I did catch the cold.

Even though I was going through a box of tissues a day, I struggled through the classes (I just hope nobody caught it from me) and didn't end up with the extra stress of re-scheduling/cancelling classes. I'm more or less over it now but still feel as if I'm running on 'empty' but hopefully things will improve a bit over the weekend.

On Sunday we have another English Teacher's meeting and it looks like this one will be better attended than the last. This time around it's going to be held at the British Council which is much more accessible than my classroom. We'll probably meet up for lunch before the presentation to have our meeting and then after the presentation I'm sure there will be a few of us going out for dinner too. I'm looking forward to it.

Keita had his baseball entrance ceremony - there were about 17 others and a few are still coming to have a look before deciding. A lot of the boys have been pitcher for their last team so it looks like Keita will have some competition! Last Saturday, after the ceremony, they had two practice matches and won both - all the kids are good players. Our biggest problem at the moment is his baseball shoes. This team has their own special ones which only go up to a size 29cm and Keita is a 30 so the coach is having to contact the manufacturers to see if they can get them in his size - I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't have to be specially made and cost the earth.

Aya has booked her ticket to the UK for May 12th and will stay with Carol (my sister) until she finds a flat/job in Manchester. She said she will take anything at the beginning and then take her time finding a 'proper' job. I'll miss her once she has gone although since she's been back from Tokyo we've been seeing very little of her, she's been working in the Osaka office most days and is almost always out with friends at night (and then complains that she's tired!)

The last week or two I've been getting quite a few new students and also phone calls for trial lessons. I'm especially happy that the majority have been 9 or 10 year olds (and mostly girls) who I enjoy teaching the most. I've started three new classes (although one takes the place of kids who went into the Junior High school class) so don't really want to start any more for now.

Also, I've been looking at prices for going to New Zealand later on in the year. Looks like the best time to go price-wise is between Aug 23rd and Sept 11th so that is no doubt when I'll go. No doubt Lisa will be wanting to go too!