Ikeda Bunko Sotsugyousei (Ikeda Branch School Graduates)

My final day with the Ikeda High School Class of 2005. These guys were
freshman in the school when I was a freshman in Japan. I will NEVER forget
these guys, and girls. I definitely learned more about life from them than
they learned English from me...

My J-Homies

These are my NI-NEN SAN-KUMI boys at CLEANING TIME. I love these guys and in
a month they will be the Seniors (3rd years in the Japanese system). These
guys keep an eye on me here, make sure I don't slip up too much, and remind
me that my hair is like a sponge on a daily basis. Gotta love 'em!

...soba...

..by the way, I LOVE soba...

Soba. Soba! SOBA!

Soba. Soba! SOBA!

For my last day with this year's SENIORS at my second school, we made our
annual fieldtrip to make soba (buckwheat) noodles. As always, the tomfoolery
was prolific, and I only had a little to do with that. We also made mochi
(the hammer is for mashing the rice). Needless to say, the mallet in the
hands of my boys made me a little nervous...

Soba. Soba! SOBA!

For my last day with this year's SENIORS at my second school, we made our
annual fieldtrip to make soba (buckwheat) noodles. As always, the tomfoolery
was prolific, and I only had a little to do with that. We also made mochi
(the hammer is for mashing the rice). Needless to say, the mallet in the
hands of my boys made me a little nervous...

Soba. Soba! SOBA!

For my last day with this year's SENIORS at my second school, we made our
annual fieldtrip to make soba (buckwheat) noodles. As always, the tomfoolery
was prolific, and I only had a little to do with that. We also made mochi
(the hammer is for mashing the rice). Needless to say, the mallet in the
hands of my boys made me a little nervous...

Soba. Soba! SOBA!

For my last day with this year's SENIORS at my second school, we made our
annual fieldtrip to make soba (buckwheat) noodles. As always, the tomfoolery
was prolific, and I only had a little to do with that. We also made mochi
(the hammer is for mashing the rice). Needless to say, the mallet in the
hands of my boys made me a little nervous...

...SNOW!

3) I give up...
I'm from Oklahoma. SNOW DOESN'T DO THIS! I had to dig my car out for 30
minutes, ended up 10 minutes late for work. Mother Nature, please...

snow...

Snow to the right of me...

...SNOW...

Friggin' snow!
1) Snow to the left of me...

You'd think they were angels...

My students, hard at work, it would seem. A rare, peaceful moment in
class!... Honestly, I prefer their natural state: shouting, yelling, and the
occasional thrown object...