thank goodness the stove works!

last week was the first week at school where i was busy from the time i got there till the time left, followed by nights in which i wouldn't get home until 10 or so because of various activities. this is my excuse for my lack in blog activity.

highlights from last week:
*kids at elementary school going wild about my arrival and yelling it up and down the hall ways
*realizing that i'm not the only one that finds one of my teachers a little difficult to work with
*200 japanese kids running around like wild in the haunted house
*getting an invite from someone when i really needed it
*eating freshly made mochi
*was finally able to make broccoli crab salad ... made me miss home!!!
*having 3 guys from the office (all wanting an excuse to get out of the office) come futz around with my heater - it was hilarious watching them crawl around on the floor with their screw drivers and saying, hmmm and more hmmmmm and then getting it to work after pressing a little reset switch resulting in a much more comfortably living room!

so ... it is getting cold yo!! actually went out and bought wool sweaters and all that. it feels like the dead of winter, or at least what we would call winter in orange county! i was spoiled for 4 years and just now realizing that! it's been recommended that i change my current tires to winter tires in a couple of weeks. i guess this means that winter really is coming ... ahhhhh!!!

still haven't even decided what to do for winter break, current possibilities: korea or thailand with ann and if somehow we can't work it out than just going up to sapporo for a couple of weeks to stay warm in my host parents house.

oh yeah, went camping the other weekend. got to see beautiful colors, did a little hiking, got a little drunk, and was able to see a fantastic ocean scene more during more than half of my drive home! it was fantastic! check the picture page for updates :)