There have been three recent additions to my apartment in the last week: a television, a DVD player and maple syrop. I can now say that maybe my life in japan is finally complete.

Since the purchase of my $50 DVD player, I have been watching movies every night on my caca brown couch that actually turns out to be quite a comfortable piece of furniture which was recently completed with a leaopard print fleece blanket. Tomorrow morning I am planning on trying a new recipe called banana paste based pancakes to finally have some of my new maple syrup.

This morning as I was having my breakfast, I received a very nice phone call from my mother. Can you believe that it was the first time we spoke over the phone since I left Canada? It was 7:30am and I was a little groggy. But it was funny to think that while it was thursday morning for me, it was wednesday night for her. How was it talking into the future mom? It was nice to finally hear her voice and to be able to talk to her without having to type at a computer. Phones are so much more effective in that way.

Tomorrow it is a special day at school since it is Halloween week-end. Saturday we are having some kind of Hallooween parade/trick or treat through Fukushima. So we are basically cancelling all classes to have a 3 hours meeting to organize our Halloween day. Of course I need to have a costume and I just had no clue what I would be without my infamous blonde wig that I left in Canada. I guess it would be a little risque to be a 70s Pornstar as a school teacher, so instead I went to one of Fukushima's second hand stores (which are by the way, 10 times better than any Value Village in Canada, that is also owned by Wal-Mart, did you know?). I found a 60s fashion get up to make myself look like Jackie-O, or some sort of 60s fashion goddess. I have no idea how I am going to pull it off, but the shoes are pretty cool. Ill need a lot of make-up and a major hair-spray job. I will make sure to take as many pictures as possible. In fact I get to wear my costume twice since tomorrow night we are having a Halloween party with all of my foreign friends at this foreign bar in town called The Big Apple.

Sorry, I dont have any pictures in this entry. I will make sure to update on my camping trip that ended up being a cottage week-end because of the bad weather. It was great fun and I took a few pictures. The next day, however, I woke up with a really bad cold. I had to leave work early 2 days in a row, but I was happy to have a few movies and a DVD handy at home.

I would also like to wish a very happy b-day to my very best friend in the world: Heidi! I think about you everyday; I cant wait to see you again, my love and see how much these experiences have changed us. I know they have changed us for the best and I know that our friendship will be even stronger when we are together again. Lots of love and all the best.

Your poopsie, Ivanie