A week's worth or so of things

Lots of stuff to recount. First of all, on Thursday I got to talk a bit to the two Chinese ladies in the YMCA group. It was kind of fun. The most important thing is - I can talk without worrying I sound stupid, because they're on the same level as I am.

On Saturday we went to Uto to watch a firework competition.

Uto is an hour away or so, and the reason for holding the fireworks' display there is because it has a river.

Sooooooo many people. Big bridge :) We ate lots of tasty things - I especially liked the chicken(?) in sweet sauce and the crepe with chocolate and banana (I made some thin pancakes at home later on).

The fireworks themselves were divided into sections. There were some standard flower entrees, and in between them show-style ones. They were awesome!!! One of the most amazing and imaginative ones was the Requiem.

Two of Shiv's students caught a cold. It seems Shiori-san's is pretty serious. Still we were lucky, since some nice people let us sit on their mat. No wet grass - happiness. I did take some warm clothes with me, but it didn't feel like enough. If we ever go there in the same season, I am taking a blanket.

On Tuesday we had two more people join us in the YMCA group. The lesson dragged on a bit as the teacher was trying to see if the new guy could read all the hiragana. I guess the lessons will become a bit slower now that there are more people, but, hopefully, not fatally so. Also, there are 6 people, so it's good for dialogues.

Trying to shift our sleeping schedule. Not going so well. I went to sleep early-ish, but woke up in the early hours and couldn't sleep. Then slept until 11... Le sigh.