There is a season - turn! turn! turn!

The past 2 weeks have been unbelievably busy!
2 Sundays ago was Jack's birthday. Of course we went out, but we stayed out really late because Monday the 13th was a holiday. Yay, no work! Staying out til 4 AM, however, makes me really tired, and my whole day is off when I sleep in til noon. It was kind of hard to sleep in though, because there was protest parade outside. We think they were protesting some kind of North Korean event, but they were speaking in Japanese so I don't know 100%. Instead of people walking, they were driving around in large tour buses yelling out of super amped mega phones. I went out to watch the protest buses from my balcony, and on the way back in I tripped over the door way ledge and bent my toenail back! Now the big tow on my right foot is missing a toenail.

I think this shock, and sudden stress on my immune system is what lead me to be sick. I wasn't feeling well Tuesday, and Wednesday it was like I had Mono all over again. I woke up with a fever, my throat was so swollen it hurt to talk. But I took a hot shower, and some Advil, and by time I needed to get to work I was ok. I'm really trying not to miss work because I only get 2 sick days, and I need my vacation days for when people come visit me. Thursday and Friday I was kind of out of it, but I was getting better.

Saturday the 18th I had to get up early for International day Xaviero Junior High School, a private Catholic school. I had a ton of fun with those kids, they were so smart and interested in talking! The school is really nice too, and it kind of reminded me of my own Catholic schooling. If a position opens up for teacher there I wouldn't mind looking into it. I also met a lot of other foreigners, and a few of us met up later that night to go our for dinner and drinks. I was going to make it an early night because I had orientation the next day. BUT, I got pretty drunk because I was upset over some silly drama with an equally silly boy, and I ended up staying out til 4 AM again, lol. On Sunday, I slept through my alarms and missed my bus.

I arrived an hour late in Sendai, where the headquarters for James English School is located. It's about 2 hours North of Koriyama. No one seemed to mind that I was so late, and I actually wasn't the last one there. I didn't learn a whole lot at orientation, but it was nice to meet some other new teachers. The girls, Becky and Christine, are very nice. The guys, as expected, are all a bit off. Not to be mean, but foreign men in Japan are not exactly the pick of the litter. The majority are very nice, well meaning guys, but generally they are a bit geeky or weird. There are only a couple that seem to have no social chance. Japan is a great place for these guys however, because Japanese women loooove foreign guys. As long as the guy doesn't come from Japan, he's likely to find some willing woman.

I didn't get back to Koriyama until Monday, but as soon as I did I met up with some other friend's for Paul's going away party. We started at God's, which is now called U-style, and then went to GAP, Kyoko's bar, for more drinks and karaoke. Singing (more like screaming off-pitch) wasn't a really good idea, and my throat is still recuperating! I'm not sick, my throat is just dry and hoarse.

Yesterday I moved! Not far, just up 2 floors. Ken, a new teacher from Ireland, has come to replace Melissa. He took my apartment, and I am living with Melissa until she leaves (about a month). After she goes, I will be taking over her place. It's nicer than my old place - bigger, but cozier. The only difference in the address is on the first line. If you mail me a letter, change "202' to "403"

Tomorrow we are going to a dance club called Ebony. We have to drive 2 hours to get there, but it'll be nice to go to a real dance club to party! But, I can't wait to sleep tonight!!!