It's been a while...

Hey up folks!

I know that it's been quite a time since I posted something other than my trip to Kyoto, but I wanted to do my trip justice, and I think I have, even though their are many photo's that I haven't put up. So in this post, I will update you on what I've been up to...

NEW VOICE CO-ORDINATOR

Firstly some good news. I have been asked by Derrick and Mina (the Japanese manager of my branch) to become the new Voice Co-Ordinator from September. There is no extra pay, but it does afford me more responsibilty and is a nice little ego boost. I am also officially off probation, which is good news so now I AM A NOVA TEACHER.

Wow, those last three months have gone past rather quickly. I remember the excitement and apprehension of my trip to Heathrow airport so vividly that it could have been last week.

KARAOKE REGULAR

It seems that this has become something of a weekly jaunt. Poor Jason seems to be getting no better although he has found that he can pitch shift the songs to suit his voice.

It really is a great way to work off stress, and its nice that you just sing with friends rather than in front of strangers. I personally think this should be an Olympic sport.

NEW TEACHERS

Finally we are getting some new teachers. Two new girls from the US are arriving in the next couple of weeks. Poor Jason is meeting Jennifer next week, and given his history of getting lost, I expect that there'll be a phone call asking for help...

BABY BIRDS AND THE SHIT ON THE STAIRS

Mrs. Swallow's babies hatched. She had four little blighters who have decorated the stairwell with shit and dead dragonflies. Sadly this week in Obon (a Japanese holiday) so nobody has come to clean the stairs, so it has built up into a messy cake of white crap and dead insects.

EVAN COOKS HIS OWN MEAL

Me, Evan and Takuya (Evan's Japanese friend and a nice guy to boot) went for Okonomiyaki at our usual haunt the other day. The owner of Magny Couro is a really nice guy called Jin, and Evan keeps telling him he wants to open an Okinomiyaki shop in Canada, so Jin let Evan become his apprentice for the evening...well he let him cook his own meal...I have included some photo's and I think he did a really good job!