March Madness

GOOOOOOO TIGERS!
*cheers*

Of COURSE my sister would make it to the state basketball tournament the year that I leave the country.  That's the thought that is consuming me at the moment, as I just received the news.  (Thanks, Facebook.)  I couldn't listen to the game because I was teaching, but I'm hoping I can catch the first round next week.  I soooo wish that I could be in the Cities next week to watch the excitement unfold.  Congratulations, Amanda and the rest of the Tigers!  I am so proud of all of you!  I've even got a few of my students cheering!

March Madness in the court is accomanying just as much madness in real life.  I always feel like I'm busy and having something to do, but now that I've sat down to write about it, I just can't pinpoint it.  I think it's just the basics of our day-to-day here: lesson plans, teaching, socializing with students, socializing with friends, keeping in touch with everyone back home, making travel plans, and somehow managing to relax a little.  I have no idea how this week has gone so quickly; it's practically the middle of March.  Before we know it, cherry blossoms will be here, and then I'll be just a few short months away from returning to the U.S.  But I have so much to do before that!

In keeping with the theme of disjointedness that seems to have taken over this entry, here is a list of the random thoughts I've got to share with you today.  Before I sat down to write this, I had a lot more.  They'll come to me later, I'm sure.  In the mean time, enjoy:

1. While teaching my students about Lent this week and how many Christians give something up as an offering to God, one of my bolder adult women said, completely seriously, "I'm glad I'm not Christian."

2. While at dinner with a student last week, I ate raw horse meat.  It was prett good.

3. Sarah and I finally saw "The King's Speech" last weekend.  It was FANTASTIC.  I understand why it won Best Picture, and I was surprised by how funny it was.  And Geoffrey Rush?  A gem of a performance.

4. In the past week, I've received shortbread cookies from London, olive oil from Spain, cookies from Hokkaido, a postcard from the van Gogh exhibit in Nagoya, and some White Day chocolate.  And this is about average.  My students are so generous.

5. Great teaching moment: One of my Wednesday night women brought in the English textbook that she studies outside of class (because she's that committed...seriously) to show me that she recognized some of the words in it because I had taught them to her (see: "jargon" and "synonymous").  She said, "I noticed these words, so I thought, 'You are a really great teacher!'"  Well, she's a pretty good student.

Also, as we enter this Lenten season, if you've got a prayer or two to spare, please send them this way.  I've written before about Mr. Yokota, the 91-year-old founder of OBC, WWII veteran, devout Catholic, and all around champion human being.  He passed away this week, so on top of everything else happening at OBC (it's the end of the academic year in Japan), his family is dealing with the loss of a father, grandfather, and friend.  The three of us were able to stop by the church for a sort of visitation last night to pay our respects, which I'm grateful for.  He was, without a doubt, the most amazing person I've ever met, and I am blesssed to have gotten the chance to speak with him on a few occassions.  He was a faith-filled man, and I have no doubt that now he is exactly where he should be.

Take care, dear friends!

March 3 was "Girls Day," or the Hina (Hina Doll Festival). On Girls Day, all businesses (and I mean all) put Hina Dolls on display in their windows as they are supposed to keep bad luck away.