Wednesday 20th September

Was at my visit school yesterday and the kids were awful! I could hardly talk at the end of the two lessons because I was trying to shout over their noise! I've started to think they are just rude and inconsiderate, as opposed to not understanding. When I gave them worksheets to do, they usually answer in Japanese and then continue talking. They DEFINITLEY know its English class so I have decided they are just being lazy!!! Grrr....

Spent "Respect the Aged" Day with Kyla after her hike up Mount Fuji (check out the link to her blog as I think she will be posting her pics soon!) and she still managed to rustle up enough energy to go for a cycle to help me find my new school that I will visit on Friday. It was soooo windy and it got a bit scary when we were cycling across the bridge into the next town! Makoto told us it was another typhoon but there was no rain so I’m still a little confused on that one...

Have arranged to have dinner with Makoto, Yoko (my other student), Kyla and... DAVID (!!) next Monday to welcome David to Japan. I also want to make the most of Makoto's Japanese so I don't order dried eel for Dave by mistake! Thursday morning Makoto has offered to drive Dave and me around outer Iiyama to some beautiful places that he has been so keen to show me. We will then go for some Iiyama soba noodles (different from the soba I made at Togakushi...apparently the snow in Iiyama weighs down the wheat crop in winter so.... blah blah) before catching the Shinkansen to Tokyo. Disneyland (or Disneysea we've not decided yet) on Friday and then hang out in Roppongi, Shinjuku and Harajuku on Saturday.