Its a muggy Monday here in Misato. I have a sneaking suspicion that the rainy season may have just started. For the first time since last August, last night never managed to cool down at all. I can't believe were back to hot already!!

Well- Mom & Dad are back home safe in Indiana. We had a short but great last 24 hours together on Friday/Saturday. I got to leave Misato early Friday afternoon and took a huge, heavy suitcase filled with all my winter clothes and some of my bigger books up to dump in Tom's extra bedroom for the time-being. I'd like to spend as little as possible on shipping my stuff, and since Tom's business tripping for most of July... I'm already feeling the pinch.

Tom and I took my parents to Asakusa to show them the Sensoji Temple (featured in my photos from one of my trips there earlier this year). It was a distinctly different atmosphere hot than it was right after the New Year. We also enjoyed over an hour shopping in the electric store heaven, Akihabara. Dad got a new toy, a high-tech MP3 player and Mom and I just stood back and cheered him on. It got Tom thinking about new digital cameras though...

With Mom and Dad off to the plane, Tom and I had a relatively quiet weekend. We wanted to go out on the town and do something to celebrate our 3rd anniversary of hanging out ;) but there wasn't a lot going on. Instead we had dinner at a cool Japanese-Mexican place on the open top floor of a 3 story building. We got all spiffed up yesterday afternoon instead and went way out west to enjoy a concert by the Vienna Boys Choir. It was pretty cool- they sung in 5 different languages and performed classics (Strauss, Haydn, etc.), popular stuff (New York, New York, Eternal Flame), and a few Japanese tunes (Akatombo). They even did a couple of folk dances and showed of their leiderhosen!!

Happy June, all!

Just to prove I can post more than once in a week (ahem... two weeks!!)- read this!!

Ha... I bet you thought I've actually been up to something. Nope. Ok that's not entirely true. The rain finally stopped on Sunday and now the weather is gorgeous (thanks to Mom for leaving town). Yesterday I went out for a run- I am still in awe of how beautiful this area is in spring! The irises are in full bloom in a huge variety of colors (purple, yellow, peach, white, yellow and red, purple and lavender, and on and on). There are loads of other flowers blooming wherever I look, plus the rice fields are picture perfect this month: the rice is only about 6 inches high and the fields are filled with water. This in turn reflects the nearby houses, trees, flowers, and mountains. Double mountains make me feel like I'm flying!! As I run, there are always several obaachans and ojiisans (affectionate general names for the old men and women) in their gardens. Man, do they work hard!

Hm.. what else have I been up to? Well, yesterday the students took mid-terms so not much. Since I haven't had any classes (none yesterday, today I have one, probably none tomorrow) I have used my time for working on my latest Econ. chapter (only one more to go before my final!), re-decorating the all-purpose/English room with posters & other fun stuff, preparing for my adult English class (which I taught last night) and have done a lot of internet surfing. We are on the verge of getting information on our replacements, in fact I already located Danielle's successor hanging out on a popular JET internet forum. I'm mostly really excited to start corresponding with my replacement, but I'm also a bit sad because this emphasizes how very little time I have left in Misato. Which of course, is even more sad considering how BEAUTIFUL it is this month! I'm ready to be leaving my job here at school (most days) but I will really, really miss Nagano.

Good thing I'll only be 3 hours away!!

Oh boy... I am really, really behind. The intimidation factor is great, here.. just like in a real journal, I am overwhelmed by the thought of trying to catch "you" up on the last month... but feel guilty just skipping over it all and starting on today again. hm... what to do?

I could write about the highlights of the last month... but even that would be a challenge as I've been so busy that I can't even remember what I've done!

Perhaps just the last weeks worth would do?

Last weekend: I went to Tokyo & spent a fun weekend with Tom, highlights of which were a 3 hour sightseeing walk through a new area of Tokyo courtesy of a Japanese book with a collection of about 100 such walks. Also saw the Japanese sneak-preview of the movie "Troy" on Saturday night and had a lovely 8k run through the rain on Sunday.

Monday: I had a REAL LIVE INTERVIEW! Yes, I kid you not, thanks to a Mori-no-Ike friend (thank you YUKARI!!) and in response to an e-mailed introduction and resume from me, I was invited to meet a certain wine company owner in Tokyo to interview for a position as his office manager. Cool! The interview was over breakfast (his treat) in the Tokyo American Club which is pretty much a country club without the golf course and we talked for almost 2 hours. I think it was a success and we've tentatively planned to meet again in June- he wants to test my Excel and invoice reading skills (gulp!). Fortunately I know not only one, but two former Excel trainers, so I should be all right. I'm really, REALLY relieved to finally have a potential job on the horizon. I can't even described how totally euphoric I feel to be on the way to employment before actually ending up un-employed. YAY! I also heard back from a network for foreign women about one of their job posts, but will have to wait until late June to interview as the contact person is out of the country. But- TWO prospects!!!

And you thought that was it for Monday- oh no... it got even better with the arrival of my parents in the afternoon. After a two hour delay, their plane landed and we made our way back to Tokyo for a nice dinner with Tom and then put them to bed.

Tuesday: Mom, Tom & I went for a run in downtown Tokyo. Then my parents and I headed back to Nagano and relaxed a bit before meeting the 5 teachers of my English department for sushi dinner. What a riot!

Wednesday: We woke to pouring rain, but still headed out up and over the mountains by bus to Hida Takayama, a beautiful and old-fashioned Japanese village up in the Alps. After some confusion finding our minshuku (family owned inn) thanks to the Japanese National Travel Org. (grrrrr....), the rest of the day went smoothly and included shopping and sightseeing.

Thursday: more rain and more sightseeing in Takayama. Dad strained his back but we still managed to hike over 2 miles past 15 temples and shrines and up a couple of hills (it was of course longer than it was supposed to be because we got a bit lost, again).
Took the bus back to town and met Jaclyn for some Thai dinner- yum! (we were getting a bit OD'd on soba).

Friday: Enjoyed a lazy morning (the only one with sun!). Mom & I went for a run. Had a great pasta lunch then boarded the train for Osaka. Spent the evening locating two hotels and dinner. Crazy city, that Osaka....

Saturday: Took the train south to Himeji to check out the World Heritage Site Himeji Castle. It was very impressive- more so since we were lucky enough to land in Himeji on the day of their annual festival! We were mooned by several float bearers in nothing but loin clothes. Dad took pictures. ;) Headed back to Osaka in the afternoon for the start of the Rotary Conference. At night, we ate great food at a cool place called the Asian Kitchen.

Sunday: Sadly (but none too soon) I abandoned Mom & Dad in Osaka and returned to the pouring rain of Nagano. Got home in time for a run through the puddles. Then restocked my fridge, rented some movies and relaxed in the peace of being all by myself for a few moments. Hanging out with my parents has been a BLAST... but it was really time for a break.

This week I'm back at school while Mom & Dad do the Rotary thing. They head to Tokyo on Thursday and I'll meet up with them after school on Friday before they fly home on Saturday night.

Now that I'm back to routine- I am vowing to keep up to date!!!

Greetings from Malaysia!! No time to post a full report just wanted to let you all know we're having a great time! Malaysia is HOT!!! I don't think I've sweat more in four days in my entire life. I guess it makes up for all the delicious breakfast buffets ;) Seriously- so far this week has been a blur, but a very fun blur. We've seen: the world's tallest building, the 4th tallest tower, the biggest butterfly park, the biggest covered bird park, the tallest freestanding flag pole, and rode the longest fully automated train line. That was all in Kuala Lumpur. Now, after getting stuck in the world's worst holiday traffic on Saturday, we are enjoying Penang Island- further up north. Today we're going to visit a tropical fruit farm (I'm hoping they have jackfruit, my new favorite!), a tropical forest, and perhaps climb a short mountain (better be short or I'll melt!).

More when I get back... !