Hello, I'm back again. This month we have had many days off. For the weekend of the cultural festival as well as for founders day so far. The festival was amazingly fun and I spent two very full days there eating and walking around seeing what the students were doing. We had a really good time and afterwards Jessica Elizabeth and I went with our friend Tomosuke out to dinner in Hirakatashi (I know more food right?). But it was very good and very cheap. I will have to remember it for another time.

Later on Sunday Elizabeth and I went to Fushimi Inari. SO many stairs. We were climbing and felt that surely, we must be getting near the top. Then we saw the map and saw that we were only half-way up, so we gave up after that and walked back down. But it was really pretty and we did get some pretty great views of the city. There was also a woman there selling kimono and accessories. She offered me a very pretty furisode kimono for 15,000 yen, which is pretty cheap. But I wasn't sure so I waited, and was very glad I did. When we went to Sanjo to just eat dinner a poke around, I finally went in the thrift store I always see, and was AMAZED by how many kimono they had upstairs. And also by how cheap they were. I got a furisode kimono I liked so much better for the same price. And it is almost like new. I still need to find an obi and an appropriate acoutrements, but I got the under robe there as well. I am very very happy with it.

This weekend it was visiting Tokufukuji, which turned out to be more expensive than we bargained for and then we ate what has to be the largest most delicious okonomiyaki I've ever had. I was stuffed! Then on sunday we went out for dinner and karaoke for Jessica's birthday. Dinner was fun, and even though Tomosuke didn't join us for karaoke we had a great time, Tadayoshi, her home-visit boy was really funny. He sang 'Selfish' by Koda Kumi with me and head-banged to 'Ready Steady Go' and was generally just having a great time.

And then this Tuesday, I went with one of the circle's on campus to a local elementary school. It was way fun, and I got a big surprise when Tomosuke was there. I had no idea he was in that circle. The kids were really really adorable though. I can speak semi-fluently with them, the second graders that is. :( I suppose its a good start though. I had a great time and if I get another opportunity I will deffinitely go again! It kind of felt like being a rock star because the kids were so excited to meet us.