it's not life that matters but the journey...

I thought that this story was funny - even before I read the story, I knew from the headline that it could only be in Japan!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050509/lf_afp/afplifestyletechnologyjapanchildren_050509150027

perhaps they should be trying to make a machine that helps them to understand English?  just a thought.

I am wondering when I should begin looking for work.  It will be hard to find many students to tutor in this rural area, but I guess I should try eventually.  something to do with my days! there are plenty of english conversation schools around, but the corporate ones are not desirable places to work.  If you have a full time contract with those companies, you are required to work nights and weekends, you don't get holidays, and there is no time to prepare lessons.  of course that doesn't matter since they pretty much tell you how and what to teach.  no freedom or creativity, though i might try it if they would hire me part time.

they are harvesting green tea right now and its interesting to watch since we have a big field across the street.  of course they don't do it by hand anymore but with big, noisy machines.  I should take a picture of it.  we live in the green tea capital of Japan, here in Shizuoka prefecture.  Masahiko's uncle has his own tea farm, so there is no shortage of it.  if anyone wants any, please let me know . . .

Poor Masahiko has been waiting for six weeks for a box to arrive - we mailed it before he came here and it still has not arrived. Maybe the holiday week delayed it - we can only hope...meanwhile we wait...