I still haven't finished sorting my pictures, but I promise when I get them in an appropriate order and labeled to make sense, I will share them! I've been super busy lately and it will probably be the same next week. Don't worry though- I haven't done anything too exciting. Seriously, job/play (same thing), study Econ, go to the gym (that's been fun...), run/hash, repeat repeat repeat.

The only thing I did out of the ordinary this week was take another trip out to the Tokyo Immigration Bureau. It brought back horrible flashbacks of my trip to the Shiojiri Driving Center (check the archives from November2003 if you have managed to forget)... and I was just as unsuccessful at completing my mission on the first attempt. I need a new visa, as the visa I got through the JET program (to teach English out in Nagano) will expire at the end of July. My new school has offered to sponsor me for the new visa and very kindly put together the necessary paperwork (letter from my old school attesting to the time period I worked there, tax documents, a pamphlet on my new school, financial documentation on the new school, on and on). Well, of course, when I got there (after a half hour train ride and 15 minute bus ride), I didn't have everything. And several of the documents I did have must be translated from English into Japanese (my work contract, my graduation certificate, my resume...eek!). The bad news is that I'm back to the assembly line on the paperwork. The good news is that I still have 2.5 months.

I have to say though, I did bring one of this week's flashbacks on myself. My boss had asked me to bring in my passport to copy for the application. Since I had planned to go to the Immigration Bureau today (Friday), yesterday he asked me if I had it with me. Oops. The last thing I heard as I headed out of school to bike back home at lunchtime was him explaining to a student that I was leaving because "She forgot her passport!".

I will NEVER escape the curse!!