I'm taking it day by day at the moment. There are times when I think everything is just that bit too hard and hiding in the Language Lab is definitely the way forward, and then there are days like yesterday when I just stop and think 'I'm so lucky. I'm So. Lucky.'

I was really looking forward to my Japanese lessons starting a couple of weeks, ago but it turns out I kind of hate them. I'm really disappointed because I want lesson so desperately but the format just doesn't suit me as a student; the one on one teaching sends me into a panic, and the teacher I've been assigned just isn't teaching me what I want her to. It leaves me completely frustrated at the end of the lesson in an embarrassing, near-tears kind of a way. There is a different lesson in Ise that I may try instead. It's more work/expense for me to get there but if the lessons work for me then it Will be worth it, right now the Taki ones are kind of making me hate Japanese and I don't want to happen.

In contrast, the community centre lesson that I inherited from my predecessor is actually awesome. I didn't want to do it but felt guilty just not calling them as apparently it's kind of traditional that the Matsusaka ALT teach it, and they'd be kind of heart-broken if I refused. So glad I did.

I shouldn't leave so long between posts, it makes me forget what I wanted to write. Yesterday I went to the Futami shrine, which was amazing. There was an aquarium thing at the end and we saw the sea-lions. I got some pictures that I look really good in, something I'm just not used to saying about myself as I hate hate hate any and all photos with me in them. As soon as my friend sends them me I will post them.