A potpourri of news

Today we have blue skies and sunshine here at Oigawa Koko.

I bought some fish Saturday & baked it, not knowing what is was... it wasn't expensive so I took a chance. I got 2 different kinds & really liked one & the other was ok (it had a strong fish taste so I tried mixing it with rice & vegetables & then it was all right.) I brought the labels in to school & learned the one I liked is tuna with sweet sake sauce & the other I'm still not sure about....my interpreter's electronic dictionary said it was ‘bonito—the bony part of the fish’?? Eh, not sure about that.

Friday is the first day of school. Students will come for earthquake safety & then have tests covering what they were supposed to have studied over summer break. My first lessons will be on Tuesday. I'm feeling ok about teaching, but I'm sure I'll be pretty nervous the day of! Most of the teachers are taking holiday/vacation this week so right now it's the vice principal, one teacher, & me in the big teachers' room. I'm not even aware of an English speaker in the building…

My Japanese is coming along (slowly!). Yesterday I talked with an older lady on the street. I wish I'd had my camera because she was the sweetest, cutest old Japanese woman of all time. She knew a couple English words that helped guide the conversation, along with gestures, and my super basic Japanese. Any time I'd say something in Japanese, she'd throw her head back, laughing with delight. These are the encounters that encourage me to keep studying.

Sunday I made banana bread & brought some to share at school. It was a little more buttery than usual – I’m still getting used to converting cups/tablespoons/grams/etc. Some fun reactions from the staff include: “Handmade?” “Derishish!” (delicious) and “You could get a job at a sweet shop!” They have a lot of sweets around here--my supervisor says she prefers sweets to alcohol (like me) so she & I visit the shops often. I don't think I've gained any weight, but if I stop biking I sure will, so I must bike, bike, bike :)

Tomorrow night some of us are going out to dinner with an International Friendship Society in a neighboring town. I hear these Japanese people are the friendliest around & are so anxious to meet us “newbies.”

Almost every day last week & this week I’ve gotten a snail mail letter. It’s been great hearing from those who have written! I love how the Lord provides encouragement at the perfect time.

Over the weekend I spent some time rearranging my bedroom. I hung up my signature world map and think the apartment is feeling a little bit more “me.”

Last week I had my first spill while biking. There was construction on the sidewalk so I was on the road, squished between traffic and a rope fence with metal poles holding it up. My handlebar hit a metal pole and down I went. Of course I was most concerned about a car hitting me, but everyone stopped in time and I got up quickly and started walking my bike because I was too shaken to get on it immediately. A car honked & the driver pointed to my hat which had dropped out of my bag when I’d fallen. I retrieved the hat & made my way to a safer area. I biked the rest of the way home, and thankfully, only have a bruised goose egg on my shin to show for the ordeal.

Happy "back-to-school" for all of you! I'll let you know how my first few days go :)
Love, me