雨！雨！

When it rains, I think of my mom saying, "Ah! Ame ame!" ("Rain rain!") in surprise at a sudden shower.

The rain that arrived in Miki brings a welcome cool from the summer heat, but I'm already feeling chilly. I spent last night watching Friends and sipping broth while snuggled under my blankets. This cold worries me: I'm such a wuss back home, and the most coverage I have here is a light cardigan.

I'm nearly done with my first week of classes, and I'm surprised at how comfortable I feel in the role of a teacher. I guess that maybe I like being a bit bossy. My forcing Scott to sit through afternoons of playing school (in which I forced him to write and illustrate books with me) is finally paying off!

As the school resident native English speaker, I'm responsible for all twelve first-year classes and four third-year classes. Most of the students are shy, but I love the noisy, boisterous ones who loudly ask me nosy questions and shout at me in the hallways. I've mostly been sharing a self-introduction that I've assembled on PowerPoint, along with an "About Kristine" worksheet that we fill out together. The students have also had the chance to ask me some questions, the stranger ones of which include the following:

1. "How do you keep your good style?" ("How do you maintain your figure?")

I got excited thinking that the girl was complimenting my terrific fashion taste, until my teacher explained that she was talking about my body.

2. "What is your body fat percentage?"

I don't understand the obsession with my figure, but since I came to Japan prepared to be judged as chubby, I'll take these comments as a good thing until the winter arrives and I'll be welcoming a little fat.