in the dorm from mon to fri) gave me pudding "a present for you". . . then yamashita-sensee (the teacher whose name i could not remember) brought a flashlight for me. . . later, i had a bit
of a headache and asked if he had tylenol. . . no, but of course he went out in the rain and got some for me, despite my insistence that i would be fine without it. . . everyone here is so helpful. . . maybe a bit like minnesota nice. :) they are always helping each other and really take good care of me. . .

okay, guess it is time to finish this blog. . . i should have another one up soon enough.