Day in the Shi

Howdy. I made it to and from Niigata without missing any trains! I rode 3 trains to Niigata city and 2 back. Though, the ride back was much nicer because I was in good company. I took the train with Victoria back to Naoetsu where she lives, then I hopped the Hokuhoku line for the quick ride back to my town (only about 20min there). Next weekend is my b-day and we have plans to go to the aquarium and maybe we can conjure up some mint chocolate chip ice cream from Joetsu.

The day was super fun, except for losing sleep rather than catching up on it this weekend. I got up about 7am to catch the train at 7:36, then got to the city about 9:20 and walked around. I went to Mr. Donuts, I went to the bookstore, I stalked a guy in a big happy costume until I got my picture with him, I walked through a street fair, I saw a brass jazz band, and eventually I got to the friendship center and joined other fun JETS and several from SC to boot! There was a strong representation from both SC and Texas,　but SC won out. We played games and got to be pirates and lost children and tribesman and talked about a trip to Papau New Guinea and we sang "Lean on Me."Everybody is really great and spirited and it`s going to be fun just to get together now and then!

But today, I have to somehow find energy I don`t have to teach class. And my head hurts because I smacked it on a wall yesterday (don`t run up stairs while peeking over the handrail as a wall begins...it hurts and you feel reallllly stupid.) But it`ll be okay, and I`ll just sleep after school.

I talked to mom this morning and she told me a nice man from my church back home died, Sam Crisp. He always clipped my name or such out of the paper and laminated it and kept up with the important events of me and my brothers, and I`ll miss him as I`m sure everyone back home will. Thank you Mr. Crisp, for always being thoughtful and caring.