Thanks!!

Thank you to everyone who has written with their congrats. Heaps chuffed. Hehe!

Yesterday was just a good day in general really. I went with my neighbour and a few other foreigners to play soccer. I have never played soccer before (aside from a few traumatic weeks in primary school) so I basically ran about hip and shouldering people and kicking them in the ankles. It seemed to be a good tactic because my special female gaijin status meant that I was out of bounds for reciprocal push and shove. There were only 2 other girls there and they were pretty quiet about it, just kinda flapping their hands about and watching the ball around most of the time which was a shame. Our team was all gaijin and the other teams were all Japanese. 7 minute games, 5 a side. It felt really great to be playing sport again (even if very badly) and today my legs are aching - a good feeling. Afterwards off to Tree for some beer and takoyaki and a few stories from the foul-mouthed but hilarious bloke from Kasaoka. I have never heard anyone swear so much or so effectively in my life. I think some of the hilarity may simply be due to the accent though.

Freezing, I ran all the way home in my shorts (first time my legs have seen air for WAY too long) in time for a hot shower, re-examination of my test results (to confirm that I had read it correctly and was justified in being elated) and into bed, exhausted and happy for the first time in ages. How appropriate that such a great day should be followed with a pretty average one...

Today I threw a year 6 girl out of my class after she continued talking despite being told not to. Where I come from this is not an unusual way to deal with troublemakers. She isn't a bad kid, she was just trying it on for size and chucking her out for 5 minutes woud have been a good way of ensuring she tidied herself up while also letting the rest of the class know that I'm not gonna up up with that kind of shit. Unfortunately, I am the only person here who has this opinion. The girl in question went walkabout and had a big sulk, her homeroom teacher called the principal to come and look for her and everyone knew about it in 5 seconds and they all started telling me that I'm not allowed to kick kids out of the classes. I found the girl down at the front doors having a sulk and bitch to her mates (who of course knew where she was the whole time) and had a chat to her about pulling her socks up. I don't care if she hates English, I hate teaching it, but it's much more fun if you just drop the attitude. Anyway it's all good with the teachers now, most of the ones who count (principal, vice-principal) seem to think that what I did wasn't that bad and have forgiven me now that we know the girl isn't out somewhere hanging herself (entirely possible here). Everyone knows that class is a bitch to deal with. There's always gotta be one of these classes in every school it would seem!