snuffle, snuffle.

I can`t shake this bloody cold. It`s driving me nuts, and getting the train and having snuffly students doesn`t help either.

When I was in Ueno, there was a massive tent city in the park. A bit of a complete contrast to what I`ve seen so far. And so many stray pussy cats and crows. Actually, I saw one old man feeding the crows. They were eating from his hand. I guess they`re not that evil after all.

I gave in and had a bath last night. By give in, I mean the idea of sitting in something which would need a good 12 inches or so extra length to be able to sit with your legs spread straight in front of you..... Well, the appeal wasn`t there. Anyway, armed with half a bottle of red wine, I gave it a go. Please let me know if you`ve experienced this AND managed to find a comfy position. Even the wine didn`t help, though there were definite moments of niceness about being up to your neck in hot water.

[Warning: euw bit..] My legs needed a bit of a shave so I gave them one. When I let the water out, I noticed a nice centimetre of water all over my bathroom floor (it`s okay, it`s plastic like the bath -- in fact it looks like it`s one huge bit of plastic that`s been used for both, and there`s also a massive drain in the corner), anyway, all the hairs I`d shaved off, were floating in it. Lovely. Not.

I had my first Japanese lesson today from a volunteer. She tried to get me to learn the whole of one of the systems of writing in the lesson. That`s 103 characters. I had a very good lesson in how not to teach anyway. I was exhausted.

Japanese fashion is interesting. Much of it is either just plain weird, or so dated it`s unbelievable. I love staring at what people are wearing here. And apparantly, according to one student, the reason school girls wear such short skirts, is they all take them to tailors to get them taken up professionally. Too much pocket money is my opinion!

A lot of Japanese females have a very strange walk. It`s hard to describe: sort of knock-kneed/sparrow legged, but also like they might be walking along doing kegel`s or something. (look it up). I don`t know if I`ll ever get a reason or explanation for this. Maybe they think it looks cute? A bit like the voice thing I mentioned before. I`ve started asking my intermediate students LOTS of questions anyway...

And, on top of lovely map from student last week, another student gave me a box of chocolates yesterday.

Also, I had a floating student (someone who doesn`t have regular lessons or a regular teacher) and the notes from previous teachers scared me shitless. There were comments saying she`s told one teacher they were the worst she`d ever had, and that she was timid, hard work and all sorts. I was scared shitless, but she was lovely and we had a half hour of chatting before she told the receptionist she`d like me again if I have any more cancellations. Guess I`m doing something right.

Teaching: in a nutshell you are an entertainer to most of your students, in my opinion. No wonder it`s so exhausting!

I DO love it though and wouldn`t be back in London, slaving away for the BBC again for all the money in the world.