An update!

Ok, so in hindsight, coming here without a computer was foolish. That being said, it hasnt been easy for me to get on the internet. So... where to begin. Work was stressful at first. They sorta just throw you right in. On the second day of training you have to teach a whole class by yourself.. 2 actually. After 3 days of training, you are teaching a full day by yourself. Planning lessons and stuff takes time when you are new, so you have to get the hang of it, but it comes quick. I have been disappointed about my location. I am basically far from Azu and eric/em/jon/ronn/tawnya. As ronn put it yesterday, we live in a big triangle of ass. Wed/Thurs are my days off, erics em and jon are mon/tues. i work till 9 mon/tues. Ronn and Tawnya are tues/wed, so we can get together on wednesdays. Wednesday and sunday when people get off earlier are about the only days its feasable to meet up.

Proximity to friends aside.. my place is cool enough. Close to the ocean, lots of stuff to see. I am told by other americans there is a kick ass mexican restaurant in my town run by a guy that learned in America, so they say he has it down. I havent been jonesin yet, but i am sure i will in the future. The folks at my branch are cool, its pretty laid back. Everyone smokes though, so i am alone on breaks while they all go smoke, haha. My students have all been pretty nice for the most part with a few exceptions. We have a younger student that i havent taught yet, that apparently has never spoken a word of english in class, he just points at things. He is sorta.... difficult. The older students are usually the most talkative. Younger students are harder because they are usually more nervous and shy. Adjusting was difficult at first, but im doing well enough. Azu is transfering in a few days, so she'll be closer, and i wont have to visit her in her jungle apartment. This apartment... good lord. Something in it creates humidity, i shit you not. it just GETS that way. it is about 3 times more humid than anything youv ever been in at any given time of day. I hung up a work shirt the other day when i stayed there (it was 100% dry) and it was damp the next day when i went to put it in my bag. Its crazy.

My apartment kinda sucks. I gather its the village bicycle of nova places. Everyone sorta cringes when they hear where i live. I guess its about the crappiest, most expensive place you can come by. Also, the door has no key lock, just a combination... so thats great.

Havent done much since i got here. Hung out with the saitama gang a few times, and me and azu took a drive with her dad south of Odawara and checked out a few dive shops we plan to do business with when the weather gets a little nicer (and i get paid). We also saw some cool scenery. She really lives in a nice place.

Anyway, i gotta order my computer so i can join the civilized world again. peace!


Its hard to check my normal email right now, but if you wanna get a hold of me, send it to my phone for now, i usually have it on me all the time. When i get a computer and memory card of my own, i will post pictures, or maybe just a memory card. I could use azus comp if i get the card. I apologize for a lack of punctuation, this keyboard sucks.

Japan

Well, i'v been here for a few days now. I saw azu, eric, ronn, tawnya, emily, and some of azu's friends the first night i got here. Since then i'v been down in Odawara mostly after a stop at my apartment in Yokohama to drop off my stuff and meet my roomate. He seems nice enough. I took care of my gaijin card registration thursday, and got my cellphone yesterday, on which you can email me at dbhuff@ezweb.ne.jp . It was a long involved process with the phone, analyzing plans and what not, i think azu was tired by the end of it, but i settled on AU, because they had a good deal on a phone that had english and a nice camera, which killed 2 birds with one stone. I was going to go with softbank, because they had a plan that was only about 10 bucks a month, and i could talk to anyone on softbank for free from 2 am - 8pm. If azu had been on softbank, i probably woulda done it, but to get the 10 dollar plan you had to take a crappier phone with a crappy camera, and azu isnt on softbank, and if you call people outside of softbank with that plan you get hosed basicaly, soo... i went with AU.

Anyway, as soon as i get a memory card, and a reader, i will start puttin up some pictures. My phone seems to take a pretty nice picture.

Leavin on a jet plane.

Well, I have one more day here in the states. I am a little bit nervous, but mostly I just dont want to pack. You would think that with near infinite time on my hands, I could get things done. Wrong. I leave in roughly 36 hours, and I have done... nothing. Eric and Emily, if you read this before I arrive, I will be there Wednesday evening. Azu said you were joining us and Ronn and Tawnya, but your msn message gave me the general impression you had no idea when I was arriving. Anyway, we are meeting in Ikebukuro for good times.

Ok, I am going to go pack, wish me luck.

Dan