I finally got my act together, so it looks like I will be sending my laptop to Tokyo for repairs. This is pretty inconvenient, since they don't offer the overnight service I can get in the U.S. However, I need my laptop fixed, so what else can I do? This will probably result in no more new pictures for the next couple weeks, along with less posts, since I'll be sharing a computer will all the other teachers. I'll try to post something about Kyoto today, and more spread out during the week. It will be more difficult since I won't be able to write stuff at home.

Today was the last Halloween lesson, which is nice. I was getting a little sick of that lesson. I've also done several 2nd-year lessons involving "I think..." and "When __, I ____." I don't know that the lesson is that good, but the students are getting some practice speaking, which is good since in one of the classes the teacher doesn't speak English. It's not that he doesn't want to, it's more that he's not very good at it. He doesn't do things all the other teachers do, like greet the class in English before beginning. He gives all the instructions (even simple ones) in Japanese, which is starting to bug me. At least conversations with him keep me entertained. If I tell him something, it appears he understands me, but he really doesn't most of the time. He is good at repeating words that I say back to me, which gives the impression of comprehension. However, it is often the case that he has merely recognized a word that I said, not the whole thing. He also often doesn't recognize when I'm asking him a question. I don't know why this is the case, but he can't recognize it, so he thinks I am telling him something instead of asking him. Anyway, it keeps me entertained.

I've also started entertaining myself by torturing kids in the hallway. I walk beside them and tap them on the opposite shoulder and they always look the wrong way. I think it's great! I don't know if anyone does this in Japan. Maybe I'll start a whole fad among all the kids.