the perfect (non) storm

Well last week's impending typhoon was a bust. Despite all the warnings (there was even a truck w/ a loud speaker going around town warning about the storm), the storm passed by us and didn't end up hitting. Most people would be relieved but Scott not having seen a typhoon was pretty upset. We did get to see a really cool sunset instead. My mom says it's called "yuuyake" when the sky is stained with the sunset. It really did seem stained or painted. I'd never seen the sky that way before.



Despite the disappointment, Scott was cheered up because he finally got his own bike. We'd been searching around and talking to a lot of older Japanese men with bike shops and couldn't find anything. Finally we went by a shop near our house in the rain and the man said he didn't have anything new to sell but Scott pointed out an old slightly rusted bike and the man said if it worked, we could take it for free! I don't know if I've ever seen Scott so happy. It was adorable. He stopped this week to give the man some cakes and a drawing of the bike with the word "arigato" on it. Happy ending!



After the weekend, I kind of had a rough week of classes. I think I just got a bit tired out. I finally got through my round of introductions to all 6 of my elementary schools though so I'm happy. Hopefully things will start to smooth out now that I kind of know what to expect.

The elementary schools vary in size quite a bit. My smallest school has 28 students total from 1st to 6th grade. The largest has close to 40 students in each class. The lessons therefore have to be flexible even if I'm teaching the same thing at each school. It does make it fun but also requires a lot of energy and planning. I will continue to do my best though! The kids are so cute and energetic that I can't let them down.




The schools are also in various locations. Some are in the mountains, some among fields of rice and corn, others near the ocean. This one school had an amazing view of the ocean and Nagasaki city so I had to take a picture.



My junior high classes are coming along too. It's a totally different environment and I'm not sure what they like yet. This week I tried to make a skit more fun by making "gaijin" masks (the lesson was about giving directions to tourists/foreigners) but I think it might have made them more embarrassed. Most of them weren't too into using them. But it still got a laugh. The teacher liked the idea at least!