It's mostly been the same old, same old, but I think we're just running out of the last of our warm weather, and the leaves are starting to change on the mountains.
I went to a two-day mid-year seminar earlier this week. I wasn't happy about messing up my class schedule, but at least I got to learn some new ideas on how to teach phonics! (That wasn't intended to be sarcastic.)
I did make it out to Nagoya during October to re-visit some old friends. It was nice to see people I knew and revisit a couple of old places. Definitely made me long to be back in semi-suburban Nagoya, though. Unfortunately, I didn't snap any good pictures.
I also made a second trip to Gotemba, hometown of a former yosakoi teammate, to do some shopping at the massive outlet stores there. I got some awesome photos of Mt. Fuji (my first time to see more than just the base) -- or so I thought. Actually, they all came out like this:
I think I want to invest in a new camera.
But speaking of yosakoi, a Japanese English teacher at my school took me to see a local team practice. They're mid-dance, but they said they'll start a new one in January, so I might join then (and the JTE is thinking of joining, too).
BTW, much earlier in the year (August or September), I caught a tiny snippet of the Harajuku yosakoi festival in Tokyo (I was there just to shop and happened upon it). I was on the wrong side of the street for good photos, but here are a few grainy shots from my phone:
And now, because I can't think of anything very interesting to say, are a few captioned photos (I'll try to think of better content and update again).
Proof of how close my apartment is to the train tracks (how's that for good photo timing?).
What appears to be the most famous building in Ito, across the river. I've been inside, but I'm not entirely sure what it is.
A sculpture that's on our school grounds.
A bunch of loot given to me by a local temple after a vice principal took me there.
The beach at Usami.
