May 23rd 2004
Life continues to be busy, largely due to the big writing deadline early next month, and last week wasn't filled with exciting events, so this will be a short diary update.
Actually, I think the most exciting thing that happened last week was that my subscription to Nature finally got sorted out. They are now coming from Japan, so there are bits of Japanese at the beginning and end. The bulk is still in English, though, which is a very good thing. While my Japanese is improving, it's not up to reading scientific papers yet.
OK, that's not true. I had a preliminary meeting with a potential English student on Thursday. We met in the Starbucks in Aeon, because its easy to find, and as the meeting wasn't a lesson we carried it on almost entirely in Japanese, apart from the bit where we used English a little so that I could get an idea of her level. She's booked a first lesson for the beginning of June, at my flat, so I must remember to clean before she comes. I've already bought a new chair, so that she has somewhere reasonably comfortable to sit. After the first lesson, she will decide whether to continue for more, because after the first one the rule is to pay for four lessons in advance. Fortunately, she only wants teaching once a fortnight, which gives me a chance to ease into teaching again gently.
The weather has turned very wet, apparently unusually so for May. I got positively soaked on the way to meet my student, but fortunately she gave me a lift home. This had the added benefit from her perspective of allowing her to see exactly where the lessons will be. It rained on me when I went shopping today, as well.
Not a lot else of diariable note has happened. I've been to school, done my writing, done cooking and housework... Life in Japan is not constant excitement.