Hatsu yuki!

The last two weeks of January and the first two weeks of February are known as Daikan= the coldest time in winter.

So in celebration of this the Japanese usually have parties but up here in the south-western part of Gunma, nature decided to celebrate by bringing us SNOW! (started around 845 am)

This is my -hatsu yuki- first snow fall (i've been in snow i just never seen it fall). You can actually see individual SNOWFLAKES! (if you're just standing and they land on you)

(1030 am) I just came back from having a snowball fight with my 1-2 graders and some 6th graders ^_^ it was fun, even though one kid in particular hit me at the side of my face...twice. It's a good thing that he's only a 2nd grader and he can't throw that hard (it's not so fun when people- Edmund- try to pelt you in the face).
Next time I should use gloves meant for snow when i have a snowball fight. My fingertips are red!... especially my thumb and it hurts a bit.
(note: i was wearing "convertible" or "hobo" gloves...the kind that look like mittens but you can remove the top and have exposed fingertips. the ones I'm wearing now doesn't have a cover for the thumbs either)

Now that recess is over, my coat is a bit wet as well as my scarf, gloves, and hair (so much for taking a shower this morning) but i get to sit in the warm staff room so they can all dry. And drinking coffee helps to warm me and my hands up nicely ^^
The only bad thing is that i'll need my jacket when i go to my next class (there isn't heating for the whole school but each class has a heater)

Sorry it has taken me so long to post. As many know, i went home for Christmas. Had fun, ate a lot of food that's hard to find in Japan or that's not a Japafied version of the food. And i spent most of my time either shopping or watching movies that i really wanted to see and won't come out in Japan for a few months or so (some even as long as 6-8 months) plus it's like $15-18 to go to the movies here. I had 2 Christmas's and went to three parties (by the way, i did all of this in 10 days).

After I came back i was busy getting Hideki fixed, getting other errands done, and planning for the next school term for Chogakko (elementary school).

Soon after Edmund, Ian and Roman (Edmund's friend, my old co-worker) arrived in Japan and I've been spending exhausting weekends with them(they- Edmund and Roman- were hella loud and annoying) and showing them around a few places i know.

Next post... SNOW MONKEYS!

p.s. I'm going to make a snowman with my 3rd graders ^_^