Gardening and News

     I took a good photo of the garden outside my computer room today as the Sun was setting.  The Camellia trees are in bloom here and looking awesome.  You can also see Mums in the background, and this garden really shows how good Oba-chan is with plants.  The only other person I know with as green a thumb is my Mom.

     In other news, I have started work with Berlitz teaching English.  It is a part time job with better employee supports than I have seen at other similar institutions in Japan.  They made me travel to Tokyo for five days of training and one day in Kashiwa without pay.  In the US this would have been illegal, but here they get away with it as an "extended interview".  I still plan on doing the best work for them I can, but I have to wonder how many teachers are less enthusiastic because of this lost time.  It certainly wasn't cheap to go through with travel and food for the week.  I did learn a different style of teaching than what I am accustomed to, and I know that it will effect my work in the states.