random updates from last week

Random pictures from last week. The ones of Fukuoka Castle were when I was filming on Sunday for my friend's video of everyone at the news station in Memphis. I trained her and because I was there for half of this year, she wanted to add me in the video, so I filmed in the closest, most Japanese-looking place I could find.

 

Being sick, Japanese-style! I think the lint on my mirror also adds a nice touch. These are gloves that Madoka gave to me. I wore them to one of the schools this past Tuesday, and the kids kept calling me Spiderman! 

I wasn't allowed to wear the mask to work because then it's difficult for my students to hear me and to see my pronunciation, but I wore it on my off-days. It got considerably colder here! Feels like it might snow . . .

 

Before

 

After! . . . breakfast for dinner, yeah (IHOP commercial. Tim knows what I'm talking about :P)

 

Mountain Dew in Japan!!!  Apparently one machine carries it here . . . now I'm on the lookout in every machine . . .

 

So much cooler when it's in Japanese!

 

Fall leaves. I'm not sure what kind of tree this is, but the leaves are very different, so I'm sure someone out there knows! Anyone?

 

There are crows everywhere

 

This is part of the remains of Fukuoka Castle

 

I wish the whole castle was still here, but this was still really cool

 

My new favorite tree

 

The back (or front) of my new favorite tree

 

trying to get the moon that's above the tree, but it didn't work out

 

A watchtower from the remains of Fukuoka Castle

 

Crows really are everywhere . .. 

Literally, everywhere . . .

 

A reflection in the small lake near the castle. It's funny how natural everything is, then across this river is a huge, busy street with tall buildings!

 

One of my students gave me a persimmon!! It was hard like an apple, but sweet, almost like a peach, but not really. I don't know if they have them in America, but I've certainly never tried one before!