hey all,
So last weekend, Michi and I skyped with my family, which went well. This weekend, just earlier today in fact, I ate dinner with her younger brother's family. But let me start from my last post.
Still no word from the company about positions, visas, or anything. I'm sure if I asked them how to spell their own names they won't be able to answer that either. Work has been slowing down a little: my 3rd year students are basically finished with school, and my 1st and 2nd year students are taking their final exams at the beginning of next week, so there hasn't been an incredible amount of class work lately, although my fellow teachers are all running around really busy because they have to do the tests and everything.
I took another yoga lesson with Michi on Saturday, and then after that we had lunch and talked with one of her friends for several hours in Japanese. So I guess we're both slowly introducing members of our inner circles to each other, and gauging their reactions to our significant other. So far, the reactions on both sides have been positive.
Today was another busy day. I renewed my housing contract for another month (only one month because I have no clue where I'll be next school year), and then I bought the God of War collection for PS3 in Akihabara. God of War III is coming out for PS3 next month, and I remember playing number 1, but not number 2. The first two games in the series are widely regarded as two of the best video games ever made, and I'd have to say that from the couple hours I've spent replaying number 1 today, the comparison still holds up after all this time (the first game was released in 2005).
After going shopping, I met up with Michi to head over to her younger brother's apartment. He married a Korean woman, and they have a baby girl. I think he is a chef, at least from what I gathered. Today's conversation, like yesterday, was almost entirely in Japanese. I see why maybe sometimes Michi doesn't feel up to meeting: speaking and listening to a foreign language that you aren't very proficient in really takes patience and energy to sort out who is talking to who, what are they saying. did I just get asked a question?, etc. Especially tough is the fact that Michi and her family are native Tokyo-ites: they probably speak the fastest out of any Japanese dialect, making it especially difficult to follow for a non-native speaker.
Her brother cooked us a really tasty dinner/lunch, and we all chatted a bit and played with the baby. That was pretty much it. Her brother seems really nice, and Michi said they think the same about me. So for now, no worries, at least from that department.
Cheers,
