Tonight I went to this town "Udon" festival. Its a three day long thing and tonight was the actual homecoming. Its a festival where people take three days off and go to where ever they are from (kinda like Homecoming in the southern church). It was nice I saw some of the students that I had met this and last week. They are so funny "E-bow-ni sensei"! they are so cute. So I donated some money to the little tag sales they had and danced a little bit with some of the town folks. I was met the couple that lives upstairs from me. They are so cute! We walked over to the festival together. The minute I get there the Vice-superintendent hands me some meat on a stick and a beer. He doesn't speak English either but is like, "Biru o nomimasuka?" (Do you drink beer?) So you KNOW my response..."Hai, Hai" (yes, yes) Its rude to turn them down so I've realized that I'm just going to have to eat whatever and drink whatever unless it starts to make me deathly sick.

Japanese has a lot of line type dances that they do in a circle. They are really repetitive and easy to learn. I'm excited because I think the principal is going hook me up with someone so that I can take traditional Japanese dance lessons. That would make me really happy. I met a few more of my students tonight and I met this guy Yamazaki. I am not sure if he was just being friendly or trying to holla. He barely knows English, but he came with the age old line "I can teach you Japanese, You can teach me English" It was so funny. They had a small fire works display after the festival ended. I felt like I had to go home early because #1 I had four beers and was feeling giddy and #2 It was 9:30 and I had been there for a while. I took some pictures of the traditional drummer and the folks dancing and some very cute pictures of my elementary students in their summer traditional dress. Its like Kimono but not as heavy and its called Yukata I hope they come out well.

Getting out of the house is very good for me and good for them to see me around. Since I'm in the countryside many of the folks look my complexion. I don't look Japanese but they don't think I'm black either. One of the older ladies in the village came up to me at the Udon and asked me where I was from (in Japanese of course)...she thought that I was partially Japanese. Most of the people are very nice and they remember me already. I've been to the post office a few times and the Postal worker I usually deal with wanted me to come over and play the game he was running. I am having a hard time remembering names which I hate, but they speak so fast.....! Well things are looking up. Thanks Erica for making me think again about my attitude and adjusting it. I have a little more than a week before school starts and I'm going to try to utilize every minute of it to make my lesson better and Japanese stronger.

I've been watching tapes of Steinfeld that my predecessor left in the apt. I never thought I'd be so happy to see commercials. Its great! I just like looking at TV that I don't have to try to translate...if anyone out there wants to send me a few hours of English TV feel free!!! Just let me know and I'll send you my address...

"The sun, has gone to bed and so must I.."