What's going on around here...

It's time for an update post! So here's the scoop about what's happening in Kuji these days:

• Ice cream hanging from the ceiling!? -- The Kuji City Board of Education Decoration Committee has been at it again...
  
  
• No more crepes -- In other (not-so) sweet news, Crepe House Sweets--the dessert cafe I'd visit almost on a weekly basis--has closed! The sweet "crepe lady," Miwako, got married and moved to Fudai, which is about an hour away, where she now works at a cake shop with her husband. So I'll just have to go visit her there sometime! In the meantime, I hope someone comes to re-open one of my favorite places in all of Kuji, although no one could replace Miwako.
  
  Good times at Crepe House Sweets...
  
  
Scoops of ice cream decorated to look like us!

Delicious crepes with Sachi and Yuka from the office.


• Back to school -- Summer vacation was nice, but I missed my students. So it's good to be back in the swing of things again. :)
  
  

They're so cute! The boy in this picture saw me from a distance yesterday at school and shouted with tons of excitement, "Dana Teacher, Dana Teacher!!!!" Awww.

• My bulletin board is up -- I have my own bulletin board at Misaki Jr. High now that I can change every so often with a different theme. Mr. Nakano wanted the first one to be about myself. Lauren and Jennifer helped me with this project back in June. Thanks again, gals! Here's the poster before we posted it to the board:
  
  

The day it was posted, I saw a bunch of my students gathered around, checking it out. :)

• School lunch has changed -- As far I know, the menu is the same, but the trays, bowls, plates, etc. are all different now for some reason. Earth-shattering news, I know, haha. Anyway, here was Friday's school lunch:

I felt like I was on a diet with this meal, minus the huge bowl of white rice!

• It's obviously election time here -- There are posters all over the place, as well as vans that drive around Kuji, making announcements that I don't understand, but apparently they're about why you should vote for a particular candidate.
  
  The guys I see plastered all over town:
  
  Mr. Intimidating...

...and Mr. Not-So-Intimidating!

• Contests coming up -- I've been working with my students (including Tomoki) who are participating in the English speech contest in Kuji next Thursday. Then on Friday, I'll be one of the judges at a contest in a nearby town. Looking forward to both!
  
  
• A concert coming up as well -- My friend Hideto and I will be performing five songs for a small concert at the Dofukan (community building) tomorrow. I'll be playing my flute and singing, and Hideto will play the guitar. I'll ask Liz or someone to take some video to share with you. Meanwhile, my guitar lessons have started out well, and hopefully soon I'll be able to start practicing some simple songs.
  
  
• Happy peach season! -- Exciting news: It's that glorious time of year when I eat a fresh, ripe, juicy peach daily! So needless to say, I'm just peachy these days. :)
  
  

"You. Me. Airily Peachy." So I don't know what "airily peachy" means, but I do appreciate that she's wearing a peachy shirt. I have plenty more photos of cute kids wearing interesting t-shirts that I promise to share at some point in the near-future.

Stay tuned!