So Much Tea

My day was quite relaxed in the first part but then tiring in the second. I had a Japanese lesson in the morning, which was attended by everybody (except obviously for Katherine), which was a first in quite some time. It made it drag slightly, though. It was not too bad, but I get slightly frustrated at how slowly we are moving through the book. I was hoping that we would move onto our third textbook before I came home, but, at this rate, we will not be anywhere near to doing so. Perhaps, I will ask to have the textbooks anyway. I do not think that it should be too much of a bother, especially since the rumour has it that we have to pay for them ourselves. I want them, though. I want to learn.

Anyway, I had curry rice for lunch before returning home on the bus with Lauma, Binks, and Drummond. I spent most of the afternoon programming again, though I also did my homework. I watched a couple of episodes of anime before going downstairs at 5.30 for tea ceremony. To begin with, it was just the teacher, Oh-san, and me, and I did my “thick tea” ceremony. I think the first half an hour is now set aside just for me. I am getting quite good now, of which I am proud! After a while, Maki-san from the office turned up, as did Ayaka. Yuu did not come today, as she was late leaving school (or something). The two new students also came later.

I like tea, but I think doing it for 4¾ hours is slightly excessive. I think everybody was falling asleep! It was some good Japanese practice as well, though the teacher keeps using old Japanese sayings, like 関の山 (seki no yama, meaning "the most one can do"). I have become slightly more openly inquisitive, so I spent the lesson asking questions about what everything meant. Both Maki-san and Oh-san were working for me in “dictionary corner!” I missed dinner as well, but I ate a toasted tuna sandwich, and I attempted to make a Pasta-‘n-Sauce using some milk I bought the other day, because Rushen asked me. However, he bought some himself in the interim. That was at the weekend, but it was still drinkable. I had to guess the measurements as well, so the sauce was rather liquidy and never really set. I still have one more left to attempt to cook.