Another school festival weekend

For the second week in a row, I've had work on Sunday - school festival season is a bitch... unless the BOE gives me those two days as daikyu (day off in lieu) to use during my trip home for Christmas (fingers crossed!).
So Friday night, I went into Sanjo to have some drinks with Aaron, Emily, Kouken and Masaki. A little welcome back party for Emily (cause she'd been gone for so long, right?). The highlight of Friday was not that Aaron got totally drunk before we went out, and later puked (although that was quite silly) but when our old friend, Ryo from Pearl Jam came by with his wife and baby. Look at that beautiful child!


Saturday was pissing down rain again which was super annoying as it was my only day off. We made plans to go into Niigata for shopping and dinner and hoped the rain would stop by then. During the day, I FINALLY got my birthday gift (iPod speakers, shawiing!) from my mom. She had sent it sea mail, so I got it 6 weeks later (if any of you actually sent me things, I'd advise you not to send it sea mail... but I don't need to worry about that now do I, but I digress...) Luckily, by the time we got into the city the rain had just let up. I was officially the best shopper of the day buying Kayvohn's birthday gift, new sneakers to wear to the gym (you have to have indoor shoes at the gym too!), face wash from Origins, bagels from the upscale supermarket at Isetan and ... drumroll please... a new, 30GB, color screen, video iPod (and the protection plan).
Then we met up with Kate's non-boyfriend, Errol, for dinner at a Shabu Shabu place. We got a 2 hour all you can eat deal and we piiiiigged out.
Shabu Shabu is this Japanese food that you cook at your table using a pot of boiling water. It was fantastic.


Sunday I was up early for Nishi Chu's Seikasai. Here's some photos from that:
The 2 nen seis have to do paintings about problems with the world (or so I gathered)...
The Money Tree, or Okane no Ki.

This one really impressed me - I think it has something to do with Japanese culture, duh.

And this man with yellow teeth and a cigarette wants you to stop smoRking.


The Art Club had decided to traslate these English children's books into Japanese. I felt kind of proud.
From Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Hara peko aomushi)
In Romaji: Mokuyoubi ni yotsu no ichigo o tabete (something) inuketa. Demo, mada onaka ga suite ita.

From some book I'd never seen before called I Like Me (or something)
Watashi wa yoi mono o taberu.



Me and some 2 nen sei girls at lunch

Miho and Asuka - these 3 nen sei girls usually come chat with me in English every week. They are really nice - but they really want to come to my apartment which makes me uncomfortable... I can only make so many excuses!


2 nensei Shodo


3 nensei boys in the karaoke competition


Ja, tanoshikatta ne?