I`m currently on a two week vacation from work as it will be soon Golden Week.  I`m not really sure what I want to do this year because its been so busy that I`ve had no time to prepare or plan, but maybe I can come up with something soon.  I will be meeting my girlfriend`s second brother for the first time since I started dating my girlfriend which was 9 years ago.  That should be interesting… hopefully.  I don`t really want to talk about work right now because I want to focus on my time off, but I will mention more about it in another blog next month.

The Oakhouse location in Shiinamachi is alright because its located in a very convenient area and there are many people moving in… and out, but it makes for many interesting situations.  However, there are many personality clashes as well and sometimes arguements that don`t need to happen.  Other than that, its pretty good here.  I`m learning more and more about how people of this country are and how people from other countries respond to the Japanese people through living in this guest house and also through daily life.

There are many place so far that I`ve been to in Japan and one place outside of Japan in the past year.  Most of the places I go are part of work, but sometimes its enjoyable and intersting to see so many different little towns.  Some of them; although different looking, remind me of my hometown.  I`ve started seriously studying Japanese as of this past November or December and I still have a very long way to go, but I think I might be finally scratching the surface of this language and the culture.  There`s so much to find out and study while working so it keeps me very busy everyday.  I`m still very curious about how things are going to turn out for me here because currently I am teaching English for a fairly big company, but I am also looking to start my own company someday, but I`m not sure when yet.

The  past fews months have been very strange regarding the weather here.  Its been raining, snowing and sometimes very hot.  At times I thought I was back in Canada in the winter, but then I look around just to confirm and its Japan.  I love hot weather and don`t mind the summers here.  I was in Japan 3 years ago in the winter and it was warm so I guess I expecting that this time, but its a little different.  Its sometimes colder than Canada in certain areas and sometimes its the same temperature.  Hopefully the weather will get hotter soon.