A few random afterthoughts

Turns out my English is a lot faster now. A Japanese commented to say that my English is very fast, when she never seemed to think so before. Time to get used to speaking slowly again! Fortunately, the Japanese language feels deliciously familiar, even if I only understand it at a slower speed.

Also - I ate lunch at one of my elementary schools, where the kids all shouted "Rebeca Sensei" and made valiant efforts to high five, peak around corners, or convince me I should eat lunch with their table. I've become a sensation since I recognized a K-pop song and busted a move during lunch last time I was there. The 2nd graders nearly had a meltdown, they thought it was so funny and now they want nothing but to see my break into song and dance. They're welcome was considerably warmer than the one at my junior high school. There it was mostly the teachers I saw, and only a couple commented on seeing me again, and then it was routine silence as no one bothered to tell me anything about the upcoming sports day, today's schedule change (I spent all morning preparing for an afternoon lesson that was never going to happen), or anything really. It was a sad reminder that I am going to have to make my ignorance blatantly obvious and even pressing if I am going to get any information. No one seems to get it - I want to be informed and involved, not simply seen as an afterthought.

The wind is blowing fiercely outside. Some kinda storm's a-brewin'. The leaves are fiercely green, though, and the weather's been muggy and hot since I got back, meaning summer's basically here. And so are the mosquitoes. Poor JHS students, they still have to wear their winter uniform, even in this sticky heat. There's an official announcement during the school year that says they can switch to summer uniforms or to winter (a throw-back to old clothing-changing customs about which I know little), but until then they must follow protocol. They were dying in class on Monday, as was I, since I wasn't given much of a role my first day back, and the lessons turned out to be rather boring.

Lastly - I have a kindle! I've been taking it with me on plane rides, and it's fantastic! If I finish a book, I can either go on to one I already have on the kindle, or I can go online for a new book, buy it, receive it and start reading it, all within a minute using just the kindle. It's almost too easy! I've just started a page turner that I can't put down, so now I'm even carrying it to work, for days when there's little to do, like today. Hopefully I'll keep reading more - I've been away from it for awhile.