The best things in life are free

From my previous post, you can probably tell that I am really enjoying Higashi Yonesato. The love continued today, as I was given a warm greeting in english by the junior high students. The four of them seem very interested in speaking with me, and the adults seem eager to hear them speak with me. Everyone is still so friendly - they are all so interested in me almost as if I was some exotic bird or cute puppy. Today when I had some free time, I was working on writing my hiragana, and the vice-principal sauntered toward my desk, as he often does when he wants to talk to me. He noticed I was writing and I told him I was practicing for my class later tonight. He became very excited and told me that my writing was very good. He looked through the pages of ka, ga, sa, and so forth, almost as if he was grading me. I told him I was taking Japanese classes and that soon we will be able to speak Japanese together. He laughed.

The nurse is another one who has much interest in me. Besides all the tea and cookies she gave me yesterday, today I was given a Japanese pumpkin from the school garden.

But that's not the only free produce I've been given today. Tonight, Nate, Ethan, and I ate gyoza at this cute little restaurant around the corner from our apartment. I had gone there a few weeks ago before Nate and Ethan arrived, and had told the owner - this wonderfully sweet lady who likes to speak english - that my family was arriving soon. This was the first evening we've all seen her as a family, and she was so excited! After serving us our meal, she asks us if we like tomatoes, and brings out this container of tomatoes for us to take home! Now, what to do with them all!

But wait there's more!

Sarah, another JET living in Sumikawa, gave Ethan a mountain bike that's been taking up space in her stoarge space for who knows how long. And we also discovered and repaired another bike in our storage space, so now we have two bikes - rusty and a little creaky, but free nonetheless.

So we seem to all be adjusting well to our new lives in Japan. And if people keep giving us free food, I know we're gonna be just fine!