Special Delivery & Date with Okonomiyaki

Just as I thought, it was hell for me to get up out of bed to go to work on Tuesday. I pressed snooze a dozen times and kept replaying what I would say if I called in sick. I even dreamt about it during one of the snooze intervals, but I counted to 10 and got out of bed. I ran frantic around the apartment as I got ready, made my lunch, showered and left the apartment. I was an absolute zombie all day. I think this is the first time, my lack of sleep has actually hit me since I've been here and my JTE's and students felt my tired vibe. At the beginning of my grade 1 and 3 classes I greet my students as follows:

Me: Good morning everyone
Class: Good morning Miss Amanda
Me: How are you today?
Class: I'm fine thank you, and you?
Me: I'm fine, good, genki(energetic) etc...but my response was I'm sooooooo tired
Class: hahaha

They found my zombie mode amusing. I got through the day and forced myself not to nap during lunch. The end of the work day came and I left 15 minutes later because I remembered that my box that I had shipped before I left Toronto, was being to my apartment some time after 4pm. I got home and tried to stay awake...that lasted for about 30 minutes and I fell into a light sleep so I could hear the doorbell. At about 7:15pm it rang and there it was, my box with my food and toiletries. I was so happy to have my Triple Crown Mint Tea, Angostura Bitters, St. Ives facial scrub, Mango and Lime Shampoo & Conditioner etc. etc. It truly was a special delivery.

For the rest of the night, I did some things online and before I knew it it was after 1am again! I don't understand, the more I try to and say I'm going to go to bed earlier than the night before, the more it doesn't happen. I went into the room and got into bed and of course I couldn't fall asleep. I was up until after 2am listening to Da'Ville. He eventually put me to sleep after what felt like 3 hours later and yet again it was hard for me to get out of bed this morning.

After work, I went to the bank and relaxed until it was time to go to Aioi station to meet up with some of the other JETs for dinner. I had been corresponding with Laura on facebook about going out for Okonomiyaki because I have been dying to try it since I keep hearing about it. Laura, Nate and I met up at the station for 6:30pm and headed to Ako, another city 12 minutes away, to a highly recommended restaurant. It was Laura's first time there, but she is no stranger to the food and Nate goes to this particular restaurant, "Minota-ya" every Wednesday and meets up with some other Jet programme participants. I watched in awe as the okonomiyaki was prepared and took pics of our chef. While we were there several people came in. I met Kaz, Mitsuye(both Japanese), Ewan from Vancouver( who went to school at Western University), and Daniel from Australia. I was surprised at how much of a good time I had. I taught Nate a new 'ebonics' word....flex...I said "so I guess this is the Wednesday night flex" and after he looked at me puzzled I had to school him. Then we started making jokes about the words that he did know from growing up inner city Seattle, I had quite the laughing spell. We left the others at the restaurant and caught the 9pm train back to Aioi. I got in, did some stuff online like updating this blog which I'm trying my darndest to keep up to date, had a shower and I'm just about done. So my first date with Okonomiyaki was splendid! It tastes sooooooooo good, and is so filling...aaaaand I have half of it left to take for lunch tomorrow!

OKONOMIYAKI PICTURES HERE!