Oops

Ok, so apparently "One Week" is by Barenaked Ladies, not Third Eye Blind. Thanks Mitchy.

It's 8:44am on Thursday morning, and I am at school, enjoying the internet that I cannot use at home. I actually get quite a bit of work done everyday too, despite the huge amounts of time I spend perusing the world wide web. Today, I'll be organizing my photos for my self-introduction lesson, and also writing up brief explanations of Hawaii travel brochures I am going to use in a Travel Agent/Tourist role play lesson. I'm going to be the best teacher ever! Haha. (But seriously, I am.)

So I learned something FANTASTIC last night: there is an enormous, beautiful, fun-filled shopping mall only a ten minute bike ride from my apartment! It may seem shallow, but that makes me SO excited about where I live. Not necessarily for the shopping, but for the opportunity to get out of my apartment and go somewhere stimulating to people-watch and grab a quick bite. There is also a movie theatre in the mall; a bunch of us JETs watched Transformers last night! And, I bought a bike at the home store at the mall, so now I feel like I can get anywhere I need! It's AMAZING-- I hadn't ridden a bike since I was probably 10 years old, and I had forgotten how much damn fun it is! And now I don't feel so trapped; if I need conditioner, I can bike to the pharmacy and buy conditioner! If I need eggs, I can bike to the grocery store and buy eggs. You get the picture. It's glorious. And my bike is red and beautiful, with a big basket on the front and a little bell! I should think of a name for it. I welcome any suggestions.

On a less interesting front, I've been keeping myself amused in my apartment by watching episodes of Friends and Sex and the City. Friends, of course, is one of my all-time faves and an instant picker-upper, but I had never watched Sex and the City before. I rented the first disc of the first season from a dvd rental place up the street from me, and I love it! What better way to feel good about living alone in an apartment than by watching a show about 4 single women living the independent dream in Manhattan? (This may sound extrememly superficial... but I'm trying to make it in Japan here. Anything helps.)

I think some friends and I are going to sightsee a bit this weekend; either some big gorge in Kurobe (east of here), or some famous old Japanese houses called Gassho houses that are a world cultural heritage site. Either way, sounds good! I'm especially looking forward to sleeping in at least one day. (If you know me at all, you know that I love my sleep!)

Mata ne,
Mandy