Apparently there is one advantage to me not knowing Japanese at this point and that would be getting out of all the midterm tests! I was willing to take the subjects of English, Gym, and the Arts but I was told very clearly by Shimanoki Sensei, “Please don’t make me grade another exam!!” And so I again made my way to the library where Oshima Sensei and I spent nearly the entire time talking in Japanese about my schedule for the year, some of the places we have visited, her daughters Tokyo education, and (to her great shock) the price of college textbooks in the US. Yesterday when she ordered me the Japanese textbook I was looking for she was worried that it was far too expensive - about $35 US Dollars. I laughed and told her that most of my friends are spending multiple, multiple times that as the school year unfolds. To add a cherry on top of my sweet schedule, school gets out at noon for the next three days (early if the typhoon hits).
So at noon Dr. Sato came to pick me up and we went together to the Bato-Ogawa Rotary club meeting. They apparently expected me to speak again, something that I hadn’t planned on by any means. I think my four sentences were, “My first month was very fun. The fishery school is very, very fun. I like the school. Thank you very much.” Looking back on it, I think I used the words “fun” and “very” a little too much = ) But hey at least they were complete sentences for a change!
"One Year Foreign Exchange Student: Samuel Estenson"
Nonetheless they were happy to hear that I was doing well. I enjoyed a lunch of tempura, rice, grilled chicken, and mackerel before heading back to the Sato’s. So now here I sit and it’s started to pour outside. I’ve already had a snack, watched a YouTube video, checked email and Facebook, played the piano, went for a walk to pick up someone’s umbrella, upset Mrs. Sato because apparently I took my shoes off too early when walking into the house (oops…), and watched TV. Yet it’s only 4:15!! The Japanese have a great word for this right now: Hima – 暇. It basically means time spent sitting around doing nothing.
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