Today was another busy day.  I left my place at 7:35 to go to school. On my way I stopped in at the 7/11 to buy lunch (shrimp tempura with rice for $4). I got to school just before 7:50 (I walked). When I got to school I dropped off some things for my self-introduction at my desk (Ajima Sensei and Matsumoto Sensei both wanted to look at them) and then I grabbed my indoor shoes and headed outside to wait for the taxi to come at take me to Yumoto 1^st Elementary school.   I talked with the Principal until the taxi came. I really like my principal, he’s great!

The taxi came and I got in the back and the driver asked me where I was going. I didn’t know. lol  So he radioed the base to find out and then had to ask directions because he didn’t know how to get there.  He was really nice too. Once he realized that I could understand him and actually talk back, we talked the whole way there! He had to stop and ask directions twice, but we got there alright. lol  He thanked me for the fun conversations and for telling him about where I come from and stuff.  He said he had enjoyed it. He was all smiles too.   I enjoyed the ride quite a bit.

I got to Yumoto 1^st just as the other taxi with 3 other ALTs got there.  So 5 of us shadowed Lenny at work today.  He only had 2 classes (his school is MUCH smaller than mine).  He taught 3^rd grade today so we went to class with him and participated in the games and stuff. It was fun.  We had lunch in the principal’s room and we hung out in the principal’s room when Lenny wasn’t teaching.

I had milk with my lunch at school today and it tasted a lot like whipped cream. It wasn’t cold enough though so I didn’t really like it, but I think if it had been cold it would have been good. I think it was 3.5 %.

At 2pm the taxi picked me up to bring be back to my base school. I spent about 40 minutes reading a book and having a cold drink and then my principal drove me to my other school (Izumi Elementary) to meet the principal and other teachers.  One of the teachers took me on a small tour (where I can park my bike, where my locker is) and we talked about school life at Izumi.  It turns out that at Izumi Elementary I am not the main teacher in the classroom!  I’m actually the assistant! So I don’t have to prepare lessons in advance.  Instead I get to be the human tape recorder and assist the Japanese teacher. So I’m happy about that because I’m not at the school as often.  The teacher that took me around and talked to me speaks really good English, although she doesn’t think she does. lol  Her name is Ayako and she asked me to please call her Aya and not to use san after her name. I laughed and explained that my best friend in Tokyo is named Ayama and she asked me to call her Aya and not to use san after her name too!  She thought that was funny.  Aya is a year and 3  weeks younger than me and we hit it off.  She said we should go for dinner one night after school.  So it looks like I have made a new friend! J

Izumi Elementary school is smaller than Izumi Kita. Instead of having 5 classes a day I’ll only have 3 or 4 depending on the grade. So I’ll be bringing my Japanese work with me to work on in my free time.  I have a course to complete while I’m here. I got into the advanced course for CLAIR.  So I have to finish 4 textbooks. There is 6 in total but I complete each one and do the test on time then I only have to do 4.  The course is supposed to be pretty difficult from what I’ve heard but I haven’t gotten my books yet so I’ll have to wait and see.

Aya drove me home from school today at 4pm. When we got to my place there were kids hiding in the bushes LOL.  They were waiting on me to come home so I could play with them.  Two of the girls I remember from yesterday, the third one was new.  We placed the Japanese version of Soccer Baseball and then we tried to throw the ball into the basketball net.  It’s been thundering outside for the last 3 hours or so, but still no rain.

I think I’ll do laundry now. I was going to wait but I don’t think it’s going to rain.