Less than 2 months til my Japanese exam - argh!!!! at least if I pass it, it will hopefully help me to get a job back in England - there's just the small matter of passing it first! But I bought myself a new electronic dictionary today (my other one having died on me and proven rather expensive to fix). I have also bought a variety of textbooks recently - including self-help books like "How to Sound Intelligent in Japanese" and "Decoding Kanji". I still need to work hard though.
Last weekend we cycled down to Nagai Park (where the world Cup stadium is) and I got bitten by the mozzies again! Still, it was fun to go and sit with a bento and relax for a couple of hours.
On my way back from my Japanese class last week or the week before, there were loads of people crowded around a giant tv screen on the outside of a building on Dotomburi, a street in Osaka. It normally shows adverts or music videos, so I wondered what the fuss was about, but it turned out they were showing a sumo match - obviously an important one!
I have my ten month observation and evaluation at work on Saturday, which goes towards deciding if I get a salary increment with my next contract, and if so, how much. Nail-biting stuff. James had his a couple of days ago and got a great report, so he will be a tough act to follow!
We went out for okonomiyaki the other night for tea, and I impressed myself by chattering away to the owner and understanding most of her Kansai-ben! Tonight we are going to Toni's house for a quiz night/party/sleepover. We were inspired by the Green Leaf quiz, and as Toni leaves for good next week, we decided to host our own at her apartment! There have been a lot of people leaving Nova recently - or maybe it just seems that way because they are people we know who arrived a couple of months either side of us.
I took James to the Hard Rock Cafe for the second half of his birthday treat. Sometimes its nice just to be able to eat Western food, much as we love the Japanese cuisine!
More good news on the food front - a Baskin Robbins ice cream shop has just opened near our house! We don't exactly live in a big or busy area, but between all the fruit shops and old women's clothesshops we nw have a yummy ice cream place!
I hopefully have at least one private student starting soon. Fingers crossed!
We have had quite an easy schedule at work the past few days as there have been six-monthly reports for kids students to write up.
Yesterday I went to see "About a Boy" with Hiroe. It was great, but really made us say "England hisashiburi!!!" There were lots of shots of English streets, Sainsbury's, etc.
Anyway, my time at the net cafe is about to run out, so I'd better go.
Bye for now,
Nic.
