I am having an unexpected weeks holday thanks to the swine flu that has started to invade Osaka and Kobe.

On Monday morning, all the schools were told to close for a week and that all kids should be kept indoors so after humming and hawing, I decided that I would also close. I spent most of Monday calling my students who weren't really surprised and since then have been having a relaxing time. I think the number of cases is now just over 150 and there are very few people walking around Osaka - even Umeda - so I'm sure all the kids are feeling a bit of cabin fever. At least mine are older, I feel sorry for the mothers of young children.