Rain Day

Today was a first for me. Growing up in Buffalo we had our share of Snow Days (sorry I can’t say the same for EP…). But today I had my first Rain Day. Well, I didn’t. The kids did. When I walked into school, Kyoto-sensei commented "Ah, professional!" Huh? Good thing I watch TV and know what's going on in the area.... So this was also the first time it was too dangerous for the kids to come, but we teachers have been here all day. Actually, the kids were supposed to come late, after the heavy rains stopped, but the rain didn’t stop until later than expected, the river that's usually a few inches deep is a-ragin’, and the kids stayed home.

While it’s been fun hanging out with the other teachers in the teachers’ room, eating bento and studying kanji, I missed the babies today. K-sensei, the substitute didn’t come for fear of the rains, as she is a self-proclaimed "bad driver", so I would have taught the sannensei by myself. I had just gotten a lesson set when I looked up to see the day’s schedule erased from the board. Ah well. Tomorrow is the last day before vacation, so I won’t see them for a month and a half. Boo...

In a related story, I’ve started putting some video up on YouTube so you all can check it out. If you’re really special, I’ll mark you as a family or friend, and you can see the private ones. I’ll be putting up a little video of today’s raging river and the beautiful mountains around my LMS for all to see. Exciting.

In other news, a man curiously reminiscent of Madarame Ikkaku is here to check the “security,” that is, what I assume to be the smoke detectors/fire alarm. Or security system, who knows. Well, everyone except me.

Madarame Ikkaku

Aaand, in oooother news, H-san just told me that all but two of the teachers are going to Taiwan together during summer vacation. Must be nice. Remember that time at EP when we went to The Barn?