This is the entrance to my street.  The little giraffe sign is for the kindergarten behind my house.

My next door neighbor – plays the cello, totally loves Japan, and is in general a cool cat.

That is my current mode of transportation.  It has the city logo on the side, so every time I go somewhere people notice the car and ask where I work.

That’s me unpacking in my room.  I swear…its cleaner now. >_>

That’s the street I live on.  Notice how… developed the area is.

What I see looking out my window.

They have these mirrors so you can see around corners when driving.  I just wanted to be a huge dork and take a picture of myself in one.

They live down the street a bit…and I certainly can smell them when the wind blows the wrong way.

The other neighbor and my current drinking buddy.

For some reason run over sunflowers needed to have their picture taken.

This is a random little shrine that I discovered on a run when I first arrived.  It seriously pops outta nowhere and it really cool.

They are everywhere.

This is the city I live in.

My friend Mark at this awesome temple called Minobu.

There are a million (well not really a million) stairs that got to the temple area in Minobu, Kim it was made for us, I was reminded of all our training.

Me climbing the stairs.

One of the Buddhist temples at the top.  Amazing place.

Inside the Minobu temple compound there was a really cool meditation pond area.

The elementary school behind my house.

The little kids all wear these super cute outfits at festivals.

This was the o-bon festival which celebrates the ancestors.

The Jr High school students at Kasia’s school doing a drum performance.

Erm, something I ate for dinner, that’s it.

This is the main highway that goes up my mountain to my house.  The speed limit is 40km/hr.

The drain covers in my city are so happy!

What I see out my bedroom window.

Working hard at school.

Having a tea party and enjoying some random Japanese sweets at a hotel.

You have to take off your shoes before you go into the bathroom at school.   So you leave your inside shoes by the door, and put on these lovely red slippers.  Don’t ask me why, I just do as I’m told.

Some of my teachers hanging out in the staff room.  The guy on the left is Shirakura, my third year Japanese English teacher.

The Japanese and their ability to take things to a whole new level.

This one’s for you Kim.

Watching Star Trek on the bus ride to Yamanashi  - so yeah – Joe is a huge nerd. >_>

Joe and I trespassing near the Imperial Garden area – because signs that say ‘keep out’ are just dying to have their picture taken.

At a large temple complex in the Tokyo area called Sensoji.

Some 3^rd year girls eager to pose in front of the school trophy case.

1^st year students in English class learning hard?