Sumi San

I am now Mr. Sumi at the bank. All the foreigners who opened their bank accounts this week had to go change our names so that the fake Kanji stamps were "closer" to our foreigner names. Mr. Hadote was not close enough so I had to close the account, get a new stamp for a name that is not mine and open a new account as Sumi San. I suppose thats closer to Smith...
While sitting at the bank I was chatting with another teacher and noticed that these two old ladies were staring at me and moving their hands around their noses. They were studying and commenting to eachother about how beautiful my nose is according to Mime the Japanese teacher/translator/bank account helperer. I got a styly new account book cover and some tissues with my new account.



Next week the school will have 2 drills-a fire drill and an earthquake drill. During an earthquake drill the kids take this pad that they keep on their seats and put it on their heads. It looks like a quilted potholder. I have no idea how its going to help you if bricks are a droppin.

Theres no such thing as snowdays here. Kids get days off for typhoons instead. I guess theres a good one coming but should stay mostly to the south.

Im going to venture to shinjuku Tokyo for a bookstore tomorrow. I have to get some books for school and some japanese texts for me.