What's Going On

This is another middle of the night post, so excuse the grammar issues and blandness of it, I just know that some of you are interested in know how life is going for Los Lemleys in Japan.

This week has been a bit hectic. We started at "work" on Monday. This week is just for new teachers, there are about 12 of us. We've had meetings on everything from curriculum to getting our new Mac Book Pros to how to use our microwave/oven and toilet (maybe the most important). This time around, it's definitely more difficult getting situated with Maximo. The school has graciously supplied childcare for us, but Maximo still isn't sleeping all the way through the night and it's been hard for him to be passed around to a bunch of strangers. On a whole he's been great, but he's been spending a lot more time with his 'pon and mono (his pacifier and monkey) than we would like.

On Tuesday, John went with the rest of the new teachers to IKEA with 300,000 yen burning a hole in his pocket. He purchased some needed furniture for us - a bed, couch, kitchen island... It will be delivered tomorrow (today, actually).

We've been finding our way around. It's been fun riding our mama-san bikes (like beach cruisers) to work in the mornings. Maximo and I got on the train yesterday and he LOVED it! The whole ride there and back he just chanted "choo choo" and was wide eyed and stunned by the fact that he was actually in a moving train. He was having a fussy afternoon and it was just what we needed. So, I've charged up my train card, so we can ride the rails if we need to get out of the house.

It is shockingly hot here. Our friends told us it was going to be hot, but I'm really surprised how hot it is. The first three days we were here it rained, but the past two have been clear. It's very muggy and buggy. I'll have to make a recording of the cicadas, they are deafening during the day! And the size of small birds!

Everyone we've met here has been super welcoming. Last night we met some other teachers who send their daughters to Yume Club which is the Japanese daycare that Maximo is going to (I'll do a separate post for that) at an Indian restaurant that is close by. It's nice to live somewhere with an Indian restaurant again!

All in all, everything is great. I'm looking forward to sleeping through the night. Everyone assures me it takes about 5 days to get over jetlag. I feel fine, but cannot sleep through the night.

Today at school, we have our first Japanese class and a Japanese tea ceremony which we're excited for, then I get to sit around and wait for our furniture to arrive, while John checks out the electronics store. Hopefully, it'll arrive early so Max and I can go outside and explore some more!

More soon.