Summer vacation!

WoooHOOO! It's officially SUMMER VACATION in Japan! Train passes go on sale, festivals with 2-hour+ fireworks happen multiple times every week, Mt Fuji can be climbed, and the dress code at work relaxes! :) Even though Japan's 6 week summer 'break' doesn't compare at all to the 3-month true vacation in the U.S., I still wished everyone a good holiday & feel like it's a time to celebrate. High schoolers and teachers here don't really take a break during the summer, most still go to school daily for studying or club activities. If teachers (myself included) want to take a day off, we have to use paid vacation. But, compared to the rest of the school year, this is the most laid back season! Hooray!

Thanks to everyone who read my 'freaking out' post yesterday about my apartment! :P I'm feeling loads better today & the school slowed down on making plans so I feel like I can wisely explore my options and decide what's best for me and the future ALTs who will live in the apartment I choose.

This morning on my way to school I waited at a red light and an older man, also on a bike, started up a conversation with me (which is fairly common). His Japanese was tough to understand, but he determinedly stuck with me and the conversation for about 10 minutes as we rode down the street. From what I could understand, he lives in my neighborhood & sees me riding around town; no matter the weather--rainy, windy, humid--there I am trucking along on my bicycle! He asked the usual questions, and also what my dad does in the US, where I go every day, and he told me about his work, which is "to the left after the big bridge." It was a friendly conversation, and a reminder that people constantly watch me!

Then, after school I picked up some peaches at the small produce & meat shop down the street from my apartment. As I walked out, a lady smiled and said, "Konnichi wa." She smiled as if she knew me, but I didn't recognize her. We talked for about 5 minutes, and I'm pretty sure I don't know her, she just has a familiar face. Her favorite word was, "Sugoi!" which means lots of different things, but probably best translates in this conversation, "Wow!"

--How long have you been in Japan?
--One year, and I'm staying one more.
--WOW! Where are you coming from?
--Oigawa High School.
--WOW! Exchange student?
--No, English teacher.
--WOW! Excuse me, I'm embarrassed I thought you were a student, forgive me. WOW!

and so on for 5 minutes....

Encounters like these occur at least weekly and usually are pretty fun and entertaining.

Tonight I made carrot cake to bring camping this weekend at the base of Mt Fuji! In the morning I'll meet up with about 40 people from church & enjoy 2 days at a YMCA camp literally right next to Fuji-san!! What a great way to kick off summer vacation, huh? :) Sugoi!!