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Konbanwa from Tokyo!!! Today was the last day of orientation in Tokyo. All's well except--the meetings are probably my least favorite part because I feel they are mostly inefficient (presenters reading off hand-outs, give me a break! I can read them myself) or really boring (not the material, but the people themselves have no enthusiasm). Of course, not all are that way, but I'd say the majority. I just like interacting with everyone and preparing preparing preparing for my departure to Nagasaki tomorrow.

So I have met the other ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) in my town and two of the other four on my island. Catherine Wood, who also lives in Narao, is from Bath, England and we were instantly friends! She's a very cute and friendly person, short, thin, blonde hair and simple like me (no makeup or primping, I mean). We really get along well (maybe out of necessity at this point) but I'm looking forward to the next year with her. She keeps saying the same thing, so that's a good sign.

I'm kinda glad she's not American because they all seem to be getting on my nerves. Laura and Kerry are the two who live up north. Laura is also from the UK (Scotland, I think) but Kerry is from midwest(?) America (not one of the ones getting on my nerves, I should note). I don't know them well, but they seem nice.

And tonight--I can't express enough my joy about this!!--my good friend, Hiro, was able to get off work early and come visit me in Shinjuku. I was so afraid I'd leave Tokyo tomorrow without seeing him. He studied at Linfield in 2001 and was Harald's Little Brother and therefore the three of us spent massive amounts of time together and became wonderful friends. Hiro now works for Lion (office supply company) in Tokyo and he works too much, too hard. Japanese business men always have to work in really stressful situations and really late into the night, but I wish Hiro didn't have to. I promised I would hire him if I ever owned a company, but I wouldn't make him work until 9 p.m. everyday! He liked that idea. We could only visit for about an hour; since he left work early today he has to go back to work at 5 a.m. tomorrow!! Hiro, my hero! Harald, you'll be happy to know that Hiro is very excited for your visit to Japan so that the three of us "the family" can be together again!!! Isn't he sweet!!!

So, I'm starting to droop which means maybe it's bedtime. Tomorrow is a day of traveling to Nagasaki Orientation. We will take a 2 hour flight and stay at the Omura International Hotel for two nights. I will finally get to meet my supervisor, Hatakeyama-sensei and then Saturday is the joyous day I get to move into my place!!!! Yeah!!

Love and friends, old and new,
Sierra