Back to Class!

Let's start with a fun subway icon. :) These are on the special reserved seats you're required to give up for the various people on the squares.

I have more kanji fun for you today as well, though it is a little morbid. The characters for euthanasia are 安楽死. These characters are in the words 安い(inexpensive), 楽しい(fun/enjoyable), and 死ぬ(die). So, together it means "cheap fun death"! In actuality the first character can also mean "to ease" and the second can mean "pleasurable", so it really means "to ease death/make it more bearable". Kanji is fun, right?

On Monday I met with my internship supervisor and went to the elementary school to get a weekly schedule figured out. The school I'll be working at is called Johoku Elementary (which literally means 'north of the castle'), and I'll be working on Mondays for 2 hours a week. The internship actually only lasts 4 weeks as classes end for students in March (and the new school year starts in April!), which is sort of a shame but it should be a fun few weeks. Another girl is doing the internship with me, and we're going to be at the school for 2 periods: one period in which we help teach English, and another in which we participate in club activities. I'm joining the science club. ;) I'm a little nervous about starting on Monday because I really don't know what's going on besides when I should show up, but it should probably all work out in the end!

As far as interesting adventures, not much has gone on this week. We've mainly been watching shows (my count of shows-in-progress has now reached 7) and studying (because preparing for class every day is becoming lots of work!). However, we did make blueberry bread on Monday. Fruit is expensive here, but it's totally worth it because the bread was so very tasty. I now am master of the convection oven, and have figured out that a half-batch of bread (ie 1 American loaf pan-worth) makes 3 Japanese loaves - great for sharing and using as incentive to get kitchen helpers. :D My friends and I have decided to make this a weekly thing! I think we're going to give apple bread a try next.

I also had Indian food today! The main shopping thoroughfare in Hikone is called Bell Road - it's about a 15-20 minute ride away. They have lots of stores and restaurants along it, including an Indian place called Sapna. It had the best naan and chicken curry I have ever tasted. I'll have to get a picture the next time I go because it's so so so good.

As far as life in general in Japan is going, it's going well. It's amazing how quickly the weeks fly by. I can't believe tomorrow's Thursday! The weather is starting to warm up a bit...we haven't had snow in almost a week! This is making it a lot easier to get around town, so I'm biking more. I'm getting used to classes and hanging out with people lots(42 and study parties - almost feels like home). I was a little homesick earlier in the week, but it's easy to not worry so much about that with so much going on! It sort of feels like life at home is on hold while I'm here - I keep forgetting I have to worry about things like class registration for next semester and figuring out grad schools when I'm here in Japan. I'm sure it will hit me once I'm home again. :)

Anyway, I hope you're having a good week. I know there's a "snowpocalypse" blanketing the US right now, so stay warm! Also, in case you've heard anything about the volcano eruption in Japan, don't worry! Kyushu(where the eruption is occurring) is a completely different island, and very much south of us. Take care!