Lots of pictures, little writing

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Hello everyone, I am posting lots of pictures for you to see what I have been up to lately!!! I am loving Japan and my job and this city and my roomie and everything that this experience is doing for me and how it is allowing me to grow!!! Although there are daily frusterations and difficulties communicating, the good far outweighs the bad. I am learning something every day about the city I am living in, Japan, my students, teaching, myself, my roommate etc etc. I will get around to writing more details soon!!!

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Photos

My new bike!
Everyone bikes in Shizuoka and this makes the 40 minute walk to work, just a 20 minute bike ride!!! Complete with a bell and a cute little basket!!!

My favorite coffee shop in Shizuoka

O-Den Festival food
Last MOnday was a national holiday in Japan, I am still not sure exactly what was being celebrated, but there was all kinds of food in the streets of Shizuoka...here is what I had on my lunch one day, lots of fish, potatoes, tofu etc.

Homemade dinner
Japanese spaghetti dinner courtesy of the best roomie ever and her Japanese friend Risa from KUMAMOTO (where my relatives are from)!!! Complete with tofu and Japanese veggies and SAKE!!!

Kareoke Queen!
Did I tell you that Dawn, Ben and I went Kareoking on MOnday night and we ended up staying from 10pm to 5 am??? 7 Hours of Kareoke, what???

My first homemade Japanese meal...
Rice, Nato (fermented soy beans), Spinach, Carrots and Ume sauce.

Dawn and our Boss Ayako
Ayako came over and made us tomatoe hot pot for dinner last night...squid, clams, shrimp, pork, cabbage, it was OISHI (delicious!)

The baby squid in our hot pot!
Including eyeballs hahah