In search of a new adjective

I love my students. They make me feel like a pop star.

"HALLO!!"

"NATARI!!!"

"I LOVE YOU!!"

"OH! Kawaii!"

"You are beautiful."

That last one and the kawaii one, have been a little over done. I have one boy student about 17 years old, cheery, sweet, smiley... he looks to me like a little Asian Pop Star and I enjoy him to bits because he makes every attempt to speak English with me. BUT he also is also the biggest perpetrator of telling me how beautiful I am. He goes so far as to blow kisses to me in class!

So, I am on a mission. I want my students to be able to express more feeling than the one word expression. Which is hard to do coming from the Japanese language, which is often very vague on things that in English we can be specific on and vice versa.

So, anyone have a suggestion? What can I replace cute and beautiful with?

Thanks!

When its cold, wear a sweater.

"CUTE!!!"
"COOL!!!" squeal my students at the college prep school.

Today, is dreadfully cold inside the my college prep high school. I mean, freeze your toes off your feet, COLD!  There is no central heating in my area of Japan. No insulation, either.  Often when it is tolerable outside, its dreadful inside the hallways and a few of the classrooms. Its so cold, I hate to walk down the hallway to the restroom, as neither are heated. As I write this, I have the feeling I might explode...

So, how do you prepare for a winter in Japan? Layers. Lots and lots of layers. But, as I had very little room to spare coming to Japan, I did not pack an ample enough supply of underthings to help me survive this weather. So, what did I do? I asked my school if I could buy one of the school sweatshirts to keep in my desk as backup.

I figured it was a safe thing to do, as you are pretty limited on what is appropriate for the school. I often see the students wear these gym sweatshirts as an extra layer in the fall. So, when I asked the response was;
"Oookkkaaayyy. But why would you want to wear part of the students uniform?"
"Because it is cold and on occasion need a little extra."
"I wouldnt want to be seen wearing the students uniform"
"oh...huh. Well, I think it is ok. I will only wear it at school."

That was the conversation I had with my JTE (Japanese Teacher of English) and I have to admit, she had a little bit of a point. All day today, eyes turned and voices squealed as I walked the school hallways, donning my school pride.

A white sweatshirt with the school emblem on the left breast, with my name written in Kanji underneath.

Only in Japan would I unintentionally bring this much attention to chest.
(0.o")

Holla, Winter!

The recipe for a Chicago winter:

 1. Wind

 2. slushy wanna be snow 

 3. freezing Wind

 4. snow (whenever it decides to show up)

 5. Blizzard (that causes a 15 minute commute to a 45)

 6. Hot chocolate, marshmallows, good book, thermostat set to 69-70

 7. Hot showers and a warm home to walk around 

When my fellow apartment neighbors warned me that it gets cold here in the winter, I didn't take it lightly but I had all the essentials from back home. So, I thought I was pretty set and prepped. 

Nope!

Most of us in America cant really understand what central heating is not until we experience it for ourselves. I will try to explain with the best of my ability what I am facing this winter season.

Imagine, your house is completely made up of cement, glass and wood. There is no insulation between these materials, there is a draft and heat never stays inside for very long. So far, the temperature hasnt dropped below 45. Which is good for the fact that very little to no snow will come this way. Hearty root veggies still grow and believe it or not, strawberries are in season, now.  Sounds livable?

Well, home is ok. I keep the heater in my one room ON during the evening and sleep bundled to the nines in socks and a hoodie, but that means when I go to the kitchen or to take a shower, I walk into a room a good 30 degrees colder than the one I just left. (All I can say about that is DAMN! FFFFFUUUUUggghhhhhh!)

Its home though, so I only have to worry about evening and night time, right?

Nope. Japanese schools and buildings also don't have central heating, only the classrooms and staff rooms are heated when occupied. That means, the hallways are just like being outside! You need a coat just to walk to homeroom! (And they frown upon walking around "inside" with anything you would wear "outside."  I sit at a desk nearest the door to the staff room entrance, I sit in draft central! Burrrrrr! I've stretched out my loafers wearing two and three pairs of socks! 

Also, the bathrooms aren't heated, there is no hot water from the tap to wash your hands, and you have to bring your own towel to dry your hands. If you forget (and I often do) to bring a towel, then you walk around with wet hands and trust me... its brutal.

Anyway, short post to complain about the cold!

I miss all my friends back home and hope you are staying warm!