Surviving my first week.

I've got one more day to go in my first full week as an elementary English teacher. So far so good - including school lunch! The strangest thing I've had so far is a battered slice of ham with 2 slices of bread...that also included milk and veggie salad and stew. Not bad at all.

This week has been non-stop introductions. Each new class I visit (I have 24 in all) gets to listen to me say my name and where I'm from, and then it's a free-for-all Q&A time where I answer questions like, "How old are you?", "What's your favorite color?", and "Are you married?". It's fun every time as the kids all react differently to my answers. Then each of the students get to introduce themselves to me! They say their name and what they like and then we shake hands (some of them don't know how to shake hands yet...) Some of the kids are super confident and others freak out! And they're all sooooooo cute!

Today has been my busiest day so far - I teach all 6 classes on Thursdays. It was a challenge getting through 4 classes before lunch, but with the help if great homeroom teachers and a fabulous classroom aid (who's fully bilingual) the classes were a ton of fun.

Tomorrow's Friday, the last of my self introductions and the first of my lunchtime talks over the school intercom...yeah, the principal at Chuo Elementary has asked me to do a short 2 or 3 minute blurb on the differences between Canada and Japan each week! Nice, idea, but he wants me to do it in English AND Japanese -sheesh, these people are going to make me speak their language whether I like it or not...JUST KIDDING, it's a great way to get me to practice the language I should already have a handle on, but don't.


In other news, Amy's has come and gone through the now rainy Toyama Prefecture. She had another BEE RIDE charity dinner in Toyama city last night with the half of the group that has come down the Japan Sea side (the other half is riding through Tokyo). It was a great time, and the last time we'll see her for a looooong time. Good luck Amy-chan. Keep up the cell phone updates! We miss you already.

I missed my cousin Dana's wedding on the weekend. Congratulations Dana, my parents said they had a great time. Wish I could have been there.

This weekend is the VW Event. Can't wait. Gotta get through tomorrow first though...

9:30, I'm beat, time for bed!